WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=RZgu_Lq_cnw

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: RZgu_Lq_cnw):
- 00:27:23: Meeting Opening, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call, Minutes Approval
- 00:30:40: Student Representative Report: Achievements and Car Wash
- 00:32:52: Superintendent's Report: Fire, Virtual Learning, Performances
- 00:36:05: Budget Difficulties, Tax Levy, Staffing Cuts Discussion
- 00:41:07: Addressing Rumors About Salary, Wellness, and Programs
- 00:49:00: Dr. McGrath Dedication: Introducing speakers
- 00:52:01: Dr. McGrath Dedication: Remarks by Miss Kissner
- 00:56:45: Dr. McGrath Dedication: Remarks by Dr. Joseph Stone
- 01:01:30: Dr. McGrath Dedication: Remarks by Colleen McGrath
- 01:06:22: Transition To The Library, Audio Testing Interruption
- 01:17:19: Patriot Award Presentation To Dr. Tom Elliott
- 01:23:20: Recognizing Honorees: Community, Student, and Staff
- 01:24:23: Recognizing Adam Saniel, Community Member of the Month
- 01:29:26: Recognizing Victor, School Number Seven Student of the Month
- 01:33:35: Recognizing Emily Kroni, Staff Member of the Month
- 01:35:50: Recognizing SATASH, Elementary Vice Principal of the Month
- 01:40:21: Building Restoration Update and Report
- 01:41:46: Public Comments: Daryl Ro on Budget Cuts and Wellness
- 01:47:32: Public Comments: IEP Concerns Regarding Program Cuts
- 01:49:56: Public Comments: Isaiah Flores and Mr. Power: Appointments Clarification
- 01:54:40: Public Comments: Additional Administrative Positions Discussion
- 01:56:21: Public Comments: Jason Rose Involuntary Transfer Concerns
- 02:00:41: Public Comments: Building Men Concerns, Wellness Center Impact
- 02:03:43: Public Comments: High School Principal Transfer, Special Education Cuts
- 02:06:14: Public Comments: School 10 Principal Change Impact
- 02:08:12: Public Comments: BEA President on Staffing and Budget
- 02:11:54: Public Comments: Administrator Count and Abolishment
- 02:20:41: Public Comments: Alleged Open Public Meeting Act Violation
- 02:23:53: Public Comments: Wellness Center and Building Men Reconsideration
- 02:28:11: Board Responds to Public Comments on Agenda Items
- 02:50:33: Personnel Resolution Approval: Trustee Garo No Vote
- 02:57:59: Motion To Approve Items 9-11: Regular and Finance Items
- 02:59:21: Public Comments Open to Any Issue, Melanie Cardosa Speaks
- 03:03:59: Public Comments: Yoli McLe and Dress Code concerns
- 03:12:02: Student Testimonials: Impact of Dedicated Staff Members
- 03:14:55: Student Voices: Honoring Mentors Durant, Flores, and Moralda
- 03:18:12: Appreciation for Mission Group, Mia, Gosser, Budget Concern
- 03:19:23: Political Email Controversy: Superintendent's Involvement Questioned
- 03:21:20: Communication Issues, Teacher Placement, Student Disruption
- 03:24:29: Student Perspective: Wellness Center and Mental Health Impact
- 03:28:38: Student Questions Leadership Decisions and Priorities
- 03:30:26: ESL Supervisor Removal: Concerns for Hispanic Students
- 03:32:04: Data Disparities, Leadership Issues, and Equity Concerns
- 03:38:05: Student Protest Suppression, Wellness Center Refuge Needed
- 03:42:47: Mentor's Plea: Prioritize Students' Mental Health
- 03:46:08: Environmental Impact on Mental Health in Schools
- 03:48:48: Clarification of Budget Cuts: Unprofessional Handling Charges
- 03:55:19: Alumnus Argues Against Cuts, Highlights Key Staff
- 04:00:09: STEM Director Qualifications Questioned: Creationism Concerns
- 04:04:37: Building Men: Advocating for Needed Support System
- 04:07:58: Lack of Board Input, Questions on Budget Vote Unity
- 04:13:43: Importance of Mental Health Resources, Personal Experiences
- 04:19:16: Accusations of Deficit Blaming and Misleading Financials
- 04:25:25: Compliance Concerns with Multilingual Learner Support
- 04:30:24: Need for Mental Health Support and Bilingual Counselors
- 04:36:38: Condemning Cuts, Prioritizing Black and Brown Children
- 04:42:47: Student: Highlighting Importance of Mental Health Counselors
- 04:47:23: Personal Testimonial for Resources, Change Needed
- 04:52:33: Board Responses, Clarifications, and Future Plans
- 05:05:24: Board Member Defends Actions, Calls for Unity
- 05:16:19: Board Members Express Appreciation and Advocate for Funding


Part: 1

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for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Open notice of this meeting has been provided in accordance with the open public meeting of NJ

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by the board secretary. Notice posted in the office of the board of education and sent to the deputy official 48 hours. The notification was made time and location of the meeting and to the extent known as

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the only law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have notice of and law which any business interests are acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of the act, the board of education has caused notice of this to

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be published by having advertised in the ledger and hand in the record. Also notice of this meeting has been mailed to the members of the board clerk hall elementary school middle school early childhood center and posted on the district website. Also, this meeting is

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being televised via the executions. >> Hello. Hello. Can we hear me in the back? Just >> working out there. Yes. >> Yes.

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Trusty Gillis here. >> Trusty Mosusty Pac. >> Vice President Dr. Maja >> here. >> President Neil >> here. >> We have a >> Thank you. We have a motion for the approval minutes for April 15th, 2026

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and April 23rd. >> So move second, please. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Using this audio. >> Thank you. We are now moving along to our student representative with her report.

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>> Good evening everyone. Before I begin my report, I would like to congratulate all students and staff for receiving recognition for their outstanding achievements tonight. In old news, congratulations to Raquel McFarland for being awarded the 2026 SEC

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best teammate award. This award celebrates teamwork, leadership, and character. Raquel McFarland has exemplified Bee's quality through her season on the Belleville bowling team, where she also won first place in the county tournament. Congratulations to Daryl Row for being chosen as Fel High

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School's 2026 NJSIA scholarship recipient. Each year, Belville High School selects a senior who participates in a varsity sport, maintains a GPA of at least a 3.0, and demonstrates outstanding school and community involvement to receive this

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award. As student government president, a member of the National Honor Society, and and an outstanding track and field athlete, Daryl Bro embodies these qualities and is well deserving of this scholarship. Congratulations to Bubble Crew team

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members Amanda Bestie and Camila So for winning first place in the lightweight doubles at the Garden State Scholastic Championships. They finished the race in under 9 minutes against multiple teams in New Jersey. In new news, Belleville High School's crew team will be hosting

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a car wash at Belleville High School for Sher driveway on May 30th from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Get your car wash and help support our talented crew team. Check out Belleville High School's websites to access access monthly newsletters with

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school information, updates, and events for students, staff, and teachers. Thank you. Thank you for that report. We are now moving on to our superintendent report by Dr. Is everyone here?

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>> So, good evening everyone, board of education, staff, members of the community. Tonight, I want to begin by acknowledging the very extremely difficult situation we had couple weeks back. This was the 14 alarm fire over. It was a extremely rough couple weeks.

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from what Governor Cheryl said when she came it was the third largest structural fire in the state of New Jersey. So it was kind of shock. It says very lucky and alive my understanding a couple firefighters one spring elbow some smoke inhalation and that was actually it. So

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it was miracle nonetheless that you know all these specific I do want to thank extremely thank our first responders our OEM our police and fire department. there around the clock and once we were

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able to streamline the communication it was constant communication constantly updating as as often as they could all things considered nonetheless you know something of this magnitude every hour on the hour information different things were changing and nothing of this mag

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so you trade for something like this but once your hands on it things change instantly so absolutely did the best they could and the best we could as well. I want to give a shout out to our administrative team and our staff. After 3 days of

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being closed, we finally got a semi to go virtual. Virtual is in the state of New Jersey has to have a specific approval to do. So, we got the approval. I called the administrative team in by 9:00 a.m. I said, "All right, we're

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going to get a new okay group and by the very next day we were virtually communication was out and we did the best of a very difficult situation. Phone books were being

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distributed that same day. We had multiple pickup locations and also we were able to feed our community which is very important thing. Big shout out to MOO. She got she got a phone with the department of health, the department of uh agriculture as well to make sure

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there was additional funding needed because this is definitely something out of the norm and we were able to serve for 2,000 years during these days which is nothing short of amazing also and I also want to talk about

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the two have seen the performance of school seven school had a music performance family which was a high school level. I would not say necessarily double high school but double high school level.

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So our performing arts is amazing amazing and big kudos to Mr. Sanos in the back there. He uh he took a very active role in the production of it and principal luck is here as well in fix of the arts and this is something that

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we're looking to see if we can multiply. It's something crucial a lot of students who sometimes may not feel seen or heard or won't necessarily find their niche with reg. So it's a fantastic initiative and now you know the inevitable we talk

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about some of the difficulties as far as budgeting and finances that we're facing as a district as a state as a whole. So as we discussed publicly during our budget presentations over the last two months our administration inherited $3.6 6 million

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that was coming into tax on top of that estate reduction putting us in about $4.6 million which if you watch different towns it's

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becoming more of a thing and it should be that's legislation figure out we're doing the best we can $4.6 million There's only so many ways public service you can find that that

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program redundant services and you start auditing every single every single department to see where possibly you may cut with the minimal amount of instruction but ultimately none of that I think even if it's an educational

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program that two teachers using this whole school those two teachers going to get the overarching is what he needs to look like. So that being said, programs ultimately we get to personel. Personnel is one of

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the costs that the district ends in our budget budget presentation. Our personnel line is on the larger even for a district our size. From 2021 to 2025, we are at net cost of 175,000

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and we've only increased our district by 182, which is almost. So, we needed to find a way to brighten the size and ultimately nonrenewals and administrative organizations. It's

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never easy to stop that. They impact lives, they impact families, impact students. But nonetheless, it is the administration's responsibility to have a balanced budget to provide a balance budget to the last not

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we have to provide every single itemized cost to follow to the cut. If you heard around other districts looking at cuts that were in

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our budget presentation last month, we were able to cut down enough considering we were walking $6 million to 29 positions. 29 positions for our staff is about approximately a thousand staff members

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is not great. everyone touch but all these things consider the amount that we were surrounding plus in comparison to our districts that are very similar size to us we did the best we could and we're actually proud that we minimize just that which is under 30

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finances are a very difficult conversation one of the things that this board explored was the administration myself we provide three options options the potential tax less and what it look As a community, we had conversations

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about tax. Taxes are astronomical, you know, and there never. So, it is our judiciary right and responsibility as a board to make sure that we somehow find the middle ground between the

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staffing and making sure that we are not really hitting the community as hard. Find that middle ground. So as our weather presentation we mentioned the state actually gave us the authority in the

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green light to go up to 13%. That would have been devastating to do a 13% tax increase with a 13% tax increase or very close to I'm not a serious one because as you all heard health

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insurance is very we just got a potential increase we'll talk about when we have more information. So the board responsibility to try to find more we ultimately came up with 5.9%. Which again other times is

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astronomical 3 3.5% is usually what we are used to back in the day before health insurance and everything else took over. So 5.99 again in comparison to other districts was very conservative. So we were conservative we kept the

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community in mind and we minimized to only 29 plus. So as far as cuts that was the rational behind it that's explanation behind it is never easy decision but it's decision ultimately have to make the alternative is you want to That's it. You actually

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got to stay for 10 years. And those of you that have been long enough, you got to stay moder. So, moving forward real quick, I had a lot of families reaching out to me with concerns and it seems like like the media started to kind of touch a little

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bit of momentum over the last few days and there's some things that I'm not clarify here right now that my attention. >> So, the first thing is rumor has it that I had $50 $50,000 increments my salary.

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Some of you will visit four meetings. My sign is public as public. If it was $50,000, number one be public. Number two in place. Number three and approve by the council. None of those things are anyone before

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my contract. My contract says 71. So there's no revision to the contract that says $50. Absolutely. Second that the wellness department in the middle high school needs that is also false incorrect

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we are downsizing department the same downsizing every department even our custodial unit when you go back to our meeting which I 100% recommend everyone goes and watches it it's on the budget um section on this reation the whole poweroint side there

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every single department from custodial instructional support administrative all because that's the right way to do make an equitable cost. We all have to feel the pressure and we all have to set up. So the department has not been

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eliminated. We're also not eliminating programs. Another thing that a lot of parents what programs reduce are eliminating programs. One of the things we mentioned at our budget was the school is the same class

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size is not increase and the programs are still there which again the building act when supporting staff like the bar and everything else it's difficult. we were able to that's not the case that we're eliminating ESL program

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by that's impossible I myself I know the need there is especially in this community so that's not the case so I want to clarify that was there reduction in that department yes reduction department

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uh JC is not removed saying why that came up I'm not sure but nonetheless I'm confirming to you all here that Gerald seemed lastly another one was building men building men at the high school and also

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middle school how a bunch of parents called me and said why is building men being um removed and I said that's the first time I have it conversation that was how school leadership was that our federal funing

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is being temporary. We received a 20% reduction. We're supposed to expect another 20% reduction. You all heard the news. The current administration is talking about removing federal government and putting the building back on the state. So progress as vital as

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building them. It is not safe or reliable for the district as a whole to maintain funding. The funding was provided to the school and the school or the new school that's safe to maintain as well. So there is funding the school will be

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the one who will be covering that cost. This is a school based program. And as far as this information, I think pretty much um and that's it. We've been working around the clock to try to make the best of our

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needs. The reformul is an organic diet. It's ever changing. The reason that they use mass risk is because out the conversation is because we need to make sure as a district we're

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able to financially be where we need to be and there's resignations there retirements. These are constantly happening. We've had we've had three retirements the last couple weeks. So we already plug in some of these staff members that were originally being

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position. I actually want to point out one that happened at the end which uh I want to give a kudos to Mr. Don Mr. I'm calling advocate about our counselor Stephanie council and I

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know AND she's she had a conversation about security. If we can find a way to all set it then we're good. That's it. He dug with his bud. He dug with his budget. We collaborated and we finally found a way to

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find the funding for her. So at 3 p.m. she got the call. We should be returning. So that is an agenda on this agenda also. So that's just a testament that we are actively trying to bring back as many people as possible. But with the current number is what we have

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as people retire, as people retire. We're trying to offset that. So, I just want to give you an example of how we're working behind the scenes to make sure that we bring as many people back as possible. I want to give a shout out to Mr. Klein. I think I saw him here somewhere. We just literally had a

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conversation with client. We had a conversation right before leaving central office and he found some potential funding. Okay. So, let's figure out how much potential funding is. Let's match the number. I told you it's the numbers. Okay. We

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match match dollars match. So, we're trying. We're trying. We're doing our best. There's nothing we can say that makes it a good conversation. It's a difficult conversation, but it's a conversation as a whole we collectively have because you deserve to be informed

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in the budgeting. And so, that's about it. I think I've talked long enough. It's a little here. Um, if there's any questions, please reach out. Another story told you also if you're contacting me from an anonymous email or

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whatever the case I'll respond to anonymous I can't address a comical person and know where you're coming from in the background without knowing you are and also with 1100 families in the district with 5200 students over staff members we need to prioritize the people

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that we do know and get back to them in a proper manner. So, please reach out and stay confidential as someone of course and we'll figure it out. We'll have a conversation. We'll do our best. I see a couple of my students over here, my high school students. Uh we got a few

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students that uh reached out to me yesterday and talked about some of these issues and how they felt and how effective they were. And we had a great conversation. An hour and a half, right? An hour and a half, two hours. And the way they the the composure they

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display, the way they communicate themselves and the level of respect is commendable to the parents. If you're here, congratulations. And you watch my home again saying these are the students that are going to represent us as a whole as poss.

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So I'm very proud to have this conversation with them and see some of the amazing individuals and students that are really shaping this community and they're going to be our future hope forward. So that was I want to tell them on a

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good note. We have amazing students. We have an amazing staff and we are striving to get better every single day regardless of the obstacles that are present. Thank you. Yeah, it's loud. So why are you all here? Just a much

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smaller. Thanks. So the reason we're all here, we're doing a lot of great dedication to Dr. McGrath. Dr. McGrath was a veteran administrator here. Um I see a lot of veteran staff here and you know from my understand Dr. McGrath is an amazing person. She's no longer with us. family is here with us and I'll thank you all

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for coming and just a few remarks here. This dedication honors the lifelong commitment and enduring legacy of pastor McGrath a cornerstone of the double school community who dedicated over three decades to its students and families. Throughout her distinguished

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career, Dr. Graph champion the power of literacy serving as a high school English teacher, vice principal of Belo High School and dedicated principles to both Dublin Middle School and school where I am today. A pillar of strength, intelligence, and compassion, she lived

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by the philosophy that education is the one thing that no one can take. Dr. McGrath was far more than administrator. She was strong, independent, and a mentor who pushed her students to find their voices. A role model who gave

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herself tirelessly. By naming this library in her honor, we celebrate her devotion to the love of community and her tireless efforts to foster a love of reading. She believed that education was a journey of transformation and that every student

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has the potential to achieve greatness through the world found within books. May this space serve as a lasting tribute to her spirit, inspiring generations of Belo students to discover their own passion for learning their own

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voice the way she did through a remarkable life and career. I would now like to introd introduce one of our goats here, one of the greatest to ever come as a confidential assistance, Miss Kissner. Can you please

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come on over AND UH GOOD evening everyone. First, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Dr. Alonso, Dr. Del Board of Education for this fabulous honor for a total blind

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distinguished woman. Um, I met Marilyn McGrath when I was a power professional. I was sent to the middle school. I worked in the morning at number eight school and I went to the middle school and they said, "Well, we need to suck

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down there." And I said, "Oh, boy." Cuz I was a little afraid of her. I got to be honest with you. Um she had such a demeanor, such grace, and she

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>> Oh, sorry. >> Um and she carried herself with a certain stance and integrity. So the day that I went down there, she was in her office and standing there and I looked and I waved and she waved back

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to me and I went back down into the classroom. A little while later, she came down to introduce herself to me and we had a nice long conversation. Well, my love for her started, I think,

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then because the way she spoke about the students in that building was just unbelievable to me. At the time, I had my son, my oldest son was a seventh grader there at the middle school and there was a situation I'll never forget.

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It was a May. My son was almost kidnapped on his bicycle. Thank God there was an innocent bystander that did put a stop to it. But my son was very nervous and the next day he had to go to

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school and he didn't want to go because he was so scared. So I forced him to go and we went to the office and I thought that I would have him speak to one of the counselors and he turned to me and he said, "Mom, I

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think I want to talk to Dr. to birth. And I said, "Okay, well, we'll ask her and see if she has a few moments for you." Well, when I tell you after she heard his story, she took almost the entire morning

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devoting a listening ear to my son. She at the time then called our juvenile detective at the time, Tony Lissa, and she had him come to the middle school to meet with my son.

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My son was treated like I couldn't even imagine. They didn't want me staying in there because, of course, I'm an overbearing mom. And she stayed with him the entire time.

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They had the police come. He made a police report and she was with him every step of the way. She never left his side. From that moment on, she became my

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sister and my family. She spent many, many times with me. She watched me cry as my children went off to prom. She celebrated many milestones in my children's life.

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Unfortunately, she was taken from us very soon. Um, I loved her dearly. She is a she was a great role model and I think knowing that this library will now carry her

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name, hopefully other children will be able to get to know her story as well. So I thank you all for this time and have a great evening. Are you here? Hi, welcome to school 10. It is usually

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a lot cooler than this, I promise. Thank you, Dr. Alanto. Thank you, President Leo. Um, so I'd like to introduce Dr. Joseph Stone, who served as a vice principal of the middle school, principal of the high school, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. Dr. McGrath and Dr.

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worked together for 10 years at the high school and he and she are still spoken back quite often. DR. I tell you one thing. Okay. >> Yep. I tell you one thing. I don't miss the board meetings. When I was appointed principal of the

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high school was in October of the school year and it wasn't a very popular decision. two vice principles that were there were bypassed for the decision. Faculty members actually came out on the board meeting that I was appointed

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against my appointment. So as a leader, you want to make immediate impact, especially in October. You didn't have this summer to prepare yourself. And I was once told by a very intelligent administrator, if you're the smartest person in a room

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with a group of people, get out of that room. Marilyn was in my room. And she was the smartest one in the room. As a result of teamwork with her,

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we changed the grading system at the high school. We lifted standards. English teachers were given four classes to teach, not the customary five, to make sure they had enough time to improve the test scores for the high

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school graduation test for middle stage. She actually had the art department with students and that's the most important thing we're talking about right now with students come up with color schemes to get rid of the hospital

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green that was everywhere in the high school. And actually she said we're going to have an accent wall in each classroom. And to tell you the truth I had no clue what an accent wall was. We went through 10 proms together.

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The anxiety of going through 10 proms, you have no idea. And always at each one of those proms, the couples that were together from freshman year through senior year

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decided that night it would be a good time to break. So what Marilyn most of the time is on the bench trying to console both parties. We often as school leaders we often ask

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ourselves when we have time are we making a difference? Are we having an impact? And usually the students are the testimony to that. But more importantly, the legacy of Marilyn is that she was a vice

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principal, principal of the middle school, that school head for all the students, not just for the honor students. She spent a lot of time working with cosmetology in all the vocational tracks we had at the high school that time.

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Every student was her student. And that legacy that we're honoring tonight continues with her daughter Colleen who is a principal at our elementary school at York Dolman which is the Tom

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Rivers district that was rated by US News and World Report one of the top 40 schools elementary schools not in New Jersey in the United States and was also recognized by Department of Education as a blue ribbon

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That is Dr. Mlad's testimony that you see in her daughter here tonight and what this board and what we're doing tonight to honor her by naming that library at school number 10. So, thank you. Thank you.

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>> Thank you very much. An accent wall is something we like to use the spice up the room and makes you feel welcome. So in it is now my honor to welcome members of the McGrath family as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Marilyn McGrath. At this time I would like to to

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introduce Dr. McGrath's daughter, Colleen McGrath, to share a few remarks and tell me what I can do here so that we get all not quite sure how I'm going to top the building that even um I first would like

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to take an opportunity to thank Dr. Alonso, Dr. Dia, who was very integral to this moment. Dr. Copelan for having us here and the board of education for approving this opportunity to continue

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my mother's legacy here at Belleville. Um, we left Tom's River at 4:30. We arrived here at 6:30. I don't miss the traffic. I actually relocated to Ocean County when I was 23 years old. But I grew up

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in Bloomfield. Look, we're built in Bible. This is this is my home. And on our way up, I was telling my friends, "Well, this is this, this is this, and here's this, and here's this." So, it's it's my childhood come to life again.

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Um, we went through my mother's tenure here, the high school, the middle school, and her um final place was here, school 10, which I never stepped foot in here until tonight. So, it's a beautiful

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little school. Um, this was her first experience with elementary. Elementary is my only experience for 30 years. And, um, she was very surprised at some of the behaviors of the little ones. And she said to me,

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I was just standing in the line. This little girl just broke out. And if you knew my mother, she was very animated. Um there might be some parents here who remember her as vice principal or principal. Um I was doing scholarships

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in her name for the past 10 years and there were always roars in the audience from parents of uh they were the parents of students that she had 40 years she was in Belleville district and yes students were her priority. She

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went to proms she went to sweet 16s. She was invited to she was invited to weddings of her former students and she was proud and honored to do that. Um, as far as her intelligence level, yes, she

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was the smartest woman I knew ever. She read a book a day in the summertime and I kid you not, she'd come down from here, beach chair book, and it would be done the next day. She knew every English word in an unabridged dictionary

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and some that weren't even in the dictionary and she could tell you was part of speech and she could use it 12 ways and it it just amazed me her intelligence level and her passion and her desire to help students and watch

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them grow. So the library in her name is an honor that she probably wouldn't have wanted because she was very humble. She may not have appeared that way, but deep down inside she was. She never looked for

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recognition, but I know that the majority of Belleville appreciates her and loved her. And to know her is to love her. And she was a driving force. And she was much taller than me. and

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she knew her staff and I am again honored to be here and I thank you very much from the bottom of my heart and yes she was only retired for 6 years. So I will tell you that go out and live life to the fullest. Take advantage of every

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opportunity that you can find something that you love to do for the students and do it well and appreciate everything. And yes, her legacy is your education is the one thing no one can ever take away from you. So study

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hard and do well. And I thank you very much for your time. Thank you very much. Um, at this time I invite you to proceed to the library to do an official ripping site with family, the people that are here to honor her. You are all welcome to join us. I will

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warn you, it is a hallway. Um, I believe Mr. Parado and his team are going to record it and post it online later for those of you who want to watch it, but if you do want to join us in the hallway, we're going to walk to out this door to the right. And it says end the

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hallway center library. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two. Test test test. Test one. Test two. Test one. Test two.

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Test. in ESGR. We're an all volunteer group. We were founded in 1972 when the draft stopped. And as it's good to remind myself and others at times

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when we think of the people who guard our safety all the time over 50% of our military armed services is is uh the um is national guard reserve

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units. So less than 50% is in standing army which means these citizen soldiers who are in the national guard and reserve units they all have other jobs they have families they have multiple multiple commitments that they keep in

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addition to being deployed sometimes up to a year or longer. So I'm thrilled when we get to come and say thank you to those who support those who serve. So on

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behalf of your colleague Bruce Status, I am here to present a patriot award to Dr. Tom Elliott for his support of Bruce when Bruce was deployed in Iraq for a year. And when you think about all of

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the things that go into that, it was just helping with family things, healthc care things, anything at all that might come up, Tom Elliot really, really stepped up to support Bruce and his family so that Bruce could focus on what

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he needed to do while he was on this mission critical deployment. So, please join me in congratulating Tom Elliot and in thanking Nice to meet you. Thank you so much for everything.

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Come on. My service dog usually hands it off to me. Thank you again so so much and thank thank all of you for your for your commitment to it. Thank you. Are there anyations? >> All right. So, since we have a lot of

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faces here, usually what we look next is how we have distinguished honores for uh each month and we have a community service award. We have our staff member of the month, districtwide, student of the month, districtwide, and administrator of the month. We do one

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for each category to make sure we recognize our entire community. They'll get selected teacher of the month. There's one selected from every school, and then from there, they're randomly selected to be honored at the board meeting. Same thing for our students as well, administrator, and our community service. That's a board uh board

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recognition that we do. So, I want to start off by acknowledging our community member of the month. Uh this is you come up please. SO you haven't seen a familiar face. Yes,

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he's he is for you. So yes um so Adam Saniel is the owner for he's the founder of Kay the team America alliance for leadership education he's an entrepreneur and he has amazing commitment to uplifting communities

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that's he dedicated his life to he's a proud American entrepreneur Adam has dedicated his work to creating opportunities for students immigrants and future leaders through guide he has helped support and mentor young Cuban American students through scholarships, leadership development programs,

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cultural education initiatives designed to empower the next generation. It's been a blessing and honor to work with him in that capacity. He takes the students on field trips to Florida to really embrace the culture, the Cuban American culture. And recently he actually took him to two years ago. He

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went to Cuba two years ago and to really embrace grassroots culture and what makes uh Cuba Cuba through the hardships and the excellence as well. He's a former owner of Corous. Adam has helped grow a business root in community culture and social impact, creating jobs

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and mentorship opportunities while celebrating Cuban heritage through New Jersey, including right here in Bel. If you go to coffee, you know, and if you don't know, check out Washington Street. Uh in addition to his entrepreneurship and nonprofit work, Adam has also served

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in the United States Coast Guard, reflecting his deep commitment for service, leadership, and giving back to the country and community that helped him throughout his journey. On behalf of Board of Education, we thank Adam Sier for being a role model, community

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advocate, and leader whose impact continues to inspire others both locally and beyond. Please come say a few words. Yeah, I I think I'm uh maybe the first person that's getting awards tonight. That's uh that's living, right?

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>> Oh, that's right. Sorry. Um well, thank you so much, Eric, since I was a little kid playing baseball in H County. And um I want to say thank you. I think you have a great leader. And so it's trying times and difficult things going on. All

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good leaders uh have the vision to see in the future and then build back from there and make the right decision. So I trust you all good leaders Eric and the rest of the leaders here. Um I want to thank all of you for supporting Eagles throughout these years. It's been a it's been a wonderful

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ride. uh between the coast guards and the nonprofit guy. Um the most the most fun I have right now is being a father to two daughters. So um family first. Family first and uh and I always put

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community first as well. So thank you so much and I appreciate it. Eric, thank you so much for the rest of the time. Thanks, bro. Okay, next let's talk about principal first month. Okay guys, first off, thank you very much to the Delta Board of Education,

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our administrators, staff, family, community members, Dr. Alonso, Dr. Dalia. Um, it's my pleasure to stand up here today on behalf of the amazing student. Um, this student is missing a little bit of a baseball game at this

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point, but don't worry, I get rained out at the very end. All right. So, don't worry. We'll do a rain day for this one. This student is absolutely amazing. Victor, I'm going to say

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come running up here. Here we go. overhead right over. It is absolutely my pleasure to recognize him tonight for school number seven student of the month. Victor is an

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outstanding fifth grade student, consistently exemplifying leadership, kindness, character, and academic dedication. But really, Victor is the type of student Aaron school hopes to have.

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Each and every day, he demonstrates what it means to be a positive role model within our school community. He approaches learning with enthusiasm, works hard in the classroom, and always gives his best efforts. More importantly, Victor leads by his

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actions. He is respectful to staff, peers, leadership, and everybody within the school because he is compassionate, he has empathy, and he always looks out for a student next to him. Victor's

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positive attitude and well-rounded character makes a lasting impression and impact throughout school number seven. Whether it's collaborating with his classmates, participating in school activities, or simply encouraging others to do their best. He creates the school

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culture centered around kindness, inclusion, and respect. As a fifth grade leader, Victor is represents our school the very best he can on a daily basis. We are extremely pr proud of his

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accomplishments and who he is as a student as a whole. Every single teacher that speaks about him speaks extremely highly as if he is still in their class. So, Victor, come on up. Be recognized for being

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and Selena as well. Nice job. I'm blessed. I'd like to call up our next principal for the staff member of the month. >> Good evening, Dr. Ronzo, the board and distinguished guest. It is a great pride tonight to recognize Miss Emily Kroni as

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our staff member. Mr. Cron is a kind the kind of educator who makes lasting impact on everyone around her. Each day comes to work with a smile, positive attitude, and a genuine dedication to our students and colleagues. Her hard work and commitment

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do not go unnoticed and she consistently goes above and beyond to support our school community. What truly stands out about Missy is that her creativity and passion for education. She's always bringing forward great ideas, finding new ways to engage

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students, and helping make our school even a better place for everyone. She's also a really great baker. I know every time she walks up, she makes me cookies. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Her willingness to collaborate and contribute is greatly appreciated by all the who work with

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her. Miss Kuri represents the very best of what it means to be an educator. Caring, hardworking, innovative, and dedicated to student success. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of our school family. Please join me congratulating Miss Emmy incredly on being recognized as our staff member of

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the month. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> All right, last but not very least at all. Up next is our elementary vice principal, SATASH.

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with us this year. He is the vice principal of not only school 4, school 7 as well. And for those of you who know school 4 and school 7, that's no small fee. Somehow he finds a way to be in both places at once. It seems like from what staff was talking, he's empathetic.

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He's kind. He is truly in it for joy. I tell him sometimes, uh, it's difficult to find him because I never know where he is. I pop into the hall, pop to the office, he's never there. Where is he? Very good chance. He's in a classroom, scroll down on the floor, one of the

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students, and just having a great time. He's a servant leader. He's here before most people get here or not here, the school. And there's a lot of times that I'm leaving the central office at 6:30, 7:00 and I see him. So it's a true

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testament to the hours, dedication, and the heart behind the lead. So it is an extreme honor and a privilege to present you with this award of flesh. Thank you. Before I get started, can I get my staff in both four and seven to

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come over this? Just think two months ago we were shoveling a foot of snow. These are my rock stars. Can't do it without them. And I want to first thank Dr. Dr. Le. I am humbled. It's hard for

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me to speak about myself, but I'm not in it for me. I'm in for my staff and the students that I serve. I truly believe Belleville is a special place. I have welcome Belleville. I believe the students that we serve will change the world. I go in each class every day. The

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teachers can tell you I call it scholars. I told them to think big, dream big, and shoot for the star. And I can't do it without you. So this award is not just for me. It's for my staff. He's putting hands and every student I

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started SAYING WOW. YEAH. HEAT. HEAT. HEAT. All right. Thank you, President. Um, first I just want to thank the the Township School District for um lending

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us their AV equipment tonight when we work with them. We appreciate them partnering with us. I also want to take a moment to just acknowledge the tremendous effort surrounding major fires that we experienced uh these 10 days. So while it already feels like much longer the district was incredibly

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fortunate to work to work alongside a group of professionals who helped us reopen the school safely and efficiently. Um that includes our environmental consultant, Mr. Vera and Nine first on site for the restoration work at school 9. All of the builders responders especially Captain

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Aoon Chie and all their staff for their professionalism, responsiveness and support through the incident. I also want to take a minute to recognize Mr. Petta, Mr. Wangley, Mr. Parado, Mr. who were literally here on here in district who was on the ground the entire week uh

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12-hour days uh just trying to strategize and coordinate problem solve all the buildings getting reopened and safely for the students and staff. Um and shout out to Mio for working collaboratively with uh to ensure that we'll make available to our community during the construction. That's all for

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my report. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Ho. We are now going to move on to remarks by citizens on agenda items only. You all have three minutes each. Can I please motion to open remarks by citizens? >> Now a second, please.

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>> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. We are now open for remark citizens on agenda items only. Uh, our first senior is Daryl Rose. Thank you. Hello, members of the board, faculty, staff, and fellow students. I

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am Darla Ro, and I stand before you today as your student government organization president. Yesterday at 11:00 a.m., our student body was prepared to walk out to demonstrate our collective disagreement with the proposed budget cuts. Instead, I had the privilege of speaking directly with the

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superintendent to seek clarity. While that conversation cleared up some information regarding the budget cuts, it does not mean I really agree with them. I'm here today to speak for the teachers, the counselors, and the deans sitting in this room, but most importantly for the students whose

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futures are being compromised. First, let's talk about wellness. In my meeting with the superintendent, he confirmed that the wellness center will not be abolished but be downsized. But the administration solution is to have students struggling with mental health crisis turn to the academic counselors

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instead which I view is a lose-lose situation. It places an unfair and overwhelming burden on academic counselors and forces a divide attention on students who deserve specialized care. Mental health is not a necessity.

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ATTENDANCE and academic performance. This the administration constantly stresses the importance of attendance. Yet these very cuts will absolutely damage it for next year. For so many of us, school is not just a building. It is an escape. It is a safe haven for whatever we are facing at home within

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our minds. When you strip away these programs that support students will meet the cost of personally. I'm sorry about this on agenda. I told you agenda. Of course. Listen,

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we have to explain this to you because because we have like we have three months and the first portion of public comments are for agenda items and the second portion >> I'm going to give you a I'm going to explain this

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and There's only twice actually and I cannot be interrupted because here this is the board of education. The most important part is that everybody hears each other. We want to hear from every single person who has signed up to speak

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tonight. Sometimes twice. There's this section and there's the next section. But we can't do that if we're shouting over each other. Okay. Okay. So, I'm going to explain how it works one more time. This and by the way, >> the school board, the student president

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is speaking very articulately. I know every single board member here wants to hear everything that she has to say. >> We are going to hear everything she has to say. In fact, we're going to let her finish this session. Every speaker after being supervised by the president who speaks is going to

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have the opportunity to do so on agenda items only. And then if they don't speak generally about any other topic, they can do that in the second session which is coming up soon thereafter. Okay. So that's what's going to happen. I'm sorry to interrupt you. Just want to make sure.

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>> Okay. The administration constantly stresses the importance of attendance. Yet these fair cuts will actively damage it for next year. For so many of us, school is not just a building. It is it is an escape. It is the same payment for whatever we are facing at home or whatever are our minds. When you strip

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away the programs that support students well-being, the consequences will show directly in our grades, our mental health, and our attendance numbers. You cannot demand high performance while removing the floor to help students up. Finally, I stand here as living proof of what these programs achieve. I have

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personally benefited from them and I can assure you by cutting these resources, you are cutting away the personal growth of students just like me. Students who need that extra push to break out of your show and find your voice. Look around this room today. Look at the students, the parents, the faculty, and

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the staff who are pating the chamber. Today, we are here because we care about the future of this school and this district. If this many people come from every corner of our community have come out to stand together and speak up against these cuts, then you have to realize that something's fundamentally

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wrong with this plan. As leaders, your budget reflects your values. Do not bal balance the budget on ambassador to the wellbeing of students. And I urge this board to reconsider these cuts. Protect our staff and invest in the students who need it the most. Thank you.

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Heat. Heat. This is on an agenda. Okay. Thank you. >> Hello. Good evening everyone. I'm here because I am very concerned about some of the programs that are some of the staff that's being cut, but primarily because my son has an IEP and I want to

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know how because that's a legally binding. So I want to know how is that going to be like honored with the IEP at this point so much. >> I CAN'T HEAR YOU. THE MIC DYING, >> PLEASE.

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7.15. >> So what the board let you do is we're going to get all the questions and respond in the moment just to help everybody get >> I still have questions. >> I'm ready to So I'm understanding that

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there's a program and the program is the RCI, right? And this is supposed to help children who like maybe fall behind in education or maybe behavioral. How are we is that being cut? Cuz that's what I'm understanding.

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>> Okay. So I want to understand like if that program is being cut, is there a new program that's going to come take place that one or how are we going to go about this? because there's a lot of children who really helped ESPECIALLY questions and I'm sure that there's other people who want to speak but these

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are very important to me so thank YOU Can I please have up next Isaiah Flores? My name is uh before I say anything, I just want to say the main person over here, Mr. Mr. C, Mr.

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uh most of the people that were on this side were that side that joke was really disrespectful and board of education should have done better with that joke. MHM. especially not that power

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say but you know I feel better that soon and uh see Maple River. Can I please have up next Alexa so we can just have everybody just lined up and ready to go by one of the best hospital did sign up for the first few

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minutes session Just please line up against the wall so we can just get you up there. And session one, the first session. Agenda items only 3 minutes. >> All right, Mr. Power, you're good to go. >> Good evening, Lady O'Hara 57 Fairway. Um

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I just wanted to clarify some things. Agenda 7.17 in the appointments specifically these four staff Bruno Cook James Luna Yolanda Kyosia Thomas.

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Um so these are the appointments but when I look at agenda 730 which is the administrative reorganization these same four staff are being moved to a different position.

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>> Now the positions these four are being taken away from are not listed in the 7.29 agenda which is the abolishment of the administrator's positions. So again, my question is who will now hold these

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positions that are not in the abolish list if all four staff are in the administrative reorganization list? Um like example the confidential executive assistant to the superintendent.

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Are you not going to have a confidential assistant anymore? Because as far as I can see, you will also not have two assistant superintendent. And then on top of that, an assistant superintendent to the

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assistant superintendent. So to the board, we're taking notes on how you are involved tonight because residents will be taking that into consideration when you're OFFERING Can I please roll

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all responses at the end of the first session? >> Um, hello. Good evening. Um, I'm here tonight at first community member, taxpayer, and most importantly, as a parent, our district currently has um I'm going to add on to what you said. Uh, our district currently has a

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superintendent, an assistant superintendent, and a confidential assistant to the superintendent. Now, this upcoming school year will have a superintendent, two assistant superintendent, an assistant to an assistant superintendent, and a chief of staff. My concern is not personal toward any individual. I appreciate the work

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that administrators do. However, I believe the community deserves transparency and accountability regarding how and why these positions are necessary in a district of only 5200 students. At the end of the day, the priority of this district should always be students and classrooms first. Every

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dollar spent on administration is a dollar that cannot be spent elsewhere. Whether that's academic programs, student support services, teachers, extracurricular activities, or facility improvements. I respectfully ask the board to provide greater transparency regarding administrative growth and to

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demonstrate how these positions are delivering clear value to the students and families of this district. Thank you for your time. Good evening. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Jason Rose. I currently serve as the principal of Belleville High School and I'm here tonight as a proud member of the Belleville public schools community as

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an executive member of the association of Belleville school administrators where I currently serve as the grievance chair. Tonight you're being asked to approve my involuntary transfer elementary school 8. On May 15th I was informed of this move and told that already been discussed at the board I was told this is what the board wants.

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Later in the conversation, asked for clarification regarding the reason for the move was informed that I had been told earlier in the year that the board wants to make some changes. When I asked if this is the board making this decision, I was told this has been discussed with the board and the board's in agreement. Since arriving involved in 2015, I dedicated myself fully to this

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district and students. During my time at the high school, programs that were developed to support our most vulnerable students have proven to be extraordinarily impactful. We found meaningful ways to reach our MLR population. HAVE demonstrated tremendous growth over the past two years. The programs

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established within the wellness center provide students with critical services that support the development of the whole child that truly made a difference in the lives of our students. Additionally, we've increased our CTE offerings and grown our highly successful academy programs during my time here. Finally, last year BHS was

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recognized by the state for implementation of programs that led us to having the highest graduation rate among title one high schools across THE SUCCESSES. I unfortunately been kept in the dark regarding staffing decisions, rehires, and whose risks will stand. Members of my staff have had to learn

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through board agenda release whether they appeared on a rehire list. This is not how I handled these matters in the past with my staff. I disappointed this is how they received such important information this past week. My staff deserves better. Just 2 days before my May 15th meeting,

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rated to be highly effective with a perfect 4.0 scare score. To date, there have been no allegations of misconduct, no performance concerns, and no professional deficiencies presented to me whatsoever. The final reason I was given as to why this transfer is taking place because of a restructuring of administrative positions across the

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district. My question is what are we realigning to? To date, we have no idea what the actual vision of the district is going forward. I'm unaware of any committee meetings or any community input on how specific administrators fill specific school gaps based on their strengths. The existence of the church from the

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high school is not based on performance. So what is it based on? Given my professional record, the timing of these actions and my role as an ABSA executive member who has filed a number of grievances since July 2025 regarding continued and ongoing contract violations. I would be remiss if I did not express concern about the appearance

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or perception surrounding these decisions. From where I stand, these actions of fear aren't true, personal, politically motivated, AND RESPECT. We ask the board to tail these administrative actions and fully evaluate the long-term impact they may have on students, staff morale, district

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civilian, and public trust. Because once trust, leadership is broken, it's far harder to rebuild THAN ANY POSITION IS. YEAH. HEAT. It looks like uh I'm a junior at high school as a member of the building program to ask if

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you know the percentage of the students that are uh that go to the lunch center all the questions. >> Okay. So, if it's a if it's a significant amount, then calling uh then cutting funds for it makes no sense. They want uh it will lead to a decre a

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decrease of students get the help they need. Uh we uh we understand that there will be a wellness center and um counseling but with less staff uh that will lead to less women being uh heard along with the wellness center uh along

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with wellness center from the program which is where I heard you guys weren't going to do that but you guys did say that you guys are going to get less funding and that might be a chance that might that might be a possibility. Is that going to be a possibility that those men's going to get a cut? Okay. Regardless of that, um the program was

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difficult. If you if you reduce the amount of people that work for um the learning center or building men, then at the end of the day, there's less students being held the way that they need, and it's going to end up with a lot of students not being heard the way they need to be heard. Um,

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sorry. Uh, >> um, thank you. Sorry. Uh, I don't have the statistics. I can say firsthand of how much building men in the one center has helped me and many others. Um, maybe not everybody, but it's helped out majority of the people. I understand that the funding is a what's it called? That

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funding is the main thing that goes into it, but at the end of the day, it's the students that matter. And if the students aren't getting the help that they need, then what is the purpose of getting to school? Because with ethnic, they go there just to get help and to learn. And at the end of the day, if that's not what they're getting, they want to come to school. Um

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uh and if you don't know the percentage at the end of if you don't know if sorry uh if you don't know the percentage of the kids that go to the water center or building men um they are sorry uh if you don't know the percentage of the people that go to building men center then um

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that sorry when they uh detrimental schools that help the students you're uh that you basically raised >> I'm sorry >> YOU'RE DOING PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS THAT GO TO those men. Um, take your time

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>> and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. >> The detrimental schools that help the students, you're basically raising that there's no point. There's no point in Good afternoon everyone. Um to the board. Um I'm a little shocked

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that the double high school principal is currently being transferred. Um, I have an entire question to ask the board with respect to the number of teachers that are being cut specifically to the special education department. Um, some

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of them have been added on to the list that was published earlier today. Um, what are we going to do about that as far as voting with whether or not they're going to know they're going to be retained for next year? And to the Belleville High School principal,

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where are you? Um my daughter Felicity is no uh spring chicken. Um everyone knows my daughter Felicity at Bel High School. Felicity has gone through m mountains enough of

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education from New York City public schools and now to Belleville Middle School to Belleville High School. The B high school's principal and his staff, including the special education department, specifically Nana Council

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and her team have gone above and beyond what they need to do as far as teachers are concerned. She is one of the teachers that are on the verge of being cut um this year. Um I just wanted to say to you and your team because of them and his and his leadership, my daughter

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who is special needs, nonverbal, can now speak. attention and the skill set she has needed to to live a productive life under the current principal Miss Donna cancel who's been a phenomenal teacher who has given up her weekends who has

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given up her time who has volunteered to teach my daughter who is She can give you a hard time. What are you guys planning to do? She is one of the teachers being cut. I'm a little at loss for words knowing

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that this phenomenal educator and his some of his staff is going to be cut. What are we going to do as far as when are we voting on? When is the teachers going to find out? Um when is he going to be retained? Thank you. Up next, Andrew.

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>> I hope everybody can hear me. Um, just like some of the other gentlemen, I want to talk about the administrative changes, especially the principal, the principal here. Um, in my academic career, all public school in New York City, my son's academic career here in

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New Jersey, we've never had a principal change in all those years. My daughter's in fourth grade in the school and it's going to be the third principal change in 5 years. I want to tell you a little bit about Dr. Calhoun.

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My daughter's confidence because of her relationship with Dr. down is immeasurably better. She cares about the kids. The kids love her. And and to have the principal and you have a high school principal be ripped out of the high

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school and then and then the school 10 principal be ripped out of school 10. When I was in the corporate world, we had a term called empty suit syndrome. And that's when executive came to a new role and due to your own ego had TO

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say that that I'm here to support our principal and and after the high school principal spoke, I've never seen him before. I don't know him from anybody, but he did a hell of a job and and Heat. Heat.

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Education Association President representing over 450 teachers, counselors, CST, and nurses. I want to talk about first um agenda item 7.18 to 7.28. Superintendent's manage management team

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has created 11 new administrative job descriptions. whether he would like to believe that he can change a job description without negotiating an increase in salary. This is simply will not hold up and will turn out to be a lengthy and very expensive

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litigation which will ultimately cost the valable taxpayers. Okay. So I want to first bring that cannot just change job responsibilities without discussing increase but I'll leave that to the the question. SECOND

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ADMINISTRATIVE reorganization four administrators will receive additional compensation and three are involuntary. Interestingly enough one of the involuntary transfers the high school principal Mr. Rhodess will be replaced by an elementary

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principal. Fiscally speaking, the administrative contract assigns the highest salary minimum minimum to the high school principal and all school principles. And since you cannot reduce the salary of a school employee, you will be

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reassigning the high school principal to an elementary position, keeping his high school salary, and increasing the salary of his replacement. So, we're going to we'll have two administrators that are on the HIGHEST BENEFIT. PUTTING THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, YOU ARE PAYING THE HIGHEST administrative minimum to two

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administrators. Incidentally, it is my understanding that the elementary principal does not want to transfer. So, that should be an easy choice there. Professionally speaking, if the superintendent would include stakeholders in the decision-m, he would

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find that the staff and students are pleased with the overall job Mr. Rose is doing in the high school. So, I have to ask, what went into this decision? Was it politically motivated? 7.15 the rehire list. During a superintendent's bud budget presentation

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in April, he referred to this chart uh that states the reduction of eight teachers and 12 support staff. This chart right here. >> Okay. Um which which means that we found out the support staff means child study team, guidance, interventionist, uh

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social workers and such. Yet, after the rehire list was posted, we can see that 34 teachers and 11 support staff members have been cut. That's 45 staff members that will not be servicing their students. And equally concerning, of the

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34 teachers, five are ESL teachers. Let's mention the mix. Okay, let's mention this. 66 total employees are reduced. their salaries, healthc care, pensions, uh, payments, uh, far exceed

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the alleged $3 million deficit that we're in. POLICY 3 9.13. >> SORRY, 3 minutes. We got 5 minutes. >> Um, one more policy done.

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I actually every single speaker comes up. Heat. Heat. Good evening everyone. Just want to let you know my first board of education meeting was a 1986

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when I approached the board asking him when I get a background check teachers that abuse children. And guess what? Everybody looked at me like I was crazy. Today most of you probably won't even. But the legislation will protect you started back then. But let me get to the

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agenda. All right. So, here we're on 7.15. You have 30 administrators. Do you really need that many? When are you going to start a nutrition program to start eliminating these 30 and get a sensible number in there? That's number

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one. Then you have 721. Why do you need a new title? What is the salary? You really know who's getting that title. Eliminating the transition from where and what are they getting. I think a lot of people are talking about the same thing. And 7.2 22. That's a new

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position. I'm asking the same questions and I hope somewhere along the lines within a day or two everybody can get answers to all of our questions. And then we're at uh let's see what we have here. Uh resolution 723 uh description of a revision.

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What is the revision? Does it include more salary stipens increase? Then we're going to move on to 7.26. to who is this going to again salary any stipens that's uh title assistant chief

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off information officer title assistant 7.27 superintendent of business administration again to who from what title and before is it a stipen additional salary director of guidance 7.28 that's a new

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one would you be kind to explain that 7.2 29 approved the abolishment. All these people are getting abolished. I believe this gentleman mentioned it. Where are they going to? Confidential assistant to assistant. I'm

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surprised there's not a third assistant or a fourth. But uh who is getting that position and why salary and I'm down to the wire here. What we have here is the salaries. The top salaries are the problems that we

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have here. It's not the teacher. It's not the power. What we have here is the cost is topheavy at the cost of teachers and programs. That's what we have here. Uh excuse me.

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board. Um, uh, a year ago today, uh, actually a year ago, like 6 days ago, uh, I came in front of you guys and, uh, I advocated for, you know, man and all these teachers and all that. Um today I'm up in front of unfortunately in

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front of you to uh ask you about the agenda. I will speak about that at the other time. Um I have a couple questions about the agenda and the decision making behind it and the steps moving forward on what will happen after the voting

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process and everything like that. So my first question to you is what criteria were used to determine which position would be recused? Uh question number two, are there plans to provide additional training to remain

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staff taking on expanded responsibilities? How much money is expected to be saved through these staging reductions? And are they will they be under 3.6 million or will they be over $3.6 million?

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Are these cuts expected to be temporary or long-term? What is the district's plan if financial conditions improve in future years? Will they raise 80s? The teachers that will

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remove contract back or do um the superintendent know this and oh I don't know if you guys know this but uh what is it? Uh what is the will the student to counselor ratios increase next year? Uh I want to ask him that.

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How will students access mental health support during emergencies or crisis? Um if the wellness center is being reduced, who will be taking on the responsibilities of the people that were being reduced?

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Um well wait times for counseling services changed. And my last question, how will multilingual learners, special education students, and high students continue receiving support? That was very

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unprofessional. I don't know where it is, but that was very unprofessional. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEAT. HEAT. SHORT. Good evening. Um,

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obviously I couldn't help but see all of the um different positions that have been that are scarred and I believe two point and go on and on and on. Uh, and

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so obviously those positions were posted I would assume description for this particular reading for you. What's more interesting is you've already assigned those people to those positions and it's common

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knowledge. We know who's been transferred. The interesting thing that we're bringing up as well is all of a sudden we have a chief of staff. Yeah. What it comes down to is perhaps military, perhaps corporately, it's

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appropriate in a school district. Uh-huh. I want to see within the state guidance and I know you have to apply for a

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special clearance to create a new position that indicates that it is more administrative than it is administrative assistant. The

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other thing is is that you have a big B business administrator uh who is also secretary board. You've upgraded that to assistant superintendent of business secretary board. Same job

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now. Assistant superintendent or super assistant to the assistant superintendent as time goes on. None of these salaries have been specified, but obviously these are job upgrades. What people in the room or who are

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employees of the board of ed have the opportunity to apply for the jobs they were never posting. How could they be posted? You're just posting the job description now. Count it up. We don't have the money for

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the aids. We don't have the money for the teachers. We don't have the money for supplies. We sure as hell have money FOR YOU. Michael Shelton, 42nd Street. I rise tonight to serve upon you my formal

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objection to this court meeting. I am questioning its legality and its legitimacy as a clear actionable violation of New Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act. by moving this meeting from its standard high-capacity venue at the high school

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auditorium to this severely restrictive auditorium at school number 10 which features an acutely low room occupancy in a mere 23 parking spots outside this building. This board has

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engaged in constructive exclusion of the public. A public body has a duty to provide reasonable accommodations commensurate with expected public turnout following the issuance of upwards of 180 reduction enforce notices

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to non-tender staff last week affecting critical bilingual ESL and special education programs. This board had actual undeniable knowledge that tonight's meeting would draw an exceptionally large distressed crowd of

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parents, staff, and community stakeholders. To abruptly relocate this meeting to one of the smallest facilities in the district immediately after triggering a massive community crisis is an act of

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bad faith designed to suppress public descent, limit public scrutiny, and bypass the legislative intent of the Sunshine Law. So, please be advised that first thing tomorrow morning, Mr. Bush. I will be serving a lawsuit against this

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court with the New Jersey Superior Court, asking them to void all decisions made by this court tonight. Last week, last Tuesday, our township turned up for us to clear out the town hall.

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This board is next. Personally speak to it that this shameful political stunt that this board is conducting tonight never again happens in our township. Not I'm going to go in 5 minutes.

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>> SANCHEZ. I'd like to say I'd like to give thanks to a board of Dr. Eric Alonso. Today I like to focus on the importance and the decision being made on the wellness center and the event program and I strongly believe that it should be

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reconsidered. The counselors from both programs hold crucial roles in our communities in the high school and outside in Belo. As you know high school is a very diverse community. All the students experience different things every day.

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the people, the counselors who take their time out of their days to notice their job offices to come out and help the students in times of need. They're important beyond the importance and as what was mentioned

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earlier, the school is seen as an escape. The wellness center and the building are escape are this escape. I would like to say that I am someone directly affected by the building

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program and the woman. I may be quite a product of it. >> I apologize. >> We got your background. Thank you both. Thank you.

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These programs have taught me and the other students who are involved in it attributes like confidence, resilience, and strength. And without these attributes, I do not think I would be up here standing, voicing my concerns to you guys. And without these attributes,

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I do not think I would have been nominated by you guys. Thankfully, as doubles on the sun, I ask that any decision, any decision affecting both the wellness center and the building program be thought about very carefully with the wellbeing of all the current and future students in mind

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and to the abilities of the counselors. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That is all we have for this right now. Can I please close out? Can I please have a motion to

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close by citizens? Can I second to ask if anyone else has questions? That's what I listen understand. We have a session. We've always done it this way.

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>> We won't listen. Mr. Sheldon, Mr. Sheldon, you're speaking from the seats. We understand. You know the way you listen. In a couple minutes, sir. In a couple minutes, you will have a chance to address any topic you want, including this one potentially from the microphone. We want to hear we want to

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hear. you stop in your seat cuz otherwise we can talk out everyone else can. We have to keep an organized meeting, a civil meeting. We're just trying our best to do that. Okay. I understand frustrating in a couple minutes you can say it all. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. So again, can I please have a motion to close remarks by

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citizen agenda item? >> Second, please. All in favor like to answer any questions. Please go ahead. go down the list in order. Yes.

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>> So the first question was regarding IP compliance. Yes. Is a legal unit binding document and it will be met. the will be met distribution of different students and different case managers but it is our responsibility to meet that so the will be met according to compliance

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>> bless as far as what's RTI we have we're going to have a new director of services that falls under RTI and she'll be overseeing that department is it going to look different just like every other department that I spoke about earlier yes but it is our responsibility as a

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student providing the services I So difficult times, yes. Reductions, yes. We're still going to provide the services that we mentioned earlier. Um, are we hiring staff that we didn't abolish positions? No. No. We are not

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hiring the staff for positions that were not abolished. Um, they're being transferred. Part of the reason, and I'm going to answer probably three or four questions with this response. The reason that they're being transferred to a different position is because they are absorbing additional

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responsibilities that are not fit in the scope that they have. There's not additional compensation. There's not additional people that are being hired for additional positions. It is a onetoone transfer that mentioned and superintendent report. We are all

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all of us are receiving additional responsibilities. So in order to meet that the job descriptions were created to encompass the additional responsibility. So for example um we'll talk about the assistant superintendent of this administration

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titling as far as structure. There is no additional compensation. I reiterated it. She's contract with public documents. You can hold those documents and see for yourself. the same as mine the additional responsibilities that

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everyone is aware of. So that is the reason why as far as has it been approved by the county? Yes, it has been approved by the county. Just like every position that's in here, I contact the county. I let them know what the changes are. There's a list of approved administrative positions. If it falls

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within there, it's automatically granted. If it doesn't fall within there, which we didn't have that in this case, then I would have to get approval nonetheless. before it's an on agenda item I did call county and get approved to fire by that I want to reiterate there's no

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additional compensation with these titles it's just to match the school responsibilities that were absorbed because we all all have felt like this responsibilities top to bottom then picked up uh

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um that let me just make a blanket statement as far as personnel personnel and our legal council to confirm that I cannot speak on personal personal confidentiality issue because a person a staff member can come up and talk about

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their own. I cannot speak on that. It is a private confident matter and that is please deal. So yes come up there and speak on the one we have advocate for themselves in order for me to respond to some of these

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questions how we reaching the majority of these questions how we reaching confidence you have. So that is a reason why personnel we look at other meetings every time personnel comes up we cannot speak person. So that is as far as the personnel conversations directly personnel.

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Uh as far as lack of communication and a lack of transparency, we met with every administrator to go over their budget. Every single one. Mr. Ko met with them. I also met them. So the way we did it is we went over

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programs first. What programs are we are we done with? What programs are we maybe not using? sparring here or there. We try to get those first starting from there. Then from there are difficult more difficult

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decisions. As far as personnel as I mentioned to you all previously there is the budget presentation document on the BOE agenda. Some things were made about how many positions were cut. Okay. That many positions were cut from zero.

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Again, it's all live documents that everyone can access. 41 positions positions. Yes. 29 people. As a matter of fact, we start from here. So, it's very different. There's just

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reality different decisions. As far as new teachers, when do we find out that they're being rehired? So, new teachers are informed that the agenda is live and that it is constantly being populated. Once this agenda is finalized,

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then those teachers are contacted and they get a notice of reappoint. So, that's how they get look like. Again, this is a live document. So we're currently with the exception right now we're here. So we're working on seeing

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how many resations we have, how many retirees we have, we'll break through that because retirees are top of the scale. So we're talking about a $100,000 plus position for an educator. We essentially bring back another educator at $65,000 67,000 we just started. You

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found out a few of those, you get three or four. That's how this works. and also a selection a selection of personnel again I'm going speak to the general selection of personnel because I cannot speak directly about specific person

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there's a very clear system that comes to place starting by tenure tenure staff non staff non- tenure staff does not have a priority all that tenure non tenure means is the years of service

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and the label tenure is a a label given for job So those staff members automatically are secondary when necessary cuts be made not tenure staff is the first to

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go. Sadly yes that's the case and in the grand procedure case if you're tenure you're at least four years to be non tenure you're under that. So if if you want to talk about a senior for example, it would make sense for the last day or

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stop. It is not a easy decision. It is not a decision anyone wants to make. I wish that the conversation would be different and say we're getting surplus. We're looking into federal grants. looking into additional compensation of

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potential state and philanthropic organizations that might help with these programs to help their staff. How are these decisions made? How are these people identified? That's step one. We went through non senior staff. It doesn't all we have to go through non

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tenure staff first. If we go through all all the non tenure staff and we're still not meeting our budget line then we have to go into tenure staff and then tenure staff not non tenure staff has seniority. That's another misconception that I

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parents reach out there's no seniority when it comes to non staff. If you're year 1 and year three it is the same. Now after your tenure four years in a day then see the rewarding begins. So then tending I would have to start going

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to be based on tenure staff from four years in a day to five to six to the point that the month they get hired they close into account for seniority. So it is a very meticulous process. It's a very meticulous process

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but that is how it goes. We don't ever want to meet I the reiterate is that at least five but they need to be made and ultimately how are these cuts determined besides the last 10 we have to meet the line we

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have to meet the total amount to the last 10 as it was mentioned before we try to go through the redundancies maybe additional what we would call luxury maybe a text program or whatever the case we try to go through

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We tried to have conversations. We did have conversations with administrators. Hey, what can we shuffle? What can we then ultimately once we have those conversations then those difficult decisions are on us? Because now let's say we had all these conversations, we went through all these programs, we had

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these audits. All right, now we have to make up an additional 2 million from all these conversations. Now it is up to us to figure out where police from and make it legal because we have to believe. So that is where if there's

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additionalization that we have to but also making sure that we're equitable when we do so every department every department no but uh ESL special service counseling

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some instructional instructional justification was to maintain classroom sizes make sure they didn't increase we had administrative test There's a lot of talk about an excess or surplus of administrative positions. There are not. There's two

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administrative positions that will all be with us and fantastic administrators. Yes. But they're not. So that is how those determinations were made. Terrible conversations, terrible just terrible decisions we

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made. And ultimately, yes, we have to look at them in the eye and say, "I'm sorry. That is the case. I spoke to those students and I said to them what the process was. They were very understanding and thanks to speak

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appreciate as well and these are the conversations we had like similar we had yesterday. I told him the same thing. We don't want to make the decisions but ultimately there's two options. We make them, no one's happy,

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but or we don't make them and then we're at a deficit and then stay moderate which we have more recently up until June of 2025. That's the model was here for 11 12 years and that's the monitor also 2022.

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So for those of you that have been involved in recent years, you understand that process. The real issue is is the funding. It's the funding. Why do we get a 20% total cover? I wish I had an answer to

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it. I reach out. I found to trans a bunch of usage, but ultimately no response. At the state level, I'm still waiting to hear that. A lot of you saw I did have contact with Governor Cher. We did have a

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conversation. It was a very difficult conversation as what do you need? And I said number one that million dollars we were facing a hole. He just cut us and she's seeing what she can do. Assembly movement moral reached out to me also

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and she's going to try to pass some legislation to give us additional funding. There's some grants that they're trying to come up with for catastrophic events. The what may seem minimal things that we do will not talk about everything. For example, the fire.

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The fire has caused an issue approximately $300 to $400,000 just to get back up and running. The files, the internet runs straight through town. That was our internet that side of the district. $200,000 in place. We have to front that

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funding then insurance and then wait to get that money back. But at the same time, deputy jail was paid. The lights are on and the district keeps running. We were so close. We're still so close by the edge of our seat to get through

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this year without a deficit. That fire put the fire. So again, not time. A couple months ago, we had a flood at at home. That flood at home, we had to pay our staff additional

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compensation for additional responsibilities. not on any plate cost money. That one was over $200,000. Again, another insurance claim that we're waiting to get back on. Two

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instances that seem so minuscule almost like history at this point over half million. And that's money that right now on limbo has to maintain all the responsibilities that entails to our district.

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So yes, ultimately there isn't a the same way any of us have a budget. If we don't have the funds to put gas in our car to be there, I'm not building my tank, but I find $5 to get to the next stop.

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And honestly, that's where we are at as a district right now. We're just trying to get to the next one. So what happens when we maintain this pace? One more contestant, one more incident, one emergency roof

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repair where it's a terrible conversation, but this is the reality and I'm going to be straight up. I'm going to be transparent. We don't have and one of the other mention one of the other uh question was

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that was the budget. We're coming in raise the there's no flop. There's no fl on the other hand which is also public information. If you look at our order report external auditor they do our audit their recommendations were there's

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not enough safety there's not enough sacrament but according to the order depending the size of the emergency we might not be okay. So again, how do we have that conversation? God forbid moving forward where hey, we have to prepare the roof

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or something catastrophic. We don't have the tummy. Oh, the district doesn't know how to manage money. Why are they going that we had two catastrophic events here? one

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catastrophic one definitely is a flood also how much snow we have to pay our maintenance crew to assist to help the plow plus in addition to we do have a we do have a partnership

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with the town and we help the town as well because it was a lot of snow so everything is about that's kind of the message I'm really trying to portray here that it's not just about the people it's not just about the programs It's about keeping the lights on. It's

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about planning for the worst and hoping for the best. And then once we get through a fiscal year, which is June 30th, whatever's left over that we're kind of stashing away in case of an emergency, we put that into reserve in case something big happens. Right now,

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we're tight there. We're very tight. And this year, we're not carrying over anything into that reserve. We have overcome $3.6 6 million that's this year. And what happens to the 3.6 this year is

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that 3.6 carries over next year because those particular programs and items that were not in this budget are obviously not the next one. So we have to integrate those 3.6 so they get a contact by the state. You're getting a million of us. So that's how we end our

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4.6 for next year. Again, public knowledge, please. I told our students, fact check, pull up the budget, match line by line, sense by scent. This is not a giant

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conspiracy. We have to submit to the state. If we were blocking, if we were doing something we weren't supposed to, trust me, Bel is on the radar because we just had a mouth. So, every single sentence

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question. >> See, so I didn't ask. >> See, no, we're breaking. >> We're breaking. We're meeting the lines. We're meeting through the question. The amount we're cutting is to meet the deficit and to be on the lines. We're

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not stashing away in our piggy bank or anything like that. We're just state by and that goes back to the tax le if we would have gotten higher there would be more income coming into the town into the district that we could have held on to additional staff members

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for stat funding per day. We played it very conservative keeping the taxpayers in mind and coming in at 5.99. If you ask fellow districts in the area, they pay much higher, much higher, upwards of 10%.

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And some districts, not to mention names, are in the hundreds in cuts. Hundreds actual people as of tonight is 28 20. So criteria to come with us PBR yes

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we're consistently giving PD for staff members our counseling services yes there's going to be a merger between department which already started this those races cross training that that was taking place those cross training done over the beginning of the year several months we're going to keep training our

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staff because a counselor goes whether academic or social emotional the same exact certification process doesn't matter social emotional academics. So we provide additional training to try to get them to assist our students the best we can with the

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resources that we have. Again, we cannot give something that we don't have and are going through the elimination process before that. Um, additional also, Governor Cheryl did mention about counseling services that

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the state is going to be funding. We're waiting for that to come through. We're going to be applying for that. Every dollar matches, we'll get a body back. If we get a form one, we get one back. So, we get grant funding for mental health services. We are going to

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bring people back. Again, we don't know what that looks like. During the governor's address, the governor got one of that was one of the things that educational pensions mental health services additional funding. We will be applying for that grant. you get that

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grant, we have more flexibility. It I can't stress enough, it's it's numbers. It really is matters. Um, RIF notices. Yes, district wise rift notices. Why district notices? Because

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it is a very fluid, ever changing landscape when it comes to budgeting. We project a certain amount but at the same time there's constant reurbing expenses that happen and we need to account for that. If we

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were to only send the RIP notices to specifically the people that we were initially planning to what happens if we have a a catastrophic event that costs a million dollars. The people did not receive the RIP notices

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we don't have. So it is security for the district and also speaking from personal experience coming from Mont County and some of my colleagues in different areas of the same county rift notices usually go out a month before one board meeting to the

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next we did it on a Monday it was about 7 to 9 days it was 9 days it was 9 days of the rip notice when the agenda was live and the people notified the staff was notified they were coming

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back. So again practice for a month we did not want to do that cuz we're figuring out to the wire to the end and that was difference as well. Um the demand we talked about it the difference is not funded out of federal federal

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consider it's going to be funed out of our operational budget that's more consistent that's the difference. So this whole misinformation that is not going to be funded, no the source of the funding is changed because federal funds we all know. I think it's especially in the

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last couple years and um ultimately I went down the department by department all department stuff. We run a barely the department very a lot of wound there and they do a

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fantastic job. We also have so it was thank you for that Dr. Alonso. Uh moving along to the meeting. Uh the personnel committee met on 511 to specify their own tonight's agenda. Uh, can I please

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have a motion to approve agenda items 71 through 7:32? >> Can I have a second, please? >> Trusty. One second. >> She's coming back.

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One question that everyone can ask. >> As I mentioned previously, all job descriptions are allowed and public. So we everyone's here if you want to access all the job descriptions and the responsibility of the job

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description if you compare it to the other one additional responsib Please again, please call because you're just coming back. This is for a resolution for personnel items. Trusty Garrow.

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>> Good evening. Good evening students, parents, educators, and staff. The community put their trust in me on November 4th, 2025 to be a strong voice for our students, our schools, and our educators. I intend to be the mama bear I promised,

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advocating fiercely and always putting our children first. A key part of serving as a trustee is being a community advocate. I have listened to the residents. I have listened to the parents, the staff, and the students regarding their concerns. Prior to tonight's vote, I asked my question to

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the superintendent and the administration to better understand these decisions. With that being said, I will be voting no. on agenda. I AM HERE. >> She said no. That's specific. We need to know what those are. Guess other things

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we don't know. It's our job to find out. Find out. So let us be here. Okay. I understand you're you're fired up. Get to be able to talk more, but we got to be able to do that business. Okay. Okay. Go ahead. >> I will be voting no on agenda item 7.18

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through 730. And I will be voting yes on all other agenda items on. Thank you. I understand how difficult have been for both the community and staff that have been created over

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and I believe that facing additional demands on our staff can be enough and our people are employees work hard and support our students and community. Therefore, I will 7.1 7.32.

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7.18 through 7:30 plus 7.32 >> through 7.30 30 plus 32. >> Okay, thank you so much. Trusty. >> Yes, >> I understand. I understand everybody's concerns. I am super appreciative, very

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proud of you guys for coming out and standing up. I'm a huge advocate at heart and I um really encourage you guys to continue to advocate for yourselves. Um I am an educator. I work as an academic de and my position has been cut. Uh it is something that's happening

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everywhere. It's hard for me to sit and tell my seven children that I don't know what I'm going to do after 30 years. So I understand where you guys are. I also understand because I'm also understand how budgets work. Um therefore I have um

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full confidence that we are going to work as that our school leaders are going to work really really hard to uh find funding and to bring as many people as they can back. This is just the first wave. Um so I will be next

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president. close. I I would imagine I know that you may there may even kill one way or the other, but the board has to be able to conduct this business. Please ask. I understand people are upset and that's okay. It's your job to react, but please microphone when the time comes. You have

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to be able to conduct the vote right now. Okay. Thank you. As an educator for almost 40 years myself, I totally agree with everything. I empathize

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with the faculty members, with the parents, with the taxpayers, with everyone who is a stakeholder in all of this. And I know having sat through with me and being on both sides of this how difficult this is for all of

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us. But unfortunately there is at this point nothing else that we can do. Dad and I. >> Yes. On to the next agenda items. Can I

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please have a motion to approve regular items 91 through 9:15? >> So move and second please follow. >> Trusty Darren. >> Yes.

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>> Trusty. >> Trusty. >> Trusty. >> Yes. >> Trusty Santana. >> Yes. >> Vice President Dr. >> Yes. Council agenda items 101

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through 10 82. Please have a motion. >> Can I have a second? Please. >> Second. >> Miss. >> Trusty Darl. >> Yes. >> Trusty Gillis. >> Yes. >> Trusty Mos. >> Yes. >> Trusty Ko. >> Yes. >> Trusty Pantana.

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>> Yes. >> Vice President Dr. Mace. >> Yes. >> President. >> Yes. On to resolutions on finance agenda items 111 through 115. Can I please have the motion? >> A second.

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>> Second open. >> Trusty Darl. >> Yes. >> Trusty Phillips. >> Yes. >> Trusty Moses. Yes. Trusty proco. >> Yes. Trusty Santana. >> Yes. >> Vice President Dr. >> Yes. >> President. >> Yes.

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Can I please have a a motion to open up for remark questions on any issue? So move. >> I have a second, please. Second. >> All in favor? We are now open for uh remarks on any issue. Uh you have 5 minutes. Uh if you

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did sign up, please be ready and we can hear everyone in our first speaker, we have MELANIE UM HELLO, I'm Melanie Cardosa and I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank

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everyone who is here today who has come to support um everything that we are going to discuss. According to the Compass Health Center and the Jet Foundation, more than 42% of teen students struggle with their mental health. 20.4% have considered committing

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suicide and 9.5% have attempted to take their lives. Belma College Schools has been a place where students can find aid and comfort in reaching out to mental health specialists. Students from across our town have placed their trust in a system that has consistently provided them with a sense of safety, security,

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and support. However, over the past few weeks, the board of education has shown our community that the health of our schools is worth nothing more than a year of budget. Revealing a set of priorities, administrators have decided to cut social workers, mental health programs,

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community connected staff, and mentors. all in favor of adding a new superintendent assistant, increased spending, and money being pushed to the top of the hierarchy. All of which does not benefit students and educators alike. Mental health care should never in any

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way, shape, or form be considered a luxury. The very programs put in place for our most vulnerable students are being taken away. Many across the board struggle with their mental health every day they walk into the building. They look forward to being able to talk to someone who listens to them because many

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don't have the opportunity to talk to a trusted adult at home, receive expensive therapies, and regulate their emotions through prescription medications. These programs provide something that students may be missing. The future of the world relies on those who are sitting in classrooms doing homework competing to

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get that perfect 1600 on their SAT and struggling to maintain their GPA to a certain level because colleges look for the next best thing. Mental health can be something that not many can sustain. Everyone deserves to receive treatment equally. And by depriving those who cannot afford it,

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restrictions and harm are the only things being sent their way. Supporting students also means supporting the educators and staff members who work with them every day. The Walton Family Foundation found that 71% of teachers work at least one type of second job in

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order to be able to survive. Outside of school, teachers work countless unpaid hours, sending and returning calls and emails, reviewing and grading work, and planning future lessons and tests. Aside from the plethora of tasks that these teachers are responsible for, they also have to make sure that their students

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are doing okay in school and at home. These teachers are not irresponsible with their money. They cannot pay their bills because they've made the low living wage and can barely survive. In fact, about 15.1% of teachers move or leave schools because no matter where they go, they they will never be than

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things enough for the significant impact they leave on students. Suspending scholars because they speak that truth will never do any good. Denying teachers their job because of budget costs will never do any good. And only because this plan may seem so great, that doesn't mean it will do any

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good. These actions are not only affecting the board of education but to students, teachers and other staff who are in need of these programs set in place to aid them. We are not asking to be ignored. We are asking to be heard. Students and teachers deserve support systems that help them succeed, not

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reductions that make success harder to achieve. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Joan. >> Sorry. >> Um, hello. My name is Yol McLe. I'm a student at VHS and I would like to thank the Lord for listening. I would also

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like to thank um the the students in this line and outside of this line um many of whom are my friends a lot of them are not my friends um or very close to me um but I would not have had the courage to come here and speak or even

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come to this meeting at all if it wasn't for the influence of many of these students and as well as my teachers um my former teachers and my present teachers who are here um and and who have been affected are almost have been affected by these cuts.

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Um, the point I wanted to make was this coming heat. Many of our schools, speaking as a student who's currently in Bel High School, have rat infestations. And this heat will attract more bugs. I actually saw several bugs this morning

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in school. Um, and these bugs are these critters and these creatures are unsafe for us to have in classrooms. um cafeterias and offices. I personally recall seeing rats in the culinary room where we cook and we feast and we have

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served other people in lunchrooms and other um programs where we cook food and give it to other people. I think that is unsanitary that's unsafe. Um we also with this heat we have a lack of air conditioning. I think everybody in this

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room can feel it. It's hot and it's hot in almost every room of almost every school. I can name maybe two rooms, maybe two, three rooms at Melville High School that are air conditioned.

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And um the this dress code now that it is getting hot, a lot of us want to wear shorts. um at least in Bel high school um they the some administrators I will not name names um will dress code some

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girls for wearing shorts they'll let others go I think every I don't think a single boy has been dressed for wearing shorts and at this rate making some girls wear pants and letting someone go somebody will be affected by the sea and

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we could have a medical emergency this picking and choosing is unsettling ing. It's disturbing. I personally can remember nearly being dressed. The only reason I got away with it was because I had pants to change into. And I remember seeing a friend of mine who was in much

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shorter also biker biking shorts and I asked her or did you get dressed for it? Did they say anything? She wasn't even aware that other students were being dressed for their shorts. Um, this picking choosing again can and most

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likely will cause somebody to pass out. Somebody might have a medical emergency. And there's also no AC. It's not like um it's not like you don't need to wear shorts because it's cool. It's it's hot. And today, many classrooms in the

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language hall removed because of the extreme temperatures. I was actually sent a picture of somebody who was at the top floor and the temperature inside was 87°. If you'd like to see that photo, I have it. Would somebody like

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see that picture? I have it. It's an 87 inside which is ridiculous. These suggest these decisions on who who does and does not get dressed also

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suggests that um these administrators would like to see certain body types in shorts and not others. Which makes many students especially especially the young women in the school to feel unsafe to feel objectified and embarrassed with

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their dress code. and they see girls long time who get away with wearing tighter, shorter shorts than that. Um, it's it's again it's kind of humiliating seeing somebody who's more of

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objectively um beautiful than you get away with what they were told was against dress code. And I read the dress code. There's no mention of biker shorts being banned. There's no mention. It just says shorts

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are allowed from May 1st to November 1st and that that is all about shorts and that they must be school colored like black or pattern. that that only and um

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that is I think that's the last POINT to speak and to share my thoughts on Lucy Garcia. Hello, my name is Lucy Garcia Triani. I appreciate you all for coming tonight. My experience with the dress code has been one of the worst. Throughout my two years at the high school, I have seen

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hundreds of students break the dress code despite them slightly modifying this year. I have yet to see how these changes are affected since multiple students persist to disregard them. On April 16th of this year, I wore black biker shorts since it since it was one of the hottest days of the of that

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lunch. The moment I stepped through those doors, I got immediately written up for it. Even though the previous day I was wearing a jean skirt with the same biker shorts and no one said anything. As I was being ridden up, kids were still walking past me in regular jean shorts and didn't get written over it.

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Just today, I walked to the main entrance of the school and lost eyes with one of the admins and he didn't say anything about my jeans. I have noticed that this weird behavior of who's being written up or not is mostly towards women that have hers. If you're going to have a dress code, you can't have it

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only work for a specific body shape. >> Yeah. >> Anytime. Woo! You got >> I on the contrary I have noticed several boys wearing shorts during the winter and summer seasons or even removing their shorts because of the heat due to

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a lack of air conditioning which shows a greater tolerance towards boys who can seemingly get away from these restrictions while the girls are constantly punished for the same thing boys do. Once again, thank you for coming here tonight and we appreciate your support for students education AND

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WELLBEING. THANK YOU. CAN I please have up next Alexa? >> Good evening members of the board of administration, teachers, parents, and students. My name is Alexa Palmer and I'm a current senior at Bel High School. I'm graduating soon. Before I leave the school, I feel like I need to speak

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about what is going on, standing deeply to meet many other students. Over the last four years, I've had the privilege of knowing teachers and staff members who do more than teach lessons from a textbook. The people being laid off are not just employees to us. They are mentors, safe spaces, role models, and support systems for students who

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generally need them. I personally had experience with many with many of the staff that were being let go, including Miss Rean, Mr. CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY impact on students in ways that cannot be measured by a drug issue. Mr. Durant

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especially has been someone who truly helped save me in difficult moments as a social worker or father relief who is there for students who are struggling mentally, emotionally or personally. And for Spanish speaking students especially having someone who could communicate with them in their own language matters more than people may realize. There are

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students in this building who go through incredibly difficult situations at home or in life and sometimes cannot fully express himself and what they're feeling in English. Mr. Durant gave students comfort, understanding, and voice. Mr. Mia is one of the brightest lights I can name. He's the kind of person who can walk into a room and instantly make

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students feel more comfortable just by being himself. The amount of times we sat and talked during lunch about life, school, stress, the future, or just everything in general means more to me than I can even explain. These conversations may have seemed small from the outside, but to students like me, they matter. Even on days when I didn't

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feel like being at school, seeing him in the hallway or talking to him during lunch, it could completely change my mood. Sometimes students don't need a lecture or a lesson. They just need someone who listens, someone who cares, and someone who makes them feel understood. Mr. Man has always been that person. When schools lose staff members

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like this, students feel it immediately, especially now when mental health struggles among students are higher than ever. Removing trusted adults from schools can have serious effects. Some students only have one adult in the building they feel safe talking to. For some students, the school is the safest place they have. I understand budgets

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exist, and I understand difficult decisions have to be made, but I also think decisions like these should fully consider the emotional and educational impact they have on students. As a senior about to graduate, I'm asking you to think beyond numbers for a moment. Think about the students who walk into school every day needing support, guidance, patience, and someone who

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believes in them. Because the people being laid off are not replaceable to us. A school is not just built by test scores, schedules, or finances. A school is built by relationships. And the relationships these teachers and staff members create to change lives. I may be graduating, but there are younger students still here who deserve the same

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support system I have. And that's the thing I really want everyone here to understand tonight. students and our people who are policies and our tests. We remember the adults who checked on us when we were struggling and the adults who stayed after class to help the adults who made

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us matter. Thank you for your time. Is she still gone? Did she come back? Happy next Saturday. Good evening, Bubba. My name is Isaiah Fors, and I'm here to speak about a teacher who means so much, not only to me, but many students in the Bubba community, Mr. Durant. Some of you may already know his name, but if you don't,

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let me tell you who he truly is. Mr. Mr. Durant is more than just a counselor. He is a mentor, a leader, and a father figure to many students both inside and outside of school. Mr. Durant has impacted countless lives, including mine. He has helped me become a better student, a better role model, and most importantly, a better young man. He

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creates a safe and comfortable environment for students feel heard, supported, and cared for. He believes in people when they don't believe in themselves. Teachers and mentors like Mrs. Der want students to remember forever, not just because of what they do, but because of the lasting impact they make on people's lives. It is truly

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honored to speak about Mr. Durant today. The next person I wanted to introduce is more than just a teacher. She is a woman and a mother and a mentor, someone who truly represents the heart of the Latina and Latino community. Miss Flores. As someone who was Puerto Rican, I

464
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always struggle with Spanish growing up. I was mostly taught by my grandparents while living far away from us to learn the language was never really easy to me. But Miss Flores never gave up on me. She always took the time to sit down with me and teach teach me patiently and need to understood cars. What makes this story special is that she didn't only

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help me, she helped many other students feel welcome, supported, and proud of who they are and where they come from. In the very beginning of high school, she created a classroom where people feel comfortable being themselves. Miss Flores doesn't just teach Spanish. She represents culture, community, pride, and the important and the importance of uplifting others. Teachers like her are

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the ones students remember forever because of the impact they make on people's lives. Lastly, the final person I want to speak about is someone who's not only changed my life but the lives of many throughout the through our global community. A mentor, a role model, a brother to many, and the founder of building Dennis Moralda. I

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was introduced to Mr. Mr. Moralda at the end of my seventh grade year when building men was just beginning. What started as a program became something much bigger for students like me. Building men taught young people how to carry themselves with respect, maturity, discipline, and confidence. For many students, Mr. Dennis became the father

468
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figure and mentor they never have. He gave students a safe place where they felt heard and understood and supported. He taught lessons that go far beyond school. Lessons about becoming a man the right way, making better choices and believing yourself even during difficult times. Mr. Deonson's building me crew

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such as Mr. Ames and Mr. Barry worked tirelessly to make building men heard. And tonight, Bubble, I hope you hear it, too. Because when you think about building men, you're not just talking about a program. You are talking about hope. You're talking about guidance. you know, and you're um you're talking about students finding and feeling like

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somebody believes in them. The impact he has made and receiving students through 7th through 12th grade, improving attitude, attendance, effort, and confidence. He has seen students not only grow academically, but personally, Billy Ben is more than just a teacher or a mentor. He is someone who has brought light into students lives when they

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needed it most. He gave students courage, purpose, and sense of belonging. People like him are on students remembered forever because of the impact he made on people's lives. and without him many students including mine would not be where we are today. So thank you for everything to do Mr. Angel.

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Id like to end my last thoughts to the amazing mission group an amazing world history teacher SISTER even though she's been here a little while she has made a very good impact on students Mr. Mia, an amazing man, calculator and Joker has not only been

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here to teach math lessons but life lessons to make student better than the last class and Miss Gosser award teacher, therapist to students and overall an amazing teacher in fellow education. Belle would not be the same without them. They have made so much impact just to be left for a budget.

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These pe these teachers left their mark and us being students are so lucky to have them now. But we should not be the only ones that should have safe these safe places. new students and old deserts away amazing teachers, mentors, and someone to call friends. Thank you for having me tonight.

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>> Good evening. Uh during last month's uh last mayoral elections, outgoing mayor Michael sent out a failed re-election campaign letter addressed to the Republicans in town.

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Within this letter, there was a QR code and was scanned. That QR code led to an email. An email sent by our superintendent Eric Alonso to mayoral candidate Frank.

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The email was timestamped Tuesday, March 31st, 2026, 9:35 a.m. during school hours, on school grounds, using the school email on a political topic. It's one thing to actually try to

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address whatever it was he was trying to convey to the less. However, what I find interesting is how that email somehow ended up in Melon's hands for him to be then able to use it in his political campaign.

479
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You were just talking about confidentiality in your superintendent report. If anything, that email said more about the superintendent than whatever it was they were trying to page as. Moving forward, instead of getting

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involved in our town politics, may I suggest focusing more on getting our students grades ups and making sure they HAVE TEACHERS TO ACTUALLY GET that done. Good evening. Like many families in our district, I was hopeful yet cautiously

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often missing uninformed would happen to superintendent. I had imagined you would come in to get to know the community you were serving. In just a short time, we have experienced frequent changes without adequate preparation or consideration of how they would affect your students

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learning. I respectfully ask for pure communication practices, consistency, and thoughtful planning. To circle back to February when two of our teachers here at school 10 were placed on leave for weeks. You stated learning was not interrupted. It most

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certainly was. Just because we replaced those teachers doesn't mean they their learning wasn't interrupted. I am here again today for those very same students. It has been quite a year for them and I would like to share with you a bit about those students which one

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of them is my daughter the other one left. They are resilient, smart, opinionated and willing to stand up for whatever they believe in and you're lucky they're not here tonight. >> Their their love for learning is very

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impressive. The board will be very be very lucky to hear from them and what they have to say. To find that our fifth grade teacher has not been hired back is not only disappointing but disheartening. It is yet another interruption to those very same students

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and a tremendous loss to school 10. I am hopeful this will reconsider this decision. And in the words of my daughter, our fifth our fifth grade teacher um is kind, smart, and she will be ready to get us to do great work.

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Effective education requires consistency and stability once one that has not been afforded to our students this year. And our staff has to have had to work very hard, not only to help them academically, but also mentally. and not because they're not strong, but because

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I've noticed the body language here on the board. And thank you for paying attention. You pay eye contact with everyone. I appreciate it. To those that HAVE frustrated here, but the body language has not been the best. And I know you guys are being pointed at into how you

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guys are not doing your jobs effectively. I understand fiscally is very hard. However, I've never had anyone care about my pocket or how much taxes I'm claiming. So, for you to say is not fiscally responsible. I'm worried

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about the taxpayers is disingenuous. >> It's not. And I think our first concern and to the parents that have with kids that have programs, >> yes, >> be on top of it. Ask the questions. Are your kids are they receiving speeches today? or they're going to those

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programs because let me tell you they will go quiet and they will not receive those services. We need those teachers in those rooms. We don't we need more teachers not less if anything less. We need less of the board. We need less of administration. We're not a big town.

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>> So I hope you guys will reconsider a lot of your decisions. Next to Riley Fernandez. Good evening. My name is Robert Gernz. I'm 17 years old and a student here in Bel. I'm a wrestler, the JRTCSF, and a

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part of the building group. I wanted to speak today because the wellness center and the support systems in this district that genuinely help me during stressful and uncomfortable situations in my life. It gave me guidance and helped figure out where to go when I need support and I make many other students strongly feel

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the same way. I understand that the district is facing real financial pressure and a budget shortfall, but I still think students deserve more clarity about how these changes are going to affect us moving forwards. And I have two questions for you. First off is how will counseling

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and mental health support function moving forward with less staff and even worse newer faces? Having to put your heart out there to these counselors are no joke. You have to muster up the courage to even face

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your darkest secrets with them and pour your heart out. For example, in building them, I have seen all my brothers here talk about their families breaking apart, being homeless, and even some people as freshmen killing themselves. And this

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calls for us from bullying them. These counselors here have given us that foundation to show off our strength and make us strive to be a better person. Mr. Duran, Mr. Ames, Mr. Beinger, Mr. Mojo, you have given us so much and you

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have no idea just recently. I will pour pour out my heart all of you here today. A few days ago, I had a friend who almost tried to kill themselves and almost succeeded.

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And I know that in so much pain right now. And I just wish if mental health were as important as you said it was that you will try and try to keep these counselors because don't look at us as your students in

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this school in this district. Look at us as your sons and daughters who fight through battles every single day who don't speak up. Please give us the resources to tell us to to give us the strength to show us the light because sometimes we are lost

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and we need these counselors to survive. Just hold my friends. And my friends will keep me going with the strength to continue this present presentation. How will the district improve communication with students and families?

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act. I would like to propose the idea of regular student forums so students can have clear communication and be included in conversations before major changes directly affecting them are finalized. It's all like to say thank you. >> Thank you for that.

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Uh, can I please have Brandon? I want to apologize for I was a little nervous, but now I'm ready. One of the many questions that I'm sure not only me, but I'm sure everyone else has. Do you think what you are doing tr is truly the best of your ability? It's clear you have been making decisions without thinking through what you're interigning

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with or the students and the staff um and the staff. It's clear your attention isn't the school, the families, the students or the staff. As it seems, your main focus is very beneficial to you. Another thing I would like to say, it seems as you wanted to push these people away who has something to say, you extend the meeting more than it has to

505
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go on for you put us in a small hot room knowing what people would end up leaving and it's extremely obvious. You're scared of the people that your title was supposed to speak before have to say. I would I would also like to mention the inappropriate joke that was made earlier in the meeting that you not only allowed, but you ended up shaking the

506
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man's hand. You didn't seem to confront him. You allowed the joke to be made and you only and not only me but Belgo as a whole won't let that be. It seems you it seems the decision uh decisions of the decision I'm sorry. It seems the decision of making you our

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superintendent was the wrong CHOICE and is that right? For starters, I just want to say that I'm very grateful and very proud of everybody who came up and said something. Um, sorry, I'm a little nervous, but

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>> give me time. On behalf of me and all my peers at Bel High School who came out here to support today, we are all very upset and confused of the future of our school this upcoming school year and going forward. Out of all the job cuts and decisions being made specifically,

509
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however, there was one that stood out to me the most and it was the removal of the position of supervisor of ESL. As a person who comes from a Hispanic background, I thought it is very important to reiterate that Belleville is a town that has 50% Hispanic

510
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population and a 72% Hispanic high school population alone, many of which benefit from the ESL program. Cutting this role from the 2026 to 2027 school year will be putting many kids will be putting many kids in Belleville as a

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whole without the proper voice to speak up for them and without the additional accommodations that they may need to adjust to a second language. If this doesn't move you enough, I will speak for the women in charge, Miss Diaz, after working in Belleville High School District for over 20 years is being forced to step down from an important

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role that will not be replaced and in is instead being called to pick up a role of a normal teacher. I have known her for nearly all of my life and I graduated from her kindergarten class in 2014. And to see how far that she has come just to have it all taken away so suddenly is devastating, especially a

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role so crucial for the district. All I want to do is to provide extra voice for the ESL children all over Bubbleville in a time where things are looking scary and hectic. And I hope me and everybody who choses who chose to speak up tonight is able to invoke some change in bubble. Thank you so much FOR

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YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TINA Garcia and I live at 135 Union Avenue in Belville. I'm here tonight not only as a parent of two young children in this district, but also as an administrator in an urban district not far from here. I understand what the work looks like. I understand

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the crit the criticism educators face every day, the impossible decisions that are made, and how political education can become. But I'm not here for politics. I'm here because I care. At the March board meeting, I raised concerns about communication and asked questions about how situations are being

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addressed. And after that meeting, not one person followed up. And now today, hours before the meeting, we suddenly see statements and videos about transparency and communication. It feels very strategic from where I'm standing. At the same meeting, I also brought up that the district seemed more focused on uniform colors when we should be focused

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on data. So, let's talk. This is data directly from the district website. School 8, where my son attends, 27% of students are meeting expectations in ELA and 10% in math. While school 10 60% are meeting e exceeding ELA, 48% in math.

518
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That's a massive disparity inside the same school district. School 8 nearly 75% economically disadvantaged, over 12% of students with disabilities and about 14% multilingual learners. School 10, 61% economically disadvantaged,

519
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less than 6% with disabilities. And the same for multilingual learners. My child was placed in school A based on where he lives. just like every other child in this district. Yet, school A has double the percentage of students with disabilities compared to school 10. That matters because it impacts instruction

520
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classroom teachers, students, and obviously I cannot understand why one building is carrying such a heavy load than the others. Teachers are school 8 are working tirelessly every single day and actually that's all teachers. They are overwhelmed. They are managing overcrowded classroom, higher needs and

521
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lower scores hanging over their heads constantly. And when the scores don't move fast enough, the pressure falls right back on them. That's not fair. Those scores are simply not a reflection of the teacher effort. They are a reflection of the realities inside the building. The morale feels low. The

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environment feels tense. Teachers feel pressured. Teachers feel unsupported. And honestly, don't even get me started on leadership. The tone was set loud and clear. It's strategic. You're very passive aggressive, Dr. Alfonso. And you're very hostile. And I'm going to leave that there. At school 8, tutoring

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is offered two times a week. And as a parent, I didn't even know it existed. I found out from another parent. Families should know what supports exist and how to access them. And if students are being selected based on criteria criteria, what is the measure and sticks? So, this brings me to my

524
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passion. I grew up in a title one district. I work at a title one district. I serve a title one district. I know what this is really for the students. I know what it feels like to come from communities where people already make assumptions about what students are capable of. That's why I got into education. I want students,

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especially students of color, to see themselves in leadership. I want them to know that they belong in these spaces. They can lead. They can succeed. That's why I came into this. And this is why I want to speak about something I feel strongly about. Equity and equality. They're not the same thing. Equality is

526
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giving every school the same thing. Equity is recognizing that some stu schools need more more intervention, more staffing, more support, more resources, more research. My child's education is being based shaped on where he lives and a child's future should not be determined by their address. And

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right now, that is exactly what it feels like. Now, Dr. Alonso, you are new, so I'm not placing the blame on the news test scores, but I do expect to see progress. You were hired on a three-year contract. Then, less than 4 months into your tenure, that contract was extended to 5 years. Allegedly, there were merit

528
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goals added, but it feels like every time there's backlash and concern, the response is to get ahead of it before parents even get to speak about it in your uh superintendent report. Just like the conversations held with students yesterday before the meeting, and no disrespect to those students at all, because I think it's important for you

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to advocate for yourself. I can open my emails right now showing you emails on emails from my own students advocating for themselves. I make time for them. I care for them enough to make that time. I don't make it a point to mention it publicly at a board meeting. So, yes, I'm glad those conversations happen, BUT

530
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THE BOARD MEETING. THOSE CONVERSATIONS SHOULD have happened before the board meeting. I keep hearing, "Email me. Reach out. My door is open. Respectfully, I've emailed. I've shown up and I've spoken here publicly, and I still have not received the response." Communication is not saying you're accessible. Communication is

531
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followrough. Meanwhile, teachers are being stretched in. Staff members are losing position. Parents are being told there are not enough people for more tutoring support while school 8 is sitting at 10% math proficiency. And yet the conversations are happening at the top seem very different than the realities happening inside the

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classroom. The people the people closest to the students are the ones that are suffering. So Dr. Alonso, your reputation already walks into the room before you do. So this is your opportunity. This is your chance to do something great here. This is your chance to prove why this board had enough confidence to extend your

533
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contract so early in your tenure with nothing to show for it. So, I'm looking for results. And I want you guys to remember my name, Kina Garcia Newton, because I might just run for the board. What happened? >> Uh, Israeli.

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>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Isra and I'm currently a senior at BHS. I came here today to not only speak up for our younger generation, but to also bring light to the way the adults at Belleville High School handle certain situations.

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Yesterday morning, I was in class and got a phone call from my friend telling me that I was needed in the principal's office. For some of you that don't know, me and some of my friends were organizing a walk out to support our teachers, janitors, counselors, and most importantly, our principal

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who were being cut and removed from the school. I walk into Mr. Ro's office, surprised to see that in his chair there was a face I didn't recognize. Mr. Sullivan introduced himself to us and asked us what our plan was. It was meant to be a safe and nonviolent protest against some of the decisions that the

537
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board was making. Throughout the conversation, I noticed there were moments where the tone completely shifted. Mr. Sullivan informed us that if we were to proceed with this protest that we would all get suspended. We understood the consequences and told him that it was okay. Huh?

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>> That wasn't enough for him. He then rephrased himself and explained that if we were to get suspended, he wouldn't be a we wouldn't be able to talk at the board meetings. >> That was one of the few lies that he made. Mr. Sullivan gave us ultimatum. He offered us a meeting with Dr. Alongo if

539
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we were to cancel the protest. Me and my friends discussed privately and decided we would agree to that decision. I left the principal's office feeling very discouraged, powerless, and overwhelmed. This would have never happened if Mr. R was here. I decided to

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take refuge in the health and wellness center, which is being downsized, to calm down. Mr. Duran welcomed me with open arms and spoke wisdom and confidence into me. I didn't realize it at the time, but I had rights. Not a single adult in that room informed

541
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me that I could call my parents, nor did they call my parents. Not a single adult in that room explained to me that I could exercise my First Amendment right not to speak to them. >> I felt like my rights were being violated. Mr. Sullivan had asked us to

542
03:40:17.760 --> 03:40:33.920
stand in front of the auditorium at 11:00 a.m. when the protest was supposed to happen to tell the kids that it wasn't happening anymore and that it was cancelled. We did just that. The turnout was amazing. I've never seen that amount of people in our school coming together to stand up for what's right.

543
03:40:33.920 --> 03:40:49.760
Unfortunately though, I have to inform them that the protest wasn't happening. There was a lot of people there. I was starting to feel very overstimulated. I walked back to the wall to calm down. I look up at Mr. Sullivan and he gives me that look adults give you when you're

544
03:40:49.760 --> 03:41:06.960
doing the wrong thing. I get off the wall and continue telling people to go to class, pushing down my feelings. When everything settled down, Mr. Sullivy came up to me and my friends and said, "See, this is exactly what happened when you guys planned stuff like this. There's kids yelling and

545
03:41:06.960 --> 03:41:24.080
running in the halls." It was still passing period. I was taken back and told him that that was out of our power and that we cannot control them. He walked away. As I'm on my way to class, I break down. This wasn't

546
03:41:24.080 --> 03:41:41.680
supposed to happen. All my feelings rush up and I suddenly can't speak. All I can do is cry. My teacher comes out, kisses me, and calms me down. I didn't realize it, but I was having an anxiety attack. This wasn't supposed to happen. All we

547
03:41:41.680 --> 03:41:57.840
wanted was to be heard. If this were to happen to any other student, would they have the resources that I did? Would they have the support that I have from these amazing teachers who are being cut off? For example, like Mr. Duran and Mr. Mr. Moran over there. Would they have

548
03:41:57.840 --> 03:42:32.239
the support that I had? This wasn't supposed to happen. Thank you. personally my mom, my grandma, nobody was here able to attend, but I appreciate all the parents, all the staff, everyone here. I know you guys that work tomorrow. I appreciate you guys being here and all the students as

549
03:42:32.239 --> 03:42:47.200
well. I know I know my mom is through YouTube. my very YouTube. She's all the way down in Florida. She's heading for right now. So, you know, I love you guys and thank you for everything you guys have done for me. All right, let's get to the to the

550
03:42:47.200 --> 03:43:03.760
point. All right. Good evening, parents, staff, and board. My name is Xavier. I'm a senior. In a few weeks, I walk across that stage and I graduate. But before I do, I need to speak for the ones who can't stand here yet. I am a mentor. However, young people who are fighting

551
03:43:03.760 --> 03:43:19.439
battles that most adults in this room will never see. Kids who kids who come to school carrying weight that has nothing to do with homework. Kids who are one moment away from giving up. And the only reason they didn't was because someone in this building stopped and said, "I see you. Mr. Durant saw them.

552
03:43:19.439 --> 03:43:35.120
The social worker saw them. Those men uplift." These programs didn't just fill time. They filled a void that nothing else in this school could fill. And you want to cut them. I need you to really sit with that. not as a budget decision, as a human one. Because I've seen what happens when a perfect young person

553
03:43:35.120 --> 03:43:50.160
feels like nobody cares. I've seen that look on a kid's face when they realize the one adult they trusted isn't coming back. That look, that look doesn't go away. It follows them. You are about to send that message to an entire generation of students in this building.

554
03:43:50.160 --> 03:44:12.319
And at the same time, at the exact same time, this board is approving new assistant to superintendent salaries, new positions at the top, more money growing up while the people closer to our children get cut from the bottom. >> I have to ask you directly and I need you to hear this. When you look at who's

555
03:44:12.319 --> 03:44:27.840
being eliminated, who's being added, do you see what our community sees? Because we see it and we will not speak silent about it. I've heard I've heard the plan. Guidance counselors will absorb this role. And I want to be clear. I have nothing but respect for our guidance counselors. They work hard.

556
03:44:27.840 --> 03:44:43.760
They care. But there is a difference between scheduling classes and sitting with a kid who hasn't eaten it in two days. There's a difference between college applications and talking someone through a crisis. That difference is not an assault to guidance counselors. It is just the truth. You cannot ask one

557
03:44:43.760 --> 03:45:00.319
person to do it entirely. You cannot ask one person to do two entirely different jobs to call it a solution. That is not support. That is a substitution. And our kids will feel that difference even if the board does not. I got my chance. I have Mr. Durant. I had mentors who believed in me before I believed in

558
03:45:00.319 --> 03:45:16.479
myself. That's why that's why I'm standing here with the confidence to speak to you right now. But the freshman sitting in class today doesn't know if he's going to have that. The girl going through something at home doesn't know if there's still going to be someone to talk to. the kid who's one bad week away from a decision he can't take back. He

559
03:45:16.479 --> 03:45:32.960
doesn't know if someone's if anyone's coming if anyone's coming. You have the power right now to make the You have the power right now to make sure someone comes. Don't cut the people who show up. Don't trade hallway counselors for corner offices. Don't tell our kids that their mental health is a line item that

560
03:45:32.960 --> 03:46:08.560
didn't make the cut. I'm leaving the school, but these kids are staying and they deserve everything I have and more. Do the right thing. Protect our social workers. protect our programs and protect our kids. Thank you. Have a great week. Good evening again everyone. I am a

561
03:46:08.560 --> 03:46:22.960
proud father of two beautiful daughters that attend Belleville High School and Belleville Middle School. Um I echo the sentiments that everyone else in this school echoes. How do you come to these decisions? What do you do to make these decisions? We have

562
03:46:22.960 --> 03:46:38.160
environmental impacts that that reach across Belleville. You guys should come together and have an environmental impact on the mental health crisis that is going on in our schools. You should guys should sit together with the parents, the administrators on how your

563
03:46:38.160 --> 03:46:55.680
cuts are going to affect the students in our schools. I personally deeply are going to feel the cut if this does happen to the special ed department within Belleville High School. Now you want to talk about an administrator who goes above and beyond the principal of

564
03:46:55.680 --> 03:47:14.000
Delville High School, his team, his staff, the board of the special ed department, Miss Donna Hansel. As I said in the previous statement, uh uh goes above and beyond it. I had the opportunity of sharing something personal with the group, with

565
03:47:14.000 --> 03:47:28.080
the board, and everyone else. But before I continue, thank you, Mayor Elect, city council elect for being here and braving the heat with us as well. It means a lot. I greatly appreciate your presence. Um, but I still want to say to you all

566
03:47:28.080 --> 03:47:50.640
that election is coming up. >> The election is coming up. >> It's coming up. And I too may throw my hat in the race to run to run. We have educators. We have

567
03:47:50.640 --> 03:48:05.840
administrators. We have the principal of Bel High School. We have the principal of middle school. These administrators go above and beyond. Their presence impact our community. They're the administrators, the special ed department at Belville High School

568
03:48:05.840 --> 03:48:20.720
impact our community. You guys should have took the time out to come to speak to the community to sit here and relate to us before making these decisions. And with that, I thank everyone for listening to me. Thank you, Mayor Elect.

569
03:48:20.720 --> 03:48:48.479
Thank you. Thank you. Can I please Mr. Andrew Nurski? You left. Okay. Please up Hernandez. >> You here.

570
03:48:48.479 --> 03:49:14.960
Uh, can I please have Zepharino Milton Mo? Can't read his handwriting. >> Oh, that is that you, Mike? Yeah, I see you, Mike. Mike. Okay, Michael Education Association President, I just want to start off by

571
03:49:14.960 --> 03:49:30.239
uh making some clarity here. Um I have a list that was directly given from the uh board office or let's say superintendent that has 45 cuts, not 29, 45 cuts. So unless the agenda was changed for the

572
03:49:30.239 --> 03:49:46.560
32nd time in two days, um it still says 45 on this list. That's a list that I got directly from the superintendent's office. 45 uh uh educational staff and support staff. Okay. Um I will use the time this

573
03:49:46.560 --> 03:50:02.720
time to speak on the unprofessional, disrespectful, disgraceful, and inhumane manner in which the superintendent's m management team handled a reduction in educational staff. Also, I will speak on how the superintendent's fiscal spending

574
03:50:02.720 --> 03:50:18.880
does not cla support support his claim that he is looking out for the best interest of both the students. On the Monday after Mother's Day, staff members were notified through email that their position had been dissolved at at the um and at the end of the year they will no

575
03:50:18.880 --> 03:50:35.600
longer be employed by the Belle board of education. Email. This is how the superintendent's management team decided to let the devoted staff know that they would no longer have a job in in Delta. Unprofessional,

576
03:50:35.600 --> 03:50:50.319
disrespectful, disgraceful, inhumane for the for the past 25 years of my employment in this wonderful district. Staff is tr staff was treated with respect, dignity, empathy, and

577
03:50:50.319 --> 03:51:06.800
compassion. School administrators would give this bad news or this kind of news to each employee directly. The difference now under this management team, the administrators were not even involved in the process. They did not

578
03:51:06.800 --> 03:51:23.680
know of the reduction list until the same Monday that everyone received the email. They had no input on the building staff members who were not being rehired. Imagine that. those who know their staff best, who work side by side with them there, who evaluate and train

579
03:51:23.680 --> 03:51:39.199
them for not asked for their input. This is how this superintendent management leads authoritarian like. When we asked the superintendent on the criteria he used uh to decide which staff members would no longer be

580
03:51:39.199 --> 03:51:56.319
employed, he stated those non-tenured staff members who were higher on the salary guide would be cut. So his decision was not based on educational quality and excellence merely what he eloquently calls a

581
03:51:56.319 --> 03:52:14.239
numbers game. You call this a decision for the best interest of double students. The rehiring of the staff members was equally unpre the rehiring of staff members was equally unprofessional, disrespectful, disgraceful and inhumane.

582
03:52:14.239 --> 03:52:31.120
The the process was that the high school at the process was that of a high school athletic team try out in the 1980s where players would report to the locker room to see if their name appeared on a list posted on the coach's door to see if they made the team. LIKEWISE, VALABLE

583
03:52:31.120 --> 03:52:47.199
professional educators had to wait until the release of the board of ed agenda on Monday to see if they still had a job. Really? Is this what we are now resorting to? antiquated intimidation and bullying tactics. Mr. Superintendent, if you were if you were

584
03:52:47.199 --> 03:53:03.600
looking to lose the staff's respect, confidence, and morale, then job well done. You succeeded. TREATMENT LIKE THIS toward anyone is incomprehensible and intolerable. Those involved should be held accountable and strict consequences

585
03:53:03.600 --> 03:53:21.120
should be imposed. This leadership team is not concerned with providing Belleville students with the best educational experience. They show this interactions. They choose spending money on superintendent's merit pay over providing resources for students desperately needed. They are willing to

586
03:53:21.120 --> 03:53:36.960
go they were willing to let go of 45 teachers and support staff to pay litigation fees for losing arbitration uh cases, preventable lawsuits, and revenge investigations. This is not fiscally fiscally responsible or even

587
03:53:36.960 --> 03:53:53.439
budgetary. It's misleading the community at the best and politically motivated at its worst. But it's not putting Belda students first. As you can see by the turnout here tonight, the Bel community is no long will no longer stand for the unprofessional, disrespectful,

588
03:53:53.439 --> 03:54:08.160
disgraceful, and inhumane manner in which the superintendent's man management team leads. We are looking for leadership that communicates with stakeholders when making decisions and directly impact the staff and students in that directly impact the staff and

589
03:54:08.160 --> 03:54:25.120
students in Belleville. Uh a leadership team with professional professionalism, respect, honor, and compassion that truly cares about the staff and students. The question is, could that ever be this leadership team? The choice is yours. The people of Bel have spoken

590
03:54:25.120 --> 03:54:47.040
loud and clear. You gave a lot of people over 5 minutes just over. The people of Belmont spoken loud and clear when they elected the new mayor, Frank Blet. We are not in the direction of our town is going. It's time for a change. No

591
03:54:47.040 --> 03:55:19.279
more politics, Mr. Alfonso. Let's work together to give our Belleville kids the resources THEY DESPERATELY NEED. GAME. I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT QUICK. Y'all can get fried all night. So, my name is Colin. I graduated in the

592
03:55:19.279 --> 03:55:35.760
class of 2023. I'm a proud supporter of Blevo's community and school system. Bolton brothers also graduated in 2021 and 2012. Um, I grew up I went through every stage uh of school system in Belleville, elementary, middle school,

593
03:55:35.760 --> 03:55:53.800
and high school. And what I can confidently say is that the budget cuts, sorry, excuse me, the budget cuts are simply not necessary. I actually own a business. I started one in January of this year and I can tell YOU

594
03:55:55.600 --> 03:56:11.199
and if you're operating your schools like a business, they produce your results. So, you have to treat them with that same care. >> Yeah. >> I wanted to take a brief moment to discuss the partic two particular roles in this district and how the budget cuts can directly lead to severe decline in

595
03:56:11.199 --> 03:56:26.880
the quality of student experience and overall education in this district. I wanted to attest to the necessity of both Principal Rose and Miss Diaz and their rightfully earned position as a supervisor in ESL and a principal at PHS

596
03:56:26.880 --> 03:56:44.319
programs for IEP. I was told I was never going to walk or talk due to the IBT programs while I was in school in this district. I was able to articulate these sentence and approach you here today. I will be able to take advantage of all the special

597
03:56:44.319 --> 03:57:10.160
needs programs including transportation, uh, extra assistance in classes, and now I can confidently say that I graduated with a 3.59. Teachers such as Mr. Rhodess or sorry, the principal Mr. roads and teachers such as Miss Diaz have granted success,

598
03:57:10.160 --> 03:57:25.760
unity, and professionalism for both myself, my former classmates, and the beloved community. Strong schools are built upon relationships, consistency, and leadership that understands the needs of the community that they serve. They have shown time and time again a relentless passion, and level of care

599
03:57:25.760 --> 03:57:42.880
that is unmatched and genuinely supports student, staff, and faculty. Mr. roads has been a steady and positive presence and knows and understands his students and staff and has built relationships that cannot be replaced. Schools struggle with attendance, mental health, and and school cultural leadership.

600
03:57:42.880 --> 03:57:59.279
Removing them from these positions was a severe lapse in judgment and an intellectual flaw in every conceivable level. As Delgo's ESL population continues to grow and consists of a 72% Hispanic community, removing a primary role such as Miss Diaz as a supervisor

601
03:57:59.279 --> 03:58:15.840
for ESL without any administrative replacement in development and integration for students in multicultural backgrounds was a mistake. ESL students are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are families and students trying to learn a new language, culture, and education system that's

602
03:58:15.840 --> 03:58:31.920
overwhelming. Having a supervisor with such as Miss Diaz who understands these struggles makes a tremendous difference. I have had the pleasure and absolute honor of having Miss Diaz and Mr. Rose as both a teacher, principal, and support system in both elementary and high school. They have personally

603
03:58:31.920 --> 03:58:49.520
attended multiple of my student athletic events far far after hours. I would come back and practice at 9:00 p.m. and I would still see uh instructors like Mr. roads or ideas continue to strive and strive for late nights. They have spent

604
03:58:49.520 --> 03:59:05.199
years building programs, advocating for equitable opportunities, supporting teachers, and ensuring all students have access to resources and support under their care. Some of my closest friends have come from ESL programs and was supported consistently by her and Mr.

605
03:59:05.199 --> 03:59:21.120
roads who actively speak strongly about how their voices were heard and how vitally these two figures improved their educational, social and cultural experience in Delvo school system. They come from being they came from being lost and disoriented from the change in case and culture to learn key

606
03:59:21.120 --> 03:59:36.720
communication among other lifelong skills to become great contributing members of society and actively express their joy in school during reflection due to the imprint that was left on them from those two individuals. I can confidently say that I was able to utilize those programs similar to PSL to

607
03:59:36.720 --> 04:00:09.199
address these issues such as my policy. Staff such as these two are living and body fellow faculty should strive for and incredibly thankful to have had their ongoing support throughout the years. Thanks for listening. Hi, good evening and thank you for letting me speak. Uh, my grandson

608
04:00:09.199 --> 04:00:30.960
sitting with me and he keeps asking me why the superintendent isn't looking at the speakers and I want to say to you, look at Mr. Roads, that's leadership right THERE LEADERSHIP. This is Rachel right here. I have a few questions. I have actually

609
04:00:30.960 --> 04:00:47.439
one big one, but one of the things I wanted to say is I'm I'm a lifelong B girl. Went to number two school, Bel Junior High School, Bel High School. Class of 77, but I quit because I was not given the opportunity to go in the

610
04:00:47.439 --> 04:01:07.760
direction I wanted to. And that day and age did not want me to be a secretary or housewife and I wanted to be a scientist. So, I walked out. Couldn't do it. I have become a scientist. I was a cancer researcher AND university at Montlair State and now I'm

611
04:01:07.760 --> 04:01:24.080
at North K. Um so I want to say one thing to the students in this room that is my background and that is my education. I lost count how many times I was suspended from these schools in Bel. So when I heard somebody sent me an email and said text message and said I

612
04:01:24.080 --> 04:01:40.040
think the kids are going to take do a workout to protest what's happening and I texted my grandson and said if you're not the first to run out the door I'll be disappointed. So I absolutely support our children to stand up

613
04:01:41.840 --> 04:01:57.439
multiple times but I'm still professor so don't worry about that. And I just want to say one thing, and I really am I don't I don't think it's in any way disrespectful at all, but I know that one of the things I think that you're looking to do here is be transparent.

614
04:01:57.439 --> 04:02:14.000
And I I believe that. I really do. I think there's a lot of issues, a lot of problems, and I do think that we have lost confidence in the superintendent. And I'm asking you for her, I'm asking you straight out when it comes to suspensions. You were suspended from Sik

615
04:02:14.000 --> 04:02:30.160
School Board. Is there any way that you can explain to us what's happened and why so that we have some I mean that disrespectfully I don't so that we can have transparency and maybe gain some more trust in you that we don't have right now but the reason I actually

616
04:02:30.160 --> 04:02:46.720
decided to speak is because STEM is actually something that's near and dear to my heart especially as a Hispanic. I actually went to UNPJ for my PhD through the bridges program and one of the things was because I was a minority Hispanic which for me I'm more involved.

617
04:02:46.720 --> 04:03:02.160
I don't see myself as being that much of a minority but STEM means something to me. So when I looked up the director of STEM that you're proposing and I see this is doc uh Mr. um Royal Ro was his name Royal was who was the

618
04:03:02.160 --> 04:03:21.439
middle school principal when my grandson was there. He's a wonderful guy even Dr. Dr. Red. That man is the best thing that ever happened. Mr. um Royale, he does have apparently a doctorate in education from Liberty

619
04:03:21.439 --> 04:03:40.160
University, which is a a biblical uh creationist faright Christianbased school, which is fine. I have no problem with that. But somebody who's that that thick in creationism has no business in

620
04:03:40.160 --> 04:03:56.319
being a STEM director. You have so many amazing science teachers. Joy with his uh chemistry teacher. She's wonderful. How highly educated? She's a scientist. This is not a scientist and this is not the type of this is not the person who

621
04:03:56.319 --> 04:04:12.479
has the qualifications to be a director of STEM. I'm asking that she try to find somebody who actually fits the picture because a creationist should not be a director of STEM. I have my own problems with this school trying to be a scientist. I want to see these kids do

622
04:04:12.479 --> 04:04:37.120
whatever they want and they need the support. They need that name right there. They need you, Dr. So I expect you to stand up as a man, as an educator. His family don't need clap. We are people and our jobs is to help these children.

623
04:04:37.120 --> 04:05:09.960
And I want better from you. I want more from you. Thank you. I believe next Karen either Larus or Lis. Okay. Uh s ocean.

624
04:05:31.120 --> 04:05:48.560
Um, a year ago, uh, I came turned north to advocate for building men and several staff members in the DHS. And I was met with amazing remarks about how these teachers

625
04:05:48.560 --> 04:06:05.359
are doing amazing job and we need more of these programs and programs like this need to stay. And a year later, if you were to ask me this a year ago, would you see yourself a year later fighting to see these programs and fighting to keep teachers in? I would have told you

626
04:06:05.359 --> 04:06:21.520
no. Yet here I am a year later with my friends, with my peers, with my with my educators and uh community members. We are fighting for these people. We are fighting for these programs.

627
04:06:21.520 --> 04:06:39.199
I just want to take a moment and say without these people, I know you've heard this all night, but without these people, I would not be the man I am today. Yes, I will not deny the fact that I would do with any in any district I would sell, but I would not have been

628
04:06:39.199 --> 04:06:53.680
pushed the way I have been pushed without these people around me support me, educate me, guide me the right way and make me see the power that I have in me and make me advocate for the youth and make me

629
04:06:53.680 --> 04:07:08.640
gather my friends and create a protest. Now I would like to say if you have been affected by any of the rules I would like for you to stand up and give a round of applause not

630
04:07:08.640 --> 04:07:58.479
to show that you care and this is the final It's been the most incredible night. I I had an opportunity many times to

631
04:07:58.479 --> 04:08:14.720
meet some of the students for me. You know, they always say your future, but I've heard so many of you. So,

632
04:08:14.720 --> 04:08:37.920
I just want to say that, but I'd like to I'd like to address something else. There's so many people tonight. I was at a public workshop and then board meeting

633
04:08:37.920 --> 04:08:53.359
to vote on the budget. I'm not sure. I think I was the only non employee or board member there. I don't remember anyone being there. It was weird.

634
04:08:53.359 --> 04:09:17.040
Place was empty. I listened to the presentation. In many ways, I was very very impressed, a lot of detail, but at the same time, I didn't see a word session.

635
04:09:17.040 --> 04:09:42.160
I didn't see any of you asking questions, making reinforcing statements. The superintendent and the BA worked hard. I felt like sometimes not just like all

636
04:09:42.160 --> 04:10:06.080
things and you had a vote and you all voted yes except for one person. I'm sorry but I'm going to bring it up. I think she took no part. Was it no part? I don't know if it was no. I don't

637
04:10:06.080 --> 04:10:21.359
remember. But what I do remember cuz we're not hearing very much from you as the president of the board, Mr. Board of President. I'm not sure who

638
04:10:21.359 --> 04:10:36.479
running the meeting or is the guy who dings us when we go beyond 3 minutes or the one who actually runs the the meeting. >> But there was a taken apart.

639
04:10:36.479 --> 04:10:56.960
Okay. What was worse? You wanted to know why she voted that way. You wanted complete unity.

640
04:10:56.960 --> 04:11:14.720
From what I know, you're having accounting background, right? I remember nothing to quote something to give extent of there wasn't enough time

641
04:11:14.720 --> 04:11:34.880
for her to go over things. Her response was the rest of us died at that time. How can we go yes? You have no right to do that. You have no right to question yes why you voted yes or why you voted no.

642
04:11:35.120 --> 04:11:54.319
You can make a general uh you can make a generalization on the part of voter who say I take exception yada yada yada course not inappropriate you were bullying her

643
04:11:54.319 --> 04:12:10.399
and so many times what people don't agree with you >> when we don't know we're simply acting to ask you questions or why. We're put on the defensive.

644
04:12:10.399 --> 04:12:28.399
We're made to feel as if we don't know or it's inappropriate because we don't have the background or we don't get the background. That's the reason why we ask the question at times. Are you going to feel

645
04:12:28.399 --> 04:12:46.319
uncomfortable? Yes. But it's very interesting. feels safe. We'll email you the answers. We'll get back to you. I must say board secretary. All right. As for BA, your minutes are

646
04:12:46.319 --> 04:13:24.359
amazing. You'll bring up the concern, but we don't get the answers because when a member of the public asks a question, I know the paper and I said, I appreciate you

647
04:13:43.199 --> 04:14:00.479
very Um I'm here to speak about mental health. Now it's a very serious subject. You know, especially for the kids coming in school, starting high school, you know, it's a very big jump in their life.

648
04:14:00.479 --> 04:14:15.680
You know, I know everybody has their good day and bad days, but more importantly, we have these resources here at the school that help kids like me and others who constantly go through things day by

649
04:14:15.680 --> 04:14:32.560
day without telling nobody anything. And we all know what that means. you know, we've been through it. Whether it's ourselves or, you know, friends, family, and these kids just don't have nobody to

650
04:14:32.560 --> 04:14:49.120
look up to. That's why we need to keep with the wellness center building because these groups, these resources help kids like us so we don't go down that road that leads to drug abuse, alcohol,

651
04:14:49.120 --> 04:15:05.840
suicide, all those important facts. We need that. and you guys taking that away, that's a big that leaves a big hole in the community, which I don't think y'all realize. You know, the body language

652
04:15:05.840 --> 04:15:22.479
says it all. I'm pretty sure that made it sucked his teeth, but you don't keep that on the low. Um uh yeah, that's that's it helps out a lot. You know, I only been in Belleville for about 2 and 1/2 maybe 3 years. You

653
04:15:22.479 --> 04:15:39.680
know, I transferred here and my good friend here, Demir, he was one of the first people that brought me into the school and helped me comfort and get used to this new school. Cuz a kid like me coming from the east side of Patterson, you know, the hood, whatever

654
04:15:39.680 --> 04:15:56.560
you guys want to call it, doesn't bring people know that's where he came from. You know, I was looked at differently. The kids thought that I might have been a hood rat, whatever you want to call it. But this man right here, he's helped me and he's still helping me and he

655
04:15:56.560 --> 04:16:12.080
doesn't even know it to help become the better person I am today along with all these resources. My guidance counselor, I know some of you I see some of you guys understand, but you right there. I'm sorry. I don't I'm very

656
04:16:12.080 --> 04:16:31.840
sorry. You in the green shirt? Yes. >> Yes. Miss Oh, sorry. But people like her, you know, my guys, Mr. Solo, Mr. Open, a big help cuz I don't know where I would be at today if

657
04:16:31.840 --> 04:16:48.239
it wasn't for them and if it wasn't for those men. You know, Mrs. Durant, Mr. Ames, Dennis, I know you're watching this. Dennis, you know, all the mentors that helped has changed me significantly and they constantly show off my achievements

658
04:16:48.239 --> 04:17:03.840
and I'm so grateful for that, you know, because it's hard to change. People know it's hard to change. I thought I never would. I was way different. If you know me years back, you guys will see a change. And they

659
04:17:03.840 --> 04:17:19.520
bring it up every day. They don't let me forget that, you know, I became better because they helped give me the resources to become better. That's why I'm standing here today speaking up for them and for myself. You know, you got

660
04:17:19.520 --> 04:17:36.560
to think not only for me, you got to think for the future. You got to think for the kids that are starting high school, the freshman that becoming sophomores, the sophomores that are becoming juniors, the juniors that are becoming seniors next year. You got to think about them. like they don't have these resources.

661
04:17:36.560 --> 04:17:54.080
Where can that lead? You know, you giving these jobs to new people, they might not certify like they might not qualify for those attributes that these guys give, you know, and it's hard to build relationships with people.

662
04:17:54.080 --> 04:18:10.560
You got to think about the kids that are going to step into school next September and realize that their favorite teacher, their favorite counselor, their mentor, or whoever they look up to because school is like their second home, their home away from home,

663
04:18:10.560 --> 04:18:26.720
and they're nowhere to be seen. Who do they go to then? They hold it down. What happens? Please, I would like to know how is that going to help proceed for the future. I really I

664
04:18:26.720 --> 04:18:44.080
really want to know. I don't think like I don't think you guys really grasp the concept of what's at stake here. Not only kids, you know, these kids don't speak up.

665
04:18:44.080 --> 04:18:58.159
It's scary. He's the same kids that, you know, fail, skip class, skip school entirely, smoke bait, whatever happens. All right, we'll be your 5 minutes up. I appreciate you

666
04:18:58.159 --> 04:19:36.239
coming up. Thank you so much. Yeah. >> Good everyone. Good night. Good evening. A few months. It's been a long night for um Michael Shelton 47 Street. I uh I want to start off with saying that earlier tonight VA

667
04:19:36.239 --> 04:19:52.080
uh went on record uh indicating that uh Quanic had to give us some emergency equipment in order to run this meeting. has even more credibility to my argument to the plus filing that this meeting was ad hoc and intentionally set up here to

668
04:19:52.080 --> 04:20:08.239
disin diminish and dissuade protesters from appearing at tonight's meeting. But that'll be in in the lawsuit. Uh Dr. Alonso, uh as this protest was materializing, you uh made several little video presentations. You keep

669
04:20:08.239 --> 04:20:24.399
harping on it. You inherit a $3.7 million deficit and then you uh uh almost cynically blame the former administration, Dr. Tomco in particular, for what clearly you were planning upwards of 175 uh unnecessary hires

670
04:20:24.399 --> 04:20:40.800
since 2021. But interestingly, you don't bother to tell people that since 2021, we've created our prek universe, >> right? We have 600 kids in the program. If you do the back of the envelope calculation, you need at least 100 people, teachers, aids, all the

671
04:20:40.800 --> 04:20:57.840
auxiliary people to run that program. So, where do you get off blaming Dr. Congo for 175 bogus hires? You're you're really being disingenuous about this. You also claim that we're in terrible financial shape. Well, the audit in presented in February, just a few months

672
04:20:57.840 --> 04:21:15.279
ago, once again, Mr. Liz, the the lead auditor there, reported that our general fund balance for the closure of the last academic year, June 30 of last year, we had a 12.2 million general fund balance surplus with a $4.5 million capital

673
04:21:15.279 --> 04:21:32.880
reserve, $1.5 million in maintenance reserve, and most significantly 9.7 million in unreserved monies, which is I understand that you had $9.7 million available as of July 1st. So where you're claiming poverty makes no sense.

674
04:21:32.880 --> 04:21:47.600
But I'm I would love to have that discussion with you at some point and we need to sit down with Miss Aishio as well to get to the bottom of this. But since I have only 3 minutes left here, I want to uh repeat now what I did almost a year ago when you Dr. Alfonso was

675
04:21:47.600 --> 04:22:04.479
announced as our next superintendent. And Jonathan, you don't have to tell me to be careful. You know, mlander everything I'm about to say is all in the records in the newspapers etc. So I want to just quickly recount in only my two and a half minutes um the recent history of Dr. Alonso before he became available. Dr. Alonso was the

676
04:22:04.479 --> 04:22:20.960
superintendent of the Sakus School District. He started there July 1st, 2023 at a a salary of $184,500. Eight months later in March of 2024, he was put on paid administrative suspension by the Sakus Board of

677
04:22:20.960 --> 04:22:37.760
Education. At the same time they put him on paid suspension, they hired another lawyer, Peter Fallon, not Jimmy Fallon, Peter Fallon. Peter Fallon is a well-known education attorney. He did an investigation. As the newspapers reported, there were multiple unnamed

678
04:22:37.760 --> 04:22:54.720
allegations made against Dr. Alfonso. And so, Mr. Fallon did an investigation. He finished that in early part of 2025. He gave that report to the Sakus Board of Ed prior to their February 13, 2025 meeting. And at that meeting, all parties agreed to enter into a permanent

679
04:22:54.720 --> 04:23:10.000
separation agreement. That was February 13, 2025. Less than 3 months later, Dr. Alfonso was hired as our superintendent. Three of the board members that you see before you voted affirmatively for his

680
04:23:10.000 --> 04:23:26.000
hire. Two board members, Miss Gillis, to her credit, abstained. She didn't want she didn't initially support Dr. Alonso's hiring. How do I Well, when I spoke about the circumstances of his hiring, I brought up the fact of the Stalin report. It was well known. It was

681
04:23:26.000 --> 04:23:42.239
in newspapers. Everyone knew about it. And I asked if the board had looked at the Fon report before hiring Dr. Alonso. And of course, at that meeting, the May meeting of last year, they were all silent. But a few weeks later, the board president from last year, Gabby

682
04:23:42.239 --> 04:23:58.319
Bennetti, sent me an email in which he officially acknowledged that no, the board did ne never saw the bound report. In fact, they didn't even make an effort to ask Dr. Alonso to sign a waiver. Now, he's going to say the board attorney to say, "Mr. Shelton, you know that those

683
04:23:58.319 --> 04:24:14.080
are personnel records and are not operable." I know that because I even went through the the pretense of trying to operate, but they could our board could have asked Dr. help to sign a waiver so that the support board could have given our board the family report, but they didn't do it. They turned a

684
04:24:14.080 --> 04:24:30.000
blind eye. They intentionally turned a blind eye to this. So, I'm almost out of time here. What can we do about this? I have a petition running for the last few months to ask the attorney general of New Jersey, Jennifer Davenport. She had the power to subpoena the Fallon report

685
04:24:30.000 --> 04:24:45.359
from the Socus board of education do an independent objective review of it to find out if Dr. Alonso still has the legal authority to serve in the public education sector. So I ask you all go to my Facebook page. I have the documents

686
04:24:45.359 --> 04:25:25.920
here tonight where signing a position we can ask the attorney general to take action that this board failed to do. Good evening, Dr. Alonso, members of the board, parents, students. I'm so proud of your students. Everything that you

687
04:25:25.920 --> 04:25:45.680
said, the parents, the teachers, you all deserve a mighty nice round of applause. I think we've gone through all of this in five minutes. Um, but I wanted to talk about the fact that Dr. Alonso, you say that the cuts had to be done equally

688
04:25:45.680 --> 04:26:01.120
across all departments. However, when you're dealing with a demographic for students that require services as mandated by law, that must take priority over optics or equity because, as Miss Tina Lewis so importantly stated just a little while ago, there's a difference

689
04:26:01.120 --> 04:26:17.520
between equity and equality. With Belfo's demographics exceeding 50 exceeding 50% Latino and over 70% Latino specifically at the high school, how does eliminating the supervisor of multilingual learners who specifically services our Latino families in addition

690
04:26:17.520 --> 04:26:34.479
to non-renewing five teachers under ESL as well as the only bilingual counselor that serves students and families with this district? How does that help the district to remain in compliance with NJC 6A15? This administrative code mandates

691
04:26:34.479 --> 04:26:52.080
bilingual education, English as a second language, and related services for multilingual learners. It requires public school districts to identify students who need language support and provide them with equitable, rigorous academic instruction. It also says that if a district has 20 or more multil-

692
04:26:52.080 --> 04:27:08.239
language learners who speak the same native language, it is mandated to offer a full-time bilingual education program. If a district has fewer than 20 multilingual learners of the same language, it must provide structured ESL instruction. We have a population of

693
04:27:08.239 --> 04:27:26.000
over 50% Latinos in this town. We are basically a town full of a lot of Latinos and a lot of Asian families. We definitely have more than 20 multilingual learners. So, please let us know how you're going to remain in compliance again with NJAC6A15

694
04:27:26.000 --> 04:27:41.760
given all of these facts by eliminating the exact staff and resources, bilingual counselors, supervisor of multilingual learners, ESL teachers who support our immigrant student population. Dr. Alonso, you are system is definitely

695
04:27:41.760 --> 04:27:57.840
suppressing the progress and future success of your immigrant student population. You're also actually creating a dispar impact that leaves the district vulnerable to a federal civil rights investigation by the US Department of Justice. By eliminating

696
04:27:57.840 --> 04:28:13.279
our only bilingual counselors, you are effectively cutting off mental health and crisis support for up to 70% of the high school population alone. What is the safety plan for a Spanish student experiencing a crisis when these changes took effect? and removing our

697
04:28:13.279 --> 04:28:31.040
interventions. When my daughters came to Belville 5 years ago, it was their intervention teacher, one who was here, Mr. Tora. Thank you for all that you do. And that helped. My middle schooler now gets honor in her math and classes. My

698
04:28:31.040 --> 04:28:48.159
11-year-old daughter Sophie has an IEP and she suffers anxiety. I too share the same concerns that other parents in this district or children with IPS have and have spoken of here. I am so grateful to my daughter Sophia's teachers again, Mr. Tora, Miss Blake, Miss Lee, Miss Omar,

699
04:28:48.159 --> 04:29:04.640
Miss Alice at school number three. I am a product of bilingual education. In closing, I was I was in basic skills and practice math and ELA till I was seven. I went from barely being able to read English to becoming the fastest reader in my class. That would have never

700
04:29:04.640 --> 04:29:20.239
happened without my ESL teachers and a dedicated bilingual education program. I'm also a product of a ministry made by Hashen Ministries under the leadership of Bishop Bernel that help me to understand there's power in my story as a daughter of an immigrant. And to

701
04:29:20.239 --> 04:29:51.680
everyone here, if you're an immigrant, you're a child of immigrant, there's power in your stories. I'm going to say it in Spanish for anyone here who's listening. and in closing, I just want to say this last thing here, Dr. Alonso and every board member who voted in favor of the

702
04:29:51.680 --> 04:30:07.680
personnel motions that affect our students, teachers, and community. You really need to think about who you want to be in every single student's story. every single student, not just our immigrant students, but all of our students because this is our community.

703
04:30:07.680 --> 04:30:24.560
Now more than ever, we need to advocate for our immigrant populations because this current administration seeks to demonize black and brown immigrants and systemically deprive us of resources and access to education. And there's nothing saddening to see other immigrants and children of immigrants participate in

704
04:30:24.560 --> 04:31:06.560
that whole agenda. just >> Okay. Um, good evening everyone. Um, tonight I want to express my concerns about the changes being made within this district. As a mother of three,

705
04:31:06.560 --> 04:31:22.560
homeowner, and a taxpayer, I feel it is my responsibility to speak up about decisions that directly affect our schools or children in our community. This may sound repetitive, but it is my right to say. Um, I want to start by

706
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saying that personally spoken to you, Dr. Hono, um, about the urgent need for more mental health support and stronger services for ESL students in this district. I am a former ESL student. I'm from North Bergen and the support I had

707
04:31:39.520 --> 04:31:54.159
there was crucial for my, you know, educational development. I have seen it firsthand where students don't have anyone else but that counselor to count on a counselor who supports them and understands them.

708
04:31:54.159 --> 04:32:11.279
Especially a bilingual Spanish counselor that they high school only has one and they're letting him go. So, um, it is concerning and as a mother that has a daughter who, you know, goes through mental health issues, it is very

709
04:32:11.279 --> 04:32:27.040
concerning that they're cutting down the wellness. I've seen many high school students are struggling with their own mental health and their only resource was the wellness card. It saddens me to know that there are discussions about cutting mental health resources that are

710
04:32:27.040 --> 04:32:43.120
so important for our students. And I want to be very clear, the services are not a luxury, they're a necessity. Um, many students rely on this support every single day and using these resources will directly impact their well-being,

711
04:32:43.120 --> 04:32:59.040
emotional health, and ability to succeed academically. Many of us Spanish-speaking parents hope for a leader that will not only understand our language but also truly support our community and advocate for

712
04:32:59.040 --> 04:33:15.520
our children's academic future. It is also very disappointing to hear about the plans for school 10 and the possibility of replacing our principal and also to add school 10 is

713
04:33:15.520 --> 04:33:32.000
one of the best schools in the district probably the best school in the district and it's not and with all the respect it's not because of you the board it's not because of you the per council it's because of the staff members the custodians the aid

714
04:33:32.000 --> 04:33:49.039
everyone that's here and our principal and um Mr. Moran was here. The school has been great and within the past my daughter is in fourth grade and we have had three principles in the school. So

715
04:33:49.039 --> 04:34:04.160
this changes our students need a stability, consistency and leadership that helps them grow and succeed. Um, and to the board members, I also want to add, and I'm sorry if I'm going back and forth, um, that I recently found out

716
04:34:04.160 --> 04:34:20.639
that you are, um, you're not retiring our fifth grade teacher. Um, and you know, I would like for you to answer if budget is an issue. Um, I mean, you have to hire a fifth grade teacher. There's only one fifth grade teacher in the

717
04:34:20.639 --> 04:34:36.799
school. So, if you're letting for go, are you rehiring? you're hiring somebody else. Isn't that also a budget part of the budget? I I don't understand that part. If you can answer that question and to the board members, I ask that you

718
04:34:36.799 --> 04:34:52.400
please begin prioritizing the best interest of our children and our community. Unfortunately, I have not seen positive change since our last election. Families are speaking up because we care deeply about our

719
04:34:52.400 --> 04:35:08.719
schools and about the future of our children. Please listen to the voices of parents, students and staff members. Our children deserve support, stability, and leaders who will truly put their wellbeing first. I sincerely hope that

720
04:35:08.719 --> 04:35:26.719
many that my concerns are heard and that meaningful actions are taken. And to the parents here and to the ones that are watching, body language that speaks more than a thousand words. And we have seen tonight certain board members that voted

721
04:35:26.719 --> 04:35:43.920
yes for that of for something that should, you know, have not been um it should not be voted yes. Um, and also how careless and I'm sorry to say this, some of you board members while the students and parents are speaking out

722
04:35:43.920 --> 04:35:58.000
here on your phones, chewing gum, speaking to each other. It is very disrespectful and as a taxpayer, it is my right. We we voted for you guys and we're just hoping that in the future you

723
04:35:58.000 --> 04:36:38.400
do show care for our kids. Thank you. NEXT, Daniel >> and of one of one >> and of one and of one. All right. Good evening everyone. My name is Daniel Adabani and I come here

724
04:36:38.400 --> 04:36:54.320
tonight because silence in in a moment like this becomes betrayal. Now I understand that we have 5 minutes to talk. Um but you guys don't have to worry about that. I'll be much shorter. I'm going to speak plain and this is an

725
04:36:54.320 --> 04:37:14.240
urgent matter. So what's happening in this town is wrong. You are cutting bilingual education, mental health professionals, social workers, mentors, and trusted staff in this town that is over 50% Latino.

726
04:37:14.240 --> 04:37:33.760
With schools filled with black and brown children who already carry burdens, many adult adults will crumble. And while students lose support under the district, somehow the district somehow finds money for for more

727
04:37:33.760 --> 04:37:54.000
administrations or more administrators, more bureaucracy, and more positions in the top. That's not leadership. That's failure and a lack of priorities. See, some of you may view these cuts as numbers on a spreadsheet,

728
04:37:54.000 --> 04:38:12.359
but for families like mine, these people were likeminded. My daughter currently now is thriving college student because of people like Mr. Paladino, Dr. Pastor, and Miss Papuri.

729
04:38:14.480 --> 04:38:30.080
And those people they did not they fought for the children and they they did not fight preach they did not chase the preach. They helped my family through the darkest season of our lives through they listened when others ignored. They

730
04:38:30.080 --> 04:38:45.199
guided with while others judged. They became heroes in my daughter's story. So, I do take this personally. Even though my daughter has graduated already and she's in college, I still have two children in Belleville district. Right

731
04:38:45.199 --> 04:39:02.400
now, even though they don't um attend Belleville High School, they are attending North Tech Tech High School, but they're still part of Belville district. And you guys have to realize that children are not experiments. These students are not experiments. They are

732
04:39:02.400 --> 04:39:18.320
not political pawns. They are human beings. And let me say this clearly. Our black and black and brown children are already under attack from every direction outside the school walls. Anxiety, trauma, violence, poverty, depression,

733
04:39:18.320 --> 04:39:37.280
hopelessness. And now the very people helping them to survive are being removed. So what exactly and who exactly is this district fight? I ask that you all members do not fight

734
04:39:37.280 --> 04:39:55.120
for children. My friend and Bishop, Bishop Fernell of Beth Hashimi Ministries once taught about systems that smile in our faces while stripping away resources from our communities behind closed doors.

735
04:39:55.120 --> 04:40:11.200
And whether it's intentional or not, when you remove mental health support and bilingual resources from vulnerable students, the damage to harness on some communities that are always expected to suffer to suffer

736
04:40:11.200 --> 04:40:29.280
quietly. Well, some of us are not going to be quiet. I'm not going to be quiet anymore. And the students here tonight are not going to be quiet. And I'm very proud of them. You cannot train to care about the student and wellness while dismantling the very programs producing healing,

737
04:40:29.280 --> 04:40:46.000
stability and success. And especially if leadership failing students, then leadership should be reevaluated, not the people actually doing their job ground level. So I urge the board tonight, stop

738
04:40:46.000 --> 04:41:03.360
balancing budgets on and stop balancing budgets on the backs of children. And I just want to say one thing to Mr. Alonso, Dr. Alonso. Um, your body language is very very bad. You know, you you're I don't know what you're typing. Maybe you're typing notes and that's

739
04:41:03.360 --> 04:41:19.680
okay. But you have to engage the people speaking because we came out here to speak to you. You're the leader, right? You're the leader of Belleville School District, not the president, not the lawyer. Like, I know they're the puppeteers, but you can't. All right. So

740
04:41:19.680 --> 04:41:36.000
just just just show respect for the people coming out here. So many people suffer from anxiety. They're afraid to come here, but they they're being courageous. So all you can do, I encourage you just show respect. You know, be a man about it. You know, we come from the same area. I believe you

741
04:41:36.000 --> 04:41:52.680
come Hudson County, right? So you're from Hudson County. I'm from Hudson County. Maybe you're from a different area of H County. I grew up in your city. You grew up in a different place. But we're all H County, right? Show some respect. I don't know because you guys LIKE

742
04:41:59.680 --> 04:42:47.200
our last speaker. She asked five minutes. Yeah. >> Come on. Sorry. Sorry. This is Liam. Are you Liam? Liam. Correct. Right. >> Yes. Okay.

743
04:42:47.200 --> 04:43:01.760
Good evening everyone. I am a Beville High School senior. Um first, um I'd like to say that I'm very proud. I'm very proud to be a Beville

744
04:43:01.760 --> 04:43:19.600
High School student. I have never felt more um united as I have tonight with my fellow students, with the fellow staff. Um, and I truly hope that some change does occur

745
04:43:19.600 --> 04:43:41.520
in this night that's not in vain. Um, so this past year I worked in a program called the cool kids program and we would basically go to the middle school and we would get training and we would encourage the middle schoolers um

746
04:43:41.520 --> 04:43:57.920
especially those who are graduating um and we would accept we would support them. we would mentor them and one of the main things that we told them was to encourage them was that they would have support in Belville High School that if they could help in any way academically,

747
04:43:57.920 --> 04:44:16.160
emotionally, mentally, socially, there's support for them. Um, but who's going to tell them that now? Who's going to tell them that now? because a lot of the the the invaluable staff in

748
04:44:16.160 --> 04:44:32.480
our school are they're going to have to leave and that's devastating not just for me and I'm a graduating senior. doesn't affect me, right? But it does. And I had I wrote a graduation uh research paper on

749
04:44:32.480 --> 04:44:48.000
this topic actually and I got a hundred on it. And I I want to read some um quotes that I have here. Here's one that supports um that supports the mental health counselors. Counselors and behavioral health

750
04:44:48.000 --> 04:45:03.360
professionals such as school psychologists may take into account the known psychological profiles and histories of past school shooters. If similar psychological characteristics are evident in certain students within their schools, administrators may be

751
04:45:03.360 --> 04:45:18.560
able to approach and potentially help them, thus preventing the possibility of an attack. Mental health professionals have an invaluable training that can help them evaluate whether a student needs to be sent out of school for further evaluation to prevent dangerous

752
04:45:18.560 --> 04:45:33.840
situations. That's something that not every staff member. No, no offense to the counselors, but it's not something that everybody can do. Not everybody has a train to do that and has the experience to do that. And I

753
04:45:33.840 --> 04:45:49.920
think students not just in Belleville High School, but in all the schools in Belleville, they they really need people like that with the qualifications to support and help them. And school shooters, that doesn't just

754
04:45:49.920 --> 04:46:14.638
affect the school. That's that affects Belleville as a whole. That's just one example of how Belleville is affected. I used to go to a private school and there was no mental health resources. I came here because I needed the mental

755
04:46:14.638 --> 04:46:31.760
health resources. I'm graduating now. Like I said, it's not going to affect me. But what about those other students, those incoming freshmen next year? What are they going to do? I came from a private school. Not many of you may know this, but

756
04:46:31.760 --> 04:46:49.360
private schools a lot of times they don't they don't have the resources available to help students. So if public schools don't, what are we going to do eventually? I know it's a financial cost

757
04:46:49.360 --> 04:47:07.718
and I know it's so hard financially. It takes a toll. But if there's anything you can do, anything, please help us. >> Thank you.

758
04:47:23.280 --> 04:47:39.440
Good evening everyone. I am a ninth grader at PHS and I am the last speaker and also the youngest speaker here. >> Sorry, just take your name for the record. >> Abigail Martinez. >> Thank you. >> Um I am living proof on how much

759
04:47:39.440 --> 04:47:55.840
wellness has helped. I have gone to Bel Central Elementary and in the fourth grade a lot of stuff with my family has been happening and there was no wellness um counselor to help. So I had to speak

760
04:47:55.840 --> 04:48:11.920
to the principal and respectfully the principal had no training and nothing got done. So nothing was able to help and the situation got worse until I was able to speak with the counselor and I have a lot of people supporting me here.

761
04:48:11.920 --> 04:48:29.680
Um like my mom who stayed like 5 hours. Um so my mom migrated here just like my dad and she doesn't speak the best English. So we need people who can speak her

762
04:48:29.680 --> 04:48:56.480
language to understand and help me and my family like Mr. Duran and Mr. Barrian who've helped me tremendously. It's um really hard to get up, but I still want to >> I still want to do it because

763
04:48:56.480 --> 04:49:12.400
what's happening and what's getting removed isn't fair. I have two younger siblings and they are both they both need um extra help. My sister has an IEP and

764
04:49:12.400 --> 04:49:28.480
her case managers are going to remove like what am I supposed to tell her when she comes to the high school next year and looks to me like you said you got all this help where is this help from me and I was an older sister what am I supposed to tell her my old my younger

765
04:49:28.480 --> 04:49:45.760
brother wasn't able to stay in the district because there was teachers that weren't treating her to handle And and I want to be vulnerable because I want to see some change and

766
04:49:45.760 --> 04:50:02.560
it's specifically important to all families and all the students involve especially my family because I didn't think I'd make it to high school and I'm here and there's only so much

767
04:50:02.560 --> 04:50:20.080
the people who have met me in sixth grade can tell you today right now that I've changed so much and that um I'm doing way better and that's because of the support the one has given

768
04:50:20.080 --> 04:50:38.320
me like Mr. B Mr. Barry Mr. during and everyone and even today I almost suffered an anxiety attack and because I was able to go to the longest center it was fine. I I got to it before it happened and I was

769
04:50:38.320 --> 04:50:54.638
able to continue in school and catch up with work and to go to my class. Without that, I'm just suffering without any help and then losing out in class. and

770
04:50:54.638 --> 04:51:11.840
there should be a change to that. Um, firing or I guess getting rid of the Mr. Barry and Mr. Grant feels very wrong because they are overworked. Not only because they're wellness counselors, but

771
04:51:11.840 --> 04:51:27.600
because they are the only Spanish speaking people in the building. So, it's just difficult for them. And I understand because I also had to translate for my mom growing up and I have to have difficult conversations

772
04:51:27.600 --> 04:51:42.958
and I just I'm going to miss them a lot like Miss also a person who's helped me a lot and she's given me tremendous education and I feel like she's not applaud enough for that. um she was a

773
04:51:42.958 --> 04:52:00.040
safe person I could go to and I know there's a lot of people that were safe to me because of this decision. So I hope to see some progress um on change over next years after graduation.

774
04:52:33.280 --> 04:52:57.680
So a lot of questions. So one back to the walk. those mentions about rapid infestation throughout the district. If that is the case, which we have not sufficient by

775
04:52:57.680 --> 04:53:14.798
we buildings and we're working with the town to make sure that we do have what's called IBM which is part of program integrated test management on a regular basis. So whenever you notify them that there is case you'll be sure. So that is

776
04:53:14.798 --> 04:53:29.920
uh regarding that one and there was about five or six students talking about trust in consistency that has been I agree it shouldn't be inconsistencies there shouldn't be and that's something we're going to look into much more

777
04:53:29.920 --> 04:53:49.040
that's as much on that it should be uniform throughout not uniform dress. So we will be working with everyone on that especially the high school administration. Just to reiterate we're not eliminating

778
04:53:49.040 --> 04:54:07.440
not eliminating building men also building men there might be some mis uh miscommunication. Mr. Dennis Mr. Dennis is not an employee of local schools. Mr. Dennis is the CEO of Bully. So he is not being let go from

779
04:54:07.440 --> 04:54:26.480
us. He's the owner of the building programs that we're so just want to clarify that there were a couple comments that we're letting him go for us. One of the suggestions we made today that I really like and we're we're definitely going to move forward with is

780
04:54:26.480 --> 04:54:40.080
uh having like a student leadership forum to have regular meetings with myself. We're definitely going to have that. I reach out to the administrators. We're going to develop a student form and require us to be once a month. We're definitely consistently to have these

781
04:54:40.080 --> 04:55:06.160
conversations. So, it's a student who last. So, first you there. >> Okay. So, we're going to start doing that. And this is the great thing about this. We listen. We take what we can. We

782
04:55:06.160 --> 04:55:22.000
work what we can. Sadly, a lot of decisions are tied to it is what it is. I can't stress enough. But nonetheless, suggestions like that, this is the way that POS needs to be. So, if you're familiar with Pasel

783
04:55:22.000 --> 04:55:40.718
students and again, the federal budget was cut. Federal funds will receive only title three which is for our ASL student immigrant student population so we could proceed with a with a program that was based on pain. So we're now having so

784
04:55:40.718 --> 04:55:56.080
our students since then have been to two different universities and experienced these different campuses and making these great connections. So by voicing your concerns, whatever we can change, whatever we can adopt, whatever we can

785
04:55:56.080 --> 04:56:15.760
implement in house, we absolutely will. So thank you for that suggestion. Again, a lot of the questions were how these positions were selected. We went over that. Um, but I mentioned security financial is not that it's just a

786
04:56:15.760 --> 04:56:33.680
number. The thing is, it's the full amount. So, if we have three staff members that are $100,000 plus, that's $300,000. That's three staff members. Another staff member on the other the other end

787
04:56:33.680 --> 04:56:50.718
of the island is 65 to 7,000. We have to let go approximately four or five of those. The numbers would be higher out of 29. It would be higher. uh very happy to say we brought back our one of our counselors and this is

788
04:56:50.718 --> 04:57:07.040
something we are working towards the weekend today she was notified she's come back and she was done on the agenda so we're going to be moving forward as as it was previously mentioned this is phase one this is right now with the back of the budget balance as we're

789
04:57:07.040 --> 04:57:20.958
getting the resations as we're getting retirements possibly additional money because we have applied for certain grants and we'll wait to get back If we can, we will. Mental health is not joke. I was on the other side of those

790
04:57:20.958 --> 04:57:38.080
conversations to go around mental and mental health. It was tough. Toughen up. And I had friends who took us. So it is not a joke. I was also a non-native Spanish speaker.

791
04:57:38.080 --> 04:57:54.160
I get it. These are very difficult times and government is not really helping us. So we going to try to do our best and find every resource from additional fun whether it's through nonprofits whether

792
04:57:54.160 --> 04:58:11.840
it's through philanthropic organizations whether it's additional organizations if it's out there and by all means if you come across additional funding sources that we could apply for us so my way you absolutely apply for sustainability is the biggest thing and

793
04:58:11.840 --> 04:58:27.680
it is not fair to the residents it is not fair to the staff members to go above and beyond and stretch yourself for a year and go to death the following year and those same people who thought they had the jobs pretty bad are not available.

794
04:58:27.680 --> 04:58:43.440
Sustainability is key. We can't play with people's lives and emotions. So these decisions were not taken lightly and these decisions every time we read someone back is because we can confidently feel that we get sustained. And again in a very very dynamic climate

795
04:58:43.440 --> 04:58:59.920
where for the first time ever we hear from the state we might have a midyear public health upwards of 14%. 14% is a lot. So these are the things on the back end we're trying to figure out we're trying

796
04:58:59.920 --> 04:59:16.000
to do and again the government doesn't give a lot of information. So we try our best. Uh someone mentioned an email that I sent to Mlet and they sent it. Absolutely. As a matter of fact, shortly before uh we had

797
04:59:16.000 --> 04:59:32.600
our Rubik party outside him and I had a big conversation about it and he he him and I connected on what was his we have to share our personal list. So we had a conversation and say we saw that

798
04:59:33.440 --> 04:59:50.400
we're going to have conversations. I gave him my number. We want to make this work. Mr. V's campaign was entirely on supporting education over graduate himself. We want to work with the town. We plan to work with the town and any

799
04:59:50.400 --> 05:00:06.680
capacity that we can work with the town. We're going to work with the town. So, I just want to be very clear about that and we spoke about it. Ask me contact me whatever and we'll set a meeting and we'll be one. >> We won it.

800
05:00:07.280 --> 05:00:23.520
As far as how it's obtained, how I mean the same way that works, Mr. Sh speak on that is the same way that that will receive it's public information. You submit an open request and you get it. >> So individual, excuse me, >> request

801
05:00:23.520 --> 05:00:39.920
>> uh if it's your state employee or your public employee. So that's was a thing and it was obtained through the town server not because I can notify when we get an open request but it was over from the town not from us. So just want to be

802
05:00:39.920 --> 05:01:07.680
clear on that. Um, a lot of it is personal. We mentioned before we're personalized. We cannot have very specific conversations about any personel because it is confidentiality. So, we had quite a lot

803
05:01:07.680 --> 05:01:27.200
of um As far as uh bilingual programs being state mandated, yes programs are statemandated. Bilingual program is a whole additional program. It is not someone who is

804
05:01:27.200 --> 05:01:43.200
bilingual. It's a bilingual certificate position. It is not ESL. It's a separate certificate and to establish that additional program is a completely separate entity. So what is done at the state level if there's

805
05:01:43.200 --> 05:01:58.878
not enough funding which there hasn't been funding according to our budgetary you'll see the under adequacy number that we're 13 million under adequacy consistently to fund an additional program will cost $4 million easily.

806
05:01:58.878 --> 05:02:14.560
So we're talking about these cuts now. If we were to fund that additional program, it would be more cut. That's the difficult reality of the situation. So we do what we can. We have our ESL teachers.

807
05:02:14.560 --> 05:02:29.280
We put in the waiver and we work with the best. But yes, there is a budget program and what we do is file a waiver because there is not enough funding to support a whole additional program. I strongly strongly recommend especially

808
05:02:29.280 --> 05:02:44.958
you that really sat out the real estate on the state is public. We received a $1 million budget cut this year. We don't know what we'll say next. We will do everything in our power to

809
05:02:44.958 --> 05:03:02.160
secure additional funding, but ultimately our heads are crossed up until budget presentation and we're trying to pass a certain number in the tax. That's about as far as the board has any funding. And again, the higher the

810
05:03:02.160 --> 05:03:20.000
number, the greater the so yes, we'll have more conversations and we should absolutely be more transparent as far as fiscal difficulties. So the reality of the fact is we didn't even know where we're standing at the moment. We've been flying the

811
05:03:20.000 --> 05:03:36.240
plane of traffic at the same time. We were informed from the previous administration when I came in and from the postal monitor that there was a deficit like not much more information. But to any of you started a new job and the person who was there before you left

812
05:03:36.240 --> 05:03:52.320
and didn't leave any notes. So we can try it. And honestly again if you look at nearby districts for the amount that our deficit was for us not to be declaring a deficit

813
05:03:52.320 --> 05:04:15.280
that's been a very difficult task. We already spoke about reselling a position for what it was. Leah, you still here? Congratulations on your craft. I want to drink your paper, right?

814
05:04:15.280 --> 05:04:30.320
>> And listen, you spoke so well. So to you come up there and the way you did it and saying that you were nervous, you did fantastic and you're into good things. So again, we're going to try That's a

815
05:04:30.320 --> 05:04:50.638
seaf bring back as you climb the pump. There's not a window. And that's all I have on my end. I want to thank you all for coming. I want to thank you all for advocating. I You saw me tapping so as you can tell. I was taking

816
05:04:50.638 --> 05:05:07.040
12 pages and notes. So I want to make sure that you all feel heard and also we do the best with the situation that we have. and collectively we will be in a better place. And for sustainability is first once we maintain sustainability apply for additional funding that we

817
05:05:07.040 --> 05:05:24.798
mentioned and get to a better place. Thank you. >> Thank you Dr. Council. I would just like to address this short u miss you mentioned um earlier that was a bully for asking Miss Carol to clarify why

818
05:05:24.798 --> 05:05:40.480
change and I'll bring that to you. Um, when we had the initial budget, it was voting unanimously 70. When we had our meeting on April 23, I told the board, listen, we passed the budget, the initial budget, which was the same when we submitted to the county, came back

819
05:05:40.480 --> 05:05:57.760
the exact same way. Our goal tonight should be the same as the week before. Now, you may disagree. That's fine. I'm giving you my explanation. I didn't talk. So, this is my piece. uh it's 100% within my scope to ask a trustee to for transparency purposes

820
05:05:57.760 --> 05:06:13.840
maybe she saw something in the budget as an accountant that why she changed her vote from one week to the other. Again, you may disagree with me, but that was my thought process. She is an accountant. Maybe she saw something 2 weeks later that she didn't get a chance to see and maybe that's why she wouldn't

821
05:06:13.840 --> 05:06:30.480
know. If she had some information that she could have shared with us, that would have been very useful for us. Okay, I'm just asking questions because you may you may not agree with it, but I'm I'm allow Yeah, I'm asking for clarity transparency.

822
05:06:30.480 --> 05:06:47.200
>> I'm transparent as obviously. >> Okay, Michelle, I don't I'm just giving you I'm just answering my answering your question as as to your remark about talking. I can be there was over 30, 40, 50 speakers here tonight. No one wants

823
05:06:47.200 --> 05:07:03.600
to hear me speak in the middle of me. I'm going to listen to what the residents have to say, you speak your piece, and then at the end when we get to our march by board members, I'm going to say my piece. Um, if you're referring to the last meeting, the last meeting I spoke on the budget and and I was very clear in saying that, you know, we

824
05:07:03.600 --> 05:07:18.718
should be proud of it all things considered in other districts that are laying off over 100 uh uh employees, uh cancing freshman football, uh having to go up to rent for a $20 million, you know, uh loan from town. I'm not going to say this is by name because, you

825
05:07:18.718 --> 05:07:35.360
know, that's not what I'm trying to do here. But I I truly am sitting here saying I am proud of the work that we've done. Um, is it easy to to let go of 27 boxes or not? Absolutely not. But

826
05:07:35.360 --> 05:07:51.680
when we first had our initial discussions, you know, we were told this was a number and right away I could say, okay, so what's the levy if we keep everybody? And I believe doctor like 13%. So I said absolutely not. Then this meeting tonight would have been the 13%

827
05:07:51.680 --> 05:08:07.840
tax increase. If we left it at zero then it would have been 5067 and the meeting would have been about that. Uh I know Mr. Sheldon posted it on his Facebook saying that you know on my when I campaigned that was very a true advocate for social emotional learning.

828
05:08:07.840 --> 05:08:24.480
I still am but I'm also an advocate for fiscal responsibility. also a advocate for getting back to basics and Matthew reading right. So when Dr. Alonso and Miss Ao presented the budget and they showed that they were taking from every little section. I said this is probably

829
05:08:24.480 --> 05:08:40.878
the best case scenario that doesn't really affect anyone. Maybe the taxpayer, the student, the staff, okay, it's not easy and then we're all dealing with it. If everybody here is a is feeling the effects of that, some of

830
05:08:40.878 --> 05:08:56.798
us have to find what meals we have to cut to be able to afford a schooling for our child. We're all going through it. Nothing is changing here for us. I mean, we have this constraints. I really wish everybody had came to our initial uh

831
05:08:56.798 --> 05:09:13.240
budget hearing because then that would have given us wiggle room to say, "Okay, it seems that the residents are upset that we're letting go of 27 people, so maybe the answer is to increase the taxes 30%." Which I don't think the resation

832
05:09:15.280 --> 05:09:34.400
with all the risk, we had nobody in the stands. It's a trouble, right? You weren't there. I actually almost get a message and say you were okay. >> Did you speak that day? >> I'm taking Did you speak that day? >> I'm asking. Did you? >> No, I didn't. >> Okay. >> Because I didn't.

833
05:09:34.400 --> 05:09:50.878
>> Sure. I'm just >> No, I just want to explain. >> I'm not I'm not a huge >> as a resident as a resident kept on going on and off. >> Okay. So please feel free to send if if you're sending emails to Dr. Faro and

834
05:09:50.878 --> 05:10:06.000
you're not getting response feel free to email me I will I'll answer >> okay if there are questions please feel free >> I I'm not criticizing access to Dr. out console at all. I'm just trying to say a

835
05:10:06.000 --> 05:10:23.040
work session is a work session. >> Okay. >> And we'll definitely take that. >> You're supposed to have a public work session. Great, but nothing.

836
05:10:23.040 --> 05:10:39.520
>> It is definitely something that we can have a discussion about. Um, but the point I'm trying to make here is that once the budget has been submitted to the state, that's the food we have to play with. That's the pool. That's it. And I know there were a couple of former

837
05:10:39.520 --> 05:11:00.718
trustes here. Uh, I think I saw Gab here and Miss Williams. They can tell you that making the decision aren't easy. But the slight difference is is that when they were on the board of stig

838
05:11:00.718 --> 05:11:16.718
Mr. This is the first time you've had to make a decision on where previous um votes might have not even gotten majority but then the state was able to come in and then just make a decision. Uh it's very easy to abstain when you

839
05:11:16.718 --> 05:11:32.240
know you have someone above you that can make the decision for you and you put your hands Um, you know, Mr. Sheldon, I've been around for a while now. Um, you know, when when Tomo and those guys are in, you always say they hire a lot of people and it doesn't match up our student population. And then here we

840
05:11:32.240 --> 05:11:49.200
are. We're right by sizing and I would I would have thought we were on the same page today. That's the end of I I have been to play a game where you said that before. And I know the short answer to everyone is fired. Okay. I have to explain ten to give

841
05:11:49.200 --> 05:12:03.840
context to to the residents here. If you are tenure in your position as administrator maybe $220,000 once you are tenure and you say we abolish your position you go back to your last tenure position which may be

842
05:12:03.840 --> 05:12:21.840
the classroom making $220,000. That's just tenure. That's nothing that's nothing that's just tenure. So yes, when I campaigned Shelby, please put the video for guys tonight probably my first time I said yeah we should there's too much fat at the top right

843
05:12:21.840 --> 05:12:38.160
I'm definitely going to write the same but I also know that 10 year old you fire somebody right sorry you don't fire you remove them from the position they just go back to the last ticket position making that money okay and the same thing goes for teachers right it's uh

844
05:12:38.160 --> 05:12:55.120
last one in first one out your tenure I'm an educator we five educators on those days. Okay. I I personally didn't rip didn't get fired and I do remember my my my players coming up to the main balcony. Luckily, my name got off that

845
05:12:55.120 --> 05:13:10.080
list that that evening. Uh so I just wanted to give credit to all those students who stepped up and spoke to the teachers. Uh, so I know the feeling, but understand that it was a it was a it was a thing that we're juggling between not hurting taxpayers with a crazy tax le

846
05:13:10.080 --> 05:13:26.160
and also minimizing the amount of teachers that we're going to let go. This is not for a lack of not caring or or or not hearing you out, but once the budget's passed, that's our number. That is our number. So if tonight we didn't

847
05:13:26.160 --> 05:13:43.200
pass the transfer list and reorganization, then we would have would have had to for the to the state of deficit which we would have been on the book for in the next 10 years up to 10 years we decided and we're back where we started before new state monitor and

848
05:13:43.200 --> 05:14:00.400
you know Mr. Sheldon, I know you weren't a family to be here, right? >> Uh um and here we are today and and I know I respect Jonathan Bush next

849
05:14:00.400 --> 05:14:19.680
to put me in prison. Um but with that being said, I know some people spoke today that they're going to run for for board. I think it's great. I think it's great that you want to go out there and you want to be civically engaged and run for election. That's great. That's awesome. You'll get to see

850
05:14:19.680 --> 05:14:35.920
things from this. >> Sorry. >> Only I said that. >> No, some somebody else Mr. Phoenix Mr. Pet said it. Yeah. >> Um so, you know, it's great. I I hope you run and we need more people to be citally engaged. Uh because it is a thankful job. You know, I don't I think

851
05:14:35.920 --> 05:14:53.360
someone said one time saying, "How much money do you make?" And you won't make any money because the trustees. Um, it's a it's a volunteer position. So, anyone who wants to stay engaged in running for school board, that's awesome because you're doing it because you want the best period. Um, so for sure, I hope

852
05:14:53.360 --> 05:15:10.718
that was enough talking for me. If you want me to talk a little bit more, I can talk a little more. >> That's good enough. >> Okay. Um, but no, in all all seriousness, I just want to thank everyone who came tonight. I do hope that we have these numbers going forward

853
05:15:10.718 --> 05:15:25.280
because we can't make decisions just based on what we see on Facebook. Okay? We can't we can't make it on Facebook. >> You got to reach out to people >> stakeholders and community. >> All right. I think I'm being very

854
05:15:25.280 --> 05:15:43.760
diplomatic right now and Okay. So uh like I said, I wish that this type of uh participation continues because we can't make decisions just based on hearsay or what's on Facebook or not post or some nickname vegetable animal can't. But you

855
05:15:43.760 --> 05:15:59.280
being here today gives us a chance to actually gear you up. So I hope that this is just not a one-off. I hope you continue to to be engaged uh cuz it'll give us a a good uh feeling for what the community wants. All right. So, that's my piece. Um, I want to thank everyone

856
05:15:59.280 --> 05:16:20.400
again for coming up this evening. I'll leave it up to any of the other trustees that would like to make any remarks. >> So, just quickly impact on healing frustrations and I appreciate everyone who came up to

857
05:16:20.400 --> 05:16:46.160
speak and advocate for those messed up and Any other questions? >> Um, I just want to applaud everyone who came up and said something. It takes a lot of courage to um to advocate for

858
05:16:46.160 --> 05:17:02.798
yourself and for your peers and for your teachers. I think uh tonight makes me very proud uh not only to be uh fumble but to see that teachers are actually connecting with kids and um really creating

859
05:17:02.798 --> 05:17:19.040
long-lasting relationships and impacting their life. Um and we saw a lot of that today. Um I see it in my kids. Um again I have seven children four weeks to come to the school district here. um and I I hope not.

860
05:17:19.040 --> 05:17:35.600
Mr. English has had all of my kids for the most part. Um but um our our fight doesn't stop here, right? As an advocate, I've gone to the White House, the White House, the Capitol Hill, have spoken to Congress

861
05:17:35.600 --> 05:17:52.878
about paid material leave, you know, education. You don't need to only come here. But you can also speak up to your district leaders. Go find who represents our district. Go have meetings, set emails, show up. Um, and I encourage all the

862
05:17:52.878 --> 05:18:09.040
students, all the parents, because there are a lot of things that are out of our control on a local level that need to change. We should have more budget. We should have more money in our budget. That's something that we all need to stand up for, accordingly. So, I appreciate um you guys being here

863
05:18:09.040 --> 05:18:24.718
um all night. I don't know who anybody is referring to regarding their phone. Um I have to check in on my kids several times. Um because they're wondering why I'm not home and it's midnight and they're texting me and calling me about being hungry, needing something. I don't

864
05:18:24.718 --> 05:18:42.240
know. Um so I apologize if that comes off um disrespectful, but I will be more mindful um going forward. But I appreciate you guys and hope you guys have a good night. I want to also thank everybody. I hope our board of education meetings have all

865
05:18:42.240 --> 05:18:58.240
these bucks that we have in these seats always. You as the community hold us accountable for the position you elected us for. So I hope I continue to see these faces, not just one person at a budget meeting, but thank you all for

866
05:18:58.240 --> 05:19:14.798
your voices and your courage to speak tonight. Anybody else? Just one last thing because I just I just thought about that when I was very loud. Um

867
05:19:14.798 --> 05:19:33.680
I can't help but notice you know we had a very intense election and you know I kind of feel like the town is kind of split you know 50/50 and whatnot. Um, >> no, no, say in terms of I'm not I'm not doing just

868
05:19:33.680 --> 05:19:50.718
uh what I'm asking what I'm asking for uh for the residents going forward and parents here um is that if we can you know unify and kind of put in the entire election behind now I know someone on Facebook's going to say tonight but here

869
05:19:50.718 --> 05:20:06.638
goes Leon saying because uh because Mel had lost Mr. Bless took a test, right? What did I say to you outside of number seven school? Sorry, at the high school. I said, "Mr. Bless, you know, if you win, you're going to have my support." Now, I did share there's a certain couple people out there working in the

870
05:20:06.638 --> 05:20:22.798
same room with, right? I said, I'm not going to. Uh, but, you know, I I we it is our job to work with whoever is in office. And I think it's important for us in the community that we come back together and kind of find a common ground here. uh you know everybody here

871
05:20:22.798 --> 05:20:39.520
is going to support whoever is at that office and and I really hope that we can stop the division because you know someone made a comment you know left a double parent and it's just because it's just so much toxicity that one's mental health can overtake rather let's talk about mental health today when someone's

872
05:20:39.520 --> 05:20:56.080
calling you a double your teacher or you know whatever the case may be it gets to you after a while um but with that being said I hope that we can all get together as a um act to the mayor and the council and just you know go forward with each

873
05:20:56.080 --> 05:21:10.560
other. All right. My folks, can I please have a motion to close? Sorry. >> Citizens have a second, please. >> Second. >> All in favor?

874
05:21:10.560 --> 05:21:20.160
>> The time is now 12:08 a.m. Uh our next meeting will be