Call to order. Call to order. Adequate notice of the meeting of the Berkeley Heights Board of Education was given as required by the Open Public Meetings Act as follows. On January 9th, 2025, notice of the board of education meeting schedule was sent
to the Star Ledger and the Courier News and was also provided to all schools, PTO presidents, the BHEA president, and posted at the administration building. A copy was also provided to the public library and filed with the municipal clerk. Madame Secretary, may we have a
roll call, please? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Aerry, >> here. >> Miss Bradford, >> here. Dr. Corger, Mrs. Terrero, Mr. Dylan,
>> present. >> Mrs. Jolly >> here. >> Mrs. Connor >> here. >> Mrs. Stanley >> here. >> Right. We have a quorum. >> We have a quorum. Uh, please stand for the flag salute. >> I pledge
>> to the flag United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> At this time, adjourn to executive session. Whereas, the Berkeley Heights
Board of Education seeks to adjourn to executive session in full compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 10:4-6. And whereas the open public meetings act provides that a public body may exclude the public from that portion of the meeting at which it discusses matters
related to those identified below. Matters rendered confidential by federal law, state law or court rule. Individual privacy, collective bargaining agreements, purchase or lease of real property if public interest could be adversely affected. Investment of public funds if public interest could be
adversely affected. Tactics or techniques utilized in protecting public safety and property. pending or anticipated litigation, attorney client privilege, personnel, employment matters affecting specific prospective or current employees. Be it resolved that
the Berkeley Heights Board of Education adjourns to executive session to discuss matters related to legal personnel and students. And be it further resolved that the minutes of the discussion of any of these items will be disclosed to the public when matters have been determined and confidentiality is no
longer applicable. May I have a motion, please, to enter into executive session? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Mrs. Connor. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Stanley. >> Voice vote. >> I >> I >> The time is 6:33
p.m. for >> tonight. May I have a motion, please, to return to public session? >> So move. >> Thank you, Mrs. Connor. A second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Stanley. Voice vote. Hi. >> We are returning to public session at
7:30 p.m. >> 7:30 p.m. Thank you. >> Report of the superintendent, Dr. Feltry. Thank you, uh, Madame President. Uh, we will start with a report of our student representatives.
Yep. All right. Uh good evening members of the board. This is the third edition of Happenings on the Hill and I'm pleased to share that has been a strong and positive month at GL. On October 27th, the yearbook and newspaper staff attended the Garden State Scholastic Press Association conference where they
earned a combined 10 awards and recognitions. Highlights include tying for first place in sports coverage and receiving the all New Jersey Diamond Award for the yearbook, which is the highest honor in the state and the only yearbook this year in New Jersey to receive that distinction. A huge
congratulations to our outstanding GL student journalists. Earlier this week, the staff enjoyed the annual Thanksgiving brunch, which is a tradition that continues to foster community and appreciation within our school. Last week, students participated in the NJSLA and NJGPA field state
tests, which were part of the roll out of the new adaptive testing format, which I felt was somewhat similar similar to the digital SAT. Uh this weekend, the GL Hill Toppers theater department will present their fall depction production, the hounds of b uh basils with performances tonight, Friday
evening, and both a Saturday mate and evening show. After seeing what our talented students have been preparing, I can confidently say that it'll be a fantastic production. On Tuesday, the Interact Club held its annual sandwich making event, preparing 1,860 sandwiches for donation to the Market Street
Mission. Uh we extend our gratitude the many local businesses whose generous supports this year made the project possible. As both Pipa and I serve as the executive as executive officers for Interact, we want to personally thank everyone who volunteered, donated, or supported the effort. Your contributions made a meaningful impact. Next
Wednesday, the National Honor Society induction ceremony will take place where welcoming over 40 new inductees. And I am honored to be one among one of the students inducted this year. And we look forward to celebrating the achievements of all the new members. Looking ahead, the future business leaders of America will attend the business marketing day
at the credential center on December 3rd, offering students an engaging opportunity to explore the business world firsthand. Lastly, uh, Challenge Day, which has been like a staple at G over the past few years, uh, has been indefinitely cancelled because of, uh, flight delays, and, uh, we're still
working on getting that coming back, but we're not exactly sure. So, thank you. And that, uh, concludes this month's Happening on the Hill. >> Thank you. >> Hello everyone. And as we know, tonight is important night in order to move forward in improving our district. As a student who has been at GL coming up on
my fourth year, I believe it is vitally important to create a well-constructed plan for the referendum. This has been a topic at the past couple meetings and being here tonight will hopefully allow for useful decisions to be made. However, before we get into that, I will give my sports report for the end of October to where we are currently in November. On October 19th, the field
hockey team hosted Milbour for their annual pinkout game. And boys soccer had their senior night on October 21st, winning their match 10 against Union Catholic. So, congrats to all the seniors for their season. Thomas Prey shot videos and pictures for the Governor Livingston varsity girls tennis team. And if you haven't seen them, you
should check out the WGL account. Cross country had their senior day on October 25th. So, congrats to all the seniors for their dedication to the program. On top of that, the Governor Livingston varsity football team won the division championship conference title 350-0 on their senior day. So, way to end with a
win. The Governor Livingston Marching Bands received first place at the NJMBBDA regionals where they competed at the state competition the following Sunday. They received a score of 87.4 in group A and also received trophies for best visuals, best music, and best effects. On top of that, they took
second place at the state championships with a score of 88.9 and the award of best music. The girls cross country team finished 10th with the full the first full team score in a few years. And the boys cross country team finished seventh after finishing 12th last year with Noah
Abdala moving on to the NJSIAA group championship meet and he was also named athlete of the week. Four-year varsity volleyball star and senior captain Abby Kim hit a remarkable milestone of a thousand kills in her GL volleyball career and she has also made it official since Monday to play division one at
volleyball at Loyola University Maryland. So congratulations to her. On top of that, four-year varsity soccer player and senior captain Kira Pizzy signed her national letter of intent to continue her academic and soccer career at the collegiate level at UNC Willington. So, congratulations to her
as well. On top of that, our athletic director CJ Hendris dropped season one of the new Hanging with the Highlander podcast. It premiered on November 3rd on Spotify and again, if you'd like to check it out, it's on the WGL Instagram. Finally, the Varsity Awards night has changed at Governor Livingston.
Typically after the season ends, there's a night to honor the athletes who have received varsity letters. However, this year instead, the letters have been given at the team banquetss, and there was a fall sports festival during the last 30 minutes of school. It featured an amazing fall sports highlight video, which all the athletes, including myself, appreciated. It also
commemorated the heart of the Highlander awards. Each team features an athlete that is honored for their commitment and passion to both their sports teams and schools and capture what it means to be a Highlander. This fall season awarded Riley Conover, Noah Abdullah, Karen Morrison, Kira Pizzy, Abby Kim, Sienna
Duff, Colin Cisco, Nol Campbell, and myself. The winter season has already begun for the girls and guys swim team and hockey. And winter track, wrestling, and fencing begin around December 1st. We cannot wait to see what these teams have to offer. And just as a reminder from the previous meeting, the NHS seminars begin next week, so I'll have
more information regarding their success in December. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. some amazing things going on at GL. So, thank you to all of those in attendance tonight. We really appreciate you coming out. Um, we appreciate you taking the time to learn, lend your
perspective, and ask questions about the referendum. Our our goal this evening is to inform you about the referendum, which includes projects based on our survey feedback. A key constraint in organizing this proposal is ensuring the first question is tax neutral due to
debt rolling off. To ensure you are well informed and have a full understanding of what is being proposed, we have welcomed solution architecture experts to present to you this evening. We invite you after the presentation to come to the podium during the public
comment period and uh um provide us your input. We are trying to ensure that we got this right for our students and our community and the board is looking for your feedback specifically on the proposed questions, the importance of the projects and your overall level of support for the referendum. Your
opinions and your concerns will help us to be sure that we are on the right track in the vein of what the community wants. So, with no further ado, Righty. Good evening everyone. My name is Frank Msinio. I am the principal and founder
of Solutions Architecture. It's really wonderful to see so many people here uh to learn a little bit about the March 2026 referendum uh the scope of work on the proposed project. Uh tonight I am going to show you uh about the scope of
the project, how it will uh affect the district, why it's necessary now, and how it will impact the taxpayers of Berkeley Heights. We have a lot to cover. So I want to be able to kind of go through this presentation. I think the presentation
will ask answer questions that you may have. So if you could hold your questions to the end. Uh, and what we'll do is we'll just go through the presentation as quickly as we can. There's a good amount of information here. So, in the beginning of >> Can we check audio?
>> You guys all hear? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Because I'm having a hard time. So, >> okay. >> Okay. I'll make sure I talk strictly into the microphone. Um, so in terms of of uh the district's goals here, the district sought to identify and
prioritize long needed facilities improvements as well as new needs for the district and new needs for the classroom spaces. They wanted to find ways to consider to replace failing infrastructure that if left unchecked can cause more problems down the line.
We wanted to find ways to improve the student experience. That includes classroom and course space renovations and projects that directly impact the students. We also wanted to consider ways to make all of these improvements while taking advantage of the debt
service that's rolling off so that there would be a netneutral tax impact for the community. But most importantly, we not only wanted to meet the needs of today, we wanted to make sure that we met the needs of tomorrow. Three pillars of this referendum are
what you see up here on the screen. Enhanced learning environments. We believe strongly as architects that educational programs drive the need to update your facilities. Your facilities must be able to support growing enroll uh growing enrollments, growing
curricula and new things that you want to do for the district. Um student and staff safety. While safety is always a priority in district, we want to ensure the physical systems and technologies are in place to uh ensure the safety of students and staff. And then keeping up
to date with operations. Obviously, things that you don't see every day like roofs and boilers, those are things that they're behind the scenes, but they are critical to the operations of a building and keeping it running. So, those are things that we're going to focus on as
well. So, what exactly is being proposed? The B Berkeley Heights Public School District is going to request funding for a district-wide facilities program that would include capital renovation projects and classroom and core space
renovation projects via a referendum on March 10th, 2026. So, why now? Every year, in spite of the 2% tax levy cap that's posed on the district, the district and administration and the board of education work to maintain and improve
the existing facilities that support the programs in in district. We've done projects over the past several years that include exhaust fan upgrades and drainage improvements and roofing upgrades and gym floor upgrades, but we still need to do more.
So why is now the right time? On a normal cycle, a district cannot do the amount of work necessary out of the capital budget. Many of the items that are on this list have been uh taken a backseat to educational programs for
many years. Uh and a referendum becomes the district's best opportunity not only to get a significant amount of work done, but to also receive funding for that work. work that is performed out of the capital budget is not eligible for any funding. Uh so it's our best shot at
being able to do a significant amount of work with uh uh debt service aid or funding. We're also dealing with aging schools. The average age of these buildings is 70.8 years old. Uh oldest sections b dating back to 1952. Some
have the original infrastructure items and a lot of equipment has reached the end of its useful life. The district has debt rolling off from a 2006 referendum which allows us to take advantage of that timing that would result in this t uh tax impact or
netneutral tax impact to the community. And by allowing the district to finance these projects over many years, people that move into Berkeley Heights that will benefit from this will also help share in paying for the for these upgrades. So debt service aid I mentioned is
available for projects that are being done through a referendum. They are uh it is available through the state and we have submitted these projects to the department of education for approval and we have been approved for debt service aid. Um the district stands to uh
benefit from millions of dollars in debt service aid because the work was funded through the referendum and because it's tied to education or maintenance. The debt service aid helps pay down the bond which limits the impact to the community.
I want to talk about the process briefly because this didn't just come up overnight. This is a process that's been going on for many years now. And most recently, October through December of 2024, we revised and updated the facilities evaluation for all of the
buildings. We went through and evaluated key components that were in need of upgrade and support. Um, in November of 2024, uh, through February, the district commissioned an upgraded demographic study so that we could gauge how recent
developments might impact enrollments in district. In February, between February and April of 2025, the district posed a community survey. The community survey had very specific questions about potential projects, what could be
supported, what was uh top priority, and it helped us try to narrow down the focus for the referendum. In fact, two surveys were sent out. From January 25 2025 to July of 2025, we with the district and meetings with
staff collected the data, reviewed the survey information, uh refined the projects list uh based on that data, prepared concepts and budgets for each of the spaces and uh pro provided them to the board of education for approval.
In July of 2025, we submitted these projects to the Department of Education. Uh, and they were memorialized and we received approvals in October. In the big picture, you'll see a referendum timeline that has each of the steps that have been completed all the
way up to to tonight. Tonight is the first public presentation. Uh, and we are now in progress. We have about five months, four months to uh continue to notify the public of what's in the referendum, how it will impact them as a community member and uh get to a point
where in January we have to notify the county board of elections that we are in fact going for referendum that these are the questions and that the vote is on March 10th, 2026. So, that's really where we've we are, where we've come from, and what tonight is about is
really educating everyone on what's included here and and what it affects. The projects in this referendum affect the categories you see on the screen or you see up above. Uh, arts, learning, wellness, safety, and operations. Again, as I said before, the facilities have
the ability to impact the educational process in district. out of the survey, out of the facilities audit, out of all of the information and meetings held with staff and and administration, the necessary projects
that we could afford to do uh or that we could put forth are the ones you see on the screen. Media center ren media center renovations and alterations at all schools. Science and STEM lab renovations and alterations at the high school and the middle school. TV
production studio upgrades at the high school. Security and technology upgrades at all schools. Site parking, driveways, walkways, drainage improvements at all schools. partial roofing system replacements at um the high school, the
middle school, Mountain Park Elementary School and Woodruff, electrical systems upgrades in the form of a additional generator at the high school. And then mechanical systems upgrades these include the middle school, Mountain Park, Woodruff, and
Mary Kay McMillan. So these are the necessary projects and you'll see how we structure those projects. The district is proposing to conduct a referendum with two part with a two-part question. The district worked to select urgently needed capital and educational projects
that were identified by the facilities audit that would result in the first question being netneutral to the community or have zero tax impact. But given that the listing of all of the necessary improvements couldn't be put in the first question with a netneutral
tax impact, the we decided to add a second option for the community. And that's a second question that would add additional upgrades to be made to building systems and educational spaces, but this time with an added tax impact.
I need to point out that these questions, these two questions are contingent. They are contingent upon one another and question two cannot pass if question one fails. It's very important to note this. If question one fails and it only requires one vote difference,
one more of no vote than yes votes for it to fail, then question two becomes moot or is disregarded uh as the coordination uh the condition of its implementation hasn't been met. If question one passes, if it receives one
more yes vote than no, then question two is set on its own. And if it receives one more yes vote than no, then both questions would pass. In short, each voter has the right to express their preference on every question. And even if a no vote is cast
on question a on the first question, it doesn't mean you can't vote yes for question two. However, question two won't move unless question one passes. So, of the two questions, we have uh recommended that the projects that are
put forth for question one include some educa a balance of educational and capital renovation projects. The educational projects that we're recommending for question one include the media center improvements at all schools. From there, we'll move to capital renovation projects, including
district-wide parking lot site renovations, uh, security and technology upgrades, and partial roofing system replacement at Woodruff Elementary School. And that's because it was deemed the most significantly impaired in terms of roofing out of the district's roofs.
Question two, which will bear with it an additional tax impact, will be comprised of additional educational projects like science labs and STEM labs renovations at the middle school and the and the high school as well as capital renovation projects that include
mechanical, electrical, and plumbing improvements as well as roofing system replacements at various schools. So, I want to kind of cover the need uh for these projects and a picture is typically worth a thousand words and we're going to kind of go through the educational components and the capital
components. We're going to start with the capital. So, question one has a series of capital projects and they include parking lot paving and walks. So for many years, the district has spoken of the parking lots that are in various states of disrepair, potholes, uh the
top layers of of coursing, what they call coursing in pavement is deteriorating, there's drainage issues. Uh and you know, we need to address these in order to improve not only the safety, but as well as the drainage issues, the curbing and the walkways,
roofing system replacements. Many of you may have heard me say this at the last meeting. As an architect, a roof for me and building envelope is very important. If there's a leak in the roof, it causes problems internally. We want to try to avoid that at all costs. These roofs have been uh in need for some time.
We've done repairs. We've patched. We've done things over over the years, but it's time to make some wholesale changes and make some wholesale roof replacements and upgrade to address these roof roof leak issues and make sure that we don't have any further uh
disruption to the interior of the building. Security and technology upgrades. While the district has systems in place, the goal of the scope in the referendum is to enhance the camera systems and expand
the camera systems in district as well as address the PA systems, clock and speakers so that every room in the building has the proper emergency notifications and safety protocols for the district. So, how do we solve these problems? The
the need that's there. So the proposed projects for capital in question one, the schools will receive uh site parking and drainage upgrades which includes parking lot repaving and striping,
walkway repairs and replacement as well as sight stair repairs and replacement um at all schools. Roofing system replacement. In question one, we are addressing the Woodruff Elementary School roof only. That includes a partial section uh system replacement
including drains, coping and flashing security technology upgrades that includes that security camera system expansion and upgrades as well as clock speaker PA system upgrades and expansion. So the camera systems will be done at all schools. The clock and
speaker and PA system will be done at the high school, the middle school and Hughes. So in graphic form um you'll see that blue has become our categorized color for operations. Anything that's highlighted in blue uh is shows uh the
areas of pavement to be uh upgraded at Governor Livingston. At Columbia Middle School, you can also see the colors that are in blue. At Mary Kay McMillan, we've also got a significant amount of paving replacement to be done.
Same thing with Mountain Park, Thomas Hughes, Woodruff, and also at Woodruff is the roof. It's about 27,500 square foot of roofing replacement. That includes any drains, uh, copings, insulation, flashings, every part of
that roofing component. And then security technology. The goal is to expand those cameras, provide new PA systems for the district, and make sure that each space has notifications for safety and security. So, now we'll get to the second part of
question one, and that's the educational need. What are the educational needs that are included in in question one? And the long and the short of it is it's media center upgrades at each building. The existing libraries, while they were functional in their time, they're
outdated and inflexible. They lack infrastructure, power, and technology integration that's needed to support a true 21st century media center. One that accommodates independent study rooms, collaborative breakout areas, uh, and robust technologies. That's what is
proposed here. Very similar with the, and that's the middle school and high school media center. existing elementary school media centers, Woodruff and Hughes, as you can see pictured, they they are all in the
same category. They out they're outdated. They don't have the technology, so they need to be upgraded as well. And the same with um MKM and Mountain Park. Same situation, outdated, inflexible, and the intent is to have
designs that expand upon that and improve those spaces for learning. The existing TV studio at the high school also outdated. It's undized and it has an inefficient layout for the for what should typically be done. Uh it doesn't have the technology
infrastructure and can't support the needs of how technology has improved. Uh you don't have a place to do news or podcasts or interviews or you know the sound uh uh equipment and and items necessary for uh a TV studio. So those
are things that are included here as well. So how do we resolve those? How do we respond? And the response is to provide designs that upgrade those projects. Media center renovations at all schools and TV studio renovations at the high school.
Here you'll see a plan for GL. Uh this is would be a new media center plan. And the intent here is to transform the existing library into a modern flexible media center with various areas. A centralized collaboration area,
instructional classroom space, uh quiet study rooms located throughout a computer area, uh TV studio, maker space, um independent collaboration rooms. So there's a a variety of elements that happen within the overall
large building. it's broken down into smaller components in order to create that need uh or that that meet the need for what's uh inviting in the curriculum for for the media center. So this is a rendering of what the media
center could look like reimagined. It's a rendering only. None of this none of the projects that you're going to see and the renderings you're going to see have been designed in New Jersey. We don't design projects until after the referendum fails. And there's a simple reason for that. If we were to design
100% of the project, you would be paying architectural and engineering fees to do so for something that might fail. So in in New Jersey, we submit schematic concepts to the department of ed. Once the designs are completed, we resubmit for final educational adequacy approval.
Uh but as submitted, these projects have been approved. So this is what that could look like uh with various spaces for uh collaboration and work. These are media center con concepts. These are spaces that are already in place,
already designed. So there are elements that could be used during the design process to enhance the design of GL's media center. TV studio concepts. These are just concept items of what TV studios could
look like. again, news news anchor desk, uh cameras, green screens, the ability to do podcasts, um interview space, uh there's a a wide variety of options that come with designing these spaces. So, as
we go through, you'll see that everything, all of the concepts do the same thing. They upgrade the existing media centers. They provide flexible layouts. They provide different areas, collaboration, meeting areas, instructional spaces. So you have the
ability to create various soft seating and other areas, collaboration tables, IT server areas, circulation desks. So every design that you see has the same project components in it. Um, so this would be Colombia's middle school uh
redesign. And again, conceptually, these are things that these are the way it could look. various spaces within uh but the design is bright and vibrant and meets the needs of of the program. Uh these are some middle school media center concepts. These are again
concepts that have already been uh implemented in other districts. Uh and there's the ability to uh take glean ideas and um design ideas from those. Mary Kay McMillan. Again, similar similar designs, centralized desk, uh
soft seating and presentation area, individual reading tables, a circulation desk, small reading nooks, uh and all these bookcases and and shelving are all on wheels. They're movable. The brooms can be uh reconfigured as needed to
support whatever programs are being uh put on. And again, an image of what this could look like when reimagined. Mountain Park. Again, uh very similar kind of concepts. Uh media center design, soft seating area, presentation
areas, um countertops and low book stacks. The the the other part of the elementary schools is design would incorporate low book stacks. It's no longer a perimeter tall cabinets, but in the middle everything is low. It engages supervision. It allows better
supervision throughout the space. So, these are things that we try to accommodate uh as we design elementary school spaces. Uh and again, vibrant lighting, vibrant, you know, spaces, uh different loose flexible furnishings. These these group tables can be
separated and put into classroom function or left as a as a group collaboration space. Thomas Hughes. Uh you'll see again the similar uh for a forementioned low stacks in the middle, collaboration area here, instruction presentation area
here, a reading area. So a good deal of of um 3D printing areas, maker spaces so that the room can be designed in a variety of ways and we'll do that when we sit with the staff to do so. another idea of what that space could look like.
Again, you'll see the the the desks and chairs are on wheels. Book stacks can be moved. And then Woodruff's elementary school plan activity areas, bookcases around the perimeter, but low bookcases and movable bookcases in the middle.
And just one thing to point about point out about Woodruff is that the PTO has already begun transforming this existing space by providing uh flexible furniture that was uh provided in September in the summer of 2025. Um so we're taking we're
not eliminating that. It's we're we're incorporating that into the new design. We're going to use that and step and step it up uh uh further with other design elements. And these renderings do show the existing furniture that was incorporated
into the design elements that we're showing. And then some other elementary school concepts, conceptual designs, not just flat ceilings, they could have clouds, they could have uh, you know, carpet patterns, different things to make the space more inviting and uh, vibrant for
the students. So I want to talk about cost briefly uh because I know this is what weighs on everyone's mind uh project proposed cost projections. So these cost projections I'm going to talk about are for question one. One of the things that I want to talk about or at least point out for
costs. New Jersey public schools have to bid to prevailing wage. They have to bid for they can't just hire any contractor. The contractors that are hired have to be pre-approved by the schools development authority. They have to be
approved by um the state. Uh and they have to bid prevailing wage. So these rates are fixed. They are set and contractors have to use those rates. So they can't hire Joe's uh you know contracting down the street who's getting a door at Home Depot for $400.
It doesn't happen that way. School costs are significantly higher. So, I know when people look at costs, they say, "Well, I don't know why this is costing so much money. We can do, you know, we did a whole house renovation for this much money." It's different when you're doing private construction work versus when you're doing public school work.
So, I want to make that clear. I want to point it out. But, let's talk let's get into the costs and look at what we're looking at in terms of question one costs at a glance. So, we've shown this pie chart because we want to show you what what's comprised of, you know, what
this question one is comprised of. So you'll see that we have media centers and TV studios. It's about $9 million in construction cost and project cost. Site parking and drainage at all of the schools is about $8.9 million.
We have 1.7 million in roof replacement. We have 1.6 million in uh security and technology. That amounts to a $21.2 million price tag for question one. What we know is that the state has
approved $7.1 million in state aid for question one. That reduces the taxable uh number to the community to $14.2 million. Under this scenario, taxes will not go
up. The debt service remains the same from what you're currently paying even after this project is approved. in detail at each school. You can see a list of costs. You can see the column of debt service aid and you can see the
final cost after debt service aid. The pro total projects at Governor Livingston for question one equal about 7.6 million. At Colombia, it's about $4.1 million. Thomas Hughes 2.2.
Mountain Park 1.6. Uh Woodruff 3.2. 2 and Mary Kay McMillan about 2.5 totaling the 212669.99. The approved debt service aid is that $7,53,000
number I mentioned before. And again, what that equates to is 33.2% in debt service aid out of a maximum 34% of eligibility. So there's a couple projects that aren't eligible. They don't their furniture is not eligible. So that kind of dinged a little bit, but
you went from 34% maximum possibility to being funded 33.2% for these projects. It's pretty pretty uh incredible uh to get that kind of money. So you're going to do $21.2 million worth of work for $14.2 million.
Projects that are done at a capital, should you do any one of the projects in this list at a capital, you receive zero state funding. I mentioned state aid is approved for question one projects with the debt service payments ending in March. Uh
this can offset the debt that we're going to encumber. The projects are tied to the referendum. They are tied to education and maintenance. Uh and that 21 that $7 million offsets that 21.2.
So what does that mean for question one in terms of tax impact? And really what it means is that there is no cost impact for question one. There is zero tax impact for the $21.2 million price tag. That's the media center renovations at
all schools and the capital renovations that are comprised of the parking lots, the site improvements, the drainage, the security technology upgrades, and the partial roofing replacement at Woodruff. These costs are based upon an an assumed 4.15%
interest rate over 15 years. Now, the rate could change prior to the election. Um, if we were to go out right now, uh, bonds have been sold currently for 3.75%. So, the chances of getting rates that
are lower are possible, but again, it it is also possible depending upon what happens that the rate could be slightly higher. So question two, let's go into question two now and talk about the need for question two.
So again, it's very similar. We want to create equity. We want to do the projects that need to be done and roofing was a big component. So the existing roofing systems are out of warranty, deteriorated, leaking, and a source of continued ongoing maintenance issues for the district.
Electrical systems. Right now, the existing power generator at the high school uh is und sized and has been experiencing some issues. It can't handle all the systems that we really want to have on it. So, the district is looking to provide a secondary generator
for additional support for the building. Mechanical systems, as you can see from the image, uh this is the existing unit ventilator. It is a Nesbit unit that is uh probably 45 years old. Uh it's original to the building. They're
deteriorated. They lack the proper controls. Um, and they have uh experienced continuing ongoing maintenance issues. The image on the right is deteriorated piping that continues to leak. Uh, we continue to have problems with that and that also
exacerbates the issue with the unit ventilators. So, the replacement and repair of the piping and those units is included in question two. So, how do we solve these problems? The capital projects in question two are
as follows. Roofing system replacement, including drains, copings, and flashings at the high school, the middle school, and Mountain Park Elementary School. electrical system upgrades in the form of the generator, a new uh 200 kilow KW
backup generator, including surge protection for existing systems um at the high school. Mechanical system and piping upgrades uh will occur at CMS, Mountain Park, Woodruff, uh and Mary Kay McMillan.
Uh we will replace HVAC unit ventilator units, install direct digital controls. Those are the control systems that operate those units in a in a building management system which currently doesn't exist. We will replace the circulation piping that we're experiencing these issues with. And
there is an allowance for any as best this abatement that needs to be done for those projects. This these mechanical systems do not include air conditioning. So, similar to before, we have a diagram that shows everything in blue is roofing system replacement at Governor
Livingston. It's about 79,000 square foot of roof replacement at the high school. At the middle school, we have about 14,600 square foot of roofing replacement. We've been doing roofing replacements at the middle school for many years now. So, we have 14,600
square feet that remain to be done. Uh, Mountain Park Elementary, we have about 42,400 square feet of built-up roofing to be replaced. Uh, Governor Livingston, we talked about the generator uh that will be placed in
the in the courtyard. Uh, this is what it could look like. Uh, could be this type of unit or some other, but it will be uh, you know, on a pad in the courtyard uh, enclosed and it will provide additional power uh, for the for the building. mechanical upgrades. I spoke briefly before, but
this is the detail on it. Columbia Middle School will receive 10 new unit ventilator uh unit ventilators. Uh and they'll also receive a new building management system to be able to control those. Uh Mountain Park will receive 24 new unit ventilators as well as
replacement and repairs for the circulation piping and a building management system allowing us to control those units. Woodruff will receive not only 21 new unit ventilators and circulation piping, but also a new multi-purpose room unit uh as well as
building management. And then Mary Kay McMillan will also receive 21 unit ventilators, circulation piping, and a new multi-purpose room unit as well along with the building management system. So, a significant amount of mechanical systems upgrades will be
performed under question number two. Let's talk a little bit about the need for educational upgrades. The existing high school science labs are also outdated. They no longer meet the needs of today's students. They lack
flexible layouts um needed for both lab experiments and group instruction. Uh they do not include modern features required and fall short on power technology uh utilities, media connections that work in today's science labs.
The middle school science labs are no different. It's the exact same story. They're dated. They've they've lasted this long and you've made the most out of them for this much time. They are in need of upgrades in order to support uh new science programs and and strong science programs.
Same with current STEM lab and wood shop. They're outdated uh and they need additional power technology, flexible layouts, and the ability to support the educational programs you want to offer. not just what you're offering but the way you want to offer them.
The tech shop, the machine shop is also outdated and needs to be you know updated as well. So we need to we need to you know modify that meet with the teachers and figure out what the best route is to be able to continue along uh
with a design that supports the curriculum. The STEM labs also outdated, lack flexible space, lack the ability and modern implementation for STEM labs today. So, a lot of these rooms have you've been getting the most out of, you've been doing your best with them,
but they can support more if redesigned. So, educational projects, how we how we resolve these and ways that we'll resolve these for question two would be to tackle the science labs at the high school and the middle school and the STEM labs at the high school and the
middle technology, robotics, STEM at the high school and the middle school. So, at Governor Livingston, here would be a plan of one way to mock up biology labs uh in design with prep rooms and storage in the middle, renovating these
spaces to support hands-on learning experiments, collaborative learning uh and really support the program. Again, everything that we do is flexible. It can be rearranged, moved away. It's it's not gone are the days of having fixed lab tables that's that you can sit at
when you're doing a lab and go move to chairs. Everything is now movable and it gives you greater flexibility in the space and allows you to get more out of less square footage. This is what a modern high school science lab looks like. Uh movable chairs, movable desks, everything except
the sink pedestals can be moved and rearranged within the space. another another area and another science uh lab. So, we have uh uh things to draw from that will provide uh a greater uh uh design element and and really be able
to enhance instruction. Same thing with the middle school lab design. Multiple rooms, uh they're smaller in size, but we can renovate them to support that hands-on learning experience and create uh an environment for the students. Uh these are ideas in simple science lab
inspiration for middle schools. These are middle schools that we've done in the past. Again, you can see that the chairs have wheels on them, the tables can move. Um and it creates this flexible science environment and supports the lab.
Uh the STEM lab redesign, again, renovating uh STEM labs for proper power, pull down power cords from the ceiling, flexible uh furnishings to be able to do different uh uh programs within the space, but yet support what's needed uh from power and data
requirements and science and technology, putting in robotics tables, having a robotics program, uh uh 3D printers, uh all sorts of vacuum sealers, whatever's needed. for STEM and and lab design. Uh you know to suit to suit how you want to
work. So you can see a robotics table here. Flexible power cords dangling from the ceiling can go to any location. It's no longer a fixed point on the floor where you have to run a a cord to. It's very flexible. You can see that the tables are on wheels. This room can be completely opened up. Robots can you can
move robots on the floor, do different experiments. So, we want the room to be able to work however you want it to as opposed to you working with what the room gives you. Same thing with the uh middle school STEM redesign. Uh you know, it involves
it involves us taking the two classroom spaces and renovating them to a point that meets the teachers needs. And we need to sit if and when the referendum passes, need to sit and go through each of these rooms and design every component of the space. what's in it,
how it's going to work, how the teacher's going to use it so that it can support what you're looking for. And here's another example of what a middle school STEM room looks like. Robotics tables, workbenches, you know, electronics, uh, uh, devices.
So, those are the projects that are included in question two. And the proposed cost projections for question two are as follows. So, as you can see here, mechanical and plumbing improvements are about $10.8
million. Mechanical is always a heavy lift in terms of cost. It's the most expensive component in a building. Uh so, $10.8 million in mechanical plumbing improvements that are sorely needed. $8.5 million in roof replacement at the various schools, $5.5 million for
science labs, $3.9 million for technology, robotics, and STEM. and about $500,000 for the electrical upgrades or generator. That equates to $29.1 million in approved state aid is
$9.8 million. Reduces that final project cost to $19.3 million. In the chart, you'll see that the scope and budget analysis for Governor Livingston is about $10.5 million for question two. Colombia is $6.2 $2
million for question two. Hughes, there's since we're doing the the roof work in Hughes uh in the beginning, there's no uh cost for Hughes in in question two. Mountain Park uh is $5.6 million. Woodruff is $3.7 million and
Mary Kay McMillan is $3.1 million. 29 29,125968. The approved debt service aid is $9.8 million. reducing that cost to 193 million, you're receiving on this 33.75%
in debt service aid out of the 34% you're eligible for. So all total the two projects combined would equal 50,352,967 and you would be eligible or you would be receiving from the state $16,885,49.
That reduces the project cost to 33 uh,467,558. you're essentially doing $50 million worth of work for $33 million. In so far as the the capital uh the uh state aid is concerned, the 9.8
reduces that $29.1 million project to 19.3. You are receiving 33.7% in debt service aid. So what is the impact tax impact on question two? We talked about it having a tax impact. So on the
average assessed home in Berkeley Heights, which is 318,947, question two would amount to $250.37 per year, 6259 per quarter or $20.80 per month. These impacts have been
calculated and result in the same rate for debt service aid that's currently being paid by the community. uh you've been approved for the debt service aid and all cost projections are again based on a four 4.15% interest rate over 20 years.
Set a different way, your the community's tax impact on the average assessed home is is 18081 per year. The cost if you were to vote yes for question one is 18081 per year. So
there's a net zero increase. it. You're replacing existing debt with the same amount of new debt. So, there's no increase in cost. If you vote yes for question two, that increase is $250.37
per the year on the district's website. And again about being transparent and wanting to make sure that the community has everything that they can to make a decision. Not everyone in town has the average assessed home. Some people have higher assessed value. Some people have lower
assessed value. So instead of guessing on the district's website is a tax impact calculator. There are links to be able to get your assessed value. I want to point out that your assessed value is not the value that you can sell your home for. It's not what you'd see on
Zillow uh or your Zestimate. It is the assessed value that you pay taxes on and and there's a link to your tax calculator for Berkeley Heights. Um if your home is reassessed in the future, the additional tax related to the
referendum doesn't change. Uh the tax impact is locked after the bonds are sold. And then another point to note, if you are part participating in the senior freeze program, your taxes are unaffected by the referendum. Again, on the website, there's a
referendum landing page. This presentation, technical information packages are there as well as the calculator that you have the ability to look at. We put together a recap of the projects by question so it's clear as to what
projects are in each question. And it's a very simple table. And question one has media center, TV studio at at GL, but media center renovations at every other school, security and technology for all schools, site,
parking and drainage for all schools, and roof replacement at Woodruff. Question two has technology, STEM, robotics, and science, science labs for the high school and the middle school.
It has roof replacements for the high school, middle school, and Mountain Park. And it has electrical upgrades in the form of the generator for the high school. There are also mechanical plumbing improvements at Colombia, Mountain Park, Woodruff, and Mary Kay.
McMillan. So, it's a pretty clear, you know, designation as to what's included in both questions. So, this is breaking the questions down into something very simple. What do you get and what does your vote mean? If you vote yes for question one, you get all
of the capital and educational facilities projects that we described in this presentation that affect arts, learning, wellness, safety, and operations. And the tax impact is zero.
If you vote no, the existing facilities remain as they are. No upgrades are made. The district will continue to make operational and maintenance upgrades out of the capital budget at full price and the $7.1 million in debt service aid
will be forfeit. If you vote yes to question two, you get the additional capital and educational facilities infrastructure projects that we described here that affect arts, learning, wellness, safety, and operations
for an added $250.37 per year uh increase. If you vote no, the existing facilities remain as they are. There will be no upgrades. The district will continue to make their changes out of the capital
budget and $9.8 million in capital in debt service aid will also be forfeit. So, we've covered a lot of information tonight. That is the presentation. That is the look at what's included in this referendum. As I said before, the
district has put all of this information on the website. I know there's boards outside and there's QR codes that take you to those locations. Check the district's website out. This 100page presentation is broken down into the components. If you want to look at the tax impact, you can look at the tax
impact only. If you want to see the plans and the renderings, you can look at that. If you want to see the need, you can look at that. Everything is broken down so you don't have to sit through a two 100page presentation. We want it to be simple. There's also an email address. If you have questions,
ask questions. We will respond to those questions. They will be posted on the district's frequently asked questions section of the website so that everybody gets a sense of what's included in the referendum. And if a questions asked that nobody's come up with before, we add that to the frequently asked
questions. That concludes the presentation on the referendum. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Uh this is how we are going to proceed. We are going to go around the board first for
questions, then we're going to go to the public for questions and then our online. A gentle reminder to those online, make sure you have your first and last name visible to be unmuted. Also, our board secretary and assistant board secretary has asked if you are
speaking in public to sign in. We have a sheet there in case we have something that we need to get back to you on information. So we have a a communication um uh avenue there. So comments from the public on referendum items and our experts are going to stay
here. >> Yes. So we are going to start Mrs. Akiri and then we'll go around the table. >> Thank you for the presentation. It was very detailed. Um I have couple questions. The first one I think on
multiple slides you said we are getting up to 30. We're getting it's confirmed that we're going to get 33 >> 75 >> 75% in state 8 back for both the questions. Correct. >> Well, it's it's different for both. It's
33.75 for the second and for the first it's >> 33 >> 33. >> Yeah, it's 33 some >> it's very very close. >> So, but when I look at the bond referendum questions, you have it listed
as 40%. So, isn't that being dis like I feel if we are going to ask the public and we're putting it on a ballot, we have to be accurate because if this is what we already know that this is the percentage
we're getting. So, shouldn't it be prudent on our part to put the actual percentage if we are aware of it? >> So, I I it's a it's an excellent question and it comes up all the time and I'm actually going to defer to uh your bond council uh who can answer that
question. The law requires you to put 40. We know what it is now. We know that you're actually getting 33.75. What the bond question is, it's it's >> which law? If you can specify. Okay.
>> Uh good evening everyone. Tony Salman from Lens Goldman and Spitzer. Um the New Jersey Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act that was started in 2000. uh when your architect submits project applications, we get approval letters. On those approval
letters, they say 40% debt service aid. So that's what we're required to put in the question. And then each year, the state allocates money in its annual budget towards debt service. And what they've been allocating since 2012 is
34%. So that's why we think it's fair to educate the public that hey, in the last 12 or 13 years, you've only been getting 34%. But the law requires to have us put what's on the approval letter, which is 40%. >> So, what's the number? What's is it NJSA? What is it like?
>> Uh I think it's NJSA uh 18 A7F, I believe. I'll check the >> Okay. Thank you. Now, um I have a question on the senior freeze that you mentioned. >> Yeah.
>> So, >> does it apply to every senior in town? the senior freeze or how does the senior freeze work because on the FAQs it says that if you are a senior you have frozen your like you know you're part of the senior freeze program
>> but as you mentioned like similar to the assessed value the average assessed value in Berkeley Heights could be in the 300,000 range but everybody's properties assess differently based on for property taxes what is the criteria for senior freeze
>> so the senior freeze is a program that's offered by the state. There's an application. It's a simple application and you have to meet criteria. You have to meet income criteria. So, there's a link on the website that you can log in and there's other programs that also
apply to seniors, but the senior freeze program has to be applied for and you have to be approved for it based on the eligibility requirements. >> So, it doesn't So, it's fair to say it doesn't apply to all the seniors. >> I I would I would dare say no. >> Okay. And um what is the why are you I I
understand that there is a neutral tax impact by putting this for a special election and I think how much is the cost for the special election and who bears it shouldn't have walked so far away. Um so uh the board of education's responsible
for the cost. Um I'm not exactly sure what the cost is. um we can contact uh the municipality to get a general idea of what the cost is. But >> so but if we had these questions on the November election like which is I think originally we were going to do a
referendum in 2020. I believe the questions were already printed but when the election moved from being in person to you know only mail and ballot back in 2020 they dropped the referendum questions. The board then board dropped the questions. So if we had these
questions on the November ballot, there is no cost. >> There would be no additional cost. >> Okay. Any ballpark figure on how much it might cost? >> I would guess maybe 30 40,000 but that's a guess. >> Okay. And any idea on what is the like
based on what you have the referendums that you have conducted if they were done as a special election in March or April what is the voter turnout like? Is it more during because next year is midterm. So we will have more people showing up.
>> I I think it was a the one of the first presentations I gave statistically referendum present referendum presentations. I've never done a November election. Uh we passed 12 out of the last 12 referenda that we've gone after and we've never gone for November. There are reasons for it. um tends to
polit politicize the the the event, but these special elections that we've gone after, December, March, and September, have the highest statistical uh win rate, if you want to call it that. Um so, they are the they are the most popular times for referendum. December
was for a really long time. September, not so much, because people were away for the summer. You couldn't really get the word out. But with social media now, September is just as popular as ever. Um unfortunately for us we were up against a clock of the debt service rolling off
and March is a very very successful month for referenda. So it just works into play. And one final question is what happens if let's say the question two passes and question one doesn't like
and I've asked you this in finance committee but just for the you know education >> if we were to break instead of two questions let's say we prioritize the projects based on what we hear tonight in the room and on from the people
you wouldn't recommend breaking them into four questions where saying education ational and STEM labs is question one. Infrastructure needs like HWAC and air conditioning is question two. Like why not? So this is 50 million
and 300,000. What if we broke it into like 9 million each where people like you know seniors or people without children like might get a sticker shock. And I'm just speaking from my experience. When I moved into this town with a toddler, my taxes were 7,400
and within four years when the township went and doubled their debt for the munipal complex. Right now, we are almost at 15,000. So, we it's all great, but there are people who are living on a limited budget. So, why can't we break it up into four?
>> So, I I'm also I'm going to take part of that, but I'm going to defer part of that to Tony as well. So in in my years of doing referenda for school districts, the questions have to be simple. They have to be contingent. They have to be simple. The more questions you come up
with, it's very difficult to keep them contingent upon one another and you split your vote. So if you had two questions that weren't contingent, let's say one and two were separate, you may get half half the people voting for question two and half voting for number one. And they're going to vote for their school and whatever school. You know, we
try to keep schools in every question because you want everybody to vote. So, you have to be very strategic about how the questions are factored. But in all the years that I've been doing this, I've only done two questions most. In many cases, it's one what what'll happen
by the time you get to the fourth question, people will say, well, you've put the question one, two, these are the items in question two, they must be more important. Question three might be less important. Question four, maybe we don't even have it. And the only time that I probably would consider additional
questions beyond that is if you were doing say a turf field or we've wanted to do a third question for air conditioning in a school. This way the public can vote solely on the air conditioning and and you know where they stand associated with that. Unfortunately here every project is
needed. It's been so long since we've done something here that every project's needed. So, initially when we looked at this, we weren't contemplating a second question. We were contemplating what's the net neutral value. When we looked at the total cost of this referendum and
the fact that we could do so much more for an additional number after you're getting 21 million for zero additional value, additional uh impact. Then we said, well, now we leave it up to the voters with a second question to get everything that we need to do right now.
And it's not everything because there's always going to be more. But with regard to multiple questions, I think uh Mr. Salamini can answer the fact that how many times he's gone for more than two questions. I think Frank just wants me to admit
that I'm much older than he um you can break it up as long as we have the approval letters separated. Um, but in the last 23 years, I've done probably several hundred referendum and probably no more than five. I've had
more than two questions, definitely less than 10. Um, and I think, you know, a lot of the practical reasons that Frank indicated are the reasons why. >> Thank you, Mrs. Stanley. >> So, Frank, I like the haircut. It looks good. Um, so I'm not going to try to take up too much of your time because I
do want the public to have a chance because I've I've been able to talk to you in finance. Um, but I wanted to just kind of dig at a few things. Like, so the generator, why is this important, right? And I think like for me, I would
probably pay $20 a month just for the generator. Um, because I know, right, the generator at the high school controls the internet for the entire district. So, can you tell me a little bit more about that one? >> I mean, it's not just internet. It's refrigeration. It's emergency lighting.
It's all of those things that are going to go down in the event of in some event, you know, storm, something the ability for the generator that you currently have can only supply so much power to the building. So, not everything that you really want on that
generator can be supported. So, an additional generator allows you to put more infrastructure things on that will get you through those periods when you have um an incident where there's an outage. So the generator is going to help do that in and and obviously we all
know that technology and internet wifi a lot of us can't live without it. So >> classrooms can't live without right. So we've had instances where people hit a pole up here on the hill and that means CMS can't use Google classroom right >> or the teachers can't call you know the
the front office because the phones are also hooked to that. So, right, we're talking like this is causing major issues in the classroom, right? And then on top of all that, right, the refrigerator, right, if if we don't have refrigeration, everything gets thrown out, right? >> Um, and right now we don't have
generators as some of the other buildings, right? So, they actually have to bring their food to other buildings to try to store it when they lose power, right? >> Um, I also want to mention that there were a lot of projects on the list that are not making their referendum.
>> Correct. And like you said, right, I have people all the time tell me, "Well, this district, why is their building so nice or why is this building so nice?" And I think a lot of people miss that a lot of people are doing these referendums because you cannot sustain it on a a year-to-year tax base, right?
Um, and you're getting money from the state. Um, so I think right kind of diving into the fact that we still have more we have to do, right? This is like addressing the major needs. I know uh for me I've had a lot of questions on like are the STEM and steam labs needed
and I think when you look at the space they take up in our buildings and not being able to use them um wisely is hurting our students right and and so it has the educational piece but it also is just it's space that's not being used wisely >> and square footage is your most
expensive commodity when it comes to a school building. >> Yeah. So I think that's it for me because I want the public to speak. >> Thank you. I'm going to pass also more time for public. Mrs. Connor, >> thank you for the presentation again.
Um, can you talk a talk a little bit about how the questions are constructed? Um, and what flexibility is there once the question passes? because the questions are detailed in terms of there
is um a by school dollar amount that's listed in here. The first part of the question is a little generic because it sort of then gives the flexibility to to get the work done for a variety of projects. I'm
trying to understand let's say question one passes. uh what flexibility is there to move the projects that are behind these numbers so long as we stay within these numbers for a particular school. Can the
projects is there flexibility in what the project is or are we locked in terms of there was a a a state approval done for all of those projects right that make up this list that actually amounts to this exact
dollar number. Can you talk a little bit about what flexibility is there in two years, three years, five years as these projects are implemented? >> It's an excellent question. I'm going to defer to >> So since you have uh project approval
for those projects and if it gets approved by the public, you're required to produce those projects as authorized by the public and the approval. But as Frank indicated in his presentation, he's only done 10% schematics on these projects. So the projects can evolve.
They might change slightly. Um, so there is some flexibility because you haven't done final design and you haven't gone out to bid as of yet. But as long as you stay within that dollar amount and you stay within that project scope, there is some flexibility and you can transfer
money between all the approved projects as per the resolution. So if the roof comes in a little higher but the media centers come in a little lower, you have that flexibility. >> We have that flexibility. It is just that the projects that are listed in question number one versus question
number two, there is no you can't mix and match. >> If they both pass, you can mix and match money because we allow the ability within those questions to transfer money between one project and another. So that's accept >> subject to approval of both the
questions. If if it's only one that moves ahead, then you can only do those then we can only do those projects. That's helpful. U Mr. Dylan. >> So I think we all know that the old debt is rolling off and there we're taking on
new debt. So why was tax neutral such an important criteria when you were putting together the criteria for question one? I mean, it's always it's always a benefit to a district that's got debt rolling off to try and replace that
debt. It's it's not a it's not an impact to the community if you're replacing debt that's already being paid uh with being able to get educational work done. It's not something that we we uh you know propose. It's it's it's a strategy that's used all over the place when
debt's rolling off for uh for districts doing this kind of thing. So is that going back to your comment of win rate? You decided that you would restrict the projects and the cost of question one specifically to the
parameters of tax neutral. >> I'm not sure I understand what you say about win rate. Well, I I think when when we've debated this a lot of times in the past, we're doing this mental gymnastics to try to fit the right projects into question one because there's a
there's an unwritten rule that I've been hearing that it has to be tax neutral and that is a a decision that you are proposing. It's not a requirement. It's not a requirement. No. >> Right. And and this could have been one question. >> Yeah. So I think I heard you say before
the you you term used the term win rate, right? It the reason for choosing to have question one be tax neutral is the to increase the likelihood that it it will pass of course. Okay. Um
which then because of that pushes some higher priority projects to question two because of the the numbers the math. It it depends on what you how you're categorizing others as higher priority. >> Um we have a list of
>> priorities, right? One, two, three, four. Some of the ones went to question two because the numbers didn't work to hit the $180 threshold there, right? >> Those those priority projects were our priority for those projects based on the facilities off.
>> Okay. Um so I'm going to focus on Governor Livingston because I do represent Mountainside. The questions I get asked the most from my residents and most importantly my students. Will this help the reliability of heat
in the building? Of course. Which part increases the reliability of heat in the building? Which question? Which project for GL? >> The the mechanical projects. >> So that's specific to boilers. Uh
>> it's not boilers. I'm with you. Yeah. Here it is and Colombia. So there is no mech. Okay. So, as proposed here,
the $50 million in spend does not increase the reliability of heat at Governor Livingston. Okay. Two, um, how will this help keep the rain and snow off of my head while
I'm in Governor Livingston? How will this improve the standard functionality of the roof? >> It won't. Question two will. >> Question two. Okay. Um
three. Does anything here uh improve our athletic facilities at Governor Livingston, including uh permanent lights for our turf field? >> No. >> Okay. >> Of those three questions I am asked most often. We have two nos and a yes in
question two. >> The athletic uh component was directly related to the survey that was put out by the public who felt that it would not be beneficial to include athletic facilities in the referendum. >> I don't disagree with that. I'm just
saying the survey that I am approached with in public. >> Understood. >> Yeah. No, I get you. um you and and it only came up because you had mentioned the senior freeze. How does this impact or I don't know a lot about it but a conversation that comes up here often is
the pilot homes the new construction pilot homes in Berkeley Heights. Um do they pay any of this? Uh so pilot is payment in lie of taxes. So they enter the redeveloper enters into an agreement with the municipality
and they pay a payment um in lie of taxes. So they wouldn't pay into this because it would impact their their payment of l of taxes is already negotiated. Okay. So all of your
uh average assessed homes, those homes are excluded, right? for those new residents moving into town, taking on those new properties will not be helping to fund this. >> I believe that is correct, but um I
think your financial advisors on the line and she may have a different answer, but I believe that is accurate. >> Hi, um I'm Robbie Kora from Phoenix Advisors and we did do the tax impact calculations. Um generally schools are
not um benefited for pilot agreements. Um I guess the the first thing that comes to mind when you say are the new houses going to be affected by this um we've done the tax impact based on the ratables as of today. So if new homes come in and they're not part of the
pilot, they will be paying taxes towards this. But if there are new homes now um or if there's new homes in the foreseeable future that are subject to the pilot payments, the school district is not getting a benefit from them unless you had a separate or the the
board had a separate agreement with the town and the town was willing to give the board of education some of the pilot money. I hope that that's answered your question, but I can elaborate more if it has not. >> No, that was good. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dylan. Uh, Mrs. Terrero, >> I only have one question, by the way. Thank you very much for the presentation. Um, you may have already said this, but I clearly missed it if you did. Um, how many years is this bond? >> 20 year. >> It's a 20-year bond. That That's all.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Jolly. >> Hello. >> How are you? >> Um, you guys hear me? So um I guess my you know I want to say offhand that that first that I am totally in favor these all this is all needed work. My one
concern though and just to piggyback off of what Bill said is the contingency because question one is tax neutral. it has the greatest chance of passing. And I know we've discussed this. And then when I look at the I printed out the
survey results and when I look at the survey results, the roofing projects were at 91% favorability. They were the highest, right? Whereas things like media centers were the lowest. And I know that we have this $21 million
amount to keep it tax neutral, but there, you know, and I've shared with you like potentially a different rearrangement of um projects, right, where we can get all of the roofing done, all of the mechanical and electrical things done um in question
one. So, I just want you to maybe talk to us a little bit and and this is also I was looking to maybe get some feedback from the public on this, right? Um because if question one has the greatest chance of passing and I'm not one to you
know say like who can afford what when they do their calculations on question two and look at the tax impact but if question one has the greatest chance of passing I want I would want there to be the highest priority projects again based on the surveys that we had because
you know if the roof leaks all the media centers get damaged so and qu if question two doesn't pass. So if you can talk to that a little bit. >> Sure. So I think maybe the part of the confusion is yes, the public did say 91% of the roofs are are are 91% roofs were
a big priority and I agree with that and as an architect I said that at many meetings that I agree with that. Our facilities audit does not list every roof in dire straits. You still have you know the ability for these roofs to last. So, we chose for question one the
most dire of roofs to be included in question one. We felt that if question two passed, we could we continue to chip away at roofs every year, you know, components here uh of of sections of roofs. We just couldn't do them all the way we would want to do them now. So, we
felt that Woodruff was a bigger component. As an architect, I always I always look at the spaces that directly impact the students the most. And that's the educational component. And nine times out of 10, the educational component trumps the facilities
components. And that's why the facilities components are in the situations that they are. So it's it's a choice. And you know, it's it from our perspective, the students are coming to school, they have these rooms. These rooms are significantly deteriorated and
they need upgrades. The education the facilities support the educational process. So we wherever we can do educational work, we want to do educational work. But we also want to balance in question one versus question two of some educational and some uh uh
facilities work. If we believe that there's a stronger chance of of passing one or the other, at least you get something that's going to impact the students directly. the roof, albeit the fact that it provides a a cover over over our heads, doesn't impact the
students directly. It doesn't impact their educational process. So, we try to at least give something for everyone in terms of when we're structuring questions like this. I understand all of it all net neutral, we'd want to do it
all. And it is a it is a a um strategic position to be in to say let's do all of the facilities infrastructure projects under question one there's no co there's no cost to do that but will the public support not doing
any educational and while you suggested that the media centers were last I don't believe they were in the survey projections in terms of last um there were many questions where I think out for five, they received 3.7 or four uh
in in the survey for media centers. And I'm I'm not looking at it direct, but I do know that when we compiled the results from the surveys, the lowest scores that we received for were for athletic facilities across the board. Um it was one of the reasons why it's not
even entertained. So, and and again, we only had a certain amount. there were things uh as Miss Stanley said were not included because we didn't have the we don't we we wanted to give something relatively palatable to the voters to make a decision on and we felt that we
could get a sign significant amount of the capital projects done in question two. Um so with respect to um the language again um sorry I and I know some of it is legal and it has to and it has to be
there but what in the language of the referendum actually ties other than like the dollar amounts actually ties um the what's being presented to the voters to the actual projects like so
for example like because media centers are not mentioned at all. How do we know that at the end of the day like this ties to project XYZ, you know, that has the code from the approval letters? >> Well, you're not allowed to do any of the projects unless you have an approval
letter. So, when your architect, assuming we have a successful referendum, they're going to submit their final plans and specifications, the DOE is going to tie them back to those approval letters, >> right? But how do how are they like so let's say if question one passes and
it's the only question like it's just to keep it simple that passes. So there are, you know, lots of projects and I think all the media centers for each school are their own project. Um and then you have the the paving and um the
security as projects again for each school. But because so while I see like security technology and site building interior improvements, everything related to the media centers talks about like furniture interior improvements,
right? So what's to say that you are not going to be improving um the STEM labs or the you know or or maybe which is fine but or general other classroom upgrades that are not related to the media centers.
>> Well, you're not legally allowed to. And then additionally once you sell the bonds um your financial adviser will send the approval letters to the department of ed so they know which projects you're actually funding and they'll tie back there. So you not only have the facility side but also on the
financing side we have to submit which letters were actually approved. >> Thank you. uh you mentioned that the the duration was 20 years the bond's 20 years in your experience when you look at all the projects in u question one
and question two what's the expected timeline by when these can be done is there is there a point of view >> so it's yeah there there's a point of view and the the point of view is the more
flexible we can be with bidding and time period, the better pricing we'll receive. So, there's good periods to bid and there's bad periods to bid. We won't put projects to bid out in March or or April unless they are uh you know, a project that doesn't involve a lot of
design or if it's on state contract or things like that. But when we go out to bid in April, the contractors who are doing that work already have work set up for the summer. They're done. Our best times to bid are from September after they're finishing up their last school project. They're now hungry. They're
looking for work. September, October, November, straight through January. I think it used to be back maybe 10, 15 years ago, probably even more that we would bid projects in February, March. We don't do that anymore because of the market and where we are. We tend to pay
anywhere from 15 to 25% more if we bid projects late. And that's just because guys have work, they take a shot at it and they throw a higher number at it. If they get it, it's gravy. If they don't, they don't care because they're already busy. So, we we have and we have data
that supports it. We've bid projects, mechanical projects in uh February. The bids came in over budget. We came back with the same exact project. Gave the guy a little bit more time. Let him work
into the school year a little bit. and the bids came in under budget. So by timing, by being flexible and allowing the projects to go, we can control the cost. And what we need to do is control the cost. We have escalators and multipliers built into the budget
estimate. So it's not just a cost of today's numbers, it's a cost three years out. So our idea and the the way this normally works is the projects we bid first tend to come in under budget. we build up a little surplus as we get towards the third year of projects
because you can only do so many projects a year in the summer. You also don't want to do a significant amount of projects every year because it's a lot to for the district to handle for, you know, on the district staff on everybody when all this work is going on. But by the time we get to the third year,
projects actually start to come in over budget and we use that surplus to take care of the over budget. And the idea is that we net net net out even at the end of the at the end of the day. >> And between the between the projects
that are in question one and question two, >> is there an obligation to start the projects in question one first? >> No. >> There is there is no >> if both the questions pass, it's sort of
equal opportunity for all the projects in the >> Yeah. No, absolutely. It's strategic and in fact we're there. This is not one project. We're going to bid 20 projects out of this list. So mechanical projects are going to be bid to mechanical contractors. We don't want to bid them
to a GC. We want don't want to have a markup. They will be bid specialty site paving. It's going to go to a contractor. We may bid four of the schools that are getting paving as an overall contract or for individual
contract. we may get a better price for five. So, we try to balance the bid and be strategic for price. We want to get the best price. If we can walk away from this under budget, everybody wins. The the that extra money can go to pay down the bond even more.
>> So, that was my next question. Should these projects come under budget, >> what happens to the funding? Where does that go? So if the projects came in under budget, you are funded only on the money you spend, right? So if we were
getting uh 16 million in debt service aid and you only projects came in under budget, whatever that amount was, the 30 whatever the percentage you were approved in the PEC letter, you would get that percentage on what you spent. So you might get less if your projects
came in less. Um unless and as an option, you have two options. one, if your funding is less, then you have the ability to offset the money that you could give back to the taxpayer if there's a surplus at the end. The alternative is, let's say you have unit ventilators in the job, which we do, and
we're calling to do 21 unit ventilators and you finish the job and you have another, I don't know, 100,000 left. You could do four more unit ventilators somewhere if you needed to because unit ventilators are specifically called out in the project. So you have the ability to do more of the same type work that
the public approved >> that that's already in the question >> already there. You can't do something completely different that's not in the question hasn't been approved by DOE. So you couldn't you couldn't put in a swimming pool or you know you couldn't do something separate but you could do as long as it's in the spirit of what
you've already been approved for you could do more work >> and it's not limited by the dollar amounts by school that are listed in the questions. No, it's one pot of money. The way to the way Tony writes the question, it's one pot of money and you can move money from one project to the
other. If like he said earlier, if one project comes in over budget, you have the ability to move funds from a project that came in under budget to pay for that overage. >> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I want to move on to our student representatives now. Uh are there any questions from our student representatives?
Okay. So, starting off, when I say the temperature 56 degrees, what do you think of? Cold. >> What if I told you that was the temperature that was recorded in my AP United States history uh classroom last winter when the heating system failed at
the the coldest temperature that was recorded. Okay. Last year, not many of you may know, if you have a student who goes to GL, you may know, but last year, uh, our heating system failed. There was coolants spilled all over the classrooms. Um, my AP computer science principal's classroom was completely
covered in fluid and coolant. We had to be moved to the library, the IMC for about a month while there were about other five other classes there. It was difficult to focus. Um, under the current bond proposal, fixing that heating system would be
under number two. you you'll see another uh the roof the roof every single time it rains at go uh the rain comes straight through the roof there are uh large collections bins that get sat out set up in spots it's rained so many times that the custodians know exactly
where to put put the bins so that the water like doesn't spill uh and what is under what what's underneath the roof is um electrical wires and as many of you probably know that electricity and water they don't really mix too well uh you're going to have to paying more for
replacing wiring and circuits and stuff like that that runs above in the ceiling if you do not replace the roof that is also under bond proposal number two okay the lab okay as a student who has taken
biology chemistry I'm now taking physics um a lot of the the classrooms the electrical outlets they they don't work anymore last year I had a uh chemistry experiment where I was running where my hot plate turned off because the electricity just stopped working. Uh I
believe that if bond proposal one is passed and then number two is passed, uh that with the expansion of the lab equipment, uh students, especially in biology, uh as you took biology two years ago, uh we didn't really do many hands-on
experiments. And I think that the way that you guys are planning it, that moving and moving all the tables and stuff like that will allow for more biology to be taught rather than looking off of a workbook and watching videos, doing more experiments, stuff like that.
Um, when we go off into the um media center, um, currently it is capped at 30 students during lunch. Now, I have my handy dandy trusty calculator right here. We all know GIO has a
student population of roughly a thousand students. If we do 30 divided by 1,00 that will give us 0.03. That means that roughly 3% of the student population is able to use the IMC at one point during lunch. Lunch is 1 hour. Lunch is a time where most students come together and
they work on projects. The IMC is the number one place to go for student projects. um the way that you guys are putting it that the 9 million being invested into the library under the current referendum uh that will significantly go towards uh s like you
said um putting private study session areas and stuff like that a lot so people will go there for study hall and stuff like that um so I I personally believe that if we pass bomb proposal number one and number two we'll see the most impact however that does come at
the cost of the taxpayer there. I know that most of you guys in the audience pay your taxes. I don't pay my taxes just yet, but we all know that no one loves paying their taxes. Um, the way that it's situated right now is that all of the projects that have the most impact to students like me and PIPA are
under bond proposal number two. This is going to increase your taxes. I know that you guys don't like t paying your taxes, but when you're going to increase the amount of taxes that you're being paid in order to have the most amount of impact, I personally will say that I
think that there needs to be some shifting around of projects. I we need to be focusing more on the projects that we need instead of the projects that we want. That's going to be my final statement. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Pippa. Hello. Uh, first of all, I wanted to
thank you for the presentation. I also, similar to Howard, I mainly have comments due to the fact that I believe my personal experience can emphasize many of the points made in the presentation and also bring a real life scenario to the public. As a student who has gone through all the school systems in Berkeley Heights, I moved here when I
was 5 years old. So, I did Mary Kay, Thomas PU, CMS, and this is my last year at GL. So looking for the first part of the question regarding the media center past kind of the face value of making it look nicer. There are also direct values for the students. I'm a part of the AP capstone program at school which
involves a two-year course. The first being AP seminar, the second being AP research where you learn how to research, make comprehensive arguments, etc. And you make two main projects where you utilize the data for that and you create a presentation and you submit it to College Board. We typically spent time in the media center with a
librarian teaching us how to use online resources and databases such as EPCO. And we were instructed quite frequently in this space, but often other students would come in and were told not to disturb us even if they just have even if they have just as much as a right to the space as the rest of us. So I also
similar to Howard see the value of having separate areas such as independent study rooms, instructional areas, etc. And also for perspective of the age of infrastructure, obviously we've all seen the numbers. You noted that the buildings are around 70.8 years old, but I have personally done three
alumni tours for the school for their 50-year anniversaries, including the class of 1973, 1974, and 1975. And one comment has remained the same, the fact that the school has not changed at all. While this may be nostalgia kicking in,
you would expect that all three of these classes note any major changes, but there are none. Typically, they ask me, "Is there any other room that we can see that's changed?" And I'm like, "This is it. This is what we got." And they usually say that it looks the same as when they went to school 50 years ago.
On top of that, regarding the second question, similarly to what Howard said regarding biology and other science classes, this question is very important to students such as us. Again, to add on with a personal narrative, I have taken five science courses at GL with two
honors and three APs. In AP chemistry and I'm sure other science spaces, the the equipment frequently fails us or it's lacking in general. While the referendum focuses on physical restructuring, it should also consider the availability of resources. I've had many science teachers share with me that
not that many lab experiments they have to pay with out of their own pockets and we don't have access to many lab experiments due to that especially in biology which I'm currently taking and in cases for AP courses and life skills in generals labs have high importance
they utilize the ideas and topics learned and they put them into a real life scenario which demonstrates the importance of the knowledge that we gain without real life applications what we learn in school is difficult to envision especially especially in the higher level science courses which would definitely be important as you move
forward in college. For another example, although the specifics of what we learned in AP chemistry is not important, I recall one of the units where we learned about the electromagnetic spectrum where we needed to utilize equipment in order to visualize the light waves frequency and wavelength which you cannot normally otherwise. When we were doing this
experiment, the iPads did not turn on and we ended up not being able to do it and we had to watch a video instead. Like Howard had mentioned, videos, while they do have an impact, it's not the same as hands-on learning. So, I feel like with that, I would just really like to express the important of the sec the
importance of the second question regarding the renovation of the science labs. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do you have any comments back to our students? Do you have any comments back to our students? No, I think that I think your comments are are very valid and I think
it's something that you know we we try to balance uh we try to balance the educational components and the mechanical and systems that are operating these schools and obviously like you stated um money is always a big factor and trying to balance that is what we try to do best in order to come
up with something that at least you get you get what you're looking for at the end of the day. We we can't do it all the time obviously with our constraints. So, um, and you're not going to please everyone with what choices are being made, but we try to make the best choices, and my my reaction is always to
make choices that impact the students. >> Thank you. We're going to move on to comments from the public. Now, during this portion of the meeting, district residents and staff are invited to address the board of education on the referendum items only. This is an
additional public comments that we have this evening. The board requests that individuals state their name, town of residence, or school of attendance for the record. Additionally, all in-person public commenters are asked to please sign in. All comments should be directed to the board president, and depending
upon the nature and complexity of the question, it may or may not be answered during the meeting by the administration. If so, the response would occur after the public portion of the meeting has concluded. Although the board may not respond to all items raised during the public forum, all public comments will be considered. The
board asks that members of the public be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding personnel matters are discouraged and cannot be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New
Jersey. The board bears no responsibility, nor will it be liable for any comments made by members of the public. Please note that if any member of the public becomes disruptive during the meeting, the board president may terminate the participant statement. Continued disruptions may result in
removal from or adjourment of that meeting. We'll take in-person comments first, followed by online. Now, each speaker is going to be limited to about three minutes, but we're going to have this as a dialogue with our experts. So,
if you would like to come up, there's a uh place to stand there. And Madam Secretary, where is our sign in? The sign is the sign in is on the podium. >> Okay. Uh do we want to move that to
another place where the uh community lines up? >> Sure. Frank, do you want to move that over to where you are? >> Okay. >> So, at this point, we're asking for community members to line up and to make their comments.
Uh the sign is in is at this table here. Feel free to sign in while you wait as well. >> Hi, good evening. Uh Bill Faxton, I'm resident of Berkeley Heights. Four children that are either currently in the school district or or graduates. um they've all had a tremendous experience. We moved to the town in large part
because of the schools and we've not been disappointed. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. So, thanks to all of you for everything that you do um for my kids and kids like these two and everyone else in the community. So, uh I wanted to discuss some extracurricular activities. So, I'm going to talk more about athletics, but
I think everything that I would say would apply to music, to art, to anything else extracurricular that our our kids do that, you know, help them become more well-rounded students. Um, I want to point out last year there were five graduates. So, five GL kids in the class of 2025 that went to colleges with
an acceptance rate below 10%. So, we had one at MIT, one at Amherst, one at TUS, and two at NYU. Those kids came from different towns, different backgrounds, a lot of not very many similarities except that they were all athletes. That was the one common thread that they shared. And I feel like we, you know, I
heard athletics were depprioritized by the voters. It's a little disingenuous the way the question was phrased. The question was made specific to locker rooms and u team rooms. That's how the way the question was asked if I recall. And first of all, I think that's wrong. I feel bad for our female athletes like
we heard about Kyra Pizzy and and Abby and you know they don't have the same facilities as the boys. So, but that's a different story. The question itself I feel like was not addressed about our overall athletic facilities. Mr. Dylan mentioned lights. There are many of our athletic facilities are are in a big
state of disrepair. And is this as important as the roof? It is not. The roof is more important. Is it as important as the chemistry and and the science rooms? Those things are more important. Totally get it. But I don't think that this is a binary situation. I don't think we have to pick one or the other. And that's the problem with the
surveys. It doesn't attach prices to these things. And there are some judgments made about what people meant, you know, to these very broad questions and, you know, what the application is. So I guess my question for everyone is is there a way of assessing this when it
comes to extracurricular activities in general? So music, art, sports that are not as expensive as some of these other things. Again, the roof's more important, chemistry classrooms more important. Totally agreed. But these things are not as expensive as some of the other changes
that we're looking for. So that's my question with how important athletics are to children today. how we know unequivocally athletes do better in school that it keeps them in better shape. We have problems with obesity, drug use, in pregnancy. Every one of
those things we find in lower incidents among athletes. And again, I would suspect that's true of musicians and artists as well. I don't know that to be true, but I suspect it is. Can we look at that and look what the cost would be and be transparent with the voters about what we could do to improve our athletic
facilities and our other extracurricular activities and what small incremental cost that would be. So, can that be something that's looked at and provide what would this cost? What would your tax rate go up if we wanted to make these athletic improvements or to other extracurricular activities? Is that a
possible thing to look at? So if it if you're asking if it's possible for this referendum, the answer is no. And the reason for that is these projects have already been submitted to the department of education under a deadline that that schedule that I had shown in the beginning for for the work
that was done there. There was a long list of projects that were were created from the facilities audit that was done and these projects were submitted and approved by the department of ed based upon uh the selections that were made. So would that apply even to the what was
in kind of vote one and vote two that those can't move around or that could but nothing new could be added. >> Nothing new can be added that's not already there. The questions technically could be moved provided that they are moved with the approval letters that they were received. So if two two
different projects were in the same approval letter they would have to be moved together. You couldn't you couldn't separate them that >> but there's no ability to move to add anything new into the referendum. >> Not without resubmission to the department of education for approval. >> And what's the timeline on that? >> Significant. I mean it took us near 6
months to get approval for for the projects that were submitted the first time. >> So it would take about 6 months to to >> possible to reook at things. Okay. Thank you. What I can speak to that is um that's something that we'll be looking at in
our normal budgetary uh process, but then we don't have any benefits. If it if it was a capital project like locker rooms and things like that, we don't have the benefit of state aid or if I mean there's a lot of things we had to pick and choose, if you will. If
athletics is now bubbling up as as a greater need, that's something else that we look at budgetary. To your point about costs, if we can't afford to do it within the normal budget, then it would be does the community have an appetite for another referendum down the road,
not April, but you know, and >> I know my time's up. Just to be clear, I'm not saying it's a bigger need than some of the things that we've discussed, and I'm very much pro the referendum. I just think we have other incremental needs for our our kids, too. >> Absolutely. And incremental needs are the types of things we look to do in the
budget when at all possible. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. >> Not definitely not an easy task. Um I am actually alumni of GL. Not that old yet. >> May we have your name, please? >> Oh, Doug Caruso. Sorry. Resident of Berkeley Heights. Uh been living here since 1986. So M Park, Columbia, GL. Um
everything outside the paint job does look the same. um you know was a student athlete you know growing up and obviously as Bill mentioned there's positives um you know to that you know not worth going to hear but I would definitely really strongly consider um whether it's doesn't sound like it's doable here now but maybe outside of
this um we are in dire need and struggling with the younger community kindergarten elementary middle school finding time and space for the kids to practice have games um we're limited to really two gyms when it comes now to
basketball, volleyball, and fencing, which fencing wasn't around, and that's great added, but now limited um space to that, and we're struggling to really find time for the teams to practice. Parents are actually shelling out thousands of dollars to go to Longill
to, you know, ran out of gym space just because we're limited to, you know, an hour per team. And we're fielding, you know, 20 plus teams just for basketball. Um you know, then there's the volleyball aspect as well. So, you know, to what Bill was saying before, we're seeing a
struggle and parents are frustrated, you know, with that. Um, and even the gyms, you know, I know you had wellness up there, too, but I think if I go to Mountain Park, I think the basketball group's the same from 1986. Um, you know, that comes, you know, my little ones are saying they have a gym once or twice a week, you know, and the gyms the
floors are slippery. So, I think that kind of ties into the wellness piece, too. And um I know on the survey 60% of the people wanted athletics into it, but I think that question kind of maybe threw people off or was focusing on the locker rooms and not the fields. Um you
know the basketball courts behind the schools where if you go on courts, you know, you have the roots coming through the trees. I'm surprised the kid hasn't broken an ankle yet, but um I really would just strongly consider looking at that um aspect too, whether it's this project or the next project next project
um to you know because it's really benefits the whole community um from a kindergarten age now that we have kindergarten all the way up to high school um and so forth. So just wanted to mention that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> How are you? My name is Ander Price. I'm a resident of Berkeley Heights. Um my
oldest is going to be starting Mary Kay next year. Um and I just kind of wanted to get a sense of if the referendum passes just um if we have any kind of um like rough timeline of uh how long it might take um uh each project to be
completed um how we're going to uh work the students around um any uh disruptions because obviously these are major improvements. they're going to be they're going to not be able to use you know the media centers for a little while while they're being upgraded. So just you know just get an idea of that.
>> So a lot of the work that we're going to try to uh coordinate is going to be done over the summer right we want to try to do things when the district when the school is not occupied. Um there are opportunities to do work during the school year when uh if we can coordinate center uh it could be done during the
school year. Obviously we try to separate students from construction at all times. So the the time frame as I said earlier is based in part by the amount of work that we can do over a summer. So we will try to coordinate projects in different areas uh at the
same time over the summer so that we can get multiple done. The media centers might as I said earlier might be a a grouped project where we bid all of the media centers at once and we schedule them over a two-year period um so that we have the ability to work with either one contractor or five contractors and
get it done. So if and when the referendum does pass, we would sit down and coordinate with the district and the administration to know are there afterchool programs that we have to work around? How do we move things in a place that that works? So um it's it's a
process and it's something that gets coordinated, but this is going to be a three-year endeavor to get these get all of these projects done at once. The generator that can be done anytime, things like that. Roof work is typically done over the summer. You don't want stuff being done over the over the
school work. Security and technology, it's possible that it's done after hours on a on a second second shift schedule, but uh there are things that have to be planned out once and once the referendum passes. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. >> Hello, Michael Hartman, township
resident. Uh so I would say uh one of the the ladies over here mentioned it and I would I would second that it seems like um when we look at question one it looks of wants and needs. Question two, there's a combination of wants and
needs. And uh I to me superficially looking at the the work that's being suggested looks like it would have made sense to combine the maintenance and repair work into say question one and then some of the uh educational upgrades
into section two or question two. So I' I'd like to know maybe why it wasn't done like that because um you know on the one hand you're saying we really need a new and on the other hand you're saying upgrading an existing space. So I'd like to to maybe hear what the
thoughts are about that. Um and before that I just did have one comment and the comment was around the scheduling of the referendum and it seems like the goal with scheduling is around what will give the highest chance of success. Um, I think the goal when scheduling a
Democratic vote should be to maximize community engagement, not necessarily to schedule when we think it will pass. I think if we're looking for the community and the township to make a decision about how they want their tax dollars spent, we really shouldn't be trying to schedule it when we think the fewest
people will show up and the the ones who are most likely to vote the way that you want them to vote. I think that it should be scheduled at the midterm elections and if the township people don't want it to pass because they show up then it doesn't pass. Um it's this is
why we have a referendum. It should be scheduled and maximum engagement should be there. So thank you. >> Thank you. Um Brian, any comments? Uh so with regard to the first uh comment I I
I think that I mean I kind of answered it earlier when we talk about the the way the questions were formulated. I believe that we should balance educational and infrastructure work. The facilities assessment that was done to update whether projects were in dire
straits or not and evaluate certain areas uh was done in a per in a in a manner that we tried to select the most needs uh in question one uh security technology the site drainage parking those things uh and the roof replacement
at Woodruff were were listed as high priorities in the evaluation. It's not to say that the other items are not high priority. It just comes down to, you know, creating a palatable referendum. Not not again, there were more items than what you see on this list that need
to be done. We just couldn't do them all and have a reasonable number. >> Thank you, >> Doug Rinstein. uh for $50 million, what specific academic achievements does the district expect to get three years
from now? And again, please be specific about academic achievements. You mean like test scores? >> I mean, however you describe academic achievements. >> Okay. So, for academic achievements, if we're re if we're
if for the 50 million for for for all of it, both questions pass. Okay. So, with all the educational uh improvements that will be made. We will have the ability to provide the
resources, the infrastructure, the technology to the students in STEM, in science, in the teched um areas to and the the media centers to allow them to engage in the student centered critical
thinking, problem solving that they need to do to prepare them for the life skills that they need outside of the classroom. and moving up. That's th those are the achievements. Right now, we're a little bit hampered. You heard the students say, you know, the they can't do the hands-on labs in science.
I'm sorry. With my science background, that just killed me. You know, movies and um workbook pages, I think you said, you know, that's not science. Reading and writing science is not science. Critically thinking, measuring um engaging in the wait, what went what
went wrong? How do I do this again? And even in the teched classrooms, the the 3D printing that they're able to do if if you can innovate um uh having having the ability to have a space to complete the presentations in a timely manner and
actually present authentically hopefully you know to people um that can provide you authentic feedback, real world feedback. Those are the types of achievements that I'd like to see. >> Right. So my recommendation is that uh across all the different investment
areas and you laid out several of them. We should describe those outcomes. We should commit to those outcomes in some reasonable amount of time. Again, the public's being asked to spend $50 million. I think it's reasonable to have some. We know we can't always change something because you started out with test scores. What my question wasn't
about test scores was about however we define achievement. We should set goals for ourselves. I don't think we'll have them in six months or a year. That's why my question was about three years. My second question is when we have the areas of things like STEM and science labs, often we associate those with the
higher academic achievements. How will these uh investments be more inclusive for some of our students who are not at the highest achievement levels? >> Well, I believe all of our students cycle through the classrooms. you know, you have you have you have different
levels of of students or or classes, if you will, in each of these classroom. It's it's not confined to only the AP classes are in the classes that are being um renovated or, you know, >> so I would I would expect regular
classes and uh the rigs, not honors, not high honors, not AP also will benefit and use those same uh investments that we're doing. >> Yeah, I would expect that too. you would expect that or we're going to do that. >> Well, scheduling wise, yeah, we can make it happen. I mean, we control the
schedule, right? >> Okay. Uh my third question has to do with uh the phrasing of question one that says no tax impact. Uh I think that's somewhat misleading. It should, if we're going to use the
words no tax impact, it should be no tax impact assuming you want to invest another $180 a year like you are today. That's not what that's not how it's phrased uh in the materials. I think a better view of that would label tax one
as continued investment because we know that we're paying something today and this is not no tax impact. It's a continued tax impact. So if we use the words no tax impact, I strongly suggest we use the words and
articulate what the cost is today. I'm a huge supporter of investments in in uh uh in education, but we should be very clear. either choose the words continued investment for question one and additional investments for question two
or if we're going to use the words no tax impact be very clear it's no tax impact including I think uh Frankie you said $180 is what it is today my last question I believe is for the attorney and my question is can the board of ed
promote voting yes or can the board of ed promote just voting That was man, you have bond counsel, you know, that represents the board, but I feel comfortable answering that one. So, the board can promote voting, but the board as an entity cannot promote one
way or the other. That's for the taxpayers to decide. And Tony, if you want to jump in, this is your area, not mine. But >> yeah, I mean, David is correct. The board of ed is not allowed to spend any public money to advocate for either a yes vote or a no vote. My question wasn't about spending money. Uh can at a
board of ed meeting can people talk as a board and recommend voting yes on the recommendation? Has nothing to do with spending money. My question was not about spending money. >> So my question was about can a board recommend voting yes on the recommendation. I know I know what
individuals can do. My questions are not about individuals. I know better than most what individuals can do on a board of education. My question was about can the board as a whole vote uh can the board of ed vote to vote yes
or recommend voting yes on a >> I think what you're asking is can the board pass a resolution encouraging the vote of yes because individual board so I'll say the board only speaks through vote right for the most part um >> uh individual board members speak but an individual board member speaks on their
own behalf so I think an individual board member in their individual capacity can have their own personal opinions, right? You don't lose your first amendment. I think that's what you were getting at. >> No, that's not what I was getting at. >> No, I meant you what you were saying. The difference >> I know the difference. Question was very specific. Can the board either through a
resolution or just in discussion? There's plenty of discussion that goes on at a board meeting that's not covered by resolution. Can the board recommend voting yes? >> So again, I I think when a board recommends that's a to me that is a board action. Board discussion is board discussion. Okay.
>> Uh but to me I do not believe a board can pass a resolution. If you want to again comment on it but my understanding of the referendum law is that a board of education cannot pass a res pass a resolution recommending certain action that again individual board members can have their opinion and the like but I
don't believe board action. Board supposed to be generally neutral on the issue. >> Great. Thank you. >> If I can just um add something and respond to the prior gentleman's question. Um, I know he left, but I think it's important to note it's not
just about it being potentially a more favorable outcome. The board did not get project approvals in time to meet the November timeline. And additionally, in order to to meet your debt falling off,
you have to issue bonds by May. So if you waited till November, you would miss that debt falling off. So if your goal is to replace the existing debt, you have to go out in March. So I think when we were discussing before, we were talking about strategic reasons why
boards choose March, but there are also practical reasons that one is your debt is falling off and if you want to replace your debt, you have to go out this March and sell bonds. Hi, my name is Shauna Williams, a resident of Berkeley Heights. Um, so
I've heard you say over and over again, you're trying to balance educational need with facilities. Let me tell you, as a parent of someone here at GL, the facilities are an educational need. The kids were freezing last year. They were coming to school in blankets like the
students told you. The ceiling is leaking. I really am not understanding why the mechanical and everything else is not in question one. You know, you're talking about the greatest chance of having it pass. The public told you and
they told the board of ed through their surveys that the media centers were not a top priority. So, I really am struggling to see why I would I mean, I feel like you're holding hostage the things we need most by
putting the things that are a want rather than a need in that first question. Um, I don't know if you're aware, I know the board of ed is, they live here. We have a town that's infrastructure is crumbling. We are faced with tax
increases for the waste treatment plant. the town is talking about separating out our waste treatment bill from taxes. So, you're looking at a lot of people who maybe don't have a ton of discretionary money, increasing taxes from the town, increasing their utility bills, and now
increasing this for the referendum. Again, is there any way you can move those questions that the public said were most important to them, move those into question one? Can that be done? Legally, there are ways to move those
questions from question or the projects from question two to question one. As I said earlier, they have to be tied to the PEC letters that were approved. So, if their projects are combined in one PEC letter, those two same projects have to be moved simultaneously. We have
analyzed the alternatives. >> Okay? You know, you hate to say I'm going to vote no, but holy cow, you guys. This was like a really terrible This was a horrible decision.
Really terrible. Sorry. Hoya Facy, resident of Berkeley Heights. Um, I have three questions. Um the first question is the issues that we had at GL last year where some classrooms couldn't be used and some hallways were closed. Was that due to the deteriorating
infrastructure? Okay. Is was that a yes? Okay. That's a yes. >> For the media centers, um if that portion um of the referendum does pass, will the high school hours of operations
be extended to allow students use after school? I don't know. I think that would re depend on um we'd need coverage with teachers and I don't know offh hand if we pay teachers a stipen to stay after to do something like that or not. But
>> I think it should be considered because I know some students >> sure >> should be able to use it and if we're investing so much in the media centers um just to have it available during school hours is great but then there are some students who may need access to it after school and so it would be great for us to be able to consider that
>> investigate that. >> And then my last question is um about prioritization. So sorry my I locked myself out of my phone. um if some of these projects will take three years, are we prioritizing specific schools of where we will start
first and how will we decide where we prioritize? >> So prioritization is not necessarily by school. It's really by project and timing of us being able to get the best pricing. So um projects that require more design like the media centers and
science labs where we need to take some time and sit with the administration and the staff and go through the design of those spaces. They will take longer to get out of the gate. So they may not happen in the first year. They may happen in the second or the third year.
Other projects, roofing doesn't require a significant amount of design. Those are projects that I would see getting out first. mechanical systems. There's usually long lead time on mechanicals. They do need to be designed, but those are also projects that can be designed
while we're waiting for the equipment to arrive. We would bid those most likely early. So, it's really strategic and it has to do with the individual projects at hand, but prioritization will be after discussions with the district. This absolutely has to be done first and
we can change. we can we can get other projects out first, but the design time is based on how much design is involved >> and then I guess to the board I guess once that prioritization or that list is sent back to the board will the board communicate that to the public in terms of how which will be the priority
project so that we are aware of when those those things will be happening. So, one of the things that we and not to step on your answer, but one of the things that we do once the referendum does pass, we will prepare a schedule of bid projects and a timeline that shows
the number of projects that this referendum will be broken down into. Could be 10, could be 20, could be whatever. And at what point they will be done. We plan to get them done in the first year. We plan to get this done in the second year. That the public will see. And as we go through projects,
updates will be performed and there the website will become instead of referendum, instead of information about the referendum, it'll be updates on the projects. So >> you'll see that. >> And then I'm sorry and just to add to that, we have a referendum website and
what we plan on doing is when the referendum passes um as we have this timeline and project completion, actually putting that up on the website. you know, we can put the timeline in the table and then if there's any changes, you know, why the change is delayed
because of no steel like we had several years ago and >> ahead of schedule. >> So, ahead of schedule. There we go. Ahead of schedule. So, we'll put that up on the website so that we can see, you know, thank you. And then the last I just wanted to make a comment and just say thank you um for actually decoupling
this from the midterms. Um I do believe that it is the right thing to have it in March um and to have it because I think it does add some clarity in terms of being able to focus um kind of on one thing at a time um because there will be a lot going on in November. So um thank
you very much for for having the referendum in March. Thank you. >> Good evening everybody. Uh Mike Dquiler, Whitney Drive, and then for disclosure purposes, former member of the board. Good to see you again. >> Um do have some questions about priorities, but I'm not going to repeat
a lot of question asked, but you did say something, Frank, about possibly changing it. Can you go into a little more detail on that? >> So, the question's been brought up um by the board uh about moving questions from one uh from question one or question two
to question one and and so forth. uh and we've analyzed a variety of options that are possible. Uh it just comes down to um what the best priority is and what the top priority will be. So, and it's a decision for the board. Um we have our
recommendation and and you know it's it's what we've been doing, but it doesn't mean it's the be all end all for this, >> right? But is that pre or post um approval? Let's say for instance only question one gets approved and question
two does not like what's that scenario then? >> Well if question one gets approved only the projects are completed in question one get done and question two will be put off for either capital or another time. >> So if the priority is going to change it has to change before the questions are
>> it has to change before the vote >> before the vote or before the question is printed which is >> well be before the question is printed. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. questions lays out which projects are done under which >> so the board has some very important
decisions to make fairly quickly on priority. >> Yeah. So the so the board is going to vote to determine how the questions are structured once they vote on that then that's what is going to the voters that's what'll be on the ballot etc. >> Right? Because again, forgive the
facility background, hearing about heat, air conditioning, you know, heat and facility issues. You know, CMS also lost heat for a couple days to move things around. I encourage the board to look at our facility needs. Look at what's behind the walls. Yes, it's not the pretty projects, but you know, having a
media set looks great, but if it's 55 degrees, it's not comfortable. Thank you. Steve Geski, 131 Lenipe Lane. Uh, I guess I'd like to start off first by um having looked at all the documentation and read through I was
struck painfully struck by words like outdated, out of power, no tech, low tech, whatever. I want to I almost feel like I should be apologizing to Pippa and to Howard to
have to go through some of this stuff because it's become quite obvious for me that there's no mechanism that this board and previous boards and previous administrations have really put together in order to give us a first class educational system. There's no
reason, none at all, that we shouldn't be up to date every day. As soon as we see opportunities, we should have a mechanism. We're taking advantage of that. This board is too lazy to take advantage. It's time to just throw that
away and start with a new direction. Let's put together the mechanism that you need to make our district awesome. And that's I mean, we want to be the best. We don't want to be kind of good, okay? We want you guys to graduate from
here and go on and control the world. We want the world to be even better than it is now. And we're relying on you to do it, but you're relying on us to give you the things you need to get there. So, it is a symbiotic relationship.
So, I mean, I get a bit frustrated, I guess you can tell, because of that. And one of the things that popped because I'm a I'm a registered professional engineer, electrical engineer in the state of New Jersey. When I heard the thing about generators, that got me going. Okay.
If the lighting in here is dependent on emergency generator, you're out of code. That exit sign there and the one behind me have batteries in them. They have the little lights on the side that come on when there's a power failure so you can see where to go. The lights up above here, there should be some of them with
batteries in them so that when the power goes out, those lights will stay on so you can evacuate the building. It's not if you lose power, you're not supposed to stay in the building. You're supposed to go home. Now, if we're, you know, so I think we
need to look at those things. We need to have, do we have a program where we have somebody go around and there's a little button on every one of those exit signs that's for testing to make sure that thing works properly? We even have a simple program like that to document on a monthly basis that we know these
systems work. I doubt it because you have a history of not really keeping up with what's needed. Now, I have to agree with Mr. Mrs. Firi that really the way this and I from what I hear from the feedback of people here, this whole
thing is kind of all jammed together in a rather quick way and in a way to try to get both things passed. It really should have been broken up into the things that you need. put that out there because I I also hear that even with this $50 million investment, there are
other things that were left out. Now I'm thinking, oh, what was left out? How about a new building for all those pilot people that are moving in with their kids? Have we heard anything about that? You know, it just creates all this, you
know, um I guess concern. So my question for the board is, is this a learning experience for you? and are you committed to do a better job of making us number one? Thank you. >> The answer is yes.
Yes. Howard >> real quickly like to add on to what I was saying. Um, I remember last year, the first week of school, um, we lost, it might have even been the first day of school. Um, we lost power for
approximately 3 hours. Uh, the the backup generators, like sure, they powered on the lights and stuff like that, but like that didn't really do anything. And then I remember in December, we lost power again. And that time that had long-standing effects because all the lights in the downstairs
hallway uh they all shut off. Uh there must have been a broken fuse or something like that. Uh that cut off the all of the lights downstairs for about a month I'd say for the month month of uh December. We had no lights in the
downstairs hallway. And if you go to the downstairs hallway with the lights turned off, there's no window so you can't see anything. students had to pull out flashlights on their phone in order to navigate and get from class to class. That should not be happening. I should not be having to worry about bumping
into people when I'm going say from math all the way down to English. It's it's just unacceptable. And then again in what was it either March or April, the power shut off uh completely. There was a bunch of like uh you know like the lights flickering and stuff like that.
And then the the the school district decided that at that point it was necessary for us to go home. I I don't understand why we need to be repeatedly in darkness at school. Thank you. >> Hi. Uh I'm uh Dave Moore and I am a
president of Berkeley Heights. First I just like to say thank you. That was an excellent presentation. I was a professor at a university for a decade. I saw lots of infrastructure presentations and that was about the clearest one I've seen. And while we can disagree with how it's structured and
all that, the fact that you gave a clear presentation has really facilitated this discussion. So, thank you. Um, my my question is, can we still make it a quest one question? I think based on what you guys have said, it's up to the
board and we could make it one question. And man, I think it should be one $50 million question because what we're hearing is that we have can have buildings. The infrastructure side says we can have buildings that function. And
I think we all agree we should have buildings that function, but they have to function as a school, right? So they have to also have the internal components. They didn't just talk about the infrastructure stuff. They talked about I'm talking I mean PEPA and and
I'm sorry I don't Howard talked about the lab side too and the media center side too. This stuff is dire. We need it all and we need it all now. So I would just like to have one question. Put your
priorities. think about what you want and vote for all of it. That would be my recommendation. Um the other question I have is uh one of the other uh commenters mentioned the fact that if we don't vote
for this, we effectively save $180 on our tax bills or whatever. So I would like to hear a little bit about what risks we would take on if say we were so foolish as to not even pass question one um as a community. Uh because it's my
understanding that at that point we have failing infrastructure. That's become clear. And if we have a major failure, don't we have to pay like emergency loan rates and big tax assessments? And so it could end up costing us a heck of a lot more than $180
per household or $250 per household. So if you could comment on that, that would be great. Anytime that you're in reactive mode and emergency mode, if boilers go down and and there's no heat and you have to get somebody in in e mode, it's more costly.
You pay a premium for it. Um and you've got downtime associated with you've got a lot of other a lot of other uh ramifications that come with not uh not being proactive. The referendum would give you a chance to be proactive, would get a chance to put some of these things
behind us. Again, it's not going to solve everything because there is, you know, we've got a lot of buildings and a lot of work that needs to be done. So, uh, you know, again, it comes down to prioritizing and whatever the priority that the board believes is is the way that it'll will go.
>> Thank you. And and while the board may not be able to say it, I can vote yes. Please, for the love of God, vote yes. Uh James Finley, resident 99 Cromwell Court. Without getting into the weeds, um how will the roofing projects will
they be able to accommodate the current solar panels that are both on GL and Woodruff's um buildings? >> Yeah. So, we had a large discussion. The the power purchase agreement for the solar panels is going to be ending
>> Yeah. 2027. And the the benefit for um doing the roofs is that you would be able to most power purchase agreements have a clause that says the district can choose to keep those solar panels or give them back and the installer would have to remove them at their cost.
Removing solar panels from a roof is very expensive. So the intent would be that the solar panels are removed um by the installer and the roofs are replaced and then the district seek an alternative PPA agreement, a power
purchase agreement which would give you new technology and new solar. Replacing the roofs won't uh won't impact the ability to do that. >> Okay. So then will the roofs will the roof projects then wait until the purchasing agreement ends in 2027? There are certain strategies that you can talk
to talk about. We could remove the solar panels early and have the company remove them early. So, we need to investigate that further. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Question. >> Good evening. Thank you for the presentation. That was lovely. Um, a question for the board. Danny Bile,
sorry. Mountainside resident and a booster club president. Um, just a quick question for the items that didn't make it to the referendum. Um, is it safe to assume that they will be incorporated in our operating budget,
which I think you mentioned, Dr. Feltry. Um, but how do you prioritize those items? Is it whatever came in last but didn't make it or you know how do we is there a plan in place and what comes first or how do we determine what will
be included in the operating budget? >> You want to feel or do you want me to take a stab? >> You can you can start I'll I'll chime in. >> Okay. All right. I'm looking at Jen because she's our our business administrator. So we're just entering budget season. Really what it comes down
to is um greatest need, right? Greatest chance of something going wrong, greatest need and cost and where where where we can afford it. So it's it's a balancing act just the same way as we put together the referendum. Feel free to help me out.
>> Sure. So we uh every every year we tend to conduct a um you know an evaluation of the facilities. We update the LRFP for the district. we go through what needs to be done. There is prior to the referendum, we updated the facilities audit as well. So, we went through the
buildings, we looked at what the needs were. Um, and every year that's done. So, there we can and I think we will put together a list of those projects that didn't make the cut and for whatever re for for the reason that they didn't. Uh, and you know, obviously they would go
into the long-term planning for the district trying to be proactive. And normally what we do with our facilities audits with districts is when budget season comes, we sit with the district and we talk about what's the next priority, what is the big issue, where are the issues coming from, and that
could be from facilities or students or what the issues that are occurring are so that we can attack those projects for the following year. Is there a list of those items that didn't make it on the board on the website now? >> No, there's not. And that's why I'm saying I think that, you know, there's a facilities audit piece, but I think that
we could provide a listing of the some of the items that didn't make it and that and the costs associated with it. >> Great. When can we expect that? >> Uh, we'll work on it. >> Okay. >> Soon as I get out of here. >> All right. Great. >> You can expect it after the referendum passes because then we'll be in budget
season. We'll have a a greater idea to be to to be realistic. If you want us to be realistic, I don't think we can produce it before March. Okay. >> So, thank you. >> Yeah. I I mean, I just want to add that um you know, going through this referendum
uh gives us flexibility to add projects into our budget, right? As opposed to having to figure out how we're going to pay for $50 million worth of items. >> Agreed. I think it's great. Thank you.
Thanks, Are there any more comments from the public in person? I see no one. Uh I see one person that is online. Um um Hay, would you please unmute?
>> Good evening. Can you hear us? >> Uh yeah. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Uh John Maguire, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Um so Dr. Feltry if the referendum passes. So, um I man I you know to have me, Doug
Rinstein and Mia agree on the same thing in one night is like a miracle. I know that you know religion is allowed at schools but you know let me tell you that uh they they nailed it. Um I'm going to be a lot more I mean you guys
know me. I'm going to be much more plain in my language. Um, I think it's deceptive and manipulative to have student needs in question two dependent on things that are not necessary in question one. Um, I don't think you
should treat the public uh as somebody that you need to win or convince, but rather someone you ought to collaborate with. They were clear on the survey. Um, I think we should also be clear that 29 million of this feels like
is being spent on stuff that should have been taken care of as time went on. And before the community forks over $50 million, I'd like to know from the district what they're going to do differently to manage the money more effectively.
um so that we're not stuck with all this stuff at the end of however many years. Uh the schools have been in disrepair for some time. Um I'd like to see I I could be wrong on this, but there
appeared to be a lot of discretion after if the referendum passes as to what actually can be done with the money. And I'd like the board to look at that and and be sure that there are guard rails in there uh as well as a a
public reporting element as to how the money is spent that is going to be publicly available. Um, and then after we're done with this, what whatever the outcome, you know, now that the mayor's got her turf field and you're getting a
referendum on the ballot, maybe we could get the discussion to things like high impact t tutoring, teaching practices that are actually evidence-based, specific goals, and our policies about proficiency. uh and some evidence that our district is paying attention to what is going on
at the state level in terms of masking declines that we actually have real discussions about things that affect students now that these two campaigns have taken over the year. Uh the last question I'd like to ask is I'm not sure why there are police with guns in a
school during a meeting. I've never seen that in a BOE meeting before. uh I don't think anybody or any member of the public has been disrespectful or threatening and if we're you know partners uh if we're collaborating I don't think you need that type of
security here. Thank you. Have a good night. >> Um there's a person that's not identified properly. Would you please identify yourself properly so we can unmute you? You'll have to tell them to change the name.
>> Change your name from iPhone 141 to your name, first and last name. And Gail, won't you answer the previous questions like you answered for everybody else like the questions from John? Um, Frank,
do you have any any comments on that or >> really hear a question? >> Okay. Right. We have two events going on tonight. So, we asked security to help us direct people to the right event. They were two posted right here by the
door until just now with guns. So, >> well, they weren't posted. I mean, you want to speak to why you have here. >> So, we have two events. We found out a couple days ago, just like you did, I think everybody here did, that the theater was having their opening night tonight and we did not know how many
people would show up at the public meeting. So, we had concerns about traffic and we spoke to the PD because in cases where you have large crowds in the schools, you want to make sure that you have traffic control. Um, I think
they're just interested in the referendum, which is their prerogative because they're here to work traffic control and not really anybody's leaving at this point. So, um, you know, they're they're here for their presence and to assist us
if if both meetings were to get out at the same time. You know, it's just that's what it's for. >> Thank you. um for iPhone 141. Will you please submit your questions to us in an email? Thank you. I see no other. So at
this time at this Oh, they have taken their hand down. >> At this time, we are going Sorry. Can just just one just one um comment. So um I know there are members in the audience who haven't spoken yet and I think you
know we've heard from some um about you know the project distribution between questions. So, and this is, you know, and we're supposed to vote on the bond referendum questions um to today, like they're on the agenda and the way
they're in on the agenda right now is based on our, you know, cons, you know, our the recommendations from uh solutions architects, right, with all the valid reasons that were stated. And so um but there were a couple of folks who spoke you know again about the um
you know moving the projects around between question one and question two. So I just wanted to say before we close um public comment al together because I know um we're we're done there. If there's anyone else that has a view on that that they would like to share, you
know, we'd certainly like to hear it because we are voting on it and we want the vote to represent at least from the what people in the room are saying. And then just one other question for Frank. U it was noted that um HVAC is not
included for the GL list, >> but given the bond project descriptions, right? Is it like is it can you I guess maybe you could tell us why and um if it's possible at all to add that given
that HVAC is like a thing for the other uh for the other project. >> It's apparently come up as a thing. So I you know it's something that I need to look into and find out why why it didn't make the list uh in terms of the priorities. And that's where, you know, in looking at the previous, it's been mentioned a couple times here tonight
about the the heat going off and not happening and I wasn't sure if it was, you know, just one incident or if it's a continued problem. So, um, I do need to look at that and, uh, you know, be able to answer that. >> Okay. And so if um would that in any way
change let's say you know because we need to get these to the um I guess to the powers that be to put that into um March referendum by January. We have like I think in three weeks we have a December meeting. um is
and so and this is not meant to delay like you know or anything but I I'm just kind of curious because this is kind of an important thing right for GL um if we can investigate and then if it could potentially be I I don't know if it
could be added to the existing set of letters at all because there is a GL mechanical project I think no there isn't >> there's eight back projects so would So what we're basically saying is because
you have other HVAC projects at the other schools, the only one that seems to not be included is GL. Would GL be able to fit within that scope of that particular application? Right? That's the question.
One second. So, and so based upon and again this is part of the reason that when we do the questions they are general right they're not all uber specific about you know individual every individual project.
Right now there's no budget for a significant HVAC project at GL. What what is in the question though is H HVAC is used in the question for GL. It is specific to the media center and the other rooms that are being done. But
it's in there should and again I mentioned before we build escalators and multipliers and it's not to say that there's going to be extra money but if there is extra money we have the ability to direct it to HVAC projects. Um we
would argue that um but it currently it's not in the the submission to the department of ed as a rooftop unit or a you know significant mechanical system. So that's the only the only question you know as to how much how much is really needed and that's kind of where I need
to look. >> Yeah. So so it would be I if it were possible where HVAC is mentioned for GL it would be in the in under well no he said media centers. >> Yeah it's under the question one.
>> It's under question one. It is. >> Can you Sorry, Frank. Can you clarify what that really means? So, we have these questions today on the agenda with a certain language for question one and
question two. If they move ahead in their current format, do we have the flexibility to do exactly what was just discussed? I >> I think that if you have the you have the ability to do it if we have the
extra money. If we have money left over, it's not budgeted for. >> So it's so budget is one aspect of it, but is there anything in the DOE approval that we do not have to make that happen? >> The the words that are in there discuss
HVAC. >> Okay. So, so to add to what Dipy is saying, because I've heard a lot of people talk about the HVAC at GL tonight. So that's clearly important.
Is there a way that if there's an issue specifically with the GL HVAC that that could be prioritized possibly over one of the other schools? I think that's what we're get at. >> I'm going to ask I'm going to ask Tony. >> Yes.
>> And Mr. Gallagher, could you use the mic, please? >> My apologies. I know there's been a lot of discussion about that this evening and I I've been very hesitant to to say anything and stay in the back of the room. However, having been involved and you guys know I've been involved a
little bit with some of the issues that you're having in the district. There was a heating issue here at GL and it had nothing to do with your uh technically your HVAC system. It had to do with your internet controls. Um you had an internet control wire that was broken.
um we actually had to have a company come in and rering some wire um to get the internet controls to work again to get those heating systems going. So you had a whole wing here at GL that had no heat last year. That continued up until
about October, beginning of October until we had that repaired. I wish Rick was here because I think Rick could speak a little bit more to that. Um, but yeah, we we had to we had to take a good hard look at that and figure that out and once we figured that out, we were able to fix that. So, that's one thing.
And I think the other thing that the the young uh student Howard brought up um kind of flows back to um you know, the the flooding issues that you had last year and why you had to put a new gym floor in and things like that. So, there have been some repairs to the heating
system over time. Um, and these are these are some of the things that you know from a from a school district perspective that you know um you have you have to have specialists who come in and handle some of those things. And right now you have a mechanical company that kind of handles that. We reentered
into a contract that you didn't have um or that was very limited to kind of make sure that we had heat evenly throughout the building, not just one section versus another, but to make sure we had heat throughout the building. And we we also arranged that contract to do it for all the buildings in the district to
ensure that every building is getting heated evenly. So I hope that answers some of your questions in regards to this because I don't want to muddy the waters in terms of the referendum with straight up facility issues that are are handled internally. >> And I just want to I don't know if you
know the answer to this, but we had a heating issue last winter >> specifically in this room >> that went on for a long time. We've had issues at CMS in the gymnasiums and I think they were coils involved with that. >> Yep.
>> Um are we are we okay? I mean I guess that's kind of where our head is, >> right? >> Should we not should we be considering this? >> What I can tell you is if you have a coil issue and you're supposed to be replacing coils, I I can't say again this would be more of a Rick question,
but I could follow up with you during the course of the week. I'll get to back to you before Thanksgiving. If you're having coil issues and you have to replace coils, that's something that should be getting done. Um, the biggest problem with coils, and I will tell you all this, the biggest problem with coils, especially when you get into the age of coils, is getting replacement
coil. Sometimes you're waiting six weeks to get a replacement coil, and you're not able to get it very quickly. But again, some of those things are are things that can be replaced that necessarily aren't really issues that should be hitting the referendum. And then there are some that are legitimate that should be hitting the referendum
when you talk about eight um you know uh unit ventilator units that are 50 years old that you can't even get replacement parts. Yeah, you got to replace that whole unit ventilator and that's that's a whole different story. Um again I I only been here for a few months. I don't have all those answers for you. Um but
what I can tell you is you know some of those things are facility based issues and some of them I can answer pretty quickly. and just like your your gym your locker room question and you know finding out what those issues were and making sure that those were addressed as well. So there are some some things that
you know again I just don't want you to muddy the water here um between maintenance things that are straight up maintenance issues versus referendum issues. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> And Frank, do you have something to add? >> Yeah, I just want to add to that and that is we did evaluate the facilities.
We did look at these and they were not flagged and that this makes perfect sense that it was an, you know, an isolated incident. It's not the unit that's 30 years old that has a problem. And I will continue to look at that. We will look back and see what what the facilities audit did speak to about the
mechanical systems. But if it was a one-off and that's then you know it's a different story. >> Can I ask one quick followup? So the reason you cannot have HWAC included is because we don't have a specific PE letter for HWAC at GL
because the other PE letters for other buildings specifically specify >> HVAC >> HVAC at like you know which other buildings but for GL we do not have a individual PE letter for HVAC but the language is under media center. So
correct if we want to include HWAC at GL then media centers have to pass. Is that correct in the current format? >> That would be correct. Yeah. >> Yeah. But I think what they're saying is that they didn't identify an HVAC issue with all and that's why it's not tech. Yeah.
>> I mean I made the point so I just want to make it again. I was not referring to an isolated incident. >> The heat in Governor Lmson is unreliable. Not isolated. It's unreliable. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yes. Name.
>> Hi, Evan Enis, Berkeley Heights resident. I have a first grader at Mary K. McMillan. Um, you know, thank you so much for the time you've devoted here today. Um, it does seem that a lot of thought and really good work has been
put into this presentation. I understand that clearly there is a lot of need at our schools and a lot of different priorities and nothing is ever going to be perfect and some of us are going to be unhappy because certain things that we want, you know, are not going to be
in this referendum or are going to be in, you know, not the question that we want. But it does seem like there's a really hard deadline to get this done. Um, so I, you know, on behalf of myself and, you know, some other parents I know
would really encourage the board to move forward with this referendum and getting it to the voters in March so that we can, you know, have these benefits come to our children as quickly as possible and not have to wait longer. So again,
thank you so much. I appreciate everything you do. Uh, and good night. >> Thank you. We'll close the public comment portion of this. Uh VJ, do you have a an idea in uh response to what Mrs. Jolly is saying
in terms of uh of of the questions to be voted on this evening? >> So DJ, I I can take So I've been kind of keeping track, right? There were definitely some people who spoke to shifting the the projects around. Um,
you know, and again, while I might agree with that, I don't know if there was like an overwhelming um I guess consensus, right? Um, so, you know, I
I don't know. I guess I mean I c I had a little tally and I counted three people. So I do want to >> sorry >> you so Natasha you actually did a lot of work behind the scenes analyzing all the projects. You came up with what I
thought was a really good point of view to stay within the 21 million number and have a lot of projects that address some of those things that that we just talked about. I I don't know how if there is an
option to to go with your recommendation. I don't know if there's a path to doing that. >> I'm going to ask Mrs. Jolly, would you be all right with the way the questions are on the agenda currently? >> I mean, since we're talking to the public here, I you know, I feel a little torn, right? because I I sometimes feel
like we're caught between a rock and a hard place here because we have experts here saying this is the referendum with the best way of passing. But then again, I also know that, you know, for me logically, if you have the question one
that has the best chance of passing because of the kind of constant tax, you know, uh level that you would want to put your most important and they're they we all agree they're all important, but I almost feel like um you know, like did
would would a child miss a day of school because the parking lot wasn't paved, but they might miss a day of school because the roof leaked and they can't get into the classroom. Right? So, this is where I'm coming at it from. If people want everything, it's, you know, it doesn't matter where the questions
lie. But if there are people who are who might be bothered by the tax impact that they have, right? Because, you know, my tax impact per year was higher than the average, you know, by nearly double that amount. And so I don't know um you know
people's appetite for um you know the tax. So it may be that they may choose just to vote for the one question that keeps them at the same level. And if that's the case my fear is that we won't get the roof like we won't get the basic
infrastructure things that have been mentioned. Now, we have gotten letters and like and the reason why we're particular like at least me personally, I'm particularly sensitive to it is that we've gotten letters from the BHEA back in October and then again in
January when all of this stuff was happening saying like you guys really need to step it up and support us, right? And support the safety. They mentioned safety a couple of times, safety and security, right? Not just the >> teachers union just so the public know. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. Yeah. um you
know for the students and the staff and so you know so that's where my mindset is like to put those projects at the forefront so that they they have a greater chance of passing. It's not, you know, you know, and and I think Shauna
said it like, you know, those facility needs are educational needs as well. And so they're not the nice pretty things that, you know, we would all see, but they're like, yeah, behind the scenes, the ugly nittygritty things that we really need. So, and it's not, you know,
so like I said, everybody in the room seems to want every all of the projects. So switching the projects around, you know, and if that's the general consensus of the community is not going to make a difference, both questions will pass. But if there is that contingent that is worried about the tax
impact, let's give the most important things, you know, upfront. So that that's where I'm coming from. And I and but I also then if it fails, then the board will get blamed to say like, oh, you didn't listen to the experts. So that's why I'm a little unsure of,
>> you know, and that's why I wanted to hear from the public as to what you wanted in terms of the groupings of the questions. >> Thank you. I know you have put in a tremendous amount of work. Uh Mr. Gallagher, you had something to add. >> Yeah. I just I just want to add a little bit
>> to the microphone, please. >> Oh. Oh, yeah. You could >> I just want to add a little perspective to a few things. Um just so everybody is aware and everybody's informed. Right. So when Chris Christie came into office, he put this 2% cap on your your your tax
base, right? So you can't raise taxes more than 2%. And that that was strategic by him because what did he want all schools to do eventually? Consolidate. So here in Berkeley Heights, you guys used to be part of the Union County Regional System, which everybody here in
Berkeley Heights voted to get out of, right? So you now had a governor who put a 2% cap in to financially over time crush districts into forcing them into consolidation. You have to understand like I I heard
some things um from Dr. Feltry and some people on the board and in the public about you know doing things through the regular budget. You have to be very careful if you can only raise 2% right your your teacher
salaries and they deserve every penny of it is more than 2%. Your administrators more than 2% inflation's more than 2%. So what happens over time is as years go on you your inflationary rate is much
higher than 2%. So you can't match that inflationary rate with your with your current impact on taxes. So what happens is all the discretion that you have in your budget slowly goes away. So as as you're going to see uh later on, I I don't want to speak out of turn, but
your your reserve accounts have been slowly going down over time. Why? Because you don't you're not generating enough SS surplus to put into your reserves so you can do some of these projects through your normal budgeting process. That's why things like these referendums
become critical because the way the state has has set up the financial mechanisms for school districts is to basically slowly over time get you to a point where you cannot be h financially sound and force consolidation.
Understand that that was the goal of what Chris Christie did when he put that 2% cap in. That's why you hear a lot of um politicians um educators and everything else really talk about we got to we got to do something with this 2%
cap. Now the taxpayers on the other side they don't they they they don't like paying taxes. They don't want their taxes to go up. Nobody wants their taxes to go up. But the reality is to have a quality school system and to have the best teachers and to have the best
academics and the best curriculum, it cost you money. and to have those things is going to cost you more than the 2% that you that you can raise every year. Does that make sense to everybody? >> Thank you. So, it it does and that's and
that's the pitch for voting for both questions, right? So, >> I'm I'm not I'm not pitching that. >> No, no, no, no. I it makes Yes, it makes absolutely sense, but I think the the thing that you know I think I was discussing was not really that. >> So, Mrs. Jolly, I'm going to ask you
again because I agree with Mrs. Kana that you have done a tremendous amount of work. Would you be able to support the questions in the agenda as is? I will support um the questions as is if um like I and I said I would always
support getting a referendum out there if but I would also be open to if anybody wants to support the um the you know the switching around of the project but I you know I
>> support of switching things around >> so um I'm I I'll support you Nadasha and switching the projects around because initially I I don't know I allowed I I I'm on finance and facilities and Natasha was very passionate about it and
I said she can have my spot and my takeaway was let's split it into four questions when we heard we can do six questions and make them the high priority projects but if we and I'm willing to support two questions as long as the high priority projects are at
least in the continued tax neutral question. So, so just for the um so just for the folks um that are here, so what uh what we're talking about in terms of switching the projects um
is um essentially putting all of the roofing projects into question one as well as the electrical upgrades and mechanical plumbing improvements. So all of that in question one. Um and then there would also be security um and
technology and site parking drainage for Hughes Mountain Park in Woodruff. So media centers um would move down to question two. Um and some security and site parking drainage for um Governor
Livingston Colombia and Mary Kay would be in question two. >> Uh Mrs. Stanley. >> Yeah. So, I mean, I think the majority of the community and our staff has said that these projects need to get done. It's not like when I look at this list,
I don't see priority. Like, all of these things are so overdue, right? And so, I just pulled up the list of projects that we had filled out originally, right? And we all went through and picked this, I want this, I want this, I don't want this, this is not priority based on the surveys from people. So, some of the
things that we don't have are bathrooms, right? Bathrooms are huge. Everybody wants new bathrooms because they're old and they're horrible and they constantly have issues, but that didn't eat the list, right? Uh removing asbestous flooring, that didn't make the list,
right? These things still have to get done. So, for me, these priorities are all priorities. I don't care which question they go in, right? For me, they're all priorities. And I think the bigger thing now is educating people on why they're so important, right? And as
we saw the students say like they want the science labs, they want the media centers. I mean, even the parking lots from the right, we had the athletics people say that the basketball hoops, right, their kids are going to fall and get hurt because there's roots growing through them. That's part of the parking
lots, right? So, for me, I I I don't see priority lists. I just see stuff that needs to get done. If the public chooses not to do the second question, we will be like, we have to be honest, we will be in trouble, right? We will have to find another way to pay for this. And we
don't have that kind of money, right? We're talking 30 almost $30 million for that second half, right? 29 million. We don't have that kind of money. And we still have projects like the girls locker room that we need to fix, right? Things like lighting for the football field. Like that stuff. We want that
stuff, right? But it's still not We don't have the money for it. We're gonna have to work on that. We have to figure it out. But I I just don't see a priority list. They're all necessary and we're behind. >> Mrs. Connor, could you just uh restate
your your discussion point? And then Mrs. Terrera and Mr. Dylan. My thought is I'm supportive of actually moving things around because I want to be fair in
terms of giving the first question the um the maximum number of projects and still stay within sort of the tax neutral uh Natasha kind of what you said and it also gives people the option to
say this is what I'm supportive of because I understand it's important and I can and I want to be in the tax neutral zone. It also gives people the option to say I don't want to support something because that is going to hike
my taxes up. I'm I want this to be a situation where we are not holding people hostage for both the questions cuz really this is a referendum. It's the chance for people to say this is what I support and this is what I don't support. This isn't one of those things
where you only choose um the one that you want. There is an option to say no. And I want this to be fair in terms of how the questions are put forth for that choice to be made. >> Thank you, Mrs. the option no, right?
Which again, you can vote no because your taxes are going to go up, right? But it comes with another cost, right? Right. Like another thing that was not in the referendum is AC units, right? GL, CMS, and I believe Hughes are all
prepared to have AC. They have the ventilation ready. We just don't have a unit, right? Because we can't afford it, right? So when you talk gyms, that huge gym would be really nice with some AC, right? So I I I understand, right? I
understand the the that some of us might feel that we want HVAC in question one or whatever, but again, I don't I don't see anybody in the district saying that these things are not all important. And if they did, I
would be on board. But right now, the people that we hired and the people that were were required to hire in order to do referendums are recommending to do it this way so that we can get people out to vote and they understand the questions. Like it's more important that people understand the questions than
what's in the questions because all of these projects have to get done. >> That's my opinion. Mrs. I >> just just as a as a followup to that, right? I think this entire conversation and the prioritization and the and the the the price tag that comes with all of
these, it it's sort of at some point then is going to become uh imperative on how the district manages its budget. then it's going to be important for the district to look at for us to have a $63
million and growing budget. How do we prioritize some of these and not wait for, you know, once in 10year referendum to happen if we need to support our students, right? The referendum is is one piece of it, but there is an annual
budget and you will then have to start prioritizing things that you want to make happen because they become critical. >> Mrs. Terrera, then Mr. Dylan. >> So, um, I'm really struggling with this um because
on one hand, I do hear what the community is saying that the the needs really should be in question one. I get that part of it. The other side that I'm sitting on is the subject matter experts who are telling us this is the best way
to get both thing everything that we want. Um, so I'm having a really hard time and I I don't know I'm not really sure what to do here to be honest with you. Um, I don't know if I don't even know if it's appropriate to
just ask the community out here who's here. They've had their chance. >> No. >> Raising their hands. >> No. No. Um, Mr. Dylan, do you have something to add? >> Are you done? >> Go ahead. >> If you're not done, I'll wait. >> No, go ahead.
>> Okay. Um, I guess I'll I'll say it this way. The The reason why there are two questions is because I'll go back to the term the win rate, right? They're designed this way because the thought is if they were
all grouped together, it wouldn't pass. So when I think about it that way, I've got to make sure that the critical items are in one because that's what's like most likely going to happen or else we just have one question, right? So
listen, I I I'll be honest. We're going to leave here tonight with a vote, right? We're going to leave here tonight in a way that makes sure that the residents of Berkeley Heights can respond to this in March. I'm not against that in any way. I I but I am not naive to think that if something's
not in question one, it likely won't get done. Thank you. Um we've heard from everybody. My opinion is that uh these are all priorities. Like Mrs. uh Stanley said, I'm going to rely on our experts
to promote an educational program whichever way we go with the questions. If we move questions things into question one, I'm going to rely on our experts to really communicate to the community because I believe both of these things need to pass and both of all of this is a priority for this and I
agree with Mrs. Connor looking ahead to the budget going ahead and again relying on experts that we have with our audits to prioritize prioritize what we're using for our our capital investments. So, at this point, um, I'm going to suggest that we swap out
questions on the white paper to question on blue paper for the vote for the public. The question on the blue paper is we had anticipated some of this and we have a blue sheet of paper to vote on
that moves some items from question two to question one. Miss Miss Bradford, may I just say one final thing? >> Yes, please. >> With and again, I am your consultant. What you direct me to do, we'll do. I I have no qualms one way or another. The
only the only reservation that I have with the switch that was proposed is that when you move certain projects into question one, your if you look at the list at the top of the screen right now,
every school has everything. So if question one passes, all the media centers get done, all the science and technology gets done, all the the security and technology gets done, all of the parking gets done, everything is completed at every school. There's
equity at every school under the switch. Security and technology would not be completed at every school if question two does not pass because some qu some of those security and technology projects are now moved into question
two. And my concern is there's a lack of equity between the projects that are being completed and security and technology is a big topic. It was a high priority on the on the survey. Unfortunately, the way the questions were approved by DOE, you have to move
them as a group. Parking, technology, and security have to be mo moved as a group. So, I just want to make sure that we're thinking that if if question two, for whatever reason, does not pass, there will be three schools without security, technology, and and and other
projects as well because they're not all grouped together any longer. Natasha, can you hand out your your spreadsheet because I don't remember what you moved questions around. >> Can I can I ask a followup to Frank? >> Yeah. >> Sorry. Sorry. Um J Jennifer, if you can
um I think Dr. Feltry had it like in one of the attachments if you could email it so everyone has it at the top because I sorry I only made um one copy. Yeah. >> Um the only thing I would say with the um I it's you know what you say is true
but again I go back to um to the survey results right and this is so I I'm so I what's driving this is the survey results right that show roofing at 91% in favor of you know um that show the
uh you know but that show like you know media centers at 76.1% security tech at 77.8%. So it's it's you know it's coming from that space and as well as you know the things that we've heard as the board um
you know from you know from the community and from the teachers and staff. >> So it is it is somewhat based in what was um you know what the community said. So, and again like the hope of everyone
here, right, I I won't, you know, is that we get the referendum out and if people want everything, then they'll still have the ability to vote for everything. >> But now we're moving all of the educational stuff to question two. Is that right? That in the parking lots.
>> So all of So the media centers, yes, get moved to question two. So, don't you feel by doing that, you're going to make it feel like those are not important? >> But I feel like if the roof leaks, the media centers get damaged, right? Like I mean, that's really what it comes down to. Um, if you move the qu the roofs to
question two, are you saying then the roofs are not important? I mean, >> that's what I'm saying is by right like that's why they recommended it this way that you have an educational component because this would have been one question if we didn't have debt rolling off, right? But we do have debt rolling off. So they made it a two question
thing and by doing that right they made sure that there was an educational component and a a facilities component in each question right we've talked about this multiple times in finance this is why they don't support moving to the alternate question right and they
right so I'm I'm afraid that when we put all these things that look like educational they look like extra but as you heard our students tonight they are not extra right these are not wants these are really needs that are are are sending us behind, right? And I think people might not think that the parking
lots are a big deal, but like I mean, just look at Mountain Park in particular. Like Mountain Park's parking lot causes flooding, right? So, this is not like we're just asking to make it look pretty, right? Like, and and get rid of potholes, right? So, I I I just
am concerned that by not following the advice, right, we are causing more issues than benefits. And when we did talk to them, right, they just said the HVAC system is in the media center, which in your questions is in question two now. >> So the mountain park in in question um
the mountain park um stays in question stays in question one. So um site drainage and parking stays for Hughes Mountain Park and Woodruff still stays in question one. >> Elementary schools stay at question >> in question one. >> Yeah. But we're still moving the media
center to question two. Okay. So, but I I have a quick question to Frank. When you speak about um equity and not having the security aspects by by switching over, we currently have like I believe like
not not about 6 years ago or previous referendum we we upgraded the security. We have security vestibules. Every year we have been adding more cameras. So I believe prior how how do you say that equity isn't there by just switching
those projects which got 76% versus 90% for HWAC. So, I I'm not saying that you don't have security in that currently exists, but the goal of this referendum is to expand what you currently have and make sure that your PA systems are going
to be in spaces that currently don't have PA system for those announcements that need to be made. I'm not saying you don't have it. You do have technology and security in every school. this referendum, the the the reason this
question was chosen was to expand the PA system, make sure that you have addressable headends for your security and your and your uh public address system. So, it's it's really about upgrading. And if you upgrade three of the schools, but two of the schools
aren't upgraded, what is the the p public that attends those schools? Why are they not getting up? But Frank, everybody's financial situation in the town is different and that is as an
expert your advice to split the questions is you want one of them to pass because people going to the like you the one has a good chance of passing because there is continued tax like you know they will not see a spike in their
tax bill. Correct. >> My goal is to have both questions passed. Yes, I think you have a need here in this district that the the the projects have been a long for since I've been in district and it's almost 14 years. We have tried to do as many
projects as we can. Um but again, the 2% cap that was discussed, you don't have the ability to do large projects. When you look at mechanical alone, it's $10.9 million just for mechanical. So when we put mechanical in one basket, it's now
all in one basket. We want I want to get as many of these projects passed. >> We normally include again our strategy and and I I can't it statistically it worked that we include education and
facilities in because you have something for everyone. The people that want the educational components get the educational components. It directly impacts the students and you're chipping away at the facilities and getting the things done. If it doesn't pass, there's a significant amount of work that
doesn't get done. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Because you're not in really >> Thank you. Um >> I'm asking Mrs. Shalley if she would like to make a motion. >> I guess I can make a motion and see if
the board is um supportive and and again I Yeah. All right. I'll I'll make a motion. I'll take >> So guys, I It's really hard to tell. I I don't know what's in this blue packet. Like >> Yeah. And that's probably my fault. I
should have given this a little. >> Can we um >> Can you clarify that? >> Can we clarify the motion, which I assume the motion is, and correct me if I'm wrong. You have in front of you an alternative uh resolution which is two alternative
questions to be approved with in a blue piece of paper. >> Correct. >> And your motion is to amend the current agenda to replace the current two questions with what is the verbiage in the the blue paper before the board.
>> Understood. So for the minutes, this verbiage which I'm not going to read because it's very lengthy. We'll replace the everyone understands what's being voted upon. >> Okay. >> We have a motion and we have a second. Madam Secretary, can we have a vote? Roll call vote. >> Well, can we comment on
>> Oh, yes. >> The comment on whether or not we want to do this blue. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Mr. I would be again without having all the details. There's a couple of facts that I do have, right? Um, it appears that we would be investing $2.2 million
less in question one on Governor Livingston. So then therefore I am opposed to it. >> Any other comments? Mrs. Jolly. >> Um, sorry. So what we are doing in um question one
so uh for governor Livingston we have um a total of uh in question currently question one 7.5 million and then yes in total in question two in my version would be 5.3 but that would bring in the
roof um into it >> but again it still requires in order to make significant change that both be approved. So, we're not changing that fact that you're still relying on the public to to actually vote both of these through to make any significant change for our students. Right. So, if if I'm
going to go by my theory that more likely one gets passed, I'm going to take the extra $2.2 million towards those kids. >> Okay. >> Very good. Any other discussion? >> Madam Secretary, >> so the motion is to swap. >> Okay.
>> And you'll give me the full verbiage. I don't know >> for the >> Yes, I do have a copy. >> I do have a copy. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I have I have a copy of the alternate. >> Yeah, >> I'm going to be voting no, too, because if if people out there say I I don't
want to spend an extra $20 a month, >> and that means two of our schools don't get new PAs, right? >> I I think that's not fair, right? And the rest of the schools get PAs and then we have an issue where one school, right? I mean, we we literally have had
so many PA issues because they're so old and that some of them can't even be fixed now. That's how old they are, right? We can't even fix them when they break. >> Dr. Fel tree if we do have PAs that are in such dire
straits wouldn't the administration actually try to fix them instead of wait for the referendum which is few months away and then it gets passed and then the projects get out for bid and so on. I mean are we are we in such dire
straits? >> Okay. Um, I I think the reason why it ended up in there is based on the facilities audit and we get um and I'm hoping they back me up on this that we're getting some of the state aid back. So, yes. I mean, Right. Right. I
do know that the reason why some of the the the PA some parts of the PAS for some of the schools were replaced as a stop gap last year because I remember that coming in. Um but that's at full cost and um my understanding is based on
the facilities audit that's why they're they're showing up here. >> No, but I could the question Dr. Feldry is if are the PA systems in such dire if they are in such dire straits and if they are part of referendum and even
with them being included in the questions as you're not going to start the projects in 2026 April, right? If the referendum passes in March, there is a bidding process, right? You will wait until late fall or something based on
the bidding process. So are you so what Dipi is asking is are you if the PA systems are in such dire straits, are you actually going to wait today is November 20th. Are you waiting until next fall to get them fixed or are you going to are you going to find money in our maintenance reserves or whatever to
fix them? Right. >> So I'm going to take the advice of my architects. >> Yeah. So are they in dire straits is the question. Yes or no? Yeah. >> Answer. >> Yeah. >> I I know that there were three schools that were just replaced this past year because of the fact that they were in
such dire straits. I believe the three from what we're told they're manageable at the moment, but if the referendum does go down, there would be something that the district would have to do immediately. >> They're manageable at the moment. >> I believe CMS spent $100,000 fixing this system. Right. So this idea
that it's not going to cost us money if we don't get them, it's it's not true, right? It will cost us money, right? And >> it's an emergency money. And so I I I just I don't know. I'm really I don't understand. >> Why don't we vote?
>> So we're going to vote on the alternate. >> So there is I think so everyone's clear for the minutes and the record. It is a motion to amend section six resolution number one as listed on your current agenda with the alternative bond question which is
before the board in a blue sheet of paper. Does everyone understand? >> Yes. >> So you're not voting to approve or not approve this the alternative language. You are voting to amend. If it is then approved to amend then you will vote on actually approving the verb.
>> Okay. >> All right. So >> it's approved to amend. So this is just to amend your current agenda to change the verbiage, right? This is not to vote to approve this question. The questions as is. You then have to take a second vote if the amendment is approved or rejected. >> Got it. Thank you.
>> All right. So Mr. Carrie, >> yes. >> Mrs. Terrarero. So I'm just going to say this before I actually vote. I'm really struggling with this. Um,
I just feel that I need to follow the advice of the of the architect in this situation. So, I'm going to vote no. >> Mr. Dylan, >> no. >> Mrs. Jolly, >> yes. >> Mrs. Connor,
>> yes. >> Mrs. Stanley, >> no. >> Miss Bradford, >> no. Motion does not pass. >> So now we're moving on to the vote and the motion as recommended to us by the
experts. Any discussion? >> I think we need a first and second motion. >> I'll make a motion to move >> the agenda item report of snow resolution one. and all
board members. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> I'm sorry, Mrs. Jolly. Thank you. >> So, we are back to the original list of projects that are media centers related HVAC projects in the second
question. I'm sorry. in the for >> so for for GL >> yes or GL >> for the GL if if there is an HVAC situation it could potentially be done through question one via media centers
>> right thank you >> the re the reality is you're going to have to correct that heating issue with your everyday budget or your reserves not going to be happen out of this because look I I hope that We are not saying that
there's enough fluff in this where we can get a heating resolution or heating solution cuz that that's I got a problem if that's the case. >> Okay. Any other discussion? Madam Secretary, roll call. >> Okay. Mrs. Aairi, >> I'll pass.
>> You're abstain. >> No, I said I'll pass. >> Mrs. Terrero. Yes. >> Yeah. What does that mean? Mrs. You're waiting to go around. >> I'll pass. >> Go back to her later.
>> There's yes, no, or abstain. I don't know if there's pass. >> Do you want to comment? >> I think she wants to pass on her vote. >> Asking for additional time to see the other members and then to have everyone come back. >> I want to Yeah, I want to see. Yeah, that's what a pass means and we've done that before. Yeah,
>> Mr. Dylan. >> Uh, so yes. Uh, what I'll say is though, yes to this has to get in front of the Berkeley Heights residents. I'm not in agreement with the way that it's set up. Yes.
>> Wait, hold on. Mrs. Terrarero. >> Yes. Mrs. Jolly, >> yes. >> Mrs. Connor, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stanley, >> yes.
>> Mrs. Bradford, >> yes. >> Mrs. Carrie, >> yes. But I just want to make it a point like I I very strongly feel that just because there were 2.3 million less
in that other option you know respectfully Bill I believe I know you are you have every right and to say what you feel but it's not about the money it's about giving this
referendum a better chance to to pass and unfortunately I think we lost that because a lot of people from what we have been receiving in an email and looking at the financial situation in the town who will show up to vote, they
might not consider media centers or in the current format. But it is what it is and I'm willing to support putting it out there. Let's see where we land. I I think at at the end of the day I feel we need to look at not at are is GL getting
2.5 million less or 2.3 million less. It felt like your focus is main. So let me finish. I I it felt the way you made the statement even after we ex explained what the priority is is you felt just
because GL was getting 2.3 million less you did not approve the other approach but tomorrow Berkeley Heights residents and parents with actual kids in other dis other schools might feel that this is not what they want or they might
there might be people like I'm telling you just for myself and my own family's sake I don't I think >> I am okay with a 50 million. I'm okay with the one where there is less continued tax impact. That's my way. But it is >> Can I respond since I was directly
called out? So I think this is the smartest vote I've made since I've been up here. Right. I am a my side makes up a third maybe 30% of the high school and we are 1/8 of the vote here. Right. I have to protect my residents our
financial impact. Remember, Mountainside is being going to be charged for this without a vote. I am the singular vote out of everybody in the community that will have any say in this because we don't get a chance to go to the polls. >> How will Can you explain how will
because the the taxpayers of Berkeley Heights are on the hook for the next 20. I I I welcome you to watch the Mountainside Board of Ed meeting where solutions architect came and clearly explained the financial obligation that Mountainside would have whether question
one or question two passes. Okay. So, we are being we are going to be charged right a a portion of the interest for the bond that you take out without a vote. So there's one singular vote and I think I did the right thing
here representing my community. Right. I just like every other vote I am asked to look at it through the lens of GL. I am asked to step out of rooms. I am asked to not participate. There are agenda items all the time that I don't get to vote on. So you can't sit here and tell me that I shouldn't look at this through
the lens of Governor Livingston when that's my exact role here. My exact role to be here as mountain size representative in that one school. >> No. That's you. You see if I were like you know you should advocate for your town but all I'm saying is even the media centers even though they have an
educational aspect to it I don't think a lot of seniors or parent or people who have lost their jobs given the financial impact in the general environment might not be willing to look at a $50 million >> ref and the $5 million that my community sends up here every year should account
for a lot of the fact that we don't have anything. My students come here without heat at a $5 million price tag. Come on. >> I'm going to end the discussion now. We're off topic. Community, it is up to you now. We have made our decision. Moving on to the rest of the superintendent report.
>> Right. Thank you very much. I thank you to the community for coming out. I thank uh our solutions architecture and uh Tony's expertise for everything. And um I thank the board for the healthy discussion and for getting us to the
next step. I know this was difficult and I really really appreciate your time. Um up next is our special education presentation by Mr. Kevin Mora and Miss Alysa. Alyssa Rush. >> Can I make a recommendation that we postpone this presentation till the next
meeting? I'm leaving at noon at midnight. >> I've been waiting here for three hours. Listen, I am leaving at midnight. >> Midnight. >> Kind of unfair. Not >> kind of unfair is we have people walking out losing quorums all the time. What do you mean unfair?
>> I was here I was I spent the whole night here and half of you guys didn't show up. >> I'm sorry. Just time out. Gail, let's get back to the agenda. >> Right. We have arranged for this. We're going to ask our our presentations to do as quickly as possible.
>> Thank you. >> So, good evening everybody. I'm Kevin Moore, director of special services. I'm here with Miss Selissa Rush, a supervisor of special education, and we're here to present an overview of the Department of Special Services. >> Oh, get it.
>> You want to just tell Kelly? >> We'll get it. Um, so our goals for tonight, we're going to review our commitment to inclusive practices while also reviewing the state expectations. Um, we'll review some of our supports, programs, and initiatives in the department. Um, we'll
spend a little bit of time reviewing data as we continue to evaluate our programs and practices, and we'll take a few minutes, I promise, to share the fall 2025 2026 action plan. Um, we always start with our vision. Um, and we always take a minute to review
what our department vision is. Something we developed back in the early stages of our efforts to promote more inclusive practices here in the Berkeley in Berkeley Heights. Um, so you'll see a lot of our vision is grounded in uh in our inclusive philosophy with really a focus on preparing our students for life
after GL uh after GL as they work towards their post-secary goals. We have an obligation to provide students with IEPs every opportunity to be included and supported in the least restrictive environment. And so the first part of our vision um really is about ensuring that we're developing individualized
programs that maximize opportunities for all students to reach adult independence and success in all aspects of life. We also want to create an environment where disabilities are just one of many differences that we as educators teach and support. Um we have a very diverse
learning um very diverse learners um from diverse backgrounds in the district. To us, students with IEPs are just a part of that diversity. Um and then ultimately we hope to shape the future community where adults with disabilities are surrounded by people who will understand neurodeiversity and
be a support and advocate for all. Um very quickly on this um you know we've shared in the past inclusive education continues to be a focus uh for the state of New Jersey and the department of education. Um and that is in part because new really in large part because New Jersey ranks last um in the
country when it comes to its rate of inclusion. Um, we're proud of the fact that at Berkeley Heights, we continue to be ahead in this area. Um, currently maintaining an an inclusion rate of 83%. The state of New Jerseyy's average is at 48%. As we know, inclusion is a right. It's
not something students have to earn. It is not a privilege. It's a philosophy that we believe that all students belong and all students can learn in an appropriately supported inclusive setting. We know that the law mandates educating students in the least restrictive environment and that's what you're
seeing here. Um, and we also know that inclusion is a right. Um, in addition, we know that the research continues to provide evidence that strong inclusive practices result in better post-secary student outcomes. So ultimately for us, we know that we need to continue to evolve our inclusive practices and
programs for all students. Um, moving forward to talk a little bit about the supports that our department offers. Um, and starting with the professional staff. Um, we are we are fortunate to have a full child study team at each of our
levels. Um, and our child study teams consist of our learning consultants, our school psychologists, and our school social workers. Um, in addition, we have our related service personnel, our speech and language therapists, our occupational therapists, and our physical therapists who provide specific services for students with IEPs
throughout the district. We obviously have our teaching staff, our general education teachers and our special education teachers who work collaboratively together to provide supports for students and design lessons to reach all diverse learners in the classrooms. Um, we have our paraprofessionals. We a pair of
professionals in every building um who support individual students and also can support classrooms um in general for our students with IEPs. Uh at the high school we have our ASL educational interpreters um who are providing communication supports for our students in the deaf and heart of hearing program
so that they are able to participate in the general education community um as well as in different activities and and programs in the schools or in the school. Um and then we also have a behaviorist on staff who can provide not only training support for staff um but
also help develop programs to support students who have different behavioral components and and I shared this last year when we did this presentation and I have to share it again. Um and I truly genuinely mean this. Um we do have a very strong staff here in Berkeley Heights and I think we are fortunate to
do that and with some of the initiatives and a lot of the things that we asked to do um on behalf of our students with IEPs and to really promote that inclusive environment um we wouldn't be able to do it without the type of staff we have here. And so um really for us um the work that they do on a day-to-day
basis to support all of our students but certainly our students with IEPs um really really speaks to their commitment and passion for helping students. So, I always want to make sure that that we acknowledge the hard work of the staff. Uh, focusing right now on the prek to five level. And just to review what some
of the programs and some of the supports look like. Um, starting at Mary Kay, which is where we have our integrated preschool program. That's where our students at that level with IEPs participate in the general education preschool classrooms that we have at Mary Kay. Um the vast majority of our
students at this level at the elementary level uh really receive their education in that general ed co-taught classroom um where you have a special education teacher and a general education teacher again working together collaboratively um to plan and provide supports for all
students in the classroom. Um but we do have some students who require more specialized approaches to instruction. Um, and we have students, those students who are educated in more self-contained or resource type settings at the elementary level. Um, it's always important to point out that our students
who are in those self-contained classrooms, our goal is to continue to move them into the general education side of things. So, um, even though students may be spending a majority or at least part of their day in that self-contained setting, um, they are also spending a part of their day in the gened settings, too, as we continue to
build skills and and work on some of the deficits. um you know and progress students along towards that. >> Hi everyone. Um this is a highlight of our programs and initiatives at the secondary level. This was similar to the focus that we had last year. Um but just
on the left you see some of our secondary programs. We have a range of um the ways that we deliver support. Um we have academic strategies as well as focused self-contained settings including um where we focus on ABA as well as instruction for students who are deaf and heart of hearing. Um we
continue to provide departmentalized LLD as well as um expand our transition program which is the Highlander Elite program um which stands for employment life skills independence transition education. Um, we have a fabulous partnership with the Berkeley Heights
YMCA and our students um go out into the community and take on internships um and work with different businesses with uh within Berkeley Heights and the surrounding area. Um we continue to focus on our secondary initiatives. This is a continuation of what we've been
focusing on um primarily uh focusing on the inclusive education. Um and we have the AC action plan that we'll share a little later. We're in year two of our person- centered approaches um PACAST cohort where we um look at providing transition support and planning for students to prep them for
life after high school. Um we also have effective school solutions which is tier three mental health support. Um and then we're continuing to expand our support um with for the district math initiative as well. We listed the special ed service
delivery models um really for the point of ex of sharing that special ed is really a service. It's not a place and that our students receive services and supports in a range of different educational environments and we have a responsibility to as a team to look at
how we are making that just right fit of support for the students throughout their day. Um, this connects with that this is a DOE requirement. We want to always start with providing education in the least restrictive environment and that's where
we start with providing those supports in general education. Um, and just highlighting that it is it is really a service and it can happen anywhere in a lot of different shapes. So, we wanted to take a minute to to focus a little bit more on our programs and supports at the secondary level. Um,
and really kind of break down again that notion that special education is a service and not necessarily a location. Um, and so we kind of talk, so what we're talking about here is, you know, more of your traditional in-class resource program, um, where you have the two teachers who are in the classroom
for that full period. um and the consultative model that we have implemented more recently at the secondary level. Um and when you look at what those supports um are and what the expectations are in both those settings, they're exactly the same. So um students
who uh have IEPs who are in either type of setting um and really any setting across the board that where we're providing um special education should get specially designed instruction. uh they should get the implementation of IEP strategies and supports, accommodations and modifications. We
should be targeting goals and it is the expectation that we're targeting IEP goals and monitoring student progress. Um and that we're providing individualized support for students with IEPs in any setting and regardless of the service delivery model to elaborate a little more on what the
model looks like at the secondary level when we're talking about the consultative component. um we're really talking about having a special education teacher who is responsible for supporting students in two classrooms during any one period. Um the plan then is for the teachers to collaborate um
proactively collaborate with one another and that includes the general education teachers and the special ed teacher to determine when it's appropriate to be in each classroom. Um and that is all based on the individual student needs and their level of understanding of the content and the lesson objective that's
being taught. Um, so the goal is to have that flexibility so that the special education teacher um is going to plan on being in each of those classrooms during the day during that period, but it could look different dayto day depending on what the individual students needs are in that classroom, what the content and
the is being introduced and what the lesson design looks like. So essentially what we emphasize there is we really try and define the roles. The general educa a general education teacher is the content expert while the special education teacher is the expert on the IEP the expert on the strategies
um the expert on providing specially designed instruction that will enable the students to engage meaningfully in the content. Um I also want to note that in this model we strategically schedule pair professionals who are also in those classrooms so that they're always two two professionals in the room at any one
time. So if the special education teacher is supporting students in one classroom, um the general education teacher and the par profofessional uh will be able to provide additional support for students in the other classroom setting. Um part of why we are doing this um with the goal of getting
an more uh equal or um distribution of students across classrooms. What that means is our students with IEPs in a traditional in-class model um by law typically go up to 10 students with IEPs in that class. With this kind of a model where we are moving the services to the
students, um the goal is to be able to spread students with IEPs out and the more natural proportions um which provides um greater opportunity for indivi individualized instruction within that gened classroom. Um the big part of this this kind of a model will promote
student independence and self- advocacy. When we talk and get feedback through surveys from parents, surveys from staff, um a big part of student success is predicated on their ability to be independent and to self- advocate. Um and the model like this allows for
students to have that independence um to learn how to self- advocate. And again, it kids are kids are at different places with that. I have sat at IEP meetings at the middle school level um and heard seventh and eighth grade students advocate very well for themselves and really control their own IEP meeting.
Um, and we have students at the other end who might be seniors in high school who continue to need that level of support. Um, and so we try and build those skills as the students go because again, our goal is always thinking and our vision is always talking about life after Governor Livingston High School.
How are we preparing our students today to be able to go out and function independently in the world where you're not going to have a par profofessional? You're not going to have a case manager, um, a child study team member, a special education teacher there to provide that level of support.
>> All right. The AL room is an important component of um, the design and support in the consultative model. Um, but all special ed teachers have the opportunity to utilize the all room. Um, it's used in a number of different ways. It's proactively um, used to plan targeted
instruction. Um teachers will preview materials, pre preview vocabulary, pre-eread articles that they're going to be reading in class so that our students with IEPs are prepared and ready to participate in general education class discussions and activities. Um it's also
used to target individual needs as per the IEP. So teachers will use it to provide testing accommodations including oral elaboration. Um but I think with this we like to share that it's very flexible. It's based on the needs of the students. there is a, you know, a a
proactive planning component to it, but it's also used to get students caught up, you know, if a student was absent. Um, so it does have a a range of functionality. There is not necessarily a one-sizefits-all. Um, we did provide some sample student
schedules of support. And the reason why we shared this is to demonstrate how our students don't live in one space. Um, and that placement is really just a room. um and the way that the support is designed in those spaces. Um we do have
students with IEPs who are very successful in honors classes and they receive the accommodations as per their IEP. Um and in some cases they will have more targeted support in other subject areas and that's something we wanted to highlight. Um then we have the a sample
middle school schedule similar to um you know students accessing honors classes. We also have students who receive more targeted support in self-contained settings. with the effort of continually expanding their time and participation in general education. So that's where
they also receive the supports and gener um electives as well. So, I talked a little bit before about our staff and our professional staff and the work and commitment that they have. And so, we have an obligation from our end to make sure that we're continually
reviewing what we do, what we offer um and to make sure that we're evaluating and evolving things um and checking in to see is what we're doing truly working um and how do we need to evolve what we're doing. So, um, as part of that, we
tend to look at a number of different data points and and test scores, um, is one thing that we've started to dive into and look at. Um, test scores is just one data point. Um, and we want to make sure that we're also looking at some of that qualitative data. Um, because we're talking about students, we're talking about human beings. We're
talking about children um, and children who have different unique learning needs. And so we have to be mindful of that um and not let a test and a test score can't be the sole reflection of how we measure success for for our students. And so we also have done a number of surveys over the year to get
student feedback, to get parent feedback, um and to get uh staff feedback. Um we did started that in 2022. Um we did an additional staff survey in 2024 um to get feedback to see where we were um with what we're providing and what
we're offering. Um and then additionally in more recent years um we've done a post-secary parent survey and that's for our parents who have students with IEPs who are graduating on that year. Um we really want to see from their perspective how well their students are
are prepared for their next step or what their immediate goals. So um we've started to look at all of these different components um to try and evaluate where are we on this journey. Um I'll start a quickly by talking about the post-secondary preparation uh survey. This was something that again we
started a couple years because we felt like now we have students who have been in our inclusive programming for their entire educational careers and it's time to start to determine you know how are they when they're graduating? Where are they um in their level of independence and their level of self- advocacy? Um
are they prepared or do parents feel like their child is prepared for their next steps? whatever the next steps are. Um that could be college, that could be a two-year program, a four-year program. Um it could be entering the workforce. Um so whatever the student's goal, immediate goal is, do parents feel like
we have prepared them? And so um we pulled some of uh this data from the most recent survey. Um and it was generally positive right now. Um when you look at, you know, 64% of parents reporting that they feel like their child's experience um did prepare them
for their immediate post-secary plans. um over 70% when it comes to regards to um social emotional growth and being prepared for the next steps. Um my child is able to successfully self- advocate over 70% there, which is again is a goal
of ours. That wasn't the same kind of feedback we were getting the first two years that we did it. Um we know self- advocacy is a piece that we want to continue to focus on, but again, this is a program and and and an initiative and a and a service delivery model that can kind of promote that. So, while this is
early to tell, we're hoping to continue to see those numbers grow and for parents to be able to report back to us, you know, in in even greater numbers that yes, we feel like our child is able to self- advocate for what they're going to need moving forward. Um, you know, as well as being independent in terms of
planning their next steps um and going through that process. So, that was close to 80% there of parents who agreed or strongly agreed. So, you know, this is just again one small data point. Um, it is the numbers here. were moving in a in a better direction than they had prior to. It's a different set of students.
It's different cohort of students. So, we have to take that into account as well. Just to highlight some of what came out of the post-secary preparation survey. Um again, some of the common themes, they highlighted the students ability to self- advocate, which which has been a
focus of of discussion for us in our department. Um they highlighted students having greater independence in their planning of of their post-secary goals. Um and then there was a consistent support really for the child study team but really for the staff in general and the level of support that students have
received. Um one area of focus that came out and it's an area of focus that's come out multiple times and certainly our staff would also provide this kind of feedback. Um the need for greater focus on executive functioning skills. Our students ability to plan and organize to achieve a goal. Um, this is
something that again like self- advocacy is really a key component or a key indicator for student success as they move through their programs. >> All right, we have the 2025 local special education profile where we're looking at postchool outcomes for students with IEPs. Um, and really what
here we're looking at the enrollment in higher education as well as students entering competitive employment and both. Um so as you see we're above the state but we are continuing to look at how to promote the growth of these numbers in different areas um and align it to the goals of the students that we
have in our programs. We also looked at NJSLA uh English and math scores over the past few years. We included this because this was something we brought up last year. I think it's important to also note that
these are all different student cohorts. So it is a bit of comparing apples to oranges. But what the reason why we include this data is because a we're looking for trends um on a more global scale and B we're also using it more specifically at the local level where
we're working with different supervisors and content area experts to go deeper into the different um aspects of the standards and look at instruction and how that is designed in a way that meets the range of learner needs that we have in a classroom.
So we have um also the algebra 1 scores. So it shows the the change from 2018 to 2025. Um similarly to the English we see the reduction of scores in one and two. Um and and the shift over a little bit
again it's apples to oranges different cohorts of students. We are looking at geometry comparisons as well. And these are two areas that we are looking at closely especially with the new um outline of the the math uh
progression as well as the science comparison and components with that. Another aspect of data that we're looking at is the scores of students with IEPs participating in NJGPA.
And we see in the last year there was again these are different cohorts of students um but we're looking closely at supporting students with ensuring that they're graduation ready. We also have the math comparison. So by comparison of last year although it's a
different cohort of students um it has improved and these are things that we're continuing to monitor um in collaboration with the different subject area supervisors as well as the building administration. We finally were excited to have enough data to examine some of the different
cohorts of students um that have participated in you know years of assessments as well as received in instruction in a general education setting. So we looked at the current 10th grade cohort who this shows data
from the last few years of the NJSLA also going up to 9th grade. And so with this, we really see the growth of student proficiency in in ELA and what they know um on this assessment and the
shift in the number of students who were maybe in, you know, not meeting expectations or partially meeting expectations to to then approaching and meeting. Similarly, this 10th grade cohort um also shows the same trend in math. So
these are the same students and we see that the the number of students um who were previously in earlier years not meeting expectations or partially meeting expectations. There are more students um in nth grade who
demonstrated proficiency or they were um about to meet proficiency. We also looked at the 12th grade cohort. And it's important to note that the first um data sample is prior to the pandemic. Um and then the two middle
data pieces were right after COVID and when the testing came out. So we do have that last column which demonstrates um the NJGPA scores showing the the number of students who were determined as being uh college ready or ready for graduation
um graduation ready. We are also looking at math. So similarly, we know that math is a target area of focus. Um and this is some of the the data that shows that and again it continues to be an area of support that we're looking to provide
for our students with IEPs. We have effective school solutions and they that's tier three mental health support at the high school. We have two clinicians on um staff who are here every day to provide support for our students. This has helped um not only
support the needs of our students but also support some of the family uh family needs as well. So they provide daily dropins, weekly therapy, parent support, parent trainings. They provide trainings for our staff. Um they provide trainings for the entire district as
well as you know Colombia has taken advantage of this as well. Um, and some big highlights for this is that it's it's supported students with the number of services per week. We work closely with ESS. Students are popping in and out. Um, it has improved student attendance for the students that
participate in this program. And it's also improved um the discipline and some of the the concerns with that. So, as a result, they they estimate that we've also had a cost savings of around $300,000. And the way that's determined is by um looking at the particular
student needs that they're targeting and identifying the number of students that we've been able to keep in district and provide those therapeutic supports without having to outsource them to another school or another program. >> So just to review where we are right now with our action plan and to talk a
little bit about how we develop our action plans. Um we develop two action plans in our department a year. We start with a fall action plan. Um, and that's what you see here. And then typically in January, we'll sit, we'll review where we are with that. Um, and we'll redevelop a spring action plan. Um, so
we'll develop two over the course of the year and really look at where we are mid year and where we need to go. Some of a lot of it will continue from our fall plan. Um, but there are always times where where we may look and say, "Okay, you know what? Now for the spring, we have to look at different types of training depending on what we're seeing
through our observation process and everything else." So, um, right now with our fall plan, um, you know, we're starting to look at, um, or we're going to focus or continue to focus on our philosophy and and our vision. Um, and that's something that we've brought to our child study team and our related
services. We want them to take a little bit of a lead with that as well. Um, so we've had discussions and conversations about how they can promote our vision further and how they can support that and support the staff um, from their own specific roles and supports. Um we're
looking to do additional surveys uh at this point in time. So um it's time to do more parent and student surveys. We did that second staff survey in 2024. Um so at the secondary level, we're going to look at doing um more parent and and and student surveys with regards to our
programming to get more feedback and those should be um developed and and sent out as part of our spring spring pro uh process. Um and we'll also start to look at element surveys at the elementary level. um we haven't been a a strong focus at our elementary level
from our end in recent years. Um and we felt like it's time to do that. And so we're also going to develop an inclusive ed committee at the elementary level. We did this last year with the secondary level. It's going to continue at the secondary level. Um but it was really really beneficial um for us as a
department um where we elicited um committee members from the gened side of things, from the special ed side, administrative, paraprofessionals, whoever wanted to be a part of those committees um to really talk about our inclusive programming and our our philosophy and our approaches. Um and to
talk about the strengths and the good things that we're doing, but to also talk about some of the barriers and where we can go from there. um and really develop one or two actionable steps for the following year. And so that's what we're going to look to do at the elementary level having seen some of the successful conversations and some of the pieces that have come out of of that
at the secondary level. Um we did do additional training or we we revamped our training for our new staff coming in. Again, we want to emphasize our philosophy, our vision, and our approach, but also talk about what inclusive education can look like in their classrooms or in their roles and
how they can support some of those pieces. Um, we'll continue with our macro planning sessions. Um, that's something that's been been the feedback's been very positive with regards to what we do at the secondary level. That's an opportunity where we will set up time. we will get coverage
for our our teachers um and let our special education teachers and our general education teachers come together um plan out lessons plan out units and pair of professionals um to come together and plan out lessons plan out units um but also then have some support
um Miss Rush is usually there um she'll provide a low level of training and then sometimes we have our learning consultants present as well um to troubleshoot hey we have this lesson coming up these are the challenges these are the barriers in our class, how can we better support that? And we found that those those conversations, those
discussions, those training days have really been very beneficial. And so we're going to uh continue to include those as part of our plan or we have continued to uh include those as part of our plan. Um last year we developed a focus group for the all room and our
academic strategies classes and those are areas where um again students can get additional support in our academic strategies classes. those are opportunities to target self- advocacy skills, executive functioning skills, some of those areas that we've highlighted as areas that we need to support students more in. Um, so we had
a focus group, we developed actionable steps. We're going to continue with those steps, but also continue with the focus group discussions at that at the secondary level for that. Um, we will continue and have continued with our classroom walkthroughs. Those are opportunities for us to get into the classrooms, highlight some of the
beneficial or some of the really good work that's happening, find areas that maybe we can work on and say, "Hey, we need additional training in this area." Um, that's something that we can plan for our spring action plan then. So, we're going to we're continuing with that process. Um, and then again, like I said, come January, we'll come together
um and we'll talk about what we need to do for the spring. So, that was a I know very fast-paced talk. I could feel myself racing against the clock, so I apologize. I usually like to go a little bit slower. Um, but that was a very um quick overview of our
department and where we are at right now. >> Thank you. Any questions from the board? >> Mrs. Jolly. >> So, thank you. I I feel like we we see each other quite a bit these days. Um, so I know I had the benefit of listening to this or some of this um in curriculum
committee and maybe you can just um I think one of the topics of conversation um was you know some of the difficulty in transitioning from let's say 8th grade into the high school. Um so maybe you could talk a little bit about um I think we we spoke about sixth grade, we spoke about nth grade, what you're doing
to kind of support the students who are transitioning between the schools. >> Yeah. No, sure. Um and transition is a challenge when you're going from building to building. And so some of the things that we are doing and some of the things we've always done um we start with our child study team. Um so
typically one time um in usually December this year it's in January and then again in the spring um we bring our child study teams together. Um so our elementary case managers can speak to the middle school case uh case management team. Um and we go student by
student who um students with IEPs who are coming up to talk about some of their strengths, some of their areas of focus and some of the things that you know we need to be aware of for those individual students as they're coming up um and to prepare for and provide a level of support for. We do the same thing for um students transitioning from
8th to 9th grade. So we bring those child study teams together twice a year um and they're always in constant communication. Uh that's just part of it. we do have uh bring those teams together to talk about individual students moving up so that we can try and prepare the next level as much as we
can um for that. In addition um to that piece um our child study team uh members will typically attend annual review IEP meetings for the students who are moving up. So, if you're a fifth grade student and you're having your annual review
meeting, um there'll typically be a middle school case manager who will come and join that um so that they can hear again about the student who we've already had the discussions about um but can also provide some guidance and support for parents um in terms of preparing for that next level. So, um we
do that um at that level. We do that from 8th to 9th. We have our child study team also attend Mountainside um student IEP meetings in eighth grade so that you know we're able to make sure that um there's communication there. Um with regards to Mountainside, we always do a parent presentation that's been virtual
the last few years to talk about the high school and special ed and high school programming. Um with regards to that, so we try and share information with parents so that they have a better handle. Um again, it's for Mountainside coming in. Um things may be a little bit different transitioning to the high
school. So, we want to make sure we're communicating there and we're actually taking more steps this year to have additional communication going forward. So, um we're going to run um combination child study team meetings with Mount Side to improve that area as well. Um so, um I'm with the middle school. Go
ahead. >> Yeah. So, as part of the focus from our inclusive education um committees at the secondary level and the feedback we received from staff, we did take time to reflect on some of the scheduling supports. Um which is where we put the emphasis on providing additional support
at the sixth grade level. um ensuring that there's additional pair of professionals and the time really taking a look at the time that teachers were spending in classrooms and ensuring that the special ed um supports were in place and available to receive our students from fifth from that co-taught model. Um
another piece that came from our academic strategies focus group was the suggestion of creating a nth grade cohort. So what we did was um our ninth grade special education teachers received the ninth grade students um in
ninth grade only classes. Prior to this it was uh you know you had students of all grades. Um and this has really been a benefit because um they've been able to not only focus on providing support for you know assignments but also being proactive in helping them navigate some
of those introductory high school experiences. How do you reach out to your teacher? How do you request extra help? What do you do if you want to access tutoring at lunch? Some of those general school related details. And it's been really helpful um to target that
that particular group separate um and also ensure that they have freshman teachers who are receiving them as well. So they're also in their classes every day. >> Can I a question? Yes, Mr. Zakiri. >> Um thank you for the presentation, Mr. Moa. Can you go back to the slide where
you compared the traditional ICR with the collaborative consultative model? Yeah. So, so this is a question to the superintendent, the assistant superintendent and you. So based on what you're showing on this slide, there is
absolutely no difference between the traditional ICR model and the collaborative consultative. >> There's not a difference in what the students will receive. So we're we have to by law implement the students IEP. >> No, my question is what they receive.
You explained it on the slide uh when you spoke about it. My question to you is specifically is there a based on the points that you're listing in both the sides looks like there is no difference and it's because of your interpretation
that what student receives in both these models is exactly the same but we have not evaluated it. I see a key difference which you have not listed on the left side which is the traditional ICR model the integrated classroom you have a
dedicated 100 a special education teacher 100% of the time >> right >> correct yes >> and in the other one you have you you I would like you or the superintendent to clarify it I don't I should I'm not the
expert here >> yep no absolutely and just so to clarify for this Um the point the the point or the purpose of this slide was to demonstrate the fact that regardless of your service delivery model, the expectations remain the same in terms of what we're responsible for providing for
students within that classroom setting. So we have to fulfill these aspects of programming to support students um to support all our students with IEPs. Now, the difference that I that you're talking about with regards to the consultative model is um what I was describing here, which is that a special
education teacher is assigned to two different >> Yeah. >> assigned to two different placements. So, they won't necessar they're not going to be in a class for 100% of the time. That will that will change based on what the needs of the students are and what the con and what's happening in that class and that design design of
that lesson. My question is when the whole need for this presentation and the ask was to pictographically depict is there a difference in how you administer these models and are you guys okay with how it is being depicted is that
accurate depiction or not >> the slide the previous slide please >> I'm sorry are you asking if if if we are comfortable with with the presentation and so is is your concerned with this
slide. I just I just want to make sure I understand that there's not an additional additional bullet that notates the time a specific teacher is with the students and how that model is being
>> because see otherwise see if Mike if you think as the assistant superintendent and the superintendent this is a accurate depiction I want it on the record that's about it. So sorry I think um there there's might be >> no I would like Natasha I would like but
this might be my interpretation of this of what can I can I get an answer and then you can pitch in because I have waited I have asked for this last year it has been an year and a half and as the parent of a special ed teacher I just want an answer from the administration. We spend millions and
millions on special education and I want to know from the superintendent and the assistant superintendent and the director here if this is what they want to put it on record. That's about it. >> You just want a yes or no answer? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> So So can can I chime in now just
because I don't think the slide is what you think it means? Um the specific ask Natasha since spring was can you before this collaborative consultative model was rolled out the superintendent and the district specifically put in a
pictographic evidence a slide of what the new model looks like and what our old model is. And we know that Mountainside has the traditional ICR model. We know our elementary schools have the traditional ICR model. And for if the superintendent and the assistant
superintendent say that the the specific ask like there was no confusion in my question, right? >> There was no confusion in your question but but what I would say is the pictographic uh piece that you're that you're referring to um that we have asked our staff to go and and find
whatever that was that was presented and and we can't we can't find whatever was presented in 2020. It's a very different administrative team and so the specific >> no but infographic that you're looking for we we I don't have access to Mr.
Moira doesn't have access to and Miss Rush doesn't have access to. So what what what they were doing in this presentation is trying to do two things. To ensure that the board and the public has an understanding of the service
delivery models that exist across our system and to also ensure that the data that has been collected over the last several years, which was also an ask, was embedded into this. So So I'm I I'm very happy with the presentation that
they gave. But I think it gives a very clear representation of our program as it exists. Both the things that are are working very well within our district and the barriers that are in place that we need to continue to work through for our students as well as for our staff.
>> But Dr. Mar, >> sorry can I >> Yeah, I I believe this is uh Jolly had a point first and then Mrs. Connor. >> Yeah. Sorry. So if we go back to the slide, I I I think the the confusion if I may, is that this is not a comparison
of um what is uh each model doing right because to your point one is dual um what and one has a teacher that go comes in and out. I think this is the end result for the student. So with each model if I may you're what this is
trying to show is that with each model each student is getting socially uh I can't read sorry design >> specifically design so uh you know so just to show that with each of these models the students are getting the same
thing even though the models are different >> so if you're a student with an IEP and you could be ser you can receive services under any one of these service delivery models including sitting in resource rooms or in our self-contained class settings. And the expectations of what you're going to receive are exactly
the same. And and that's what we're trying to show here when we move forward to talk a little bit about what this model looks like. That's when you discuss and that's when we discussed um the different aspects of it where a special education teacher plans with the gened teachers but may spend different
time in the classrooms depending on what the students needs are and what the level of support they need for that particular lesson or the design of that lesson are and that can look different daily depending on how much time is needed and depending on what the need needs of the students are. >> Mrs. Connor,
>> thank you for the presentation and thank you for staying long. Um I think I have three questions. When you think of the traditional model versus the consultative model, is it fair to say that there is no
difference in the teacher capacity that you need to support either of them? Meaning if you need if in the traditional model if you needed 10 teachers because that's that's you needed to support in the new model
is it still do you still need 10 teachers in in the consultative model or do you need a different number? Uh I think that really depends on on and that could depend on any one year the number of students you have with IEPs that you have to provide a level of support for and the number of sections.
>> Same generally the same with for us it's been for the most part the same. We reduced a teacher at the high school level but we actually needed that position at the elementary level. Um so we've had the same essentially the same number of staff >> since I mean my question is simple. If
you if you had if you had 100 students at GL that needed support whatever was let's say your staffing model spit out you know making up a number 10 teachers in the traditional model would you in
the new model or the the other model would you staff 10 people because my understanding is that you're treating classroom time differently right I my Just listening to what you just said, my sense is in the traditional model, the
special ed teacher will probably have more minutes in the classroom with the students versus in the other model where they're splitting time and I'm not sure when you say they're splitting time like are they managing two classrooms in that same time period?
>> Two classrooms in that same period >> in the same time period. So then my going back to my original question, if you needed 10 teachers in the traditional model, do you have a sense of how many do you need in the consultative model? And I'm hoping that
you have I don't know how many years we've implemented this model now four years. >> Uh it was implemented in 2020 2021. >> We're rolling >> some some >> it wasn't Yeah, it wasn't across the board. It started at different grades.
So whatever data that you have, do you have a sense of how the consultative model affects your teacher staffing needs? >> So I what I can tell you to date is at the middle school level, we've maintained the same number of special
education teachers throughout and at the high school level, we did reduce by one. Um so generally we've stayed the same in terms of the the number of of staff members that we've needed to support our students. What? Go ahead. >> I think it's important to note too that um there's a number of different
components of the support. So in addition to the time that teachers are spending in class, they're also scheduled to provide support in the all room. They're also scheduled to provide um specially designed instruction in academic strategies as well. So those
are complements to the structure of the model. Um and really we have up there it it being designed as the Goldilocks rule. Um, again, as Mr. Moira mentioned a number of times, our goal is to, you know, support students in being as independent and interdependent in their
community as possible when they leave high school. Um, and with that in mind, that's where the IEP team on an annual basis looks at what does the students progress look like and how are we making a decision around that just right fit of support where we're giving that
opportunity for students to stretch and grow. So maybe you said this but is there um are people given a choice? Are they given an option to choose one of these models or there is no there's no choice?
>> No. Well, and this any any kind of program for a student is determined at their IEP meetings. So that's with the case manager, the parents, um the staff members that are involved in that student's programming. So um decisions on programming is made at an IEP
meeting. No, but but you either sorry, you either are deploying the traditional model and maybe I'll say at a building level, let's let's assume for a minute that you have the flexibility to do different things in different buildings,
but at a building level, are you just deploying the traditional model? Are you just deploying the the consultative model? And if the answer is no, I would like to understand how who makes the determination that the student will go to the traditional model or the other
model. And you know, do they >> and that would be the answer is no. We do we do have classrooms that are set up or consultative sections where we don't we strategically don't schedule a second class for that that particular section. And students in those kind of settings
were typically driven by students who need more support at that point in terms of their independence level and in terms of of their self- advocacy and executive functioning. Um so we found that having the special education teacher have the flexibility to stay in that class for
that period um serves as a better serves as to be more supportive for for certain student cohorts. But that's all decided at the IEP meeting. That's not a choice per se. That's that's based on how do students performing, how do students functioning and that's based on discussion from the child study team
members, um the special education teachers, the gened representative and related service personnel. >> Dr. Mura, Mrs. Terrarero or she had a question. >> Just as a followup, are you are you telling parents that there are two models possible and your child is in
model A or model B? I'm I'm trying to figure from my >> those discussions happened at the IEP meeting level. So I with the IEP team. So if a student needs additional support, we have sections of consultative set up that may allow for that or that will allow for that.
>> Mrs. Terrarero Gil, can I just follow Terrar had her hand up? >> Gil. So I just need to I >> Mr. Terrero, go ahead. >> My question is um two things and it was kind of to add back to what Mrs. Jolly was asking um there's two questions. One
is she was asking about the transition. >> Um I'm more focused on you talk about the transition with the actual staff, but how do you prepare the kids for that transition from the ICR to the
collaborative model? Number one. And number two, and this is something I've heard repeatedly, um, and I'm sure you have a plan, um, I've heard kids specifically from GL who have been moved to the
collab collaborative model and struggle with self- advocacy, number one, and number two, don't want to look different by going into this room, so to speak. And so they're
struggling and what's happening is is they're not going to the room. They're not getting the extra help and not advocating for themselves. So how do we how do we get over that hurdle and try to support those kids um and provide
them the services that they need if they're having trouble with with advocacy. >> So I think the room that you're referencing for students to access is the the all room, the academic learning lounge piece. Correct. Um and that is something that again we offer at the
middle school level as well. That's really driven by teacher the teachers are going to drive that. We don't expect students at the middle school level to independently and we don't expect students at the high school level really um at least early on to automatically access the the all room. Um a lot of the
it's interesting because the survey data that we got initially from from parents, staff, and from students saw the all room as as a benefit and and continued to see that as a benefit. Um but that's part of the focus group work that we did last year was to say some of these barriers that you're talking about in
terms of students being comfortable going down. Um we do have a lot of students who access the all room. Um we have a lot of staff who will bring students down to the all room. Um and and so we're trying to move away from
that idea that um that's for students who have different needs. that's just for students who are looking for additional support in whether it's a homework assignment, a project, a test that's coming up um to get that and have that ability to access that additional support. And I think by and large, like I said, the feedback and we'll do some
more research on this this year, the feedback's been generally very positive with regards to to that piece. Um, as far as preparing for students to go into that consultative model, that's just gened programming. So it looks on the surface it looks very similar to
programs that they've been that students have been in where there's going to be two staff members in the room providing different level of support. Um so it's not necessarily traditionally when we had more resource rooms when kids were in those segregated settings um and those small groupoup
settings there would be work to be done to help transition a student into the gened classroom into into you know whether it's a traditional model or a consultative model. Um but the way things are now predominantly most of our students have been in gened classrooms with multiple staff members, two
teachers, a teacher and a par profofessional um supporting them all the way through. So that that transition there there's not really a transitional piece that has to happen there. I think the transition we were talking about was building to building um when they're going when students are going into a new
building um the different things we can do to help prepare them going forward. >> Okay. jump into um we also have the sixth grade team will go down and introduce themselves to the fifth grade team. Um the eighth grade or nth grade teachers we bring down um and they
participate in articulation with the child study team and they also go into the strategies classes to introduce themselves so they have a friendly face. Um and they also are entitled to all the general um transition supports that all students get. So you know they're part
of the the building visits. um they they have those opportunities to connect with some of the um senior mentors. And something that did come from um the feedback that we had as part of our uh strategies and all room group um because
it was special ed focus was really on, you know, again examining what those supports look like. And we had discussed as a team wanting to again focus on more of that teacher-to-teer conversation because again they're the ones every day um experiencing what it what it looks
like to plan and design instruction and address some of those barriers um to ensure that our staff is as prepared as possible. So that is something we're looking at building in this year. >> Mrs. Akiri, final comment before we move on. >> Yeah and I would I have three final comments. If you can go back to the
slide please. So Dr. Maher, so the the 2020 presentation or the pictographic slide that I requested was because when this model, the collaborative consultative model was introduced, the pitch was that we are going to have cost
savings. We currently have the traditional ICR, the integrated classroom model in our elementary schools. And I'm I'm actually surprised that you and Dr. Feltry didn't even utter a word and I'm I'm very sorry to see that that
if you feel like this is a correct depiction of what's happening in our districts I'm sorry that is that is not accurate what was requested in the emails multiple times and I have been very patient was and I've given the background it was told that we are going
to have cost savings and it was rolled out during the pandemic saying we are going to have a reduction of a special education teacher because the teacher is going to be split sharing her time between both the classrooms. So understandable the old slide is not
there but you are in charge right now and you are accountable of spending those millions of dollars for special education and if you and Mr. Mora and Mrs. rush are saying that this is an accurate depiction. I'm sorry, I
disagree because you're talking about service delivery models and they both look exactly the same. The difference is you do not have a dedicated special education teacher. You you have it in the left side model which is the ICR
versus you do not in the collaborative consultative model. And to Dip's question when Mrs. She asked, "Do parents have a choice of both the models in a building?" No. In Berkeley Heights, you only have traditional integrated
classrooms in elementary schools. You can a parent or anybody cannot and I can speak from experience in middle school. It is only collaborative consultative model. I I requested there was a lot of push back. I went and observed one
>> and I don't know what Mr. Mora is talking about that you do have some classrooms where you have a dedicated special education teacher. I don't know how many classes those are, but that's not accurate. So you have >> I second a pin comment now. >> Mrs. Bradford, respectfully, I waited
for 18 months. I've asked for this presentation last year. >> Please continue. Mrs. >> So quickly, >> all I'm saying is you have a choice to fix it right now or you have a choice to keep it this way and that's fine. Like I will look at avenues to go to the New
Jersey Department of Education and ask them if a school district can depict this and say this is accurate when that is not. And the other thing is to say that we are offering both the models in a building that's also not accurate. We
have we we have the consultative model and when we have students who we believe need more may need more intensive supports we strategically schedule that situation so that the special education teacher isn't ped between isn't split between two classrooms. Okay. So that's a scheduling piece that
>> so also so but can a parent choose based on an IEP that I wanted see the the advantage of an integrated classroom is if the general education teacher teaches a concept of algebra or geometry and when you go to those slides you are seeing a difference in how the students
are performing. So if there is a special education teacher they would pull these they would pull these students and ask them did they understand the concept. If they don't then they're right there and they address the the the gap or whatever they didn't understand. Right now in the
right side model of collaborative consultative model the teacher gives them a slip. The student in sixth or seventh grade takes that slip and goes to the all room. They might have a math teacher or they might not. It's the same thing that's happening in GL. >> A student a student can access and
teachers may direct a student to access the all room to get additional support. However, daytoday there is a special education teacher and a general education teacher who are in the classroom providing instruction for te for students that if they if a student goes with a question or is struggling,
they're not told just go to the all room. They can get support right there in the classroom. Like that's that's part of part of teaching. Yeah, >> that's fine. If you if you guys with a clear conscience think that depicting this on the slides is fine, that that's
okay. I will look at other avenues to get this corrected. But I'm asking you if you had a pair, if you were a parent of a kid with an IEP and this was not accurate, would you be okay? Like how difficult is it to just depict that this is the difference? Like we have a
dedicated special education teacher and a gened teacher, whereas here they're splitting the room. You're saying it verbally, but you don't want to put it in writing. I don't know what is stopping you from doing that. >> So we and and maybe this is part of it. So again, this slide is depicting what
type of support students receive and what is expected for students to receive regardless of the service to delivery model, regardless of the classroom. Special education is a service. It's not a location. It's not anything along those lines. And I think that's what we're trying to emphasize with regards to this slide. It doesn't matter if
you're a student with an IEP and you have needs. We have a legal responsibility to provide that and we are in every setting. This is the type of instruction. This is the type of support that happens in every setting across the board that we have students with IEPs on, whether it's self-contained, whether it's a resource,
whether it's in the gened classroom with whatever service delivery model is in place. Um, I think what you're talking about is the difference between the consultative piece versus a traditional ICR setting. Um, which we did speak to on the next slide. It's not depicted there, but at the presentation we did
last year, I do believe we depicted what it looks like with the general ed teachers responsibilities, the special ed teachers responsibilities, and the par profofessionals responsibilities. So, that was something that I know we had depicted in last year's presentation. We can certainly pull that. I think it's still posted. >> No, but if you're not having cost sav
like I'm just asking be accurate. >> There hasn't been cost savings, but I've never said that there there was. We did at some point when this was rolled out there was a projection that there could be but student populations changed the number of students who are found eligible changed different aspects happened with COVID.
So we have not been in a place where we can schedule this and we want to make sure we're taking care of the students. So we don't want to reduce staff and overload classrooms because then we're not providing proportion. >> I'm not expecting you to do that. I'm just saying be accurate in your depiction. But if if everybody thinks
this is accurate, that's fine. >> Mrs. We're going to move on. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Moore very much. >> Thank you. Dr. Does this conclude your superintendent report? >> It can. I was going to wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving, but I forgo that. >> Okay. Report of the business
administrator and communications. >> All right. So, business office team has been hard uh at work keeping things running. We're working diligently to complete required state and county reporting such as ASSA, QAC, DRTRS and the comprehensive maintenance plan. And
we continue to review incumbrances carefully. So spending aligns with budgeted amounts. Um we have completed and submitted all audit items and are preparing to present the pre preliminary audit report to finance and facilities committee in December followed by a
presentation to the full board. So with this work finished, we have met the goal set by the board that and we are actually ahead of the December 5th submission deadline for everything that was previously established. Yay. So the business office is also getting a head start on the upcoming budget season,
gathering information, forecasts that we'll do for next year, and we remain focused on monitoring our processes, staying ahead of deadlines, and ensuring district operations run efficiently, responsibly, and with students best interests at the center. Thanks.
>> Comments from the public on agenda items. During this portion of the meeting, district residents and staff are invited to address the board of education on agenda action items only. The board requests that individuals state their name, count of residents for or school of attendance for the record. Additionally, all inerson public
comments commentators are asked to please sign in. All comments should be directed to the board president. Depending upon the nature and complexity of the question, it may be or may not be answered during the meeting by the administration. If so, the response would occur after the public portion of the meeting has concluded. Although the
board may not respond to all items raised during the public forum, all public comments will be considered. The board asks that members of the public be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding personnel matters are discouraged and cannot be responded to by the board.
Students and employees have the specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The board bears no responsibility, nor will it be liable for any comments made by members of the public. Please note that if any member of the public becomes disruptive during the meeting, the board president may terminate the participant statement.
Continued disruptions may result in removal from or adjournment of the meeting. Each speaker statement will be limited to three minutes. We'll take the in-person uh comments first and then online. Is there anybody who'd like to speak in person? >> I don't think you need to sign it.
>> Yeah, >> you have to sign. That was probably >> Sorry. >> Nope. We're ready to go. >> Okay. So, real quick, Rebecca Berkeley Heights resident. Um Um So, uh this is like one of the very
last things. Um and it's the I guess the proposed for a new class GL the reflective. >> We can't hear you. Um >> art and self expression. Can you guys hear me? >> Okay. So, um I was looking at it first off, great that they're offering some
more classes at GL. Um I try to be positive. Um and here comes the whammy. I'm a licensed certified art therapist and this class is an art therapy class. So, you have to figure out a way to
offer this class without the SEAL component unless you're going to hire a licensed certified art therapist to teach it. So, that that's it in a nutshell. >> So, quick question. So, you're saying we
cannot run this without a licensed Okay. part parts of it are okay, but there are very strong parts of it that are not okay. Um, anytime that you bring in social emotional content in a
therapeutic ask, um, you need a licensed certified specialist to do that. Um, so specifically for art, an art, I'm an art therapist. Um, and so
to do some of this would require a professional, >> a licensed therapist. >> Thank you. A licensed certified art therapist for a class like this. >> Okay. >> Thank you. You're welcome. I see uh some person online. We'll move to online.
>> Haley, will you unmute, please? >> Uh, hey, John McGuis again, Brookley Heights, can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I I was really happy about the level of p public engagement and I'm really happy to hear, you know, we have
a board that's willing to question at some point though, you know, things have to be backed up with a vote. Um there are several times where we're expressing disappointment or disagreement and and at what point does it become enough where, you know, we kind of put our foot
down and say, "No, this has to be done correctly." you know, the turf field, you know, there was a lot of like, oh my god, this isn't right, but we're going to do it. We have to do it for the kids. Uh, really, you know, I'm glad to hear it, but I at some point we kind of have to back up what we're saying with our
votes, otherwise it doesn't mean anything. Um, anyway, I do hope the referendum passes because I think there's a lot in there that needs to get done. Uh, I think you guys just set yourself up for a very difficult vote.
Um, I I I most people I speak to are not happy with how it's set up. Uh, I don't I I kind of like uh got hungry, so I missed a couple of the uh there was a there was a policy on um I don't know, grading or whatever. I I don't really,
you know, I'm not passionate about that. I was just glad to see that a board put out a policy. I don't know if it was it was on the agenda. Um starting to speak to how, you know, standards in the classroom. It was good to see that. I'm glad to see uh calculus 3. Um I don't
even know what that is. I mean I I don't know. I don't think I even took calculus 2, but that's good math. Um so there were definitely some positives today. Um but you know, if you it's one thing to speak it, but we you know, I think the public would like to actually start
seeing uh votes behind the words. Have a good night. Okay, I see no one else online. We'll be moving now to uh secretary >> I have a quick question to Jennifer on the DRTS report. Can I ask her now on
the board the secretar's report? >> Secretary's report >> like you mentioned that DRTS data was submitted correct >> it was. >> Yeah. So I remember when I looked at the last years like was there a discrepancy in the number of students
reported to the state? There is a difference in the number of students this year and last year and from what I understand there was uh one student that one township was trying to claim as theirs which was actually ours but that's >> okay >> but you can follow up with me and I can
>> yeah no I felt like there was something and I had asked Tom but he's not here so >> right >> I was yeah >> follow up with me and find that >> but overall the number has remained the same correct the there's not like a huge
a change in what we are reporting for the transportation. >> There's not a huge change. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Moving on to minutes. May I have a resolution one? All board members. A motion. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Mrs. Per. Second. Thank you, Mrs. Kana. Discussion.
Roll call vote. Where are we? Minutes. Nine minutes. Oh, okay. Who was the first on that one? >> Um, Mrs. Terrero and then Mrs. Stanley had the second. >> Thank you.
>> All right, Mrs. Aary. >> Mrs. Mrs. I'm a yes for >> second. >> Yeah, >> sorry. >> Oh, yeah. Can I go ahead? Yeah. >> The second was Mrs. Kana. Apologize. >> Yeah. Oh, no. I had that one. I had that
one. Thank you. >> Um, Mrs. Terrarero. Oh, Jennifer, I just I was Were you asking for me or No. >> Yeah, I was asking if you're approving the minutes. >> Yeah, I am approving October 16th. I was not here on the November 3rd, so I'll
not vote on that. >> You abstain from the November 3rd. >> Yes, please. >> All right. Mrs. Tero, >> yes. >> Mr. Dylan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Jolly, >> yes. >> Mrs. Connor,
>> yes to October 16, abstain November 3rd, >> Mrs. Stanley. >> Yeah. >> And Miss Bradford. >> Yes. Moving on to finance. Please note that there's a change in number seven. Look at your a change of your addendum.
Resolutions 1 through 16. All board members. Resolutions 17 and 18. Berkeley Height only. May I have a motion? >> So moved. That was >> me, Miss Stanley. >> Mrs. Stanley. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Bailey. Thank you, Mrs. Connor. Discussion.
>> So, I actually um with respect to the checks, right? Um I think I had an outstanding question to and maybe this is a question from two questions for Mr. Distler. Um so, the checks in question are clearary checks. So, um I think we were going to ask if um we're going to
speak to the insurer to see if the checks can be submitted directly through the insurance. the the question has been submitted. I was told I would get an answer, but we have not yet received it. >> Okay. And then I guess the second question is um can um Mrs. Stanley vote on these checks?
>> I I would have to know more detail about the specific checks. Obviously, any board member can vote. Question is, are you asking me in my opinion >> potential? The checks are related to the case that involves Mrs. Stanley and some community members.
>> It is. I believe it is she's being represented by them. >> I I would have to look into it more to be honest with you. I do remember the case. What's about traditionally I believe I know I mean I believe traditionally the
answer is likely yes but I just haven't I know the cases. I'm just trying to I'm trying to run the analysis in my head. Um I I mean traditionally I believe the answer is likely yes but I I would have to dig deeper go through the ethics cases and see because there are there is
one case that sticks out in my mind um of a board member's approving it's an SEC case of board members approving a settlement but I I don't know if that would apply to attorneys. I would have to just look into it. I don't know. So um the the the concern is that if um you know given the voting patterns right um
that these could pass before you had a chance to really opine on it. I just I I'll be honest right now because of the complexity of school ethics division I don't feel comfortable telling a board member again it's up to I always remind everyone I'm not a judge I can give my
opinion it's up to each individual but board member to decide generally speaking if the individual board member has concerns that they are conflicted they can reach out to the board president and then I will give them a more formal opinion on that but again it's up to obviously Miss Stanley if she
wants to vote or not if she has concerns that she's conflicted, I would obviously indicate either a abstain or b reach out to the board president. We can look into this further or she's obviously represented in that case to reach out to her attorney in that case. >> We're going to move on to our committee
reports now. >> Question is the the lack of lack of feeling that there is a conflict. >> Moving on to committee reports, finance and facilities committee. >> Hold on. I thought we were in finance >> board discussions after
>> discussing I have a I have a question on an agenda item. >> Okay. Shall we give a Yeah. >> Oh. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So late, >> right? Finance and facilities report, please.
>> You have it? >> No. I got a text from Tom saying that he he won't be able to come when I was an exec like after we had come here. So there's no finance and facilities report like we met um I Natasha went to the one
the one where we discussed about the referendum questions I wasn't there and I believe the minutes were already sent to everybody and the right like we >> so the so there were two finance and facilities committees right meetings um
so I think Tom Tom did send out the minutes for the last one so if anyone can pull them up we can read um from Tom. I don't recall seeing minutes from the last meeting. >> Yeah, I haven't been able to. It was this Monday. >> Yeah. >> Well, let's move on to athletic and co-curricular committee. While someone
looks, >> we could read the minutes from the last >> while someone looks. Moving on to athletics and co-curricular. >> We did not have a meeting last time. >> Thank you. Technology and communications committee. >> Okay. The technology and communications
committee met on Tuesday, November 18th. Um, there were a couple different items that we discussed. One, the Chromebook Chromebook protection plan. The committee discuss discussed strategies to hold families more accountable for unpaid fees. It was agreed that both CMS
and GL student handbooks should be updated for the 2026 2027 school year to explicitly state that the district will withhold a student's transcript record and diploma until all fees are paid. The GL student handbook currently provides
clearer guidance and the CMS handbook should replicate this language for consistency. The recommended wording for the for the GL handbook is unpaid fines will result in withholding of student records. Seniors withoutstanding obligations will not receive their
diplomas. Sale and disposal of Chromebook, laptop carts, and charging stations. Um, now this is important because we're actually going to be voting on this. Um, so the district has determined that no longer requires eight carts and or charging
stations. The plan is to list these items for sale through gov deals in an effort to recover value. If a buyer is not identified through gov deals, the district will direct the maintenance team to sell the items for scrap metal. Does everyone remember what gov deals
is? Okay. It's kind of like an eBay. Okay. Um Okay. Power school administration. A committee member inquired about the possibility of making student GPA available in P school. Dr. Feltry along with a member of the technology staff
met with representatives from power school to discuss this specific topic. Power School does have the capability to provide projected GPA. However, the district wants to ensure the community fully understands the distinction between projected GPA and an actual GPA
before implementation. Additional exploration is needed to determine the appropriate calcul calculation methods and ensure accuracy prior to roll out. And then the last thing is we talked about the referendum. The committee discussed the process for the referendum
referendum presentation being provided to the community this evening. That's it. >> Thank you. Did the uh >> the committee chair designate a member to read the final minutes? >> Uh finance
>> of finance. Did the chair designate a member because you were just a visitor as I understand to read the final minutes? That's a dereliction of duty as chair not acceptable. We'll move on now. >> So can but that the procedure I'm not
discussing that but don't we want to know what happened? >> Well I believe we all were received the draft and we all received and read the draft. >> We we have the f we received the final as well >> and we received the final. So we should have read it but there's been no designate by the chair to a member to do
that. dereliction of committee. >> Hold on, Gail. There is whatever you can use dereliction of duty. There is no such policy as such. Okay. Tomorrow there might be a day that something might happen to you and you don't >> I have made my statement. You have any
discussion on >> I want I want to ask the attorney present here. How can you make a statement that there is dereliction of duty and you cannot read the minutes if you're not designated? Which policy are you referring to? Does can she say that that we cannot read? There is nothing in
our board policy or handbook that says we cannot read the final minutes. >> If you are a chair and you know you're not going to be ask to read the final committee >> minutes I'm asking Mr. Dler. >> So what is the what is the question? The
question is the apparently apparently the apparently the president has come decided to come up with her own ad hoc rule that if uh the chair of a bo committee is not here anybody else
cannot read the minutes because they were not designated by the chair. >> So there is going to be a time where the board can have board member comments on the agenda items. If any member would like to comment by reading the board minutes I see of the committee minutes I don't see an issue with that obviously committee chairs are in charge of doing
the committee reports they so do >> no my question is there is no such thing in our board policy that says a board president has to designate somebody to read the minutes there is nothing I I have I know the policy book so if she's going to >> she actually says that the committee has
to be approved by the board and we've had board members attending that are not board approved for that committee so I think What she's saying is right like the the chair of that committee should be here to give their minutes and if they weren't going to be here designate someone else. I'm assuming at the last
meeting he designated you to take the minutes and write those minutes should be presented to us tonight. At this time during discussion if someone wants to read the minutes they can. >> Can I? >> Okay. So is there discussion Mrs. Terrera? >> Okay. I want to I want to actually talk about a different item. Can I talk about
a different item? >> Yes. In finance. Yes. >> Okay. So, um, my question actually is item number 15. And I know I had asked Dr. Feltry this question. I I don't know that you were able to get the answer for this. Um, the jump start program. And
this is something that I've kind of been talking to you guys about over the last uh, I don't know, five months. Um, the pro I think it's a great program that we're offering it. The problem I have is that it's only offered to a very small
population of students that are rising seniors. I also think this is a program that we shouldn't have parents having to pay for. This is something in district we should be providing to our students. Our students should be getting provided some
kind of a guidance as in terms of how the college application process happens. And I know one of the things that I've advocated for is rolling out some kind of a program if it's during the junior year of of the students to advise them,
you know, walk them through because unfortunately not every parent has the dollars to pay an outside person to guide them in the college application process. So I guess my question is number one, how many students is this providing this for? and are we working
towards coming up with a solution so that we're not tapping parents every year for this program and we're actually reaching all of our kids. I >> think that's a great question and I I agree. Um I think for some the college
process is just brand new, no experience, no idea. So anything that the district can provide in terms of support I'm sure is invaluable. I have a technology committee question for you.
Has this been has this come up in technology committee which is we are we are to take away the email access for those students that go to UCVTS. Have we pulled their email access to the
BHPS emails? never. But it looks like that is happening. Those students do not have access to their BHPS email addresses once they go away to UCVTS. >> That's because they're no longer
considered student. >> Well, they are. They're on our roles. >> They are. I think they are on our roles. In the past when when my oldest went to UCVTS, he did have email access to his BHPS
email address. But what I'm hearing now is the students who are going to UCVTS now have lost email access. Have we pulled their email addresses from >> has that has never come up in technology. So if Dr. to felt something
and why this is important is all district communication including closures delays all of that is going to you know the email addresses so if and I don't know if the students or the parents were formally informed that you
are going to lose access >> and also they for sports and if those used to >> even more important for sports >> exactly I think where I heard from a couple of them is they do come here to play to be part of volleyball or whatever and then when their season
starts or if the coach is sending a message to the team if they are in UCBTs the coach only has sends BHPSJ so they don't have >> so I happen to actually sit on the athletics committee also and this was something we discussed I don't want to step on poor Bill here
>> um because there are certain sports teams that that the coaches are relying on like a Google classroom for communication right >> and the kids have absolutely no idea what's going on. So, the only way that they're getting communication is through
their friends. Um, my understanding, and Bill, I'll let you jump in, but is those students have Google Classroom. The UCBTS students should have Google Classroom. >> No, but they don't. >> If they don't have a district email address, they don't I don't see how they
could access anything any. >> So, anyways, I all I'm asking right this minute, Dr. Feltry is if you can please investigate, you know, did we pull their email um addresses for a reason? And that's why I was curious, did this like was this a recommendation from
technology? So, I'm getting a little I'm getting a little information. Um they do not have um bhpsj.org email addresses. Um we're thinking it's probably automatic when they're unenrolled from power school. And the
these would be full-time UCVts. Yes. If they're unenrolled from power school, then um it's automatic that their account is suspended. So, I don't know when. >> He said they probably used to. So, it's automated now. Um and we can look into
that. And then CJ, yes, CJ now has coaches communicate via a Google C classroom and UCBTs students can join our Google classrooms. So, with their UCBTS accounts. Okay, that at least at least that that's great, but losing, you
know, district email access for that student and I didn't realize that this was happening, >> right? So, we'll have to look into that because it's linked to enrollment and if they're not enrolled in our schools, if they're a full-time student and they're not enrolled in our schools right now,
they're not. >> No, but there are also 50 There are also students who go to UCVTS part-time, right? For >> they should have a bsnj.org. have an issue, but definitely the full time and I >> Let's refer it back to our technology committee and Dr. Feltry.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. Are we ready for a roll call vote on finances? >> Not yet. We have more things to talk about. >> Oh, okay. Um, Mrs. Jolly, >> right? >> And then Oh, I'm sorry. >> Go ahead. >> Along with that, can we just confirm?
So, with the cost of $325 for item 15, if you are somebody who wants to participate in already on a reduced lunch type of program, I'm assuming there would be some sort of discount extended. >> Yes.
>> Okay. >> Mrs. Terrera, were you finished? >> I didn't get the answer to my question. >> Oh, yeah. You're right. I don't have the answer. I mean, we we would definitely look into doing it in program. This is something that they've done. I'm still
learning about >> incremental, right? Aren't you paying a stipen? >> Yeah, we're paying a stipen. >> What's the difference? >> Right. >> So, let's bring it back to curriculum. >> I think it's only like 40 kids. >> You only allowed 20 kids on the on the team, though. It's right.
>> But if you have 250, >> you're saying we only allowing a program available to 40. >> Are you saying people are rejected from it? >> Yeah. There's a limited >> There's limited spots. >> Can we bring this back to a curriculum committee? Mrs. Jolly,
>> thank you. Mrs. Jolly, you had a question. >> Well, um before I I still am sort of confused because um I I guess like unless we get an opinion from Mr. Distler. Um, I would like to um motion to table these votes because number one,
we don't have an opinion and number two, we're still waiting for feedback from the insurance company >> and number three, you're missing a board member. >> Yeah. I mean, because I I'm Yeah, absolutely. >> So, you didn't have a problem last month and the matter. >> Excuse me, Mrs. Stanley. Mrs. And and to
Pamela's point, yes, I didn't raise it because for sake of discussion, we don't need to discuss it and it wouldn't have mattered today. It matters. >> So, >> I'm putting a motion um to table um a vote on >> on which ones?
>> On uh on number one checks 212340, 212 630 and 213004. >> Can you say that slower? >> Sure. Jen, it's the ones that are on the agenda. The three that are on the list. >> Here are these numbers in my sleep.
So there's a motion to table table >> checks 212 3 4 0 check 212 630 and check 213 004. Do we have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Who seconded it?
>> That was Mrs. Airi. Okay. Roll call vote to table. >> Mrs. Aerry. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Terrarero. I'm having a hard time voting on something that I don't know whether or not this is going to be a problem legally.
>> So, I don't The answer is well, we can look into it. Again, I don't typically opine on a board member can vote or not if that unless that board member is making that request again because I'm not the judge of whether board members should or shouldn't vote. My job in this
role is if a board member asks me, are there risks associated with my vote? Specifically, would this violate the school ethics act? Um, again, that's not something I typically will pine publicly because that can lead to risk and liability and funds from the board. Um,
so the question here though is, and I'll be honest, I would if even I would probably not opine on the spot on this. This is a issue that is complicated. Um, there there's no case in my opinion directly on point specifically. There is a case that I'm aware of that is similar
to this related to a board member voting on a settlement agreement, but there was a financial component related to that settlement agreement. Um, and I would have to just do the analysis, compare it to it, and see what else out there exists. So, um, I'm not comfortable right now opining both because the board
member hasn't made the individual request, and B, traditionally, again, I do that in confidence because we're giving attorney client communication on potential liability and risk. Um, so That's that that's the issue. Then the question is this is a table. This is a
question to table checks and whether to do that would go to the next meeting or not. That's up to the individual board members if you feel you'd like to move forward with this vote tonight. >> All right. So no >> Mr. Dylan. >> No. >> Mrs. Jolly.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Connor. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stanley. No, >> Mrs. Bradford. >> No. >> Four nos, three yeses. Motion does not pass. >> Moving on now to
>> just from a procedure standpoint, it's okay board members to vote on things that basically support their agenda from the district having to pay for it. Um so again whether it's right or wrong that's
something again that's an issue for the school ethics commission uh if someone were ever to file right that's not my decision um it's again I can't tell a board member to vote or not vote >> okay >> board member has to make that determination themselves and it's
completely up to them >> um >> and then you know again the school ethics commission doesn't overturn votes but they make determinations whether So, this goes to >> Excuse me. There's no interaction with the public at this time and the board. >> There's no interaction with the public
and the board. >> But I would like to note that a member of the public threatened me. >> Mrs. Stanley, >> my vote tonight. >> Thank you. >> And you didn't say anything. >> I'm going to stop this. >> No, Gilard. >> Thank you. That discussion has ended.
No one should be talking to the public from the board at this time. Moving ahead now to >> roll to pass. If this was to pass, there is a risk. >> I mean, there's a risk anytime any board member votes that someone could file. I can't >> No, there there is there is actually
substance behind that. So, >> I I'm not again I'm not I don't feel comfortable without looking into if if I get this in advance, I'm happy to look into it. I just on the spot right now, I haven't. So I I have to ask you. So there is a decision from the OALG on
this and then the department the deputy attorney general for the state is saying if a board member acted in her own personal benefit voted and acted in her own personal benefit and then the SEC has already decided made a decision and
it's waiting for the commissioner to finalize it. you still think that a board member can vote and approve bills >> which are >> I I'm not saying one way or the other. I'm saying it is this is a nuanced question that if I had if I if I knew in
advance I would look into it. If it's requested of me I will look into it. I'm just again >> right now on the spot I do not feel comfortable finding one way or the other. Again I any board member can vote as they so choose. uh even if it is
found at a later time that doesn't overturn the vote. It's just the idea is a board member votes. if they in any way feel conflicted or the like. I always encourage board members to reach out in advance so we can look into the issue for them and there are times where the issue is unclear and that's why the school ethics commission allows advisory
opinions to be submitted but it always comes down to the individual board member whether they feel comfortable or not and if they don't then it's up to them whether they like to vote not vote it's their choice and if again I always encourage them reach out to the board president we're happy to be a resource and if not school ethics commission issues advisory opinions
>> thank you we have our legal opinion madam secretary vote vote >> not done I I have a question. So, this is uh item eight and item 10, the transportation contracts.
This is we are just continuing the routes that we have as of I guess last year. Is that right? One of them is the U MUJC and the other one I think is for student
>> right I can't find that my library >> it's it'sem eight and item 10 >> yes >> we have not changed any of the bus routes >> no no no we are not changing them intermittently >> we are not because there is enough
demand for all the subscription busing program Now that's been rolled out, >> right? >> And I was just curious the the software that was implemented I want to say last year, are we seeing returns, better data,
better routes through that? If you have a data point. Oh, that's really like a discussion we'd have to have with the transportation supervisor so she can give a comparison for us from one year to the next. So, I
can't give you a quick answer on that one. >> I get it. But if you can go back and I'm curious to >> the software is working. It's doing what it's supposed to do, but I don't know what the routes look like prior. I know that wrership changes every year because you have children that move from one
school to the next or graduate or come into the district or you have developments that pop up like um you know and then people start moving into so that analysis might take I mean like I can't give you a direct answer. >> I'm just I'm just trying to understand
from a planning standpoint and the way the routes are working are you seeing any improvement? have parents reach out and say, "Hey, this is, you know, the routes are better." I mean, I know where there was a bus stop and the the
elementary school kid, they had to cross the cross Springfield Avenue to get to their bus, right? >> I don't know if things like that have have gone down. There was, you know, at the intersection of Hamilton and Locus, the bus stops right in the middle of that intersection, >> right?
>> And are dropped off. Has that changed? Well, so in my experience, um that does get routed once in a while and those things are fixed immediately. We haven't had any of those situations where somebody was put in danger and if we did, our transportation supervisor
caught it like immediately so it didn't become an issue. I can say that people generally don't email to compliment you on your transportation. >> So if you heard anything bad, it's it's probably working. That's right. It'll just help to understand because we went
through a rather long process, >> right? >> And we're looking to and and I I will say we are making ongoing efforts >> to improve it moving forward and making it work in all aspects. >> Mrs. Conor, any other questions? I have >> No, that was my question. >> Okay. Yes,
>> the point. >> Yes, Mrs. >> I don't think our blessing is running smoothly. Um I know we've talked about this in finance. Um, we have emails from people who say their kids are on the bus for, you know, 50 to se 60 70 minutes
and they're on the bus both ways that long, right? They're on the bus for 45 minutes one way, 55 minutes the other way, right? It's become almost unusable for some students, especially the students in Murray Hill who get um transported to the elementary schools.
These are very young kids. Um, so I don't think it's working well. Um and we do right even from the numbers you shared with me and the board right we have 84 mandated students at CMS 84 subscription children at CMS that means
we really only need two buses and we currently have four right so we only need two buses for mandated students because there are 54 kids a bus right but we have four and we're paying for four right and so the taxpayers are supplementing that busing um because
we're not charging the student the place for their seat. So, I think that our busing has a lot to be desired. Um, I know right from living in Murray Hill, the people in Murray Hill are like, "Why are we even doing this? Cuz it's so unusable." And I'm like, I agree, but we have to pay for it and we need to fix
it, right? So, we can actually use it. Um, so I I there are busing issues and I do think we need to continue this conversation in finance. >> I mean, is this working? I agree that transportation
don't think we have a ton of complaints generated in school districts. This thing might be going in and out. Um there are definite issues that need to be addressed that I can see and that do
need be discussed behind closed doors so we can make some decisions moving forward. Um, so this year I don't think we have anything that's that any other district probably isn't dealing with and I haven't seen in my experience, but again
we would like to make things better and work better for the district. >> So we'll refer this back to finance. >> Any other questions? >> Yeah, Mrs. Airi. Yeah, I just saw I did the bills and I went to see the bills and I saw that we were refunding
um a check for subscription uh busing for Hughes saying that there is no space on the bus. But I do see on the agenda we are asking for a new like last time we checked we said we have enough buses and enough drivers. So why were we
refunding a deposit for an elementary school kid like one kid? So subscription busing is first come first serve. Payments are due by the 30th. We had and so we have situations sometimes that
arise when parents want busing. They drop off a check and we don't have room and we're not going to >> Oh, so they cut they missed the cut off date. >> Oh, they absolutely missed the cut off date. They came in September, October and we tried to do what we could but we couldn't place them.
>> Okay. So, I just wanted like I thought we have enough buses and enough drivers. I think it was timely and we still Okay. >> And this new bus driver that we have on the agenda, which is uh I believe five >> is this to replace somebody like I don't
see and it's also pending employment authorization. So, I thought >> Oh, that's on personnel. >> Yeah, that might be personnel. >> Wait. Okay, I just wait. Okay. Um Madam Secretary, vote. I don't think my mic is working.
>> Oh, do you? >> I don't. Are you sick? >> I don't want it. >> All right. Can you hear me? >> What? >> Yeah, my microphone went home. It's only in I know it's in and out.
>> Okay, you can take yours back. >> Thank you. >> All right, let's see if Thank you. Can you hear me? Okay. >> All right. So, we're doing a roll call vote. Wonderful. Mrs. Aerry,
>> uh, on finance one, um, yes to everything except 2123 4 0 212 630 213004 and a no to number 3 and 4. Um
and a no to 11. Rest of them are all yes. Okay, Mrs. Terrarero. Um I'm going to abstain on 15 just because I'm not comfortable with voting on it. I just don't feel like I have the information I need. Um and yes to
everything else, >> Mr. Dylan. 1 through 16. Yes, >> Mrs. Jolly. >> I am a no on number one. Check 21234 212 630 21304.
Um, yes to everything else. >> Okay, Mrs. Kana. Yes to everything except um check number 212 340 212 630 213 04
>> and those are no, right? >> That's a no and yes to everything else. >> Mrs. Stanley, >> yes. >> Miss Bradford, >> yes. >> Motions pass. >> Moving on to personnel.
May I have a motion to move agenda items 1 through 14 all board members resolutions 15 through 22 Berkeley Heights only. Please note that there has been an addendum to this for three areas. >> So moved. >> Thank you Mrs.
>> Ter and a second. >> Second. >> Thank you Mrs. Kana. Reports please. Uh report >> personnel committee report. uh personnel committee met um November
12th. Uh four items on the agenda. Uh the first one was um we have uh we have this on the um agenda. It is the GL
principal search. Um we have um Meg Bry who's here. um the committee met with her uh and um had a good conversation. The other items are um we talked about
the adaptive PE teacher for CMS that's on the agenda as well. It is basically um the request is for u a six periods stipend um and the the cost associated it's all in the notes. Uh the third item we
talked about was a doctor's typend for um uh for the math teacher I believe. Uh and the fourth >> sorry it's the ELA supervisor. >> Sorry the ELA supervisor. Thank you. Uh and the fourth item was the
we will need likely an interim uh person in uh what when Mr. Nixon leaves and we have the incoming GL principal. So it's a it's a approximately two month position between
early December to I want to say early February. >> It's December 5th through January 23rd. >> The dates have moved a little bit probably. >> Yeah, the dates were moved. Actually, he'll be starting December 9th. He's not available the 5th and the 8th. So he'll
be starting December 9th. >> So when you're done, are you are you Um just a question again. I know I asked this but like we have two vice principles at the high school >> and this is a very so and then we're bringing and and one who has actually
served as um acting principal. So I don't really understand why we need um an interim for especially for such a short period of time and some someone who's not from the district. >> They both declined the position. they didn't apply and when I asked if they
wanted to assume the responsibility they said no and contractually we can't force them to do so. So I have a followup. Um what is the current role of u the person that we are
recommending for interim and how long have they been in the district? Because I I don't recollect seeing a resolution for the person that you're recommending for the interim like how long have they been in the district? >> They were interim BA.
There was a resolution for that. >> Oh, they were an interim BA. No, but not in the build in GL, right? >> No, they they were the interim B. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I'm saying so my question is, have they got any experience as a building principal? >> Oh, yes. Yeah. He's been a building
principal. He's been a superintendent. He's been a business administrator. Yes. Oh, okay. >> He's the >> business administrator was the the the later >> was talking to us. Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Got it. >> So, does that individual have a position
in the district right now? No, he's been working in Wayne. What what he's been doing is um um what is it? Solutions the the Ernie Turner, you know, Ernie
Turner, he swapped positions with Ernie. He works for Ernie as well as being a uh remember they were a package deal and then Ernie's doing work in another district. So Dan stayed here since he was familiar and he knew Jen. So he's been helping out one day a week with the
press box and construction projects and in the capacity that Ernie was going to be doing for the rest of the year. Yeah. >> So like like a project manager, >> I would say. >> Yes. And and Yes. And helping out with the referendum. >> So he won't be doing that when he's the principal.
>> Say, so what does that do for Jen when he's not available? >> Is that going to make it difficult for you? Especially because the referendum's going to be We we've actually we're just right at the end of the press box. I don't know if you've seen out on the field, but
it's up. They're just doing the finishing touches and most of our summer projects are done and now we can proceed with planning for the referendum vote. So, we're we're there at that point. So, I think we're in I think we're in good shape. >> So, you're So, you're okay?
>> I'm okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> I did speak with her. I didn't just steal them and say I actually said are you okay with this? >> So, are we ready for the vote?
>> Can I make a motion? Because um if he can't start until December 9th, we need to modify the agenda. >> Well, we only pay he he goes on a time sheet. >> So, we don't have to put we don't have to change. >> We can, but we don't have to because if he doesn't submit a time sheet, you know, he he only pays when he works. I
mean he only gets paid when he works. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> So quick question. So what is the total duration? I know we have the break in between right December. So it's December 9th to January 23rd but it's also
shouldn't we and it is at significantly it's $650 a day. What's the total number of days that you anticipate? That should be clear looking at our calendar. I would actually like to amend it and say this is the total number of days.
>> I don't agree that if he's able to come earlier and help with the transition that would be great, right? So I I would like to keep the dates available so if he can show up, we can actually use him. So I we often amend dates um back and forth. So if we want to be accurate, we
could amend the date and then should he become available because I mean right now you know he's not available to start. So we could amend the date to be accurate and if that changes we can amend it back. >> Right. That's what that's what all the >> Dr. My question is are we expecting? So
without with if you cannot specify how many days between >> I believe it's 26. I counted really quick. I believe it's 26 and I believe that to me too. >> Those are working days with the break. >> Yes. >> With the Christmas break and the >> Yes. Because we work over that time. >> There's two days that we work over that
time. >> So he will be needed during um when the school is closed. >> Well, if he decides to take off, we won't pay him. So, but yeah, we we the schools are open, things are happening, and you know, he may be needed.
>> Okay. >> And we're also going into budget development season, right? So, we're going to need somebody to be overseeing that budget and kind of trans like working with Meg to kind of develop it. And that is really on the school level
happening in the next month. So, without a standing without the current principal there. We need him. >> Okay. >> To be in there. >> Uh personnel committee report. >> He did.
>> Did we? >> That was it. >> Four. Thanks. Sorry. Thank you. >> Okay. Roll call vote. >> Okay. Mrs. Aari. >> Uh oh, this was the one where I had the question about the bus driver. Sorry.
Was that uh we up >> number five? >> Number five. Yeah. >> I thought we were fully staffed and then previously whenever we recommended a bus driver without the employment pending employment authorization, I believe the
hourly rate was a little lower. So >> this this is for our driver. So we have not had a driver for sports team position. >> This is not a new position. This is a position we had vacant that we're filling. We've had other people filling
in and out for it. >> Okay. >> So, yeah, we finally have somebody permanent, so that should >> help out a lot. And even with >> Well, I So, even though it's pending authorization for the employment
authorization, previously the hourly rate was lower. So, now it's the same as the regular drivers. How long do they have to get the employment authorization? My concern is if it takes time, right, to get the >> She can't actually start without the
authorization. So, you're approving this pending she gets everything she needs so we can actually employ her. >> That is missing. >> Yes. Right. >> Okay. Any other questions? >> Uh, no, that's about it. Personnel >> roll call. Okay. This is a carry.
>> Uh, no one. And uh everything else is I believe on a second. Yeah. Yes. To rest. Okay. Mrs. Terrero. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dylan. >> 1 through 14. Yes.
>> Mrs. Jolly. Yes. Mrs. Connor. >> Um, no. One. Um, yes to everything else. Good luck to Mr. Nixon. >> Mrs. Stanley. >> Yeah. Miss Bradford.
>> Yes. >> Motions pass. >> Moving on to education. >> Welcome. >> Resolution one. Yes. Welcome. Please. >> Don't go home and go to bed. You waited a long time.
>> Thank you. A motion now to move ahead on education. >> So moved. >> Mrs. Terrero. Thank you. Uh second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Kana. Policy committee report. Oh, are we on education? >> Oh, I'm sorry. Curriculum. I'm on the wrong page. Curriculum committee report. >> Yes.
>> Okay. >> I apologize, Mrs. Jolly. >> Sure. Okay. So, we had our meeting um on Friday, November 14th. It went an extra hour, three hours. Um Dr. Fel, Dr. Moore, Dr. Curtis, Mr. Moore, and Miss Rush, um Pamela Sai, myself were in
attendance. Um so, there are two course proposals that are on the agenda. one is the um the art class. Um it's an elective, so it's a semester course. Um so this is the one that um
um the uh that was mentioned before. So Miss Harpster walked um us through the PowerPoint attachments including your course proposal form, outline, etc. Um it's a semester course offered through for n to 12th graders. Um there was a
survey done of GL students. um support of this class and 89 responses show that there was approximately 50% interest in the class. So we're looking about 40ish number of students um would be interested. Again, this is an elective. Um there's a possible link to a dual
enrollment bridge program with K University and Miss Harkster has been connected with um the professors there. Um the class is framed as a wellness focused art education which empi emphasizes the meaning behind the
making. Um so there's no additional costs anticipated and the committee recommended approving recommends approving the course. The second course is the multivariable calculus proposal. Um there is a cohort in eighth grade currently taking geometry and on track
for multivariable calculus uh which is calc 3 in 12th grade. Um right now currently multivariable calculus is offered via the online asynchronous or or asynchronous work through UCJ. Um so the UCJ class will not show on the
transcript for credit. It won't factor into into the GPA. If offered through the high school, this course will be part of the transcript and students will have the option of dual enrollment by paying the UCJ fee. There is a possible stipened cost for a teacher. Um it will depend on
scheduling. If there is a stipen cost at the time the class comes to be, the board can assess at the time whether or not to approve the stipen or follow the current path of UCJ. Um approving this course will enable the course to be added to the program courses. So kids
can see it um and then choose it they want to and then committee recommends approving the course. So there was a special education presentation with there were a number of questions that we um I don't think we answered all of them but in summary and I know we we spoke
about this earlier um so the collaborative consultative model has a special ed teachers splitting their time between classrooms model was rolled out after three years of committee work and the but the rollout happened during COVID um the impetus for the change was a need for better results for our
special ed students the special education teacher time between based on what's going on in the classroom irrespective of the service delivery model used. Kids with IEPs get the support legally required by the IEP. Um I don't know if I want to go through all of this because I think that there was
quite a bit of content already presented. Um the one thing that I do want to say like um the all room that we one thing we spoke about a lot was the all room and there kind of needs to be a level set of what the all room is meant to be. I it's not just help with
homework question um but it's you know has m multiple uses. So then we also spent a bit of time talking about the action plan for consistencies and this was also a topic of discussion in policy committee. Um so
recent discussion as a result of the GLPTO survey highlights some inconsistencies between sections of the same class as well as intra department with respect to timeliness of grades entered number of grades waiting of grades and test corrections. Um the
administration told us they met with um the PHEA union rep and all are in agreement that grades need to be entered in a timely manner. The administration will monitor on a weekly basis. Addressing other concerns will time and the administration anticipates having
this addressed for the 2026 2027 school year. And then uh board members expressed frustration that it will take this long as juniors and seniors don't have the luxury of time and this is in fact impactful to their GPA. Administration stated that they need time to work with
the teachers and supervisors to put practices in place that won't have any unintended consequences. Um and then we I guess we didn't get to the referendum proposal that was going to be a discussion in all committees but we didn't get to it. So just as a point
of discussion um what Mrs. Akinson said um with respect to the class so this is where I'm a little I mean I don't know what this means. So if what is said is true and this particular class will require somebody who is an authorized I
guess therapist and an authorized art therapist to teach the class. Do we is this something that we table or can we approve it today and then have that discussion with is the idea is that Miss Parkster was going to teach the class
right so there was no additional cost um and I'm okay to go ahead with it but What happens if there is that requirement? >> My my followup to that is is there a way to modify the curriculum that takes away
the piece that requires the licensed therapist, but they can still I don't know, you know, do 80% of it. >> So, so two things. So, um your vote tonight is approving the course, not the teacher, right? And so the teacher certification um is something that we
will certainly look into and ensure. And then additionally um the curriculum will be written. So once the course is approved, the curriculum is written over the summer um through stipended. And so that would be the time in which the supervisor or director would work with
the teacher and ensure that it meets the New Jersey student learning standards. And then if the course is chosen and runs, we would ensure that a certified a properly certified teacher was in charge of the course. >> So quick followup. If the course is
going to be written in summer, why are we approving it in now? >> You have to approve the course before they write the curriculum. So it has to appear in the program of studies. So um in the past we have placed courses into the program of studies and students have not chosen them. So, we did not spend
the money to write the curriculum because they weren't going to run. Um, but the your vote allows us to put this course into the program of studies for students to make that decision >> budget for curriculum writing. >> No, but this is for next year, right? Nobody's choose.
>> Yes. >> It'll get offered depending on how many choose I think >> in Jan. When do they choose it? >> They they they choose it the the course selection process. So, we're working on the program of studies right now and students begin that process when we come
back in January. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> Moving ahead. Roll call vote. Mrs. Carrie. >> Oh, I had a question. Sorry. On QAC, um, were we did we get any like did we lose
any points or where were we? Where is >> So, right now we're submitting our preliminary, right? and then the county has to come back in and do their full analysis and that's when we'll know the results. Right. So this is our pre preliminary self evaluation. I don't
know Dr. Feltree if you wanted to add anything to that. >> Yeah, I mean the this is the component that we're required to do. So in order for for them to we have to submit the the DPR we have to submit the a sheet of all the people who we um reviewed the
DPR with and uh um and >> so we resolution so we did our self assessment and based on our self assessment um we we got uh 88% on um instruction and program
because not you know what is Is it 95 to 100% get get >> yes >> exceeding or meeting exceeding? Um and then personnel I think it was a 96 and everything else was 100. >> Can I can we see? >> Yeah, I'll send you guys the the the
DPR. It's not a secret. >> Okay. Thank you. >> No other discussion. Roll call. Mrs. A carry. >> Uh I'll abstain from one and I think I'm approving Everything else? Yeah. Mrs. Turo. Yes.
Mr. Dylan. >> Uh, on one, I'll vote yes on the Governor Livingston related one. And then yes, one two through six. >> Mrs. Jolly.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Connor. >> Um, yes to all. Um and just to confirm the calendar option that one basically was option two, right? >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So we start before Labor Day.
>> Correct. >> Got it. >> Mrs. Stanley. >> Yes. >> And Miss Bradford? >> Yes. >> I know. I know. motions. >> You guys have shared that calendar with Mountain Side, I believe, right? Already? Yes. Yeah. You knew that that was the leading one and that was being
proposed. >> Say, say that >> you sent it that it was the leading one and was being proposed, right? Because I know we did some work with >> at least spring break matching up. >> Yes. So, we're matching up winter, spring break. Um, we're not matching up when you guys start. And then there was
a um a a >> we want our kids to enjoy summer. >> We we took a community community poll, >> but um and then and then we had to make sure uh promotion and graduations didn't overlap. >> Yeah. >> But and they don't now. So
>> moving ahead to policy resolutions one and two, all board members, may I have a motion, please? So move. >> Thank you, Mrs. Stanley. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Terur. Uh, then we have the policy committee report, please.
>> So, the polic committee met on November 11th. I'm pretty will be out of compliance with the law that New Jersey is setting in. Um, which is why it was so urgent for us to start this. Um, we kind of all laugh that the DOJ obviously doesn't know how long it
takes us to put policies in place. Um, so we have policy 2530 and regulation 2530, the re resource materials. So again, we already had policy 2530. The regulation is new. Um these are
recommended but again if we don't change the policy 2530 to update to stress IA's new um updates we will be out of compliance with the law. Um policy 9130 public complaints and regulation 9130
both are rea revised. The committee agreed with the changes um but the committee will need to add regulation 2510 and regulation 2520 to the next meeting. um because they are referenced in these um uh two policies and regulations and we
don't currently have them. The committee added in back language in the regulation that took out the P um PTO rep and a student rep and we added in the librarian um because the stress estimate version didn't have them and we want to make sure that you know everybody has a
say. Um, policy 2535 and regulation 253035 are new. Um, I'm going to say they're new to stress as well, but I might be wrong on that. But when I went to um a meeting yesterday that stress had about
why they put these regulations in, um, Dr. uh, Dr. Beltry was nice enough to um, provide me that link so I could listen in. This one is the one they talked about most because it is new on how the DOJ is handling this. Um, sorry,
the DOE is handling this. Um, so how how library materials are looked at um and how um how you could appeal, right, a book. So if there's a book in the library that you don't like, there is now a procedure on how you can have it looked at. It would come to the board
for a vote. If the board approves to remove the book, a member of the public could appeal it to the commissioner to bring it back to the school. Um, however, if the board keeps the book, I think there's like a year wait period before you can ask for
it to be looked at again. Um, obviously there's a lot of questions around this and stress us may admitted that some of this will come down to decisions made by the commissioner. Um, which is pretty common when they the DOE puts in new stuff like this. Um, and then we do have
policy 2624 grading systems. Um, this was requested to be added to the agenda by committee members. We updated stress ESB's latest language which you'll see in the first paragraph there was a whole sentence added. And then we also added in um language that
the policy committee asked for and it says the administration shall enforce consistency in grading practices in the middle school and high school departments including but not limited to task corrections, number of assignments, timeliness of grades, and consistent
weighing or and I'm sorry andor point value. Um this was brought about because of a survey done by a parent. um and we believe that um we want to move forward with this. Um then we have policy 2420.
We did not have a chance. I will not go over the second reads um because I did not receive any questions on them and the and the committee did not need to go back through them. So they are the same as last time and there's four of them. On a personal note, I want to note that
um we did receive a letter from the BHEA and the BHAA on the grading system policy. Um and we appreciate your feedback and we look forward to working with you. Um and
that's it. Thank you. Any discussion or questions? >> Yeah, I have a question. >> Yes, Mr. Dylan. in policy uh or 0155. Was there any thought to regulating
what has become now this visitor policy where we seem to be substituting members into certain committees. Um I I just recall being here very late and being very deliberate around who was going to be on what committees and we've fallen away from
that. Um, I know the committees I'm on, there's often guests filling in and they were not known ahead of time. So, was when you guys were forming how we were going to make changes, did that come up at all? >> No, it did not because at the time um it
I don't think it was being abused at until pretty much this week. So, um I I do think that going forward the the the staff has asked that we have an alternative listed. >> Okay. and that if you are not going to
make the meeting, you call the alternative >> um to go in so that way every committee would have one and we would all be aware of who that person is and we couldn't like pick and choose on which day I like somebody, you know, kind of thing. >> So, so is that is that
>> so it's not in the policy? not in the policy, but we would disapp. I've had to miss meetings. Everyone has to miss meetings sometimes. Um, but I think we got to come up with a fair. >> Well, we have three, right? So, the two
can generally handle or hold the meeting without the visitor there, unless there's a specific reason to have them there. >> Okay. And I I mean I like h having three board members. I think it's hard to do a committee meeting with two. Um but obviously right things happen. So
>> Okay. Um the assigned alternate is fine. I just don't see it here then. >> It's not in the policy. No. >> Okay. >> So So just just um just a comment on this exchange. I thought I heard the word abuse being used and um I take
exception to that. A board member joining a committee meeting cannot be abused of anything. We are all equal sitting here at the table on the board and if at any given point in time one person cannot attend a committee meeting
and having somebody join in their place uh I don't see anything wrong with that. Uh and I do take exception of that word that was just being used. So there is no also there is a thing if there is it has committees are to work on a particular
topic and if there is something that is being discussed bill and if there is a particular board member that is interested in it and they have requested the chair and the chair is fine with that board member attending and there are no quorum issues I think there is nothing wrong and I don't understand you
know it's very easy for the particular board member to say abused or I'm being threatened where she has no like self-consciousness that she was the one who instigated the public. >> Please keep your comments general. >> No, I will keep No, you as the board
president need to be uniform. No, no, let me speak. >> Keep your comments general. >> I'm not interrupting you. You did not observe what Pamela did >> where she instigated the public. >> I'm asking you to keep your comments general, please. >> Yes, I am keeping them very factual and
general. UAL general call out any particular board member. >> You called out a public board me public person and said you cannot speak but you didn't realize what please finish your comment and let's move on. >> Yes. And you never seem to find anything
objectionable with what Pamela says. There is not there is no abuse. Please move on. >> And I think I would ask you respectfully to look at yourself like are you being constructive here? Like you don't you seem to want >> it is after 1:00. >> Yeah. And because of your design because
some >> and we need to move on. >> Yeah. You come up with your own ad hoc results like you know I'm not going to limit public to 3 minutes. >> Stop you now. >> No no why we need to move on. >> Also I think Dylan's point is valid right like is it okay if he wants to
>> send this back to the policy committee for further discussion. >> I don't think this belongs in policy right policy deals with policy. This is about the board, right, having a fair way, right? We just said that board members go back to policy 015
opportunity. But that is not true. Bill Dylan has not the opportunity. >> We're going to stop this discussion now. >> I I think that the chair if you're saying that the chair can choose whoever they want to bring, I don't think. We will send this back. >> Okay. Are we ready for a roll call vote
or is there any other motion? >> So sorry. So we are tableabling 155 or >> there has not been a motion. >> Oh no. When you say we're sending it back, it's only up for first reading. So it can go back for second reading. >> Okay. I mean, but if we already know we're going to make substantive changes,
well, I guess we can just vote no. But um yeah, I mean where I left the committee discussion with respect to 155 is that I'm still very much on the fence. Um with respect to business, I know we Pam actually we had a lot of we had debate about um the finance and
facilities aka business committee being too having too much um and if there was a way to um split it up or maybe focus topics, you know, because if there are two meetings um a month like I I I don't
know, but it feels and look we had a curriculum committee meeting and it went three hours, right? So can you imagine, you know, everything in finance and and and I don't think we were inefficient, right? So I I I just think there's way too much in that one committee.
>> Okay. Thank you. Because again, if it comes to second reading in December, if we don't pass it, we will not have one to create committees in January. >> That's not true because we have an existing policy for committees. >> We do have the existing. >> So we can all we we will have a finance and facilities
>> January. >> All right. Any other discussion? Any motion? >> I just want to ask right like we do need to make a decision on whether we're going to have first reads in December. I just need to put that out there because that is not procedure, right? Procedure
is that we only have second reads. Um, and there's been push back sometimes on even having second reads in December. So, right, because the problem is is if we have first reads in December, the second reads in January with a new board member and it's kind of not fair to them. So, I just need to get a general
consensus on where you sit because we do have open stuff. Um, also on policy 155, vote how you feel you want to vote. This is what the district is asking us um to start in September to give it a try. If we don't like it, we don't have to keep
it. We can do more ad hocs. We can do technology as an ad hoc. We can do whatever as an ad hoc. Right? The policy allows that. So, if you don't want to do this, that's fine. You vote no. If you want to try it, great. All I'm saying is our committees definitely need to get better and more effective and that's
what our conversations stood around um mostly. Um but again, what do we what's the feeling on first rates next month? >> Uh Mrs. Terrero. >> So number one, in terms of 155, I do not support it. We sent it back to the
policy committee to make clarifications and I don't see anything changing. Um, and I agree with Natasha that finance facilities has got way too much there. They there I don't agree with it, so I'm not going to support it. Um, but I will
say as far as first reads, is there anything in here or second reads in December, is there anything in here that's pressing that has to be in place for January >> in the current ones? >> What in here? I would say yes, we should
if something that's pressing. >> So, none of these are the ones I'm talking about for first read. >> Okay. >> Right. If if the committee board committees doesn't pass tonight, then it's pretty much dead because one, it's been here twice and then two, right? It won't be in place for January's meeting.
Either way, the other it's the other ones that are still listed there, which was um um the AP testing. Um, we didn't look at curriculum content. But all of these can just be
recommended to the next policy committee, which is fine. Um, I just need to know so that way I know if we're having a policy committee in two weeks, >> this is Jolly. >> Yeah. I mean, I I think we keep to precedent, right? And so, um, keep it
keep it consistent. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Roll call vote. Mrs. A carry. Um, I'm a no on 0155. Um, pretty much all the policies except for the grading system. I'm okay for
that. 2624. >> Which one are you not okay with? You're on 0155, but what are you with? 2624. >> I'm okay for first read. I'm only yes to 2624, the grading system. The rest of them are no. >> Okay. So, the only one you're voting yes
on is 2624 and everything else is no. >> Yes. >> Wait, I I I I misheard you. I thought you said yes. You're saying no to all of them? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yes 2 2624 and rest of them are Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> All right. Mrs. Terrarero, >> I'm a no on policy 0155 and I'm a yes to everything else. >> Mr. Dylan. >> Uh, no on 155, no on 2624,
and yes on everything else. >> Mrs. Jolly, I'm a no on 155 and yes to everything else. >> Mrs. Connor, >> no on 155 and yes to everything else.
>> Mrs. Stanley, >> yeah. >> Miss Bradford, >> yes. 0155 does not pass. >> Thank you. Moving on to strategic planning. Mrs. Airi report. >> I don't think we had a meeting.
>> Uh correct. Would you like me to give an update? >> No, there is nothing to update. Right. >> Uh yes, there is updates >> where we did not meet and >> Right. When we did meet, we set up these community events.
I can give a report on the community event. >> You want to? Yeah. >> Sure. >> The second strategic planning committee event met on October 28th, 2025. It was facilitated by Mrs. Jean Clearary who will share the summary comments with the community and the committee. Um, Mrs.
Stanley and myself attended and the administration was there too. It was well attended and we came up with some very good ideas. The final strategic planning committee event community event will be held on Monday, November 24th, 2025 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm here in the GL
cafeteria. The theme is how are we going to get there? Developing goal, statements, and objectives. This is an opportunity for community members to give their input as to the direction of the Berkeley Heights School District in the upcoming five years. More information on the five-year strategic plan can be found in the district
website and the Berkeley Heights public school book Facebook page. Uh negotiations committee report. The uh head custodian negotiations committee did not meet this month with representatives from the head custodians contract team. Discussions will continue
on the contract. Negotiations committee for the ad hoc Mountainside Berkeley Heights send receive agreement. An internal meeting was held on Friday. November 14th, 2025 for Berkeley Heights team members to review the data from the Mountainside team. A document was shared with the Mountainside negotiations team
on Tuesday, November 18th, 2025. Update on board goals. Uh a BOE special meeting for training was held on Monday, November 3rd, 2025 at 6 p.m. The training session included an update to board members on HIV procedures given by
the board attorney. Mrs. Gan Clearary, the NJSBA field representative, shared the online results of the board's self-evaluation. The board was not able to create the board goals as planned due to a lack of quorum of board members. An ad hoc committee is being created to complete the board goals for January 25.
Email was sent out to board members asking for volunteers. The specific purpose of this adco committee is to review the previous board goals, review the summary report from the board's online self-evaluation prepared by NJSBA field representatives and update or
create new board goals for the 2026 2027 year. The committee will be in effect until the board goals are completed. There are three volunteer board members, Mrs. Terrar, Mrs. Stanley, and myself. Okay. Uh liaison reports. I'll just continue with that. Berkeley Heights
Town Council met on Wednesday, November 5th. The community walk will be held on Saturday, December 6th. The complete and green streets committee uh following a publicformational meeting is working on an ebike ordinance for the QAC DPR meeting. It was held on no uh excuse me,
Monday, November 17th to review the New Jersey quality single accountability continuum and the district performance review. And Dr. Dr. Felry has spoken about that and copies will be sent to board members and I attended on that along with other members of the
administration and of the staff. The Veterans Affairs Committee, Mrs. Andre Mazerie, fourth grade teachers spearheaded the Veterans Day reading program out in Park. Local Veterans and Community leaders read to the classes on Monday, November 10th and Tuesday the 11th. Students wrote letters to the readers thanking them for their service
and sharing their stories. And I have those letters here if anyone would like to see. They are just really very touching. Thanking that and that concludes my liaison. Anyone else have liaison. Yes. >> Um just real quick the um the teacher of
the year committee or I guess >> liaison. >> Leaison. Well the committee yes of which I'm I'm a liazison but the committee met and um evaluated the um submissions um this past week. >> Um so that has been submitted and the
process in flight. >> I have a quick question. So the community event for the feedback is on this Monday the the the week of Thanksgiving like Monday, November 24th >> in the evening. >> Correct.
>> So and we think we're going to have a good turnout. >> Correct. >> Amazing. >> Any other liaison reports? Okay. At this point, comments from the public on any topic during this portion of the meeting. District residents and staff are invited to address the board
of education on any item. The board requests that individuals state their name and town of residence or school of attendance for the record. Additionally, all in-person public commenters are asked to sign in. All comment should be directed to the board president and depending upon the nature and complexity of the question. It may or may not be
answered during the meeting by the administration. If so, the response would occur after this public portion of the meeting has concluded. Although the board may not respond to all items raised during the public forum, all public comments will be considered. The board asks that members of the public be courteous and mindful of the rights of
other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding personnel matters are discouraged and cannot be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The board bears no responsibility, nor will it be liable for any comments made by the members of
the public. Please note that if members of the public become disruptive during the meeting, the board president may terminate the participant statement. Continued disruptions may result in removal from or German of the meeting. Each speaker has three minutes. Is there anyone in person?
I see no one. Uh Haley, I see no one online. Is that correct? There is no new business, no old business, no old business. May I have a motion to adjourn? >> Um Gail, I just have a quick question. Is this a new requirement that anybody who wants to speak has to sign in? It's not mandatory, right? Because I saw some
people. >> No, this was a request from a board secretary. It's a request. >> Yeah, I requested it because it's what we've done in a prior district. So, we could always have contact information to get back to somebody if we needed to. >> No, but it's not mandatory, right? Because I did see today some people were not signing. It's is it can we require
them to sign in? Well, we I mean we did it our >> it is so >> we did it. >> Many districts do it for the reasons of twofold. One, contact information. Two, just for accuracy of the minutes. I don't believe you can probably require
it under the law, but it is I will say >> it's a request and >> it is a request and not uncommon throughout the state of >> No, that's fine. Like I just saw today there were some people who were signing in who were not and but from what Mrs. Bradford is reading. We require. >> So I don't want anybody saying, "Okay, I
don't want to sign in." And are they are we not going to allow them to speak if they don't sign in because the people on Yeah. >> May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Move. >> Everybody a second. Everybody.