[Music] hi good evening This is a public meeting of the board of education of the Clark public schools
Adequate notice of this meeting has been given in accordance with PL1975 chapter 231 that a special notice was made in conformance with section 13 of the act Mr Small Mrs Guerrero Miss Guerrero All
in favor i Anyone opposed okay Can we stand for the pledge to the flag to the flag of America and to the republic for which it stands One nation under
Gody andice for all Roll call please Mr Aonus present Mr Benovinga Mr Breedy here Miss Harrison here Miss Guerrero here Miss Hickman here Mr Lewis here Mr
May present Mrs Smurl here and Mr Dunkerloop having a board members who have a quorum Okay thank you Uh at this time the board of education will recognize the teacher of the year through our showcase of
success Um Mr Mr Grande would you like to lead us in the presentations good evening We're excited because tonight we'll be recognizing our governor's educators of the year across our different schools Early each fall it seems like
just when we get back from summer break the New Jersey Department of Education puts out an appeal to every school district in the state And what they're asking for are nominations to be sought for up to two award winners for each
public school in New Jersey A teacher of the year which is just what you would think a traditional classroom teacher working with his or her students Then an educational services professional of the year which is someone who has an important role in the school but not in
a traditional classroom teaching sense either a school counselor a power professional aid a child study team member someone important to the heartbeat of the school Each principal then convenes a committee
of various stakeholders from parents community members staff members after getting these nominations from those same type of people across the spectrum When the committee evaluates the
nominations a rigorous process is used in the sense that a rubric is given to us through the state and we have to strictly follow what's written in the written nominations as opposed to letting external information that might not be as objective come into play And
that process is what brings us here this evening We're going to be recognizing our award winners from our five schools We'll begin with Arthur Johnson High School and Mrs Oliver and Mrs Pos Mr CL would you like to come down Good evening My name is Tara Va and
it's my honor this evening to introduce to you ALJ's governor's educator of the year for 2024 2025 Mrs Jacqueline Hedrickk Mrs Mrs Hedrickk has been a member of the mathematics department in the Clark public schools since
1998 Beginning her career at Carlcom Middle School Mrs Hedrickk soon made her way to Crusader Nation where she has become a staple of the ALJ community As one of the first teachers that our freshman and sophomore students encounter Mrs Hedrickk teaches algebra and geometry at all academic levels
ensuring that she applies different methods in her classroom to accommodate all students needs With maternal warmth and high expectations she takes time to monitor growth adjust her instruction and provide clear guidance to everyone
She's creative she is adaptable and she is always prepared to help In fact she can be found in room 7 almost every single day after school as she makes herself available Mrs Hedrickk communicates with parents students and administration effectively Again all in
support of student learning In fact after NJSLA testing last year Mrs Hedrickk advocated for change in our testing schedule Instead of administering the NJSLA in early May as we always have she requested that we conduct testing towards the end of the month instead so that students could get
through more content prior to testing This would allow more practice time for students increasing confidence and potentially test scores I'm proud to say that this year we've taken the suggestion and our testing calendar reflects her position It was well thought out and it was in the best
interest of students What we strive for at ALJ The impact of a teacher goes far beyond the curriculum however and Mrs Hedrickk is no exception to this A culture creator just walking into her classroom makes you want to learn Her
creative bulletin boards her groovy exit tickets and her mathematical wisdom covers the walls However it goes beyond her classroom doors She's in fact a wizard with a Cricut crafting machine and she has created content for our schoolwide bulletin boards New Jersey
and you raise your voices our front vestibial quotes and the photography case are all inclusive of the Hedrickk touch Over her tenure in the district Miss Hedrickk's excellence in teaching continues to leave an indelible mark on the school and on all of us that have
the privilege of learning from and working with her every day As Mr Mr Amandola has pointed out recently though the New York Rangers are currently sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standing Jackie Hedrickk finished first for Governor's Educator
of the Year for this year I present to you our New York Rangers fan Miss Jacqueline Hedrickk ALJ's educator of the year I had to do it for you They are pretty aren't they we're gonna take pictures of you Now you
get to smile You want to hold this it is my pleasure to introduce Arthur L Johnson's educational support professional of the year Mrs Megan Ryan Megan started her career as an intern in our school counseling office in 2018
becoming an official member of the staff in 2020 She serves as our key club adviser our building testing coordinator for all state and college board assessments and can be found on stage presenting for many of our ALJ events for students and families In her line of
work she is often confronted with potentially problematic concerns or situations She approaches these issues with thoughtfulness and integrity and with respect for the concerned individuals She holds her students accountable while communicating with compassion She helps them make the best
choices in their personal and academic lives In turn she is highly respected by the ALJ community Mrs Ryan develops a strong bond with not only the students in her case load but with the entire ALJ population When thinking of what me
makes Megan so exceptional I can think of two things that stand out When she started in 2020 she took the initiative to craft handwritten notes to every graduating senior highlighting their accomplishments and wishing them well in their endeavors after ALJ Using that
personal touch and going the extra mile for our students goes a long way in maintaining close school home relationships The second would be the organization of one of our most popular events that might go unnoticed Our key club hosted senior citizen prom Each
year she heads the event that brings together our senior community with our students and it's a great way our school gives back to the community of Clarks The event has a DJ a full dinner and is sold out every year Mrs Ryan also serves as the building's testing coordinator
where she creates scheduling assignments adheres to skate state regulations and manages many moving parts Along with her counterpart she helps to manage over,200 assessments in the building and they go off without a hitch If you've ever gotten an email from Miss Ryan you know
exactly why We couldn't think of a better recipient for this award So please help me congratulate Megan Ryan as the recipient of this year's educational support professional of the year [Applause] Many congratulations and thank you Mrs
Oliver and Mrs Pos Now for Coral Hump Middle School Mr Dom Monaco and Miss Clark Thank you Mr Grande Congratulations to all the honores tonight I had a pleasure working with many of you and it's all welld deserved So congratulations This year Comf Middle
School's governor's educator of the year is Miss Laura Hulcom Miss Hulcom is a special education teacher at Com Middle School This is her sixth year at Comf after being at the elementary school for 15 years Needless to say it cost me a lot of money in trade compensation to get her over there but we did Uh Laura
is a graduate of Lasal University with a a dual major in elementary and special education She has a master's degree from Mary Grove College This is actually her second time being as governor's educator of the year having previously been recognized when she was at the elementary school This demonstrates how
well respected she is as an educator in our district When Miss Hulcom began at Comfort Middle School needless to say she was a little nervous dealing with the middle school kids as are most people that deal with middle school kids Um but it took her no time to become comfortable and respected at Comf as an
outstanding educator a leader and an important part of the school community She serves as a member of the INRS team the crisis response team the CUMF wellness committee And during the last year Laura has is always there to support our students at the play at orientation at any other activity at
night usually dragging her home kids around who are here today with her Um they're always there with her and they seem to like come from more than nerd school I think I don't know They're there all the time so we'll see Um but we enjoy having them there too But Miss Cole comes there for everything in our event and supports the kids She's also
homework club adviser and is one of our recess monitors Why anybody would want to spend 40 minutes a day extra dealing with middle school kids in recess time I don't know but she does it and she actually enjoys it every day She really likes bonding with the kids Uh this year
she spearheaded our flex advisement time um revamp that we're doing at come school with Mrs Smith and it la it was purpose was to launch meaningful activities for students during this important time This year the lessons have been meaningful and helpful to our students and everybody seems to enjoy it
and it's all because of her hard work and she took this initiative on herself Miss Hulkcom is an outstanding educator who gives much of her time to this come students and that come school and to come school There's a day that goes by where a student is not looking for her in the morning or after school for help
or just for guidance Each day is a pleasure to see Miss Hulcom as she is always happy and sees the bright side of things This positive attitude is infectious and truly creates a positive environment for the students and for the staff each day She is so deserving candidate for this recognition and I
congratulate her again and to comes to representative for governor's educator of the year Congratulations [Applause] Congratulations Laura and thank you Rick and Mandy Now for Frankie Henley
Elementary School Mrs Bergen and Miss Apple Bomb Good evening everyone Tonight I have the pleasure and the honor to present the teacher of the year award for our Henley school community and that is Miss Sher Milavoy
Sherry Miloy is a teacher who makes a lasting impact and it is with great pride that we recognize her as our teacher of the year Over the years as a kindergarten teacher Sherry has earned the admiration and respect of not only
her students but also their parents Through her exceptional teaching she has made an indelible impression on the children she ser she serves And her impact extends far beyond the classroom walls Sherry's role in shaping the academic
social and emotional development of her young learners cannot be overstated With a master's degree as a reading specialist she brings a wealth of knowledge about how children learn to every lesson she teaches Her deep understanding of child
development and learning strategies allows her to create an environment where students thrive Sher doesn't just teach She tailors her lessons to meet the diverse needs of each child By recognizing individual learning styles and their
interests she crafts engaging relatable lessons that resonate with her students Whether it's through different differentiated instruction or creative activities she ensures every student has the opportunity to succeed Parents frequently express their
gratitude for Sherry's dedication and the personal connection she fosters with each family Her communication with parents is consistent clear and constructive She keeps them well informed about their children's progress and listens attentively to their
concerns Sherry's ability to build positive relationships with both students and parents is a testament to her genuine care for her community Her warmth and kindness make each person feel valued creating a safe and
nurturing atmosphere where children feel supported and confident to do their best Sher's commitment to her students extends beyond the classroom She regularly finds time in her busy schedule to visit with her students outside of school hours further
reinforcing her dedication to their growth These gestures leave a a lasting impact on both the children and their parents who deeply appreciate her unwavering support In addition to her exceptional work with students Sherry is a respected
colleague and collaborator Her passion for teaching is contagious inspiring those around her to grow and challenge themselves Sherry approaches professional development with an open mind and a commitment to continuous improvement She embraces new ideas and
is always eager to share her insights with peers As a team player she helps foster an environment of mutual respect and growth among the staff Sherry's not only a skilled and dedicated ed educator but she's also a person whose passion and patience leave a lasting imprint on
those who have the privilege of working with her Her ability to connect with her students her commitment to their success and her collaborative spirit make her an outstanding role model for both students and colleagues alike For her tireless dedication her unwavering passion for
teaching and the profound impact she has made on her students and their families Sher is truly deserving of the title of teacher of the year She exemplifies what it means to be an exceptional educator and we are incredibly fortunate to have
her as part of part of our school community [Applause] Good evening everyone It might sound cliche but at
Henley School we firmly believe in the saying it takes a village The success of our students is built on the dedication collaboration and support of an entire team of educators and staff A key member
of that team is Pam Torres whose exceptional work as an educational support specialist has made her a beloved and indispensable part of our school community Pam's journey at Henley began in the fall of 2018 when she
joined us as a lunch aid Her commitment to supporting students during lunch and recess did not go unnoticed and it wasn't long before we recognized her potential for a more significant role Pam transitioned into a paraprofessional
position and since then she has consistently demonstrated the qualities of an outstanding educator and advocate for students Known throughout the school for her patience compassion and unwavering dedication Pam works
seamlessly and tirelessly with all students Whether supporting in the classroom or working one-on-one with individual students she is a calming and reassuring presence who builds strong positive relationships with each child
Her work is grounded in her belief that every student deserves structure routine and an environment where they feel supported and respected Pam's understanding of these needs allows her to create an atmosphere that fosters
learning and growth Pam's expertise goes beyond her day-to-day interactions with students She is crisis prevention institute CPI trained which equips her with the skills to deescalate challenging situations and ensure the
safety and well-being of all students Her ability to work collaboratively with classroom teachers special education staff and paraprofessional colleagues reflects her dedication to the entire school community Pam is always eager to learn
and improve regularly seeking out new behavioral strategies by consulting with the district behaviorist occupational therapist and child study team members particularly when supporting our more challenging students In addition to her skill set Pam's flexibility and
readiness to just jump in whenever are qualities that make her stand out Whether it's stepping into assist in a classroom supporting a student in crisis or helping a colleague in need Pam's willingness to go above and beyond speaks volumes about her commitment to
our students and school community Pam Torres embodies the spirit of teamwork and dedication that defines the heart of Henley School Her w her work may not always be in the spotlight but it is essential to the success and well-being
of our students For her tireless efforts her compassion and her unwavering support of both students and staff Pam is more than deserving of the title of educational services professional of the year Congratulations
[Applause] So Congratulations Sher and Pam and thank you Mrs Bergen and Miss Applebomb Now for the Valley Road School Mr Bel Champa
and Miss Apple Just wanted you to know that we both wanted to read Sarah so we fought over that We decided to split it Um and we also want to congratulate all the winners tonight It's great to hear about all the great teachers and staff that we have I'll just start off by saying what
I say every morning to Sarah Hey Sarah Bido that's you over there We say that every morning to her and she always gives me that same look Um but we want to say that Valley Road School recipient of the educational services professional award is Mrs Sarah Bedo Sarah is so
deserving of this award as she not only offers unwavering support to her students but she also is devoted to helping students parents her colleagues and the administration Willingly she stops on a dime what she is doing to
help a child who needs her assistance or for a teacher just needs someone to talk to and listen to them or simply to help out at lunch recess or in a class She has been observed quite literally jogging down the halls to help someone in need Students see her as a safe space
and someone who is always in their corner and staff members know she is always rooting for them Sarah also is constantly coming up with fun creative activities That's very creative activities or maybe uniquely creative activities because I usually say "Are
you sure you want to do that?" You're like "Yeah it'll work out." and it usually does work out and becomes a great activity So she does a lot of events for students and staff They might seem odd at times but they always turn out excellent Some new themes Red Ribbon
Week this year were used activities for wellness week She fills that week up Uh new awards and incentives that honor students showing good character and she holds assemblies before school starts in the morning for those students She's in charge also of helping hands and mentor links She's the adviser for student
council and safety patrol and a member of the social committee That's another committee that does some very odd things but helps the morale in the school So thank you for that She's also co- captain of the crisis response team and can be very serious with that and brings about valuable suggestions that help
improve the safety of the school and the students and staff Mrs Bedo also organizes the Valley Road School Cultural Diversity Fair which is an event that recognizes and celebrates the many backgrounds of our students And when she holds that fair the gym is packed and people have fun for those two
hours Just a wonderful thing Thanks for sharing Mr Big Outside of school Sarah can be found at local parades student sporting games and the reading incentive night activities If a child asks her to attend an event that's
important to them she will make every effort to be there She also organizes countless fundraising events for the Clark community and somehow she still finds the time to get to know all 400 students at Ballet Road School Mrs Bado
also has a great rapport with parents They feel comfortable calling her with concerns because they value her opinion and suggestions And as a result they work collaboratively to help students reach their maximum potential On a personal note Sarah is a
go-to person for just about everything HIV questions testing information 504s INRS you name it And she's just always so willing to share her knowledge Mrs Bado has presented at countless professional development workshops
parent universities and helped inspire our secondyear teachers by presenting on SEAL in the classroom She is an exceptional role model for the Valley Road students She is genuine always takes the time to make sure everyone is okay and when we need her she is there
without hesitation Mrs Vado is so deserving of this award as an acknowledgement of her support and love for her students and colleagues We're so lucky to have her Congratulations
[Applause] [Applause] Thank you Joe and Mallerie and many congratulations We're going to close this portion with Dr Heather Austin for
Clark Preschool Annex Good evening It is an honor and a privilege to be standing here tonight to recognize and celebrate the exceptional work of Marisol Silva our beloved parrofessional in our preschool disabled
program She has been a beacon of support and compassion for our preschool population She embodies what it means to be a dedicated professional always giving her best for our students and our team She's incredibly hardworking and
reliable with a heart full of commitment and a smile that lifts the spirits of those around her Whether it's working one-on-one with a student providing personalized support or offering a helping hand she always goes above and beyond to make sure things are done to
100% She knows how to connect with her students in a way that fosters growth confidence and a love of their learning What also defines her is her big heart She brings a level of tenderness and care to everything she does She is a
wonderful person who has a nurturing and compassionate spirit that creates a safe and supportive space for her students Her calmness is something we all admire and that carries through to the students communicating that they can trust her with her learning and social
emotional needs You're truly a role model in that Marisol In addition to her dedication to her students she is also a leader She willingly steps up to every challenge To say she is an asset to our team would be an understatement She's a clear
communicator always working collaboratively with our team and does so with humility grace and unwavering commitment to her students well-being I want to congratulate you Marisol You are truly deserving of this recognition and we are so grateful for everything you do
I could I know you can see those around you here supporting you tonight who are so excited for you Welcome Marisol Silva our educational services professional of the year for Clark Preschool [Applause]
[Applause] Thank you Dr Heather and congratulations Marisol Tonight's recipients again many many congratulations Our recipients tonight
are a small sampling though of the excellence that lies among our staff in the Clark public schools They work tirelessly daytoday to make sure our students provided with the best of educational experiences And that good hard work of
theirs is what makes Clark Public Schools the special places that they are Thank you to all of our staff and again many congratulations to this evening's very well-deserving winners Thank you [Applause]
Okay And on behalf of the board I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all of the recipients of the governor governor's educator of the year Being an educator myself I know
um teaching is just such a wonderful profession and being a paraprofessional is also extremely rewarding Life isn't easy in the classroom as we all know And for the winners to be nominated they
have to be something absolutely extraordinary and special And so all of you are again congratulations and this is a remarkable time of your life So thank you At this time if there is anybody
that would like to leave you may Otherwise you can stay for the rest of the meeting [Music] Okay Yes please Honores please come to the front for a photo What about her
[Music] tell me about the photo [Music] [Music]
Okay thank you I think all of the pictures are have been taken All right Uh let me see Let's proceed with the meeting And at this time I would like a motion and a second for the approval of the minutes of March
10th Mrs Harrison Mr Bone B breeding Sorry it's on my mind Okay Scary I know Are there any questions revisions or comments to the um minutes
roll call Saconus Yes Yes Miss Harrison yes Miss Guerrero yes Mr Sman yes Mr Lewis yes Mr May yes And Mr Small yes Motion carried Okay thank you Now under personnel I'd
like a second Pardon oh that's right I thought we did that before Okay Um I'd like to open the floor to the public for agenda items only
Seeing none Oh oh okay Thank you Mr No problem Good evening Uh my name is Michael Schulman 382 Carolina Street Uh I had a couple of
questions or comments on agenda item number 23 Um this is the uh agenda item related to an $89,000 expenditure for architectural services for the uh proposed prek space at the
high school Uh several questions Uh it indicates in the proposed resolution that no one is looking to get any state aid specifically for this I was also wondering why there was no consideration potentially to apply for the grants that are available for certain school
construction Uh I was also wondering if this number represents only as it relates here specifically to the bathroom modifications and what the uh if the board has it at hand uh total expenditures are going to be uh for the
town to in essence build out the high school uh because this obviously is money that's not included in the five-year prek grant That's really for the tuition It's not to build the facility Um I also am curious to know if we are
in essence and now in I guess this is early April just approving potential expenditures Is there a realistic understanding that this is going to be built for September um obviously with all the work that's
going to have to be done And lastly second to last I should say um this is a 5-year grant for the tuition portion And I think we all hope that it continues and it's going to have to potentially be self-funded at that point
But the elementary schools has been discussed here previously are already overcrowded Those children will obviously filter up to the high school um is the plan obviously maybe it is maybe it isn't to keep this wing reestablished for a potential prek
program only to maybe need that same room 2 three five or 10 years later and have to again refurbish it when the schools are now at capacity again Is this uh expenditure to re refit part of
the high school to be uh the most appropriate solution lastly um some folks have been speaking and this is again anecdotal There has been obviously from last meeting and continues now push back on the idea of sending three and four
year olds onto the high school campus for a myriad of reasons Um placements I understand have now been sent out for students for next year that qualified for the program Uh has the board and maybe the superintendent may have better
answers for this seen parents once finding out their child is going to be placed at the high school versus the other locations withdrawing that preschool application because of the concerns people had for that specific location Thank you Very okay Mr Lewis
and then Mr Grande Yeah I I I think that Mr Schulman had a handful of questions It was more than one There was multi because we went into the prek I think that it would be appropriate if you could address some of the things uh that
Mr Schulman just talked about Absolutely So the preschool expansion aid funding actually allows us to use those monies for the type of renovations that we're looking to do to Arthur L Johnson High School because we're not putting on a
new addition to the building We're making adjustments to the existing physical space So the PA allows us like I said to use those funds including this $89,000 that is being approved this
evening for the architectural plans so that our district operating budget isn't hit that the preschool monies are used for this And we'll still have funds to be able to do the things you mentioned like hire the staff equip these classrooms and so forth
The plan is for the foreseeable future to maintain this wing at Arthur L Johnson High School Right now our high school population is about 800 and the building housed um we had an 1700 One of our gen one of the alumni
who are being honored actually mentioned he's like basically a school historian and he said that at one point ALJ housed 1,700 students So it has the capacity to hold close to double the amount of stu more than double the amount of students
that we have now And none of our high school programs next year will be cut They may be relocated in physical space but no programs will be cut In fact we're we're excited because we're adding programs to the 2526 program of studies
And we're appreciative of the parents whose children were placed there because even if they have concerns they are hearing us out and coming to our information session tomorrow night They submitted questions ahead of time that gave us time to prepare answers And some
of their questions actually helped us with our planning And tomorrow night not only will they receive answers to those questions but they'll see a vision for the physical space And I know myself I believe Mrs Olive Mrs Posski our ALJ administrative team our board of
education we're excited for this plan Thank you Just just one additional comment I believe we've only had one uh family withdraw after hearing and I've I I wasn't aware that we've actually had
1,700 at one point but I've had kids go from kindergarten through the elementarymentaries bursting at the seams and when they get to the high school there's still about 800 of them So it it doesn't really change that much And we've done demographic studies too as a board over the past few years to
look at the migration of the population and the potential impact on schools So if you asked me right now I couldn't see any which way where we would ever need that space back for the high school Thank you Mr
Brady Okay Any other comments from the public okay Thank you At this time uh may I have a motion and a second for the personnel items one through nine mr Lewis Ms Um
Kristen Mrs Kristen go ahead Miss Hickman Okay Thank you Um roll call Miss Akalotus Yes Mr Breedy Yes Miss Harrison Yes Miss Guerrero
Abstain on 23 48 Yes On the rest M Hickman Yes Mr Lewis Yes Mr May Yes And Mr tomorrow Yes Motion carried Okay Under curriculum and instruction
May I have a motion and a second for item number 10 mrs Harrison Mr Brady Roll call Excuse me Mr Breedy was second Yes Thank you
Miss Aonus Yes Mr Breedy Yes M Harrison yes Mr Yes Mr Eggman yes Mr Lewis yes Mr May yes And Mr Small yes Motion carried Okay Under policy may I have a motion any second for item number
11 mr May and Miss Guerrera Any questions comments seeing none roll call Echelonus Yes Mr Breedy yes Mr Harrison Yes Mr Guerrero Yes Mr Sickman Yes Mr Lewis Yes
Mr May Yes And Mr Swarm Yes Motion carried Okay Under board of governance May I have a motion and a second for items 12 through 18 mr May Mr Breedy Any questions or
comments seeing none roll call Yes Mr Breedy Yes M Harrison Yes Mr Ain on 13 14 16 17 18 Yes on 12 and 15
Sickman Yes Mr Lewis Yes Mr May Yes And Mr Small Yes Motion carried Okay Under finance May I have a motion and second for items 19 through 28 mr Small Mr
Breedy Any questions or comments seeing none roll call Yes Mr Breeny Yes M Harrison Yes M Guerrero Abstain on 21 22 25 Yes On the
rest M Yes Mr Lewis Yes Mr May Yes And Mr Small Yes Motion carry Okay Good Thank you All right Now Mr Gr may we have the report of the superintendent good evening and thank you Miss Alanis
Once again many congratulations to this evening's Governor Educators of the Year recipients On this evening's agenda we're approving the retirement of Patricia Damowitz our ALJ LDTC for 20 years and Mrs Gail Griffin most recently
our Frankie Henley secretary 19 years of service We're also approving the extended school year program more commonly known as Yesy for our special needs students during the month of July to be housed at Carl Com Middle School and the
Clark Municipal Building Many thanks to Gift Card Bank in partnership with Acme Markets Foundation for the donation of grocery store gift cards for our schools to use for our students and staff and looking forward to this
Wednesday evening our district-wide band bonanza again Wednesday the 9th at 7 pm in the ALJ lower gymnasium Under Mr Morrison's leadership there'll be a little bit of a different flavor to the evening Many thanks to him his music teachers and especially our student
musicians All Clark schools will go on spring break Our last day of school will be this Friday and we'll be off all the next week the following Monday and returning that Tuesday Thank you and have a great evening
Thank you Mr Grande Mr Smarl Yeah I I'd just like to add um our fall athletic seasons just recently concluded Uh just as as we get these we'll announce them but just want to make mention of a few postseason uh
accolades Um we had two wrestlers this year uh Zack Belio and Mattie Ortega that both went to the state tournament and Zach placed fourth in the state tournament He was a fourth place finalist It's the first time since 1999
that we've had a state finalist So congratulations to both of them Um our boys basketball team won the Valley Division this year with a perfect 12-0 record And uh Dean Yellen was just Dean Yellen Jr was just named by NJ.com as
the Valley Division Player of the Year So congratulations to him So I just wanted to point that out Thank you Mr Smarl Uh are there any report of the committees okay Well just make a quick comment Uh
this past week we had the high school play and it was the wedding singer and it was just really a fantastic production I don't know how many of you went to see it but uh I know the audience on Saturday night really enjoyed the program or the play and it
was just our youngsters did a fabulous job and again uh kudos to everyone that helped them prepare for it So it was really terrific Okay Uh is there any unfinished business any new
business and Mr Maza could we have the report of the student board member thank you and good evening Uh before I begin I'd like to second your point about the school musical I saw it on Friday night with some friends and it was fantastic I have some friends who are in the musical and I saw the hard work they put into it
and it was great to see them on stage So if you guys have a chance next year definitely check out the musical productions Now on to my report I'll begin my report with events at Arthur L Johnson High School Throughout March the National Honor Society ran their annual food drive All donated items will be given to families with in need within
our local community Alongside this members of the Science National Honor Society had the opportunity to share their love of science with students at Frank Ray Henley and Valley Road schools During these science enrichment days AOJ students did experiments and demonstrations with the students to
showcase the real side of science Speaking of science the Rucker Science Bus will be visiting Carl H Kf during a hands-on science lesson with seventh grade students this week On April 23rd the Comf Band will be visiting the elementary schools to showcase their hard work and get these students
interested in all things music Finally to close out April Bring Your Child to Work Day will be on April 24th Parents must fill out a form to participate uh which will be released this week Looking at Frankie Henley School three through fifth grade students will be participating in the first annual poetry
in motion event Students from each grade level will showcase their poems to an audience of peers and parents At the end of April coinciding with Earth Day students can participate in walk or ride your bike to school day On top of this students will get outdoors with an opportunity to plant flowers on school
grounds All throughout this week at Valley Road School students will be participating in a spirit week gearing up for spring break This includes wearing pajamas hiking gear and all sorts of other fun outfits Finally the school will wrap up the month month with the third grade field trip on April 25th
Finally at preschool tomorrow's teachers program has officially begun Working with mentors students have been learning about behavior strategies classroom management and more All while growing their love for learning and teaching Thank you Thank you All right Now can we have the hearing of the public for
non-aggenda items hi my name is Christina Crawford 1168 Lake Avenue I'd like to talk about our need for substitute teachers in our schools I'm glad to see that five substitute teachers are approved for hire Um how can we continue to increase this number and retain them five new
subs are okay but it's not enough for four schools in a developing preschool We love our teachers and we want to support them as best as we can We want them to be able to do their jobs the way they are intended not running around and covering for other absent teachers Um like it was mentioned at the last board
of ed meeting sometimes our kids have up to four different teachers covering the classes in one day We're all here because we want our kids to be well educated and well adjusted We are told that the Clark preschool curriculum Tools of the Mind places a strong focus
on self-regulation Um but really we know that regulation comes from having sturdy leaders sturdy teachers that can share in their calm with their kids Regulation comes from a stable environment and that's a tall order when our teachers have to give up many of their preps to
cover for other classes Regulation also comes from movement and it comes from music And right now our kindergarten classes only get music from YouTube on a Smartboard And with regards to movement our students don't have access to the playground on a consistent basis Sometimes because it's broken um but
mostly because it's just not big enough to accommodate everyone Like it was mentioned at the last sport of ed meeting our students don't leave the classroom for art steam computers health or music Uh we don't even have a library So if regulation is the name of the game in order for our test scores to improve
our students need to see these changes Now at the last Henley PTA meeting Mr Lewis shared that he heard our concerns and that a trailer could be possible to hold the specials there Uh thank you for listening Yes we absolutely need the
space Uh but re realistically we also need appropriate staff How can the students benefit from specials in a trailer if the special teacher is constantly whisked away to cover other classes again we're here to support our teachers and our students We want our
teachers to take the time off they are entitled to without worrying who will be covering for their classes How can we get more qualified subs and how can we retain them thank you Thank you for your comments Good evening Danzero 469 Westfield Avenue in Clark Two of my sons
are currently students at Henley School with two more on the way I want to thank Mr Grande and Mr Lewis for attending last month's uh meeting of the Henley PTA to address a few pressing matters I appreciate your cander your passion your presence Uh the resounding theme of what
Mr Lewis discussed was communication but here's the problem You admitted over and over again that the district has to do a much better job at communicating And then you left You didn't take questions There was no discussion no open forum as we were
promised Unfortunately it seems you were more interested in talking at us than with us You had the open ears and unique perspectives of 42 people in that room and you left The communication efforts of the entire board district and school
administration need to go much further Way beyond newsletters and emails and videos We need honesty transparency accountability and collaboration Frankly an open meeting with parents should have happened many months earlier the instant
the words free preschool crossed your desk Town hall meetings listening sessions open forums ad hoc committees discussions that go far deeper than a Google form or three minutes at the microphone during a board of ed meeting When it comes to issues that will cause
a seismic shift for our schools like adding free preschool like shifting students into modular classrooms like realigning and building onto our schools for exploding enrollment like figuring out how to attract and afford and retain all-star teachers if you want community
buyin and support for your big decisions the community needs to be a part of those conversations during the planning process not as an afterthought Obviously some brainstorming and planning needs to happen behind the scenes but the fact that you quote had
no idea that Henley School has music and art on a cart and that most days students spend six hours stuck in a single classroom and that the parking lot is so small it can't afford a single space for visitors never mind additional staff for preschool and that the
playground is broken and wholly inadequate It means you're out of touch with the concerns of parents and students and the problems with our schools And that means you don't have the best data to make the best decisions for our kids Now apparently there is a bond referendum coming up in September
For some reason hardly any information has been shared about what we might be voting on And I can't fathom why it's such a secret If you want Clark parents to show up and vote more importantly if you want voters with no children to vote
in favor of whatever is proposed I hope you share your vision You really need to start talking And more importantly I hope you start listening too Thank you [Applause]
Mr Lewis Yeah I I I I'd like to address a couple of those questions those statements Um it would be remiss if anyone thought that Mr Grande myself coming to the
March meeting we didn't understand the concerns from what happened here at this meeting We need to have a module We don't have enough space We have a lot of different
issues at Henley that we need to correct now that we have to talk about Uh I don't I don't think anybody is keeping that a secret I think what happened last month is really a need for action And you talk about subs One of
the parents got up and talked about having three or four different th those those statements were made I did field a few questions and I got a little more educated on some of the dire needs of the building And I
really feel that a statement was made at that PTA meeting that a parent said "We have a lot of energy a lot of passion for our PTA and the fact that we got to get both schools on track of their needs
There's a lot of frustration in that meeting It wasn't a case to sit back and field questions from everyone It was a fact of coming supporting and doing something The personnel committee is
looking at Valley Road and Henley They're in dire need of a lot of things to be the school that we want those schools My children went through Henley I understand fully and it is troubling because it's needed right now and all
the different render referendum stuff and stuff that we're talking about We're in the second stage of talking about needs Right now my opinion the most important thing for Valley and Henley is space room It was really compelling when
a parent made a comment about having their child be in class for four or five hours straight in one room There's too many students that need to get out and about and be able to get out of their seat and do those things That is that
was just really really stunning and that was educational for me because I only put my own children in that position and I don't think that's an easy thing for the teacher or the students in the classroom So I I don't want anyone to take this that we taking a blind eye I
know I'm not and I will take action and we have Henley and Valley both on the radar because if our elementaryaries don't do well how could the district do well they're the beginning stages of getting a good experience The parents in those schools
are superly involved and I will make sure I'm available to do whatever I can for Henley and Valley And I do agree a lot of your comments are are valid but believe me I don't think the board of education is not acknowledging what's
going on and what we need to do What we need to do is one word make some change Just change And it's got to be good change Mr Grande I think that we talked about this We brought this into personnel and I just think that right
now this is a more than serious problem for both schools and we just got to figure out the spacing issue I think that's the most important thing right now to figure out where our sizes where our issues how to make it better And uh
I have no problem reporting to your next meeting of the basically potential things that we're going to do that this way you feel that you're part of this or we're part of this And I'm going to say one last thing It's encouraging We should have that
dialogue We should not be afraid to be able to listen to any of them It's got to be combative It's constructive I I commend what you're trying to do You got your children there and it's for all parents There should be one sub for that classroom Period I get all that But I
will say one thing We do care I know I care and I know I'm going to be there when you invite any board members to come I certainly feel the same way about all our schools But I right now I think our attention needs to be down below to
get that going where it needs to be So I just want that to be said and I think we'll talk more Mr ree you know with that multiple issues that we have and yes and I think uh just to add to that Mr Lewis I think yes there has to be
more communication and I think uh between Mr Grandandy and then the different um committees that we have will be able to get more information out to the public to the parents and solicit your recommendations your thoughts So
there is a two-way communication and more communication going out to the parents I know that's very important because you're the stakeholders So we need to address your needs Okay Mr Small Yeah Um I'd just like to add um I I
think it would be naive on our part to say that communication can't be improved I mean communication can always be improved but I think it's important to understand a couple things uh in regard to your comments regarding the preschool and the referendum We originally had to pull the
preschool program together for this January It was an enormously tight time frame we were scrambling ourselves to meet that timeline So ex extraordinarily difficult to try to communicate what
we're going to do because we hadn't figured it all out ourselves And I would answer the same way as it pertains to the referendum We are still working through finalizing what the referendum should look like working with outside resources We were not in a position to
come and talk to you about the specifics of the referendum right now because we're still going through it behind the scenes As soon as we finalize that the plan is to obviously communicate it to you Same way with the preschool As we get through it as we can kind of
finalize some of this stuff where we have effective talking points we're going to communicate it So I do recognize the fact that communication is is something that we constantly have to improve on but also want you to understand that specifically as it
pertains to the preschool and to the referendum we're still trying to put this stuff together ourselves to make sense of it And in terms of the subs I think this has been an ongoing issue for us for a while We continue to try to work through it but I think everyone throughout the county and the state is
being challenged with the same issue And it's just you know my my answer to you is we hear you loud and clear We recognize it and understand it We certainly we have uh board members up here who have children in the school and it's and it's a challenge for everyone It's it we're not ignoring it We're
we're trying to figure it out ourselves Yeah I was going to speak to that I just on a personal level there's many of us I mean we've already spoke to that whose children have gone through the system but we have children at those schools right now So we I heard what you said It was beautifully said Thank you for
coming up and stating it And just know that you know as board member I want to see all of our students do well and all of our resources used in the best way possible But also we know what you're talking about because we have students that are in classrooms just like yours
lack of subs not moving from class to class Um and you know to to Mr Small's point unfortunately I do also work in a different district where we're facing similar problems I'm not saying that because I think you should feel bad for for board of educations but the reality is we are going to have to get more
creative and we are going to have to you know speak to you guys and and we're really depend on the community to get those subs to get those people who might be interested in in in coming in and subbing in our schools Um because that's huge huge
Mr Bry Yeah I just wanted to add because I I agree with Miss Harrison that your um your statements were very well spoken and uh and and appreciated Um I'll say this I'll I'll piggyback on
what Mr Smarl said about communication being better But I will say there are times where we are taking that feedback right so there's been a lot of adjustments to the preschool alone just based on a lot of public outcry right probably the timing was terrible right should have but but up against the clock
making some decisions We're trying to avoid that and and the good thing is that I think based on some preliminary things we've seen with regards to the referendum a lot of the items that you just spoke about are going to be addressed in that I know that doesn't solve the problem today Right Not listen
as Miss Harrison just said we all have fifth graders at Henley right now Right so they won't ever be the recipient of a new playground at Henley but it needs to be done Uh there's a a lot of what you said needs to be done So I I want you to know that things are being heard and we they are being talked
about Just because maybe they don't end up on Facebook or put out publicly it doesn't mean that we're not addressing it or that we don't care for certain And just one last point communication is only effective when
there's action that when we hear all these needs we got to take action And I I I I just want you to know the board does care And we have three or four of our board members with children in Henley But it's action It's action I
think now the communication that shell has been cracked We get that We understand that That was done in the month of March So we understand And what other issues that we need to discuss we discuss and then we move to the action
part that actually things are happening to make both schools better Bill Draggy 47 Post Road Clark New Jersey Um five of my children went to the uh schools in Clark And I think the big biggest change
it could make uh to make the the schools better is to get rid of a Democrat president uh governor He is so bad Governor Murphy
uh keeping uh gender identity uh from the parents He wants he he doesn't want any any uh if there's any differences between the parents and this and the child of
the parent and gender identity He says the state must be the one that decides not the uh the parent the state law which says they the teachers cannot
interfere if a child wants to be a boy and is really a girl or vice versa Uh he is so bad Uh uh President Trump said he's going after he's going to investigate the schools in
California Governor Nuome because he did the same thing keeping uh identity of of gender identity away from the parents And uh it's not only that he also has a law Governor Murphy in Jersey
teaching abortion to the stu abortion things to the students You have to teach it and he's responsible for abortion in this state He could have vetoed uh the abortion bill when it came up a few years ago Um and he
didn't Uh so the best change anybody can make to make this and also he was also threatening to take away federal funds from uh any any state that does not uh go along with uh Trump's
uh no gender changing to the to the children Trump Trump doesn't want that to happen If he's if he finds it happening he's going to take away federal funds So if any federal funds are involved in this construction that you were just talking about he'll be taking that away Uh he said he would do
that Uh so the best thing to do is to take get the NJA funds away from the Democrats because they are so bad Um Governor Murphy is responsible for
killing thousands of people in the uh the in the nursing stations just as Governor Cuomo did and just as Governor Nuome did And this is coming from the top someplace All all the really Democrat
states your time is up Are responsible for that Thank you Your time is up Thank you Good evening again Michael Schulman 382 Carolina Street Uh not to parrot Miss Crawford and Mr Zaro but I think the two issues they've spoken about are
incredibly important and those concerns were raised last month They were raised at the PTA meeting that superintendent Mr Lewis attended but the agenda tonight was absent of any discussion of those things Uh the issue specifically of
modules uh those were approved from my review of the prior agendas some time ago They've been approved four of them Mhm So your children who were fifth graders they could have been
installed already but now we're approaching another school year close to the end Frankly it seems uh the modules are needed Put it on the agenda vote on it so they can be constructed and installed for September We don't need to
have more discussion on that Self-evident at this point Uh and it's not just one One's going to need two for approved and Mr Lewis and they can confirm uh based on the comments of the last month those are very needed uh as
it goes to communications Excuse me I'm sorry Mr Shman can we just answer that first sure There was reason those those modules were originally approved because we were planning to have the preschool program there and they were going to be funded through the preschool grants Once
we made the decision to move that preschool to the high school they were no longer being considered because they were part of the preschool solution Just so you understand that was the they were not a separate they were not a separate
item for Henley for the existing Henley students that were there They were specifically being done because of the preschool program Right And the couldn't do modules for the prek and the kindergarten is what the issue was I'm aware you're correct that we you can't put you we learned that first of all you
couldn't it wasn't that wasn't necessarily going to be a showstopper We couldn't put preschool children in the modules You had to move one of the the kindergarten the super little kids in the modules Correct Understood And and then we opted to move to a different solution Yes This is why as I said
earlier we're still we were still trying to process and put all this together to figure out what the right solution was going to be before we went forward and communicated it I I think collectively the town understands that you had to jump at the opportunity for the program
Uh the difficulty and the forethought We simply don't have the building space Right that's the in the underlying problem is we lost our old school at Brewer to municipal offices and we built this building didn't build it big enough to make sure we had Brewer again for the
inevitability of needing more room Nevertheless the issue of communication I think is also important because again scrolling through I don't know probably the last four or five years of agendas back this past summer there was a
uh item passed for I think it was about $90,000 to a communications firm to promote the bond initiative Uh obviously I don't think anyone's seen it yet It sounds like it's still being worked on but I would imagine
that when we talk about communication we just put an outlay of about two teacher salaries into communication I think it's important that we understand that these folks are passionate They're also smart And we're going to look and see well they've
allocated $90,000 to a firm to sell the public on a bond initiative And now I'm hearing today well it's not quite ready We frankly know it needs to be ready in advance of the election because it has to get onto the ballot and there's printing issues
Uh can the board at least report when the language and the items it intends to put into the money it intends to want to allocate for the bond when will it be done i don't think we spent the $90,000 on that Mr Grande could you please
address i'll let you down So we initially had a proposal from Laura Bishop and Associates who's basically she's the guru throughout the state for bond referendum PR and her initial proposal was perhaps 90,000 I have to go back in
the agendas and look um the board myself Mr Fizuzo had a discussion and we paired that back because we wanted to be conservative with our monies and I want to say the figure where it came in at was around
40,000 We're currently working with Laura Bishop and her team as we speak She was just in district last Tuesday um to do a site v visit to get ready for the video that's going to be begin getting filmed on April 30th Myself Mr Vizuzo the board we've been ask actually
ask actually asking Miss Bishop because we're hungry to communicate some of the details to the public and she is strongly advising us to not do so yet because we don't want to send misleading messages right now we're just getting
data back from the state in terms of what's going to be funded and what's not So to put something out halfbaked Believe me myself the board we understand your your hunger to be communicated with and to be given information but we also want to be
prudent and not put out halfbaked plans and say we're going to do project X Y and Z and then that morphs into project A B and C and then people lose trust because they feel as if we're misleading them The same thing was true with the um
preschool plan Like u Mr Sporl mentioned we were under a very tight timeline We got the grant in Octo we got the additional state aid in October We had to open for January and then before you knew it we were taking registrations and so forth
for the coming school year We didn't want our parents to we wanted to try to minimize the effect of parents having to put down deposits So we expediated the registration process as soon as we had a con concrete
plan and that plan was to put the classrooms at ALJ Yes we we were strongly toying with mobile units at the Henley school We're not running from that But due to a number of factors we came to the ultimate decision that the
plan at ALJ was a stronger plan And as soon as we we had a special board meeting to discuss that to finalize that and that board meeting was on Wednesday the public was communicated with on Friday that the plan was for ALJ So
again um I'm taking the feedback also We and I'm it's not just rhetoric We truly can always do a better job myself in communicating but please know sometimes even with the optimal communication level there's going to be times when we
can't share everything as quickly as we would like to and it's a small town Rumors get out there and so forth but as soon as we have a definite plan we do try to communicate it Thank you Any other comments okay thank you Any other
comments from the public okay this was a very good dialogue very good information and I think u there will be results coming from this u board meeting anyway Okay Um
can I have a motion for adjournment mrs Miss Guerrera Mr Breedy All in favor i Anyone opposed thank you
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