WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=ZzZV08tmY8c

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: ZzZV08tmY8c):
- 00:00:00: Meeting Opening: Roll Call, Flag Salute, Approval of Minutes
- 00:01:41: Presentation: HIV Self-Assessment Compliance and Improvements
- 00:04:45: Detailed Budget Presentation: Tax Levy, State Aid, Appropriations
- 00:14:13: Commendations, Questions on Budget Expenditures and Certainty
- 00:17:48: Review of District Goals, Math Program, Social-Emotional Learning
- 00:24:09: Proposed Changes: Band/Choir, Study Skills, Financial Literacy
- 00:27:40: Enrollment Projections: Kindergarten and Grade Configurations
- 00:30:06: Analysis Outcomes:  Two Section Transition, Benchmark Assessments
- 00:32:30: Professional Development, Security, Community Support Acknowledgement
- 00:35:00: Menlo Park Tuition, Efforts to Minimize Significant Increase
- 00:36:20: Public Comment: Special Ed Numbers, Enrollment, Town Development
- 00:41:51: Committee Reports: District Operation, Curriculum, Human Resources
- 00:46:19: Administrative Reports: PTO, Booster Club, Spring Field Trips
- 00:48:11: Action Items: Approval Staff Workshops, District Operations, Human Resources
- 00:50:18: Public Comment: School Hosting Town Meetings Issue
- 00:58:39: Payment of Bills and Adjournment Motion


Part: 1

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This meeting provided by the board of education in the March 5th, 2026 notice in the Asbury Park press and the ghostar setting forth the date, time and location of this meeting. Similar notice has been posted in the burrow hall, the Briel school website and the burrow

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clerk has been notified. >> Mrs. Bino >> here, >> Mr. Becker >> present. >> Dr. Dan Broio >> here. >> Mrs. Hut >> here. >> Mrs. Mrs. McDev >> here. >> Mrs. Reed

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>> here. Mr. Vitali, Mrs. Walsh >> here. >> Mr. Walton >> here. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under

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God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Can I get an approval? A motion for the approval of last week's meeting. >> Make a motion.

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>> Second. >> Mrs. Bina. >> Yes. >> Mr. Becker. >> Yes. >> Dr. Gambio. >> Mrs. Hut. >> Yes. >> Mrs. McDavid. >> Yes. >> Mrs. B.

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>> Same. Mrs. Walls. >> Yes. To the 22nd, but the 18th I have to abstain. >> Mr. W. >> Yes. >> Motion pass.

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>> All right. Uh and then that brings us to presentations. We have two presentations this evening. Our HIV report and then our budget. Yes. So just uh regarding the HIV, this is really just a

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presentation of our report. Uh we do a HIV self- assessment every year on a variety of components with how we are implementing the HIV law and as part of that we do a self assessment. Um we have to grade ourselves and in grading

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ourselves and looking at all that we have done around HIV uh we scored a 75 out of 78 points. um which obviously is a very high score because we are compliant and exceed the expectations in a lot of ways. Um it includes everything

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from what our programs are to how our staff is trained to um our reporting procedures to the meetings of our school safety team. Um so I'm really proud of the work that everybody does with respect to HIV. Um, this will also be

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posted on our school district website. So, it is public information. >> And when you submit that, do they give you any feedback? Nope. You just >> We just look at the criteria in each of the areas and score ourselves to say

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that yes, we, you know, um, do investigations including all of these steps. We meet with our school safety team this many times a year and here's the information that we review. Here is how our staff is chain trained. Here's examples of programs that we do that

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allow us to meet that criteria. There's about eight or nine different areas that we review as a staff. >> In what areas did we maybe fall a little short? >> So the three points that we did not earn was the first was in HIV programs, approaches and other initiatives. The

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max is 15. We gave ourselves 13 because if you're going to get the full 15, you are supposed to expand your programming, you know, almost on a community level. So when we do the back to school night presentation for parents, um you know,

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that gets us points for parents education, but they also you're supposed to do things like, okay, every volunteer should be trained and we should be doing more community presentations about HIV. So that's where we lost two points and then the other was um in the area of

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personnel we gave ourselves eight out of nine. Um our staff is already like has been trained and is certified to be trained with certain things but you exceed and get the full points if you bring in an outside person to train. So

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you know we're very confident in our counselors and their ability and Mrs. Panetti's training to train our own staff. So that was the other point. So thank you. You're welcome. >> All right. We're good. Budget time. >> Yes. >> Okay. I think maybe we'll go together.

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>> Sure. >> Okay. Yeah. You too. Phillips just let these mouse Okay. Um, our budget for this year, for the coming school year, as usual, the

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majority of it comes from the local tax levy. Our state aid stayed the same at about 7%. Federal aid is 08 and instead of the excess surplus that we had used in prior year this year we are taking a

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maintenance reserved withdrawal of about 145,000 to add to our revenues and healthare. Oh, we're in the super. >> Yeah. Now, the increase

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is a 3.55 tax levy increase. Within this tax levy increase, we have the health waiver to offset the cost increase costs of the health care costs. The health

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care costs are going up 23.5%. And we also received an enrollment waiver to offset additional costs. We had an additional I think seven students that were on our report. So we received a waiver for that as well.

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>> And that increased the tax levy to the 539,254 3.55% over what we had as our tax levy last year. Without the maintenance reserve, it would have been about 4.6%. 6%.

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Now, highlighting the revenues, our local tax levy went up to 539,000 and change. Our state aid did go up. There are basically three areas of state aid. We get security aid, we get transportation,

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we get special ed aid. Two of them went down, one went up for a um balance of 41,000 and change. So our state aid has increased. A lot of districts it went down, but we were fortunate for the

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increase. This is where our maintenance reserve withdrawal comes in. Whereas in before we had the excess surplus, now we are using 145,000 of our maintenance reserve. At the end of this

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school year, we should have a balance back in our fund balance to use. The interest we increased by 20,000. So our total operating budget is 17,439

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159. Now, our federal grants, I had to budget less, 25% of the direction of the county, hoping that we come back even as we did last year. I think last year I budgeted

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probably less 20%, we came even. We had several funds that came in at the same amount that we had prior year. So, I'm hoping for the same. Now, our appropriations, the biggest is our outgoing tuition that includes

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gened tuition to our neighboring Manisquan as well as special ed and out of district tuitions. Next up is regular ed instruction within our building. Then special ed instruction within our

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building as well as resource OTP speech. After that we have admin costs including our secretar's guidance. After that is transportation which includes

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uh students to hear mattis swan out of district and any non-publics that we are able to get a route for and if they don't receive a route then we pay them aid and loo.

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It's a law. And these are some of the highlighted appropriations. The tuition for regular and special ed went up 84,000. But the gened

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portion of Mattiswan for the top line accounts for about 5 million. So a good portion of our budget. The regular instruction salaries went down. We had several

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retirements and other surprises. The employee benefits, that's our biggest, that's where you see the biggest increase. That's the 23 and a half% for health.

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Again, that's why we had the waiver. This is the first year that we've encountered the waiver because otherwise we've been able to include a 7% 9% increase in health care within our budget. This is the first year that we

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took the waiver to go above the 2% because of the cost of healthcare special instruction. The building maintenance did go down because we have finished the boiler

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projects and I did not have to incur any additional monies for any repairs while we were waiting for the new boilers. The administration tech guidance secretaries

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increase and transportation and then our other expenses. So the special education students out of district and related services increase for any of our out of districts. The healthc care increase is 23 and a half% dental is five.

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The regular gened tra um excuse me the gened tuition increase for manisquan went from 21389 up to 23663. So that was a actually it's a hair over

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10% increase. Their CLI program went up as well. We have a student there. the adjustment. We were, I want to say, fortunate to have 24,000 in the tuition adjustment for the

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students going to Madison, but we have to anticipate a $200,000 increase for any ICR sections that we get build in July for the completing this school year.

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Now, after all that, because the value of the town went up 9% versus our 3.55% increase in tax levy, and I went through several different scenarios,

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there will be a decrease in the school portion of taxes. For a house burrow average, it went down 366 and change. For a house valued at 950,800,

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it went down 258 and change. And I tried several different addresses and it looks like it will be a decrease in this group portion because again the value of the town went up. So our

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figuring our tax rate went down. So that at least worked in our favor. >> That 9% was in one year. >> Mhm. >> It went up 8% the year before.

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>> Last year the value was 26 bill 2.684. 684 and this year it's 2.9. So it went up a significant amount. So that's where the tax rate.

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>> Thank you. >> I think so. Okay. So you know I I commend the board and Diane. um you know we have been very fiscally responsible and that has allowed us to continue um in a very provide a very uh effective

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education for our students here in Belal. Um so we're you know proud to say that there are fiscal responsibility allows us to meet all of our obligations and really you know advance our programming for our students. Um, this budget will support our all of our

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academic, co-curricular, and athletic programs along with allowing us to meet all of our state mandates. So, I wanted to talk a little bit and and reflect on this year's goals. >> Before you move on, can I just ask? >> Of course. >> How did that pigraph for upcoming year

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in terms of the expenditures compared to prior years in terms of the percentage of the >> It's actually been pretty consistent. I think the highest was the health benefits and that cost Everything else stayed the 12% for um like half

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>> the tuition tuition still stayed the same amount even with that increase. >> Even with that increase it it still did. >> And then that 200 that 200k that you said in July we find out about that but that's pretty much a certainty. >> Yes.

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>> Will it be could it be dramatically high or dramatically lower? No. So what they do is they look at the are the number of our students who are placed in inclass resource sections and they don't tell like they don't bill us for that in July because they're still

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building high school schedules. Kids schedules may change. Um but this year we did ask for that the enrollment and all of those so we kind of know what's coming in July. Um and so you know we the ICR sections are paid for separately

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on top of the genet on top of that 23,000. So you know we we know because we asked earlier this year uh what we're expecting that that bill to be for that portion of the tuition. We get the

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tuition bill for the gened students per student. We get the enrollment adjustment whether it's up or down. We must have been pretty close for it to only be 24,000. It's been in the past about a hundred. >> And then like Stacy said, this is the

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first time that we asked >> because it's always been a surprise. So this is the largest the increase for the ICR. >> We had like three years. It's been decreasing, but the um capital fund I mean this fund, what's the balance on

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that? I don't like >> um before the 145 it was about 400 something. I'd have to look exactly but >> so like and there's no replacement. >> You hadn't touched it. >> There's no replenishment going into that.

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>> Every year when there's the surplus at the end of the year I say okay this much goes to capital reserve this much goes to maintenance. So it has been replenished each year. >> Okay. And it's called maintenance. That doesn't have to be used specifically for maintenance or it does >> it does

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>> whereas the capital we use for the boiler or something like the maintenance would be if we could fix them or fix something else maintaining. >> Sure. >> Any other questions? >> All right. So, I'd like to just reflect

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back on our district goals for this year, then kind of give you a sense of how um you know, we've progressed with those, but also how the budget continues to support the goals that we've set for ourselves. So, this year we implemented a new math program and g grades K

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through five. Um we continued to work on our students social emotional development, things like character, education, executive functioning, zones of regulation. Um and this year we also received the deans the dreams grant um that allowed us to do a little bit more

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about building relationships with students. And another goal that we continue to work on is exploring our opportunities to look at the technology platforms that we are using look for the most efficient ones um that allow us to operate seamlessly enhance our

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organization but in a cost-effective manner. So, if we're looking at our K1 math, we did implement into math this year and grades K through five. Uh we spent professional development time um getting our teachers ready for that

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program. Um you know, we revised um the teachers had examined it. We did a lot of observations in those math classrooms this year so we could get a sense of how the instruction looked was looking different. Um and then we have post

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observation reflection meetings with teachers. So we've gathered a lot of input. We also looked at um into math V2 actually came out very quickly after we purchased it. So our teachers have examined V2 uh which also has some

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additional tools in it. So, um, you know, moving forward with this, this budget will support the purchase of B2 into math next year, um, so that we can continue with this new math program. If we're looking at our social emotional

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learning goals, um, you know, Mrs. Panetti and and Miss Pearson who's here in the audience. They uh secured a grant called the the dreams grant and it really is about um how to develop a positive rapport with students. Um and

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so you know we we got a lot of training through that that really enhance um you know our teachers relationships with students and and managing certain behaviors. Um and we also brought several new programs this year. Uh Mrs. Panetti started monthly school

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assemblies where students are actually the presenters at those assemblies. There's some workshops ahead of time between upper and lower grade students. So that was really exciting. Uh we started with laser bucks. We got involved with the Harlem Wizards um game with Manson this year and that was very

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positive. Um and we tried to bring some parent education programs out. Uh we presented at BPAG. uh we did an early literacy presentation for kindergarten parents. So, you know, we continue to try to, you know, work on this goal.

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And, you know, the way that this budget allows us to continue that is we house two full-time guidance counselors here who have been really instrumental in in working with our students and the resources for the programs that we have put in place are prioritized and

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maintained in this budget. If we're looking at our third goal, which is our technology tools, we've done a lot of work in this area over the past few years. Um, and this year we really took a big step by we're moving away from

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systems 3000 for HR, payroll, and budget. And we are also transitioning um from Frontline to Genesis for our teacher evaluation platform. So we find Genesis is you know in operation in many many New Jersey school districts um and

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it is cost effective. So we are definitely saving money by making this transition to Genesis. I commend Miss Quigley for going with payroll and budget and a whole new system and our admin office staff also has been working really hard behind the scenes to make

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all of those changes. There's a lot that happens um in order for this to go smoothly. We replaced Imper with Apara which is our system that we use to monitor student activity. Uh Mr. Greenfield was instrumental in working with us on that. Uh we've expanded the

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use of parent square as a notification system for parents. A lot of our teachers are using that on a regular basis. We are exploring a transition from linkit which we use for benchmark student assessment data also to Genesis. Genesis is coming out uh with its own

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benchmark um platform and you know they it looks like they're going to do a very nice job for a much lower cost. So, we're very interested in exploring it. And the interesting thing about this new Genesis platform is it can, you know,

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work with data such as like attendance data and how many minutes a kid is out of a classroom and pull in a lot of the data points that are already stored in our student information system and then tie them to benchmarks that can also be brought here. So it can give us some

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really good information um especially for students who may need some additional um you know attention and support and you know doing all of these things is actually at a cost savings to the district. Um you know we have been

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very um focused on trying to find savings. There are certain tools that we have cast aside that we don't think for a school of our size is worth the cost. uh one of those being an component in link was called intervention manager and we used it for our INRS process. We just

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didn't feel like the cost was worth it you know so we are always looking for ways to continue to be efficient um and you know again Mr. Greenfield's had a big hand in this miss Pearson's had a big hand in this Mrs. Panetti um Mrs. squiggly. We're always looking for ways

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that we can try to um be cost effective with our technology tools. So, I want to talk about some proposed changes for next year that that some other things that this budget allows us to do. One of the big things that we will be doing is

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currently here as everybody knows band and choir is offered as an outside of school time. Uh we will be building band and choir back in as a specific course for our middle school students who choose to take it. You know, I think

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that will definitely get more students involved in music. I think we all really value the arts um and would like to see the enrollment in those programs increase and we really feel strongly that one way to do it is to offer it as a class. So our sixth, seventh, and

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eighth grade students will have the option to join band and choir. It will replace they have 10 specials periods per week. Two of them if they join band or choir will be band and choir. All right. So what that starts to look like is if I'm a sixth grade student and I'm

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not enrolled in band or choir. All right. In in place of those two periods, I will have one music course and a study skills course. Um, we are exploring options for, you know, what that curriculum is actually going to look

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like. Um, and we think it's really important in middle school to start to introduce students to practices that are going to help them academically, but also help them with certain executive functioning skills like how to collaborate positively in a group, how

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to do some goal setting. Um, so we're going to do that with sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who are not enrolled in band of choir will have two sections of study skills. So while we're building that out, you know, what we would also like to see is by 8th grade,

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you know, a course that kind of prepares them for high school, maybe does some career exploration with them, allows them to become familiar with the platform that's used at Vans High School, which is different from the platform that is used here. they are they use Microsoft, we use Google. Um,

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so we're working on building that out. And the other change is that currently we do financial literacy in grades six and seven and eight. The state requirement is that they have it one time in middle school. So we will

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do financial literacy only in eighth grade um to to meet that mandate. Will the kids who are in manquire have the opportunity to still do the study skills? >> No, it will be in place of that

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>> because we Yeah, because the other specials that are in there are ones they have to take too. Like Spanish, they have to have three pees. So, art. So, >> is there financial literacy in elementary school? >> No, it starts in middle school. the

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mandate >> you've had three years of it like typically right now they have had three years of it correct how how do they compress that into one year >> so I feel like our program right now they have it once a week it's very redundant

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>> so what we will and you know it the we can hit all the most places do it once in the three years so I'm I feel like our program is a little redundant and I think we are able to hit all the standards that are required and even some of the things that typically might

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be done in financial literacy like there's a big career component in some parts of financial literacy that could be brought into the study skills course as well you know and start to be introduced to some of those things. So um that's how I kind of see that playing

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out. All right. Okay. I'd like to share the enrollment projections for where we are. Um, kindergarten as we know is still an unknown. We're still registering students. I think at this point we're over 40, which is great. Um, you know,

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it's nice to kind of be in that over 50 place so we can continue to maintain three sections. And it looks like, you know, last year at this time we were in the 30-ish range. You know, I kind of Diane kind of jokes with me that, you know, we see a lot of strollers out at drop off and pick up and that's a really

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good sign for us. Um, so you know, we're waiting for that. Uh, we know these are our two small groups. Grades one through four. Fourth grade will go back to being three sections with 49 students. Grade five will remain at two sections because

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there's only 42 students in that grade and sixth grade is 45 students. However, we math placement may will probably break that group back into three sections.

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three sections is also um much easier to manage with the rotating schedule in the middle school. So, you know, I think between the way the the math placement is going to break out and understanding the way that the middle school schedule works, it we're probably going to have

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grade six in three sections for core academics, but then we will put them back into two sections for specials and allow the kids to mix um in in that seven and eight will continue to, you know, be as they have been with numbers

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over 50. you know, we can even though we're going back to three sections um in grade four, we may go to three sections in grade six because we have such a large number of special education students leaving and that we have our

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lower numbers in special education at the lower grades. As those needs continue to decrease, even though we're increasing sections, we still have the staff to support three sections at every grade. That makes sense. So this is now the second year. All right. So the

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second year that you've had going from three to two sections. So the fifth graders this year um they were the first group that came from a three section two years ago. >> Right. Yes. >> Now that they're graded in fifth grade, have you looked like empirically at the

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outcomes for that change? Like have you looked to see >> I have not. I can't say. >> Um because this is the year we would have to go back and compare other fifth grades to this

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fifth grade's grades, >> but I would also want to look at that cohort, >> you know, and they had a standardsbased report card and this is the first time they have a grade report card. >> So, it would require looking at it both ways, not only comparing fifth grades,

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which gets kind of like we do with NJSLA, right? So, but it would also be looking at them as a cohort coming through and if we've noticed any, you know, I will say, you know, I I the other thing we could possibly look at and I don't know the numbers off the top of my head. have received increased

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referrals in that grade for INRS, you know, um I I don't know the answer to that off the top of my head, but I don't want to speak to it, but certainly something we can we can look into. >> Probably the benchmark assessments, like benchmarks over time and if that genesis

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portion could do that for us maybe >> in the future. Yeah, >> but I always am wary of that type of comparison because when you're looking at comparing that that cohort over the years like

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it's going to change the assessment >> small sample size >> and then even when you compare class to class the numbers change the kids change and when such we're such a small group >> one or two kids can have such an impact it's hard it's just a really hard I understand what you're saying probably

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more I understand Jo small sample size but the hypothesis was moving that section to two would you know be okay like do we can we prove that at this point is what I'm >> because we're now saying we're going to continue that into you know that group is going to continue to be at two

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>> right so >> I'd like to know if actually that it hasn't worked out and we should consider having three sections because they're not having those needs met >> well look we're going to run into the same issue next year with this group going into sixth grade right and math placements you know, and

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a lot of it depends on how many students are going to get into the double accelerated program because then, you know, then you could be really, you know, I don't know how you would then break them into three because if five go into, you know, or six go into now you got 36 kids in, you know, so you'd have

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classes of 12, you know, so you're right. I mean, it definitely is worth looking at. Um and it is always every year especially in a place where you know you are a little smaller like the numbers can can change every year a little bit but I I appreciate your

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feedback and we certainly can look at that. Um okay so in terms of professional development you know um this budget definitely supports that. Our teachers do week meet weekly in PLC time to

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collaborate to plan um to do all of the things that we expect them to do together either as a grade level or in their specialized areas. Uh we will continue with BDO consulting. That is a great opportunity for our teachers to meet with teachers in the sending

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districts. Uh Deanna Pitaski does an amazing job of staying current of you know providing our teachers uh with with the types of topics that they want to explore that are or that are at the forefront. Um you know we continue to

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consult with experts in specific fields where we can. Um we've got training for our technology tools as we shift over um especially to new ones in terms of teacher evaluation and also if we decide to make the switch from Lincoln um and

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then we do continue to use our web-based program for our cost effective for all our statemandated trainings. It comes with our insurance. So that's a very cost-effective way for us to do that annual mandated training from the state. Um we continue to have our um cost

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sharing agreement to have Detective Tiffany Braun here in our building every day. That's a that's been very successful. Our security cameras um and related systems are still here to ensure our safety. And you know, as Diane pointed out, we do get some money from

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the DOE to continue to keep those systems up and running. Just want to thank everybody for their continued support. Um, you know, I think this is a very uh sound budget. Um, and I want to take thank the community and

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our board members uh for everyone's input and feedback as we develop this budget. We're looking forward to 2627. Thank you. Any questions? Good. >> Thank you. Stacy, I know you didn't mention it, but

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uh there should be some acknowledgement and appreciation for the effort that you try to do with men like their own sections and and the cost savings that they might incur so that uh they can also deal with HR issues.

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>> Diane and I are going to meet with um Dr. Mr. Goodall and um their VA uh Dr. Cwley next week. Um, you know, I I shared a communication with you that I had shared with him. Um, and so with

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that followup meeting to see if there's any additional points that can be made or information that can be shared. Um, so they understand, you know, the the impact that, you know, these increases are are making it difficult. Right.

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because as you know Diane said this is the first time we'd have to take a portion of the health care waiver. Um and yes that is because you know health care is going up but you know the a 10% increase in tuition is is significant

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and you know it did pose a challenge for us in making all these pieces work for our budget too. >> Appreciate. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh that brings us to visitors business. Visitors are permitted to

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comment on agenda items only at this time. Oh uh you can please um >> state your name and address just so that >> and that mic's more for people at home. >> Yeah, we can hear you fine.

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>> NO PEOPLE WHO ARE listening or watching on YouTube. You're on YouTube. >> You look great. >> Yeah, I was 636. I got a question. I can only ask about

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budget now, right? >> Uh just any items on the agenda. >> Okay. Um in terms of the the enrollment, just a couple questions. Why did the special take such big drop? >> You mean in cost?

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>> No. numbers. I'm looking at the numbers. >> Oh, okay. Um I think a big part of it has to do um with the early intervention that we've put in place at the K3 grade level. Um I've been here three years and

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well this is the end of my third year. Um and there were many students I think who during COVID right had some lapses and and maybe some gaps. I can't say because I wasn't here, but it we do have an eighth grade and um that has a higher

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percentage of students who have IEPs than what we have coming down the pike in K123. >> Okay. And so this number 459, is that the total number of kids that are physically in the school? >> Yes.

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>> Okay. So in light of what was talked above >> mine mine's kinder right anticipated anticipated. >> Yes. >> That's projected. >> Okay. So 474 uh this year. >> Yes. >> So in light of the two things going on

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in the town. The one that is the higher assessments due to small houses being torn down and bigger ones being built and all the proposed development uh on Higgins Road and Rapture Woods

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uh the affordable housing etc. You're going to see within three to five years >> ahead of a lot more people. I don't know if that translates into students. What have we looked at that number one?

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>> So before I came, there was a 5-year projection enrollment done study done and they believed that our enrollment would stay steady even in light of that. Um many years before my time, my understanding is that this school house

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750 students. So >> where you guys are a lot nicer not having to worry about getting a budget voted on. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um >> kind of some there's ups and downs. >> Yeah.

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>> You know just in my kids time frame there there was that high number. >> Refresh my memory. What what is the >> say maximum or what is >> possible amount of kids in the school? I I don't know the answer to that

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question. I I can only >> a reasonable 40 kids in a class. >> Yeah. Gosh, I would have to count up the number of classrooms. So like for example, right now we have two classrooms. One is being used as a professional development room and one is

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being used in a different capacity in non-classroom, you know. So right there there's two classrooms that are open. You know, um our class sizes are reasonable. We also have the the luxury of when um students go to a specials

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class that classroom remains vacant, you know. So when you have a higher population, you know, scheduling gets a little bit tricky be because you can make your schedule work so that every classroom is being used during every period. And we don't that's not even a

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concern for us at all. when our students leave to go to PE, it's not like the Spanish teacher's going into that class classroom to teach a Spanish class. You know, I said, like I said, my only frame of reference for this particular building is my understanding that, you know, class sizes here or grade sizes

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used to be much bigger and there were 700 to 800 students here. >> 700 is what I think 20 years ago before we expanded. So, >> okay. So, it said around 700. So I would I would encourage the board to take a

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three to five year look in life while everything is going on. So you don't get hit >> uh as a surprise. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> When is our next demographic study? >> I think in another two years. >> It was done right before I started >> and that's a required uh

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>> yes >> amount of time but we it's a fiveyear right. >> Five years. I know when my daughter was here and graduated in 2010, there were four sections and there was close to 100 kids in her grand. >> Yeah. That's what we experienced. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Back 20 years ago, 25 years ago,

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we were living in trailers. >> Yeah. >> Before before the region. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I was just I was >> I remember that. >> I do. We our our kids my kids were babies. I hear you. I think you feel

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>> I told you you look great, GEORGE. >> I appreciate your >> All right. Um, no correspondence it looks like. Uh, so that will bring us to committee reports. Uh, Mr. Vitali is not here tonight. Did they the district operation? I don't even think you're

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right. Okay. Um, >> Representative Tamus, Dr. I didn't hear you. >> The only thing of note is there's a vacancy on the mask board which uh applications were taken to fill it. >> Got it. >> Do you have input on that once that

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>> I wasn't at the meeting but I I did get a vote on that's unfortunate change. >> Got it. All right. Uh Miss Reurum and Programs. >> All right. So, the curriculum and programs committee just met uh at 6 PM

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tonight. Um I was in attendance at the committee chair. Uh Miss McDevitt and Miss Walsh um were present from the board of education and Miss Pearson and uh Miss Pra were present as

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administration. We talked about NJSLA testing which will start um next week for the science. Nope. >> Science was this week. Oh, this week science is this week. Um, and the

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regular 3rd through 8th will start May 11th. And we were just kind of discussing what the new test looks like and how that's going to roll out. Um, there was some changes made by the state, a new company

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um, is doing the test and it has an adaptive nature. So, just trying to kind of understand what that's going to look like and I it sounds like we have a lot of good plans in place and um hopefully

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everything goes really smoothly. Um we discussed the change to the specials that was presented in the budget um presentation. Um, we also talked about some um, programs that could possibly be

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replacing programs that we have currently and just the uh, diligence of kind of really examining everything from an academic standpoint, a financial standpoint and everything else. We discuss some of the

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endofear events that take place at the school. Um, yeah, that's about it. productive meeting. >> Great. Uh, human resources. Oh, Mrs. H. Oh, you didn't even You came You snuck back in.

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Sorry. >> Everyone's struggling a little bit tonight. >> The allergies are bad. They're terrible. >> So, the HR committee met yesterday in attendance where Mrs. Pstrom, Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Walsh, Mr. Becker, myself, and Mrs. McDevit joined virtually. The

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meeting lasted about 45 minutes. Uh we discussed hiring for the 20 uh 2026 27 school year as well as for um temporary leaves. Um a a lot of the other stuff that we discussed was al already

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presented in Mrs. Pstra's uh presentation about the um changes in specials for the middle schoolers next year. Um most excitingly being the band and choir will be offered as specials two times per week.

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Um the and the uh adding the three sections back for the sixth grade based on their math placements as well as uh the projected enrollment for next year um and the importance of registering uh sooner rather than later so we can plan

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for the numbers. >> Good. Thank you very much. Um uh Mr. Wman, we didn't have a >> No, we had one scheduled for yesterday, but there were no updates from Strauss SMA and no other agenda items, so we cancelled the meeting an hour back.

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>> Wonderful. Thank you. Um, now community media relations. >> I do not have a report tonight, but we'll have one next. >> Sounds good. >> Uh, more administrative reports. >> Yeah, just just a couple of items. Um,

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you know, I just really want to send a big thank you to the PTO for all the events that they organized during Eco Week. It was every day was something, you know, just fantastic. From the tree tree planting to composting day to ending the week with walk to school day.

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I had like no duties out there on Friday morning. It was like it was um yeah, so I just really appreciate and our staff who all stepped up and and participated in that week. Uh we also uh celebrated bring your child to work day here. Um a

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lot of our staff members brought their own children um which was great. Um you know Mrs. Penetti did a great job of organizing certain things during the day for that. Uh we also had the booster club fundraiser um over the past couple of weeks. I student faculty basketball

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came back and we had a great turnout and it was a really fun night. So, um, that was a great event for the booster club. And our spring field trips are underway. We're seeing a lot of buses showing up and then taking kids to the, you know, the trips that their teachers have been

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planning. Um, and, you know, as as Mrs. Reed said, you know, now until, you know, June, there's just seems like there's something every week. We have an author visit at the end of this week. Our third graders are at the library today. So, you know, just a very lively

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spring. And just thank you to everyone, our teachers, um parents, PTO, um everyone who contributes to making it such a great spring and end of the school year. >> Thank you. Yeah, very excited. Um students coming home like every day

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enjoy something with a tree with a report from a trip. So >> um okay. Uh no HIV reports it looks like. Uh so that brings us to action items. uh curriculum and programs. Uh Miss Ree, will you

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>> Sure. I'd like to make a motion to that the board of ed approves the following um staff members to uh attend some workshops. That's A1 and then going all the way

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through A6. >> I'll start. >> Yes, >> Mr. Becker. >> Yes. >> Dr. Dan Bia. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Hut. >> Yes. >> Mrs. McDavid. >> Yes. >> Mrs. We >> Yes. >> Mrs. Wolf.

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>> Yes. >> Mr. W. >> Yes. >> Motion. Yes. >> Great. Uh for district operations. Um Dr. Gver >> like for fourth items B1

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through B13. >> Second. Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mr. Becker. >> Yes. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Mrs. C. >> Yes. >> Mrs. McDavid. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Reed. >> Yes.

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>> Mrs. Wolf. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wolf. >> Yes. >> Motion. >> Okay. For human resources, Mrs. H. You. Please move these forward. I would like to make a motion that the board approved

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items uh D1 through >> uh D16 for approval. >> I'll second it to Mrs. >> Mrs. >> Mr. Dr. >> Yes. >> Mrs.

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>> Yes. >> Mrs. McD. >> Yes. >> Mrs. We >> Yes. >> Mrs. Walsh. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wolf. >> Yes. >> Wonderful. All right. That brings us to visitors business. Uh visitors are permitted to comment on agenda and

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non-aggenda items at this time. Again, just please state your name and address. Go. Go right ahead. Yep. 636. Um, full disclosure, I'm heading up a citizens committee to help the town

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council on this whole photo hall issue. Not here to get into that right now, but I'd like a comment or an explanation. I'm going to read a sentence from a memo that was posted on the burough council website on March 20th, I think it was.

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It says, um, certain alternatives that have been suggested are not viable. Board of Education has indicated that it's not interested in hosting Burrow's regular meetings, including Burough Council, Planning Board, Recreation Committee, and Environmental Commission meetings. Accordingly, school facilities

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did not provide a realistic long-term alternative for municipal operations. >> Yeah, that sounds right. >> Yeah, I was going to say yes. Yeah, that was the board of education, I guess. I mean, more or less that's I I wouldn't

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say not interested, but we the board of education doesn't think it's feasible or uh a good idea to have all of those meetings in the school facility. >> Why?

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>> Uh resources purposes, um security concerns, um financial concerns for sure. Uh so yeah, those and the the blending the blending of the

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of school and municipal um yeah meetings and goings on like our budget is not the municipal budget. We are not one in the same the board of education represents the students and

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the school as the school does. It is not necessarily representative of things like the planning board. Um >> understood. Yeah. >> Uh so if at least in terms of financial consideration, if you were just looking

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at the council on the pl that's four meetings a month between between them in a room like this >> plus committee >> why >> would they be separate and where would they be held? >> The committee meetings you mean they can

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be held anywhere. They don't have to be held here. I'm just talking public meetings, >> right? >> Public meetings. Yeah, that was the question. Public meetings. I'm sorry. Public meetings. So, if you're just looking at four public meetings a month and I understand separate jurisdictions,

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that's clear. >> If you build back the council at some agreed upon rate, what would be the the shortfall there? Well, I think it would also be the case that why would we only allow two of

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these municipal um organizations to have their meetings here but exclude the others. So, there's that consideration as well. >> I mean that's those aren't big deals. >> Okay. You don't have to answer >> policy nonprofit.

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>> We'll take it into >> what? >> Yeah. >> Can we have that in our policy or buildage usage and profit? >> That's true. policy does does not incorporate that. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean that's that's our our stance is simply that we we don't

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want to move forward with um offering the school as an option uh because of those reasons um per certainly not permanently. So that's that's our statement.

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So, is that a final phase or is that a as of right now? >> Correct. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Do you you do do recall though that when this building was expanded, part of the justification to the taxpayers was its use as a community

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center. >> It's used. >> It is. It is used. which I remember that and I do and I I think that's been brought up recently and I think by and large it is >> for me I think security plays heavy

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finances play heavy policy but for me a lot of it has to do with the optics the town over the last 30 years has changed dramatically uh the financial obligations and uh scenarios that the school runs into let

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alone the town runs into take affordable housing has changed dramatically with it and and optically speaking let alone the other issues security our meetings are are woefully underattended those meetings

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can be heavily attended and I can't account for every person let alone what the individuals particularly newer people that move into town interpret as to our responsibility verse the town's resp responsibility and and them coming

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into the school you know, even volleyball, we we know who's coming in in these meetings, particularly from a safety and optic standpoint based on the subject and the town hoola of the time. I'm not too secure on that

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if that makes sense to you. I can see what you're saying, but I don't necessarily agree with it because I mean, if we were talking this room, >> I mean, I don't >> Well, George, how about it? Why not the library? The library could handle 200

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people. Why not that or Curtis House? >> Well, Curtis House was was recommended, you know, >> and that's a beautiful reason why not. I'm just exploring this reason based upon what the intent and justification of the expansion was. I mean, this this

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room here in particular, I mean, 99% of the meetings can be held and you'll have just about the same amount of people at at those meetings >> depending on the subject and fruit of the day. Yes, >> absolutely. But but point is two of those meetings were held here.

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>> Yeah. Okay. And I think to to validate that >> on on a need basis, >> yes, on an as needed basis and that's something I that I guess they didn't uh put in that statement, we are more than happy to accommodate under extenduating circumstances, but as a permanent option

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as the op the uh posting space permanently moving forward, the school cannot cannot undertake. Even though part of that plan for a new borrow consists of an auditorium that consist that runs about between two

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and3 million for taxpayers. >> Yeah, it's a totally separate subject. >> You're right. It's a totally separate subject from what we're dealing with. >> Thank you for that. >> I dis I disagree. I I I >> that's I don't understand why something

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can't couldn't be worked out at least on on what couldn't be worked out for those four meetings a month. I I think that's that's not the the intent of what this building is expanding. Yes, it's being

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used for communities other but I mean come on four times a month. I mean that's I I hear you and I'm I'm sorry that it doesn't make sense to you but as a board that's our position

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>> and again please restate why safety >> I think it's >> we have we I there's been an issue or there's been I think several statements issued I can >> I can send it to you personally yes

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>> I appreciate it >> yes I'll follow up and send you I'll I'll get your I'll get I'll get your email. I don't know if you want all of YouTube to get So yes, I will I will send you the statement for sure. You're welcome, >> George. For sure. We appreciate your >> Yes. Thank you.

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>> Yeah. Thanks so much. All right. Um that would bring us to the payment of the bills. Uh Mr. Waltman, could you pay the bills? >> Sure. I'd like to motion that the board authorizes the payments of the following March 26 bills and the secretary is

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authorized to draw a warrant to the treasur in the total amount of 1,66,978 and.93. >> Second, >> Mrs. Baldina, >> yes. >> Mr. Becker, >> yes. >> Dr. Ambrosia, >> yes. >> Mrs. Tuck,

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>> yes. >> Mrs. McDe, >> yes. >> Mrs. Reed, >> yes. >> Mrs. Wolf. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wolf. >> Yes. >> All right. We have our board secretary certification. Uh we will not be having

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an executive session tonight. So that moves us towards adjournment. >> Make a motion to second. >> I All right. >> Thank you everyone. >> It's all right.