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Good evening.

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I would like to call this meeting to order. May I have a roll call, please, Ms.

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Cappiello?

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Ms. Carbonell?

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Present.

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Mr. Kohan?

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Here.

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Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

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Here.

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Mrs. Faria?

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Here.

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Mr. McDowell?

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Mrs. Munisi?

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Mr. Nesta?

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Here.

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Ms. Santana?

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Present.

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Mrs. Scott-Hayden?

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Here.

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Please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Mr. McDowell?

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Both of you. Begin.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the

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Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with

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liberty and justice for all.

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Our mission statement is to empower and inspire every student, every

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day.

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Ms. Kuhn, will you please read the Open Public Meetings Act statement?

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In accordance with the provision of the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, the

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Township of Union Board of Education has caused this notice of this meeting to be

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published by having the date, time, and place thereof published on the board's

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official internet website with a direct hyperlink to legal notice,

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conspicuously placed on the website's home page, posted in the administrative

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building at 2369 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey, filed with the township clerk,

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and mailed to all persons, if any, who have requested said notice.

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Thank you so much. The board will go into executive session to discuss personnel

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and legal issues, and actions will be taken.

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May I have a motion to move into executive session?

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So moved.

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Second. Any discussion?

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Seeing none, the motion has been properly moved by Vice President Kohan and

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seconded by Chasity Santana. Can I have a roll call, please, Ms. Cappiello?

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Ms. Carbonell?

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Yes.

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Mr. Kohan?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Faria?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Munisi?

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Yes.

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Mr. Nesta?

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Yes.

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Ms. Santana?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Scott-Hayden?

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Yes.

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That's the one I'm still hearing.

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Madam President, I move we rise from executive session, go back to public session.

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The motion has been properly moved and seconded.

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Moved by Vice President Kohan and seconded by Nancy Munisi.

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Can I have a roll call, please, to move back into regular session?

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Ms. Carbonell?

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Yes.

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Mr. Kohan?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Faria?

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Yes.

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Mr. McDowell?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Munisi?

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Yes.

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Mr. Nesta?

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Yes.

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Ms. Santana?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Scott-Hayden?

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Yes.

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Next, we have the approval of the minutes.

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May I have a motion to approve the following minutes, the August 18th 2026 regular

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meeting, and also the August 18th 2026 executive sessions number one and two?

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So moved.

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Do I hear a second?

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Second. Approval of the minutes, we need a second.

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Second. Thank you. The motion has been properly moved by Mr.

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Nesta and seconded by Mrs. Munisi. Can I have a roll call, please, Ms. Cappiello?

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Ms. Carbonell?

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Yes.

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Mr. Kohan?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Faria?

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Abstain.

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Mr. McDowell?

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Yes.

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Mrs. Munisi?

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Abstain.

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Mr. Nesta?

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Yes.

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Ms. Santana?

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Abstain.

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Mrs. Scott-Hayden?

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Yes. Motion carried.

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Next, we have our communications that are reflected on the operations and personal

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agendas. You can review them at your leisure.

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And then we will move into

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comments from the public on resolutions.

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Before we move into comments from the public, I would like to say good evening to

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everyone. I would like to take a moment to thank you for being here today.

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And as we begin the public comment portion of this meeting, I want to remind

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everyone that we value your input and appreciate your time and effort in sharing

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your thoughts and concerns. We ask that all comments be respectful and constructive

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as we aim to foster a productive dialogue that benefits our community and the work

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that we are here to do. Each speaker will be given three minutes to address the

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board. Please remember that while we are eager to hear your perspectives, we are

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unable to engage in a discussion during this portion of the meeting.

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However, your comments will be carefully considered by the board and, if necessary,

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followed up upon. With that being said, I want to call the first person who is

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speaking on the resolutions only, and that is Virginia Jeffries.

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I'm re-- I'm re--

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I only have one person.

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Yes. We only have one person, Ms. Jeffries.

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Okay.

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Virginia Jeffries, 236 Brighton Avenue, East Orange, New Jersey.

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Board President Scott-Hayden, good evening board members, staff, and members of the

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public in attendance physically and virtually.

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Corrections and questions on the agenda are the minutes and bills.

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For the approval of minutes of the August 8-- 18th 2026 regular meeting,

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amendments to the minutes need to be made as there was an essential omission in

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regarding to the following: Franklin Elementary

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This was the main statement I made, yet it is not existent.

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The June 26, 2026, LRFP, Long Range Facility Plan, does not

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have the closure of Franklin School Elementary, nor the proposal to convert to

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a pre-K/K school. Under Lehigh Avenue, 855 Lehigh Avenue,

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I specifically asked, do the auditors have access and/or a copy of this

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lease? This needs to be amended to include that question.

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Under Approval of Bills, Northeastern Interior Services,

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224,000-plus. What is this contract award amount?

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What is the length of this contract to be in effect?

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And is this in the 2026-'27 budget?

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The Township of Union for custodial services, over $62,000.

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What is the contract award amount?

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What is this length of this contract to be in effect?

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What are the services to be contracted for?

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Is this in the 2026-2027 budget? And what will be the status of the current

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custodial staff?

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Under Jewish Vocational Services of MetroWest, Liberty Science Center, and Pearson

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Education, these are lost checks. Why are there so many lost checks?

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And Delan

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Financial Services, over $255,000. Is there a contract?

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What is the contract award amount?

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And what is the length of this contract to be in effect?

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After the executive session last week, a resolution for a student pen trip to visit

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a professional sports team was passed.

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When will this resolution be put on the agenda for any upcoming board of education

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meetings? Thank you.

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Okay, so I believe your questions were also emailed.

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So our board secretary/business administrator is prepared to answer some of your

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questions, Sia, probably.

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I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you were saying.

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The mic didn't-

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She's here to answer some of your questions. You did submit that via email?

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Yes, I did.

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So our board secretary/board business administrator is prepared to answer the

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probably majority of your questions.

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Thank you.

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Mm-hmm.

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Okay, good evening.

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However, moving forward, basically, I responded to all the questions, they were

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highlighted in purple, and I'm

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wanting to encourage the community to follow protocol and fill out the

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open request form and send it to me, as I was omitted from that

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email.

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I've also attached the link for your convenience.

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Regarding the minutes.

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In New Jersey public schools, as a business administrator, board secretary, the

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minutes serve as the official legal record of what occurred and what action the

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board took at its meeting. They are not intended to be a word-for-word

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transcript of everything everyone says.

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Under the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA

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10:4-14, the board must keep reasonable,

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comprehensive minutes. At a minimum, the minutes must show

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the time, place of the meeting, the members present, the subjects considered,

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action taken, and a vote of each member, along with anything else

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specifically required by law. Generally,

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comments do not need to be recorded verbatimly.

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The statute requires reasonable comprehensive minutes, not a transcript.

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As it pertains to the Northeastern Interior service bills,

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your question was what was the contract awarded amount?

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The awarded amount is $224,700. Your question,

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what is the length of the contract to be in effect?

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The length of this contract would be in effect when the job is completed.

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There were painting and ceilings, and a lot of other work done over the summer.

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The districts estimated the time of the project to end by August

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2026 for the start of the new school year, and we did reach that

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goal.

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Franklin was opened,

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and it was a nice building.

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Mm-hmm.

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The next question is, is this in the '26-'27 budget?

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The answer was no, it is not in the '26-'27 budget.

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However, the purchase order and work began at the end of last year's school year,

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hence we used the funds from '25-'26 school year's budget.

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Next question was

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the Township of Union check for 62,500. What is the contract amount?

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The award is 125 for the year. The length of this contract is five years.

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What are the service to be contracted for?

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The service is to be contracted for the collection of our solid waste.

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Is this in the '26-'27 budget? Yes.

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What is the status of the current custodial staff?

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Need more clarification on this question, because I'm not sure exactly what you're

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asking about custodial.

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As far as the Jewish Vocational, Liberty Science, and Pearson's Education,

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why are there lost checks? There are

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various reasons to reissue checks when the original amount cannot be either

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deposited, processed, or accounted for properly.

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It could have been lost, stolen, or damaged check.

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It could be basically the original check was lost in the mail, misplaced by a

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payee, stolen or damaged the physical check at the point where the bank

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could not process it. It could be incorrect payment details.

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The check could've been printed with errors, such as a misspelled payee

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or a missing signature. Or it could be expired stale date

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checks. The payee failed to cash or deposit a check within the validity of

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typically the 90 to 18 days, making it expired under banking

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rules.

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It could be the mailing or address change.

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The vendor could have not updated us with their correct

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mailing address, and it was undeliverable by postal service.

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Could be a stop payment issue. Accounts payable proactively

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can place a stop payment on a check if there's a suspicion of fraud or a double

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payment or a dispute. Could be a bank process failure, or it could

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be a return check.

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So that was that. And last, you wanted to know about Delan Financial

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Service. Is there a contract? Yes. This is a lease contract for five years.

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It is for our Cisco firewall at Jefferson and the high school.

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This is year three of five. And what is the contract amount?

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The contract amount is $390,320.69.

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And you wanted to know what was the contracted

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length of that contract, which is five years.

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Thank you, Madam President.

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Thank you, Board Secretary Clooney.

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We have no more comments from the public regarding resolutions, so with that

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being said, we're now moving on to the superintendent's report.

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Thank you, Madam President.

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Welcome, everyone.

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So-

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Some of the things I'm going to be highlighting is over the opening of the year,

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first of all, I think our district had a very successful opening of the year.

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I had to unfortunately make a lot of changes over the course of a couple of months.

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And with that said, I do believe

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there was some things we're still working on.

256
00:18:24,942 --> 00:18:29,352
But for the most part, very minor with all the changes we made.

257
00:18:29,442 --> 00:18:31,513
So I think it was very successful. Plus,

258
00:18:32,742 --> 00:18:36,852
out on social media, you saw some of the highlights of our kids with smiles coming

259
00:18:36,912 --> 00:18:40,511
to our schools, and that's what it's really about and the importance of that.

260
00:18:40,992 --> 00:18:43,752
And I'll highlight some of the other things that we did during the opening.

261
00:18:44,172 --> 00:18:48,882
But again, as we keep bringing perspective to school funding, this is something we

262
00:18:48,912 --> 00:18:53,442
started last year. I just want to put in perspective

263
00:18:54,672 --> 00:18:57,582
where we ended, where we're at right now,

264
00:18:59,622 --> 00:19:04,842
and reflecting on that October 15th date, that's so important because that's the

265
00:19:04,872 --> 00:19:08,187
snapshot that the state uses on funding.

266
00:19:09,522 --> 00:19:13,962
So if you see where that 7,671

267
00:19:14,142 --> 00:19:19,752
was lower in a sense than the previous year, but we

268
00:19:20,202 --> 00:19:26,112
grew throughout that year by June 16th to surpass that October 15th date,

269
00:19:26,172 --> 00:19:28,917
which brought us back up to around our district's average.

270
00:19:28,977 --> 00:19:34,722
And it happens every year. Year after year, we start off lower,

271
00:19:35,803 --> 00:19:39,342
so we don't get a great October 15th date, and then by the end of the year, we

272
00:19:39,402 --> 00:19:39,792
grow.

273
00:19:42,282 --> 00:19:46,362
So again, why? I think we get a lot of people

274
00:19:47,232 --> 00:19:52,272
transient that look to migrate to our district throughout the year.

275
00:19:54,222 --> 00:20:00,192
So I think, again, when we look at that 7,497, we'll be back up over the October

276
00:20:01,392 --> 00:20:03,612
from the year before and also our June 16th.

277
00:20:04,062 --> 00:20:06,553
I think we'll grow during the year to get close to that.

278
00:20:08,172 --> 00:20:10,932
The other thing I want everyone to realize is

279
00:20:12,252 --> 00:20:15,912
at the end of the year, obviously you have your graduates.

280
00:20:18,072 --> 00:20:21,822
That drops your enrollment, but then you have new people registering.

281
00:20:21,852 --> 00:20:27,672
What's surprising is from who we could roll over from

282
00:20:27,687 --> 00:20:33,178
last year, so anyone that wasn't in our system, is our new registrations, our new

283
00:20:33,222 --> 00:20:39,027
enrollment. If you look at from June 15th to September 15th, we registered

284
00:20:39,372 --> 00:20:44,952
772 new people. But what's really surprising is look at that last week of

285
00:20:45,013 --> 00:20:50,232
August. It's really pretty much the last week of August because we're about 50/50.

286
00:20:50,682 --> 00:20:56,592
We registered 321 kids from August 24th to now and 171 from September 1st to

287
00:20:56,622 --> 00:20:56,862
now.

288
00:20:57,102 --> 00:20:57,282
Mm.

289
00:20:58,482 --> 00:21:02,772
Very busy time. A lot of people coming to our district to start the year.

290
00:21:04,392 --> 00:21:10,002
Still didn't bring us to where we were last October 15th, but we'll grow

291
00:21:10,062 --> 00:21:11,412
again throughout the year.

292
00:21:12,642 --> 00:21:15,013
Just wanted to highlight because we made so many changes.

293
00:21:15,763 --> 00:21:21,553
And when you're doing all these changes with boundary lines, going K to 5 on a

294
00:21:21,612 --> 00:21:22,182
school district,

295
00:21:23,772 --> 00:21:28,842
we did a lot of estimating, but this really shows we balanced out our elementary

296
00:21:28,902 --> 00:21:33,342
schools. Washington, obviously, is the one that's always been the biggest.

297
00:21:33,642 --> 00:21:37,182
It is still a little bigger, but if you look at all our other schools, they're not

298
00:21:37,212 --> 00:21:41,772
far apart from each other. So our enrollment really did balance out at the

299
00:21:41,803 --> 00:21:47,502
elementary level. The other thing I want to highlight is Kiwame is a much, in a

300
00:21:47,592 --> 00:21:49,452
sense, square footage, smaller school.

301
00:21:49,872 --> 00:21:52,392
They're not far off from Burnet on the numbers.

302
00:21:52,962 --> 00:21:57,807
Usually, in the past, Burnet could be over 1,000, and Kiwame could be more like 700

303
00:21:58,182 --> 00:22:02,952
instead of that 756. So their gap also is getting closer.

304
00:22:03,222 --> 00:22:06,192
Again, just perspective on our district enrollment.

305
00:22:07,272 --> 00:22:11,742
So yearly, we always have to report on our graduation data.

306
00:22:11,862 --> 00:22:17,442
So the way the state looks at your graduation data, it's that 2026

307
00:22:17,772 --> 00:22:21,013
cohort. Those are students that started with us freshman year.

308
00:22:21,642 --> 00:22:27,402
So our number was 636 that could have graduated from us starting freshman

309
00:22:27,462 --> 00:22:27,672
year.

310
00:22:28,902 --> 00:22:34,452
Why that's important, because sometimes kids don't stay with you all four years.

311
00:22:34,692 --> 00:22:40,151
And if they don't go to another district, they still are in our number.

312
00:22:41,202 --> 00:22:43,152
So there's a lot of different things that can happen.

313
00:22:43,407 --> 00:22:48,402
There's kids that could say they're moving to a district, be 17, and never enroll.

314
00:22:49,092 --> 00:22:52,602
So that's still an unverified student because the state keeps track of it through

315
00:22:52,842 --> 00:22:53,232
another

316
00:22:54,462 --> 00:23:00,282
school student ID, but a state ID. So it's also, this is not including, we

317
00:23:00,312 --> 00:23:02,922
have special ed students that stay with us past senior year.

318
00:23:03,402 --> 00:23:08,472
They stay with us for extra years up until they can't turn 21.

319
00:23:08,922 --> 00:23:14,112
But those don't count in these numbers because they're still students with us.

320
00:23:16,062 --> 00:23:16,362
So

321
00:23:18,402 --> 00:23:19,152
we ended up

322
00:23:20,502 --> 00:23:24,222
starting with 636, but we ended up graduating

323
00:23:25,662 --> 00:23:31,513
600 between the end of the year and the seven we graduated over the

324
00:23:31,572 --> 00:23:37,347
summer. So we ended up graduating 593, and seven didn't

325
00:23:37,392 --> 00:23:42,462
walk, but they finished over the summer, which this is why the state asks districts

326
00:23:42,492 --> 00:23:47,982
to report how many more graduates we were able to now report.

327
00:23:48,132 --> 00:23:48,147
Mm-hmm.

328
00:23:48,763 --> 00:23:48,867
So

329
00:23:50,112 --> 00:23:54,192
our graduation rate technically went from 93.2 to 94.3.

330
00:23:54,567 --> 00:24:00,087
The only other thing is now the appeal process comes in, so there is a chance out

331
00:24:00,132 --> 00:24:05,307
of the, I think it's like 19 students that now we're identifying possibly

332
00:24:05,382 --> 00:24:06,252
unverified.

333
00:24:06,282 --> 00:24:06,477
Mm-hmm.

334
00:24:08,862 --> 00:24:12,582
We're going to have to figure that out, and some might be an appeal that we could

335
00:24:12,612 --> 00:24:15,162
end up going up a little bit more again.

336
00:24:15,222 --> 00:24:15,507
But

337
00:24:16,752 --> 00:24:22,212
again, we started with about 607, I think, seniors to start, or

338
00:24:22,992 --> 00:24:26,352
right over to 600, seniors to start the year, in their senior year.

339
00:24:27,222 --> 00:24:31,752
So it's a lot of people say, "Well, you graduated 600, and you started with like

340
00:24:31,812 --> 00:24:37,362
607 or 613," something like that. "Why isn't your rate higher?" Because the state

341
00:24:37,391 --> 00:24:39,851
looks at it based on your cohort.

342
00:24:41,082 --> 00:24:45,432
And again, it doesn't make sense a lot of times, but that's why.

343
00:24:46,032 --> 00:24:49,857
So again, if kids are with us and Dr.

344
00:24:50,292 --> 00:24:52,212
Rodriguez, I think brought up a good point.

345
00:24:52,602 --> 00:24:58,407
If we get a transfer to us midstream that now we're taking on, it'll count towards

346
00:24:58,452 --> 00:25:02,202
our cohort, and if that person was not on track to graduate, it could end up

347
00:25:02,232 --> 00:25:07,782
hurting us in our data because we have to now keep the child back when they came to

348
00:25:07,842 --> 00:25:13,182
us at senior year a year behind, but we're going to be penalized on that in the

349
00:25:13,272 --> 00:25:14,292
attendance enrollment.

350
00:25:17,202 --> 00:25:20,442
So I just want to highlight, we did a lot of work with, and thank you to the

351
00:25:20,472 --> 00:25:23,742
community, thank you to our staff, thank you to the board, thank you to Dr.

352
00:25:23,772 --> 00:25:27,672
Rodriguez. We did what we call the CARES Team.

353
00:25:29,172 --> 00:25:33,522
The state really wants to put a lot of emphasis on the schools to make sure their

354
00:25:33,553 --> 00:25:37,422
kids are in school. We know that kids can't learn if they're not in school.

355
00:25:37,513 --> 00:25:42,852
But this is a number we want to get smaller, and we did over the course of the year

356
00:25:42,942 --> 00:25:47,263
with what was put in place, and it was our schools, our educators, the teams at

357
00:25:47,292 --> 00:25:51,328
each building, working with community and parents to make sure their kids were

358
00:25:51,372 --> 00:25:55,632
coming to school, and we dropped in one year over 20% throughout the whole

359
00:25:55,662 --> 00:25:57,222
district. We have a ways to go.

360
00:25:58,422 --> 00:26:02,442
But again, it's another thing that the state identifies if a school is chronically

361
00:26:02,472 --> 00:26:08,112
absent, if it's above 10%. Again, it's not an easy math the way they look at it.

362
00:26:08,472 --> 00:26:10,332
It's total number of days. So

363
00:26:12,132 --> 00:26:16,992
all our kids might be there for what's allowed under 18 absences, but we might

364
00:26:17,022 --> 00:26:20,742
still be chronically absent because the number of days missed in that school.

365
00:26:20,757 --> 00:26:20,967
Mm-hmm.

366
00:26:20,967 --> 00:26:23,337
But we're trending in the right direction what we're doing.

367
00:26:23,382 --> 00:26:27,207
We just need parents to make sure they're communicating with the school and only

368
00:26:27,222 --> 00:26:30,792
keeping their kids home if it's for a legitimate reason.

369
00:26:31,122 --> 00:26:35,622
Vacations impact our district, and obviously, it also hurts because the child could

370
00:26:36,102 --> 00:26:39,462
be behind. And that's something we were working on last year.

371
00:26:39,717 --> 00:26:42,822
A lot of parents didn't realize taking their kid out for three weeks before

372
00:26:42,852 --> 00:26:46,932
Christmas impacted the district, and it does.

373
00:26:47,022 --> 00:26:50,052
So we're going to continue to work on that.

374
00:26:50,442 --> 00:26:55,033
These are some of the open houses already happened, but just want to remind

375
00:26:55,092 --> 00:26:57,388
everyone in the community our open house dates.

376
00:26:59,082 --> 00:27:03,042
We had a great opening of school. Thank you to Ms. Hall, who's sitting here today.

377
00:27:03,132 --> 00:27:06,792
She was the one that recommended Brandon McCall, who goes around.

378
00:27:06,972 --> 00:27:12,313
Right before us, he flew from Los Angeles, where he spent like 17 days-

379
00:27:13,830 --> 00:27:19,170
17 schools, where he hit every school in LA and then came to

380
00:27:19,321 --> 00:27:22,184
us. They hired him to go to every school.

381
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:24,870
Really does impact with the children, and Ms.

382
00:27:24,930 --> 00:27:30,120
Hall brought him in last year, really connected, and he sent a great message

383
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,090
to our staff on the opening days of school.

384
00:27:33,180 --> 00:27:39,120
So again, I thought it was a great opening with Mr. McCall.

385
00:27:41,220 --> 00:27:45,301
We had our ribbon cutting at the pre-K center at Franklin. It was awesome.

386
00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:52,620
We got to take a tour. We got the teachers, the community involved.

387
00:27:52,650 --> 00:27:54,301
They got their open house.

388
00:27:55,530 --> 00:28:00,045
They're putting a new spin on that school, where it's our pre-K center, our

389
00:28:00,090 --> 00:28:05,099
earliest learners, and they're off to a great start.

390
00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:10,994
So, it's something that I think really in time is going to keep growing within our

391
00:28:11,010 --> 00:28:16,950
community. Jefferson School, there was a lot on Jefferson School because Mr.

392
00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:22,801
McDowell, or Mr. Cohen, I know we were talking about it, the last date that it

393
00:28:22,950 --> 00:28:28,170
was a K through six school, did we confirm that date?

394
00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:34,470
69? So 1969 was the last time Jefferson was a grade-level school.

395
00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:40,980
And the community over the course of years was asking us to bring it back to a

396
00:28:41,010 --> 00:28:46,890
grade-level school. And since 2015, about '17, we were working on it

397
00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:52,051
with committees. Several people in here were on the committees. And we got it done.

398
00:28:52,890 --> 00:28:57,150
I think it's a great thing, again, for the Jefferson area community to have a

399
00:28:57,210 --> 00:29:00,585
school where they're not getting on a bus, going across town, not with their

400
00:29:00,630 --> 00:29:04,830
neighbors, in a sense. But the community came out. We had a barbecue.

401
00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:10,710
Thank you to Pontonian, who donated a little bit of food, some drinks, some treats,

402
00:29:11,130 --> 00:29:13,861
and we got to just highlight the

403
00:29:15,690 --> 00:29:19,861
historical importance of Jefferson going back to a grade-level school for that

404
00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,005
community. So, it was a great day,

405
00:29:23,370 --> 00:29:27,960
and thank you. Another accomplishment with the support of our board of ed.

406
00:29:33,330 --> 00:29:38,866
This is a very big thing. I know Ms. Santana will speak on it later, but I just

407
00:29:38,910 --> 00:29:41,910
need to keep getting the word out about e-bikes.

408
00:29:42,361 --> 00:29:46,500
We did have one student over the summer that ended up in the hospital because of an

409
00:29:46,530 --> 00:29:47,910
e-bike accident.

410
00:29:49,830 --> 00:29:54,405
In a sense, I think having one, it's unfortunate, but some towns are dealing with

411
00:29:54,450 --> 00:29:58,111
multiple e-bike accidents, and most of the time it's serious.

412
00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:05,055
So, we're working with the police. Our manager of security is first.

413
00:30:05,071 --> 00:30:09,750
The way we're going to bring this out is the police are going to educate.

414
00:30:09,765 --> 00:30:14,220
They're going to come to our schools, talk to our kids. Things have been sent home.

415
00:30:14,790 --> 00:30:19,530
But then they're going to start enforcing after we give education to the children.

416
00:30:20,851 --> 00:30:24,840
Because truthfully, there might be some parents sending their child on an e-bike

417
00:30:24,870 --> 00:30:27,645
with a helmet, but yet it comes off along the route.

418
00:30:28,770 --> 00:30:32,504
We need everyone to understand how important it is to keep your helmet on and how

419
00:30:32,611 --> 00:30:37,125
it is important to drive safe, but also how important it is to make sure that

420
00:30:37,170 --> 00:30:39,090
you're insured and you're in the licensing of it.

421
00:30:39,450 --> 00:30:45,270
The parents, from my knowledge, can be sued if something happens, and

422
00:30:45,330 --> 00:30:49,710
that's why they need to make sure they have insurance. Correct? All right.

423
00:30:51,060 --> 00:30:54,930
At the same time, our athletic director, because over the summers when we saw our

424
00:30:55,080 --> 00:31:01,004
athletes were the first children to come into our school, we saw athletes come into

425
00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,470
school and again, riding a certain way and not having helmets on.

426
00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:08,220
So, we made sure our athletic director informed every coach to talk to every

427
00:31:08,670 --> 00:31:12,855
student athlete to also enforce making sure for their own safety

428
00:31:15,390 --> 00:31:18,840
how important it is with these e-bikes. They're dangerous.

429
00:31:18,930 --> 00:31:24,601
And unfortunately, a lot of times, you have to make a quick decision because of a

430
00:31:24,660 --> 00:31:29,880
car that might have turned and you're hearing too many things just

431
00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:32,355
locally that are happening with these e-bikes.

432
00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:36,270
So, I just want to keep sharing the message of how important it is for safety of

433
00:31:36,301 --> 00:31:40,366
this, and the police are involved, and we're going to keep growing on the way we're

434
00:31:40,410 --> 00:31:41,101
attacking it.

435
00:31:43,140 --> 00:31:47,101
Our mayor's 5K is coming up. Anyone that likes 5Ks, you can walk or you run.

436
00:31:48,210 --> 00:31:50,685
It's a great event for the town and our chamber.

437
00:31:51,510 --> 00:31:55,366
It's September 27th. At

438
00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,910
7:30, registration begins, but you can register, I believe now.

439
00:31:59,970 --> 00:32:00,991
The applications are out.

440
00:32:03,210 --> 00:32:08,101
This is easy to affirm and report here because we have none so far. That's great.

441
00:32:08,821 --> 00:32:11,760
And Madam President, that concludes my presentation.

442
00:32:12,180 --> 00:32:12,810
Thank you so much,

443
00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:17,130
Superintendent Benicoza. I would just ask the young lady who came and approached me

444
00:32:18,450 --> 00:32:22,440
before we opened the board, who brought our young students here tonight.

445
00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,040
Can you just come to the mic and identify your group and talk about the students

446
00:32:26,101 --> 00:32:27,045
that you have with us tonight?

447
00:32:37,290 --> 00:32:42,555
Hi, my name's Stephanie, and it's a homeschool group, and we're just practicing our

448
00:32:42,601 --> 00:32:45,150
civic duties to come to attend the school board.

449
00:32:45,210 --> 00:32:47,280
So, thank you very much for allowing us to be here.

450
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:50,551
Thank you for coming. And welcome to each and every one of you.

451
00:32:51,210 --> 00:32:51,840
Thank you.

452
00:32:56,821 --> 00:33:01,470
Before we move back into the business portion of the meeting, I want to give my

453
00:33:01,590 --> 00:33:04,890
vice president a moment and opportunity to reflect.

454
00:33:07,890 --> 00:33:08,821
Thank you, Madam President.

455
00:33:11,940 --> 00:33:17,476
Late last month, our community, and especially this

456
00:33:17,491 --> 00:33:18,584
board family,

457
00:33:19,980 --> 00:33:25,770
lost someone very special to us all. He was a predecessor to us all on this board.

458
00:33:26,730 --> 00:33:32,625
He paved the path for us to show us the way how to serve as a board member with

459
00:33:32,670 --> 00:33:33,241
distinction.

460
00:33:34,620 --> 00:33:38,459
He was a public servant to this community and many others, serving for many, many

461
00:33:38,551 --> 00:33:42,209
years in both official and voluntary capacities.

462
00:33:44,491 --> 00:33:46,680
He was a mentor to me and many others.

463
00:33:46,980 --> 00:33:52,845
I learned an awful lot from him, and most especially, he was a friend and a

464
00:33:52,980 --> 00:33:55,051
brother to our colleague, Mrs. Minisi.

465
00:33:56,430 --> 00:33:57,270
Ronald Manzella

466
00:34:00,420 --> 00:34:03,555
was really a pillar of this community for many decades.

467
00:34:05,580 --> 00:34:08,370
And I'd like to ask our board and those present to

468
00:34:09,991 --> 00:34:12,210
acknowledge his passing with a moment of silence.

469
00:34:28,530 --> 00:34:29,325
Thank you, Madam President.

470
00:34:30,721 --> 00:34:32,160
Thank you, Vice President Cohen.

471
00:34:37,801 --> 00:34:41,730
Yes. Do we have any comments on the superintendent's report before we move back

472
00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:42,361
into business?

473
00:34:44,580 --> 00:34:47,400
Yes, so no better time than the present.

474
00:34:47,580 --> 00:34:50,160
I was going to bring this up in old business.

475
00:34:50,190 --> 00:34:52,950
But this is what I'm going to tell you.

476
00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:57,390
I don't think that I even really cared about e-bikes until most recently when I was

477
00:34:57,780 --> 00:35:00,030
just out in town and I saw just--

478
00:35:01,890 --> 00:35:04,500
Somebody's going to get hurt. I'm going to tell you right now.

479
00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:09,991
And I'm trying to have a proactive approach

480
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,430
and reach out to everyone that will listen.

481
00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:19,590
I have reached out to the township, the mayor, the police department.

482
00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:25,170
If I see you riding in the streets, whether you're my child or not, I will say

483
00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,200
something. I'd like to just hit some points here.

484
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:34,920
For e-bikes and e-scooters, under 15, no e-bikes or e-scooters.

485
00:35:35,491 --> 00:35:38,310
So right now, look at yourself. If you're not 15, you shouldn't be on them.

486
00:35:38,851 --> 00:35:41,760
And I'm loud. I know. But I'm being loud for a reason.

487
00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:47,550
Under ages 15 to 16, a motorized bicycle license, registration, and

488
00:35:47,580 --> 00:35:53,550
insurance, and a helmet. So, if you do not have those, you should not be riding in

489
00:35:53,580 --> 00:35:57,450
the streets of Union. I can't talk about all the other streets in the world, but

490
00:35:57,540 --> 00:36:02,610
specifically Union. Age 17, you should have a valid driver's license, state

491
00:36:02,670 --> 00:36:06,840
registration, and insurance coverage. And let's say you have all those.

492
00:36:06,870 --> 00:36:11,760
There's more to it. Must follow all traffic lights, signals, and signage.

493
00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:17,250
No riding e-bikes or scooters on sidewalks.

494
00:36:17,730 --> 00:36:23,010
You should not be riding on sidewalks except when dismounted.

495
00:36:24,516 --> 00:36:28,026
Riders must stay to the right and yield to crosswalk pedestrians.

496
00:36:28,416 --> 00:36:32,826
Requires helmets for all operators, passengers, regardless of age.

497
00:36:32,916 --> 00:36:37,026
I'm 100 years old, I should have a helmet. You should always have a helmet.

498
00:36:37,146 --> 00:36:42,756
Any of it, have a helmet. There's no carrying of objects, must keep both hands on

499
00:36:42,817 --> 00:36:48,411
handlebars, no wireless devices, speed modification, kids' fans, abandoned or

500
00:36:48,456 --> 00:36:53,826
neglected devices for three days may be removed by police. Ride safe.

501
00:36:54,156 --> 00:36:58,656
So basically, I think that the biggest thing that I've seen within Union is...

502
00:36:59,196 --> 00:37:01,656
This has been an ordinance for a while.

503
00:37:02,106 --> 00:37:07,806
It is the policing or the monitoring of it.

504
00:37:08,436 --> 00:37:14,226
I am putting a call out to every single person. Like I said, everyone.

505
00:37:14,466 --> 00:37:19,206
You guys might get upset at me. I'm stopping you and the first thing that I say

506
00:37:19,236 --> 00:37:25,041
with my loud mouth is, "Where is your helmet?" I am doing this because I see it

507
00:37:25,146 --> 00:37:29,016
happening in the future. Somebody's going to get hit, somebody's going to get hurt.

508
00:37:29,076 --> 00:37:32,016
It's going to be one of our students, and I do not want it to happen.

509
00:37:32,496 --> 00:37:37,221
In the schools, I think that at the precipice, we should be reaching out to our

510
00:37:37,356 --> 00:37:39,396
athletes. They should be leading by example.

511
00:37:39,427 --> 00:37:41,991
That does not mean that if you are not an athlete, you should not be doing it as

512
00:37:42,036 --> 00:37:46,836
well. That is not what I'm saying. But over and over again, we should be making

513
00:37:46,896 --> 00:37:52,701
sure that this e-bike and e-scooter situation within Union has to be halted

514
00:37:52,746 --> 00:37:57,906
and stopped. If you see something, say something. I don't care who you are.

515
00:37:58,266 --> 00:38:02,856
These children should not be... Let me stop saying these children. People. No one.

516
00:38:03,156 --> 00:38:08,976
Ronnie, don't ride without your helmet. Do not ride on the sidewalk. Be licensed.

517
00:38:09,216 --> 00:38:13,626
Have your registration and insurance. This is something very big.

518
00:38:13,806 --> 00:38:16,866
As much as I can, I'm going to be talking to you about it.

519
00:38:16,927 --> 00:38:19,567
If I make eye contact with you, I'm talking to you about it.

520
00:38:19,656 --> 00:38:22,596
Everybody on this board is tired of me talking about it. Please.

521
00:38:22,626 --> 00:38:27,906
And another place that I do want to reach out to is the PTAs.

522
00:38:27,966 --> 00:38:32,677
I'm going to try as much as possible because it has to be with the parents as well.

523
00:38:32,706 --> 00:38:38,076
It cannot just be us as board members or the police department or the township.

524
00:38:38,106 --> 00:38:41,946
It has to be the parents commanding it, and we have to do it together.

525
00:38:42,276 --> 00:38:46,927
We want our children to have fun, we want our children to learn things, but we want

526
00:38:46,986 --> 00:38:50,196
them to do it correctly. Please wear your helmets.

527
00:38:50,286 --> 00:38:50,646
Thank you.

528
00:38:51,996 --> 00:38:53,016
Board President Santana?

529
00:38:53,466 --> 00:38:54,576
I'm not the president, but thank you.

530
00:38:54,666 --> 00:39:00,456
Oh, oh. You're good. Anybody else have any comments on the superintendent's report?

531
00:39:00,516 --> 00:39:02,916
Any questions or comments? Yes.

532
00:39:03,306 --> 00:39:07,446
Dr. Beniquit, I'm sorry that I didn't give you a quick heads-up on this beforehand,

533
00:39:07,476 --> 00:39:07,552
but

534
00:39:09,126 --> 00:39:13,567
we all know that beginning with the school year, the new state statute banning

535
00:39:13,686 --> 00:39:17,302
internet-enabled devices from bell to bell took effect.

536
00:39:17,901 --> 00:39:17,901
Yeah.

537
00:39:17,916 --> 00:39:22,177
Can you give us any kind of an anecdotal report about what has happened in the

538
00:39:22,206 --> 00:39:23,256
first week?

539
00:39:26,556 --> 00:39:32,016
I know Dr. Rodriguez could also chime in because he obviously had another set of

540
00:39:32,076 --> 00:39:34,596
eyes, and to make sure it wasn't just when I was in the building.

541
00:39:35,106 --> 00:39:38,226
But I actually want to congratulate everyone right now.

542
00:39:39,996 --> 00:39:44,991
Being in the district a long time, I was very skeptical that when I walked into

543
00:39:45,036 --> 00:39:49,505
schools on the first day, that I would not see the cell phones.

544
00:39:49,567 --> 00:39:54,276
There was some students we had to remind, but for the most part, overwhelmingly,

545
00:39:54,846 --> 00:39:57,006
the students had them away where you couldn't see them.

546
00:39:57,096 --> 00:39:57,200
Mm-hmm.

547
00:39:58,476 --> 00:40:01,986
I think up until today, it's continuing in that direction.

548
00:40:02,496 --> 00:40:05,317
But we need to keep reinforcing that it's all year.

549
00:40:05,496 --> 00:40:06,396
Mm-hmm.

550
00:40:06,726 --> 00:40:12,096
And I think students will start also, in a week or so, feeling better that they

551
00:40:12,126 --> 00:40:16,956
don't have it out and using. That's what research does say.

552
00:40:18,606 --> 00:40:18,876
But I'm-

553
00:40:19,116 --> 00:40:20,526
Very much

554
00:40:20,540 --> 00:40:26,481
... again, thankful to our staff, our administrators, our parents, because we have

555
00:40:26,496 --> 00:40:32,241
been sending the messages out. The reinforcement is important and so it's been very

556
00:40:32,256 --> 00:40:32,797
positive.

557
00:40:32,976 --> 00:40:33,981
Thank you.

558
00:40:34,026 --> 00:40:36,817
Anyone else have any questions on the superintendent's report?

559
00:40:38,646 --> 00:40:41,976
Okay, I just only had one, and that was just on when you referenced the appeal

560
00:40:42,036 --> 00:40:44,797
windows for the class of 2026 has just opened.

561
00:40:44,856 --> 00:40:48,036
Is there a deadline or does the window close at a specific time?

562
00:40:48,396 --> 00:40:53,136
I believe it has to be by the end of December, but I can confirm that.

563
00:40:53,226 --> 00:40:53,436
Okay.

564
00:40:53,826 --> 00:40:55,086
I don't want to say it's 100%.

565
00:40:55,446 --> 00:41:01,297
Okay. I just wanted to so that the community, if they have a student who they

566
00:41:01,326 --> 00:41:04,641
may need to make an appeal for, they have a window, they understand what that

567
00:41:04,656 --> 00:41:05,646
window of time is.

568
00:41:05,766 --> 00:41:09,547
Yeah, and at this point, we're trying to verify the unverified.

569
00:41:09,906 --> 00:41:15,696
So if out of the, I think it was 19 that we've accounted for,

570
00:41:16,626 --> 00:41:19,686
because again, we know our special ed students that are staying with us, but

571
00:41:19,716 --> 00:41:23,526
there's some students that started with us and then are not with us today that are

572
00:41:23,556 --> 00:41:29,466
now unverified. We got to make sure that it could be that they

573
00:41:29,496 --> 00:41:34,161
end up in the school, but something went wrong, and they registered, and they have

574
00:41:34,177 --> 00:41:35,166
a different state ID or-

575
00:41:35,256 --> 00:41:35,376
Yeah

576
00:41:35,391 --> 00:41:35,391
...

577
00:41:36,817 --> 00:41:38,646
or they never registered. We've got to figure all that out.

578
00:41:39,036 --> 00:41:39,052
Okay.

579
00:41:39,067 --> 00:41:42,216
So it's really about, at this point, kind of verifying the unverified.

580
00:41:42,516 --> 00:41:42,696
Okay.

581
00:41:43,986 --> 00:41:47,076
I just want to make sure they have the opportunity if they are impacted.

582
00:41:49,116 --> 00:41:49,746
Yes, Nita.

583
00:41:52,567 --> 00:41:53,692
I'm not really sure what

584
00:41:55,146 --> 00:41:57,817
I'm asking here, but I think it's an important point to make here.

585
00:41:58,596 --> 00:42:04,236
When we look at 171 students being registered from September 1st to September 15th,

586
00:42:04,297 --> 00:42:08,226
that has a huge impact on our classrooms, classroom sizes, and the ability of the

587
00:42:08,256 --> 00:42:13,476
board to really make adjustments to keep our class sizes in a reasonable place.

588
00:42:14,736 --> 00:42:18,396
And sometimes, as parents don't know, sometimes we're all busy.

589
00:42:18,516 --> 00:42:21,306
We just think September comes around, we're going to go to kindergarten.

590
00:42:21,366 --> 00:42:23,346
I don't know where this number is coming from.

591
00:42:24,427 --> 00:42:28,611
But I would like to encourage us to be a little bit more proactive in this because

592
00:42:28,656 --> 00:42:32,856
it's hard to plan for class sizes. It's hard to then just go ahead and change a

593
00:42:32,916 --> 00:42:37,026
class once school's in session because after a kid's gone through that first week

594
00:42:37,056 --> 00:42:40,177
of school, we don't want to go ahead and have to split classes apart, and we can't

595
00:42:40,206 --> 00:42:41,886
start a new class with one or two kids.

596
00:42:41,901 --> 00:42:46,927
So I guess this is a plea to the community, but also just for us as a board and as

597
00:42:46,956 --> 00:42:51,245
a school district and admin team to think about the importance of making sure we

598
00:42:51,276 --> 00:42:52,850
know who's coming to school in September.

599
00:42:52,956 --> 00:42:56,166
But we need to know that so we can plan early in the summer.

600
00:42:56,226 --> 00:42:56,616
Mm-hmm.

601
00:42:56,736 --> 00:43:00,186
I know there's a lot of communication going out. It's overload.

602
00:43:00,427 --> 00:43:04,776
I have three kids in three different schools. I get it. Sometimes it's really hard.

603
00:43:04,806 --> 00:43:08,406
But I think just for the sake of the really difficult challenge of, A, getting

604
00:43:08,466 --> 00:43:12,756
everyone registered, that's a lot of children to be registered, but also then the

605
00:43:12,817 --> 00:43:16,356
adjustment of where they're going to school and the class sizes and an extra chair

606
00:43:16,386 --> 00:43:21,427
and an extra desk. So I just wanted to bring that awareness to everyone.

607
00:43:21,846 --> 00:43:21,861
Okay.

608
00:43:21,906 --> 00:43:25,746
And hopefully we can be a little bit more proactive in that moving forward.

609
00:43:25,927 --> 00:43:30,126
Yes. Thank you for that, Nita. Ronnie, did you want to say something?

610
00:43:30,141 --> 00:43:30,141
No, I'm good.

611
00:43:30,186 --> 00:43:34,086
Oh, okay. Yes, Betsy.

612
00:43:37,386 --> 00:43:42,366
First of all, I want to wish all the parents, staff, and leadership from the

613
00:43:42,427 --> 00:43:44,376
district a very,

614
00:43:47,466 --> 00:43:52,177
how would I say, a successful school year filled with a lot of

615
00:43:53,736 --> 00:43:59,646
good moments. There's always going to be challenging moments, but those

616
00:43:59,736 --> 00:44:03,006
good moments here and there are what hold us through.

617
00:44:04,026 --> 00:44:07,431
But last week, we did bring up the start of the new school year,

618
00:44:09,576 --> 00:44:11,856
individuals preparing

619
00:44:13,206 --> 00:44:17,286
for this school year, and one of the things that came up that there was some

620
00:44:17,346 --> 00:44:22,341
questions about was transportation and some of the changes that we have seen this

621
00:44:22,476 --> 00:44:26,946
year or put in place. Dr. Beniquit, can you give us an update?

622
00:44:27,156 --> 00:44:33,096
I know any initiative runs into its challenges, but I know

623
00:44:33,126 --> 00:44:37,177
that you were working with your team to make sure that we improve the bond.

624
00:44:39,067 --> 00:44:45,036
So yes, we had to work out some things, especially with UCVTS, in

625
00:44:45,067 --> 00:44:46,567
the beginning, was the biggest issue.

626
00:44:48,516 --> 00:44:54,156
But we made some adjustments. Some of our issues were our athletes were getting

627
00:44:54,186 --> 00:44:55,056
back to the high school

628
00:44:56,526 --> 00:45:01,896
too late, in a sense. So we've switched up the way we do our routes into dropping

629
00:45:01,927 --> 00:45:05,317
them off first. That was one of the biggest things.

630
00:45:06,547 --> 00:45:12,170
There was an issue that we had to correct with one area of town that kids weren't

631
00:45:12,216 --> 00:45:15,786
identified originally on the first few days

632
00:45:17,166 --> 00:45:21,336
as having transportation, even though there was a bus assigned to that area.

633
00:45:21,817 --> 00:45:23,646
That was rectified. So I think we're still

634
00:45:24,876 --> 00:45:26,706
getting some parents' appeal

635
00:45:27,780 --> 00:45:28,785
... that either they

636
00:45:30,300 --> 00:45:33,840
didn't have transportation, and they would like us to consider it, and we're going

637
00:45:33,870 --> 00:45:39,721
through it individually. If we can provide a bus, we're also going through

638
00:45:39,780 --> 00:45:43,890
with parents, explaining what subscription busing is, if there's seats available.

639
00:45:44,550 --> 00:45:48,960
So we're still working through some individual requests with transportation as well

640
00:45:49,020 --> 00:45:54,390
as still, if there's space now that we definitely have all our numbers.

641
00:45:55,590 --> 00:45:59,160
If we could still grant requests to change schools and the parent still wants it,

642
00:45:59,700 --> 00:46:02,010
we're individually going-- There's a couple there as well.

643
00:46:03,721 --> 00:46:09,241
Madam President, I have one more. Another thing that came up was

644
00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:14,910
when some of our children from the town attend out-of-district

645
00:46:15,300 --> 00:46:20,910
schools and communication. And I know that you mentioned last week as well that

646
00:46:20,940 --> 00:46:22,320
that is an area that you're

647
00:46:23,610 --> 00:46:27,330
rebuilding in Genesis. Can you elaborate on that as well?

648
00:46:27,810 --> 00:46:32,265
So yes. We want to make sure we could identify every student, even if they're not

649
00:46:32,310 --> 00:46:37,140
coming to one of our schools. So for example, our pre-K centers in town.

650
00:46:37,770 --> 00:46:43,560
We're identifying and creating all those schools, all the different

651
00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:50,520
facilities that our kids are at. It'll all lead into one pre-K three number,

652
00:46:51,210 --> 00:46:54,150
but then we could communicate with each facility in our-

653
00:46:55,650 --> 00:46:57,180
Parent square

654
00:46:58,351 --> 00:47:00,450
... parent square, as well as all our out-of-district.

655
00:47:00,870 --> 00:47:05,400
So if you're a student that is full-time UCBTS, we're going to have a school just

656
00:47:05,430 --> 00:47:08,430
built that we know all our UCBTS full-time people.

657
00:47:08,820 --> 00:47:13,080
The part-time ones are already on our books, because they're coming half day.

658
00:47:13,471 --> 00:47:16,320
And then we're going to do the same for out-of-district schools and charter

659
00:47:16,380 --> 00:47:16,680
schools.

660
00:47:17,070 --> 00:47:22,605
That's wonderful. So moving forward, all parents from our town

661
00:47:23,610 --> 00:47:25,080
will receive notifications.

662
00:47:25,260 --> 00:47:30,135
Yes. And it's also important because as we've been doing a lot better of a job of

663
00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:32,550
making sure we're check and verifying residency.

664
00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:34,215
Mm-hmm.

665
00:47:34,230 --> 00:47:38,430
It'll allow us to make sure we account for everyone re-registering.

666
00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:44,025
If you're in a charter school, because we're paying in a sense, not the parent,

667
00:47:44,130 --> 00:47:48,630
but we're paying the school on behalf of that student, that we want to make sure

668
00:47:48,660 --> 00:47:51,705
they're still union residents. Because we might be getting billed.

669
00:47:51,750 --> 00:47:56,505
It's a way for us to check the out-of-district school to make sure we have 400 kids

670
00:47:56,550 --> 00:47:59,640
at this facility, and they're billing us for 400.

671
00:47:59,820 --> 00:48:04,770
Right. Absolutely. And can you just talk about the number of requests that have

672
00:48:04,830 --> 00:48:08,280
been honored? I think Marissa alluded to that at the board meeting, but I think

673
00:48:08,310 --> 00:48:12,390
it's important for the public to know that as parents were making requests, we were

674
00:48:12,420 --> 00:48:17,400
definitely trying to do our due diligence with meeting them and honor them to the

675
00:48:17,430 --> 00:48:19,560
best of our ability. So that number was what again?

676
00:48:19,741 --> 00:48:19,830
I

677
00:48:21,210 --> 00:48:25,710
don't remember the exact number, but I know we were able to accommodate 50%.

678
00:48:25,890 --> 00:48:26,055
Mm-hmm.

679
00:48:26,310 --> 00:48:28,140
Or it might've been slightly above 50%.

680
00:48:28,890 --> 00:48:28,905
Mm-hmm.

681
00:48:28,950 --> 00:48:33,960
We really looked at everything individually. Obviously, based on space.

682
00:48:34,410 --> 00:48:37,170
You saw our numbers in the elementary school, where a lot of them came from.

683
00:48:37,680 --> 00:48:40,860
We just accommodated a middle school request today.

684
00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:45,991
So we're still, again, as they still come in, we're still going to individually

685
00:48:46,020 --> 00:48:50,670
look at it. But the one thing I want to, and I think it goes to what one of our

686
00:48:50,700 --> 00:48:54,090
board members said about making sure we're setting up our schools for success.

687
00:48:54,241 --> 00:48:54,284
Mm-hmm.

688
00:48:54,570 --> 00:48:59,624
We reflected on this process even though I think it was done at a high level,

689
00:48:59,670 --> 00:49:03,570
diligent, individualized, really took into everyone's concerns.

690
00:49:04,110 --> 00:49:08,400
It also put a strain on our district because so many requests came late.

691
00:49:08,790 --> 00:49:08,805
Mm-hmm.

692
00:49:08,910 --> 00:49:12,194
So we're going to do it next year where we open up a period of time, four weeks,

693
00:49:13,471 --> 00:49:15,090
starting sometime probably in May.

694
00:49:15,165 --> 00:49:15,194
Mm-hmm.

695
00:49:15,585 --> 00:49:16,815
And allow four weeks to

696
00:49:18,150 --> 00:49:20,130
someone to put in a request to transfer.

697
00:49:20,221 --> 00:49:20,295
Mm-hmm.

698
00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:24,900
And this way, we could really get hard numbers on where our schools are at to know

699
00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:28,500
for hiring if we need to, again, hire another teacher.

700
00:49:28,890 --> 00:49:31,920
We'll be able to do it with months in advance compared to now,

701
00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:34,680
between all the late enrollments-

702
00:49:34,830 --> 00:49:34,874
Mm-hmm

703
00:49:35,190 --> 00:49:39,360
... and the requests, it's very hard to manage everything successfully.

704
00:49:39,690 --> 00:49:44,491
Okay. And my last thing, and I believe it was board member Faria who brought it up

705
00:49:44,610 --> 00:49:49,005
around the after-school and before-care programs were full.

706
00:49:49,050 --> 00:49:52,665
And I know that some of them had a waiting list, and I know we had a couple of

707
00:49:52,680 --> 00:49:56,580
different people reach out to try to partner to offer services.

708
00:49:56,730 --> 00:49:59,130
Do we have an update for that, Dr. Rodriguez?

709
00:50:01,230 --> 00:50:01,605
Good evening.

710
00:50:01,605 --> 00:50:01,680
Good evening.

711
00:50:02,580 --> 00:50:08,385
So yes, at the beginning of the year, when we opened up our preschool center at

712
00:50:08,940 --> 00:50:14,760
Franklin, we had the YMCA, and there was a delay because the YMCA already did

713
00:50:14,820 --> 00:50:19,140
have the site approved, but they needed to get some extra spaces approved.

714
00:50:19,230 --> 00:50:22,710
So in the meantime, while we were waiting for the licensure people from the State

715
00:50:22,830 --> 00:50:27,780
Department, we were only allowed to take up to 60 students at first.

716
00:50:27,840 --> 00:50:32,730
So now that the licensure people came in, approved other spaces, we're good to go.

717
00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:36,120
Most of those students are off the waiting list, and we've been able to solve it.

718
00:50:36,150 --> 00:50:40,230
But some parents were unable to plan for

719
00:50:40,471 --> 00:50:44,880
before-school care at the beginning of the year, but we've reached out to them.

720
00:50:44,940 --> 00:50:49,124
The YMCA is very helpful as well. They reached out to parents, and if there are any

721
00:50:49,140 --> 00:50:54,105
parents that believe that they're still on the waiting list or don't have access to

722
00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:59,010
before care, especially at the pre-K, but anywhere from our K five schools, please

723
00:50:59,070 --> 00:51:04,560
just reach out to me by email, drjrodrigues@tops.org,

724
00:51:05,250 --> 00:51:09,690
and we can get you right in. But yes, there was a delay, but it's been taken care

725
00:51:09,750 --> 00:51:09,795
of.

726
00:51:10,741 --> 00:51:14,971
And then one other thing. One of our partners also is the Boys & Girls Club.

727
00:51:15,704 --> 00:51:15,704
Yes.

728
00:51:15,721 --> 00:51:21,060
So I met with them. They are requesting in a way for us to help them with

729
00:51:21,120 --> 00:51:21,870
transportation.

730
00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:22,215
Mm-hmm.

731
00:51:22,351 --> 00:51:24,960
But unfortunately, right now, we haven't been able to figure it out because our

732
00:51:25,020 --> 00:51:26,400
transportation is so tight.

733
00:51:26,460 --> 00:51:26,670
Mm-hmm.

734
00:51:27,601 --> 00:51:33,300
Where we consolidated, we just don't have the buses or the

735
00:51:33,391 --> 00:51:37,351
drivers to then do those runs as well. So we haven't figured out anything yet.

736
00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:37,606
Mm-hmm.

737
00:51:37,815 --> 00:51:40,260
We're going to keep working on it and see if there's anything.

738
00:51:40,290 --> 00:51:44,550
But that's another partner in town that would like to service more children.

739
00:51:44,565 --> 00:51:47,010
It's just getting the kids there is the issue.

740
00:51:47,430 --> 00:51:49,260
Okay. Thank you.

741
00:51:49,471 --> 00:51:50,880
Madam President?

742
00:51:50,895 --> 00:51:50,895
Yes, Ms. Linnie.

743
00:51:50,940 --> 00:51:54,481
Thank you. I just wanted to ask Dr. Rodriguez, talking about pre-K.

744
00:51:55,020 --> 00:51:58,500
I know there was a waiting list for pre-K four and pre-K three.

745
00:51:58,590 --> 00:52:01,351
Have any spaces opened up?

746
00:52:04,201 --> 00:52:05,925
Yes, we do have a waiting list. Some have.

747
00:52:06,030 --> 00:52:11,880
We're unable to provide preschool for all of our

748
00:52:11,940 --> 00:52:16,260
general education students at four years old at the time. Yeah.

749
00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:17,295
And three years old, same?

750
00:52:18,120 --> 00:52:21,391
As well. That's correct. Yeah, there is a waiting list, especially for our gen ed

751
00:52:21,451 --> 00:52:24,420
students. Our special ed students, there is no waiting list.

752
00:52:24,780 --> 00:52:25,289
Thank you.

753
00:52:25,380 --> 00:52:25,440
Mm-hmm.

754
00:52:25,891 --> 00:52:31,351
And my last thing, Dr. Rodriguez, if possible, can you check with the

755
00:52:31,710 --> 00:52:34,860
Boys & Girls Club? The YMCA, I should say.

756
00:52:35,370 --> 00:52:38,340
I believe when you're in the seventh grade, if it still exists, they give

757
00:52:38,670 --> 00:52:43,560
seventh-grade students a free membership, so that they're able to go to the Y for

758
00:52:43,740 --> 00:52:47,340
seventh-grade students. And I think that's something that the general population

759
00:52:47,370 --> 00:52:50,490
are not aware of, because I know a lot of people would love to have their kids be

760
00:52:50,520 --> 00:52:53,685
able to go to the Y to play basketball rather than be in the streets, or wanting to

761
00:52:53,880 --> 00:52:56,400
bike without a helmet, or anything of those natures.

762
00:52:56,820 --> 00:53:00,570
So I think if we can verify that and then put that on the website so parents know.

763
00:53:01,290 --> 00:53:04,545
Absolutely. Yep, you are correct. It's still ongoing for all seventh graders.

764
00:53:04,590 --> 00:53:08,610
It's free for the entire year, but we will put it out to the community as well.

765
00:53:08,641 --> 00:53:09,810
Okay. Thank you.

766
00:53:09,840 --> 00:53:10,500
Madam President?

767
00:53:10,860 --> 00:53:11,221
Yes.

768
00:53:11,731 --> 00:53:15,391
Hi. I just had one quick question for Dr. Beniquez and Dr. Rodriguez.

769
00:53:15,451 --> 00:53:19,290
Wanted to just confirm with parent access that it's available to our

770
00:53:19,351 --> 00:53:23,535
out-of-district population for them to stay in the community and be abreast of

771
00:53:23,535 --> 00:53:27,420
things that are going on in-district. And also, do we know what the usage is?

772
00:53:27,735 --> 00:53:33,120
A colleague and I were talking about the days when we had robocalls as a method of

773
00:53:33,150 --> 00:53:38,701
communication. But just wanted to just be clear that we have that and how is the

774
00:53:38,760 --> 00:53:42,481
usage with parent access and reaching out to our parent population and community?

775
00:53:50,490 --> 00:53:55,590
So yes, access to ParentSquare, our out-of-district families absolutely are able to

776
00:53:57,150 --> 00:54:00,270
be on it. They are on it. They do get communication through it.

777
00:54:00,810 --> 00:54:04,110
We also send out at the beginning of the year, we just sent it out to all of our

778
00:54:04,201 --> 00:54:07,949
out-of-district families to let them know that they do belong.

779
00:54:08,641 --> 00:54:10,710
We let them know what their home school is.

780
00:54:10,920 --> 00:54:11,190
Great.

781
00:54:11,790 --> 00:54:14,940
We recommend that they join the PTA of their home school.

782
00:54:15,210 --> 00:54:15,375
Wonderful.

783
00:54:15,451 --> 00:54:17,400
And we also let them know that they are absolutely--

784
00:54:19,260 --> 00:54:21,585
Please, not only are you able to, but please-

785
00:54:22,351 --> 00:54:23,205
Be a part of the community

786
00:54:23,205 --> 00:54:24,870
... part of your community school

787
00:54:26,340 --> 00:54:27,914
feel. One of those

788
00:55:32,356 --> 00:55:37,875
I have a follow-up. That have signed up and have access, or do we

789
00:55:37,935 --> 00:55:43,440
have any quantitative data to tell us the usage?

790
00:55:44,326 --> 00:55:48,165
We have 100% contact ability throughout the district.

791
00:55:48,255 --> 00:55:48,915
Okay, good.

792
00:55:49,065 --> 00:55:54,735
Email, phone. If they shut it off on their end, they only want email, they'll get

793
00:55:54,869 --> 00:56:00,659
email. No text. That's up to them. We have 100% are able to be reached in the

794
00:56:00,659 --> 00:56:01,096
district.

795
00:56:01,185 --> 00:56:01,455
Nice.

796
00:56:01,516 --> 00:56:02,790
And there's certain level-

797
00:56:02,805 --> 00:56:03,930
So I have a follow-up

798
00:56:03,930 --> 00:56:07,290
... of messages, like if it's at that level where we have to make it, it'll

799
00:56:07,305 --> 00:56:09,645
automatically go through even if they turned it off.

800
00:56:09,735 --> 00:56:10,005
Okay.

801
00:56:10,606 --> 00:56:10,619
Yeah.

802
00:56:10,619 --> 00:56:14,670
And let me ask you, you said three different mediums. Email?

803
00:56:15,240 --> 00:56:16,815
Email, phone, text.

804
00:56:17,505 --> 00:56:17,835
Okay.

805
00:56:18,465 --> 00:56:22,650
We can send alerts, like Emergency Alert or Smart Alert, and we have those-

806
00:56:24,255 --> 00:56:28,905
So when we speak to Dr. Vaniqua about the children that are out of district, will

807
00:56:28,965 --> 00:56:34,065
they now, because you're creating a school within a school, also have access to

808
00:56:34,096 --> 00:56:34,755
ParentSquare?

809
00:56:35,326 --> 00:56:36,255
They all do, yes.

810
00:56:36,525 --> 00:56:37,560
Okay. Wonderful.

811
00:56:38,445 --> 00:56:44,235
Right. So it's not that the families have downloaded the app, it's that the

812
00:56:44,326 --> 00:56:50,025
app that we have can contact them. So you don't need ParentSquare app on here for

813
00:56:50,085 --> 00:56:51,856
the ability of ParentSquare to contact you.

814
00:56:52,576 --> 00:56:53,805
Yeah, we know that.

815
00:56:53,865 --> 00:56:57,735
Right. So that's why we're able to contact everybody 100%.

816
00:56:59,775 --> 00:57:00,435
Okay.

817
00:57:00,495 --> 00:57:03,255
You're welcome. Anybody else before we move back to business?

818
00:57:04,815 --> 00:57:06,226
Great. Moving back to business.

819
00:57:08,025 --> 00:57:10,785
Next we have the Education and Student Discipline Committee Chair, Ms.

820
00:57:10,846 --> 00:57:14,505
Vernice, and Ms. Carbonell to present the resolutions that will be voted upon

821
00:57:14,535 --> 00:57:16,096
tonight.

822
00:57:22,245 --> 00:57:23,505
No, no, I got it. I got it.

823
00:57:28,395 --> 00:57:32,115
Madam President, is it okay with you if I call these en bloc?

824
00:57:32,235 --> 00:57:32,895
Absolutely.

825
00:57:33,585 --> 00:57:37,951
Thank you. Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Education

826
00:57:37,965 --> 00:57:41,476
and Student Discipline Committee presents the following resolutions for the board's

827
00:57:41,535 --> 00:57:46,606
consideration. E1 through

828
00:57:48,165 --> 00:57:50,175
E9.

829
00:57:51,645 --> 00:57:52,905
Is there a second?

830
00:57:56,266 --> 00:57:56,280
Second.

831
00:57:56,326 --> 00:57:57,044
Any discussion?

832
00:57:59,865 --> 00:58:03,915
Seeing none. The motion has been properly moved by Ms. Carbonell and second by Ms.

833
00:58:03,945 --> 00:58:06,135
Vernice. Can I have a roll call please, Ms. Cappiello?

834
00:58:06,705 --> 00:58:07,425
Ms. Carbonell?

835
00:58:07,726 --> 00:58:08,055
Yes.

836
00:58:08,175 --> 00:58:08,865
Mr. Cohan?

837
00:58:08,985 --> 00:58:09,195
Yes.

838
00:58:09,525 --> 00:58:10,530
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

839
00:58:10,905 --> 00:58:11,774
Yes.

840
00:58:11,835 --> 00:58:12,585
Mrs. Faria?

841
00:58:12,945 --> 00:58:13,274
Yes.

842
00:58:13,425 --> 00:58:14,145
Mr. McDowell?

843
00:58:14,356 --> 00:58:14,596
Yes.

844
00:58:14,805 --> 00:58:15,645
Mrs. Vernice?

845
00:58:15,705 --> 00:58:15,976
Yes.

846
00:58:16,096 --> 00:58:16,995
Mr. Nastar?

847
00:58:17,085 --> 00:58:17,385
Yes.

848
00:58:17,505 --> 00:58:18,285
Ms. Santana?

849
00:58:18,346 --> 00:58:18,674
Yes.

850
00:58:18,735 --> 00:58:19,395
Mrs. Scott-Heden?

851
00:58:19,455 --> 00:58:19,815
Yes.

852
00:58:22,995 --> 00:58:25,649
Next we have the Fiscal and Planning Committee Chair, Mr. Cohan, Mr.

853
00:58:25,846 --> 00:58:29,445
McDowell, and Ms. Santana to present the resolutions that will be voted upon

854
00:58:29,505 --> 00:58:29,985
tonight.

855
00:58:30,675 --> 00:58:34,860
Thank you, Madam President. Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of

856
00:58:34,875 --> 00:58:38,160
Schools, the Fiscal and Planning Committee presents the following resolutions for

857
00:58:38,205 --> 00:58:42,106
the board consideration. F1 and F2...

858
00:58:43,485 --> 00:58:45,945
I'm sorry, F3 through

859
00:58:48,435 --> 00:58:49,125
F14.

860
00:58:51,976 --> 00:58:52,635
Is there a second?

861
00:58:52,815 --> 00:58:53,175
Second.

862
00:58:54,106 --> 00:58:59,295
Madam President, the resolution F15 was approved at last week's work session, and

863
00:59:00,226 --> 00:59:00,405
these

864
00:59:01,875 --> 00:59:07,516
resolutions are the standard business items that occur virtually every month.

865
00:59:07,606 --> 00:59:10,065
Okay. Thank you so much, Vice President Cohan.

866
00:59:10,185 --> 00:59:13,065
So is there any discussions around the resolutions?

867
00:59:14,865 --> 00:59:18,705
No? Okay. Seeing none, the motion has been properly moved by Mr.

868
00:59:18,915 --> 00:59:22,305
Cohan and second by Chelsea Santana. Can I have a roll call please, Ms. Cappiello?

869
00:59:22,846 --> 00:59:23,505
Ms. Carbonell?

870
00:59:26,085 --> 00:59:26,415
Yes.

871
00:59:27,135 --> 00:59:27,826
Mr. Cohan?

872
00:59:28,005 --> 00:59:28,245
Yes.

873
00:59:28,755 --> 00:59:29,715
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

874
00:59:29,805 --> 00:59:30,135
Yes.

875
00:59:30,435 --> 00:59:31,185
Mrs. Faria?

876
00:59:31,545 --> 00:59:31,935
Yes.

877
00:59:31,995 --> 00:59:32,685
Mr. McDowell?

878
00:59:32,985 --> 00:59:33,285
Yes.

879
00:59:33,435 --> 00:59:34,245
Mrs. Vernice?

880
00:59:34,380 --> 00:59:34,695
Yes.

881
00:59:34,875 --> 00:59:35,550
Mr. Nastar?

882
00:59:35,655 --> 00:59:36,016
Yes.

883
00:59:36,346 --> 00:59:37,080
Ms. Santana?

884
00:59:37,425 --> 00:59:37,695
Yes.

885
00:59:37,935 --> 00:59:38,745
Mrs. Scott-Heden?

886
00:59:39,226 --> 00:59:43,785
Yes. We have no grievance and negotiations updates from the other committees

887
00:59:43,815 --> 00:59:47,565
tonight. So with that being said, we will move to the Operations and Technology

888
00:59:47,625 --> 00:59:49,170
Committee Chair, Mr. Nastar and Ms.

889
00:59:49,245 --> 00:59:52,755
Faria, to present the resolutions that will be voted upon tonight.

890
00:59:54,826 --> 00:59:57,899
Upon the recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools, the Operations and

891
00:59:57,915 --> 01:00:00,795
Technology Committee presents the following resolutions for the board's

892
01:00:00,856 --> 01:00:04,815
consideration. O1, approval of security bills, we have none currently.

893
01:00:05,326 --> 01:00:08,175
O2, approve submission of application for use of Rapidan Park.

894
01:00:08,385 --> 01:00:11,774
O3 and O4 were approved at the previous work session meeting.

895
01:00:12,465 --> 01:00:16,815
O5, approve request to use Rapidan parking lot by the Township Recreation

896
01:00:16,875 --> 01:00:20,115
Department. And T1, approve recycling of equipment.

897
01:00:22,305 --> 01:00:22,995
Is there a second?

898
01:00:23,235 --> 01:00:24,495
Second.

899
01:00:24,555 --> 01:00:25,545
Is there any discussion?

900
01:00:25,935 --> 01:00:31,229
I have a little bit. It's just in light of recent events, for O5, when we do

901
01:00:31,275 --> 01:00:32,729
things like that-

902
01:00:33,255 --> 01:00:33,270
Speak into the mic

903
01:00:33,270 --> 01:00:33,856
... You can't hear me?

904
01:00:33,945 --> 01:00:35,205
No, I can hear you, but I'm not sure-

905
01:00:35,385 --> 01:00:38,266
Oh, wow. I've never been accused of not being heard.

906
01:00:38,356 --> 01:00:44,326
So what I was saying is that in light of recent discussion, for O5,

907
01:00:44,745 --> 01:00:48,735
is that similar to what we were speaking about for whenever we have things like

908
01:00:48,795 --> 01:00:54,675
this nature, there's that insurance and then that other item that we spoke of?

909
01:00:56,025 --> 01:00:56,340
Mm-hmm.

910
01:00:58,335 --> 01:00:58,951
The school home.

911
01:00:59,055 --> 01:00:59,356
Yeah.

912
01:00:59,460 --> 01:00:59,460
Yes.

913
01:00:59,535 --> 01:01:00,435
So for all of that.

914
01:01:00,660 --> 01:01:00,660
Yes.

915
01:01:00,675 --> 01:01:02,115
Any time we do anything like this.

916
01:01:02,505 --> 01:01:02,520
Moving forward.

917
01:01:02,535 --> 01:01:03,645
Both of them are in.

918
01:01:03,899 --> 01:01:03,899
Yes.

919
01:01:03,915 --> 01:01:04,125
Okay.

920
01:01:04,305 --> 01:01:04,395
Yes.

921
01:01:04,485 --> 01:01:05,024
Thank you so much.

922
01:01:05,115 --> 01:01:07,275
You're welcome. Any other discussion?

923
01:01:08,955 --> 01:01:09,029
No.

924
01:01:09,029 --> 01:01:11,834
Okay. Seeing none, the motion has been properly moved by Ms.

925
01:01:11,865 --> 01:01:15,014
Faria and second by Mr. Nastar. Can I have a roll call please, Ms. Cappiello?

926
01:01:15,585 --> 01:01:16,305
Ms. Carbonell?

927
01:01:18,885 --> 01:01:19,215
Yes.

928
01:01:19,576 --> 01:01:20,235
Mr. Cohan?

929
01:01:20,326 --> 01:01:20,565
Yes.

930
01:01:20,985 --> 01:01:22,005
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

931
01:01:22,065 --> 01:01:22,425
Yes.

932
01:01:22,695 --> 01:01:23,505
Mrs. Faria?

933
01:01:23,955 --> 01:01:24,315
Yes.

934
01:01:24,705 --> 01:01:25,410
Mr. McDowell?

935
01:01:25,726 --> 01:01:26,025
Yes.

936
01:01:26,115 --> 01:01:26,925
Mrs. Vernice?

937
01:01:27,045 --> 01:01:27,315
Yes.

938
01:01:27,495 --> 01:01:28,905
Mr. Nastar?

939
01:01:28,995 --> 01:01:32,835
Yes to everything except I have to abstain from O5.

940
01:01:34,185 --> 01:01:35,356
Ms. Santana?

941
01:01:35,445 --> 01:01:35,685
Yes.

942
01:01:36,226 --> 01:01:36,915
Mrs. Scott-Heden?

943
01:01:37,035 --> 01:01:37,455
Yes.

944
01:01:39,495 --> 01:01:41,520
Next we have the Personnel Committee Chair, Ms.

945
01:01:41,596 --> 01:01:45,405
Conte-Mackey, to present the following resolutions that will be voted upon tonight.

946
01:01:45,945 --> 01:01:49,275
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, with your permission, can I move these

947
01:01:49,305 --> 01:01:49,724
en bloc?

948
01:01:49,905 --> 01:01:50,596
Absolutely.

949
01:01:50,655 --> 01:01:54,210
Thank you. Upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Personnel

950
01:01:54,285 --> 01:01:58,965
Committee presents the following resolutions for the board's consideration, P1A

951
01:01:59,055 --> 01:01:59,925
through P8.

952
01:02:09,435 --> 01:02:10,005
Is there a second?

953
01:02:10,125 --> 01:02:10,455
Second.

954
01:02:11,175 --> 01:02:13,096
Great. Is there any discussion?

955
01:02:15,285 --> 01:02:16,155
I have a question.

956
01:02:16,245 --> 01:02:16,576
Yes.

957
01:02:17,175 --> 01:02:17,985
On P5.

958
01:02:24,705 --> 01:02:28,516
Who was our Title IX coordinator previously?

959
01:02:28,576 --> 01:02:31,425
Or is this like a reappointment?

960
01:02:33,255 --> 01:02:36,285
Yes, it's always been by the athletic director.

961
01:02:36,705 --> 01:02:41,685
It's just I wanted to formally recognize it in some, I think just making things

962
01:02:41,715 --> 01:02:42,076
aware.

963
01:02:42,090 --> 01:02:42,555
Formal, mm-hmm.

964
01:02:43,320 --> 01:02:43,320
Yes.

965
01:02:43,365 --> 01:02:47,189
Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I had not seen that before, so mm-hmm.

966
01:02:47,356 --> 01:02:49,455
It's something that I felt was the right practice.

967
01:02:49,695 --> 01:02:49,875
Right.

968
01:02:50,085 --> 01:02:52,245
I think so. I like it. Thank you.

969
01:02:53,295 --> 01:02:54,675
Any other discussion? Thank you.

970
01:02:56,205 --> 01:02:59,745
Okay. Seeing none, the motion has been properly moved by Ms.

971
01:02:59,805 --> 01:03:02,820
Conte-Mackey and second by Mr. Nastar. Can I have a roll call please, Ms.

972
01:03:02,925 --> 01:03:03,945
Cappiello?

973
01:03:04,005 --> 01:03:04,710
Ms. Carbonell?

974
01:03:06,915 --> 01:03:07,245
Yes.

975
01:03:07,755 --> 01:03:08,415
Mr. Cohan?

976
01:03:08,565 --> 01:03:08,805
Yes.

977
01:03:09,645 --> 01:03:10,590
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

978
01:03:10,665 --> 01:03:10,920
Yes.

979
01:03:11,235 --> 01:03:11,985
Mrs. Faria?

980
01:03:13,425 --> 01:03:13,740
Yes.

981
01:03:14,235 --> 01:03:14,955
Mr. McDowell?

982
01:03:15,405 --> 01:03:15,675
Yes.

983
01:03:16,125 --> 01:03:16,935
Mrs. Vernice?

984
01:03:17,445 --> 01:03:20,865
Abstain from P3B, and yes to everything else.

985
01:03:21,945 --> 01:03:22,635
Mr. Nastar?

986
01:03:22,726 --> 01:03:23,055
Yes.

987
01:03:23,625 --> 01:03:24,240
Ms. Santana?

988
01:03:24,315 --> 01:03:24,585
Yes.

989
01:03:25,035 --> 01:03:25,800
Mrs. Scott-Heden?

990
01:03:25,935 --> 01:03:31,665
Yes. We have no policies to present at this time, and we also have no

991
01:03:31,726 --> 01:03:36,976
residency to present tonight. So may I have a motion to approve the bill list?

992
01:03:37,215 --> 01:03:37,590
So moved.

993
01:03:37,935 --> 01:03:38,326
Second.

994
01:03:39,090 --> 01:03:39,976
Any discussions?

995
01:03:42,585 --> 01:03:46,215
Seeing none, the motion has been properly moved by Vice President Cohan and second

996
01:03:46,275 --> 01:03:49,245
by Chelsea Santana. Can I have a roll call please, Ms. Cappiello?

997
01:03:49,576 --> 01:03:50,266
Ms. Carbonell?

998
01:03:52,239 --> 01:03:52,569
Yes.

999
01:03:52,900 --> 01:03:53,589
Mr. Kohan?

1000
01:03:53,739 --> 01:03:53,949
Yes.

1001
01:03:54,309 --> 01:03:55,285
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

1002
01:03:55,719 --> 01:03:55,839
Yes.

1003
01:03:56,530 --> 01:03:57,280
Mrs. Faria?

1004
01:03:59,709 --> 01:03:59,979
Yes.

1005
01:04:00,759 --> 01:04:01,464
Mr. McDowell?

1006
01:04:01,780 --> 01:04:02,049
Yes.

1007
01:04:02,199 --> 01:04:03,038
Mrs. Munisi?

1008
01:04:03,190 --> 01:04:03,489
Yes.

1009
01:04:03,879 --> 01:04:04,508
Mr. Nash?

1010
01:04:04,569 --> 01:04:04,839
Yes.

1011
01:04:05,169 --> 01:04:06,008
Ms. Santana?

1012
01:04:06,069 --> 01:04:06,400
Yes.

1013
01:04:06,549 --> 01:04:07,315
Mrs. Scott-Hayden?

1014
01:04:07,419 --> 01:04:08,349
Yes, pay the bills.

1015
01:04:11,650 --> 01:04:14,155
With that being said, we're moving into unfinished business.

1016
01:04:14,214 --> 01:04:16,959
Board members, do we have any unfinished business?

1017
01:04:19,239 --> 01:04:19,809
Ms. Faria.

1018
01:04:23,739 --> 01:04:27,160
I shared at the last meeting, and I want to share again, that one of the

1019
01:04:27,219 --> 01:04:31,929
opportunities I had was to attend the curriculum, the teaching and learning night

1020
01:04:32,019 --> 01:04:37,900
here a couple of weeks ago. I also got the chance to attend the meet the admin

1021
01:04:37,929 --> 01:04:40,328
at the high school before the start of school.

1022
01:04:41,304 --> 01:04:46,780
And I want to really just say I appreciate both of those meetings for different

1023
01:04:46,839 --> 01:04:52,000
reasons, but there was one common theme across both of those, and that was the

1024
01:04:52,059 --> 01:04:55,644
success of our students is really a partnership between home and school.

1025
01:04:55,644 --> 01:05:00,969
And I think that was a sentiment that was shared both at the high school in terms

1026
01:05:01,059 --> 01:05:06,609
of need to get students to school on time, reinforce the expectations for school,

1027
01:05:07,030 --> 01:05:10,780
the attendance, those kinds of things, but also for teaching and learning.

1028
01:05:10,914 --> 01:05:15,099
That what was shared with us at that meeting is this is your right.

1029
01:05:15,160 --> 01:05:18,264
This is the right your students have when they come and walk into our classrooms,

1030
01:05:18,339 --> 01:05:21,489
and it was really laid out of this is what should happen when a student walks into

1031
01:05:21,519 --> 01:05:27,280
the classroom. And there was really an invite of all the participants there that

1032
01:05:27,309 --> 01:05:31,209
reach out and follow those proper channels if you feel like your child might not be

1033
01:05:31,239 --> 01:05:34,329
getting something, because we're all coming from a place of wanting to see our

1034
01:05:34,359 --> 01:05:37,750
children succeed, and that partnership is what gets us there.

1035
01:05:37,809 --> 01:05:39,759
I think it was a beautifully attended meeting.

1036
01:05:39,819 --> 01:05:42,729
We started with a couple chairs and actually had to get more because of how many

1037
01:05:42,759 --> 01:05:48,549
people were here. And it was just a really nice approach to teaching the

1038
01:05:48,609 --> 01:05:53,469
whole child, thinking about the classroom, the teacher development, the curriculum,

1039
01:05:53,919 --> 01:05:59,739
and that approach of PD and coaching to make sure that we're helping

1040
01:05:59,769 --> 01:06:03,429
our teachers get better at their practice so they can in turn support our students

1041
01:06:03,940 --> 01:06:08,229
in learning and also then being able to have programs to support our parents to

1042
01:06:08,259 --> 01:06:12,069
support the work at home as well. So just really wanted to acknowledge that.

1043
01:06:12,669 --> 01:06:15,789
The other piece that I wanted to say, and I think Dr.

1044
01:06:15,819 --> 01:06:18,309
Beniquay alluded to that before,

1045
01:06:19,539 --> 01:06:25,359
my involvement with this school district as a parent started, I guess, 11

1046
01:06:25,389 --> 01:06:30,069
years ago, and I think I got myself on a committee for fifth grade,

1047
01:06:30,849 --> 01:06:34,704
Jefferson coming back and getting a K-5, and that's how I found myself on this

1048
01:06:34,780 --> 01:06:38,289
board a couple of years later. But that's work that's been happening for many

1049
01:06:38,349 --> 01:06:42,834
years. My first meeting with Dr. Beniquay, we talked about standards-based grading

1050
01:06:42,879 --> 01:06:47,634
for the support of really helping kids and families understand what does an A mean

1051
01:06:47,650 --> 01:06:50,454
in kindergarten, but rather, where's the student reading?

1052
01:06:50,530 --> 01:06:52,839
What are they capable of doing? What's that next level?

1053
01:06:53,589 --> 01:06:59,349
And one of mine is designated parent-teacher conferences at the elementary level.

1054
01:07:00,009 --> 01:07:02,769
And I know that we have faced a lot of challenges.

1055
01:07:02,829 --> 01:07:08,139
We faced a lot of-- and whenever we put something new together, there's growing

1056
01:07:08,199 --> 01:07:14,109
pains. But I have to congratulate the entire team, the

1057
01:07:14,229 --> 01:07:19,150
amount of work that was done. This September, we finally went to K-5 schools.

1058
01:07:19,509 --> 01:07:23,603
We have standards-based report cards, and we will have our first designated evening

1059
01:07:23,679 --> 01:07:29,275
parent-teacher conferences. Sometimes education has some slow movements, but this

1060
01:07:29,289 --> 01:07:33,683
team has really been working-- The amount of work that was done over the summer is

1061
01:07:33,910 --> 01:07:37,869
nothing short of a miracle. And so I just want to say thank you as a parent, as a

1062
01:07:37,900 --> 01:07:39,849
board member, and as a community member.

1063
01:07:40,449 --> 01:07:44,199
I think we're going to see great strides and great improvement in our district

1064
01:07:44,229 --> 01:07:45,009
because of the work.

1065
01:07:45,099 --> 01:07:49,929
Absolutely. Thank you so much, Ms. Faria. Vice President Cohen?

1066
01:07:50,559 --> 01:07:54,609
Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to echo some of Ms.

1067
01:07:54,669 --> 01:07:58,254
Faria's comments, especially regarding the presentation from the teaching and

1068
01:07:58,299 --> 01:08:01,089
learning team on the instructional framework.

1069
01:08:03,190 --> 01:08:08,530
I've dedicated an awful lot of my professional career to taking a look at the

1070
01:08:08,559 --> 01:08:13,359
emerging research on effective instruction and what makes a difference in

1071
01:08:13,389 --> 01:08:19,299
classrooms. And I complimented the teaching and learning team directly,

1072
01:08:19,360 --> 01:08:24,099
but I'd like to just acknowledge that they finally found a way to synthesize much

1073
01:08:24,190 --> 01:08:30,160
of that into a plan that's going to be implemented throughout the district

1074
01:08:30,249 --> 01:08:35,139
with supports. I think that's the key factor here is that it's not just being

1075
01:08:35,199 --> 01:08:40,704
announced as a plan and dropped on the desk of our teaching professionals, but

1076
01:08:40,719 --> 01:08:44,724
there's a plan and a framework to make certain that they are supported, that they

1077
01:08:44,829 --> 01:08:46,959
have the resources that they need.

1078
01:08:47,049 --> 01:08:50,603
And I know that they'll come to us and ask for more resources as they need them,

1079
01:08:51,519 --> 01:08:54,039
and I'd be eager to be able to support that.

1080
01:08:56,049 --> 01:08:59,829
I just couldn't be happier with the progress that we've made, as Ms. Faria said.

1081
01:09:00,400 --> 01:09:04,525
But I'd also like to just acknowledge that based on the reports we've received from

1082
01:09:04,539 --> 01:09:08,319
the administration and what little I've been able to observe myself,

1083
01:09:09,610 --> 01:09:14,139
despite all of the changes that we've made in this district, we had a very smooth

1084
01:09:14,259 --> 01:09:20,110
opening. We're into our third week of school already, and things are moving

1085
01:09:20,169 --> 01:09:20,650
along.

1086
01:09:21,969 --> 01:09:25,690
And I believe that that's as a result of the commitment of our staff, not just from

1087
01:09:25,749 --> 01:09:31,449
the planners at the central office, but the amazing work that was done by the

1088
01:09:31,479 --> 01:09:37,179
custodial maintenance staff over the summer to move dozens of classrooms

1089
01:09:37,269 --> 01:09:41,664
around the district. The resources and materials that our classroom teachers have

1090
01:09:41,739 --> 01:09:44,739
used for years, they had to be moved to new buildings.

1091
01:09:45,129 --> 01:09:50,979
The moving crew, the members of our staff who stepped forward to provide support to

1092
01:09:51,069 --> 01:09:54,339
actually pack and move those boxes.

1093
01:09:54,370 --> 01:09:59,679
And finally, the teachers, paraprofessional support staff, and administrators at

1094
01:09:59,709 --> 01:10:00,969
the classroom and building level.

1095
01:10:02,259 --> 01:10:06,864
They're the core of the district. They're the reason that we have to be up here and

1096
01:10:06,910 --> 01:10:11,019
make certain we provide them with the tools they need to be able to do the great

1097
01:10:11,079 --> 01:10:15,069
job to inspire and engage every student every day. Thank you.

1098
01:10:15,910 --> 01:10:20,229
Thank you so much, Vice President Cohen. Anyone else under unfinished business?

1099
01:10:21,878 --> 01:10:24,279
And thank you for sharing those sentiments, because I echo both of them

1100
01:10:24,308 --> 01:10:26,049
wholeheartedly. Thank you so much.

1101
01:10:26,109 --> 01:10:29,364
I don't need to repeat all of that, but I do thank both of my colleagues for

1102
01:10:29,379 --> 01:10:32,739
bringing that to the forefront. We have no more unfinished business.

1103
01:10:32,769 --> 01:10:35,768
We are now under new business. Chasity.

1104
01:10:36,249 --> 01:10:37,509
New business. Thank you so much.

1105
01:10:38,919 --> 01:10:42,370
I do want to welcome our-- It's called homeschool group?

1106
01:10:42,459 --> 01:10:46,239
I want to say it correctly. The homeschool group. Thank you. So it's so funny.

1107
01:10:46,359 --> 01:10:46,899
I feel that

1108
01:10:48,279 --> 01:10:49,719
things always happen for a reason.

1109
01:10:49,779 --> 01:10:53,769
I have a best friend that lives in Georgia, and we were just talking about she's

1110
01:10:53,799 --> 01:10:55,959
homeschooling her grandchildren.

1111
01:10:55,989 --> 01:11:00,819
And when they got to this part of it, her and I went back and forth because I'm not

1112
01:11:00,849 --> 01:11:05,199
sure if it's allowed in Jersey. But here in New Jer-- I'm sorry, Georgia.

1113
01:11:05,349 --> 01:11:10,660
But in New Jersey, it's 17 to register to vote, 18 to

1114
01:11:10,719 --> 01:11:16,495
vote. So I would invite you guys always, as Union residents and just as

1115
01:11:16,509 --> 01:11:20,664
residents of America, if you're in Jersey, it's 17 to register, 18 to actually

1116
01:11:20,679 --> 01:11:26,019
vote. And with that said, I want to-- I don't know if this is exactly new business

1117
01:11:26,049 --> 01:11:29,620
because I keep bringing it up. But we have EF Tours, right?

1118
01:11:29,709 --> 01:11:34,389
We have one of our wonderful tour leaders, Ms. Hall. We also had Ms.

1119
01:11:34,419 --> 01:11:35,634
Bridges last night

1120
01:11:36,849 --> 01:11:40,344
do one of her new, I guess, interest sessions.

1121
01:11:40,839 --> 01:11:44,889
And I'm going to talk about it also, but not loud like the e-bikes.

1122
01:11:46,089 --> 01:11:52,029
I gifted my currently 19-year-old, at 16, a trip to

1123
01:11:52,089 --> 01:11:55,479
Italy, Greece, and Turkey. I wish I had a mom that gifted that to me.

1124
01:11:55,899 --> 01:12:00,370
And now my two younger girls in March are going to Paris and London with Ms.

1125
01:12:00,879 --> 01:12:01,329
Bridges.

1126
01:12:02,620 --> 01:12:08,035
A wonderful opportunity to be global citizens of the world, to get that

1127
01:12:08,049 --> 01:12:12,519
traveling bug into our children, no matter where you are

1128
01:12:12,999 --> 01:12:18,594
socioeconomically. I invite you to look at the program, reach out to the

1129
01:12:18,699 --> 01:12:21,189
school if you have any questions, comments, and concerns.

1130
01:12:21,549 --> 01:12:23,785
I am not proficient on it like Ms. Hall and Ms.

1131
01:12:23,919 --> 01:12:28,899
Bridges, but there are scholarships for children that for whatever reason can't

1132
01:12:28,929 --> 01:12:30,459
financially make the obligations.

1133
01:12:30,893 --> 01:12:34,870
And for those that their parents can, there's payment plans.

1134
01:12:35,019 --> 01:12:39,669
I started this because my daughter wanted a sweet 16, and I was like, "Sweet 16s

1135
01:12:39,699 --> 01:12:44,454
are cool, but let's take it up a level, right?" So EF Tours,

1136
01:12:46,509 --> 01:12:50,649
if you go on the Union High School website, I'm going with that there's something

1137
01:12:50,709 --> 01:12:53,829
in there. But if not, call them. They're going to get upset at me, but I'll let the

1138
01:12:53,859 --> 01:12:58,389
office know that it was my fault. A wonderful opportunity for our children.

1139
01:12:58,809 --> 01:13:01,389
That's one. Secondly, something new to me.

1140
01:13:01,719 --> 01:13:04,870
For so long, you guys heard football, then you heard wrestling.

1141
01:13:05,289 --> 01:13:07,059
I have a freshman that plays volleyball.

1142
01:13:07,120 --> 01:13:07,449
Mm-hmm.

1143
01:13:08,283 --> 01:13:10,174
So our volley-- Look, I'm going to tell you something.

1144
01:13:10,233 --> 01:13:13,713
When I go to these games, I'm really just learning the game.

1145
01:13:14,403 --> 01:13:19,084
But my baby's so great. Our babies are so great at volleyball.

1146
01:13:19,593 --> 01:13:25,008
Sometimes I see these girls on the other teams, and they look... Our girls do it.

1147
01:13:25,174 --> 01:13:27,303
They get out there, and they really play.

1148
01:13:27,363 --> 01:13:30,393
So I invite everyone to come out, not only watch...

1149
01:13:31,023 --> 01:13:34,683
You can watch all sports, but please watch the volleyball, especially the freshman

1150
01:13:34,743 --> 01:13:36,393
one. My baby's there. I'll be along there.

1151
01:13:36,633 --> 01:13:36,648
Mm-hmm.

1152
01:13:36,753 --> 01:13:39,003
It's been so much fun to learn about that.

1153
01:13:39,018 --> 01:13:44,913
And then thirdly, I had the opportunity to go out to Friday

1154
01:13:44,943 --> 01:13:48,183
Night Lights. Let me just tell you that it was on 9/11. I work in the city.

1155
01:13:48,334 --> 01:13:52,503
I schlepped there all the way out. I was at the World Trade Center at like six in

1156
01:13:52,563 --> 01:13:57,424
the morning, came back, and I had such a great time with my colleagues on the

1157
01:13:57,453 --> 01:14:00,183
board. I wish it would've been a win.

1158
01:14:00,813 --> 01:14:02,313
But I can tell you that

1159
01:14:03,573 --> 01:14:09,483
I was so energized. We were so energized out there, just standing elbow to elbow

1160
01:14:09,903 --> 01:14:15,243
in the stands, on the sidelines, cheering on the school, cheering on such great

1161
01:14:15,334 --> 01:14:21,273
kids, with my alma mater, Elizabeth, the other one. But great times.

1162
01:14:21,363 --> 01:14:25,683
I'm sure that my colleagues will also say a whole bunch of fun stuff about

1163
01:14:25,743 --> 01:14:29,013
football. And this guy screams. He gets real loud on the sidelines.

1164
01:14:29,253 --> 01:14:31,053
He gets passionate. Let me just tell you.

1165
01:14:31,368 --> 01:14:31,368
I do.

1166
01:14:31,383 --> 01:14:34,743
Yeah, he does. He did. I was like, "Wow." I thought I was loud.

1167
01:14:35,223 --> 01:14:39,093
So that's my new business. Great times with EF Tours.

1168
01:14:39,243 --> 01:14:40,983
Seriously, get out there, and

1169
01:14:42,363 --> 01:14:45,213
I believe that the home school, you can definitely come along, right?

1170
01:14:45,903 --> 01:14:48,963
If you home school, come along. They'll take you.

1171
01:14:49,368 --> 01:14:49,368
Yeah.

1172
01:14:50,373 --> 01:14:54,003
And they do a lot of them. So Italy, Greece, Turkey. From what Ms.

1173
01:14:54,063 --> 01:14:55,383
Richards said, Dominican Republic.

1174
01:14:55,413 --> 01:14:59,283
They've done Japan, Paris, London, all of that great stuff.

1175
01:14:59,403 --> 01:14:59,613
Mm-hmm.

1176
01:15:00,183 --> 01:15:05,523
Volleyball, it's my new thing. And go you.

1177
01:15:05,973 --> 01:15:10,174
Mm-hmm. Nice. Thank you, Ms. Santana. Anybody else under new business? Ms.

1178
01:15:12,063 --> 01:15:12,288
Carbonell.

1179
01:15:14,943 --> 01:15:19,608
By the way, thank you for acknowledging our wonderful guests, and Madam President,

1180
01:15:19,683 --> 01:15:23,493
you as well. It is an honor, it is a pleasure to have you here tonight.

1181
01:15:24,843 --> 01:15:28,443
One thing that Ms. Santana brought up that I think we will be remiss if we do not

1182
01:15:28,473 --> 01:15:29,943
acknowledge is that it's been

1183
01:15:31,413 --> 01:15:33,003
25 years since 9/11.

1184
01:15:33,213 --> 01:15:33,424
Mm-hmm.

1185
01:15:34,413 --> 01:15:35,973
And none of you,

1186
01:15:38,493 --> 01:15:39,424
hopefully not-

1187
01:15:40,818 --> 01:15:42,663
... were alive when this occurred.

1188
01:15:42,723 --> 01:15:48,378
But many of us on this stage and in the audience and probably listening tonight

1189
01:15:49,653 --> 01:15:53,973
were, and it was something that changed the nation.

1190
01:15:54,003 --> 01:15:54,963
Mm-hmm.

1191
01:15:56,043 --> 01:15:58,893
I don't think we were ever the same since 9/11.

1192
01:15:59,313 --> 01:16:03,573
And I think that if I asked every single person here tonight, they would know

1193
01:16:03,603 --> 01:16:04,924
exactly where they were-

1194
01:16:04,998 --> 01:16:04,998
Yep

1195
01:16:04,998 --> 01:16:06,033
... what they were doing.

1196
01:16:07,533 --> 01:16:12,843
It was a scary time. So as I know that you are trying to give them these

1197
01:16:12,858 --> 01:16:16,924
experiences as part of their civic awareness,

1198
01:16:18,633 --> 01:16:22,007
please also incorporate lessons from 9/11,

1199
01:16:23,402 --> 01:16:26,433
because it's important that we always, always remember.

1200
01:16:27,093 --> 01:16:27,257
Mm-hmm.

1201
01:16:27,633 --> 01:16:28,459
On a lighter note,

1202
01:16:31,713 --> 01:16:33,093
tonight or today,

1203
01:16:34,743 --> 01:16:38,133
we begin celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

1204
01:16:38,733 --> 01:16:43,863
And as a Latina, I would also be remiss if I did not give a shout-out

1205
01:16:43,953 --> 01:16:49,623
to the cultural tapestry that makes up Hispanics in the United

1206
01:16:49,713 --> 01:16:55,113
States and around the world. So I encourage every guidance counselor,

1207
01:16:55,563 --> 01:16:56,253
educator,

1208
01:16:58,863 --> 01:17:04,698
parent, student to take a moment and just learn something about this beautiful

1209
01:17:04,863 --> 01:17:10,578
culture that is really a mix of every single other culture,

1210
01:17:11,073 --> 01:17:12,873
at least in my eyes.

1211
01:17:14,343 --> 01:17:20,103
I am from African ancestry. I am Taina, and I am

1212
01:17:20,133 --> 01:17:22,533
from Spanish heritage as well.

1213
01:17:23,793 --> 01:17:27,903
So I do not deny it, and I celebrate every piece of me.

1214
01:17:28,518 --> 01:17:28,518
Mm-hmm.

1215
01:17:28,533 --> 01:17:30,543
And I encourage everybody to do the same.

1216
01:17:30,873 --> 01:17:35,763
And if you're not Hispanic, don't worry about it. We like to party with everyone.

1217
01:17:36,438 --> 01:17:37,563
And we will include you.

1218
01:17:37,713 --> 01:17:38,103
That's right.

1219
01:17:38,313 --> 01:17:44,253
But take a moment from September 15th through October 15th to just learn

1220
01:17:44,313 --> 01:17:46,398
about this culture, and

1221
01:17:47,643 --> 01:17:51,978
so that we can celebrate one another and the things we have in common. Thank you.

1222
01:17:51,978 --> 01:17:55,158
Yes. Very nice, Ms. Carbonell. Anyone else under new business?

1223
01:17:56,283 --> 01:17:56,299
It's, uh-

1224
01:17:56,343 --> 01:17:56,853
Yes.

1225
01:17:58,053 --> 01:18:02,148
I don't have it with me right now, but I think there was a letter that went out

1226
01:18:02,253 --> 01:18:06,753
about the marching bands competing at the end of this month or next month.

1227
01:18:08,043 --> 01:18:08,823
With Carlos.

1228
01:18:09,138 --> 01:18:09,138
Next month.

1229
01:18:09,153 --> 01:18:09,903
It's next month?

1230
01:18:10,413 --> 01:18:11,238
I believe so, yes.

1231
01:18:11,373 --> 01:18:14,313
Okay. Just want to make sure that if you are available, come out-

1232
01:18:14,584 --> 01:18:14,733
Mm-hmm

1233
01:18:14,748 --> 01:18:17,598
... support our bands. They're in competition with other bands around the country,

1234
01:18:17,883 --> 01:18:18,993
or at least around the state.

1235
01:18:19,174 --> 01:18:19,353
Mm-hmm.

1236
01:18:19,383 --> 01:18:21,003
And they did exceptionally well last year.

1237
01:18:21,063 --> 01:18:23,163
So we want to make sure we got there and support them this year.

1238
01:18:25,143 --> 01:18:28,053
Thank you, Ronnie. Anybody else under new business?

1239
01:18:30,273 --> 01:18:33,093
All right, seeing none, we are going back to comments from the public.

1240
01:18:33,723 --> 01:18:38,313
And if any of our young scholars out there have a question for us and you feel you

1241
01:18:38,343 --> 01:18:41,613
want to come to the microphone, please fill out a card and come address us.

1242
01:18:41,643 --> 01:18:43,713
We would love to hear from you if you have a question

1243
01:18:45,334 --> 01:18:46,084
or a comment.

1244
01:18:48,334 --> 01:18:52,202
So with that being said, I'm going to call Jill Hall.

1245
01:18:54,753 --> 01:18:56,613
Where's she?

1246
01:18:59,313 --> 01:19:03,962
Uh, hello. Jill Hall, 509 Whitewood Road. Uh, Dr. Acosta, you're absolutely right.

1247
01:19:03,993 --> 01:19:05,674
The phone thing is going really well.

1248
01:19:06,198 --> 01:19:10,293
I was a little bit guardedly pessimistic, but it's going well, and the kids are

1249
01:19:10,323 --> 01:19:15,123
starting to recognize that they don't like it, but it's better for them.

1250
01:19:15,243 --> 01:19:15,363
Mm-hmm.

1251
01:19:15,424 --> 01:19:17,643
And they're starting to come forward with that.

1252
01:19:17,703 --> 01:19:21,633
I also wanted to point out about the graduation rate, something that is also a

1253
01:19:21,663 --> 01:19:26,103
factor. We had six students graduate from the Simon Youth Academy, which is a

1254
01:19:26,674 --> 01:19:29,613
component of the UCBTS program.

1255
01:19:29,674 --> 01:19:29,688
Mm-hmm.

1256
01:19:29,688 --> 01:19:33,783
But you have to drop out of Union High School in order to go to that program.

1257
01:19:33,843 --> 01:19:37,908
So it hurts our graduation rate. But those kids got the experience that they

1258
01:19:37,952 --> 01:19:38,223
needed-

1259
01:19:38,343 --> 01:19:38,538
Mm-hmm

1260
01:19:39,063 --> 01:19:42,303
... which is really important. But now why I'm here.

1261
01:19:42,933 --> 01:19:46,758
So counselors at Union High School were recently told that they will be sharing

1262
01:19:46,834 --> 01:19:49,113
office space with a vice principal.

1263
01:19:49,143 --> 01:19:52,473
They're going to convert classrooms and put partitions up, and there'll be a vice

1264
01:19:52,533 --> 01:19:56,283
principal with several of the counselors assigned to each administrator.

1265
01:19:58,174 --> 01:20:01,938
This raises some grave concerns regarding student privacy and confidentiality.

1266
01:20:02,763 --> 01:20:07,143
Sharing a workspace with an administrator creates a barrier of trust and the

1267
01:20:07,174 --> 01:20:11,103
willingness for students to seek our services and support.

1268
01:20:11,118 --> 01:20:15,603
This is especially true for some of our most vulnerable students, who do not wish

1269
01:20:15,633 --> 01:20:18,843
to run into their vice principal when they are seeking mental health support.

1270
01:20:19,818 --> 01:20:19,818
Right.

1271
01:20:19,863 --> 01:20:24,018
Counselors repeatedly emphasize their responsibility to maintain confidentiality.

1272
01:20:24,033 --> 01:20:27,693
But having an administrator within eyesight and earshot-

1273
01:20:28,143 --> 01:20:28,188
Mm-hmm

1274
01:20:28,293 --> 01:20:29,703
... seems to contradict that point.

1275
01:20:29,733 --> 01:20:30,663
Mm-hmm.

1276
01:20:30,693 --> 01:20:35,103
In addition, separating the counseling department minimizes opportunities for us to

1277
01:20:35,133 --> 01:20:37,084
collaborate and communicate with one another.

1278
01:20:38,043 --> 01:20:42,063
Being a few steps apart helps us to ask questions of one another, seek consultation

1279
01:20:42,093 --> 01:20:43,084
when it is appropriate.

1280
01:20:44,883 --> 01:20:48,288
Also, when a parent comes in for a conference, security will now have to walk the

1281
01:20:48,334 --> 01:20:52,443
parent to whatever corner of the building is housing that VP if it's an

1282
01:20:52,473 --> 01:20:56,523
administrative conference, or counselor if it's a counseling meeting.

1283
01:20:56,553 --> 01:21:00,033
And this will tie up security when their services are always needed somewhere else

1284
01:21:00,063 --> 01:21:00,753
throughout the building.

1285
01:21:00,813 --> 01:21:02,674
Mm-hmm.

1286
01:21:02,688 --> 01:21:07,053
The New Jersey School Counselor Association and the National ASCA, American School

1287
01:21:07,113 --> 01:21:12,273
Counselor Association, standards state that counselors must provide an atmosphere

1288
01:21:12,303 --> 01:21:14,838
of trust and protect confidential information.

1289
01:21:15,633 --> 01:21:19,773
If a student is discussing a sensitive matter such as substance use, mental health

1290
01:21:19,834 --> 01:21:25,068
struggles, or an unsafe home environment, and another staff member or student can

1291
01:21:25,113 --> 01:21:28,353
hear them through a thin wall or in a shared room-

1292
01:21:28,503 --> 01:21:28,593
Mm

1293
01:21:28,893 --> 01:21:32,193
... the counselor is in violation of maintaining a secure environment.

1294
01:21:32,253 --> 01:21:38,163
And under FERPA, a counselor's personal sole possession notes are kept private only

1295
01:21:38,223 --> 01:21:40,728
if they are never shared or visible to others.

1296
01:21:41,373 --> 01:21:45,858
In an open or shared office space, keeping physical or digital notes completely

1297
01:21:45,858 --> 01:21:50,463
secure from the eyes of unauthorized school staff or other students becomes very

1298
01:21:50,523 --> 01:21:53,238
difficult, making us vulnerable to liability.

1299
01:21:53,313 --> 01:21:53,598
Mm-hmm.

1300
01:21:54,303 --> 01:21:58,293
I respectfully request that the board take a deeper look at this decision to ensure

1301
01:21:58,353 --> 01:22:01,924
that students' rights to privacy and confidentiality will remain protected.

1302
01:22:02,043 --> 01:22:02,238
Thank you.

1303
01:22:02,238 --> 01:22:03,273
Thank you so much for that, Ms. Hall.

1304
01:22:03,334 --> 01:22:05,959
I'm going to have the superintendent address that, and thank you for bringing that

1305
01:22:05,973 --> 01:22:06,663
to our attention.

1306
01:22:07,953 --> 01:22:12,063
So I want to definitely confirm what you're saying as far as the privacy and stuff.

1307
01:22:12,153 --> 01:22:12,558
So if-

1308
01:22:13,809 --> 01:22:19,794
In the future, I could already think of some schools that, in a sense, the

1309
01:22:19,809 --> 01:22:23,859
administrators and school counselors are in the same office, in different offices.

1310
01:22:23,919 --> 01:22:26,739
So the privacy will definitely be there.

1311
01:22:26,979 --> 01:22:32,229
For example, Kalani Middle School has two administrators offices and two counseling

1312
01:22:32,289 --> 01:22:37,779
offices right there. We are trying to see about managing students in

1313
01:22:38,379 --> 01:22:43,149
a more proactive way and create teams in a sense.

1314
01:22:43,179 --> 01:22:48,969
But it'll definitely include the separation for the privacy to

1315
01:22:49,029 --> 01:22:52,539
make sure counselors have that space where children feel

1316
01:22:53,769 --> 01:22:57,459
safe, and they can trust in their counselor and what they're doing.

1317
01:22:57,939 --> 01:23:01,314
So it might not even be in the same office when I say that, but-

1318
01:23:01,524 --> 01:23:03,099
I see teams, I don't know about the whole school

1319
01:23:03,129 --> 01:23:07,509
... Right. So again, without doing construction, I don't see how the high school

1320
01:23:07,599 --> 01:23:13,299
could really... Well, I haven't been made that aware yet.

1321
01:23:13,809 --> 01:23:17,844
I know it's a concept out there. I do believe in having our administrators

1322
01:23:17,889 --> 01:23:18,639
throughout the building,

1323
01:23:19,870 --> 01:23:23,259
where they could just walk out their office and easily monitor what's going on,

1324
01:23:23,679 --> 01:23:28,179
instead of all coming from one location. But there's also research behind that.

1325
01:23:28,719 --> 01:23:34,209
But it will also include what you're talking about, and again, we'll make sure that

1326
01:23:34,539 --> 01:23:38,410
we could have teams i- in our buildings, but it could be a counseling team with

1327
01:23:38,469 --> 01:23:43,389
CSD, school counselors, same entities where an administrator's not far from there.

1328
01:23:43,449 --> 01:23:43,629
Mm-hmm.

1329
01:23:44,139 --> 01:23:49,329
That's who their team levels are. Or it might just be administrators have offices

1330
01:23:49,359 --> 01:23:52,959
in the building. We're not there yet, but it is something we're looking to do to

1331
01:23:52,989 --> 01:23:56,019
help with the management of some of our buildings.

1332
01:23:59,559 --> 01:24:01,209
Next, we have Virginia Jeffries.

1333
01:24:12,370 --> 01:24:15,564
Virginia Jeffries, 236 Brighton Avenue, East Orange, New Jersey.

1334
01:24:17,529 --> 01:24:20,769
Good evening board members, staff, and members of the public in attendance

1335
01:24:20,829 --> 01:24:26,019
physically and virtually. Topics, Marisa McKenzie, board member Chastity Santana,

1336
01:24:26,769 --> 01:24:30,009
Superintendent Beniqua, and the New Jersey Commissioner of Education.

1337
01:24:31,149 --> 01:24:35,679
Marisa McKenzie. More than two years ago, Marisa McKenzie filed two similar

1338
01:24:35,739 --> 01:24:38,979
complaints against me, which this board was well aware of.

1339
01:24:40,389 --> 01:24:44,319
000730, this complaint was immediately dismissed.

1340
01:24:45,160 --> 01:24:51,144
00748, this complaint was dismissed in May of this year, as she did not come to

1341
01:24:51,189 --> 01:24:55,569
the trial requiring her appearance. Marisa McKenzie lied to the court.

1342
01:24:56,169 --> 01:24:58,899
She told the court that I was harassing her on social media.

1343
01:24:59,289 --> 01:25:03,939
Upon demanding proof of such, her response was that other people-

1344
01:25:04,059 --> 01:25:04,554
You have to speak here

1345
01:25:04,554 --> 01:25:05,874
... was harassing her. Perjury.

1346
01:25:05,949 --> 01:25:07,149
Oh, thank you. Wrong button.

1347
01:25:08,079 --> 01:25:08,618
Marisa McKenzie-

1348
01:25:08,709 --> 01:25:12,084
Excuse me. We can stop the clock.

1349
01:25:12,084 --> 01:25:12,549
Point of order.

1350
01:25:12,579 --> 01:25:13,870
We can stop the clock.

1351
01:25:15,189 --> 01:25:17,604
I just want to explain one thing.

1352
01:25:17,859 --> 01:25:18,039
Yeah.

1353
01:25:18,099 --> 01:25:21,939
The board is always interested in hearing what you have to say.

1354
01:25:21,969 --> 01:25:27,773
When we're talking about third parties, the board cannot do anything

1355
01:25:27,879 --> 01:25:33,639
about if that party believes that their reputation is being tarnished in any way,

1356
01:25:34,299 --> 01:25:40,059
that they could have some kind of response to it, a legal

1357
01:25:40,089 --> 01:25:45,503
response, et cetera. This board is not going to. This board welcomes your comments.

1358
01:25:45,864 --> 01:25:50,154
I just think it's important for you and the public to understand that if we're

1359
01:25:50,199 --> 01:25:55,539
talking about rather serious accusations that could impact somebody's

1360
01:25:55,599 --> 01:26:01,449
reputation, that one does so in public at their peril of that person coming

1361
01:26:01,509 --> 01:26:04,614
back to protect their reputation. I just wanted to say that.

1362
01:26:04,809 --> 01:26:05,484
I am speaking-

1363
01:26:05,559 --> 01:26:09,923
And I'm not asking you to stop, I'm just telling you and the community that.

1364
01:26:09,923 --> 01:26:15,639
So I must inform you that this is a court matter that involves

1365
01:26:16,089 --> 01:26:18,939
an incident that happened on Board of Education property.

1366
01:26:18,999 --> 01:26:19,660
I just want to-

1367
01:26:19,929 --> 01:26:20,349
And so-

1368
01:26:22,329 --> 01:26:25,120
And that shouldn't take their time away.

1369
01:26:25,509 --> 01:26:31,449
Yeah. There's a point of order. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Okay? So I'm reclaiming my time.

1370
01:26:31,509 --> 01:26:33,083
I hope that-

1371
01:26:34,299 --> 01:26:34,629
Okay. Okay,

1372
01:26:36,939 --> 01:26:39,129
Ms. Jeffries, you're reclaiming your time. Okay. Marisa McKenzie lied to the court.

1373
01:26:39,189 --> 01:26:41,649
She told the court that I was harassing her on social media.

1374
01:26:41,769 --> 01:26:45,849
Upon demanding proof of such, her response was that other people were harassing

1375
01:26:45,910 --> 01:26:50,859
her. Perjury. Marisa McKenzie was given opportunities to withdraw her complaint.

1376
01:26:51,069 --> 01:26:55,479
She would not do so. Marisa McKenzie used her children to bolster her complaint,

1377
01:26:55,599 --> 01:26:59,769
implied and stated to the prosecutor that her children were in danger from me.

1378
01:27:00,759 --> 01:27:05,334
Marisa McKenzie made demands to bar me from coming to any of this Board of

1379
01:27:05,439 --> 01:27:08,229
Education meetings permanently.

1380
01:27:09,039 --> 01:27:13,839
She communicated with board member Chastity Santana about these two complaints.

1381
01:27:14,499 --> 01:27:19,179
Board member Chastity Santana. Previously, she was the board president from 2024 to

1382
01:27:19,359 --> 01:27:23,709
2025. She was never on the witness list for the complaints filed by Marisa

1383
01:27:23,769 --> 01:27:29,199
McKenzie. She had communications with Marisa McKenzie discussing the complaints.

1384
01:27:29,364 --> 01:27:32,410
She had communications with numerous people discussing the complaints.

1385
01:27:33,189 --> 01:27:36,939
She even came to a court appearance where she sat with Marisa, conversed

1386
01:27:36,969 --> 01:27:40,989
extensively with her, and left in the company of Marisa McKenzie.

1387
01:27:41,919 --> 01:27:45,939
Superintendent Beniqua. He has lied to the community and property owners in regard

1388
01:27:45,969 --> 01:27:50,049
to Franklin Elementary. The board has not challenged this, rather the board fully

1389
01:27:50,079 --> 01:27:54,804
supports this lie. There has not been a plan submitted to the NJDOE nor the

1390
01:27:54,819 --> 01:27:59,589
Commissioner of Education to renovate Franklin Elementary to be a pre-K/K school.

1391
01:28:00,129 --> 01:28:05,829
The NJDOE approval of the LRFP of June 26th, 2026

1392
01:28:05,889 --> 01:28:10,209
through 2031 never has plans to convert Franklin Elementary.

1393
01:28:10,660 --> 01:28:15,279
The superintendent is required to present to the Board of Education and the public

1394
01:28:15,309 --> 01:28:21,099
the current LRFP of June 2026 at a public meeting done by resolution.

1395
01:28:21,819 --> 01:28:26,859
There is no current state authorization for the conversion of Franklin Elementary,

1396
01:28:26,964 --> 01:28:30,639
therefore, there's no state funding to pay for any of these renovations.

1397
01:28:31,329 --> 01:28:34,779
Without the proper request from the superintendent, the property owners will have

1398
01:28:34,809 --> 01:28:40,614
to pay for any and all work done as this approved LRFP in current 2026- Excuse

1399
01:28:40,614 --> 01:28:43,239
me. Excuse me.

1400
01:28:44,829 --> 01:28:46,538
Your time has expired. Thank you.

1401
01:28:48,519 --> 01:28:48,789
Thank you.

1402
01:28:51,370 --> 01:28:54,609
No. Your time is up, Ms. Jeffries. Thank you so much.

1403
01:28:55,120 --> 01:28:58,285
I don't know if all your comments, did you just want that on the record?

1404
01:28:58,344 --> 01:29:01,569
Because I wasn't sure why we were hearing about a whole court case, but thank you

1405
01:29:01,599 --> 01:29:06,879
for that. Nothing? Okay. Your time is up, but I'm going to move to...

1406
01:29:07,029 --> 01:29:10,569
We have students in the audience who have cards in to speak, and I want to make

1407
01:29:10,599 --> 01:29:14,769
sure that we allow them the time to speak so they can get home, so that they can go

1408
01:29:14,799 --> 01:29:18,849
to bed at a proper time. Thank you. Our next person, Ms.

1409
01:29:19,209 --> 01:29:22,479
Barnswallow, I'm going to put you after. I think it's Avalon Schwarbacher.

1410
01:29:24,219 --> 01:29:27,714
I hope I've said your name right, sweetheart, because I was looking at it and I

1411
01:29:27,849 --> 01:29:30,099
don't want to mess it up, and if I said it wrong, please correct me.

1412
01:29:30,489 --> 01:29:32,529
No, that was pretty close to my name.

1413
01:29:32,559 --> 01:29:32,889
Okay.

1414
01:29:32,919 --> 01:29:37,239
Yeah. Good evening, board members. My name is Avalon Schwarbacher.

1415
01:29:37,689 --> 01:29:41,349
I live at 79 Evergreen Parkway in Union.

1416
01:29:43,870 --> 01:29:45,504
Oh. No, you have to give your-

1417
01:29:45,669 --> 01:29:46,660
I'm sorry.

1418
01:29:46,719 --> 01:29:48,998
Not your address. We're sorry. We should've told you that. Sorry.

1419
01:29:49,059 --> 01:29:49,449
Sorry.

1420
01:29:51,639 --> 01:29:55,179
I just wanted to bring up the Rapcan tennis... Oh, sorry.

1421
01:29:55,194 --> 01:29:59,964
As a member of the Union High School girls tennis varsity team, I've noticed that

1422
01:29:59,979 --> 01:30:05,169
the Rapcan courts, which were recently damaged by a storm, have had slow progress

1423
01:30:05,709 --> 01:30:11,559
on being repaired. My questions are, when will we be able to have

1424
01:30:11,620 --> 01:30:14,709
the courts fully repaired, and also,

1425
01:30:15,939 --> 01:30:19,749
sorry, so that we can hold our games and be able to continue practice?

1426
01:30:19,929 --> 01:30:24,939
Because currently varsity has practice on JB Courts, which affects the time we get

1427
01:30:24,969 --> 01:30:28,854
to practice, the time we are allowed to practice, and can also affect our varsity

1428
01:30:28,929 --> 01:30:30,370
games and JB games as well.

1429
01:30:31,359 --> 01:30:32,079
Okay, thank you.

1430
01:30:35,709 --> 01:30:38,649
Noted, and we will look into that. Thank you so much.

1431
01:30:38,664 --> 01:30:39,279
Okay, thank you.

1432
01:30:39,384 --> 01:30:41,303
And thank you for being brave enough to come to the microphone and ask your

1433
01:30:41,379 --> 01:30:42,009
question.

1434
01:30:42,053 --> 01:30:42,053
Okay.

1435
01:30:42,099 --> 01:30:42,924
We appreciate that.

1436
01:30:44,739 --> 01:30:47,859
The next person I have, now if I said your name wrong, because it looks like it's

1437
01:30:47,919 --> 01:30:49,749
running together, Dani

1438
01:30:51,370 --> 01:30:52,179
Passanelli?

1439
01:30:54,039 --> 01:30:55,149
Is it Dani or-

1440
01:30:55,479 --> 01:30:55,495
Dani.

1441
01:30:55,509 --> 01:30:57,174
I'm sorry. Dani? It is Dani. Okay.

1442
01:30:57,174 --> 01:30:57,609
It's Dani, yeah.

1443
01:30:59,319 --> 01:31:02,739
Am I allowed to ask a question and then give a response?

1444
01:31:02,979 --> 01:31:06,189
Depends on if we can legally respond in public, or we have an answer for it.

1445
01:31:06,339 --> 01:31:06,759
Okay.

1446
01:31:08,169 --> 01:31:12,849
I was wondering, because my kids are new to Hannah Caldwell School.

1447
01:31:13,959 --> 01:31:18,039
They were previously at Connecticut Farms, but then we were impacted by the

1448
01:31:18,309 --> 01:31:20,139
rezoning, and now that's where we are.

1449
01:31:22,059 --> 01:31:23,649
But I was curious about the

1450
01:31:24,615 --> 01:31:27,106
... playground that is now being converted.

1451
01:31:27,795 --> 01:31:33,555
Is that something that is the responsibility of the school to

1452
01:31:33,645 --> 01:31:38,865
take care of, or is that Board of Education property and project?

1453
01:31:38,955 --> 01:31:40,545
I'm not sure who's handling it.

1454
01:31:41,625 --> 01:31:45,375
I'm assuming you're talking about the one that when you're up walking up towards

1455
01:31:45,405 --> 01:31:45,795
the front-

1456
01:31:46,005 --> 01:31:46,110
Yes

1457
01:31:46,125 --> 01:31:46,935
... had been ripped up?

1458
01:31:47,055 --> 01:31:47,356
Yes.

1459
01:31:47,415 --> 01:31:49,275
Yeah. So it was at a point that it was

1460
01:31:51,195 --> 01:31:55,755
not usable. So there is plans in the future. Obviously, we've got to fund it.

1461
01:31:55,995 --> 01:31:58,845
We're looking for grants. But we did tear it up so Mr.

1462
01:31:58,965 --> 01:32:04,530
Shaw, who wanted it torn up, as the principal, can end up using it in a

1463
01:32:04,606 --> 01:32:06,360
way for outside area-

1464
01:32:06,870 --> 01:32:06,870
Okay

1465
01:32:06,870 --> 01:32:08,594
... but not necessarily yet a playground.

1466
01:32:09,195 --> 01:32:09,555
Okay.

1467
01:32:09,615 --> 01:32:13,545
So, we've obtained grants over the last few years for playgrounds.

1468
01:32:14,099 --> 01:32:14,099
Okay.

1469
01:32:14,130 --> 01:32:17,895
And we're working on trying to get another one for that building.

1470
01:32:18,316 --> 01:32:22,545
Otherwise, we'll try to come up with some budget, build it into the budget for next

1471
01:32:22,606 --> 01:32:27,705
year. But it was something after the budget was approved-

1472
01:32:27,945 --> 01:32:28,245
Okay

1473
01:32:28,485 --> 01:32:29,145
... the following year.

1474
01:32:30,645 --> 01:32:34,816
I'd like to give a little bit of a reason why I'm asking about this.

1475
01:32:36,316 --> 01:32:40,275
When my son started Connecticut Farms, he was a first grader.

1476
01:32:42,345 --> 01:32:47,775
He, in pre-K four and in kindergarten, had made friends with different kids who

1477
01:32:47,835 --> 01:32:52,441
ended up bullying him. So they started out as friends, and then they were either

1478
01:32:52,455 --> 01:32:54,750
physically violent towards him or...

1479
01:32:54,975 --> 01:32:58,545
And it wasn't here in Union Public Schools or anything like that, so they were

1480
01:32:58,665 --> 01:33:01,875
physically violent or teasing him or things like that.

1481
01:33:01,994 --> 01:33:07,515
So when he started first grade at Connecticut Farms, he was painfully shy.

1482
01:33:08,835 --> 01:33:10,845
There was no playground facility.

1483
01:33:10,995 --> 01:33:16,935
It was a big parking lot where the kids were playing, and as a very nosy,

1484
01:33:18,525 --> 01:33:22,695
maybe paranoid, worried about my son kind of parent, I did,

1485
01:33:24,165 --> 01:33:28,485
in the first couple of weeks of school, take a look and see what my son was doing

1486
01:33:28,545 --> 01:33:31,485
outside in the parking lot, and he was wandering.

1487
01:33:31,816 --> 01:33:35,055
He was not playing with any of the other kids.

1488
01:33:35,115 --> 01:33:39,615
He was by himself, kind of just trying to kill time it looked like.

1489
01:33:40,155 --> 01:33:45,885
So that was pretty upsetting to me to watch that he wasn't interacting with other

1490
01:33:45,945 --> 01:33:50,985
kids, making friends. There were no adults there who were trying to help him

1491
01:33:51,375 --> 01:33:52,485
facilitate that.

1492
01:33:54,195 --> 01:34:00,135
So I personally think that a playground there would've helped as an icebreaker for

1493
01:34:00,225 --> 01:34:00,945
him to

1494
01:34:02,235 --> 01:34:07,185
find something fun to do, maybe run into other kids in his class, create a game or

1495
01:34:07,245 --> 01:34:07,665
whatever.

1496
01:34:09,375 --> 01:34:15,076
So luckily, now that he's in third grade, and he's past all that

1497
01:34:15,135 --> 01:34:18,826
bullying stuff, he's much more well adjusted now at Hannah Caldwell.

1498
01:34:19,515 --> 01:34:25,305
But I do still feel for other parents who might be in our situation,

1499
01:34:25,875 --> 01:34:31,050
who might have a kid that's not really very outgoing, and a playground or some kind

1500
01:34:31,125 --> 01:34:34,800
of facility where they don't have to invent games.

1501
01:34:34,905 --> 01:34:40,529
I don't know that a playground is in and of itself essential, but maybe there are

1502
01:34:40,576 --> 01:34:42,600
other activities that,

1503
01:34:43,816 --> 01:34:45,691
plants or

1504
01:34:46,995 --> 01:34:50,655
other kinds of facilities are maybe a lot more cost-effective, because I know that

1505
01:34:50,685 --> 01:34:52,709
budgeting is a concern, that we could

1506
01:34:53,925 --> 01:34:58,335
implement there, so that way it's not on maybe two teachers who are there

1507
01:34:58,455 --> 01:35:02,475
supervising 100 kids to try to figure out what to do with them.

1508
01:35:03,090 --> 01:35:03,090
Okay.

1509
01:35:03,135 --> 01:35:08,520
So I just, I hope there's something useful we can do with that space. Thank you.

1510
01:35:08,535 --> 01:35:09,525
Thank you. Thank you so much.

1511
01:35:09,615 --> 01:35:12,856
So, and if you want to share with Mr.

1512
01:35:13,125 --> 01:35:15,840
Shaw any vision you might have for that space-

1513
01:35:16,005 --> 01:35:16,125
Sure

1514
01:35:16,425 --> 01:35:17,115
... please do so.

1515
01:35:18,375 --> 01:35:22,965
We are going to recreate it, but in the meantime, there is other space at Hannah

1516
01:35:22,995 --> 01:35:24,135
Caldwell the kids are using.

1517
01:35:25,576 --> 01:35:30,135
Thank you. And next we have Kathleen Bruns-Myers.

1518
01:35:33,765 --> 01:35:39,285
Telling her I used to sit and watch my kids in the back too. Okay.

1519
01:35:39,345 --> 01:35:43,619
Good evening everybody. Kathleen Bruns-Myers, Cranford, New Jersey, and during the

1520
01:35:43,695 --> 01:35:45,914
day, still Livingston Elementary School.

1521
01:35:47,445 --> 01:35:53,025
As most of you know, the last seven years I participated as an educator in the

1522
01:35:53,085 --> 01:35:57,225
pre-K four program at Livingston. Loved every minute of it.

1523
01:35:58,455 --> 01:36:04,005
I'm a little sad that I'm not still with them, but I'm really happy at my new home.

1524
01:36:04,845 --> 01:36:08,356
Because I did kindergarten the year before I went to pre-K, and now I'm back to

1525
01:36:08,385 --> 01:36:12,165
kindergarten. Took me a while, obviously, to play well with others.

1526
01:36:12,225 --> 01:36:17,160
So, I just have to say a few things. Number one, I don't think you could've picked

1527
01:36:17,385 --> 01:36:21,525
a better principal for a pre-K center than who you did.

1528
01:36:22,305 --> 01:36:26,850
She is the epitome of sensitivity, love, caring.

1529
01:36:27,180 --> 01:36:31,890
Doesn't matter if they're three, four or 19, she's fabulous, but she loves the

1530
01:36:31,935 --> 01:36:35,145
little ones. And I have to say that that is a sad thing that I'm not with her too.

1531
01:36:35,356 --> 01:36:37,485
Not that I don't love my principal. He's doing a great job too.

1532
01:36:40,035 --> 01:36:45,885
Parents at my school are commenting about the time drop off, the time pickup.

1533
01:36:46,455 --> 01:36:51,330
It's the same time. There is an extra time in the morning that they could go and

1534
01:36:51,375 --> 01:36:54,015
have breakfast, but if they don't want to have to pay for them to have breakfast,

1535
01:36:54,826 --> 01:36:57,975
they're trying to get them to the schools, and pickup is really hard.

1536
01:36:58,695 --> 01:37:04,590
Even if it was staggered 10, 15 minutes to get from one side of town by Franklin to

1537
01:37:04,606 --> 01:37:07,695
get over to Washington or Livingston, it's just not cutting it.

1538
01:37:08,205 --> 01:37:11,955
So I don't know what your plan is. I don't know if you're thinking of trying to

1539
01:37:11,985 --> 01:37:16,095
shift things, but I've asked any parent who has said something to me to please

1540
01:37:16,155 --> 01:37:20,895
email you, Dr. Pancuesta. Whether they do or not, I don't know, but that's been my

1541
01:37:20,955 --> 01:37:21,255
answer.

1542
01:37:21,435 --> 01:37:21,645
Mm-hmm.

1543
01:37:22,095 --> 01:37:22,725
Want me to keep going?

1544
01:37:23,175 --> 01:37:23,550
Sure. Go ahead.

1545
01:37:23,655 --> 01:37:23,955
Okay.

1546
01:37:25,875 --> 01:37:30,735
I do have to say, too, in pre-K, we didn't do report cards.

1547
01:37:31,215 --> 01:37:35,595
We did family conference forms, which were based on the objectives and the

1548
01:37:35,655 --> 01:37:40,935
dimensions of the New Jersey standards for P3 and P4 students.

1549
01:37:41,385 --> 01:37:47,340
So I'm really excited because I'm kind of used to that type of, not say grading,

1550
01:37:47,415 --> 01:37:48,435
but evaluations-

1551
01:37:48,494 --> 01:37:48,810
Mm-hmm

1552
01:37:48,810 --> 01:37:50,550
... that now I'm in kindergarten, that we're switching.

1553
01:37:51,225 --> 01:37:54,645
It's just going to take me a while to learn how to do that in kindergarten, and I

1554
01:37:54,705 --> 01:37:58,185
feel like a lot of my colleagues feel the same, so at least feel like I'm not in

1555
01:37:58,215 --> 01:38:02,775
the own boat on that one. So we'll figure it out, and we know that you're going to

1556
01:38:02,805 --> 01:38:04,155
help us out to learn that.

1557
01:38:05,385 --> 01:38:09,645
I want to thank all my fellow staff members, all the teachers, the assistants, the

1558
01:38:09,705 --> 01:38:13,770
staff members, the custodians, the maintenance department, the principals, the

1559
01:38:13,816 --> 01:38:18,945
administrators, the board of ed. Everybody has worked so hard to get this school

1560
01:38:19,005 --> 01:38:23,775
year up and running, and I can only say it is off to a speeding start.

1561
01:38:24,675 --> 01:38:29,715
I've seen some of you around. It's been crazy awesome, and it's wonderful.

1562
01:38:30,585 --> 01:38:35,775
Many of us are with new teaching teams and new grade levels in new buildings, and I

1563
01:38:35,805 --> 01:38:39,180
just have to say, anyone who I've talked to, whether it's my building or another

1564
01:38:39,255 --> 01:38:44,925
building, my friends, my colleagues, every single new teaching team has been so

1565
01:38:45,015 --> 01:38:50,085
open and welcoming and inviting that I have to give a huge kudo and shout-out to

1566
01:38:50,145 --> 01:38:54,555
everybody in this district because it's great to come in and feel like you're not

1567
01:38:54,615 --> 01:38:56,865
the outsider. I'm going fast. Don't look at your clock.

1568
01:38:57,645 --> 01:38:58,665
Taking a few notes.

1569
01:38:59,475 --> 01:39:01,455
Sorry. I'm going. Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba.

1570
01:39:02,356 --> 01:39:06,165
Everyone I talked to has had almost the same expression as me.

1571
01:39:06,195 --> 01:39:09,765
While they've been in bed at 9:00 or 8:00 o'clock, and I've been in my classroom

1572
01:39:09,826 --> 01:39:11,955
still trying to get it together since I moved.

1573
01:39:11,985 --> 01:39:16,425
But everyone is exhausted and exhilarated for an awesome year.

1574
01:39:17,475 --> 01:39:17,490
Yeah.

1575
01:39:17,490 --> 01:39:21,345
Livingston School is going to be 100 years old next year.

1576
01:39:21,405 --> 01:39:21,451
Wow.

1577
01:39:21,451 --> 01:39:22,875
So we started talking about it last year.

1578
01:39:22,905 --> 01:39:24,856
Another thing that I'm happy about to still be there.

1579
01:39:24,975 --> 01:39:25,606
Thank you.

1580
01:39:26,175 --> 01:39:27,405
Okay.

1581
01:39:27,451 --> 01:39:29,295
Aw. You want to email us, Ms. Bruns? Please do.

1582
01:39:29,310 --> 01:39:32,535
I know, but it's exciting for the neighborhood to hear. 100 years old.

1583
01:39:33,465 --> 01:39:34,320
Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much, Ms. Bruns-Myers.

1584
01:39:34,335 --> 01:39:35,625
Getting ready for a celebration.

1585
01:39:35,865 --> 01:39:36,106
Yes.

1586
01:39:37,576 --> 01:39:37,875
Sure.

1587
01:39:38,505 --> 01:39:40,875
So as just a quick follow-up to the pre-K.

1588
01:39:42,195 --> 01:39:46,576
One thing that a lot of people don't realize is it was the same starting time last

1589
01:39:46,635 --> 01:39:48,135
year and the year before and the year before.

1590
01:39:48,915 --> 01:39:53,205
There was a lot of parents that had to go from other areas of town to Hannah

1591
01:39:53,265 --> 01:39:57,525
Caldwell because they were the ones that had six or eight classes of pre-K, I think

1592
01:39:57,555 --> 01:40:03,135
it was. So because not every school had enough pre-K for their-- Like

1593
01:40:03,195 --> 01:40:05,655
Washington, I think, had one. Livingston had two.

1594
01:40:06,465 --> 01:40:10,695
People did have to travel across town to if they wanted pre-K.

1595
01:40:11,745 --> 01:40:15,856
I know it's, again, a concern. That's why we opened up our buildings early to drop

1596
01:40:15,915 --> 01:40:20,235
off. We're still strategizing to see if there's anything more we could do.

1597
01:40:20,326 --> 01:40:25,454
But, I think a lot of people don't realize it might be their first time in pre-K,

1598
01:40:25,576 --> 01:40:30,285
don't realize we didn't change the start times from the previous years, and didn't

1599
01:40:30,316 --> 01:40:33,826
realize that they might not get their local school, and they had to go across town

1600
01:40:33,885 --> 01:40:39,675
anyway if they wanted it. And so I think it's also educating everyone to say, "Yes,

1601
01:40:39,735 --> 01:40:43,755
we're at one facility, but not much else changed."

1602
01:40:47,349 --> 01:40:53,109
Thank you, Dr. Benquista. With that, the board will be going back into

1603
01:40:53,169 --> 01:40:56,469
executive session, and actions may be taken.

1604
01:40:59,109 --> 01:41:00,519
Move to executive session.

1605
01:41:00,849 --> 01:41:01,209
Second.

1606
01:41:02,379 --> 01:41:06,939
Any discussion? Seeing none. Can I have a roll call please, Ms. Scaviello?

1607
01:41:07,209 --> 01:41:07,989
Ms. Carbonell?

1608
01:41:08,410 --> 01:41:08,799
Yes.

1609
01:41:08,889 --> 01:41:09,699
Mr. Regan?

1610
01:41:10,209 --> 01:41:10,539
Yes.

1611
01:41:11,079 --> 01:41:12,129
Mrs. Conte-Mackey?

1612
01:41:12,189 --> 01:41:12,489
Yes.

1613
01:41:12,759 --> 01:41:13,539
Mrs. Faria?

1614
01:41:13,719 --> 01:41:13,974
Yes.

1615
01:41:14,049 --> 01:41:14,844
Mr. McDowell?

1616
01:41:15,099 --> 01:41:15,399
Yes.

1617
01:41:15,669 --> 01:41:16,448
Mrs. Minisi?

1618
01:41:16,599 --> 01:41:16,839
Yes.

1619
01:41:16,899 --> 01:41:19,689
Mr. Massa? Mr. Massa?

1620
01:41:20,410 --> 01:41:20,424
Yes.

1621
01:41:20,424 --> 01:41:21,069
Ms. Santana?

1622
01:41:21,160 --> 01:41:21,459
Yes.

1623
01:41:21,759 --> 01:41:22,779
Mr. Scarpino?

1624
01:41:22,870 --> 01:41:23,199
Yes.