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Are you ready for roll call?

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Major done.

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Present. Eric Scherzer. Allison Silverstein. Here.

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Carrie McMahon. Jada Roman. Here. Melanie Dyser. Here. Sean Long. Yes. Holly Shaw.

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Iván Bukenite. Here. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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And I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to be able to

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have one for word to stand, one nation, under God, to be able to vote, liberty and justice

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from.

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It is Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 7.40 p.m.

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The purpose of this meeting is for the Board of Education to take action on the resolutions

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as indicated on the agenda.

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But the minutes reflect that adequate notice of this meeting has been approved in the following

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manner.

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On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, notice of this meeting was sent to the Harold News and

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Bergen record, was posted on the Montclair Board of Education's public website and filed

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with the township clerk.

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The date, time date, and location were accurately set forth therein.

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Please be advised that this meeting is considered a public meeting under the law and may be taped,

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broadcast used or reproduced in ways and in mediums beyond the control of the Board of

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Education. Individual statements and opinions expressed are solely those of the speakers

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and do not necessarily represent the Montclair Board of Education. Please keep in mind that

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if you directly disclose personally identifiable information or personally sensitive data regarding

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yourself or others during this public meeting, this information may be collected and used

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by others. Accordingly, the board asked that members of the public be courteous and mindful

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of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding students

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and employees of the board are discouraged. Students and employees have specific legal

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rights afforded to them by the laws of New Jersey. The board bears no responsibility and

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will not be liable for any comments made by members of the public.

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Speakers should therefore carefully evaluate their statements for individual consequences

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under the law and should obtain any appropriate professional advice prior to speaking.

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For those who wish to speak during public comment, please be sure to sign up to sheet on the

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side podium. Next item is President's report. Good evening everyone and welcome. We thank you

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for joining us whether you're virtually or in person this evening. As a board, we appreciate the

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the attention that our governor, Sherrell, has brought to the realities facing public schools across our state.

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Our recent remarks highlight several truths that districts like ours confront every day.

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As a board, we share the governor's focus on outcomes, accountability, and student support.

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Our goal remains clear to ensure that every dollar invested in public education,

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strength and literacy, support student well-being, and prepares our children for success.

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We look forward to working with state leaders to ensure funding policies and initiatives

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truly meet the needs of our students, educators, and our community.

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Yesterday the residents of Montclair participated in an important special election, and though

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we are still waiting for the results to be finalized, we respect the voices of our community.

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Whether residents voted yes or no, what is clear is that our community cares deeply

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about our public schools and the future of our students.

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As a board, our focus remains steady and unchanged.

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Our priority is student achievement, ensuring every student receives a high quality education,

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support and opportunities that they all deserve.

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We also remain committed to meaningful community engagement.

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The conversations surrounding this vote have demonstrated how invested our residents are,

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and that engagement will continue to be an essential part of our decisions ahead.

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This moment also calls for us to continue reimagining Montclair's path forward.

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Together with our educators, families, students, and community partners, we will keep working to strengthen our schools, address the challenges before us, and build a sustainable future for the district.

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Tonight, I pose the thought from one of my sheer roles.

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As we move forward, the question is not whether we can afford to invest in every child.

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It is whether we can afford not to.

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As a board and our work continues and we remain committed to moving forward, thoughtfully,

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collaboratively and always with the best interest of our students at the center of every decision.

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If you are intending to make a public comment tonight, remember to sign up on the blue podium near the door.

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The list will be collected after item G3, which is our facility workshop report.

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Thank you.

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Oh, God, I can't miss it.

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Excuse me, Mrs. Turner, before you begin, can you send us the PowerPoint, because we can't really see it on this side.

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should have been sent to you. Is Lorna here? Miss Agnew? Is that she here? Is Lorna here?

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Isaiah, can you send it to the Isaiah will send it, Lorna?

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I apologize was supposed to be in your

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email half an hour ago. Good evening members of the board, staff and members of the Montclier community.

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Oh, I can't read that. Oh, I'll figure it out.

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Excuse me.

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Before discussing the proposal before us

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tonight, I want to begin by acknowledging something that is very real for many families.

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Renaissance has been an important part of Montclair's educational landscape for many years.

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For many students, it's been a place where they felt seen, supported, and

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able to thrive in a small, learning environment.

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I want to recognize that history and the community that has grown around it.

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The proposal being presented tonight is not about diminishing that legacy.

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rather it is about responding responsibly to the realities our district is

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facing and ensuring that we can continue to provide strong instructional

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opportunities for all students across Montclair. Over the past decade our middle

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school enrollment has declined significantly. At the same time the district

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continues to face structural financial pressures and rise in operational cost.

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These realities require for us to look carefully at how we use our facilities and

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and how we align our resources with the number of students we serve.

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Tonight, proposal outlines a strategic reinvestment that would consolidate our middle school structure into two schools while expanding access to early childhood education by repurposing the Renaissance Building as the Montclair Early Learning Academy.

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This approach allows us to address

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three critical priorities simultaneously.

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Aligning our facilities with enrollment, district finance, relief, expanding access to

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high quality early childhood education.

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I want to be very clear that if this proposal moves forward, the districts will work closely

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with families and staff to ensure that every Renaissance student receives supports through

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the transition.

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Our goal is to ensure that every child continues to feel connected, supported, and successful

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in their new school community.

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It is not an easy conversation, but one that is an important one, and it reflects our

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responsibility to steward the district's resources in a way that serves both our current

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students and future generation of Montclair families.

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Tonight, I will walk through the data, the rationale for the proposal, the steps that will support

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students and families if the board chooses to move forward with the proposal.

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Okay, I'm having like, can't see over there, but I can see here very well, so I'll do my best.

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By now, if you haven't figured, I center a lot of my thoughts and I work around quotes,

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and I wanted to share, um, follow up, I'm going to need your help for a minute, please.

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A quote, may your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

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Why is it two screens like that?

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I can't affect.

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So do you?

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So this is so you can see the screen up here.

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Do you want to see it?

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That's not helpful.

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Yeah.

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We're many.

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They're going to come.

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I didn't do them, so the next one will have it.

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Okay, I don't know if this is going to work, but we're going to try.

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Okay, next slide.

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The run, as I said earlier, the Renaissance community has fostered a unique and important

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learning environment within Montclair.

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We know, and I've had an opportunity to spend time with families last night, I've received

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numerous emails, I've visited the school, I've talked with the outstanding principal there

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that is the vibrant part of Montclair's educational landscapes.

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Students have built confidence, foster strong relationships and

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gain meaningful learning opportunities.

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And there's a close community that has foster deep connections within

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its walls,

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so we want to acknowledge that.

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Also, at the same time simultaneously, Montclair, like many districts, is facing

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significant financial pressures.

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We are experiencing a structural gap between revenue and

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expenditures while operational costs continues to rise.

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At the same time, our student population has decreased, which will impact and has impacted our state funding.

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Because of these factors, we must examine how our facilities aligns with enrollment so

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that we can stabilize finances and protect core instruction.

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Next slide.

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This slide shows you our current middle school enrollment for three of our middle schools.

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So we are at 1,365 and the combined current schedule capacity if we combine buzz and Glenfield is 1,528.

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So you can see where from the number of middle schoolers and our capacity that we have a room to consolidate our middle school.

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Next slide.

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And although these are difficult decisions and difficult conversations, I want to talk

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about what happens if no action is taken.

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Without this reinvestment, the district will continue to face structural challenges.

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We still are unknown the outcome of the vote.

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We still have not heard whether our state aid will increase, whether it will remain flat,

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or whether it will be a decrease.

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We're hoping to find that out by tomorrow.

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These challenges will continue to grow.

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There will be a continued budget pressure ongoing imbalance between our revenue and our expenditures requiring the districts to identify additional cost reductions in future budgets.

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Also, operating three middle schools in terms of use of facilities has been inefficient for us.

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As I said, we have 1,358 students between two buildings we could house over 1,500 students.

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And also, without a strategic action, the district continues to face increasing pressure

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to adjust staffing, programming, and services across our district.

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The decision before us is not simply a choice between keeping Renaissance open or closing.

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It is a choice between maintaining an ineffective, efficient, three school model, or strategically

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re-inversing, re-investing resources to strengthen programs district-wide.

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Next.

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Looking at student movement from one year to the next year helps confirm that this transition can occur.

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Each year, our eighth grade students graduate and move to the high school while new six graders enter middle schools.

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Current Renaissance six and seventh graders will participate in the district's re-ranking process to select their preferred school placement between buzz and Glenfield.

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Next slide.

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And here you will see a graph showing our middle school enrollment starting at 2014

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and on to 2032.

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This chart shows our district-wide middle school enrollment trend over time.

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Over the past decade, enrollment has steadily decreased.

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Dropping from about 1,600 students in 2425 to roughly 1365 today.

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that decline is reflected across our schools.

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As you can see, we know that Glenfield experienced

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the largest reduction reducing from 679 students

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to 511 over this period.

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At Renaissance, the loss of about 56 students

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from its peak represents nearly one grade level,

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which makes it increasingly difficult

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to sustain a third standalone middle school.

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Looking ahead, if you're wondering,

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well, how did you get the figures for all the way to 30

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And

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From 2031 to 2032. Looking ahead, enrollment projections through 2032 are based on the district's current.

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Are we okay with the sound?

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Okay. Current elementary cohorts in grade K-5, providing a data-driven forecast of future middle school enrollments. Overall, the data shows that middle school enrollment has declined and is expected to remain relatively stable moving forward, supporting a sustainable two-school middle school model.

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Next slide.

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The data clearly shows a sustained decline in middle school enrollment.

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As I said, today we serve 1,365 students across three buildings and

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projection shows that enrollment remaining between 1310 to 1360 students for the foreseeable future.

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Buzz and Glenfield together have sufficient capacity to serve these students.

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This will make a consolidation, a data driven response to long-term enrollment trends.

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Next slide.

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Our enrollment and facility analysis confirms that this transition could be supported

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by the existing capacity at our Glenfield and Buzz Middle School.

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Under New Jersey Administrative Code Districts must demonstrate sufficient building capacity

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for at least five years when proposing a school closure or reinvestment.

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Some key assurance, they will be no increase in temporary classroom uses.

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Classroom sizes will remain within the established district policy limits.

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Based on the current count at Buzz and Glenfield, a minimum class average of 25 students will continue.

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In short, the data confirms that these two school models is both operationally doable and

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compliant with state requirements.

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Next slide.

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Renaissance family will participate in the district, standard, re-ranking process to select their preferred middle school.

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Families will have the opportunity to review programs, attend tours and wreck their preference.

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Sibling priority and other established criteria will continue to apply.

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Most importantly, every Renaissance student will have a seat at either buzz or Glenfield middle school.

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Next slide.

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Student transition timeline, we are committed to making the transition as

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It's supportive as possible for students and families.

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Families will have the opportunity to tour both schools and submit their placement preference.

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That opened yesterday and we have extended it till April 17th to provide an opportunity for families to tour the school.

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If you've already completed your application, you can go in at any time up until September 17 and

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make changes as much as you need.

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April, thank you.

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April 17th, as many times as you need to.

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So, placements notification will be provided in early made for current 6th and 7th grade Renaissance students.

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Counseling and transitional supports will be available to help students make the adjustments socially and academically.

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Next slide.

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I want to take a minute to speak directly to what this transition means for the students currently attending Renaissance.

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Current 8th graders will complete their final year at Renaissance as planned.

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Their graduation and end of the year milestones will be honored in full.

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We will rise in sixth and seventh grade students will transition to either buzz or

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Glenfield, and we will work closely with families to support that process.

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School counselors will be actively involved through the transition, helping students and

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families navigate the change and support students socially and emotionally.

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And finally, we recognize that Renaissance has a strong sense of community based on feedback from families and

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what we have been able to see.

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We will work to carry forward that culture, relationship and spirit of

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in the receiving schools, as we work with current principal, Maria and our two middle school leaders.

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Transitioning renaissance to a standalone early learning academy has projected an annual savings of $2.3 million based on staffing and operational analysis.

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Actual savings may vary as transition planning is finalized.

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These savings come from operational efficiencies, attrition, and staffing adjustment associated with operating two middle schools instead of three.

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Staffing changes will follow established contractual and HR processes with opportunities for reassignment where possible.

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Our reinvestment vision is the Montclair Early Learning Academy, our standalone pre-K program.

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Next slide, expanding industry preschool also creates new opportunities for state funding

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through the preschool expansion aid.

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The district will pursue grants to offset playground development costs.

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This reinvestment allows us to strengthen early learning while keeping the Renaissance building

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and educational use.

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Also due to a standalone pre-K, it will eliminate the need for multiple after-care shuttles and

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and simplify routes and reduce transportation costs.

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Next slide.

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Additional revenue stream support the long term sustainability of this model.

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This includes state preschool expansion aid funding, expanded classroom capacity at Renaissance site,

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and the long term lease arrangements that offset operational costs.

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Beginning with the 2627 budget, the district will also implement a per-people withholding from community preschool providers,

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which is allowable under the preschool expansion guideline.

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Currently, the district covers a number of supports used by all mini-mountsy classrooms,

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including staffing, programming supports, and professional development.

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Moving forward, a portion of those shared costs will be distributed across all the classrooms

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through a modest, per pupil withholding, creating a more balanced and

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equitable funding structure between district operated and community provider classrooms.

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Together, these elements strengthen the district's financial outlook and support the long-term

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sustainability of the Mini-Mounty Program, Mini-Mounties, Mini-Mounties.

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Next slide.

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The Renaissance building, as I said, will be used for early childhood education.

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Many classrooms already have in-room bathrooms and the facility requires minimum renovations.

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The building also has an outdoor space that can support an age-appropriate playground development.

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Go

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one slide, I think you're one slide ahead of me.

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Demand for preschool of Montclair strong with more than 180 students currently on the wait list.

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This site would allow us to add additional classrooms and expand access to early learning.

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The expansion also supports the state goal of providing preschool access to a larger portion of eligible students.

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Next slide.

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This proposal presents a strategic reinvestment in Montclair students and families.

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Following today's, following tonight's discussion, the board will consider action on the proposal and submit required, and that we will submit required documentation by the county office.

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If approved, we will begin transition planning and family communication immediately.

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Our goal is a smooth launch in 2627 with two middle schools and the Montclair Early Learning Academy.

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Next slide.

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And before I conclude tonight, I want to acknowledge something that has been present throughout this conversation.

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For many families, Renaissance is more than a building.

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It is a community.

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It is a place where students have built friendships,

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developed confidence and experience learning in a way

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that felt meaningful to them, that history matters

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and the deserves to be recognized with respect.

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At the same time, our responsibility as a district

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is to look not only at where we have been

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but in what our students need moving forward.

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The enrollment realities, financial pressures

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and opportunities before us require thoughtful,

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long-term decisions about how we organize our schools and invest our resources.

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The proposal presented tonight reflects an effort to meet that responsibly.

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It aligns our middle school structure with the number of students we serve today,

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while allowing us to expand access to early, high quality early childhood education for our youngest learners.

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If the board chooses to move forward with this proposal, our focus will immediately turn to supporting families and students through the transition.

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We will work closely with our school leaders, counselors, and staff to ensure that every

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Renaissance student is welcomed, supported, and connected in their next school community.

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The goal of this work is not simply operational efficiencies.

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The goal is to ensure that monthly public schools remain strong, sustainable, and able to

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provide a meaningful opportunity for students today and for the generation of children who will

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come through our schools in the years ahead of us.

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These are not easy decisions, they are not decisions made with care, with data and deep commitment to the students and families we serve, thank you.

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Are there any questions while Mrs. Turner is making her way back?

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Eric Scherzer and then anyone else on?

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I know that you said that there are 16 classrooms there.

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How many do you expect we'll have early, we can't students next year and how many will

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be for the future?

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Have a sense of that so far.

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Yeah, I believe in the presentation I said currently we'll have 11 classes with part of our

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Our requirement for the grant is that we expand every year, so we'll be at about 68% and then that will also allow us to grow out in the years to come with our preschool expansion grant.

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And so we're at capacity.

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There are no further questions.

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We'll move to the committee as a whole, starting with curriculum.

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Good

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evening.

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Is it on?

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Good evening.

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Board President Booth Knight, Vice President Shaw, Superintendent Turner and members of the board.

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My name is Erica Pearson.

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I'm the District Testing Director.

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Today, I'll be reviewing the new Jersey Adaptive Statewide Assessments, what changes are happening,

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and what staff and family should know as we move into the spring 2026 testing cycle.

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Next slide.

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So what's changing, one of the biggest changes this year is that New Jersey has launched

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adaptive versions of the statewide assessments in English language arts and mathematics.

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These adaptive tests will replace the previously fixed form tests aligned to the New Jersey

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student learning standards.

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What makes the test adaptive is that the questions adjust in real time based on how students respond.

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So if a student answers correctly, the next question may become more challenging.

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If they struggle, the test may provide a slightly easier question.

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This allows the assessment to give more accurate and personalized measure of what each student actually knows and can do.

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Next slide.

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So the adaptive model aims to and was designed with several goals in mind.

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First, it aims to reduce testing anxiety by presenting students with questions at better

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match their ability level.

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Second, it helps better pinpoint student understanding, allowing educators to identify

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strengths and areas where additional support may be needed.

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Third, the adaptive format provides more efficient testing, meaning the system can gather accurate

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information with fewer unnecessary questions.

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And finally, it improves the accuracy of test results giving educators and districts more

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precise data about student learning.

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Next slide, please.

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So before fully implementing the adaptive test statewide, New Jersey conducted a fall field

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test in 2025 from October 27th through November 14th.

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The field test allowed the states to calibrate and finalize test questions.

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These results were not reported to schools or students because the purpose was purely

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developmental.

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So, when I went around to all the schools during field testing, I would tell the students

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that you're testing the test, the test is not testing you.

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Looking ahead to spring 2026, the NJGPA adaptive will be administered March 16th through March

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20th for 11th grade students, and this assessment is a graduation assessment.

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and the NJSLA adaptive will be administered April 27th through May 22nd for students in grades 3 through 9 in English, language arts and math.

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Next slide please.

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Okay, so what parents need to know?

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Similar to the prior format, although the test format is changing, many aspects remain the same.

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The assessment is still aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and will continue to be administered online.

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student performance will still be reported using performance levels one through five.

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However, certain sections will now be adaptive. For example, ELA reading and

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mathematics sections will adjust to student performance, science, and writing will not.

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Other parts of the test will remain non-adaptive, including the writing section, as I just said,

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And the end.

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NJSLA Science Assessment. Additionally, all 11th grade students will take the NJGPA adaptive to meet the state graduation assessment requirement, unless they qualify for an approved alternative assessment. Next slide.

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Students who receive accommodations will continue to receive the supports they're entitled to. These include accommodations such as extended time, text to speech or speech to text tools, braille or tactile supports, highlighting tools and screen contrast options.

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and these accessibility supports remain consistent with prior statewide assessments

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and will still be available on the new testing platform.

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Next slide.

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As we prepare for spring testing, students are encouraged to begin familiarizing themselves.

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Excuse me, staff and students are encouraged to begin familiarizing themselves

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and students with several important components.

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First, is the TIDE platform, which replaces the previous Pearson Access Next platform.

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Students will also practice with sample questions which include built-in testing tools such

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as rulers, calculators, and highlighting features.

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In addition, schools will ensure students understand how to use their test user names and passwords.

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At the district level, we will also continue preparing by communicating with families, confirming

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technology readiness and coordinating testing schedules within the testing window.

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Next slide.

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Next slide.

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So a common question that I've received is, how will the state compare results from the

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previous test to this new adaptive test?

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Even though the format of the test has changed, the standards and expectations remain the same.

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The state has statistically aligned the new adaptive assessments with previous versions

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to ensure performance levels present the same academic expectations.

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Performance levels will still range from level one, which indicates expectations were not met.

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To level five, which indicates expectations were exceeded.

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This allows the state and districts to continue analyzing subgroup trends,

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growth patterns within grades, cohort comparisons over time,

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and the percentage of students meeting graduation standards.

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Next slide.

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So that concludes today's overview of the NJ Adaptive Statewide Assessments.

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Thank you for your time and attention.

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And if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

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Does anyone have any questions?

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This is, so I appreciate, I don't think this is working.

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So I appreciate that the test is going to reduce kids anxiety.

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and I think that's awesome that's adjustment as you go.

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But I'm wondering like how is it possible because I find like when we're looking

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to find gaps in student knowledge, especially when there's cohorts that show

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like systemic deficits, we know that's where we have to target like

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up in our instructional game and you know helping the students in those areas.

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How will the test find those areas if like as you get to a question

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and it's too hard to do, you're not doing it, so it doesn't test keeping track, I guess

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it is, of what questions are absent, and if they're absent for a large group of children.

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So, these are questions that I also have. And so, I think what we're going to have to do this

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here is just kind of live through it, because I want to see to your point, since it is adaptive,

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Let's say you have a student who is progressing quickly, it will give you like they give us

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blueprints, right?

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So let's say hypothetically for the reading section, you have a maximum of 36 questions.

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Now you could have a kid that flies all the way through and gets to the max of 36,

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or a student who does not fly through and gets to the max of 15.

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And since it's adaptive, I'm interested to see for myself how those scores are measured.

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So I have a lot, I'll say, I'll end by saying I have a lot of questions too.

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So I'm interested to see what the data looks like when we get it back in the summer.

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And along those lines, not just about comparing years, but I think people often look at comparing

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amongst districts like that's very unclear to me if this test no longer seems to be standardized

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because you're adapting as you go, how can it be possible?

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That's a good question.

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Yeah.

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Thank you.

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That's a good question.

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Ms. Ramon.

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I had to say, that was where I was going with it, too.

403
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And also, if a student is, as you say, they get to a question, and they can't master that

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question.

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So now it's adapting to go down whatever, right, and give you a different question.

406
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Does it then go back up?

407
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does it try to, after the student's attempted be the lesser of the problem, you know, let's

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say it's a math, right?

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And again, to a problem, and that problem is too difficult for the student to answer.

410
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So it adapts, and it gives the student a lesser level question, then what?

411
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Right.

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Does it stay at that level?

413
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Does it then switch over to something?

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These are, you know, again, to Melania, to Ms. Tysha's point.

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What then?

416
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Because what are we really measuring, then, is, right?

417
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If their classmate is flying through, like, so that was where I was going with that as well, so.

418
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No, and.

419
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Erica, can you, because I want you to be a bit more clear as to why you may not have answers.

420
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I know you've been with your colleagues at trainings and things of that sort.

421
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So I just want you to provide for the public as to why they may be some lack of clarity, because we've not received very many answers.

422
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in terms of this of this new test.

423
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So this is my second year being the district testing coordinator,

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but I was the school testing coordinator for years before that,

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as the assistant principal at Glenfield.

426
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And this is the first time that we have received something

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that was so new and the state is literally changing things

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like by the week, so we're getting updates.

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So I'll give you an example, when I went to the in-person state training last week, the information and the updates that they gave were different from the updates, sorry, then the training slides that we got two weeks prior.

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So it's literally changing as we're going week to week.

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So we're learning about this testing.

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So I'm sitting in a room with probably 250 other administrators

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across the state, and we're all asking similar questions,

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like what is scoring going to look like?

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To the point, like with the blueprint,

436
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like how do you compare if a kid got to 35 and another kid got to 15?

437
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And then the other thing that came up last week

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that I thought was really interesting was students are not permitted to skip questions because

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if they skip the question, the next question won't load, so that's the first thing.

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The second thing is let's say you get to question number five and you look back at question

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number three and you're like, I didn't answer that right, let me change that.

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Remember that question number three determined the questions that you got for four and five,

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But since you answered four and five already, the questions that you get from six on are now going to be dependent on that answer that you changed at three.

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So to answer all, so you see what I'm saying, there are so many questions that we can't answer yet because this test is so new.

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And I don't know what the scoring is going to look like.

446
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So as a parent, my first question was, okay, if you're changing the platforms,

447
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how are you going to be able to compare the data between the two years?

448
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And again, if they're using the same proficiency scores of one through five to measure growth,

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to measure proficiency, then that's kind of what we're going to be using for this year.

450
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But again, I don't know what score reports are going to look like,

451
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and things are changing by the week.

452
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So that's one of the reasons why I'm not super clear,

453
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but nobody in the state really is.

454
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I just have one question.

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00:38:45,810 --> 00:38:46,610
The TIE.

456
00:38:46,770 --> 00:38:47,750
What does it stand for?

457
00:38:47,890 --> 00:38:48,450
I'm sure it's an item.

458
00:38:49,010 --> 00:38:49,250
Oh, my.

459
00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:57,320
TIE could, yeah, I don't think you have that.

460
00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:03,540
The acronym stands for, but it's a totally different platform

461
00:39:03,540 --> 00:39:04,280
than piercing.

462
00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:09,660
And so the staff, myself included,

463
00:39:09,660 --> 00:39:17,600
We're learning how to use this platform and in some ways it is more user friendly and other ways it's not.

464
00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:19,220
We're still learning.

465
00:39:23,020 --> 00:39:26,320
Test information distribution engine engine.

466
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,040
So that's the other thing too.

467
00:39:30,180 --> 00:39:34,760
So when we're training the staff, the good thing is that we had the field test in the fall.

468
00:39:34,980 --> 00:39:37,500
So nobody will be looking at this platform for the first time.

469
00:39:37,500 --> 00:39:42,200
but it's still very different from the Pearson platform that we had been using for the last eight to ten years.

470
00:39:44,500 --> 00:39:55,560
So, then I want to follow up. So that means that the students will not have had much practice on this platform as well.

471
00:39:56,020 --> 00:39:57,760
Staff and students. Right.

472
00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:01,820
It's done.

473
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:09,500
Okay. I don't want to be labor at any points because I know that there's not clarity on this.

474
00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:14,100
When we're talking about the proficiency for the students and it sounds like the test,

475
00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:21,640
maybe AI somehow is able to feed the students right and based on how they're performing on a question

476
00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:27,620
and when we're looking at the proficiency, do you know yet if it's going to

477
00:40:27,620 --> 00:40:33,880
Do D must student proficient or not, does not meet standards based on the line of questioning.

478
00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:41,520
They're doing or based on, you know, if the standards for grade, you know, nine look

479
00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:46,500
like this or great, you know, whatever student is taking the test, is it considering that

480
00:40:46,980 --> 00:40:49,160
and or is it considering where the students are?

481
00:40:49,500 --> 00:40:52,480
Do we know that don't, if you don't know it, it's okay if we don't know that yet.

482
00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:53,820
I just wanted to...

483
00:40:53,820 --> 00:40:55,000
I'm not sure yet.

484
00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:55,520
Okay, thank you.

485
00:40:55,520 --> 00:41:02,140
But it's a very good question and I'm making notes of all of these questions, not just as a

486
00:41:02,140 --> 00:41:05,920
district testing coordinator, but as a parent of middle school kids that are also going to be

487
00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:11,600
taking this adaptive test. So I will get back to you. Thank you so much. Absolutely.

488
00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:21,260
Ms. McBee. Thank you. I know for next year, thank you. We are considering reducing some of the

489
00:41:21,260 --> 00:41:27,160
The Chromebooks for the elementary school students, and this is an online test.

490
00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:33,460
There's not a way to print this out since it's adaptive, right, is so would students

491
00:41:33,460 --> 00:41:38,180
get like additional practice time, the third through fifth graders before they go into

492
00:41:38,180 --> 00:41:38,440
it?

493
00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:44,020
So we are encouraging, and this is what we've done in previous years, regardless of adaptive

494
00:41:44,020 --> 00:41:44,460
or not.

495
00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:49,820
We've always encouraged the staff to start using, like exposing the kids to like practice

496
00:41:49,820 --> 00:41:51,680
this test so that they're familiar with the format,

497
00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:53,220
they're familiar with the type of questioning,

498
00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:54,460
they're familiar with the platform.

499
00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:56,760
So that should be happening between now

500
00:41:56,760 --> 00:41:59,100
and when the testing window opens at the end of April.

501
00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:00,900
This is long.

502
00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:03,040
Great.

503
00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:04,740
When, with all the changes,

504
00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:06,680
when should we expect another update?

505
00:42:07,900 --> 00:42:10,860
So a letter is gonna be coming to parents

506
00:42:10,860 --> 00:42:13,260
from the district after spring break,

507
00:42:13,460 --> 00:42:14,620
the first week in April,

508
00:42:14,820 --> 00:42:16,320
letting you all know that this test is coming.

509
00:42:16,540 --> 00:42:18,160
It's gonna be a summary of the information

510
00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:18,860
that I just gave.

511
00:42:19,380 --> 00:42:21,780
and it gives you like three weeks notice that the test is coming.

512
00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:25,840
And yes, I'm not gonna add that.

513
00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:27,060
Are there any other questions?

514
00:42:28,740 --> 00:42:29,820
Michelle has a question.

515
00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:31,320
I just have a quick question.

516
00:42:33,140 --> 00:42:37,600
What was the reasoning behind kind of making an adaptive test?

517
00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:39,800
Is there like a reasoning behind?

518
00:42:40,020 --> 00:42:40,260
Yes.

519
00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:42,520
What student does that benefit?

520
00:42:43,300 --> 00:42:44,460
I have an answer for that.

521
00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:45,480
Give me one second.

522
00:42:45,740 --> 00:42:46,960
I actually wrote it out.

523
00:43:03,650 --> 00:43:10,050
So, Michelle, I'm psychic. I knew this question was coming. And so, the state actually gave

524
00:43:10,050 --> 00:43:16,390
an answer, and it's why is the state implementing a new assessment. New Jersey has implemented

525
00:43:16,930 --> 00:43:21,450
new adaptive assessments to provide a more personalized testing experience for students,

526
00:43:21,930 --> 00:43:28,950
more timely data, and to align the assessments more closely with the 2023 New Jersey student

527
00:43:28,950 --> 00:43:33,830
learning standards for English language arts and mathematics. You're welcome.

528
00:43:36,650 --> 00:43:37,750
Any other questions?

529
00:43:38,810 --> 00:43:46,570
Thank you, Ms. Piers. You're welcome. Thank you. We'll now move to finance and facilities.

530
00:43:48,390 --> 00:43:51,770
I'm sorry, policy.

531
00:43:59,870 --> 00:44:05,970
So I believe this Perez is going to present. We talked about this a little bit.

532
00:44:05,970 --> 00:44:08,810
But we're going to flip it just a little bit, I guess, so she can go first.

533
00:44:09,850 --> 00:44:15,750
You're presuming you're presenting on 5312, 565312, and toileting and diapering.

534
00:44:16,710 --> 00:44:17,150
Okay.

535
00:44:24,330 --> 00:44:27,870
Good evening, President Booknight, Vice President Sean, and the mother members of the Board

536
00:44:27,870 --> 00:44:28,250
of Education.

537
00:44:28,570 --> 00:44:29,390
My name is Carla Perez.

538
00:44:29,570 --> 00:44:31,750
I'm the Director of Early Childhood Education and Grants.

539
00:44:32,530 --> 00:44:38,110
Tonight I'm presenting two updates, one to an existing policy and regulation, and one new

540
00:44:38,110 --> 00:44:43,930
policy to ensure that all of our policies fully reflect our preschool program and align

541
00:44:43,930 --> 00:44:46,870
with New Jersey Statue and Early Childhood Best Practices.

542
00:44:47,510 --> 00:44:52,530
As we know, our preschool program has continued to expand based on preschool expansion aid and

543
00:44:52,530 --> 00:44:57,350
it's become more important that our district policy explicitly includes our preschool students.

544
00:44:57,350 --> 00:44:59,970
These updates are going to ensure legal compliance.

545
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:07,000
Science, operational clarity and developments, the appropriate practices across all preschool classrooms and in our district. Next slide.

546
00:45:12,460 --> 00:45:34,200
So the in 5600, so instead there's not crossed out or anything. So this is explicitly being added as under a special population for preschool students under. Special of populations on page one. So these are just going to ensure that we are under New Jersey public law.

547
00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:40,280
2016, chapter 45, that preschool students and roles in a district may not be suspended

548
00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:45,760
or expelled, except under the Zero Challenge for Guns Act. This amendment ensures our policy

549
00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:51,360
reflects the state requirement, and it also clarifies that early dismissal or class removal

550
00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:57,380
due to behavior, which sometimes is referred to as a partial suspension, is not an appropriate

551
00:45:57,380 --> 00:46:00,380
response for preschool age students. Next slide.

552
00:46:00,380 --> 00:46:01,320
And

553
00:46:03,590 --> 00:46:07,470
it goes, it's continued on to that page, um, next slide.

554
00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:19,980
So why this matters, um, it ensures compliance with statute, it aligns with what's required

555
00:46:19,980 --> 00:46:25,620
under a preschool expansion aid, um, it also aligns with eckers, which is the early child

556
00:46:25,620 --> 00:46:30,920
and environmental rating scale, and are grown New Jersey kids quality standards, it establishes

557
00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:35,920
developmentally appropriate discipline practices, and it doesn't alter what's already in place

558
00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:39,080
for K to 12 discipline policies. Next slide.

559
00:46:43,580 --> 00:46:46,340
So for preschool students, it's important that

560
00:46:47,060 --> 00:46:52,880
we know that we can't suspend, we can't expel, and that we have other processes in place

561
00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:58,480
to support our students. So behaviors are addressed through intervention. That's why we have a

562
00:46:58,480 --> 00:47:04,140
preschool intervention and referral team. That team is comprised of a preschool intervention

563
00:47:04,140 --> 00:47:10,220
and referral specialists who focus on behaviors primarily in the classroom using different assessments.

564
00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:14,300
We have preschool instructional coaches that not only support our classroom teachers, but

565
00:47:14,300 --> 00:47:15,200
also our students.

566
00:47:15,580 --> 00:47:19,240
We have a preschool social worker who works with students and families.

567
00:47:19,860 --> 00:47:26,760
And we have a parent, community parent involvement specialist, lots of acronyms in Pre-K.

568
00:47:27,670 --> 00:47:31,000
As well as what's unique to our district.

569
00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:32,640
we also have a special ed consultation

570
00:47:32,640 --> 00:47:34,220
teacher at the preschool level.

571
00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:37,340
In addition to that, it's the restorative

572
00:47:37,340 --> 00:47:39,160
and strength-based practices that support

573
00:47:39,160 --> 00:47:41,000
all of those pieces in the classroom,

574
00:47:41,000 --> 00:47:43,000
and we make sure that we're not

575
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:44,680
using exclusionary discipline.

576
00:47:45,780 --> 00:47:46,300
Next slide.

577
00:47:49,710 --> 00:47:53,190
So in this part, on page nine,

578
00:47:53,490 --> 00:47:55,890
we are adding language that, again,

579
00:47:56,670 --> 00:47:58,370
addresses preschool only,

580
00:47:59,290 --> 00:48:02,190
so that we're not changing any language

581
00:48:02,190 --> 00:48:04,670
to K to 12. Next slide.

582
00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:10,380
And this is where we're in the regulation now. So all of this is directly

583
00:48:10,380 --> 00:48:14,580
in the regulation. I'm not going to read all of this to you. So next slide.

584
00:48:17,540 --> 00:48:20,220
And then on page 10

585
00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:28,600
in the regulation, under students with IEPs, we did red line one section. And now the screen is gone.

586
00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:39,160
I have a copy in front of me, that speaks directly to the special ed portion and it says

587
00:48:39,160 --> 00:48:45,000
before a suspension is considered for a student eligible for suspension under applicable

588
00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:45,600
statute.

589
00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:50,620
So just explicitly saying that it's only K-12 that can be suspended, so we're not including

590
00:48:50,620 --> 00:48:53,200
pre-K in that next slide.

591
00:48:56,210 --> 00:49:10,790
And then throughout the regulation, there's different tiers and associate responses, so just making it clear throughout the regulation, that preschool is not subject to those items that are listed in each of those sections.

592
00:49:11,110 --> 00:49:11,490
Next slide.

593
00:49:14,390 --> 00:49:20,270
Same thing there, under short term and long term, that it's only for K to 12 students.

594
00:49:20,270 --> 00:49:21,470
Next slide.

595
00:49:25,140 --> 00:49:30,700
So regulation 5600 really talks to those behavioral responses that were their

596
00:49:30,700 --> 00:49:37,160
their their developer appropriate that there's tier behavioral supports that we're looking

597
00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:42,640
for remediation rather than exclusion and everything we do. This year with the implementation

598
00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:48,840
of the pertin we have a request for assistance process we built our MTSS system for our little

599
00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:53,360
ones so that it is mirroring what is happening in the K-12 realm.

600
00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:56,940
So that is something that is up and running, and we've been working really hard with our

601
00:49:56,940 --> 00:49:59,460
many-mounties teachers to make sure that that process in place.

602
00:50:00,140 --> 00:50:01,960
So it's always about prevention first.

603
00:50:02,160 --> 00:50:05,420
We're looking at proactive classroom strategies and positive behavior supports.

604
00:50:06,020 --> 00:50:10,000
That is why each of our picks and purrs have a certain number of classrooms so that they

605
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:14,200
are in those classrooms every week, making sure that the teachers and students have what

606
00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:14,620
they need.

607
00:50:14,620 --> 00:50:33,140
On-going family communication, we just sent out a survey to families and we're doing a monthly newsletter and we're starting workshops for families around what they're seeing at home as it lines with our classrooms behavioral coaching and school based other school based interventions.

608
00:50:33,140 --> 00:50:34,260
Next slide.

609
00:50:38,090 --> 00:50:48,670
And this regulation is consistent with the amendment for the policy. It's compliant with statute for preschool and all of the other pieces that we need to have in place under preschool expansion aid.

610
00:50:49,510 --> 00:50:50,390
Next slide.

611
00:50:53,850 --> 00:51:01,590
All right. Before we move into toilining and differing, are there any questions on either of those? No, perfect. Okay. Yes.

612
00:51:01,590 --> 00:51:01,730
Yes,

613
00:51:05,020 --> 00:51:10,000
I appreciate that we're coming into compliance with the state law and preschool.

614
00:51:11,440 --> 00:51:18,540
It's called to, every time you said this, it's called to my attention that I guess we can,

615
00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:26,140
we have suspensions of kindergarten to second, fifth grade students.

616
00:51:26,140 --> 00:51:31,040
Is there any thought of,

617
00:51:34,380 --> 00:51:37,020
because it's not explicitly addressed?

618
00:51:38,960 --> 00:51:46,040
And I recall last year that we talked about a policy, if I'm incorrect people around

619
00:51:46,040 --> 00:51:52,700
the board last year, that suspensions would require, or would go to the superintendent before

620
00:51:52,700 --> 00:51:55,980
we initiate its suspensions, am I remembering that correctly?

621
00:51:55,980 --> 00:52:06,000
But, but that's not in the policy and I wonder if as we're addressing this policy, whether we should also address that aspect.

622
00:52:06,500 --> 00:52:15,740
Right. So there's no suspension of kindergarten. And I believe it was kindergarten through second grade. That's statewide. So I'll go back to that statute.

623
00:52:15,900 --> 00:52:22,500
And yes, we can include it in policy. It was not policy. We did not put in policy that suspensions.

624
00:52:22,500 --> 00:52:25,200
that we would not be doing suspensions.

625
00:52:25,780 --> 00:52:30,140
The procedure was we would, any suspensions would go before the superintendent or

626
00:52:30,140 --> 00:52:37,620
designee before the suspension occurred for looking at alternatives to out of school suspension.

627
00:52:37,980 --> 00:52:39,560
But we did not put it in policy.

628
00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:43,920
You can have that discussion if you'd like to have it in policy.

629
00:52:45,300 --> 00:52:50,940
You can also take the policy and build on our regulations, which is more appropriate, I think.

630
00:52:50,940 --> 00:52:52,440
I think you are correct, Mrs. Turner.

631
00:52:53,240 --> 00:52:53,680
Say that again.

632
00:52:54,680 --> 00:52:55,260
That's it.

633
00:52:57,580 --> 00:53:05,240
Either way, we should be addressing it and it seemed that we were missing the opportunity

634
00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:11,980
here when we're bringing this policy and regulation in compliance for preschool children.

635
00:53:12,800 --> 00:53:20,520
If it's clear that there's no suspension statewide for the youngest students, I think that should

636
00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:26,060
I'm actually just looking at the law right now and it says for K through two that they

637
00:53:26,060 --> 00:53:31,360
have one additional, so for pre-K it's the zero tolerance for guns act, but for K through

638
00:53:31,360 --> 00:53:37,960
two there's additional exceptions for conducts that's violent or sexual in nature or that

639
00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:38,720
it endangers others.

640
00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:40,400
So those would be additions I guess.

641
00:53:40,740 --> 00:53:43,520
Does the policy reflect that, that's when I'm asking?

642
00:53:45,860 --> 00:53:46,940
It's in the statute.

643
00:53:53,740 --> 00:54:00,580
So why don't we do this because I haven't read every piece of the policy and remember

644
00:54:00,580 --> 00:54:01,480
off the top of my head.

645
00:54:02,100 --> 00:54:05,120
It feels like we have to put these in regarding the preschool.

646
00:54:05,340 --> 00:54:11,300
We can add if the will of the board, you know, the majority of the board is to specify, but

647
00:54:11,300 --> 00:54:16,460
there may already be a statutory citation there that covers it as Ms. Mann pointed out.

648
00:54:16,460 --> 00:54:25,100
I want to get these policies on, though, for first read just because we need to add the

649
00:54:25,100 --> 00:54:32,560
preschool. Would it be satisfactory to the board to now that it's been read to move

650
00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:37,740
forward with first read of the policy with the suggestions, or do you want to hold off

651
00:54:37,740 --> 00:54:42,460
until we can take the time in between meetings to look at this particular piece?

652
00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:49,500
Well, I think what we have established is our procedure is that if it's going to have

653
00:54:49,500 --> 00:54:53,720
anything other than a grammatical change between first and second, we weren't going

654
00:54:53,720 --> 00:54:53,940
to do it.

655
00:54:53,940 --> 00:54:56,120
We were going to instead put it on for discussion again.

656
00:54:58,040 --> 00:55:02,600
So, and that was, you know, we had talked about the norming in how we were going to conduct

657
00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:03,460
as a committee of the whole.

658
00:55:03,660 --> 00:55:09,640
So, I just want to get the feed on, they feel on what the will of the board is.

659
00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:12,300
I feel that this is bad, Mark.

660
00:55:12,300 --> 00:55:15,720
I feel that this in effect is a discussion.

661
00:55:16,100 --> 00:55:18,580
I mean, I think it seems like everyone's in agreement, so.

662
00:55:21,640 --> 00:55:27,320
So if we're in agreement, then in between before it comes up for first read, we'll add unless

663
00:55:27,320 --> 00:55:31,840
it, if it's already there with the statutory citation, would that be satisfactory to the

664
00:55:31,840 --> 00:55:33,940
board that this covers inclusion?

665
00:55:34,920 --> 00:55:39,700
So we'll go through the policy, you know, I'll speak to Miss, I'm sorry, my colleague's

666
00:55:39,700 --> 00:55:44,300
Dr. Harris in Crawford, and we'll go through it one week

667
00:55:44,300 --> 00:55:45,680
because we meet before the meeting.

668
00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:48,440
If, in fact, it's already in there,

669
00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:50,480
then there's, you know, we will just add the changes

670
00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,420
that Ms. Perez has gone over today.

671
00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:55,540
If it is not in there, we will add something to the effect

672
00:55:56,280 --> 00:55:58,560
that there will be no K-12 suspensions,

673
00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:03,260
other than the statutory authority and the exceptions.

674
00:56:04,140 --> 00:56:05,580
And then what was the other thing that was,

675
00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:06,740
I thought someone mentioned something else.

676
00:56:06,740 --> 00:56:13,940
the suspensions, all suspensions going through the superintendent that probably needs or

677
00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:20,220
or designate but but not being kept at the building level. I think that's what we agreed on.

678
00:56:20,680 --> 00:56:26,280
If that's the case, then that probably should go into the policy and whether it goes in before

679
00:56:26,280 --> 00:56:31,580
the first read or after the first read is irrelevant to me as long as it before it's finalized.

680
00:56:31,580 --> 00:56:36,820
I just agreed with myself. I thought we agreed that it would go into the regulation.

681
00:56:37,540 --> 00:56:37,940
Yes.

682
00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:42,440
I think it's more appropriate, situated there.

683
00:56:44,770 --> 00:56:48,530
Okay, so we would add the all suspensions going through the superintendent piece of the regulation,

684
00:56:48,690 --> 00:56:52,190
the part about located two suspensions, would that be in the policy as well or just the rag?

685
00:56:53,570 --> 00:56:59,690
Okay, so we'll take those two suggestions, since the will of the board will just craft the

686
00:56:59,690 --> 00:57:03,430
particularity of the language, any language changes or things that can be changed between

687
00:57:03,430 --> 00:57:09,370
first and second-rate. So with that being said, any other questions for Ms. Perez on 5600?

688
00:57:10,990 --> 00:57:12,570
Did you go to go further again?

689
00:57:12,750 --> 00:57:14,530
No, no. Next is Toiletting and Differing.

690
00:57:14,710 --> 00:57:17,030
Great. So we will allow Ms. Perez to do her presentation. Thank you.

691
00:57:17,230 --> 00:57:17,490
Thank you.

692
00:57:17,950 --> 00:57:23,590
All right. So the new policy, 51312, Toiletting and Differing. So because our program serves

693
00:57:23,590 --> 00:57:28,050
three and four-year-old children, this policy provides clear guidance for staff and family

694
00:57:28,050 --> 00:57:30,030
is while ensuring safe and consistent practices

695
00:57:30,030 --> 00:57:32,230
across district and community classroom providers.

696
00:57:32,830 --> 00:57:33,970
About toilet learning,

697
00:57:34,410 --> 00:57:36,010
hyper and procedures, health and safety,

698
00:57:36,310 --> 00:57:38,630
staff training and family communication.

699
00:57:39,190 --> 00:57:39,590
Next slide.

700
00:57:41,940 --> 00:57:44,020
So why are we creating this policy?

701
00:57:44,200 --> 00:57:45,780
Our philosophy is that toiling

702
00:57:45,780 --> 00:57:47,300
is an important developmental milestone

703
00:57:47,300 --> 00:57:48,400
in early childhood.

704
00:57:49,100 --> 00:57:51,000
Our policy recognizes that children develop

705
00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:52,540
these skills at different rates

706
00:57:52,540 --> 00:57:56,160
and treats toilet learning as a normal part

707
00:57:56,160 --> 00:57:57,480
of a child's daily routine.

708
00:57:57,480 --> 00:58:00,200
Teachers provide gentle guidance and encouragement

709
00:58:00,200 --> 00:58:02,000
by working in partnership with families.

710
00:58:02,640 --> 00:58:03,660
Children are never pressured,

711
00:58:04,120 --> 00:58:06,060
shamed or who are storing the toil and process,

712
00:58:06,060 --> 00:58:09,260
and accidents are treated as a natural part of development.

713
00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:10,820
Next slide.

714
00:58:14,160 --> 00:58:17,640
So by having this policy, it ensures

715
00:58:17,640 --> 00:58:20,100
that we're being respectful, we're not shaming,

716
00:58:20,520 --> 00:58:22,000
we have a universal policy,

717
00:58:22,260 --> 00:58:24,320
and standards that everyone's following.

718
00:58:24,320 --> 00:58:29,920
hand-washing and sanitation procedures aligned with our ECHR's early child's

719
00:58:29,920 --> 00:58:34,020
environmental rating scale that we're making sure that our safeguards are in

720
00:58:34,020 --> 00:58:39,900
place and that our staff is aware that it's happening. This policy also establishes

721
00:58:39,900 --> 00:58:44,260
clear-difering procedures that follow universal health and sanitation standards.

722
00:58:44,760 --> 00:58:48,640
These procedures include hand-washing requirements, use of gloves, sanitizing

723
00:58:48,640 --> 00:58:53,780
surfaces, after-difering or toileting, and frequent checks to ensure children's

724
00:58:53,780 --> 00:58:59,960
comfort and hygiene, and it's also viewed as a part of that process, a positive interaction

725
00:58:59,960 --> 00:59:05,460
and nurturing caring between staff, which is a very prevalent throughout eckers.

726
00:59:06,260 --> 00:59:07,260
Next slide.

727
00:59:09,400 --> 00:59:14,600
So, we're doing this because we continue to expand and we need to make sure

728
00:59:14,600 --> 00:59:20,620
that we have something in place for all of our mini-mounties classrooms. It protects our funding,

729
00:59:20,620 --> 00:59:25,500
It reduces supervision and liability risk and ensures compliance with our regulations

730
00:59:25,500 --> 00:59:27,620
and it provides operational priority.

731
00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:28,900
Next slide.

732
00:59:34,840 --> 00:59:41,920
So, and sorry, the next piece of with that is that we're not, this is not an isolation,

733
00:59:42,180 --> 00:59:48,300
obviously, that we work with our families, communicating regularly with them about the

734
00:59:48,300 --> 00:59:52,920
toiliness readiness for our students and their progress and making sure that we're aware

735
00:59:52,920 --> 00:59:57,500
of any cultural preferences or what's happening at home so we're having that home

736
00:59:57,500 --> 00:59:58,240
just school connection.

737
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:05,840
We continually train our staff throughout the school year as we see children are developing

738
01:00:05,840 --> 01:00:11,280
and chair best practices with them as children get older and that they become more independent

739
01:00:11,280 --> 01:00:17,280
and encouraging that independent. And recognizing that it's a developmental milestone

740
01:00:17,280 --> 01:00:22,240
and none of this is obviously a disciplinary issue. If we have an accident, we have an accident

741
01:00:22,240 --> 01:00:28,700
and we go about our day, and that's it.

742
01:00:29,220 --> 01:00:32,580
So any questions about toileting and diapering?

743
01:00:37,440 --> 01:00:41,680
Never, never, did I think I would be standing at a podium

744
01:00:42,480 --> 01:00:44,200
speaking about toileting and diapering?

745
01:00:45,420 --> 01:00:46,560
But here I am.

746
01:00:46,980 --> 01:00:48,120
I am living the dream.

747
01:00:49,660 --> 01:00:58,340
I know one question did come up about who pays for the supplies? All of that, if a child

748
01:00:58,340 --> 01:01:04,220
is still toileting and differing, the parents are required to provide the pampers or the

749
01:01:04,220 --> 01:01:08,080
pull-ups, as well as the whites. The only thing we provide is the gloves for our staff.

750
01:01:09,100 --> 01:01:14,360
I actually had a question because it references the Mini-Mounties program, but presumably this

751
01:01:14,360 --> 01:01:18,080
covers any child who may be in encourage, who is still toileting as well.

752
01:01:20,870 --> 01:01:21,550
Any other questions?

753
01:01:23,570 --> 01:01:27,970
Okay. Sorry, just one question. So thank you for the clarification. Is that

754
01:01:28,550 --> 01:01:34,590
aspect worth putting into the policy? That it would be the responsibility of the

755
01:01:34,590 --> 01:01:35,610
parent or family?

756
01:01:37,750 --> 01:01:38,350
Okay.

757
01:01:41,880 --> 01:01:43,260
Okay. Thank you.

758
01:01:46,270 --> 01:01:49,430
All right. So the other policy with presentation

759
01:01:49,430 --> 01:01:55,830
was going to be statutory curricular requirements policy 2422, which was before us previously.

760
01:01:56,310 --> 01:02:00,510
There were some questions and concerns from the Board, and Ms. Pierce will present again.

761
01:02:01,230 --> 01:02:02,590
And then if you have questions, we can ask answer.

762
01:02:04,850 --> 01:02:06,170
So, good evening again.

763
01:02:06,350 --> 01:02:08,490
This will be relatively brief.

764
01:02:08,810 --> 01:02:14,690
So, for policy 2422, we received advice from Strauss S. May advising us not to remove

765
01:02:14,690 --> 01:02:18,790
any articles that were placed in the policy for uniformity.

766
01:02:18,790 --> 01:02:37,010
We agree that adding the boards for recommendations for a Holocaust education, media and information literacy, climate change, and the Amistad curriculum could be added, it would just require legal advisement and more conversation.

767
01:02:39,170 --> 01:02:46,470
And just to provide additional clarity, because we were not sure what the understanding was when we presented this.

768
01:02:47,310 --> 01:02:51,830
This is allowing families to opt out.

769
01:02:53,110 --> 01:02:54,450
So I just want to be very clear.

770
01:02:54,570 --> 01:02:55,850
I know you guys said, add these things.

771
01:02:56,010 --> 01:02:58,870
But that means that this would then allow families to opt out.

772
01:02:59,510 --> 01:03:07,790
I do have some personal, very, and professional strong feelings around opting out of historical facts.

773
01:03:08,410 --> 01:03:11,730
So I just want to kind of pose that concern.

774
01:03:12,630 --> 01:03:16,970
our sentiment in discussing this as a senior team is that if you get to opt out of one

775
01:03:18,270 --> 01:03:23,030
curriculum, you're opt out of all of them. So I just want to make sure that there was an

776
01:03:23,030 --> 01:03:28,130
understanding as we were having this discussion what and it's okay what the board was asking.

777
01:03:28,610 --> 01:03:34,630
So as we said we're still awaiting to get some concrete legal feedback and then we'll circle back

778
01:03:35,250 --> 01:03:41,290
again but I just want us to think about that. I appreciate the explanation but then the

779
01:03:41,290 --> 01:03:46,410
question, like kind of flips on itself. And I do think Amistad's already listed out separately,

780
01:03:46,770 --> 01:03:53,550
but then why do we list out AAPI and Amistad? Why are we giving people, you know,

781
01:03:54,310 --> 01:03:59,590
celebrating the achievements of our disabled community? Like why are we giving people the opportunity to

782
01:04:00,130 --> 01:04:06,310
why not, it falls under the one that the bucket won about everything being covered?

783
01:04:06,310 --> 01:04:21,170
Right. And again, you know, we live in interesting times. I'll leave it as that. Things have changed in terms of our government and fairness and equity over some time.

784
01:04:21,410 --> 01:04:30,670
So we get sometimes these mandates that says that folks, you know, should be able to opt out. Of course, we will align with anything that is legally that we're obligated to.

785
01:04:30,670 --> 01:04:43,550
So that's why I said we needed to do a little bit more checks in terms of the legal stature and what legal counsel would say about that before presenting or doing something, you know, that unknowingly might not be appropriate.

786
01:04:43,970 --> 01:04:46,730
I guess my question then would be if you're looking into this stuff.

787
01:04:47,190 --> 01:04:49,810
Can we eliminate AAPI?

788
01:04:49,810 --> 01:04:52,810
can we eliminate, um, the study can we eliminate LGBTQ?

789
01:04:53,850 --> 01:04:56,730
So we're checking about in terms, what, you know, I mean,

790
01:04:56,830 --> 01:04:59,530
because we don't want any kind of liability, so concerns there.

791
01:05:00,250 --> 01:05:03,810
One of the conversations, I actually asked that question

792
01:05:03,810 --> 01:05:06,110
when Dr. Harrison Crawford and I have this conversation,

793
01:05:06,390 --> 01:05:08,590
because I said exactly what you said, Melanie, which is,

794
01:05:08,630 --> 01:05:09,590
well, then flip it around.

795
01:05:09,590 --> 01:05:11,250
Are we allowing us to opt out?

796
01:05:11,670 --> 01:05:14,670
AAPI was specifically added based upon the policy alert

797
01:05:14,670 --> 01:05:17,790
from Strauss Esme, indicate they're the ones

798
01:05:17,790 --> 01:05:25,390
to added the AAPI in it based upon NJSA, 18A, colon 35-4.4, which discusses the curricular

799
01:05:25,390 --> 01:05:32,950
requirement. But then I went in and I read the opt out provision in 24-22, and that

800
01:05:32,950 --> 01:05:39,070
talks about a particular statutory provision, 18A, colon 35-4.7. Any student whose parent

801
01:05:39,070 --> 01:05:43,970
presents to a principal assigned statement that any part of the instruction in health, family

802
01:05:43,970 --> 01:05:49,630
life education or sex education is in conflict with his slash her conscience or sincerely

803
01:05:49,630 --> 01:05:52,690
held moral or religious beliefs shall be excused from that portion.

804
01:05:53,250 --> 01:05:59,310
So you know, based upon misturner's representation, and speaking with legal counsel, that may

805
01:05:59,310 --> 01:06:04,250
be a way for us to keep the AAPI in there and students may not be able to opt out with it

806
01:06:04,250 --> 01:06:07,330
because that's not about health, family life education.

807
01:06:07,570 --> 01:06:07,730
Correct.

808
01:06:07,890 --> 01:06:11,710
And again, even though I'm not giving legal advice, I would rather our real attorneys do

809
01:06:11,710 --> 01:06:12,470
that for us.

810
01:06:12,470 --> 01:06:21,790
But that may be the explanation to why we can have it in there, and then it becomes the question, does the board want to, then okay, if you can't opt out of it, add all of these other things.

811
01:06:22,190 --> 01:06:38,510
And I had also done a search, some of the other things that we've talked about, the Amistad and the Holocaust education, those are in a different policy that was 2260 about equity, and that also talks about the New Jersey learning standards.

812
01:06:38,510 --> 01:06:44,590
And there also is a catch-all provision in the proposed, not the, I mean, it's in 24-22

813
01:06:44,590 --> 01:06:49,510
as it exists now, it just is a little bit of a wording change, covers anything that's

814
01:06:49,510 --> 01:06:53,990
a part of the New Jersey learning standards, which again includes the climate change, the

815
01:06:54,510 --> 01:06:59,110
meat truth and media or whatever that particular wording is, all four of the things that, you

816
01:06:59,110 --> 01:07:02,230
know, Ms. Pierce had mentioned are a part of that.

817
01:07:02,390 --> 01:07:07,170
So there are the options there, but my understanding then is we're not going to move forward with

818
01:07:07,170 --> 01:07:14,210
first read still on this, that we're still waiting for legal discussion, so for moving things

819
01:07:14,210 --> 01:07:19,170
along, then at this point, unless the board has a strong feeling, we'll wait for that legal

820
01:07:19,170 --> 01:07:26,650
discussion, and then I don't know what the board's will is in terms of, do we, if the lawyer says,

821
01:07:27,150 --> 01:07:32,090
if you add these, people can opt out of them, do we want to specifically spell these out, or are we

822
01:07:32,090 --> 01:07:33,630
just okay with the catch-all provision.

823
01:07:35,410 --> 01:07:39,090
Alison, where is the opt-out language in this thing?

824
01:07:39,810 --> 01:07:44,430
Can you point it out to us in the regulation, in the policy?

825
01:07:51,780 --> 01:07:52,280
The last

826
01:07:54,940 --> 01:07:59,650
case that the way the team is is nothing.

827
01:08:09,570 --> 01:08:10,090
So

828
01:08:19,340 --> 01:08:22,740
we don't have to bring this back again for discussion.

829
01:08:23,240 --> 01:08:26,000
Do we want to, what is there a feeling either way?

830
01:08:26,000 --> 01:08:28,340
I added, don't add it, we're okay with the catch-all.

831
01:08:35,100 --> 01:08:37,420
Correct, I just, you know, that's fine,

832
01:08:37,540 --> 01:08:39,800
because I'm just worried that if we have to wait

833
01:08:39,800 --> 01:08:41,000
for the return, then we have to bring it back

834
01:08:41,000 --> 01:08:43,380
for discussion again before it's, you know.

835
01:08:44,380 --> 01:08:45,360
No, we just don't give you that.

836
01:08:46,400 --> 01:08:46,560
Yeah.

837
01:08:49,620 --> 01:08:52,640
Well, if you are taking feedback, can I give some on this?

838
01:08:52,900 --> 01:08:53,040
Okay.

839
01:08:53,860 --> 01:08:56,900
For the, I don't like the catch-all,

840
01:08:57,000 --> 01:08:59,260
if there's a way that we could separate it out,

841
01:08:59,440 --> 01:09:00,200
that would be great.

842
01:09:00,520 --> 01:09:03,700
If that is, do we do this in Genesis at the beginning of the year

843
01:09:03,700 --> 01:09:09,440
where people have to opt in, so it would just be separate line items that would make mandatory

844
01:09:09,440 --> 01:09:10,220
to start.

845
01:09:10,560 --> 01:09:10,880
Okay, yeah.

846
01:09:11,340 --> 01:09:11,840
I don't know.

847
01:09:11,980 --> 01:09:12,940
I do believe there's a form.

848
01:09:13,040 --> 01:09:16,720
I don't know if it specifies, again, just the health, physical education, family life.

849
01:09:16,980 --> 01:09:19,340
I think it's actually called family life or something like that before.

850
01:09:24,200 --> 01:09:29,600
So we got one opinion that if it doesn't allow the opting out that we want to include these

851
01:09:29,600 --> 01:09:36,240
four provisions, specifically spelled out like the AAPI is spelled out in all the other

852
01:09:36,240 --> 01:09:36,380
one.

853
01:09:36,380 --> 01:09:36,980
My

854
01:09:41,750 --> 01:09:45,470
question is, would that present a problem with scheduling?

855
01:09:47,830 --> 01:09:47,930
No.

856
01:09:48,950 --> 01:09:51,110
These are already legal requirements, by the way.

857
01:09:51,350 --> 01:09:51,510
I know.

858
01:09:51,870 --> 01:09:59,510
There's nothing that this policy is going to change in terms of what happens in practice presumably in our district because we are already legally required to do all of these things.

859
01:09:59,790 --> 01:10:03,390
I know that what I'm saying is that they opt out each one separately.

860
01:10:04,070 --> 01:10:05,970
Will that present a problem with scheduling?

861
01:10:06,510 --> 01:10:10,370
Again, I'm pretty sure it's just the family life and in the health, it usually just has

862
01:10:10,370 --> 01:10:11,590
to do with health education.

863
01:10:12,590 --> 01:10:13,190
It is.

864
01:10:22,350 --> 01:10:26,610
And the catch-all tactic is already in there, so that's why I don't think it will impact

865
01:10:26,610 --> 01:10:26,890
any.

866
01:10:35,120 --> 01:10:41,360
Also as I read it, it says any student who's parent that signs it that any part of instruction,

867
01:10:41,360 --> 01:10:47,360
Not even the entire course, but this particular part, they can, you know, be exempted.

868
01:11:02,540 --> 01:11:06,340
I apologize. There's an area that literally says list the topics.

869
01:11:09,980 --> 01:11:14,900
So, yeah, so if you put it in there, you just get a contact, but there is a space for that.

870
01:11:22,990 --> 01:11:25,870
Any other, anything from Pierce? Was there anything else?

871
01:11:26,690 --> 01:11:27,710
No, not at the start.

872
01:11:27,770 --> 01:11:28,250
Any questions?

873
01:11:29,510 --> 01:11:30,250
Thank you for your time.

874
01:11:30,650 --> 01:11:30,950
Thank you.

875
01:11:40,120 --> 01:11:45,780
So the other particular policies listed in there were a couple of things I wanted to just mention when we're done,

876
01:11:45,940 --> 01:11:48,720
but there were two other policies that are really just for board discussion.

877
01:11:49,260 --> 01:11:55,720
that was policy zero, excuse me, these are bylaws actually 0164, which is conduct of board meeting

878
01:11:55,720 --> 01:11:59,700
and 0167, which is public participation in board meetings.

879
01:12:00,300 --> 01:12:06,440
These were requested by Board President Vooknite to be brought forth before the board for discussion.

880
01:12:07,400 --> 01:12:12,940
Really, if there's nothing that anybody has objection with to change, there's no action we need to take.

881
01:12:12,980 --> 01:12:14,540
They just remain as they are.

882
01:12:14,540 --> 01:12:17,240
but if there was something that anyone wanted to bring up,

883
01:12:17,320 --> 01:12:19,940
discuss, change, address, this is the form.

884
01:12:23,380 --> 01:12:28,240
I wanted to look at the way that we want to get to,

885
01:12:28,380 --> 01:12:30,000
I'm opening up the policy.

886
01:12:31,300 --> 01:12:39,440
We have in policy 0164, we have it, you know,

887
01:12:39,460 --> 01:12:41,920
the way that the order of business shall follow,

888
01:12:42,280 --> 01:12:44,120
resolution for executive session.

889
01:12:44,120 --> 01:12:58,940
I want to take that part out to just allow us to go straight to executive session and then come out to the public at 730 or the board meeting. You have to open in public.

890
01:12:59,740 --> 01:13:04,940
You have to open the meeting in public and then go into exactly. We would so that there was no statue.

891
01:13:05,620 --> 01:13:11,500
Yeah, we were told that there's no statue and there is actually there is go. You have to open the meeting in public.

892
01:13:11,500 --> 01:13:24,780
Okay. You could open the meeting in that room in public. Okay. But you do have to open the meeting with the door open and open to the public and then do a resolution to go into executive session.

893
01:13:25,640 --> 01:13:26,160
Okay.

894
01:13:27,660 --> 01:13:28,240
All right.

895
01:13:29,840 --> 01:13:43,800
I thought, because we did ask that question and they told us that there was no statute legally, but okay, this is admin, you know, I will double check, but I'm pretty sure.

896
01:13:47,940 --> 01:14:05,940
So there is a statute, New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 1046-10421, or Sunshine Law, requires all meetings of public bodies to be open to the public with limited exceptions.

897
01:14:07,300 --> 01:14:12,960
So we know the meeting has to be or saying in terms of we were told that we can go straight

898
01:14:12,960 --> 01:14:16,100
to executive session because that's not a public meeting.

899
01:14:16,840 --> 01:14:21,120
So we're wondering just for the sake of saving time, if that's the case to change the order

900
01:14:21,120 --> 01:14:21,660
of.

901
01:14:23,460 --> 01:14:29,060
I will double check tomorrow, but it's been my belief for a long time that you have to open

902
01:14:29,060 --> 01:14:31,620
in public and then go into executive session.

903
01:14:32,680 --> 01:14:33,120
Okay.

904
01:14:33,660 --> 01:14:34,380
We can always come back.

905
01:14:34,420 --> 01:14:35,440
We'll come back to them.

906
01:14:37,000 --> 01:14:40,960
Speaking of the order of business, I know we're recently putting on the President's report.

907
01:14:41,240 --> 01:14:44,400
Is that worth including in this as well?

908
01:14:44,960 --> 01:14:45,720
Yes, it is.

909
01:14:46,680 --> 01:14:48,360
So add the President's report.

910
01:14:48,920 --> 01:14:58,200
It says Board of Education report, so should that change to, I think that is the, well it says,

911
01:14:58,200 --> 01:14:59,880
What is this?

912
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:27,840
That look at the order, it says resolution for executive session, executive session, return to open session statements. And that would be, that would be your statement. So we do need to put it in. President's report. So at that point, if the statements, right? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Sorry. Are we talking about on the policy, you're adding president's statement.

913
01:15:27,840 --> 01:15:35,420
And we have to, because on our agenda, it says that statements, it says needing notice

914
01:15:35,420 --> 01:15:37,520
and president's report on the statements.

915
01:15:38,160 --> 01:15:42,720
Yeah, but I think to Carrie's point, which is worth noting that if that is how we are

916
01:15:42,720 --> 01:15:48,980
going to do the order, we should put it in here so that it outlives everybody.

917
01:15:49,180 --> 01:15:53,740
But my question about that is there's a segment here down here that says Board of Education

918
01:15:53,740 --> 01:15:54,200
Reports.

919
01:15:55,440 --> 01:16:00,480
I think we should eliminate that and then add the president's report.

920
01:16:01,520 --> 01:16:07,320
So looking down from chronological the way it's listed, some of this is kind of out of order as well.

921
01:16:08,280 --> 01:16:12,780
So we have resolution for executive session, executive session, return to open session.

922
01:16:13,180 --> 01:16:14,920
Then we usually do the pledge of allegiance.

923
01:16:15,500 --> 01:16:21,520
Next, then we have the statements, then the president's report after statements,

924
01:16:21,520 --> 01:16:26,120
Then roll call should actually go right after return to open session, right?

925
01:16:28,740 --> 01:16:28,980
Okay.

926
01:16:30,140 --> 01:16:31,260
And then.

927
01:16:35,020 --> 01:16:36,020
This is still.

928
01:16:38,240 --> 01:16:40,820
Well, I guess we're going to have to.

929
01:16:44,860 --> 01:16:46,900
So Miss Sullivan was correct.

930
01:16:47,200 --> 01:16:49,260
It says before going into a closed session.

931
01:16:49,440 --> 01:16:54,520
A public body must first adopt a resolution at a meeting, which is open to the public stating.

932
01:16:54,520 --> 01:16:59,260
the general nature going into closed session and the time when the information

933
01:16:59,260 --> 01:17:03,760
discussed in private wouldn't will come back out so that is correct. That's

934
01:17:03,760 --> 01:17:07,780
an incorrect interpretation. That's what I do miss. I'm just reading.

935
01:17:10,020 --> 01:17:17,900
I'm just reading. The statute. I'm sorry, I'm on the ACLU New Jersey page. It's part of the open public meeting.

936
01:17:18,080 --> 01:17:24,320
It's just under the sunshine law. So we'll agree that we have to open here

937
01:17:24,320 --> 01:17:30,520
or in public in some form of fashion, there has to be a resolution on the record to go into the executive session.

938
01:17:30,840 --> 01:17:33,820
That's why you have to open publicly to, I guess, technically to the resolution.

939
01:17:34,460 --> 01:17:37,460
So we're down to, we did the president's report.

940
01:17:37,680 --> 01:17:42,300
The next, we usually do minutes after superintendents report, because we usually just adopt those.

941
01:17:42,860 --> 01:17:47,900
We vote on them. So next would be superintendents report as eight.

942
01:17:49,820 --> 01:17:53,700
What would come after that on our current, well today is a workshop.

943
01:17:56,760 --> 01:18:04,040
The next would be the Board of Education Reports doesn't really apply to our current structure.

944
01:18:04,780 --> 01:18:05,960
So we'll eliminate that.

945
01:18:07,410 --> 01:18:11,460
Comments from the public on a workshop we're doing after we do our committee.

946
01:18:12,740 --> 01:18:18,260
So why don't we put for nine committee as a whole if applicable because we don't do that

947
01:18:18,260 --> 01:18:20,540
on every meeting we do that on workshops only.

948
01:18:22,040 --> 01:18:28,220
if applicable. I'm trying to take notes, Dr. Harrison Crawford. And ten.

949
01:18:36,820 --> 01:18:38,420
So ten would be

950
01:18:39,620 --> 01:18:45,020
committee of a whole. We don't have a pupil service. Well, that comes when we get into our

951
01:18:45,020 --> 01:18:49,760
business portion. So then minutes would be next, because we usually vote on those before we get

952
01:18:49,760 --> 01:18:52,560
into the other business items. So that would be ten minutes,

953
01:18:54,840 --> 01:18:57,600
or we do, actually comments on the public

954
01:18:57,600 --> 01:19:06,460
next. Eric. This this level of detail I don't know that we have to do in this meeting. So

955
01:19:08,540 --> 01:19:17,080
exactly. Julie noted excellent and and and in fact to talk about the committee of the whole to

956
01:19:17,900 --> 01:19:24,040
if it fits I don't know if it does but in any event it doesn't seem like a good use of our time.

957
01:19:24,040 --> 01:19:24,300
Yes.

958
01:19:28,230 --> 01:19:33,050
Being said, and he was like, that's right.

959
01:19:33,770 --> 01:19:36,870
Oh, but seeing, would you like me to why you're doing whatever you're doing?

960
01:19:37,150 --> 01:19:38,870
Because Mr. Surgeon has a.

961
01:19:39,390 --> 01:19:39,510
Yeah.

962
01:19:39,650 --> 01:19:40,150
Go ahead and.

963
01:19:40,770 --> 01:19:41,570
Another comment.

964
01:19:43,870 --> 01:19:48,070
Here it says the board secretary in the superintendent shall prepare an agenda.

965
01:19:48,450 --> 01:19:51,630
Doesn't the president and the vice president have a role in that?

966
01:19:51,730 --> 01:19:52,430
So I think.

967
01:19:55,790 --> 01:20:09,450
So that then that should be changed and then, you know, maybe the agenda should be approved by the by a vote of the board or it can be adapted by a vote of the board.

968
01:20:12,710 --> 01:20:19,170
Okay. I don't know if this is in this one or the next one, are you separating the two

969
01:20:19,170 --> 01:20:23,090
Alice and I'll hold off on public participation to laugh to you, Don, what does? Are you

970
01:20:23,090 --> 01:20:24,430
taking both of them together?

971
01:20:37,580 --> 01:20:40,260
Any other things I should take notes down or major changes?

972
01:20:41,060 --> 01:20:46,920
So I will add language about the agenda in consultation with the Board President in terms of the agenda

973
01:20:46,920 --> 01:20:50,300
and then fix this order, and then we'll send it around.

974
01:20:50,960 --> 01:20:52,820
And that's the only thing for 0164.

975
01:20:53,380 --> 01:20:57,320
Okay, let's move on to 0167, anything anyone wants to discuss?

976
01:21:00,090 --> 01:21:02,570
A couple of things.

977
01:21:03,950 --> 01:21:09,890
Small thing is that it says here in the policy,

978
01:21:11,130 --> 01:21:17,130
the board, each, first page, 0.1,

979
01:21:18,650 --> 01:21:23,670
Each agenda shall allow key charted organizations with form of relationships to have designated

980
01:21:23,670 --> 01:21:25,070
time upon request.

981
01:21:25,670 --> 01:21:28,250
I think we need to be more specific about that.

982
01:21:28,330 --> 01:21:29,190
I've said this before.

983
01:21:29,590 --> 01:21:36,550
They need to request to the president in advance so we don't waste time wondering if someone

984
01:21:36,550 --> 01:21:37,550
has something to say.

985
01:21:37,750 --> 01:21:40,450
So I'd like to, that is a small thing to be clarified.

986
01:21:40,450 --> 01:21:56,190
In general, this is a policy on public participation and I didn't really look at it in this light because I wasn't sure what we were doing with it as it was on the agenda.

987
01:21:56,470 --> 01:21:59,690
It's listed as discussion, but some other things are listed as discussion.

988
01:22:00,190 --> 01:22:06,070
I think we need to clarify the agenda to be clear which items we're voting on.

989
01:22:06,070 --> 01:22:14,070
So in fact, you know, later on on the agenda today, there's approval of calendar, which

990
01:22:14,070 --> 01:22:18,790
I know we're going to be voting on, but there's also a question under business that says school

991
01:22:18,790 --> 01:22:25,450
funding formula. I think we're voting on that too. And, you know, some of the board members

992
01:22:25,450 --> 01:22:31,050
wondered if we were voting on some of these policies. So I would suggest that we just be very clear

993
01:22:31,050 --> 01:22:35,910
on our agenda for ourselves and for the public, which items that we're voting on.

994
01:22:36,790 --> 01:22:44,070
And then, finally, I think we need to change the tone of this article on public participation.

995
01:22:44,470 --> 01:22:49,930
It's mostly about how we're going to limit it and how we're going to interrupt or warn,

996
01:22:50,230 --> 01:22:54,850
and no way shape, but we say, in the beginning, we want to encourage it.

997
01:22:54,850 --> 01:23:14,210
But especially in light of the vote yesterday and the divisiveness of all of this, you know, we ought to be giving some thought to how we can improve public participation and taking suggestions from board members and the public about how we do that.

998
01:23:14,210 --> 01:23:21,690
I'm not saying that this is the time to do that, but I would like the tone of this policy to

999
01:23:21,690 --> 01:23:32,030
be more of that ilk than what we're not going to do. So we have these board norms. So is that

1000
01:23:32,030 --> 01:23:37,210
more so what you're talking about board meeting norms that we have implemented? I was going to say

1001
01:23:37,210 --> 01:23:44,010
that needs to kind of probably be implemented into this policy. That's fine, but I'm thinking more

1002
01:23:44,010 --> 01:23:51,690
in the range of how we build and encourage public participation and fruitful dialogue.

1003
01:23:51,930 --> 01:23:58,430
I don't have a lot of suggestions about that, but I'm sure that there are some out there

1004
01:23:58,430 --> 01:23:59,430
and I'd love to hear them.

1005
01:24:00,650 --> 01:24:06,370
Well, I think we've established, as President Book Knight stated, these norms about it not

1006
01:24:06,370 --> 01:24:11,890
being a dialogue specifically, it was one of the norms, and that I definitely agree we

1007
01:24:11,890 --> 01:24:17,030
should incorporate those in, so I don't know exactly what more you're asking for, because

1008
01:24:17,030 --> 01:24:21,030
some of that would be contrary to all of these norms that we had just agreed upon.

1009
01:24:22,010 --> 01:24:27,610
And I just want to add that we're having a meeting in public, not with the public.

1010
01:24:27,610 --> 01:24:31,730
So we're not going back and forth with the public on certain issues.

1011
01:24:32,070 --> 01:24:37,650
So I'm not sure if that is something that we should be putting into a policy to our bylaws.

1012
01:24:37,650 --> 01:25:00,630
If I may, I think there are certainly opportunities that could be created for that outside of this format, and I know we've talked about those like a community engagement with the board, where the board provides opportunity to hear from the public in the way that it is not, you know, in this meeting where we just have the three minutes or there's limitation of engagement.

1013
01:25:01,890 --> 01:25:08,830
So I think that certainly could be something that the Board can do and consider doing, right?

1014
01:25:09,010 --> 01:25:14,610
So that community engagement and community voice is deeply heard, and there's, as we said,

1015
01:25:14,770 --> 01:25:16,650
a back and forth dialogue when it's appropriate.

1016
01:25:17,290 --> 01:25:22,290
I think that's a good suggestion, and maybe the title of this is what gives me problems because

1017
01:25:22,290 --> 01:25:28,210
this is very specific to public participation in board meetings, and we had talked in our

1018
01:25:28,210 --> 01:25:34,130
governance document, for example, of we call them town halls or community forms or something

1019
01:25:34,130 --> 01:25:34,610
like that.

1020
01:25:35,050 --> 01:25:41,090
I've said before, we haven't laid specific plans for when we're going to do that.

1021
01:25:41,450 --> 01:25:48,050
There's no policy that really addresses that, and I'd just like to encourage that sort

1022
01:25:48,050 --> 01:25:50,390
of opportunity for public participation.

1023
01:25:51,010 --> 01:25:57,070
I don't know where it fits, and I'm open to some, it's fitting in some other place.

1024
01:25:57,070 --> 01:26:04,230
And I hear you, but just like this 0167 says public participation in board meetings.

1025
01:26:04,230 --> 01:26:09,890
So it could be public participation and a whole nother by law in town halls or however

1026
01:26:10,470 --> 01:26:17,210
community engagement with the board or something, change the title and add another by law.

1027
01:26:18,190 --> 01:26:23,450
I think and I don't know for sure if this was like a by law that was from Strassezme just

1028
01:26:23,450 --> 01:26:29,730
talking about this particular forum and so that's a whole different ball game. We're just talking

1029
01:26:29,730 --> 01:26:34,150
about this particular forum of our public meetings and I do want to note there's some things in

1030
01:26:34,150 --> 01:26:40,050
here that I'm looking at it. We might want to change like it talks about the ability to speak twice

1031
01:26:40,690 --> 01:26:47,580
and I know yeah so we'll remove about the second comment. I think that came from an attention

1032
01:26:47,580 --> 01:26:54,200
long ago to try and streamline agenda versus non-agenda that really didn't work out in practice the way

1033
01:26:54,200 --> 01:26:58,400
we had hoped. So we need to take that back. And then there's something here about like

1034
01:26:58,400 --> 01:27:02,580
limiting during the second public comment portion by that all public comments are limited to

1035
01:27:02,580 --> 01:27:06,020
the three minutes that we had agreed upon. So what I'll do is integrate because I don't want to go

1036
01:27:06,020 --> 01:27:11,380
through this and take the time tonight. Everything that's up there on the board norms into this and

1037
01:27:11,380 --> 01:27:16,560
make changes and I could red line and send it around to the board. And then we can talk about it for

1038
01:27:16,560 --> 01:27:20,960
the one quick little and it's just a small thing. The cuddle of time. Let's just mention when the

1039
01:27:20,960 --> 01:27:30,600
cutoff time this, right? So people win. Yeah, so it's in there for sign up. Yep. Just so that it's clear. So no one can say, oh, why didn't know?

1040
01:27:31,040 --> 01:27:38,600
Well, it would be twice because we have public comment and before business on workshop meetings and public comment. Yes.

1041
01:27:39,040 --> 01:27:42,720
You know, in the beginning. So that might need to be the link which one is which. Yep.

1042
01:27:55,410 --> 01:27:58,910
Anything else that we want to talk about because otherwise it sounds like we're going to have to bring this back.

1043
01:27:58,910 --> 01:28:01,490
So there will be some significant changes with inclusion in the board norms.

1044
01:28:01,850 --> 01:28:03,590
So we can close out the conversation for today.

1045
01:28:04,530 --> 01:28:05,790
So those were the listed policies.

1046
01:28:06,110 --> 01:28:07,630
I just wanted to go over some stuff real quick.

1047
01:28:07,790 --> 01:28:11,490
So we're kind of prepared for what we're doing moving forward.

1048
01:28:13,030 --> 01:28:17,810
So we have alert 2236 coming up.

1049
01:28:18,250 --> 01:28:19,590
I spoke with Dr. Harrison Crawford.

1050
01:28:20,010 --> 01:28:24,310
These are still currently going around into the correct department with senior staff.

1051
01:28:25,350 --> 01:28:31,530
There's or due to, I believe, to superintendent Turner by March 24th with any recommended changes.

1052
01:28:32,850 --> 01:28:38,010
I'm not sure if we've sent around the alert for 236 but there's a list of all the policies

1053
01:28:38,010 --> 01:28:40,250
that we need to address who's taken care of them.

1054
01:28:40,970 --> 01:28:41,990
Those are due by then.

1055
01:28:42,130 --> 01:28:44,910
It will be to the board by, hopefully, March 31st.

1056
01:28:45,510 --> 01:28:47,310
So, well, thank you.

1057
01:28:48,090 --> 01:28:51,750
By March 31st, the board will get the policy with the suggested changes.

1058
01:28:51,750 --> 01:29:01,750
and then by April 15th, the hope is that those will be on for discussion and or, you know, I believe just discussion, not first read because we have the right to talk about it publicly.

1059
01:29:02,870 --> 01:29:17,890
So that's part one. The next thing, there were some policies that, you know, we had had on our radar, the cell phone policies still going through internal review and waiting for the final guidance from the state before we certain determined if we have to change what we had come up with.

1060
01:29:18,310 --> 01:29:20,350
I believe it was in the spring. Did you have something to say?

1061
01:29:22,710 --> 01:29:27,590
I don't know if Dr. Harrison Crawford had a chance to tell you, we're also looking

1062
01:29:27,590 --> 01:29:30,870
to update our technology policy.

1063
01:29:33,830 --> 01:29:38,310
So maybe in the April, what month are we in, I don't even know what month we're in.

1064
01:29:39,610 --> 01:29:40,030
Yeah.

1065
01:29:40,730 --> 01:29:42,810
It will end for the April meeting.

1066
01:29:44,390 --> 01:29:45,870
And does that include the AI?

1067
01:29:46,030 --> 01:29:49,470
Because I know Dr. Harrison Crawford had sent me some stuff about AI because that's obviously

1068
01:29:49,470 --> 01:29:53,470
the emerging technology, we need to make sure we're addressing in policy, so that's still

1069
01:29:53,470 --> 01:29:54,570
going through some review.

1070
01:29:55,170 --> 01:29:59,350
There's some preliminary stuff that I was sent, I'll try and I think it was sent to be

1071
01:29:59,350 --> 01:29:59,850
Electronically.

1072
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:01,240
I can send it to the full board. I just,

1073
01:30:04,290 --> 01:30:31,230
the cell phone, I don't, I don't know because I think that is there's still waiting for Department of Education and all of the regulatory, you know, specifics to come through before we know exactly what we have to do. I mean, we spent a significant amount of time on that, but the AI I think is a separate thing and there's like a guidance booklet and everything. Mr. Long. Yeah, I was just be interested to see the AI policy kind of where we are. I got it last week. I just hadn't had a chance, but I'll send it around to everybody.

1074
01:30:31,230 --> 01:30:32,770
Anybody with Dr. Harsson Crawford said Eric?

1075
01:30:33,290 --> 01:30:33,550
Mr. Scherzer?

1076
01:30:33,770 --> 01:30:33,910
Yeah.

1077
01:30:44,850 --> 01:30:49,370
There, Alison is just a ton of things that we've just talked about.

1078
01:30:49,850 --> 01:30:55,390
Can we synthesize that into a summary of where we are with, you know, just one page on

1079
01:30:55,390 --> 01:31:00,930
different policies, send it around to the board so we have some understanding of the timing

1080
01:31:00,930 --> 01:31:01,690
and the schedule?

1081
01:31:03,350 --> 01:31:08,070
I don't want to speak for Alison because it will be Alison with Dr. Harsson Crawford, but

1082
01:31:08,070 --> 01:31:09,930
I want it to say and I don't believe that's what you're saying.

1083
01:31:09,930 --> 01:31:14,350
I mean, I think this is good for the public to know what's upcoming, because oftentimes

1084
01:31:14,350 --> 01:31:19,210
we will get feedback in our emails to say, have you considered this?

1085
01:31:19,250 --> 01:31:24,610
And we are working with our community who's really invested in this to help to make sure

1086
01:31:24,610 --> 01:31:28,910
that we include those consideration and voices in these very, very important policies.

1087
01:31:30,130 --> 01:31:36,630
We just be helpful to have this all down on one sheet that gives us some idea of what

1088
01:31:36,630 --> 01:31:37,430
the schedule is.

1089
01:31:37,430 --> 01:31:42,730
Well, after I finish my paying job that I'm incredibly stressed out from as I talked about

1090
01:31:42,730 --> 01:31:47,010
my stress dreams the other day, I will try to, but as Ms. Turner points out, you can always

1091
01:31:47,010 --> 01:31:49,650
go back and look at the recording and take your own notes.

1092
01:31:49,950 --> 01:31:50,810
But I will try my best.

1093
01:31:51,510 --> 01:31:56,190
Well, so we'll see, are you finished with giving us a list of things that are upcoming?

1094
01:31:56,710 --> 01:31:56,810
Okay.

1095
01:31:57,050 --> 01:32:00,050
Can I just, I just want to clarify something, lighten your load.

1096
01:32:00,570 --> 01:32:03,770
It is not for you, as chairpersons per se do.

1097
01:32:03,770 --> 01:32:14,450
It is for you to work with our with our team and we will help so I just want to be that very clear the expectation is not for you to necessarily as long as it's clear between you and Dr. Harrison Crawford.

1098
01:32:14,710 --> 01:32:17,270
What is the upcoming review for those policies?

1099
01:32:17,710 --> 01:32:25,330
We will then make sure that the board has that schedule and so I don't want you to be overloaded because that's not giving the update now.

1100
01:32:26,350 --> 01:32:27,730
So, thank you.

1101
01:32:31,490 --> 01:32:35,010
So, the next thing, this is a larger thing that I believe we're going

1102
01:32:35,010 --> 01:32:42,370
to need some participation. Every year we are required to kind of adopt again all our

1103
01:32:42,370 --> 01:32:47,550
mandatory policies. It used to be that the policy committee would divvy them up, review

1104
01:32:47,550 --> 01:32:51,850
them, see if there was anything that needed to be changed, edited, concerning, because

1105
01:32:51,850 --> 01:32:57,290
we are saying when we, you know, pass this resolution that we have reviewed all of them.

1106
01:32:57,290 --> 01:33:01,950
So do we want to have eyes on every policy that we actually have to review?

1107
01:33:02,170 --> 01:33:07,690
So Dr. Harrison Crawford will run an audit, which will list out all of our mandatory policies,

1108
01:33:07,690 --> 01:33:11,470
which are the ones where you see the M. I thought that was from Montclair for a while, but that's

1109
01:33:11,470 --> 01:33:18,050
actually for mandatory. What those are, and if it's the will of the board, we can then divvy them

1110
01:33:18,050 --> 01:33:23,370
up amongst the nine of us because there is no way. Now I'm going to be able to do it, and it shouldn't

1111
01:33:23,370 --> 01:33:26,570
And because it's about the full board looking at everything together.

1112
01:33:26,850 --> 01:33:32,810
So I just wanted to get kind of a sense of, is everybody desirous of doing it that way

1113
01:33:32,810 --> 01:33:38,250
where we can say, you know, Jada had policies X through Y and Melanie, Y through Z.

1114
01:33:40,870 --> 01:33:42,990
I think that is fake only fair.

1115
01:33:43,650 --> 01:33:46,870
Since we are no longer meeting as a committee of four.

1116
01:33:47,430 --> 01:33:48,550
And that's what we did.

1117
01:33:48,550 --> 01:33:53,150
so I think we'll take the weight off of you and out the haves and corporate as well as if we

1118
01:33:53,150 --> 01:34:01,810
chip in on this together. So she will run the audit and then we'll work together to divvy it up

1119
01:34:01,810 --> 01:34:05,950
and then we'll send it around and say that these are yours and we'll try and do it with enough

1120
01:34:05,950 --> 01:34:10,090
advanced time where everybody has because we do all have busy lives and things to do.

1121
01:34:10,770 --> 01:34:16,910
The other policy that we had brought up previously that still on radar was the attendance policy.

1122
01:34:16,910 --> 01:34:23,150
that's just, you know, on radar, we're quite busy, so it's not something at the current

1123
01:34:23,150 --> 01:34:23,490
moment.

1124
01:34:23,950 --> 01:34:26,850
And then, Dr. Harrison Crawford, you have to help me with this note, because I said,

1125
01:34:26,870 --> 01:34:30,270
I'm going to meet with you on 9-10, which I don't think is the intention to wait till

1126
01:34:30,270 --> 01:34:31,050
September 10th.

1127
01:34:31,090 --> 01:34:35,430
So I'll be in touch about when that, okay, that's where I thought it may have been.

1128
01:34:35,650 --> 01:34:35,750
Okay.

1129
01:34:36,070 --> 01:34:36,210
Great.

1130
01:34:37,510 --> 01:34:39,890
And that, I believe, is everything for the policy committee.

1131
01:34:40,050 --> 01:34:41,350
Thank you, everybody, for your patience and time.

1132
01:34:46,550 --> 01:34:51,890
We will now move to finance and facility with Mr. Scherzer and the a Sullivan.

1133
01:34:57,990 --> 01:35:04,510
First, we're going to have a presentation on the Sullivan.

1134
01:35:05,390 --> 01:35:08,330
Well, there's actually no presentations just to brief update.

1135
01:35:09,970 --> 01:35:13,470
So we still do not have state aid information.

1136
01:35:13,910 --> 01:35:16,390
We do expect to get that sometime tomorrow.

1137
01:35:17,570 --> 01:35:26,570
As a reminder, I know you all know next Wednesday night you have to adopt a tentative budget that we will submit to the county for their review and approval.

1138
01:35:27,830 --> 01:35:33,350
And then April 29th, I believe, is the public hearing on the budget.

1139
01:35:33,690 --> 01:35:41,690
If any changes need to be made, they'll be made after the public hearing and before the May 6th, I believe is the adoption.

1140
01:35:42,250 --> 01:35:44,970
So, that's kind of where we stand right now with the budget.

1141
01:35:46,830 --> 01:35:50,850
As for us, do you want me to move to the next item or any questions on that?

1142
01:35:53,970 --> 01:36:01,590
So, since the vote is not back and the preliminary budget is to the end of this month, do you

1143
01:36:01,590 --> 01:36:07,570
anticipate moving forward with a no-no, I will have the budget for a no-no because I can't

1144
01:36:07,570 --> 01:36:13,870
increase, I can't assume an increase in the tax level based on unofficial results.

1145
01:36:14,310 --> 01:36:17,270
So at this point, I will have to assume a no-no for budgeting purposes.

1146
01:36:17,690 --> 01:36:22,890
If something changes, then we will change that after the public hearing.

1147
01:36:25,620 --> 01:36:26,340
Other questions?

1148
01:36:28,760 --> 01:36:31,100
Next item is the corrective action plan.

1149
01:36:31,340 --> 01:36:34,080
So the auditors were here at the February 25 meeting.

1150
01:36:34,620 --> 01:36:36,780
They went through the corrective action plan.

1151
01:36:36,780 --> 01:36:42,380
And this every item that they gave you in that draft is in this plan, it's in a different

1152
01:36:42,380 --> 01:36:42,700
order.

1153
01:36:43,000 --> 01:36:45,460
I'm not exactly sure why it's in a different order, but it is.

1154
01:36:46,260 --> 01:36:53,420
And the only addition to here is method of implementation, person responsible and the date.

1155
01:36:54,000 --> 01:36:59,080
You'll see in a lot of cases, I put June 2026, that doesn't mean, in a lot of cases, it doesn't

1156
01:36:59,080 --> 01:37:02,940
mean that we're not already working on it, or that it's not already starting to be in place,

1157
01:37:03,540 --> 01:37:05,500
but it may not be fully in place.

1158
01:37:05,500 --> 01:37:16,220
There are a few items that are financial, meaning the fixed assets inventory is something

1159
01:37:16,220 --> 01:37:18,440
that we need to pay someone to do.

1160
01:37:19,160 --> 01:37:26,540
So we're going to try and see if we can contract to get that done in maybe over the summer depending

1161
01:37:26,540 --> 01:37:28,700
on whether or not we can fund it.

1162
01:37:28,780 --> 01:37:31,140
We're getting a proposal now to see how much it costs.

1163
01:37:32,160 --> 01:37:37,420
But that's the only thing that I think that has a financial implication to actually getting

1164
01:37:37,420 --> 01:37:38,260
that accomplished.

1165
01:37:39,120 --> 01:37:45,180
I did highlight in late blue the ones that I thought were more material than others.

1166
01:37:45,640 --> 01:37:50,040
Also number two, I didn't highlight, but that's probably also more material.

1167
01:37:51,580 --> 01:37:58,860
And again, these are all things that none of this was new information for me, of course.

1168
01:37:58,860 --> 01:38:04,260
And most of these things have all been addressed, started to be addressed, starting back in July.

1169
01:38:05,820 --> 01:38:12,440
So first of all, just to clarify, if anyone is trying to follow along between these numberings,

1170
01:38:12,620 --> 01:38:18,600
and the last report, they don't correspond, and that is just the way it is.

1171
01:38:18,680 --> 01:38:23,040
But the actual comments are the same, yeah. They're just in different orders.

1172
01:38:23,040 --> 01:38:30,820
Okay. They're in order to match the large document, the annual comprehensive financial report,

1173
01:38:31,020 --> 01:38:37,000
so they didn't have that finished when they did the draft, which is why it was in the different

1174
01:38:37,000 --> 01:38:43,940
order, I guess. So my understanding is that the audit is now finalized, is that correct?

1175
01:38:43,940 --> 01:38:50,220
And up on our website, right? Yes. And this is just in the last couple of days. Correct. We just got

1176
01:38:50,220 --> 01:38:55,900
the document, I don't know if it was Friday or Monday, but it's a full annual comprehensive

1177
01:38:55,900 --> 01:39:01,840
financial report, which is the huge document and then the orders management report, which is

1178
01:39:01,840 --> 01:39:08,160
the smaller documents are both on our website. And do we need to have a vote to approve that,

1179
01:39:08,360 --> 01:39:14,060
do we need to have a vote to approve the corrective action plan, what and when is that going to have them?

1180
01:39:14,260 --> 01:39:18,160
On the 18th, you will accept the audit, you don't have to approve the audit because

1181
01:39:18,160 --> 01:39:23,780
is you don't, you accept it and you approve the corrective action plan which then we will

1182
01:39:23,780 --> 01:39:24,660
submit to the state.

1183
01:39:25,100 --> 01:39:25,600
Okay.

1184
01:39:25,740 --> 01:39:28,140
So the votes for both of those things will be on the 18th.

1185
01:39:28,180 --> 01:39:28,260
Yep.

1186
01:39:28,440 --> 01:39:28,580
Okay.

1187
01:39:28,720 --> 01:39:28,840
Great.

1188
01:39:30,900 --> 01:39:31,420
Can

1189
01:39:34,720 --> 01:39:44,480
you comment just briefly on the $2 million in the past state grants that the auditor says

1190
01:39:44,480 --> 01:39:45,060
we should?

1191
01:39:45,840 --> 01:39:46,340
Sure.

1192
01:39:46,340 --> 01:39:50,060
So back in, I believe it was 2012.

1193
01:39:50,880 --> 01:39:56,900
We qualified for a number of what the state returns as rod grants, the rod being regular

1194
01:39:56,900 --> 01:39:57,940
operating districts.

1195
01:39:58,920 --> 01:40:05,980
With those rod grants, they were all for capital projects that were done 2013, 2014.

1196
01:40:06,260 --> 01:40:08,880
I believe it went into like 2015, 2016.

1197
01:40:09,900 --> 01:40:13,660
The paperwork was never submitted to get reimbursed for those grants.

1198
01:40:13,660 --> 01:40:20,820
So although the projects, of course, are finished and paid for, we didn't get reimbursements

1199
01:40:20,820 --> 01:40:21,660
from the state yet.

1200
01:40:21,840 --> 01:40:27,260
So we have $2 million of accounts receivable sitting on our books from the state of New

1201
01:40:27,260 --> 01:40:28,760
Jersey for those grants.

1202
01:40:29,420 --> 01:40:37,560
The grants, even if you do it timely, the paperwork is very voluminous and a real pain in the

1203
01:40:37,560 --> 01:40:39,420
neck to do.

1204
01:40:39,420 --> 01:40:46,800
It requires all kinds of information that we have to get from contractors, which is difficult on a good day.

1205
01:40:47,800 --> 01:40:53,580
But of course these projects are now over 10 years old or 10 years old in some cases.

1206
01:40:54,380 --> 01:40:59,980
So we are, you know, we just don't have the staff or the time to do it right now at some point.

1207
01:41:00,760 --> 01:41:06,760
Someone will have to focus on that, but we've had bigger fish to fry right now getting the other books in order.

1208
01:41:07,340 --> 01:41:12,860
But I do believe the state, the same person that works down at the state that works with

1209
01:41:12,860 --> 01:41:15,000
the districts has been working with the district for years.

1210
01:41:15,680 --> 01:41:17,020
He's very helpful.

1211
01:41:17,260 --> 01:41:19,360
He will work with us, I think.

1212
01:41:19,840 --> 01:41:22,560
So I feel confident that eventually we'll get that money.

1213
01:41:22,600 --> 01:41:26,060
We just need the body to actually find the papers.

1214
01:41:27,980 --> 01:41:33,000
And that money will become a part of our cash to pay down.

1215
01:41:33,340 --> 01:41:33,540
Correct.

1216
01:41:33,720 --> 01:41:34,960
That'll help our cash flow.

1217
01:41:35,180 --> 01:41:35,700
Yes.

1218
01:41:35,700 --> 01:41:38,340
other questions?

1219
01:41:40,860 --> 01:41:46,540
Thanks for outlining all this. It looks like there are a couple of instances

1220
01:41:46,540 --> 01:41:52,420
where the recommendation comes back with implementing or documenting new procedures,

1221
01:41:52,920 --> 01:41:57,320
but it sounds like that's not a requirement. So as long as you're actually doing the work,

1222
01:41:57,320 --> 01:42:03,670
which is what seems to be explained in the method of implementation that it's being done,

1223
01:42:03,670 --> 01:42:09,730
the work is being done, but you already talked about how you don't have enough bodies right now

1224
01:42:10,310 --> 01:42:16,390
to be doing extra writing new processes. So by doing the work, we're still meeting the

1225
01:42:17,230 --> 01:42:24,970
requirements. And so the recommendation of also establishing processes is just that would be like

1226
01:42:24,970 --> 01:42:27,570
an additional nice to have, which we're not in the position to do right now.

1227
01:42:27,570 --> 01:42:32,390
Well, we are establishing processes as well as we go along.

1228
01:42:32,390 --> 01:42:36,930
It's just, it takes time in a district this size to get everybody

1229
01:42:37,410 --> 01:42:40,770
heading in the right direction and doing following the right procedures.

1230
01:42:41,190 --> 01:42:47,190
It's not going to change overnight, but we are certainly working on doing that as we're going along.

1231
01:42:50,490 --> 01:42:51,750
I just want to bring that up.

1232
01:42:51,890 --> 01:42:57,210
You mentioned last time that there was a manual that you were working on where all of these things were being highlighted.

1233
01:42:57,210 --> 01:43:27,190
right? Right. So staff, right? We actually have two. One was a purchasing manual, which is done. That's done. Well, we haven't had time to do is train a lot of people on that because that takes time and, you know, but that that part is done. There's also a standard operating procedure manual, which has also been done. I did it. But there's it needs to go to different departments and it has been sent out to departments, but people need to look at that and make sure that what we have in there is really what's happening. And that's a time consuming time.

1234
01:43:27,190 --> 01:43:35,110
task. But it is the framework of that is is done. I think both of those things will in the summer

1235
01:43:35,110 --> 01:43:40,150
probably would be a time where we can really then start to get on track for September to get

1236
01:43:40,150 --> 01:43:45,210
everybody heading in the right direction. But as far as purchasing goes, I mean, that's a daily

1237
01:43:45,210 --> 01:43:50,410
thing that I'm interacting with people as I'm approving purchase orders and I see some kind of an

1238
01:43:50,410 --> 01:43:55,410
issue. I send the purchase order back to that person and say, oh, by the way, you did this wrong,

1239
01:43:55,410 --> 01:44:01,950
you have to do this so it's not like we're not addressing it at all it's just not you know we haven't

1240
01:44:01,950 --> 01:44:04,390
been able to do a full-fledged training for people.

1241
01:44:07,870 --> 01:44:13,250
Is the item 15 the is this a manual you're

1242
01:44:13,250 --> 01:44:19,670
talking about the district will develop a manual for maintaining school activity accounts or is

1243
01:44:19,670 --> 01:44:27,690
that separate? No that's a separate manual which I we haven't done yet. I do have a one from a

1244
01:44:27,690 --> 01:44:35,090
previous life. I have one from probably Montclair that I could update. But that's something

1245
01:44:35,090 --> 01:44:39,530
also that will require training school personnel because the school activity accounts are

1246
01:44:39,530 --> 01:44:48,210
handled at each individual school. That is in every district always more challenging because

1247
01:44:49,240 --> 01:44:55,790
you typically they're not staff that are used to working with numbers and not people that are

1248
01:44:55,790 --> 01:44:59,170
of financial. So that requires a little more training.

1249
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,500
Again, probably something we can attempt to do in the summer. When I bring it up, this is a recurring item that's been flagged by other orders. It's not nearly as important as some of the other things but- It's been recurring since I've been here. And the reason for that is because it is not in the control of the business office that's in the control of each individual school. And that- It sounds like it should be under the control of the superintendent. It can't be. She can't keep track of-

1250
01:45:29,500 --> 01:45:34,100
No, I think if you insist that the principles do this, yeah.

1251
01:45:34,980 --> 01:45:40,920
But that's just so you understand, and I'm not minimizing student activity accounts

1252
01:45:40,920 --> 01:45:43,400
because that's also where you're most at risk, to be honest.

1253
01:45:43,560 --> 01:45:47,340
It's easier to have fraud there than it is in my office.

1254
01:45:49,160 --> 01:45:55,600
But every district has usually has the same issues because, again, the people that are usually

1255
01:45:55,600 --> 01:45:59,720
usually school secretaries who are not accountants or financial people.

1256
01:46:00,540 --> 01:46:05,000
But that would, we definitely before my time is done here, we will have a student activity

1257
01:46:05,000 --> 01:46:12,160
manual that we could use to train staff and I think people want to hopefully understand

1258
01:46:12,160 --> 01:46:14,700
the importance and call us if they need help.

1259
01:46:16,300 --> 01:46:25,380
One other item of some amount of size here, the duplicate purchase order for half a million

1260
01:46:25,380 --> 01:46:30,600
approximately half a million dollars of over its statement of expenditures and liabilities.

1261
01:46:30,880 --> 01:46:37,500
Yeah, that was one of, you know, as we were trying to close the June financials with

1262
01:46:38,060 --> 01:46:43,500
kind of the craziness that was going on. And this is one of the areas where edgimet is a problem.

1263
01:46:43,840 --> 01:46:51,160
It's not very easy to look at. It's hard to explain, but when you're looking at the outstanding

1264
01:46:51,160 --> 01:46:54,220
purchase orders that rolled over from one year to the other.

1265
01:46:54,960 --> 01:47:01,600
Their reporting is very convoluted, so I believe that was one of the utilities.

1266
01:47:02,740 --> 01:47:07,380
So we didn't see that the purchase order was there, and we issued another purchase

1267
01:47:07,380 --> 01:47:12,180
order to make sure the money was encumbered in 2425, and then it actually had been already

1268
01:47:12,180 --> 01:47:12,680
put up.

1269
01:47:13,220 --> 01:47:20,140
So it didn't get paid or anything, but it was, that's actually one of the problems with

1270
01:47:20,140 --> 01:47:25,200
That's those reports are convoluted in that respect on the carryovers.

1271
01:47:26,620 --> 01:47:27,800
Any other questions?

1272
01:47:27,980 --> 01:47:30,080
I have one more if nobody else says.

1273
01:47:33,760 --> 01:47:39,520
There's a lot here in the Corrective Action Report and the Corrective Action Plan.

1274
01:47:39,960 --> 01:47:47,560
Is it appropriate for the Board to get an update on progress in meeting all the goals that

1275
01:47:47,560 --> 01:47:57,480
are laid out here in six months or something like that. What should the board do to make

1276
01:47:57,480 --> 01:48:00,300
sure that the things that we say we're going to do we do?

1277
01:48:02,650 --> 01:48:09,210
Yeah, I think that's absolutely within the boards right and authority. I think we just

1278
01:48:09,210 --> 01:48:14,250
have to develop working with you as part of finance and facility to develop a timeline

1279
01:48:14,250 --> 01:48:19,690
that is going to be meaningful in terms of, you know, the audit and what we have to do.

1280
01:48:19,790 --> 01:48:26,550
But absolutely, I think that's accountability, and we, not only do we need to,

1281
01:48:26,570 --> 01:48:29,190
we will get better with these systems and structures.

1282
01:48:29,890 --> 01:48:36,570
It's just, to Dana's point, it's really overwhelming the amount of things that need fixing and

1283
01:48:36,570 --> 01:48:36,870
immediate.

1284
01:48:37,250 --> 01:48:42,610
But absolutely, and I think that would be setting that up as you chair the committee in terms

1285
01:48:42,610 --> 01:48:50,570
of timeline, and of course with Dana's lens in it, depending on what has happened, what

1286
01:48:50,570 --> 01:48:53,230
needs to happen, we certainly can do that.

1287
01:48:53,950 --> 01:49:04,010
Okay. Anything else, anybody? No? On two facilities. I know we have two presentations

1288
01:49:04,010 --> 01:49:08,170
which I hope will be succinct to the point.

1289
01:49:09,630 --> 01:49:10,070
I

1290
01:49:13,300 --> 01:49:21,260
will or you were Connor Connor still here oh yeah there he is which one's up person so my

1291
01:49:21,260 --> 01:49:25,900
presentation is going to lead directly into Connors and it's a it's a joint presentation we will

1292
01:49:25,900 --> 01:49:31,320
be short and sweet so thank you for having us this evening it's good to see you it's nice to meet

1293
01:49:31,320 --> 01:49:37,080
a few of you as well I am Will Ross from Peret Sonner Architects your architect of record and just to

1294
01:49:37,080 --> 01:49:41,180
We give you a brief background of who we are as a firm.

1295
01:49:41,780 --> 01:49:47,480
We've have 38 years in business, 32 of those years have been serving K through 12 clients.

1296
01:49:48,100 --> 01:49:53,960
We have 108 diverse team members and 23 of those are licensed, either architects, engineers,

1297
01:49:54,740 --> 01:49:59,240
interior designers, professional planners, and building inspectors.

1298
01:50:01,160 --> 01:50:05,120
Over those 32 years, we currently represent 80 K through 12 entities.

1299
01:50:05,120 --> 01:50:10,680
We've completed over 10,000 projects and over a billion dollars in construction.

1300
01:50:12,000 --> 01:50:23,480
Jumping into the referendum, I thought it would be a good time to do a brief recap and hit on some milestones of how we got here going back to the pre referendum.

1301
01:50:24,180 --> 01:50:33,460
So if we go all the way back to 2020 in March, about six years ago, that was when COVID happened and the buildings went unoccupied.

1302
01:50:35,400 --> 01:50:41,280
A few months after that, we did a district-wide HVAC analysis in hopes of getting the buildings

1303
01:50:41,280 --> 01:50:42,980
reoccupied as quickly as possible.

1304
01:50:44,260 --> 01:50:49,620
Then we went to the Board of School estimates a few times back then and requested funding

1305
01:50:49,620 --> 01:50:53,380
to do HAC improvements to get these buildings occupied.

1306
01:50:53,660 --> 01:50:59,940
That was in August and September of 2021, and then ultimately proceeding through capital

1307
01:50:59,940 --> 01:51:05,800
funds doing an emergency HAC project outside of the board of school estimates to get 66

1308
01:51:05,800 --> 01:51:12,660
spaces occupiable quickly to get schools open. That same month the district transitioned

1309
01:51:12,660 --> 01:51:19,660
from a type 1 to a type 2 district and then we moved into the pre-referendum planning

1310
01:51:19,660 --> 01:51:29,120
itself where in February of 22 we did a district-wide due diligence capital improvement plan to determine

1311
01:51:29,120 --> 01:51:31,300
and what would be included in the referendum.

1312
01:51:31,980 --> 01:51:34,420
We're closely with the Finance and Fille Facilities Committee

1313
01:51:35,080 --> 01:51:38,720
almost weekly and narrowed down a binder

1314
01:51:38,720 --> 01:51:41,040
that was probably five inches thick

1315
01:51:41,040 --> 01:51:44,380
to the referendum that we have in motion now.

1316
01:51:46,060 --> 01:51:49,100
In April of 22 applications were submitted to the DOE

1317
01:51:49,380 --> 01:51:51,940
in November of 22, the referendum passed

1318
01:51:52,460 --> 01:51:54,800
in February of 2023.

1319
01:51:54,800 --> 01:52:00,880
three legacy construction management joined the team and has been helpful ever since.

1320
01:52:01,520 --> 01:52:06,560
In May of 23, we had our referendum kickoff and groundbreaking ceremony.

1321
01:52:07,240 --> 01:52:12,740
And since then, we have awarded 26 construction projects.

1322
01:52:13,400 --> 01:52:18,060
About 14 of those are in either closed completely or in closeout.

1323
01:52:18,060 --> 01:52:22,020
and we have 11 projects in construction currently.

1324
01:52:25,220 --> 01:52:27,600
So just to brief highlight on some of the things

1325
01:52:27,600 --> 01:52:30,440
that were done over the last four years.

1326
01:52:31,460 --> 01:52:33,900
Lentil middle school, we did the X-tier curtain wall

1327
01:52:34,460 --> 01:52:36,020
and water infiltration improvements.

1328
01:52:36,200 --> 01:52:37,220
We replaced a bunch of windows.

1329
01:52:38,240 --> 01:52:38,760
Next,

1330
01:52:40,970 --> 01:52:44,830
the baseball field was relocated

1331
01:52:44,830 --> 01:52:46,350
and converted to turf.

1332
01:52:46,350 --> 01:52:57,470
Next, the football field was replaced, the visiting grandstands were replaced and not pictured here, the home side, grandstands and press box was replaced.

1333
01:52:58,450 --> 01:52:58,630
Next,

1334
01:53:02,980 --> 01:53:11,020
hillside schools, soccer field was renovated, drainage improvements and natural side.

1335
01:53:12,060 --> 01:53:17,560
Next, we did the hillside elementary school gym renovation.

1336
01:53:17,560 --> 01:53:18,440
We

1337
01:53:21,610 --> 01:53:25,850
did a district-wide playground replacements at six facilities.

1338
01:53:26,550 --> 01:53:26,870
Next.

1339
01:53:28,550 --> 01:53:30,350
We did a series of roofs.

1340
01:53:30,550 --> 01:53:31,990
This one here is hillside.

1341
01:53:32,370 --> 01:53:33,830
Replace this roof in his entirety.

1342
01:53:35,370 --> 01:53:40,770
Next is the slate roof at the Northeast School.

1343
01:53:41,870 --> 01:53:43,030
And is there anything else on mine?

1344
01:53:43,990 --> 01:53:44,750
That'd be it.

1345
01:53:45,210 --> 01:53:47,570
And now likes to take us through everything.

1346
01:53:47,690 --> 01:53:48,970
That's kind of in motion currently.

1347
01:53:48,970 --> 01:53:50,030
Thank you.

1348
01:53:55,060 --> 01:53:58,640
We'll deal with any questions, both of you together at the end.

1349
01:54:00,540 --> 01:54:04,640
So my name is Connor Bryan with Legacy Construction Management, the project executive

1350
01:54:05,060 --> 01:54:07,660
been here since February of 2023, as we'll mention.

1351
01:54:08,380 --> 01:54:10,540
So I just have an update here.

1352
01:54:11,040 --> 01:54:15,660
A lot of this stuff information, I'm going to breeze through as far as the slides, refers

1353
01:54:15,660 --> 01:54:20,360
to the website, the slides are the presentations there, and you can refer to a lot of the information

1354
01:54:20,360 --> 01:54:20,600
there.

1355
01:54:20,600 --> 01:54:24,740
So, a lot of the stuff is the boilerplate stuff I keep in there at all times.

1356
01:54:25,340 --> 01:54:28,780
This is the descriptions of the consultants involved, you can go to the next slide.

1357
01:54:31,450 --> 01:54:37,510
This is, again, the schedule I keep on a 12-month relative basis of where we're at and where

1358
01:54:37,510 --> 01:54:41,710
we're going to be in about 12 months, so you can go through the next couple of slides.

1359
01:54:41,910 --> 01:54:44,270
Again, please refer to the presentation that's posted,

1360
01:54:46,300 --> 01:54:47,060
keep going.

1361
01:54:54,680 --> 01:54:59,220
Project status overview, as we'll mention, we have several projects that have been completed

1362
01:54:59,220 --> 01:55:11,020
So there's a whole list of the projects enclosed out that again that means that the project has beneficial use for the school and we're just working through the closeout paperwork warranties and final payments.

1363
01:55:11,360 --> 01:55:27,060
So we do have several that are this month that have been closed out and we'll get that over to the district with the final paperwork under construction high school HVC, auditoriums at hillside as well as the high school district wide boiler replacements, buzz boiler replacement.

1364
01:55:27,060 --> 01:55:30,960
in district wide auditorium upgrades right here.

1365
01:55:31,160 --> 01:55:33,600
Finally, into this space with the curtain wall

1366
01:55:33,600 --> 01:55:34,760
and the glazing here.

1367
01:55:35,780 --> 01:55:37,120
Actually, I think it's an improvement

1368
01:55:37,120 --> 01:55:38,240
from what we usually see,

1369
01:55:38,480 --> 01:55:42,560
but we'll hopefully next time have actually completed glass

1370
01:55:42,560 --> 01:55:43,720
so you can see through it.

1371
01:55:44,800 --> 01:55:46,740
Pre-K and the admin roof.

1372
01:55:47,360 --> 01:55:48,900
So there's just some of the projects

1373
01:55:48,900 --> 01:55:50,180
that again we have under construction.

1374
01:55:50,480 --> 01:55:51,480
There's another slide with some

1375
01:55:51,480 --> 01:55:52,820
that we just started as well.

1376
01:55:53,000 --> 01:55:54,040
So you can go to the next one.

1377
01:55:56,190 --> 01:56:01,910
Hillside Auditorium. We're working through with the floors. Check the slides here.

1378
01:56:02,230 --> 01:56:05,530
Throughout the bottom here, I have the links for all the newsletter updates.

1379
01:56:05,710 --> 01:56:09,730
They'll have some pictures for everyone to see a little bit more. We have clouds installed.

1380
01:56:10,030 --> 01:56:15,510
Painting been completed. They're prepping for the new floor and then the seats will follow shortly.

1381
01:56:16,410 --> 01:56:24,110
Next slide. District-wide Auditorium upgrades. That's for some lighting and some rigging.

1382
01:56:24,110 --> 01:56:27,830
Those are through several schools throughout the district.

1383
01:56:28,430 --> 01:56:30,190
We're working through that with the time.

1384
01:56:30,550 --> 01:56:34,230
A lot of the schools use that space whether it's during the day or after school programs.

1385
01:56:34,470 --> 01:56:37,110
So we coordinate with the principals and the staff, and

1386
01:56:37,110 --> 01:56:40,110
we're working second shift with the contractors.

1387
01:56:40,470 --> 01:56:42,210
So next slide.

1388
01:56:43,550 --> 01:56:45,110
Pre-K, Roof Replacement.

1389
01:56:45,590 --> 01:56:49,010
Previously for the board members that were here, we talked about during the summer.

1390
01:56:49,070 --> 01:56:51,290
We came across an abatement that needed to be done.

1391
01:56:51,290 --> 01:56:54,470
that push the summer completion into the school year.

1392
01:56:54,990 --> 01:56:57,130
It's a pre-K as well as the admin building.

1393
01:56:57,370 --> 01:57:00,790
So we've been working one weekend with weather allows.

1394
01:57:01,090 --> 01:57:02,450
We had obviously a rough winter.

1395
01:57:02,690 --> 01:57:03,910
So with the improvement of weather,

1396
01:57:03,910 --> 01:57:05,550
we're going to finish over the next couple weekends.

1397
01:57:06,850 --> 01:57:07,510
Next slide.

1398
01:57:08,470 --> 01:57:09,610
Buzz Boiler replacement.

1399
01:57:10,250 --> 01:57:13,990
That started in just about as winter was starting.

1400
01:57:14,750 --> 01:57:16,610
We had an issue with some of the boilers.

1401
01:57:16,670 --> 01:57:18,290
So we had to bring in temporary boilers.

1402
01:57:18,410 --> 01:57:18,930
They've been there.

1403
01:57:19,110 --> 01:57:20,130
They will continue to be there.

1404
01:57:20,130 --> 01:57:23,230
and so we can efficiently change over to the new boilers.

1405
01:57:23,990 --> 01:57:26,770
So if you're a went by, you'll see a trailer in the parking lot.

1406
01:57:26,890 --> 01:57:27,830
That's a temporary boiler.

1407
01:57:29,710 --> 01:57:32,870
Next line, disrequired boiler replacement,

1408
01:57:32,870 --> 01:57:33,790
different contractor.

1409
01:57:34,370 --> 01:57:36,690
These projects have gone a lot smoother.

1410
01:57:37,730 --> 01:57:39,230
And we're near completion with those

1411
01:57:39,230 --> 01:57:41,390
or socially wrapping up in the next couple of weeks.

1412
01:57:42,010 --> 01:57:44,850
So you'll have brand new boilers at six different schools

1413
01:57:47,990 --> 01:57:54,530
next slide. The Georgianist's current wall and stored front replacement, this is this

1414
01:57:54,530 --> 01:57:59,570
project here and we did store placements over at the high school and that is high school

1415
01:57:59,570 --> 01:58:04,210
portion is complete. So hopefully in a couple weeks, this will be completed and we'll be out of the

1416
01:58:04,210 --> 01:58:11,950
way here. Next slide. High school HVAC upgrade. This is a very long project. We will not be finished

1417
01:58:11,950 --> 01:58:17,230
this until the summer of 2027. We are about to start the phasing into the classrooms.

1418
01:58:17,890 --> 01:58:22,910
We have coordinated with principal Freeman and his staff. Next week or two, we'll actually start

1419
01:58:22,910 --> 01:58:28,030
the full classroom. Couple classrooms will take over in the spaces. So hopefully, the next

1420
01:58:28,030 --> 01:58:32,850
update will have some exciting updates regarding that in this rain. Next slide.

1421
01:58:36,340 --> 01:58:40,780
Initiating interior renovations. Similar to the renovations that we're doing at the high schools,

1422
01:58:40,780 --> 01:58:41,920
Those are some of smaller scale.

1423
01:58:42,620 --> 01:58:47,340
We have been progressing through the classrooms in some of the phasing that will be completed

1424
01:58:47,340 --> 01:58:48,800
this upcoming summer.

1425
01:58:49,520 --> 01:58:54,120
We had a large amount of environmental work to be done there last summer.

1426
01:58:55,140 --> 01:58:59,260
And we continue to monitor that as well as coordinate that accordingly to have no issues

1427
01:58:59,260 --> 01:59:02,440
with the teachings in learning every day.

1428
01:59:03,220 --> 01:59:03,980
Next slide.

1429
01:59:06,580 --> 01:59:07,920
You can go to the next slide.

1430
01:59:07,920 --> 01:59:13,480
So, as I mentioned, the couple projects that we have actively going on right now, we have

1431
01:59:13,480 --> 01:59:14,020
the newsletters.

1432
01:59:14,020 --> 01:59:19,420
Please refer to those that give you general updates and try to keep some pictures there

1433
01:59:19,420 --> 01:59:20,620
so a little bit more user-friendly.

1434
01:59:21,240 --> 01:59:22,980
As I mentioned, we awarded some projects.

1435
01:59:22,980 --> 01:59:28,220
We have BuzzHVAC that was awarded with the kickoff meeting and we have had several job meetings.

1436
01:59:28,520 --> 01:59:34,420
So we're procuring the material and everything now to have this summer, the HVAC equipment

1437
01:59:34,420 --> 01:59:39,420
and changed over, as I mentioned before, we have the boilers that were being the process,

1438
01:59:39,540 --> 01:59:45,040
we have a temp boiler. A lot of those units are well beyond their life, so we do not want

1439
01:59:45,040 --> 01:59:48,400
to go through another winter, so we're pushing for this summer to have the units replaced

1440
01:59:48,400 --> 01:59:57,640
in the classrooms. We also awarded the Glenfield HVC interior innovations that also is, we did

1441
01:59:57,640 --> 01:59:59,960
pick off actually today. That's a third.

1442
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:29,820
33-month project. So it's very long. There's a lot of coordination into the use of the space in an active school. We'll have updates, but it's going to be a long process. And then we also awarded Bradford Elementary Schools interior renovations in HVAC as well. That kickoff meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, and then we'll start that process. But that is mostly a summer project over the next two summers, just for the swing space that we have there, and it's not a very involved project.

1443
02:00:31,000 --> 02:00:31,600
Next line,

1444
02:00:34,090 --> 02:00:37,250
and this is just an update on the financials so far for the project.

1445
02:00:37,770 --> 02:00:40,370
This is, again, the awarded contract budget.

1446
02:00:40,470 --> 02:00:45,310
That's what was budgeted for the other projects and what the actual contract amount came

1447
02:00:45,310 --> 02:00:45,550
to.

1448
02:00:45,770 --> 02:00:49,370
So, as you can see, right now, we are under budget.

1449
02:00:49,570 --> 02:00:50,650
We still have a long way to go.

1450
02:00:51,130 --> 02:00:52,450
We still have a lot of open projects.

1451
02:00:52,770 --> 02:00:57,570
So, as I mentioned previously, this number will fluctuate even with the current projects

1452
02:00:57,570 --> 02:00:58,990
as they are as we close them out.

1453
02:00:58,990 --> 02:01:08,870
We could actually get credits back and as we finish, hopefully we keep it within the budget and we don't go over the budget amount so I'll update this accordingly when I do presentations.

1454
02:01:09,810 --> 02:01:11,770
So that's the end of the presentation.

1455
02:01:12,530 --> 02:01:12,770
Questions?

1456
02:01:15,530 --> 02:01:17,010
Really random question.

1457
02:01:17,690 --> 02:01:22,210
What is the Montclair High School industrial and practical arts renovations?

1458
02:01:26,350 --> 02:01:32,590
That was the title given to a series of interior year classroom renovations.

1459
02:01:32,590 --> 02:01:39,290
It includes the culinary arts program, the wood shop program, the auto body, and a STEM lab.

1460
02:01:39,770 --> 02:01:41,850
So it's a that type of curriculum.

1461
02:01:42,610 --> 02:01:42,870
You're welcome.

1462
02:01:46,680 --> 02:01:47,500
Anybody else?

1463
02:01:48,400 --> 02:01:58,700
I notice, Connor, that the, it seems like the completion deadline for the high school auditorium has slowly extended.

1464
02:01:58,700 --> 02:02:03,340
that, and now, if I look at the chart correctly,

1465
02:02:03,560 --> 02:02:06,160
it's mostly to be finished construction at June.

1466
02:02:07,820 --> 02:02:11,340
Is it, can it be finished?

1467
02:02:11,560 --> 02:02:15,240
If in case we need it for high school graduation this year?

1468
02:02:16,820 --> 02:02:20,400
And it looks like there's two months after that,

1469
02:02:21,660 --> 02:02:23,300
that there's closeout.

1470
02:02:23,620 --> 02:02:27,760
So, will it, could it be usable if we need, hopefully we won't?

1471
02:02:27,760 --> 02:02:29,780
But if we do, we'll let big.

1472
02:02:30,320 --> 02:02:31,940
So those are ongoing conversations.

1473
02:02:32,420 --> 02:02:34,200
I am actively having with Principal Freeman.

1474
02:02:34,460 --> 02:02:36,440
I just met with him again this past Friday.

1475
02:02:36,980 --> 02:02:38,000
Not only is there graduation,

1476
02:02:38,420 --> 02:02:40,460
but there's also a non-national honors society

1477
02:02:40,460 --> 02:02:41,840
that he needs to do.

1478
02:02:42,360 --> 02:02:44,160
So I'm actively communicating with him

1479
02:02:44,160 --> 02:02:46,880
to try to accommodate his best I can

1480
02:02:46,880 --> 02:02:50,060
with what the conditions we are coming across in that space.

1481
02:02:51,380 --> 02:02:53,880
So graduation is definitely a priority

1482
02:02:53,880 --> 02:02:56,100
as well as national honors society.

1483
02:02:56,100 --> 02:03:04,160
So he's been very accommodating for moving some stuff around that typically gets done in that space based on the original timeline so

1484
02:03:05,020 --> 02:03:10,700
Communicate with him every week. So we're for questioning for it the space as of right now

1485
02:03:10,700 --> 02:03:17,020
I keep them not close enough to say that we will 100% be able to use it for that national our side of your graduation

1486
02:03:17,020 --> 02:03:21,460
Because I don't have lights finished and we don't have the seats being installed

1487
02:03:22,300 --> 02:03:22,780
so

1488
02:03:22,780 --> 02:03:29,140
So, that's the plan is to be able to get it to the point where we can put people into

1489
02:03:29,140 --> 02:03:32,280
the seats and have lights so we can safely use the space.

1490
02:03:32,600 --> 02:03:37,240
We'll be able to be used for productions by the graduation that we're still working

1491
02:03:37,240 --> 02:03:37,440
out.

1492
02:03:39,020 --> 02:03:41,600
Could you share a little bit what caused the delay?

1493
02:03:42,520 --> 02:03:44,960
There is a culmination of items that caused it.

1494
02:03:45,420 --> 02:03:46,820
Obviously, these are old spaces.

1495
02:03:47,140 --> 02:03:50,760
I'm sure people have seen the pictures of the original auditorium before we took it over.

1496
02:03:50,760 --> 02:04:03,360
So we come across unforeseen, there are, you know, unfortunately, contractor self-driven delays that they, you know, inflict, and then there's also been some design changes that we have to work through.

1497
02:04:04,840 --> 02:04:10,020
So when you combine all that, it creates a tough situation that we have to deal with.

1498
02:04:10,020 --> 02:04:13,420
We are pushing the contractor to recover.

1499
02:04:13,600 --> 02:04:22,480
They have a different opinion about the responsibilities of that, but that's part of the unfortunate public sector of construction in New Jersey.

1500
02:04:26,640 --> 02:04:29,720
So we see that you're under budget 11.6.

1501
02:04:29,820 --> 02:04:32,640
We don't often get to say that 11.6 million dollars under budget.

1502
02:04:32,780 --> 02:04:33,040
That's great.

1503
02:04:33,160 --> 02:04:33,220
Woo.

1504
02:04:35,260 --> 02:04:38,100
It's not, but presently we'll take it, right?

1505
02:04:38,100 --> 02:04:43,900
come on celebrate the winds when we can, but just curious about the timeline has the

1506
02:04:43,900 --> 02:04:49,360
end date moved out of the overall project or are you staying true to the originally planned

1507
02:04:49,900 --> 02:04:55,340
end date? We're holding true I think my last October update at the town hall I believe I said

1508
02:04:55,340 --> 02:05:00,520
was September 29 if I can recall my memory all the back to October I believe that's what I had said.

1509
02:05:01,760 --> 02:05:07,160
We have a 33-month project that I glenfield before we even opened up a wall or started so

1510
02:05:07,160 --> 02:05:10,660
So, you know, it's a very tough schedule to maintain.

1511
02:05:11,000 --> 02:05:13,140
We're confident that we can maintain it.

1512
02:05:13,920 --> 02:05:16,700
I don't get, we do not get to pick who gets the job.

1513
02:05:16,900 --> 02:05:20,400
We don't get to pick some conditions that are out of our control.

1514
02:05:21,220 --> 02:05:23,760
All we can do is manage them and push through them as best as we can.

1515
02:05:24,560 --> 02:05:30,400
When we have budgets that are beneficial to us, it also allows us to have other tools that

1516
02:05:30,400 --> 02:05:34,080
are, you know, to be able to use and make sure we push through those projects.

1517
02:05:34,080 --> 02:05:37,960
So it's beneficial also to see that number well below the budget.

1518
02:05:46,270 --> 02:05:56,070
Hunter, is there any ongoing hope that we can resolve the issues at the netting of the high school baseball field as baseball season starts?

1519
02:05:56,870 --> 02:05:58,090
We can't discuss that.

1520
02:05:58,650 --> 02:05:58,950
No.

1521
02:06:03,860 --> 02:06:04,720
No other questions?

1522
02:06:06,380 --> 02:06:07,060
Okay.

1523
02:06:07,500 --> 02:06:07,960
Thank you.

1524
02:06:08,100 --> 02:06:08,420
Have a good night.

1525
02:06:08,420 --> 02:06:09,260
everybody. Good night.

1526
02:06:23,900 --> 02:06:30,700
Okay, we have new business next. I'm going to, first of all, I do want to thank Mr. Long,

1527
02:06:31,440 --> 02:06:38,860
Mr. McMahon and Ms. Shaw for all the work that they have done along with the full board on

1528
02:06:38,860 --> 02:06:47,740
edits and comments in regards to the letter that we are writing that has been written to the state.

1529
02:06:47,740 --> 02:06:56,780
and we will vote on that tonight, Ms. Shaw, I'm going to turn it over to you to just give us a little bit more background on that for the public. Thank you.

1530
02:06:58,080 --> 02:06:59,760
Thank you, Ms. Book Knight.

1531
02:07:00,840 --> 02:07:11,240
I just want to give a huge shout out to Sean and Carrie here who worked extra hours, unpaid hours on this.

1532
02:07:11,240 --> 02:07:17,340
But, you know, as a board, we essentially realize that there's a structural deficit here

1533
02:07:17,340 --> 02:07:28,380
in New Jersey, and although we can't magically change it, we want to stand as a board and ask

1534
02:07:28,380 --> 02:07:37,340
for changes with our governor and legislators to, you know, affect to change on that.

1535
02:07:37,340 --> 02:07:44,180
And if we can move that needle with other districts, it's definitely desire, you know, for

1536
02:07:44,180 --> 02:07:44,840
us as board.

1537
02:07:45,680 --> 02:07:54,380
But essentially, we took, we kind of talked to everybody about what really we see as the

1538
02:07:54,380 --> 02:08:00,460
problem of school funding, the school funding formula, which, you know, kind of is a myriad

1539
02:08:00,460 --> 02:08:07,100
of things and deficits and rising costs and tax levies.

1540
02:08:07,860 --> 02:08:12,620
And we put together a letter that we have the board to approve.

1541
02:08:13,820 --> 02:08:16,300
I think we edited a million times.

1542
02:08:17,820 --> 02:08:21,540
But, you know, we're really happy with the letter and just the request.

1543
02:08:22,440 --> 02:08:26,140
And, you know, I hope it's just a step as a board, we really do care.

1544
02:08:26,140 --> 02:08:30,680
and we're trying to help here in the district.

1545
02:08:31,040 --> 02:08:33,380
So any little steps that we can do,

1546
02:08:33,840 --> 02:08:35,380
did you have anything to add?

1547
02:08:35,640 --> 02:08:37,040
Just like the rest of the house.

1548
02:08:37,420 --> 02:08:40,920
Oh, yes, and we put together a resolution as well,

1549
02:08:41,020 --> 02:08:42,000
which I believe is in here.

1550
02:08:43,720 --> 02:08:44,200
Yeah.

1551
02:08:45,840 --> 02:08:47,220
Do you have anything to add, Sean?

1552
02:08:51,050 --> 02:08:54,390
Are there any comments or questions for them

1553
02:08:54,390 --> 02:08:55,070
who we vote?

1554
02:08:56,210 --> 02:08:59,830
is there a word missing on point three?

1555
02:09:01,940 --> 02:09:05,520
Reduce success of year-over-year volatility in local

1556
02:09:05,520 --> 02:09:13,620
fair share calculations when districts are raising who the statutory levy cap, is there

1557
02:09:14,110 --> 02:09:19,780
a word missing there or not? Raising taxes, raising...

1558
02:09:26,420 --> 02:09:33,350
It's so now there for now it's under the now therefore be a result. Maybe it's maybe it's not I'm not sure

1559
02:09:36,930 --> 02:09:38,760
I'm sorry in the resolution

1560
02:09:39,920 --> 02:09:41,320
It reads

1561
02:09:42,420 --> 02:09:50,820
Reduce excessive year over year volunteer voluntary in local bear share calculation

1562
02:09:51,890 --> 02:09:53,740
When districts are raising

1563
02:09:54,900 --> 02:10:01,860
to the, yeah, to the stature, they're, when, this just are raising to the stature Tory levy cap.

1564
02:10:04,760 --> 02:10:05,980
They're tax levy.

1565
02:10:06,300 --> 02:10:10,680
Yeah, I probably would need a comment.

1566
02:10:11,600 --> 02:10:15,920
It's not a big deal.

1567
02:10:16,280 --> 02:10:22,120
We can let it pass, but I don't know why are you thinking?

1568
02:10:24,180 --> 02:10:24,780
I don't know.

1569
02:10:26,630 --> 02:10:27,970
Are raising the budget?

1570
02:10:27,970 --> 02:10:29,830
No, it's not the budget.

1571
02:10:30,190 --> 02:10:30,990
It's a tax levy.

1572
02:10:31,310 --> 02:10:35,230
It's just that it didn't put the tax word in there, but I think everybody understood it.

1573
02:10:36,070 --> 02:10:37,770
It kind of gives a lot of the design.

1574
02:10:38,490 --> 02:10:38,770
Okay.

1575
02:10:38,930 --> 02:10:41,370
I will say, Carrie, this is like her wheelhouse.

1576
02:10:41,610 --> 02:10:42,850
I have to give her so many props.

1577
02:10:43,470 --> 02:10:47,430
But really, we tried to use stay true to the wording.

1578
02:10:48,030 --> 02:10:52,050
A, that other districts use and that New Jersey uses in statutes and whatever.

1579
02:10:52,390 --> 02:10:57,730
So we did go back through and kind of streamline, you know, certain words.

1580
02:10:58,310 --> 02:11:00,190
that we wouldn't have normally used.

1581
02:11:00,950 --> 02:11:02,250
It was a team effort, come on.

1582
02:11:06,370 --> 02:11:07,630
Do we have a motion to approve?

1583
02:11:08,610 --> 02:11:09,330
So moved.

1584
02:11:09,730 --> 02:11:09,990
Second.

1585
02:11:14,680 --> 02:11:15,240
Ready for vote.

1586
02:11:16,560 --> 02:11:17,600
Major Dunn.

1587
02:11:17,600 --> 02:11:17,860
Yes.

1588
02:11:18,300 --> 02:11:18,840
Eric Scherzer.

1589
02:11:19,100 --> 02:11:19,280
Yes.

1590
02:11:19,740 --> 02:11:20,620
Alison Silverstein.

1591
02:11:20,800 --> 02:11:20,940
Yes.

1592
02:11:21,160 --> 02:11:21,720
Carrie McMahon.

1593
02:11:22,120 --> 02:11:22,240
Yes.

1594
02:11:22,640 --> 02:11:23,220
Data Ramon.

1595
02:11:23,420 --> 02:11:23,600
Yes.

1596
02:11:23,880 --> 02:11:24,560
Melanie Dyser.

1597
02:11:24,780 --> 02:11:25,060
Yes.

1598
02:11:25,340 --> 02:11:25,720
Sean Long.

1599
02:11:25,980 --> 02:11:26,160
Yes.

1600
02:11:26,560 --> 02:11:27,040
Holly Shaw.

1601
02:11:27,360 --> 02:11:27,540
Yes.

1602
02:11:27,780 --> 02:11:28,400
Yvonne Boothnite.

1603
02:11:28,760 --> 02:11:29,200
Yes.

1604
02:11:31,160 --> 02:11:33,000
We will move to public comment.

1605
02:11:33,340 --> 02:11:35,060
And before we begin, I would just

1606
02:11:35,060 --> 02:11:40,880
like to read the norms for board meeting.

1607
02:11:42,380 --> 02:11:47,400
Before you speak, you have written your name, address, and all of you have done that.

1608
02:11:48,920 --> 02:11:53,280
On the sign-in sheet, before it's collected to speak, the sign-in sheet is collected

1609
02:11:53,800 --> 02:11:56,040
as it is indicated on the agenda.

1610
02:11:56,720 --> 02:12:02,180
When you speak, each speaker must state their name for the record before speaking.

1611
02:12:02,920 --> 02:12:06,140
Each speaker is limited to a maximum of three minutes.

1612
02:12:06,860 --> 02:12:11,240
The time for each speaker will begin immediately as the speaker steps to the podium.

1613
02:12:12,360 --> 02:12:16,580
Speakers will be called in advance and are asked to make their way to the front chairs,

1614
02:12:17,520 --> 02:12:20,740
reserved for on-deck speakers and groups of threes.

1615
02:12:21,660 --> 02:12:30,020
All comments must be respectful and civil, no threats, profanity, or personal attacks will

1616
02:12:30,020 --> 02:12:39,020
be allowed. When you speak, please address issues and concerns, not individual people by name.

1617
02:12:40,080 --> 02:12:44,640
Please follow the direction of the Board, President or the presiding officer at all times.

1618
02:12:45,440 --> 02:12:51,720
Comments should be directed to the Board as a whole, not to an individual member or staff person.

1619
02:12:52,960 --> 02:12:58,360
The Board will not engage in back-and-forth dialogue during public comment but reserves the

1620
02:12:58,360 --> 02:13:03,820
right to comment at the end of the meeting or at a following meeting if appropriate.

1621
02:13:04,400 --> 02:13:09,960
Personal student or staff information should not be shared during public comment.

1622
02:13:10,460 --> 02:13:15,500
The board reserves the right to end a speaker's time if norms are not allowed.

1623
02:13:16,300 --> 02:13:23,560
Can I have Danny McKetta, Anthony Debal, and Jasmine?

1624
02:13:24,760 --> 02:13:25,420
I'm sorry.

1625
02:13:25,420 --> 02:13:29,500
However, and before you speak, I'm going to ask why it forced you to come forward.

1626
02:13:30,220 --> 02:13:37,420
And please, as an audience, no shouting, no interruption, why it forced her, please

1627
02:13:37,420 --> 02:13:38,000
come forward.

1628
02:13:38,620 --> 02:13:45,440
No shouting, interruptions or disruptive behavior, bullying, applause, and audible disruptive

1629
02:13:45,440 --> 02:13:47,260
behavior will not be permitted.

1630
02:13:47,900 --> 02:13:54,860
And while our student representative is coming forward, Mrs. Turner and the full board

1631
02:13:54,860 --> 02:13:58,240
and all of our staff members are just so proud of this young man.

1632
02:13:58,820 --> 02:14:04,920
He received a 1,600 perfect score on the essay.

1633
02:14:11,400 --> 02:14:15,680
And I just want to say that in my haste to get here on time,

1634
02:14:16,220 --> 02:14:19,020
I forgot we have a little card and a gift for you,

1635
02:14:19,120 --> 02:14:22,620
but we will next Wednesday, or maybe I'll stop by the high school, get it to you.

1636
02:14:26,840 --> 02:14:31,660
All right. Good evening, Superintendent Turner, Miss Sullivan, members of the board and the Montclar

1637
02:14:31,660 --> 02:14:37,700
Public Schools community. I know this is not exactly where we were hoping to find ourselves on March 11.

1638
02:14:38,860 --> 02:14:43,080
But, you know, Montclar is strong. Our schools are strong and regardless of how things shake out over

1639
02:14:43,080 --> 02:14:48,880
the next few days, we will weather the storm together. But I do want to recognize and thank all of the

1640
02:14:48,880 --> 02:14:53,360
student volunteers who canvass tabled and woke up at five in the morning to get to the train station

1641
02:14:53,360 --> 02:14:59,460
to stand up for their district and I want to extend pretty confidently on behalf of a healthy

1642
02:14:59,460 --> 02:14:59,900
per portion.

1643
02:15:04,920 --> 02:15:29,200
As well as the people representing other perspectives who dedicated their time, money and energy to fight for our education, as well as the administrators, educators and support staff for working so hard to keep our schools together right now. Even if we're looking at the potential failure of one or both of the questions, it is my hope that this election and the broader community-wide struggle will leave some lasting positive impact on our township.

1644
02:15:29,200 --> 02:15:33,140
But Montclair has needed a cultural shift towards civic engagement.

1645
02:15:33,620 --> 02:15:37,700
At times, it is tempting to get angry and show up when controversy strikes without having

1646
02:15:37,700 --> 02:15:38,620
the full picture first.

1647
02:15:39,080 --> 02:15:40,900
That's something that I've certainly been guilty of too.

1648
02:15:41,440 --> 02:15:46,180
During the 2023 budget mayhem, I, like much of our districts, didn't educate myself properly,

1649
02:15:46,420 --> 02:15:50,480
joining the walkout that in part helped pressure the very financial decisions that have caused

1650
02:15:50,480 --> 02:15:51,200
our present debt.

1651
02:15:52,140 --> 02:15:56,740
But if getting angry is easy, it is even easier to fade away when the heat subsides.

1652
02:15:56,740 --> 02:16:00,480
During peacetime, these meetings get empty sometimes.

1653
02:16:01,420 --> 02:16:05,340
The next step is consistent accountability, interaction, and awareness from the broader

1654
02:16:05,340 --> 02:16:05,740
public.

1655
02:16:06,280 --> 02:16:10,080
And seeing the uptick and interest around board politics, since the dawn of the election

1656
02:16:10,080 --> 02:16:14,260
and watching groups like impact grow, strengthens my faith that we can keep some of this passionate

1657
02:16:14,260 --> 02:16:14,640
life.

1658
02:16:15,460 --> 02:16:22,080
On a more somber note, this week has been challenging on many separate levels, Tuesday being particularly

1659
02:16:22,080 --> 02:16:28,980
really troubling in light of Monday when schools were locked down, and culminating with this Wednesday as we process a challenging loss.

1660
02:16:29,140 --> 02:16:30,860
We're really thinking of the Renaissance community.

1661
02:16:31,080 --> 02:16:32,580
I can't imagine what that has to be like.

1662
02:16:33,580 --> 02:16:38,180
Monkler students continue to look to all of you as our leaders right now, so please keep that at the heart of what you do.

1663
02:16:38,460 --> 02:16:38,880
Thank you for your time.

1664
02:16:41,320 --> 02:16:45,700
Mr. Marqueda, file a vote and miss the dabble and her therein.

1665
02:16:51,800 --> 02:16:52,320
Good evening.

1666
02:16:53,760 --> 02:16:57,380
Yesterday, the residents of Monkler sent a message in the special election.

1667
02:16:57,380 --> 02:17:02,140
While the results have not yet been officially certified, the outcome already tells us something

1668
02:17:02,140 --> 02:17:04,740
important about how this community is feeling.

1669
02:17:05,180 --> 02:17:07,700
Let's be clear about what this vote was not.

1670
02:17:08,000 --> 02:17:09,660
It was not a rejection of our schools.

1671
02:17:09,900 --> 02:17:11,540
It was not a rejection of our educators.

1672
02:17:12,120 --> 02:17:16,460
And it was certainly not a rejection of the students who rely on this district every single

1673
02:17:16,460 --> 02:17:16,680
day.

1674
02:17:17,500 --> 02:17:22,740
What the community rejected was the leadership that brought this district into a catastrophic

1675
02:17:22,740 --> 02:17:23,480
crisis.

1676
02:17:23,480 --> 02:17:26,260
For years, the warning signs were there.

1677
02:17:27,180 --> 02:17:31,820
For more than two years, the Monkler Education Association raised concerns publicly and privately.

1678
02:17:32,260 --> 02:17:37,200
We asked questions, we requested transparency, we pointed to financial red flags that demanded

1679
02:17:37,200 --> 02:17:37,760
attention.

1680
02:17:38,240 --> 02:17:39,500
Those warnings were ignored.

1681
02:17:40,380 --> 02:17:44,620
Last October, I stood at this podium and warned that this district was heading towards a financial

1682
02:17:44,620 --> 02:17:47,420
crisis created by a failure of financial oversight.

1683
02:17:48,100 --> 02:17:50,080
Unfortunately, that warning proved correct.

1684
02:17:50,080 --> 02:17:53,140
And now the consequences are unfolding.

1685
02:17:53,960 --> 02:17:58,100
The easiest thing for an institution to do in a crisis is exactly what we are seeing now.

1686
02:17:58,600 --> 02:18:03,360
Cut programs, eliminates staff, disrupt schools, reduce opportunities for students.

1687
02:18:05,380 --> 02:18:11,100
In other words, shift the burden of failure onto the very people the district is supposed to support.

1688
02:18:11,800 --> 02:18:14,700
Educators hold students accountable every day in their classrooms.

1689
02:18:15,020 --> 02:18:17,640
Administrators hold teachers accountable for the work they do.

1690
02:18:17,640 --> 02:18:26,040
But the question the community is now asking is a simple one who was holding the long standing board members of this board accountable for the decisions that led us here.

1691
02:18:26,520 --> 02:18:29,960
Because right now the people paying the price are not the decision makers.

1692
02:18:30,480 --> 02:18:37,120
It is the students, it is the families, and it is the educators and staff who dedicated their careers to this district.

1693
02:18:38,180 --> 02:18:46,080
15 years ago, the Renaissance middle school community was forced to relocate student staff and families rebuilt that school from the ground up.

1694
02:18:46,080 --> 02:18:50,680
They created something unique and meaningful for the young people who chose that program.

1695
02:18:51,320 --> 02:18:55,880
Now that community may disappear entirely, students will be scattered, staff will be displaced.

1696
02:18:56,240 --> 02:19:01,020
A school community that families deliberately chose may simply be absorbed into the buildings.

1697
02:19:02,240 --> 02:19:05,640
For the people who built Renaissance, this is not just a logistical decision.

1698
02:19:06,020 --> 02:19:12,860
It is a dismantling of a school community and a painful truth that the educators and staff of this district did not create this crisis.

1699
02:19:15,520 --> 02:19:20,360
But once again, day, along with the students and families of Montclair are the ones being

1700
02:19:20,360 --> 02:19:22,420
forced to live with the consequences.

1701
02:19:22,780 --> 02:19:25,160
This community has now delivered a clear warning.

1702
02:19:25,580 --> 02:19:30,560
Trust has been broken, and until accountability exists at every level, the damage to this

1703
02:19:30,560 --> 02:19:31,840
district will continue to grow.

1704
02:19:32,340 --> 02:19:32,820
Thank you.

1705
02:19:35,070 --> 02:19:38,010
Mr. Dalbo, and Noah, would you get ready as well?

1706
02:19:43,570 --> 02:19:44,110
Good evening.

1707
02:19:44,670 --> 02:19:46,950
My name is Anthony Dalbo, and I'm a teacher at the High School.

1708
02:19:46,950 --> 02:19:56,010
I'd like to first thank our security personnel, our staff, our administration, and of course our police department and other law enforcement agencies for their collective response to Monday's threat.

1709
02:19:56,710 --> 02:19:58,890
We responded efficiently and trusted our training.

1710
02:19:59,650 --> 02:20:02,050
Security patrolled the halls and announcements were made calmly.

1711
02:20:02,810 --> 02:20:10,210
While we are relieved the threat was unfounded, it's important to remember that our security personnel, staff and administration are the front lines.

1712
02:20:10,930 --> 02:20:15,830
Our collective training and preparation that was on display Monday gives me comfort in knowing we are ready to respond

1713
02:20:15,830 --> 02:20:19,170
when needed to protect our students and everyone within our halls.

1714
02:20:20,070 --> 02:20:25,110
Regarding the election, Mrs. Turner, your effort in engagement with the community at large is commendable.

1715
02:20:25,830 --> 02:20:30,210
Your position is not a sensible one yet you decided early to confront this head on and I respect that.

1716
02:20:30,850 --> 02:20:35,410
The result of the election is not one many of us involved in the schools had hoped for but it is not your fault.

1717
02:20:36,170 --> 02:20:38,490
The results last night did make one thing clear.

1718
02:20:39,070 --> 02:20:44,810
The community was willing to bail out the board's past budgetary decisions but does not trust the board to handle a more robust budget.

1719
02:20:44,810 --> 02:20:49,410
When community members ask how we got here, please take a look at the February board meeting.

1720
02:20:50,190 --> 02:20:54,870
After a 90 minute detailed presentation focused primarily on the budget and our fiscal

1721
02:20:54,870 --> 02:20:59,450
responses to different vote outcomes, there were 32 minutes of board question and discussion.

1722
02:21:00,170 --> 02:21:05,710
The first 25 minutes of that dialogue was about the school calendar, while only 7 minutes was spent

1723
02:21:05,710 --> 02:21:12,350
on the budget cuts. I mean, where are our priorities? Where is the awareness? I still cannot

1724
02:21:12,350 --> 02:21:15,810
not fathom how not one board member who held a seat during the previous administration

1725
02:21:15,810 --> 02:21:17,910
could simply utter the words, I'm sorry.

1726
02:21:18,630 --> 02:21:21,150
I'm sorry for not listening to the concerns of the MEA.

1727
02:21:21,290 --> 02:21:24,970
I'm sorry for not questioning our business administrators' resistance to transparency.

1728
02:21:25,690 --> 02:21:27,990
I'm sorry for not demanding a more detailed budget report.

1729
02:21:28,450 --> 02:21:30,470
I'm sorry for not having the ability to say no.

1730
02:21:31,130 --> 02:21:35,390
The community is demanding accountability, and they were only provided with excuses.

1731
02:21:36,350 --> 02:21:39,190
Even still you are voting tonight to blame the state funding formula.

1732
02:21:39,830 --> 02:21:41,850
Yes, the state formula needs to be addressed.

1733
02:21:42,550 --> 02:21:45,090
Yes, it is causing many school districts to be in deficit,

1734
02:21:45,230 --> 02:21:47,730
but $20 million is not a result of the state formula.

1735
02:21:48,270 --> 02:21:50,110
It is a result of a superintendent MBA

1736
02:21:50,110 --> 02:21:52,450
who are unwilling to say no to spending more than we had.

1737
02:21:53,210 --> 02:21:56,630
A business office with questionable hiring practices.

1738
02:21:56,710 --> 02:21:59,050
It was a result of a board who unnecessarily voted

1739
02:21:59,050 --> 02:22:00,750
to extend the superintendent's contract

1740
02:22:00,750 --> 02:22:02,590
a full year prior to its expiration.

1741
02:22:03,530 --> 02:22:05,350
In late of the baseball season beginning next week,

1742
02:22:05,590 --> 02:22:08,030
or this week, I'd request that the board reverse

1743
02:22:08,030 --> 02:22:11,830
their hasty decision in naming the varsity baseball field after our previous superintendent.

1744
02:22:12,470 --> 02:22:15,910
As his legacy is marred by this budgetary deficit we currently face.

1745
02:22:16,790 --> 02:22:20,730
We cannot look toward the future without acknowledging the past and how we got here.

1746
02:22:21,670 --> 02:22:27,750
As Thomas Payne said, a body holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted

1747
02:22:27,750 --> 02:22:28,310
by anybody.

1748
02:22:29,310 --> 02:22:30,050
Thank you.

1749
02:22:32,150 --> 02:22:33,430
Ms. Jasmine Hadari?

1750
02:22:36,090 --> 02:22:38,210
No, again, and then Corby.

1751
02:22:38,810 --> 02:22:39,150
Here's the.

1752
02:22:41,820 --> 02:22:43,160
Hi, Jasmine Hadari.

1753
02:22:43,160 --> 02:23:01,980
I am the mom of a ninth grade ninth grader at the high school who went through Renaissance all three years in middle school. Also, I have a current sixth grader at Renaissance and also a fifth grader at Hellside who was hoping to go to Renaissance, but she's not going to make it that that's okay.

1754
02:23:01,980 --> 02:23:13,280
I usually prepare something when I come up here, but I was up late just with Ms. Turner last night, and I'm tired, and I'm going to wing it.

1755
02:23:14,760 --> 02:23:22,760
I watch these meetings all the time, usually from my car in a parking lot while I'm screaming at my kids to get in and out, so I'm not here a lot.

1756
02:23:22,760 --> 02:23:28,560
But I appreciate all the time and effort that everybody puts into planning and the work

1757
02:23:28,560 --> 02:23:29,060
that you do.

1758
02:23:29,540 --> 02:23:31,220
I just want to talk about leadership really quickly.

1759
02:23:32,420 --> 02:23:38,740
I'm an Army veteran and one of my favorite leaders in the Army, Colonel Petrilo, taught

1760
02:23:38,740 --> 02:23:42,540
me one of my favorite things about leadership.

1761
02:23:42,880 --> 02:23:45,800
And that is, he said, you know, leadership's hard.

1762
02:23:46,960 --> 02:23:49,560
Effective leadership is hard and it's lonely.

1763
02:23:50,300 --> 02:23:59,820
But if you try to please everyone and if you try to make everyone happy, you'll either never get anything done or you'll never get anything done well.

1764
02:24:00,840 --> 02:24:13,900
And when the first town hall happened back in July, I remember a gentleman standing up and asking this churner, we're telling her, you know, you've got to make friends with your principles, you've got to get to know your administrators.

1765
02:24:15,080 --> 02:24:17,920
You know, they're the people that are going to show you how things are done here.

1766
02:24:18,260 --> 02:24:22,540
And, you know, show you the ropes and make sure that, you know, you're friendly with

1767
02:24:22,540 --> 02:24:23,680
them, so they'll work for you.

1768
02:24:24,660 --> 02:24:29,500
And I think this is my, this is the moment when I had so much hope for a district, as when

1769
02:24:29,500 --> 02:24:33,400
you said, I don't need any more friends, you know, with all degree respect, I don't need

1770
02:24:33,400 --> 02:24:34,060
any more friends.

1771
02:24:34,980 --> 02:24:39,380
And when I think about what has happened since, it's not that you're not friendly.

1772
02:24:40,620 --> 02:24:41,440
This is important.

1773
02:24:41,440 --> 02:24:43,160
And this is the leadership that we need right now.

1774
02:24:44,860 --> 02:24:46,320
You've done the hard things.

1775
02:24:46,320 --> 02:24:48,360
You've made hard decisions with the cuts.

1776
02:24:49,580 --> 02:24:53,260
And I sat last night and you sat with all of us parents

1777
02:24:53,260 --> 02:24:56,620
for almost three hours and let us grieve.

1778
02:24:58,220 --> 02:24:59,520
I'm sorry, you're right.

1779
02:25:00,500 --> 02:25:01,380
You're right, you're right.

1780
02:25:01,700 --> 02:25:02,780
You let us grieve.

1781
02:25:03,040 --> 02:25:03,700
You let us be angry.

1782
02:25:03,860 --> 02:25:04,860
You let us ask all the questions.

1783
02:25:04,860 --> 02:25:06,220
You did not have to do that.

1784
02:25:06,400 --> 02:25:07,240
I love Renaissance.

1785
02:25:07,240 --> 02:25:12,700
that knows me, knows that it probably saved my son.

1786
02:25:14,420 --> 02:25:18,960
I love the community, Mr. and Cisco is the best principle that has ever existed.

1787
02:25:19,480 --> 02:25:28,420
And the teachers are amazing, but I appreciate you making the hard decision and not falling to parental pressure in this moment

1788
02:25:28,420 --> 02:25:35,240
because it's what we need to get our school back on track and our kids learning again and improving and the achievement that we have here.

1789
02:25:35,240 --> 02:25:45,060
So thank you. I admire the tenacity that you have. And I hope the board takes a lot of lessons from your leadership. Thank you, Ms. Jasmine.

1790
02:25:47,280 --> 02:25:48,400
Noah Gale.

1791
02:25:49,780 --> 02:25:53,060
Ben Corey Pearson and Charlie, I believe you left. And Linda Cal.

1792
02:25:54,640 --> 02:26:02,660
Good evening. My name is Noah Gale. I grew up in Montclair class of 2018.

1793
02:26:04,220 --> 02:26:12,380
I was a student here, graduated from 2018, and I'll always be proud of Montclair, the town I grew up in.

1794
02:26:12,640 --> 02:26:24,140
This town gave me everything, and I love, and I still support this district, even as an alum all these years later, a million years later, so much.

1795
02:26:24,140 --> 02:26:36,440
I would like to thank the people of Montclair for voting yesterday to save our schools, our future is that state.

1796
02:26:39,380 --> 02:26:51,780
We have to make sure that future generations feel safe in an environment which includes our schools, our Montclair schools.

1797
02:26:52,480 --> 02:27:05,320
So, I know if it's yes-no, does that mean there are 10.6 million cuts or 4.6 million cuts because I saw something that said there could be 10.6 million cuts.

1798
02:27:05,660 --> 02:27:08,420
That is not OK.

1799
02:27:10,080 --> 02:27:12,080
Students need to survive.

1800
02:27:12,680 --> 02:27:17,060
Teachers need to survive. They do not want to lose their jobs or get laid off.

1801
02:27:17,060 --> 02:27:23,540
And this district, we are one big family, thank you.

1802
02:27:24,200 --> 02:27:28,600
Also, Renaissance, although I never went to Renaissance

1803
02:27:28,600 --> 02:27:33,560
as a kid, and I do not teach there, I got to say,

1804
02:27:33,780 --> 02:27:36,100
Renaissance is a great school, and I have a cousin

1805
02:27:36,100 --> 02:27:38,080
who is currently an eighth grade student there.

1806
02:27:39,000 --> 02:27:42,000
Do not reorganize Renaissance.

1807
02:27:43,680 --> 02:27:51,140
It's one good, small school, it's a good environment, and I know some of the Board of

1808
02:27:51,140 --> 02:27:56,560
M members have kids who are former students that run a song for a lump of run a song.

1809
02:27:56,820 --> 02:28:02,220
And I wanted to say you should keep it as it is, do not change anything.

1810
02:28:02,960 --> 02:28:04,160
Because do you know what?

1811
02:28:04,680 --> 02:28:11,240
Oh wait, I'll be quick, I know I only have 45 seconds left, but I wanted to say that I hope

1812
02:28:11,240 --> 02:28:16,220
we can improve our schools. We do not want to go backwards. In the words of my mother,

1813
02:28:16,660 --> 02:28:22,080
we do not go backwards in life. Clock ticks forwards. We go forwards in life. So please,

1814
02:28:22,540 --> 02:28:27,420
we want our schools to be healthy and survive. Thank you. Thank you.

1815
02:28:28,660 --> 02:28:29,680
Great person.

1816
02:28:34,260 --> 02:28:37,200
Good evening everyone and thanks again for the opportunity to speak.

1817
02:28:37,920 --> 02:28:43,620
I want to start by echoing a couple things that Jasmine just said in that

1818
02:28:45,020 --> 02:28:50,220
I think we're starting to have the hard conversations, make the hard decisions, the hard part

1819
02:28:50,220 --> 02:28:51,040
kind of starts now.

1820
02:28:51,640 --> 02:28:55,960
However, the vote ends up shaken out over the next few days.

1821
02:28:56,980 --> 02:29:01,800
What's happening at Renaissance right now is the beginning of what will be more similar

1822
02:29:01,800 --> 02:29:02,520
conversations.

1823
02:29:03,240 --> 02:29:09,220
And the conversations are hard because there are groups of people in the town for every one

1824
02:29:09,220 --> 02:29:11,560
of those decisions who will be deeply upset and deeply hurt.

1825
02:29:11,980 --> 02:29:13,320
And that's the reality we face.

1826
02:29:13,320 --> 02:29:15,080
and that will continue to be the case.

1827
02:29:15,480 --> 02:29:17,520
There might be another school on the horizon.

1828
02:29:18,000 --> 02:29:19,740
And if not another school, there will be programs

1829
02:29:19,740 --> 02:29:21,680
and there will be teachers and we will all be hurt.

1830
02:29:22,200 --> 02:29:26,400
But I would love for all of us to learn not only

1831
02:29:26,400 --> 02:29:30,040
from the way that we are handling these conversations

1832
02:29:30,040 --> 02:29:33,700
so far, which is a wonderful presentation

1833
02:29:33,700 --> 02:29:36,440
of data, a recognition of empathy

1834
02:29:36,440 --> 02:29:38,800
that was demonstrated by leadership last night,

1835
02:29:39,340 --> 02:29:41,220
but also from the folks in town.

1836
02:29:41,220 --> 02:29:58,640
I can't tell you how amazed I am, talking to parents from Renaissance who are saying things that Jasmine just said to say, this hurts, this hurts, but I know that someone in this district is going to hurt because there's no way to get through these cuts right now without that kind of hurt.

1837
02:29:58,640 --> 02:29:59,980
And so while I might...

1838
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:28,040
Let me be upset. I'm not up here storming and yelling at the board for these decisions and the superintendent for the decisions they made, but I'm recognizing that these decisions have to be made. And so I just want to plead to the community to follow the lead of Jasmine, just now, and to continue to have these conversations in a respectful way. My last plea for the community right now, we had a 50-50 vote on two questions, plus minus.

1839
02:30:28,040 --> 02:30:33,320
Yes, the community, we can all realize that there wasn't necessarily a moral high ground

1840
02:30:33,320 --> 02:30:37,740
with those that were very, very worried about taxes increasing, and those that were very,

1841
02:30:37,760 --> 02:30:41,860
very worried about the cuts that were going to affect the kids in the district.

1842
02:30:42,180 --> 02:30:44,360
Both of these things really, really sucked.

1843
02:30:44,940 --> 02:30:47,760
And in some ways, it's weird because we kind of got all of it, right?

1844
02:30:47,880 --> 02:30:51,640
We got the highest tax increase part, and we also got a whole lot of cuts.

1845
02:30:51,940 --> 02:30:56,220
And it's a crazy way that democracy works sometimes if that's the way this vote turns out.

1846
02:30:56,220 --> 02:31:09,660
But, you know, now as we go forward, you know, if you have a 50-50 vote and we recognize that there isn't really a right and wrong group in town, it might help us to start working together.

1847
02:31:10,120 --> 02:31:16,500
Right, the vote's done, the politics is done, the persuasion is done, so now we can all kind of come together and get through this thing together.

1848
02:31:16,840 --> 02:31:24,480
And for me part of that is, you know what, if people are upset with leadership and people are upset with the board, there is a course for accountability.

1849
02:31:24,480 --> 02:31:34,220
It's called voting, we have it now, and it comes up every year, and so let's turn a page and stop with that and just work together and solve our problems looking forward.

1850
02:31:34,560 --> 02:31:34,860
Thank you.

1851
02:31:36,400 --> 02:31:37,140
Ms. Cal.

1852
02:31:46,410 --> 02:31:50,430
Good evening, Superintendent Turner, Board of Education members.

1853
02:31:51,230 --> 02:31:58,590
be a Sullivan and the Montclair community tonight I stand before you, not as a representative

1854
02:31:59,050 --> 02:32:04,370
of the organization you usually hear me speak about, but as an individual community member.

1855
02:32:05,610 --> 02:32:12,790
I want to first thank Superintendent Turner for leading her presentation with that powerful quote

1856
02:32:12,790 --> 02:32:19,490
to remind us to keep our eyes making may your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears to keep

1857
02:32:19,490 --> 02:32:28,310
focus on the future and making positive choices. I appreciate that the focus on moving forward

1858
02:32:28,310 --> 02:32:35,110
with intention, with an emphasis on optimism in this statement. I'm glad to see that the district

1859
02:32:35,110 --> 02:32:41,870
finally adopted a policy to integrate AVI history and contributions into the social studies curriculum.

1860
02:32:42,610 --> 02:32:47,310
My daughter and I worked with numerous organizations and individuals around the state to advocate for

1861
02:32:47,310 --> 02:32:53,450
the passage of the legislation that was signed in early 2022 by then Governor Murphy.

1862
02:32:53,970 --> 02:32:58,930
And my hope was that at least one of my children would benefit from having not only this mirror

1863
02:32:58,930 --> 02:33:03,470
for himself, but this window for his non-API peers.

1864
02:33:04,010 --> 02:33:09,030
I'm grateful to the superintendent and the board for their express desire to honor the purpose

1865
02:33:09,030 --> 02:33:11,570
of this and similar curricular legislation.

1866
02:33:12,350 --> 02:33:18,310
What would be the point if families could opt out of learning or shared history?

1867
02:33:19,110 --> 02:33:23,210
How would that ensure we could have a common understanding of our collective history?

1868
02:33:23,850 --> 02:33:30,770
We know that education is the best anecdote for misunderstanding and hate to which Montclair

1869
02:33:30,770 --> 02:33:31,610
is not immune.

1870
02:33:32,290 --> 02:33:35,870
I hope that our schools would be the best in this work.

1871
02:33:37,150 --> 02:33:41,850
Tonight, I would also like to share about two other community organizations I've worked

1872
02:33:41,850 --> 02:33:45,870
with who do important work to support diverse members of our community.

1873
02:33:46,430 --> 02:33:49,030
One is Sumbling Diplomacy and the Others in Monty.

1874
02:33:49,850 --> 02:33:53,910
With a shared understanding and concern for students, these two groups have joined efforts

1875
02:33:53,910 --> 02:34:01,790
for the upcoming Patricio fundraiser which will take place this Saturday at the mark, Saturday

1876
02:34:01,790 --> 02:34:02,710
the 14th.

1877
02:34:02,710 --> 02:34:08,750
And I have flyers of the QR code for those of you interested in supporting this effort.

1878
02:34:09,570 --> 02:34:13,330
Dumbling diplomacy is a social enterprise dedicated to bringing communities together

1879
02:34:13,330 --> 02:34:14,230
across divides.

1880
02:34:14,670 --> 02:34:19,670
We use our profits to create innovative programming and support organizations that share our vision.

1881
02:34:20,330 --> 02:34:24,950
Cuts and long-standing sources of funding are jeopardizing Amani's educational initiatives

1882
02:34:25,330 --> 02:34:27,530
to narrow the achievement gap in our schools.

1883
02:34:27,530 --> 02:34:31,490
with this fundraiser or a founder and Nancy Liu, a parent of a recent

1884
02:34:31,490 --> 02:34:36,810
Mountigrad, is pleased to donate 100% of the proceeds to Amani.

1885
02:34:38,230 --> 02:34:42,430
Amani's interim executive director, Evelyn Gay, has said that the partnership

1886
02:34:42,430 --> 02:34:45,150
and donation has come at a critical time.

1887
02:34:49,340 --> 02:34:50,900
Thank you, Miss Cowell.

1888
02:34:53,220 --> 02:34:59,640
Maryanna Horta, and that would be the last person in public.

1889
02:35:04,910 --> 02:35:08,150
It's a long-being thing, so be sure to thank you.

1890
02:35:08,410 --> 02:35:09,550
We stand up for our leadership.

1891
02:35:09,930 --> 02:35:12,090
I really don't need to say anything else afterwards.

1892
02:35:12,430 --> 02:35:17,530
Jasmine said, just want to recognize that you had a really hard week, as we all had,

1893
02:35:17,630 --> 02:35:21,450
but you had worse, and I appreciate you so much and all of you.

1894
02:35:21,750 --> 02:35:22,070
Thank you.

1895
02:35:23,950 --> 02:35:24,770
Is there anyone online?

1896
02:35:25,230 --> 02:35:25,690
Thank you.

1897
02:35:26,070 --> 02:35:26,350
Our

1898
02:35:41,200 --> 02:35:45,660
first online commenter is Marcella S. Can you hear me?

1899
02:35:50,390 --> 02:35:51,190
Can you hear me?

1900
02:35:51,190 --> 02:35:52,770
Yeah, yeah.

1901
02:35:53,770 --> 02:35:54,890
Praise the Lord.

1902
02:35:55,810 --> 02:35:58,370
I didn't get to start this meeting.

1903
02:35:59,090 --> 02:36:03,770
From the beginning, I got on the finance report and a construction.

1904
02:36:05,390 --> 02:36:06,150
Presentations.

1905
02:36:06,550 --> 02:36:07,150
So.

1906
02:36:07,830 --> 02:36:14,410
I miss the policy meetings, but I can't find any policy presentations online or appendix is.

1907
02:36:15,370 --> 02:36:16,610
So I mean,

1908
02:36:16,610 --> 02:36:22,830
I mean, if I'm wrong, please correct me, but if I'm not wrong, I mean, I've been asking

1909
02:36:23,460 --> 02:36:29,270
for those since like October, at least December, I've been asking for those.

1910
02:36:29,530 --> 02:36:36,250
You can't hold discussions on policy changes without letting the public have a copy of

1911
02:36:36,820 --> 02:36:37,550
the changes.

1912
02:36:38,490 --> 02:36:45,590
So if it's not on the website, I mean, let me know if it is if I'm wrong.

1913
02:36:45,590 --> 02:36:50,330
It is it's it's on the website. Well, underboard agenda.

1914
02:36:51,270 --> 02:36:53,870
Under the date. All right, I'm going to look again, but.

1915
02:36:54,550 --> 02:37:01,090
Okay, but it's not easy to find because I went to agenda, but anyway, also, um,

1916
02:37:01,750 --> 02:37:06,130
that whole field, like I saw that one of those policies is public participation.

1917
02:37:06,970 --> 02:37:12,130
President booknight, I don't think I've ever heard anybody come with all that authority

1918
02:37:12,130 --> 02:37:14,830
trying to try to censor people like I'm really

1919
02:37:14,830 --> 02:37:18,330
um disgusted with that whole introduction like what do

1920
02:37:18,330 --> 02:37:23,650
you people scared of? How does this administration and boards expect any of

1921
02:37:23,650 --> 02:37:28,610
us to trust you all? Like there's hardly any investigations. You're

1922
02:37:28,610 --> 02:37:32,590
talking about rod grants that do get submitted but you're being all

1923
02:37:32,590 --> 02:37:36,370
elusive about the information. Why don't you want us to know who messed

1924
02:37:36,370 --> 02:37:40,070
up? Why are people who messed up still here and

1925
02:37:40,070 --> 02:37:42,490
and nobody ever says nothing about it.

1926
02:37:43,070 --> 02:37:45,570
Like, who are you scared about, President Book Knight?

1927
02:37:45,750 --> 02:37:47,190
Who are you all scared of?

1928
02:37:47,870 --> 02:37:50,610
Like, that means you all are really up to some dirt.

1929
02:37:51,610 --> 02:37:52,710
I'm watching you now.

1930
02:37:53,070 --> 02:37:55,950
I'm telling you, I'm gonna abide by your little stuff

1931
02:37:55,950 --> 02:37:58,850
just so I can really come for you, President Book Knight

1932
02:37:58,850 --> 02:38:01,230
because I can't believe that you're trying to really

1933
02:38:01,850 --> 02:38:02,330
that

1934
02:38:10,620 --> 02:38:13,640
ends public comment.

1935
02:38:13,640 --> 02:38:33,240
I want to thank everyone for engaging in our meeting and we will now go to approval operations and school support services approval of the calendar for the 2627 school year.

1936
02:38:33,240 --> 02:38:38,570
But we did, we did, we did that already.

1937
02:38:39,250 --> 02:38:41,570
Do we have a motion to approve calendar?

1938
02:38:42,830 --> 02:38:43,650
So moved.

1939
02:38:44,050 --> 02:38:44,610
So moved.

1940
02:38:47,050 --> 02:38:48,290
Any comments or questions?

1941
02:38:51,350 --> 02:38:51,890
Major done?

1942
02:38:52,730 --> 02:38:53,030
Yes.

1943
02:38:53,630 --> 02:38:54,190
Eric Scherzer?

1944
02:38:54,370 --> 02:38:54,550
Yes.

1945
02:38:55,090 --> 02:38:55,970
Allison Silverstein?

1946
02:38:56,250 --> 02:38:56,370
No.

1947
02:38:58,540 --> 02:38:59,240
Carrie McMahon?

1948
02:39:00,280 --> 02:39:00,600
Yes.

1949
02:39:01,380 --> 02:39:02,000
Jada Roman?

1950
02:39:02,420 --> 02:39:02,620
Yes.

1951
02:39:03,340 --> 02:39:04,100
Melanie Dyser?

1952
02:39:04,400 --> 02:39:04,580
No.

1953
02:39:05,480 --> 02:39:06,000
Sean Long?

1954
02:39:06,280 --> 02:39:06,500
Yes.

1955
02:39:06,500 --> 02:39:06,620
Yes.

1956
02:39:06,960 --> 02:39:07,760
Polly Shaw?

1957
02:39:08,580 --> 02:39:09,100
Yes.

1958
02:39:09,840 --> 02:39:10,480
Ivonne Boothnick.

1959
02:39:15,400 --> 02:39:19,400
Next public board meeting in the Montclair Board of Education will be held on Wednesday, March

1960
02:39:19,400 --> 02:39:26,220
18th, 2026 at 6.30 p.m. in the Georgia, Unisonics, Atrium, 141 Park Street.

1961
02:39:26,880 --> 02:39:31,280
The meeting may go into close session until approximately 7.30 when it will reopen to the

1962
02:39:31,280 --> 02:39:31,620
public.

1963
02:39:32,100 --> 02:39:33,900
Do I have a motion to adjourn?

1964
02:39:34,940 --> 02:39:35,200
Second.

1965
02:39:37,320 --> 02:39:37,940
Fager done.

1966
02:39:39,440 --> 02:39:39,960
Yes.

1967
02:39:40,580 --> 02:39:41,220
Eric Scherzer?

1968
02:39:41,220 --> 02:39:41,620
Yes.

1969
02:39:41,940 --> 02:39:43,020
Alison Silverstein.

1970
02:39:43,360 --> 02:39:43,500
Yes.

1971
02:39:43,960 --> 02:39:44,500
Carrie McMahon.

1972
02:39:44,840 --> 02:39:44,980
Yes.

1973
02:39:45,340 --> 02:39:45,840
Jada Roman.

1974
02:39:46,200 --> 02:39:46,360
Yes.

1975
02:39:46,700 --> 02:39:47,460
Melanie Doyser.

1976
02:39:47,560 --> 02:39:47,760
Yes.

1977
02:39:48,080 --> 02:39:48,620
Sean Long.

1978
02:39:48,860 --> 02:39:49,060
Yes.

1979
02:39:49,420 --> 02:39:49,900
Ali Shaw.

1980
02:39:50,260 --> 02:39:51,220
Yvonne Book Knight.

1981
02:39:51,720 --> 02:39:51,980
Yes.

1982
02:39:52,840 --> 02:39:53,900
Meetings adjourned.