November sorry board of educations notice published by date time and place thereofald. Please join me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for which it stands one nation under God
indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay. So, so when we placed policies on the agenda, this was based on zero policies that would have been discussed during
our um board retreat. Unfortunately, due to scheduling, we were unable to get the collective board to a second board retreat. So, what I'd like to do is start with policy 0155. This policy was
brought to the leadership by Mr. >> We have comments first. >> So, we're going to run out of time. I was going to do it by um comments per policy. That way, we have the opportunity to speak to the policy.
>> That That's a great idea. >> Um by myself and Mr. Santana. I will defer to Mr. Santana. um on why he wanted to discuss it. However, I just want to refer to everyone um an email
noted on August 19th, 2025. This was brought as a concern and sent to our chairpersons as a result of a conversation with um
when Thornton and it was discussed that we are not getting through all of our um topics that are being sent by trustees to committees um as they do become secondary to the business in the board
for our policy um for our small committees. So what we discussed um with Miss Thornton and um she stated that we should review this policy
and it was sent to our um committee chairs and then to the entirety of the board. Just noting that we may want to clearly explain um and provide a state provide explicit language that proposed proposed topics must relate to
governance role of trustees rather than operational or district level. Um and that items outside of the scope of the trustes role should not advance to the committee discussion or consideration. Um and then Mr. Santana, do you have
anything to add to 0155 and your concern on that policy? >> I'll wait for my colleagues to go first. >> Okay. Um, additionally, if we want to coincide with regulation, so zero policies do not require regulation
because we self-govern. Currently, we updated this policy in 2022. We did not um update the regulation which is not provided by Strauss. It was um created by the board in 2017. It currently has
11 policies, policies that we are not currently functioning with. So we have the option tonight to eliminate it entirely and we're make there's no business having today but we can consider elimin discussing eliminating it entirely or I recently um
worked with administration to create small summaries of our six policies that we can review as a first read after we discuss this and we have it updated by Miss Tai um to just update what the regulations currently states which is
like a summary what the role of said small committee is. Um so everyone will get three minutes and I can open up the floor to the board. >> Mr. >> Okay, I'll go very quick so we um get
some work done. Um I think the the first of all the these policies I think we should have 100% agreement. when I was a when I I was elected in my first
term that is something that I cherish from the past leadership that we had a 100% agreement. Why? Because these policies are not for us. These policies are are for just for the future too for future board members. So
think future like once we're no longer here like we're not going to be here forever, right? Okay. So on the right in the middle it says except for committees of the whole board. All committees shall consist of no more than four board members. And then the next sentence says
the president shall have the right to vote at any committee meeting in their ex official capacity unless a committee has only two members voting and the board split. Uh I believe the the the president is not allowed to vote unless the president is the president of the
board is the chair of the committee. So that should be explicitly stated in the policy. Um the paragraph that that says the president in consultation with the vice president shall appoint members and chairpersons of all committees created
in in charge. I think we should add here the president or vice president should ensure diversity, equity and inclusion in the appointments. Meaning we shouldn't we should not appoint people
based on uh we should we should try to promote to appoint chairpersons and members in to reflect the diversity of our district. Okay. Their um the professional
expertise and the best interest of the children rather than uh who we like, who we don't like. Um it says a member may request or refuse appointment to a committee. I don't want a board member I'm thinking when I'm not here. I don't
want anybody to serve in a committee they don't want to they don't want to serve just because they were appointed. So I think it should say a member is entitled to refuse or accept an appointment to a committee because what if you what if you want to what if you
pick certain committees and you are appointed to a committee you did not choose that's not fair you should not be appointed to a committee you didn't want to serve I think that should be on the policy and then I I'll wait I'll wait
>> anyone else so one of of the things is I think seniority should be considered when you go in a job any job seniority sometimes is considered which classes you see get or what uh courses you take where do you actually we don't have that people that
are first term get chair positions where people that served on this board who have a lot of expertise who have been here for a long time and learned a lot from the senior members don't get any consideration at all and I think that's
a problem. So I know that seniority we can put in a considering factor. I also think it's important to put at least your first two choices should if you're uh should be uh you should get at least one of your first two choices for the committees because
one year there is a current board member now that got no committees. They chose zero. They had no budget committees at all because somebody didn't like them. That's a problem because in a workplace you might not like someone doesn't mean
you're not going to get get committees or anything that that just looks petty and it makes us look like a board that can function well at the same time. So that's one problem. Everyone should get a com How about also stating that everyone should get at least one
committee that's part of a budget >> that's already in place. >> It's not stated but it is in place. Can they put it in the policy? Because that happened three years ago with a board member first year, they got zero. >> Yes. And I believe as a result of that, that's why when Mr. But I'm not I'm not
opposed, but that is why Mr. Beldowski and I put that in place. I also want to be clear, we're talking about the future, but we're also referencing the past. And for the last two years, um, and I'm looking back to actually January 8th of this year, every single trustee on this board
got their first choice committee. every single trustee at their first. >> I I understand that that you got put in place, but it should be in the policy that every every board member gets a committee, a
committee that is part of a budget that's part of the rules that you like in five years somebody's here. You're maybe not guys here anymore. We still have it in our policy that says every single board member must be part of committee that is part of the budget
process. It's so that there's no way that it could be misinterpreted, changed or whatever. So that's one thing that I really think is important. Another thing is um the committees the the regulation I
do not want to remove. I think it's >> the regulation 0155 I do not want to remove. >> We can update it. >> We can update it. But one of the committees that's that was that's on it we don't do and I think we should do is the community relations committee I
think it's a great way to talk to members of the public without having a public board meeting giving three minutes having actually discussion with the public and we don't do that but we can keep that committee and actually create it for next year and have so
that's I think will be a cool committee and it's like it's like you people can come and say their concerns and it's more more or less informal versus on TV. Nine of us going
to know I'm sorry if you could just give me a moment. Um I I hear you but I believe this is outside of our purview and that's why it was taken out. This if you read through this this is very operational and district. It is not in
our purview as policy makers to hold a committee like this. Dr. has held meetings like this, but this is not in our purview. >> That so a public relations committee,
the board does not go out and meet with the public individually. That that would be no, that would not be appropriate. You have a chief school administrator, your former superintendent sitting to my right. Um they deal with the public. You guys deal with the public here. When you have
a um community relations, you meet really you meet with the administration and figure out how you're going to put things out into the public. Um what what I would suggest is um looking at your
your current 015 And it says um you look at the very bottom of it, it says education, finance, buildings and grounds, special ed, personnel and policy. So you have
five standing committees >> that are two that must meet two times a year. >> Six standing though, including >> um negotiations. >> Well, negotiations doesn't meet two times a year. They meet on an ad needed basis because they don't negotiate every year. But the five standing committees
meet at least two times a year every year. Those are the five that have to be filled. Um so and you guys have made that clear. Those are the and I would say that um Miss >> Fovich Falovich
um every one of these committees education then you have education small committee. I don't know what that means, but education, finance, building, and ground, special ed, personnel and policy, every one of those touches on the budget. Every single one of them.
Um, some might be more than others. I mean, if your building committee is talking about building like a new school or something, that's a huge thing. >> My concern was that board member got zero. >> Well, I think that I think that that >> the way you >> This was three years ago by you >> and No, it was on purpose. But you said
in the public meeting it was done on purpose. Just make it excuse me. >> It's on video three years ago and I wasn't even the president, >> right? >> You were the vice president and you said it was on purpose. It's on video so anybody can hear it. >> Okay.
>> Um we do need to change um special ed to student services. >> Yes. And and we don't have two education committees. So one of them have to be crossed out. >> Yeah. We do we have an education of the whole which are two standing committees every year and then we have education
small >> can we correct the record >> no we have >> but there's no distinguish there's no distinction in the >> there is it says education and then education small small committ >> but the education doesn't say it's a committee of a whole >> neither does policy
>> so it's confusing >> no it says that it says committee of the whole >> the last paragraph it says education education small committee >> small means All right. So, let's refer back. Uh, Miss Brown,
>> we're discussing the regulation right now or the >> We are discussing the policy. >> Okay. Um, just on the regulation, it does denote the different education. >> Uh, Dr. Bolini, >> the question I have
board president is that is there any committee that's not part of the budget process? I thought our attorney said no, but I want to make sure. >> So technically um what we identify as um budget committees are finance and buildings and grounds,
student services, personnel and education small. >> Yeah, >> those are our four like >> that's which is which are >> budget um shared >> services. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Miss
>> is shared services on here. >> I didn't see it. Can we add it because that's part of our committees? >> Yeah, that that's the committee. That's the only one. >> Anyone else? Miss
>> so if I read it correctly it's education of of the whole and policy of the whole have to have at least two meetings. So I don't remember ever having an education of the whole >> we do they are embedded in our um Jan
January or February February and June they are our um presentations by um Dr. Dianio and Miss Keller and in the past, Miss Lactina and Mr. Franco, and they are denoted on our calendar and in our
meetings that they are considered education of the whole meeting. They're like our uh state of the school's address. >> Mr. Santana, >> um respect respectfully, of course, that sounds totally confusing having a having
the the district leadership do a presentation. That's not a that that that is not a committee that's not a committee meeting. That's not a committee of the whole meeting. That's a presentation by the superintendent uh twice a year or once a year. That's not a committee meeting. Respectfully, come on. Let's not insult our
intelligence. Okay? That's not a committee meeting. Um on the on the uh minute the paragraph before the last one it says uh the chairperson shall keep reasonably complete minutes of the meeting.
The district is not supposed to write the minutes of the committee meetings. Wiling is not saying that. New Jersey school board association is saying that. Why? The district cannot control the narrative of what we discuss for obvious reasons. Right? So the chairpersons are
supposed to be the ones writing the minutes and sending the minutes to the to the board. If the chairperson don't send the the minutes, then the minutes can be requested to the administration. That's the way it's supposed to be and it should be on the policy. Um
we have a little confusion with the interpretation of the policy. Um says agenda the the third paragraph uh The third paragraph from from the bottom up agenda item shall be decided upon the chairperson consultation with the superintendent should a board member
whether a member of a committee or not wish for a topic to be brought for this for discussion. So there's a there's a misinterpretation of the policy by some board members who think the topic should be brought on the agenda, right? But
certain topics are not being discussed. They're being listed on the agenda but they're not being discussed. So the the agenda says it the item will be put on future agenda within of one of the next two meetings of the committee. That's too confusing. This is too confusing.
I'm thinking when once I'm no longer on the board, why don't we have uh freedom of discussion and as long as the item pertains to our lane, let it be discussed.
But we shouldn't micromanage oursel. It it this is too restrictive. Too restrictive. You want an item discussed. Even if I agree or not, we should discuss it at the next available meeting. At the next available meeting. Like
>> you're looking for is for it to note that it needs to be placed on the agenda and discussed. >> Yes. >> Within the next two meetings. And the committee chair should be responsible for the committee me minutes. Not the district. >> Say that that needs to be enforced. >> Not the district. And we agree at the
board retreat which is not being followed that the minutes were supposed to be detailed and offer the opinions of those who were not in favor of the recommendation and that is not being done. >> Okay. So we have to go if we're gonna
because we're asking Miss Ty to help us adjust these. So you are asking specifically for it to note that it'll be placed on one of the two next agenda items and discussed. Okay. So what we'd also like to put up to discuss right now
is that it needs to be policy and oversight and not operational or district level. Yes. Which is noted by non-debatable. >> Okay, Mr. >> Point of order. >> I
miss >> Can I kindly request that we all stay off our cell phones that are sitting at the table? Thank you, >> Mr. Bowski. Um, I just want to highlight that I we had extensive conversation in
the past when this was edited back in 22 um concerning the addition of an item to the agenda. And and while I recognize that the language that we added was to allow board members to add to any agenda
rather than it being controlled just by the chairman, which I I think that's important. I think it's also important to recognize that we shouldn't allow any committees to be ran by any board member. No one board member should define everything that's
discussed or filled the entire committee meeting with any items that they want discussed. I think it's important to allow the committee, which is usually three or four members, to recognize that, hey, this isn't an item that we're
interested in. The point of it going to committee is so that you can gauge interest before bringing it to the whole board. If four board members already don't want to discuss this, it doesn't seem beneficial um for it to be discussed in that
committee. Then I I think we need to have that that um ability to place it on the agenda, but the committee as a whole decided that's not something we want to move forward with as a topic. Does that make sense?
>> I think I understand what you're saying. Um I think the conversation we need to be having right now is how we determine whether a topic presented to the chair >> is policy versus this district level and
operational. >> Sorry. Um okay so part of our committees is not just items from the board members but also items that have to be discussed from the district from the
superintendent from administration. We have limited amount of time. >> A committee is actually just to clarify for you a committee is actually um to discuss upcoming agenda items or anything that is currently in front of the district. What you'll notice is the
majority of our agenda items are what we discussed prior >> right but given the fact that we have time constraints if we have to say that we have to discuss certain things within one or two meetings
forces either extremely lengthy meetings how which how do we control that because we have issues with timeliness you know how much time things take or we then miss important things to discuss that the district that we have to discuss as a board time-sensitive things. Is there
a way to determine the time-sensitive nature of discussing certain items that perhaps board members do want to bring forward? But is there a an opportunity a method a way sorry a way that we can talk too much um a way for
us to I don't want to say rank importance but time sensitivity of items that come to an agenda and say okay if it can't be discussed in one or two because of a running out of time can that be extended to three I don't know what the answer is but I feel like if we
just open say any any items that are brought brought forth have to be discussed within one or two meetings. It forces us into a position where we're going to run into other things. Either a committee meeting that may run into three hours or important items that have
to be discussed in a time-sensitive nature not being gotten to because they're pushed out by other things. So, how do we address that? I don't know the answer to that, but I just wanted to bring that. >> Denise, is that something that you can check with Strauss on? >> I can answer the question in one second.
My recommendation would be that the item will be put on a future agenda of one of two of the next two meetings of the committee and if majority of the committee decides to discuss it, it will be discussed. You guys operate as a board and majority
whether it's here or if it's in a committee the majority should control that. You don't want to have one person raising issues that don't really have merit. So I think you You could easily because you have your committees your committees are made up of no more than
four board members. So if majority of the committee says yes we want to discuss it it's discussed. >> I know I'm just I'm just writing that down. But you also both had an opportunity to speak for three minutes. I'm just going to make sure that everyone else has
would like to speak and then we can go again. We are at 7:34. We do have to open by 8:00 p.m. legally. Is there anyone else would like to speak before I do another goound? M. >> So what h why this provision was miss me
and Mr. Iken actually made this provision. What happened and it still happened even with this provision is that we had an great idea and the majority didn't want to talk about it. Then we talked about it during a board meeting and then they got mad at us to talk about it during learning meeting
because we couldn't talk about it in the committee meeting and then they became it became like a hoopla everywhere because I would just bring up if I can't talk about it in an education committee meeting fine I'll talk about it at the board meeting and then it was like oh you surprised everyone well how do you
want me to proceed what I have here on this board as a board member is my voice and my vote that's all I have on this board And I'm going to use my voice to advocate for the people that elected me. So by people saying, "Oh, the majority
or the I had a topic that I had to fight with the chair of the education committee because he says, I don't like the topic. We're not going to cover it." And I'm like, "There's a policy stick. I don't care." Then I had to go board leadership and say, "Hey, we have a policy about this." And I it took me
about two months to get that thing on the agenda, which is wrong. We all if we have if a hundred ideas are here then we we as a board members should discuss them. It could be five minutes could be two minutes but give your people that
are on the board courtesy. If they have an idea let them have that idea and by closing their mouth and saying nope we're not going to discuss it at the committee meeting they'll discuss it at the whole meeting for the whole public to see. There's no other choice. So I
think by creating language like that that's what happened before and then everyone changed it and I was actually the author of that to and if you listen to the meeting it should be discussed within two meetings. It's me and Mr. Ken made that language and unfortunately we
didn't make it that clear. We're not lawyers so obviously we made a mistake. So okay we learned our lesson but at that point we wanted it to be discussed within two I have topics that we just discussed and I gave it nine months ago. It shouldn't take nine months to discuss
and everybody on board in the education committee loved that idea. But it took us nine months to discuss it. It's not fair either. It's truly not fair. >> Anyone else? Mr. Santana, >> I think
everybody here is highly educated. Where is the fear in discussing ideas? I don't like the whole respectfully that this whole if the if the majority doesn't agree then then you know it's the well if we if we want to have a
board starting in January with the majority faction and the minority faction hey it's going to be on you but that's not in the best interest of the children we cannot run this board based on well the majority is imposing this so the
minority have to live with it if that's how if that's what you want to two, let's get rid of all the committees and let's have a a work session where all the topics are discussed because if you fear discussing ideas that you don't agree with, that is not a very
intelligent thing. If you discuss ideas that you don't agree with and the reason why Mr. King and Miss Feel brought that up is because I went through a very difficult time during my first term because my ideas were not were not
people in during my first term didn't want to not even talk about it because they didn't agree with. Why would you not want to talk about things you don't agree with? We are the board of education. We supposed to discuss things we don't
agree with. This is part of democracy. the interchange of ideas and you know what I do agree with Mr. uh Badaskki, we can't have one board member having all these topics and discussing 20 topics with one particular board member. You
know, I I felt the pain this year, but at the same time, I'm warning the whole board. Okay? If you want to have a majority imposed policy or process, that
is very sad because everybody here is a representative of our community. And those of us who are ethnic minorities feel very excluded when the word when certain words are being thrown around. So, let's
let's be a little sensitive because everybody here, 99.9% here, we were elected and we represent the entire community. And our children are looking up to these meetings. And I don't want a child to
think just because you're not part of the majority, your ideas don't get to be discussed. What kind of message are you sending to the children? We are the board of education. And we're not the board of well I don't like the idea so we have four votes.
If that's how you want to do it remember in January 30% of this board 33.3% for the math teachers 33.3% of this board is going to be an is going to be made up of immigrants people born in another country. So if we want to go
with well we have the votes we're going to impose our will >> the children are not going to win. Just for reference, the current board is also comprised of 33.3% immigrants. Um, so I just want to refer back to what
I have noted to ensure that we can give Miss Tai not pronouncing my last name right am I? Okay. Um, so we noted that we need to state explicitly that proposed topics must relate to the governance of the role of trustees rather than operational and district matters. Change special education to student services. add add shared
services to our policy. Every BOE member should be placed on a budget committee and that would be finance BNG, student services, education, small and personnel. And that for regulation, we're going to update summaries of the current six committees.
>> We didn't discuss about the the topics. We we going to leave it alone because how who's going to determine if it's governance or not? We're going to start having this problem again. Let people talk. If it's two minutes or three minutes, not a big deal. >> No, but if if it's not in our lane, why
are we discussing it? >> There are certain things that were not in our lane and it came out really cool. Things that you should be able to discuss things. >> So, I think that and we talked about >> it could be perceived. It could be perceived not in our lane, but we should give the we should give the courtesy to the board. >> Well, we have a field rep from the New
Jersey School Bo Association that can be a new a neutral arbiter. >> So, this is not a back and forth. Let's let's try and circle back. We do only have um just under 20 minutes before we have to open. Um why don't we have Miss T I'm gonna say this wrong again. Miss
Ty um do a first read for us and then we will meet again. Yeah. Uh state explicitly the proposed topics must relate to the governance of the role of trustees rather than operational or district level matters. Change special ed to student services.
add shared services to our policy and then every BOE meeting should be placed on a budget committee finance BNG student services education small and personnel and then for the regulation we're going to update the summaries of the current six committees um thank you for that missa
>> so it already says that so I just don't know um we can make that more clear but I'd rather get a rough draft first it does state that it should be written by a chairperson >> is it right in current. >> It also says that. So I wanted
>> So they're synonymous. Number 10. You can change you can change the word from may to >> can be in a certain committee because >> change words from may to can >> accept or reject.
>> That's an affirmative. >> We don't have I'm sorry >> the the the I am not Mr. Kim. He's a wonderful man. But we we look at >> 7:45 guys got to open at >> the the um
let me lose my 20. >> Yes. The membership of the comm of the me the membership of the committees shall reflect the the diversity of the board. Not only in diver, not only in the
traditional sense but also we should consider the men, the women, the people who are experienced, the people who have certain expertise, certain uh uh um uh knowledge. Uh for example, Mr. King
is a financial genius. He was never made chair of the finance committee. And I'm going to tell you why. if he >> All right, I'm gonna we're we're not going to have this conversation right now. He is not here. He is not here to be a part of this conversation. So, I'm going to note that we're gonna get language that states the committee
should reflect the membership of the board. Anything else? seniority is considered when com uh when picking the >> so unfortunately we can't do that only because we can't even consider seniority for at least one of our um
>> well no not I understand negotiation can but the other can be considered if you've been on the committee for a while you should be seniority >> I in all cander I think that putting seniority in is going to possibly uh
contradict what what Trustee Wila just talked about as having diversity. You might have somebody who comes on the board brand new who is the you know head of Goldman Sachs. They know they know a lot about things. So I I don't think you
want to do seniority. I think what you want to do is have the president and vice president along with looking at what people are interested in looking at the the diversity and the expertise that people have in certain areas. You might have somebody who's a retired
superintendent might be very good at policy because of the experience. So I think that the problem with and I can tell you just when you deal with I do a lot of labor negotiations seniority doesn't necessarily it often um thwarts
the ability to have uh the diversity and I think it also might thwart people's uh choices because you guys are doing you know what what interests certain board members. I think what trustee Wilin was saying before is that, you know, you want to have people that are interested. You don't want people I don't want to do
that committee. I have no interest in that. You want to have people who So, I would not recommend putting seniority. I think that the the goals of having the board well represented, people having their first choices um and and and the well represented the diversity that Trusty Wil was talking
about was having the president, vice president looking at the expertise of your board members and and so you don't want to exclude somebody just because they're not the more senior person on the on the board. >> Yeah. Well, I I I think seniority can be
very dangerous. One more thing I wanted to add. How about creating a policy committee um of the small and having because I would love I love policy. That's something I really enjoy doing and and this will clear up the policy committees from all the other chairs. So
the committees actually can discuss topics because sometimes we just talk about a policy for a while and we waste so much time and everybody gets upset because I'm so excited about a policy and everybody's like Rita stop talking about a policy. >> I agree. So why don't we clear up because I love policy. This is something
I enjoy doing and some no seriously some people hate policies on their board and this would be actually something that is everybody would be happy. >> Can I just get a thumbs up? Is is every tell me who is interested in a policy
small thumbs up? >> You're still here now. No, I'm just asking for an agreement. Like, is everybody interested? Okay. So, let's add um Denise, I'm just
gonna Miss Ty, I'm just gonna send you this one email. Okay. And considering policy small. And then can we just really quickly refer to the regulation? Um is everyone comfort Do we want to consider discussing
termination of this regulation or we'd like to update the regulation to have the summaries of the current six policies with a possibility of adding this policy small miss uh Miss Brown? Um I think I agree with Rita. I don't
want to abolish it but I think it should be updated to reflect our current um committees. >> Okay. So, okay. So, the next policy on the agenda is um
1043 and that was just that was brought up last February. Um, Miss Valvich actually reached out to me the other day, um, having a concern about this being presented tonight and, um, I have to
agree with her. We're about to discuss a board member election and appointment policy. Um, and we are losing three current trustees, one of whom we will
have to replace. Um, I do think it might be to our benefit to hold this policy, but I will defer to Miss Elderson. She can share her perspective. >> I think we should discuss it because I think the last time it was done, I hated the process. >> I thought you wanted to wait. >> No, no, no, no. I I wanted the 0155 to
wait because I wanted the other three board members to have a say in it. Not the 143. >> My apologies for that. >> I think last time when we did it, I did not like it. It was ranking one through 20. It was at the end until 11 o'clock
at night. My brain wasn't thinking. We didn't get a chance to look at all the resumes. It was like done in the pitch of dark. Everything was hush hush hush. Then the candidates got all the questions ahead of time. I just think it was horrible. I think candidates should not get a questions like in the part of
the debate. We the questions were already said and we asked the same questions to every board me every potential board member and that's it. I don't really like the process how it was. It was just terrible last time and I think we could do better. >> So the process is different from a
policy and because we don't have regulation. >> So let's make a regulation. >> So we can discuss a regulation that's not currently on our agenda right now. We do have other policies that other board members wanted to discuss. However, we can discuss our process for
an opening um at another time. But how are we going to do another time? We're going to lose the board member in January. >> So we have to do now because we don't have any other time to discuss this. >> So we are we're pretty much out of time anyway. We're 10 minutes. >> Well, so let's talk about it in 10
minutes. Let's discuss let's create something so we can have a first >> so I do just want to highlight uh this policy is very open-ended in terms of the processes when it comes to the actual questions being shared and everything that's not in this as uh Miss
Mayan had mentioned um the policy itself is very much tied to statutory requirements in the vacancy of a position I think it serves the board since we don't have time to talk about it it serves the board not have in that regulation that the members come January
can discuss it because there's no regulation there is no set standard you can decide how to fill said >> why don't we start a regulation just even like a draft of it and then when de in January when we get a new elected
then we can share the draft and say what would you like to add how would you like to add what would you consider is important what do you so we have something to work with versus having Let me just say one thing real quick. A lot of this is statuto statuto case. So when there's a vacancy under the statute,
there's a time frame uh that you have to act if you don't act executive superintendent appoints. You can interview the people. Um you may interview them in public or private. I tend to recommend that the interviews take place in public. I tend to recommend that all the questions be
asked the same thing. Um and there's different ways of doing it. You can Okay. So, we my suggestion would be you're going to have a vacancy, you can do it by regulation. The other thing that's important is that you can deliberate in private, but you can't vote in private. So, you guys can have a
discussion. So, um because you're going to be having a vacancy, you're now actually this is known as lame duck where you are in the board because the election has occurred. um you're not taking you're not supposed to take any formative actions until the new board
sits which would be in January. My recommendation is I think what um uh Rita just said is is accurate which would be you know look at a regulation try to tweak it. That's something you can do and then you can act on that in January because that takes one meeting.
So can we get a starting a regulation like some of the things we can just put together even 10 minutes >> miss this is not a conversation everyone is entitled to speak and we now only have four minutes well we have to reopen
so it is now 7:53 I have to offer a break to anyone who wants and then we can go Miss Brown >> um really quick I think that um what Rita is saying is correct I think that this regulation is really important. I just don't want to do it in seven minutes. I think it's important to take
the time with the draft that needs to be taken in order to do that and I think it's important to do it with the new board. >> Miss Yerman, >> so I agree with uh Rita and Jeie. Um the only thing that I from my perspective of having done this once is I don't believe
that it's I believe it's like a job interview that you're asked questions and it might be the same question to everybody else but I don't think anybody should be prepared and say these are the questions we're going to ask you and then you have all your written answers
that you just basically read off a piece of paper. So that's just my insight as to the process that we had. >> Um I requested this meeting to be longer. So I came prepared to discuss
everything quick um in the given time. So uh we we cannot kick the count down the road. This position this is a this is a political appointment. Okay. This position is an
elect. We are elected officials. The person will be a appointed official. Okay. This is not a job interview. So number one um the questions should I think for an affir standpoint the
questions should be uh we should be in 100% agreement of the questions that are going to be asked. Okay. The question should not be given in advance for anybody to come here and sit there and read the answers. Okay. We can watch the meeting from last time. Um, every single
person that apply, every board member should everybody should be interview. Everybody should be interviewed. If what the board president or the vice president should not handpick who are going to be the the people who are going to be interviewed because if you're going to do it like that, you might as
well have your meeting, pick the person you want and God bless you. But that person has no legitimacy. that person have no legitimacy. So if that's what the majority is going to do, that person will have zero legitimacy
because we are we have legitimacy because the community elected us. So you want the comm the community you want the leaders of that that were elected by the community to to bless with the vote the person being appointed
the the board president and the vice president cannot be the ones choosing the questions choosing who to interview not allowing us to look at all the resumes because you know we have common sense I was born in the morning but not this morning so
if you are planning to if you already know who you're going to Okay, forget forget about the policy. Pick who you want and we'll move on. But that person has zero legitimacy. If you want legitimacy for the person being appointed, let's have a real process. A
real process where we don't know who the chosen person is going to be. Because if we already know who the chosen person is going to be, then I don't want to waste my time. My time is worth a lot to my 14-year-old daughter. So again, I'm causing the majority on this board. If
you have the person that you want, just we don't need to have the we don't need to have the the time invested in in the interviews. Just appoint whoever you want. But again, I'm warning you that that person will have zero legitimacy. >> Unfortunately, uh Dr. We're out of time.
Um so >> I can give you about a minute and a half. >> Three points. First of all, if the I agree with Rita. I don't think they I didn't think they had the questions in advance prior, but they did. I I agree with you 100%. Then it should not be
given the questions because they can read off a piece of paper. I agree with that. One, two, I do not last time when I I we voted I changed my vote in the middle of it because I listened to the interviews. And thirdly, if the board votes 637290
54 or I guess the 054, which is only eight people, whoever gets elected have legitimacy. It's not it's not the decision of the minority. It's the decision of the majority of that vote that's going to determine whether or not that person gets elected or selected. He gets selected or she gets selected. She's legitimate. Thank you.
>> Um so I we will take about two minutes and we will reopen at 8 p.m. Dr. Bertalini, >> Miss Brown >> here, >> Miss Eliia
>> here. >> Miss Favlla, >> present. >> Miss Casoy, >> present. >> Mr. Santana, >> present. Miss German >> present. >> M Mrs. Miha >> present forum.
>> So for uh our community who has joined us for our regular monthly meeting. We did already um do our flag salute but I will reread our sunshine statement. The New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to
attend the meetings of the public bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon. In according with the provisions of this act, the Fairone Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof distributed to the persons in the approved list posted in the board of education administrative office and
sent to the Bergen Record and the Herald News. the announcements posting the regular monthly meeting along with the date, place, and time thereof. It was originally distributed on January 24th, 2024. So, we are um going to start with our
student reps. Um we have Waqen Menes from Memorial Middle School, Lennox Cohen from TJ Middle School, and our um regular highland high school student rep as refinement. Um the floor is yours for
our uh middle school reps. Just ask that you guys hit this button so we can hear you. This month we welcome several special guests to TJ presentations to our students. On November 13th, the county prosecutor's
office visited TJ for cyber security presentation to students in all grades. As you can imagine, much of the focus on what students are exposed to in the use of phones, computers, and gaming systems, and the focus of the presentation was appropriate and how to
keep ourselves safe. On November 14th, goat's founder and CEO TJ Christina visited with our fifth and sixth graders to share his memory and his company. detailed for our students the many jobs he had as a middle schooler in college
and the hustle and risk taking required to bring your dreams to life. Over the last 10 years, TJ Christina has built Boat USA into one of the top clothing brands in the world and serves as an example for our students that no dream is too big. With hard work and
dedication, you can achieve your goals. Go USA only works with a few schools each year. extremely lucky and excited that they selected us this year for custom t-shirts and sweatshirts. Sales will be open through December 4th and pickup
will be at TJMS early January 26. We have special stickers for all of our board members. Please note the QR code on the business card is for the company page and not specifically for shirts and sweatshirts. Those order links will be
emails to you. In the spirit of our school motto, enter to learn and go forth to serve, our memorial community has been coming together all week to support the Fereralon food pantry through our annual Thanksgiving food drive. Now more than ever, our neighbors
need us. The generosity shown so far has been incredible, and we are grateful for every family who has contributed. If you are able and would like to donate, please consider sending in a nonp perishable items by tomorrow. All collected items will be delivered to the
food pantry early next week to help ensure local families have what they need for this holiday holiday season. Thank you for our continued kind. We thank you for your continued kindness, support, and commitment to serving
others. Uh on Monday, November 17th, Mr. Grubman facilitated a visit to TJ by local veterans who met with students to share stories about their service and as has become tradition at TJ. We have set
America's white table outside of the auditorium where it will remain until Thanksgiving to honor the men and women who have served in America's armed forces. Memorial was buzzing with excitement as our drama club received a surprise visit from none other than Dne
Jaspersonson, an original cast member of Hamilton and Broadway star extraordinaire. Fane spent the entire afternoon singing, dancing, laughing, and sharing the insider secrets of how to bring true Broadway magic to the
memorial stage. Our students learned new choreography practice, home performance techniques and soaked up every bit of wisdom he offered. It was an unforgettable experience and we are so grateful to think for inspiring our young perform performers and
sprinkling a little Broadway sparkle on Memorial. But the drama didn't end there. Our talent our talented Memorials drama students along with their amazing adviserss Miss F and Miss Kikuyama to took a special trip to the high school for um matine performance of masked
duupa and let me tell you it did not disappoint. If you haven't seen it yet, you still have a chance this weekend. Take my word for it. You will not want to miss the show. Under the direction of our guidance counselors, Miss Zach and Miss Van
Westervelt, our seventh and eighth grade Pierce for Peace Club members visited the Stepping Stones classes at West Morland on October 29th for the first of our uh monthly playdates throughout the year. Our thanks to Miss Dell Aglio and
the teachers at West Morland, Miss Guber, uh, Miss Garbus, Miss Parcels, and Miss Stabinsky for their time and care in facilitating these gatherings for our students. And on November 19th, they visited K1 in two classes at Mils for
classroom readalouds. Today we were proud to welcome students and staff from Fairlong High School to Memorial as we officially kicked off our second year as a no place for hate school. A huge thank you to Memorial's no place for hate adviserss Miss Niza and Miss Darby and
to the Fereralon High School assistant principal Dr. Baptist for organizing this meaningful event. During the lunch period, several FLHS No Place for Hate student and leaders visited each grade
level to share the importance of the program and to encourage student participation. They spoke about their own personal journeys within No Place. Their stories were heartfelt, inspiring, and a powerful reminder of what unified
and inclusive community can accomplish. We are excited to continue building on a strong collaboration we've developed with the high school over the past two years and we look forward to following in their footsteps as we work together to make a memorial a welcoming,
respectful and hatefree school for all. Tonight with this announcements in honor of World's Children's Day celebrated annually on November 20th, we kick off our seventh annual Christian cakes with love from Lucy and Peter Holiday Drive to support Hackinack Children's
Hospital, the Jackson Strong Foundation, the Peter T Foundation, and the Phil Tamina Scholarship Fund. Over the last seven years, this has become the most important time of year for our school. A time when we work to honor the memory of students, classmates, and loved ones
lost to deliver smiles to those in need. Christian, Lucy, and Peter were givers, always willing to offer helping hands others in a time of need. A promise our school community has made is to honor this characteristic. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve,
students, families, and friends are invited to help us raise funds that will be used to support children receiving cancer treatment. As Thanksgiving approaches, the students and staff of Memorial and TJ want to extend our sincere appreciation for all
you do. Your support, leadership, and dedication make a meaningful difference in our school every day. We are grateful for your commitment to our community and wish you and your families a happy, healthy, restful Thanksgiving. >> Thank you guys.
answer. >> Good evening everyone. I'm excited to share this month's update on Fairlon High School. So to start the masks production, Duck Duck Supoup Palooa began on t on Tuesday and we'll wrap up
this Saturday with the final performance at 7 p.m. The production has had great turnout and it's been an excellent showcase of our students talent and hard work. Saturday is your last chance to show up for our talented students. Our students have also been busy getting
involved in clubs and activities along with attending curricular field trips. Most recently, students participated in a social studies trip to the 911 memorial last Friday, which provided a meaningful and engaging learning experience.
On Thursday, November 13th, Fairlon High School social studies teacher, Mr. Alvarez organized a visit from Fairlon veterans who came in to speak with some of our students enrolled in social studies courses. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to hear directly from and connect with some of
our own fair heroes. We are now preparing for our fall spirit week which takes place next week. As part of spirit week, we will be welcoming motivational speaker Kevin Atlas, a former division one basketball
player, who will speak to the student body on the 26th with it, which is also the day of our pep rally. More to come on that later. The student government association also recently held our second general assembly meeting with our home room representatives who continue
to help support communication and widespread student involvement. And now the moment we've all been waiting for. Our upcoming fall pep rally on the 26th is an event the entire student body looks forward to. And not just because it's an early dismissal
day. Our pep rally will feature performances from the cheerleading team, the Fairlon High School marching band, the tones, which is our school rock band, and the color guard. There will also be student games, an appearance by Captain Cutter, and music by the one and
only DJ Allen. The prep rarally is always a great moment to celebrate our student athletes and invoke school spirit across all of Fairlon High School. And finally, the class councils always appreciate your support in our grade level fundraisers.
Our fundraiser, one fundraiser happening soon is food night at Pokey Express hosted by the junior class on November 25th. So, if you're planning to have sushi or a poke bowl anytime soon, make it on the 25th to support the junior class. That wraps up my report for this
month. And always, thank you for your time. Thank you all so much for being here and providing your reports. Um you're all welcome to stay but I do know that is we are edging toward the end of the marking period. So I am sure some of you have
some work to do or some tests prepare for. Um so please um feel free to leave when you feel is necessary. Um Lennox, are those the stickers? >> Yes. >> So if you want to give them to me then I
can pass a few out. Um mine will be going to my younger son because my older son threw it in his face that he got one and we didn't have an extra. So, thank you. I can take a couple of them for you. Thank you guys so much for being here and for all that you do. Are these all
>> Oh, wow. Thank you, Lennox. Please thank Mr. Weaver and Missy for us as well. And if anyone is interested in the link for the the um cutter goat USA gear, it is not TJ specific and can be ordered by
anyone. I believe Missory did send an email to administration, but if anyone on the board would like them, they're really cool. So, uh they closed December 4th. I don't know the answer. This is delicious. >> Okay. So, we are now This agenda item
provides an opportunity for committee chairs to present brief summaries of proceedings from their most recent committee meetings. These reports are forformational purposes only and reflect activities that have already taken place. This is not an appropriate time to introduce new business items or to engage in extended discussions on topics
that should be addressed through proper channels. Committee chairs are reminded to keep the reports limited to three minutes max based on the written meeting minutes. Focus only on key actions and discussions to the most recent meeting. Reference when the committee meeting is scheduled next. Avoid introducing new
business that has not been properly vetted by the community by the committee. Submit any written summaries, reports to superintendent and board secretary for inclusion in these minutes. The floor is open. Miss Brown. >> Um I am the chair of the student services committee. We met uh this last
week uh and we had a discussion a lengthy and lively discussion about um elementary school counselors and that's it. Um our next meeting is December 4th I believe at 8:15. I don't think that's one of the ones that
changed. Okay. And that's it. Thank you. The buildings and grounds finance committee met last week as well. Uh we discussed many of the items that are on tonight's agenda, but also discussed um food resources that have been shared with families in the community uh with
the current um state of uh SNAP. So just to make that that uh food resources are being shared with those communities or those families that need it within the community. Um, and then also just we did a construction update on those projects that are wrapping up for this school
year. Um, and our next meeting is December 4th. >> This is the education report. First, we have numerous topics. First of all, a chain of command that the committee discussed including a communication protocol encouraging parents, students, and community members to follow the
established chain of command. The action will be take place will present the updated communication plan to the board from the administration. Second topic that was discussed was Bergen Community College early college program. The committee discussed BCC early college program costs and equity considerations
among educational programs in our district. The action administration will review all the FLH dual enrollment programs enrollment and student cost to provide an update at a future committee meeting. There was discussion uh committee member put on discussion for
the agenda the expansion of the Edison school into a prek4 school to help decrease overcrowding at Mils and Radburn respectfully. Uh Dr. Denise who shared at the last meeting will provide updates as we work through the facility studies demographics analysis and budget process. Once we complete this full
review, we bring recommendations to the board by June of 2026. No action at this time. The policy 9130 discussed. The superintendent will update regulation 9130 to extend the parent response time frame from 3 to 5
days aligning with policy 9130. Future topics for discussion uh policy 5440 gifted and talented question. Uh, and then in December, we'll discuss course updates for 2026 for math and social studies. And our next meeting is
December 4th. I think it's 7:30, but the time keeps changing. So, it's December 4th, though. Thank you. >> Okay. Is anybody else have anything else? >> Okay. Uh, Miss, >> so I have a couple of questions. uh the
shared I'm sorry the miss brown move to the committee you're in student services the agenda was never updated it's blank so I have a couple of questions when you say to school counselors are you saying ESS or guidance counselors I'm not
really sure about that and what exactly were you guys discussing because there's nothing on the agenda what were you discing what questions you had. I assume ESS and I'm assuming you're discussing to expand it. I don't understand. So, I was
wondering if you could explain it so that I have more questions. Then, um I have another question. Um then the personnel committee met and they're creating a new position. It's called the help desk technician. So, is this a temporary position? Is it a
regular position? This is for Miss Mayan. The no the minutes were we had a discussion. Wonderful. What does that discussion mean? No idea. During our retreat, we we we all agreed that the minutes will be more in depth. So, as if we were there, it it's not really. So, I
was wondering if the chair of the personnel committee can explain is it a temporary position then? Should it be on the job description that it's temporary position? Is it a full-time position? Is it a replacing a position? Why are we creating this position in the middle of the budget season when the budget is
already set till July? So, I was wondering if these questions can be answered so that I could be able to understand what's going on. >> Um, I'm going to defer my questions to Dr. Dianio and Mr. Franco. >> Um, in regards to personnel, we don't
out on personnel. It's best practice to ensure that anything that is personnel related remains confidential, which is why I don't do personnel reports. However, hold on. >> However, your questions were asked um to
Dr. Danio and answered on his um responses to all board questions on the agenda. >> Point of creation for the board attorney. If it's not about a person and it's about a creating a position, why is this considered isn't it public record
the position and how you're going to fund it and is it replacing another position? There's nothing there that you're talking about a particular person. I'm going to just remind you that if we're going to use statements from Robert's rules, we actually use Robert's rules. And that means you need
to be acknowledged by the chair or leadership prior to speaking. >> You smile at me. So that's how you usually do. Okay. Well, >> actually, in the last two meetings, I've been referring to people and calling on them, which is what both Francis and
Matt had asked us to start doing. It's not necessary that just because it's a position, there might be a reason or a personnel issue behind it that could affect a current uh employee. Um, so I think that what I would say is if
it's if it's just a random position, it doesn't exist, there's that possibility. I think what you want to do is direct those questions to your superintendent because very often they might be contemplating creating a new position uh and it might end up having an impact
on somebody who's currently employed in another position. So I think it's it's much more layered than just a position. Usually there's reasons for why something is being created. Um so I think my recommendation would be to direct your questions to the superintendent. if it's on the agenda or
you see something that reach out to the superintendent I if you already answered it that's I I'm not suggesting it but if you didn't you should contact him and then he could tell you whether or not this is something to be discussed in public I don't know enough about this to be able to opine but I can tell you very
often um I consult with clients on uh they want to make personnel changes and in order to effectuate a change impacting a current employee it involves the creation of a new position that hasn't
>> Mr. Santana. >> Um, all right. For the personnel committee, um, I understand if if my comment or question cannot be uh responded to. Um,
I too agree with Miss Favll. Why do we need a new position in the middle of the year when uh the money doesn't grow on trees right now? The taxpayers don't have enough money. This uh health desk definition I want I would like to see
the rationale for why we need this position. I I don't know why we need this position. I would like to see the rationale um for for finance. um this
new third party administrator um what was the rationale to choose them over another company? Did did this company complete a a payto-play form? Um, you know, I want to make sure that we we are hiring the best, most qualified
after getting all the quotes. You know, I I don't want to um insinuate anything for anyone who may be thinking I'm insinuating anything, but I want to make sure that, you know, the pro the process, we follow a process. How do we
know this is this is the the right company? Like, do we compare prices also? um the the 3 point the 3.25% 25% uh rate that we received the increase that's an increase over compared to what
was the original rate I would like to know that and the construction update we all due respect the A-wing gym is in deplorable condition at the high school I have uh expressed this in committees
and to the to the administration I see that we're taking care of the auditorium and in the construction construction update. We're taking care care of the the the stands in the in in the gym, the the bleachers. But
that aw gym, you can't even breathe there. I went I went to the high school for a for a parent night for a back to school night and at 8:00 p.m. I couldn't even breathe. That's how hot it was. I think taking care of the auditorium should not be more important than taking care of the gym where we have hundreds
of students every single day working out and staff members. I don't want a staff member passing out. I understand if for uh construction reasons things can be done quicker but I think health and safety
should be a priority not the auditorium. The auditorium is not I mean if if there's safety involved yes but where our children are are are exercising and where our men and women who are teaching and our staff and our faculty come on
the A-IN the A-wing in the high school is in deplorable condition. I would like to ask please let's speed up the work on the A-wing gym. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh Dr. Gianio >> uh just a couple updates before we keep going any further. So, just to be
efficient with everybody's time, um the board knows that you have an opportunity to ask questions. We have a very well-developed process to be able to ask questions. Um so, we're spending time talking here, but we had an opportunity last week to be able to ask questions on anything on the agenda. So, that's
number one. That includes any of the committee agendas. Secondly, um I did mention a number of weeks back to the board the A-wing the uh AGIM is already is slated for summer
of 2026. So that's all part of the plan. So I know we just heard some comments about it. That's already been part of the plan. That's going to be updated. I've already communicated that to the board. So I'm not sure why we keep talking about that. Uh auditorium is actually in
deplorable condition with sound and audio. that absolutely must be taken care of. It is long overdue. Um the tech position, um I could speak in the sense that it doesn't speak to specific personnel and that's in
relation to a vacancy that cannot be filled. That's a temporary short-term position to get us through the year. And then Miss Favvelich's earlier comment regarding um the school counseling that is a personnel matter that can't be
discussed. So that is has greater impact. So that could be discussed through executive session. It could also be discussed through uh any of the relevant committees. >> Anybody have any other questions? If I may,
I'm waiting to be recognized. >> I I don't know what you're asking. >> I'm waiting to be recognized to ask. >> Right. We already we already asked our questions. >> Just follow up. And >> this is not a It's not a back and forth. >> Okay.
>> So, this portion of our board meeting is specifically for comments on resolutions listed in tonight's agenda. When speaking, please state your name and municipality residence. Specify which resolution you're referring to. Limit your remarks to three minutes. State law prohibits board members and administration from discussing personnel
matters, student discipline, or other confidential issues. Please note this is not a dialogue or question and answer session between speakers and the board. While we may not respond immediately to or every comment made tonight, all input is carefully considered and helps inform our decisions. Responses may come
through emails, reports, board statements, website updates, or after the comment period closes. Thank you for your participation in our school community's governance. The floor is open to public comments on agenda items only. Hi, good afternoon Corala. Uh, this is
for the chair of buildings and grounds, Mr. Vowski. So, I do see >> I'm sorry, Miss um Coralva, this was also discussed last month. So, those are not um those are committee reports. They're not agenda based. When we talk
about agenda, it's business of the board. So if you want to ask questions or make comments specifically about the committee reports, they have to be done during new or other new business. >> And that is when >> Okay. And then the policy that is that agenda item? >> They are not that meeting um is not that
is just a policy of the whole. >> No, like I mean like the phone policy. I apologize. >> That is an agenda item. >> Okay. So I could discuss this. Okay. Awesome. Then if I could just So I should email Mr. Bodavski my question. >> No, you can actually bring it up at the at the other business. But when we when
we reference agenda items, >> it's specific to actually like business of the board. So anything from four um five to sorry 6 to 12 tonight. >> So if I would like to speak about the
policy the policy. Awesome. Okay. Thank you. So good. Fair one. So I would like to discuss the regulation and policies that I reviewed them. So I have a couple of questions regarding them. So good evening everyone. So tonight I'm speaking as a parent and I'm deeply concerned about the direction the policy
and regulation 5516 particularly its language surrounding cell phone use and photography of the educational materials. Um this policy currently written effectively censoring access to educational material that should already be readily available to parents to
review. In a classroom materials are appropriate transparent and compliant with the state curriculum standards. There should be no reason to block a parents right to view them or students right to share them with their parents. So this policy state that photo photograph photographing or recording
educational content may result in disciplinary action. I don't understand that. So let's just assume my child is in a classroom and there is something just for an example that the language that he is learning states about eliminating of certain religious or
ethnical groups or context that he finds morally he or she finds morally disturbing and they wish to share that that concern with their parent and under this regulation if my child or any child would take a picture they would be um uh there's going to be the tension
like the wording is so severe of the things if they break this uh basically it's saying that they will get central detention um lunch recess central or Saturday detention if they done it multitude of the times they will be suspended for a day like this is a very
harsh punishment for something that's I don't understand like this is education this policy is creating censorship um you know let me finish am I able to stop and then take my three minutes if there's no one else speaking
Yeah. Um I have like another one. I don't think I'll finish it in 52 seconds. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So, uh another thing is uh the use of like my child doesn't have a cell phone. So, I heavily rely that my child would be able to use a phone at
the central office which is included in here. Amazing. Unfortunately, I've been in a I'm from TJ district. Unfortunately, there are signs that basically discourage children to use that phone. I'm not really sure the wording of it, but I know my son's been always discouraged to use the phone. I
know my son been told to go to the guidance office where the guidance profession, the guidance person and the principal were sitting there when he was trying to have a private conversation with me. When my child calls, it's a private conversation between me and my child. It's not a conversation between
administrator and a family. So, I believe it's imperative that children have access to a phone in school. This looks like it's going to limit it. Yes, you're saying they could use it, but they're not really using it because
my child and I know multitude of other children that are being limited because they're saying the wording that my ch the wording that I was told children are being called to order coffee for parents or to order coffee, which is not something that like, you know, I would prefer
I'm just going to ask you to hold tight. Let me see if anybody else wants to speak. Um, anybody else have any comments on agenda items? Hi Marcy Ree Fairon. Um I just buildings and grounds comment just not to >> I'm sorry that
>> Oh no it was just it was like agenda item about the agent >> but the that is not an agenda item. >> Oh >> so that is that was a committee report. So that will open at the end of >> it. No further comments. >> Um, so Miss Coriva, I will let you take
another three minutes and then I will open it up to the Google doc. Hi, good afternoon. Leave a fair alone. So this part is about the policy um regulation 5516. So this been discussed with multitude of parents and they're
extremely upset of the wording that is being used in that policy. So currently the policy stands that the section stating that the students may be permitted to use devices that uh to use devices if they have documented medical conditions such as diabetes, seizures,
disorder or severe allergies. The word may is dangerous. So if a student's life depends on a device that monitors blood sugar, alerts, seizures, or signals anaphylaxis, that child should not be waiting for administrative permissions.
That child must be allowed to use that device. Period. This regulation, as written, places authority over life-saving medical devices into the hand of school administrators who are not medical professional. That is not it that is not only unethical, it is unsafe. the language should be changed
from may be per permitted to will be permitted. So currently like I've spoke to multitude of parents who do have um children with life-threatening um disease that do rely on phones. I do understand that you're allowing it but
if you leave those policies as it's written that's a very dangerous precedent that you are setting. Administration should never say may be allowed. It will be allowed because you will save lives. You cannot This is not only inappropriate, it's invasive. When a child, I'm sorry, this
is I already said this part. So, I would prefer I would ask the board to reconsider the wording from May to will. This is at the last um I believe it's I lost my paper with the policy. I believe it's the last paragraph in the regulation and the wording state that if
the children have any kind of medical disease, they will be May. and I prefer if the board changes that wording to though they will be allowed. Thank you so much and have a good evening. Um, anything on the Google doc? >> Yes, there's one comment.
It's from uh Robin Feman. Fairlon. I write in connection with the proposed cell phone policy. I am the mother of a Fairlon High School student and a Milton student. I feel compelled to share some additional considerations from the
perspective of a parent. I was recently on a work Zoom meeting with a colleague who lives in Connecticut when she stopped mid-sentence because she received a text from her daughter's high school that the school was in lockdown and that further information would be forthcoming in a half hour. She
immediately became understandably emotional. Thankfully, she quickly received a text from her daughter stating that she was hiding in the library and that a student had brought a gun to school. After my colleague had taken a moment, the next thing she said to me was, "Thank goodness this wasn't
my son who was in middle school. The school was just instituted a no cell phone policy and I wouldn't be able to be in touch with him. I would be by beside myself." End quote. She wanted to continue the meeting as we tried to distract ourselves from watching the
clock until the next update. The school's communications were slow and incomplete, but my colleague was re reassured by the updates she was receiving by text from her daughter. In the end, the student was taken into custody and no one was harmed. I wish I
could say that such an event is rare and unlikely, but we all know that is sadly not reality. In these terrifying circumstances, student access to cell phones is critical. Separately from these safety concerns, use of the reminder and calendar functions of my high school students
cell phone have been critical tools for his ability to manage his time successfully. He is deeply involved in the school community, but with that comes a lot of responsibility and executive functioning is a challenge. We work hard at ensuring all school work deadlines and activities are calendar
and he sets reminders to ensure that follow-ups with teachers or makes a meeting. I agree that cell phones do not need to be accessible during class, but a ban on use at other times of the day or in between classes would be detrimental for many reasons. I think
that the school should focus on teaching the students how to effectively use cell phones and moderate usage because in the real world and in their future career, cell phones will not be locked up. Rather, the expectation is to be in contact at all times. Instead of implementing an unrealistic policy, the
school should teach behaviors that will set our students up for success. Thank you for your consideration. The floor is closed. Do you want >> I would just say uh in response to the public comments uh when you take a look at the first reading of policy and
regulation um cell phones use would be um managed with uh caddies within each classroom in middle school and high school. Um
think of the shoe caddies, plastic shoe caddies that would be in the classroom. Um where students would drop off their phones in the classroom upon entry and re retrieve them on the way out. That would does provide for discretion for the teachers. Um, so if there's an
instructional purpose for the use of phones in class, it's all prescribed in the policy and the regulation. Uh, the we decided not to go with the yonder pouches for two primary reasons in no particular order. One, cost. Number two,
because the phones would be locked up during the co course of the day. and the feedback in our conversations determined that we did not want to have those phones locked up, but we did want to have them uh accessible if need be. So, that was a compromise. I think it's also
important to note that we surveyed uh approximately received about 3,000 survey responses from students, staff, and parents. Uh we also included our students, staff, and parents on a multitude of committees at every school. And then we received
feedback through that committee process. Uh each committee was also charged with reviewing the survey feedback and that was incredibly helpful and prudent in being able to develop the policy and the regulation. In fact, u Mr. Baldowski and I with Mrs. Felovich were actually
meeting with our students in student dialogue today. Uh one of our four regularly scheduled meetings with our student government representatives. And we had a number of students who were there who actually served on the high school committee uh and they shared with us their feedback as well which is
consistent with what's in policy and regulation. Uh specific note there is no use of cell phones uh permitted for elementary and middle school during lunch uh and recess during the course of the day. um unless there's a valid
reason right to contact home or but normally we have school phones to be able to communicate for that purpose. Um at the high school though it's a little different. So the recommendation that came from the high school was uh for the reasons that you know we heard from one
of the parents tonight in regards to students having access to their calendars. So that would be during passing time. Um, and in addition, we have an open lunch at the high school. So, as a result of that, we have students who a large number of students
who actually leave the Fairlong High School campus. Um, and they'll be able to take their phones with them. Uh, and we think that that is the prudent thing to do because that way they have access to their phones when they are outside of the building. Um, as well. So, uh, this
was, um, this policy and regulation is, uh, the result of an incredible amount of work and a lot of feedback, um, that dates back to, I I think I want to say like January or February. And as an administrative team, we began discussing
this in the fall of 2024. Um so it was about summer early fall of 24 where we discussed it as a team and then um we brought it forward with this process. So uh I'd just like to thank
everybody who was involved in getting us to this point. Um and we do have uh notations within our policy and regulation for students who have medical conditions. So that's explicitly written in there uh and is something that the
board has heard as well during the committee discussions on the proposed revisions uh for the policy and the regulation dating back a number of weeks ago. >> Um I will open the floor to board member
comments. Um it is 8:45 so we have a half hour. Uh >> Dr. Bolini, >> three points. Uh first of all, I agree with Mila in the fact that it at first I was hesitant but looking at it more thoroughly here. Uh there are some
strict requirements before someone can use u the phone for medical conditions. So I'm not opposed to saying can because it also lists that it must be documented by a licensed healthcare must be approved by this. This can't be a student making making a mockery of program. So there are some four points
that are listed there that would make can be granted I think would be acceptable. Oh shall be granted. Um it's in five. What is it? It's in on page six of six. >> Is that in relation to um >> medical >> medical
>> medical only? Oh, sorry. Um, it also says, I think in 6A, there's 6A, that uh a teacher can approve a student to use their phone uh to take educational things off the screen or or wherever, assignments, things like that.
So, I'm not opposed to that. I I'm also in favor of what Dr. Dianio and everyone else has indicated that we should allow the high school students to have their phones in non-instructional times. There's a lot of reasons why they need to make phone calls during the day and I
think they should be allowed and and it's currently allowed here. So, I'm in favor of that. That's it. I'm done. Thanks. >> I would also state that allowing our students at the high school to use it the way it's prescribed in the recommendation is consistent with how we
currently manage it now. And the administration is in support of that because it is not an issue and it's a privilege. And I think anytime you have a privilege for anyone um that can be taken away and students don't want that privilege taken away and that's why we
have the tiered responses within our regulation as well. >> Mr. Santana, >> there was a um items 4A. I'm going to I'm going to abstain because the minutes were added
in the last minute. I have very limited time to read and I cannot read things in the last minute unless I have sufficient time. So I did not have sufficient time because the minutes were not added in a prudent manner. I understand the
response that we that we were given but they were not I didn't get enough time. Uh um 6E I appreciate the scholarship. However, again, this was added in the last minute. So, just as we have a
deadline to submit questions to the superintendent, I think unless it's something um that touches on safety, the welfare of the kid of our kids, it should not be added in the last minute because we all the board members here, as far as I
know, we all have full-time jobs. So, uh, we need time to process and read and, um, I'm going to abstain because, uh, last minute, uh, 783. I'm going to abstain. 787.
Um, that's a wonder, that's a wonder, wonderful workshop uh, for our science program. Um, also 789, another wonderful worship. Um 8 8 A1 and two
um the response that from the board from the board count council that resumes are confidential personnels and are not shared with the board. This this contradicts uh prior advice that I have heard as a board member and in my training as a
board member with the New York School Board Association. when we have a candidate up for hiring or for promotion, my knowledge is as a board member, okay, uh is that we are entitled to view the resumes of people who are being hired into our district or
promoted into our district. So, this is different from what other attorneys have told us in the past and what the training that I received from the New Jersey school board association. If the district is hiring a new employee or someone is getting promoted, board members are entitled to view the
resumes. So the response that we receive for A1 uh and two is that resumes are confidential personnel documents and are not shared with with board per board council. This is new to me. This must be a mistake. This must be a mistake. I
hope it's a mistake because otherwise we've been getting uh Okay. AF um I appreciate the response about the sixth period from the administration but my question was how we ensure equity in distributing the six
periods away away to >> anyone else I have a couple of questions but before I ask my questions about the regulation is this regulation issued or do we have from board counsel or are we allowed to speak about this regulation or it's is
the superintendent. Some regulations are issued which we don't have a saying. Some regulations are not issued. They're called something else. I forgot adopted. I'm sorry. Thank you. Is this adopted or issued? >> What's which >> this regulation? Cell phone. >> I can't see that. >> This cell phone regulation.
>> No, it's an adopted. >> Oh, so we can speak about it. Okay. >> It's it's on for a first reading. >> No, I know. But we used to have regulation issued and we still approve. >> Correct. So that's an adopted one. So that's why it's on for first read. >> Okay. So means we can see. So I don't
feel comfortable approving this policy unless in this policy it says explicitly if a if a student wants to call their parent they can call their parent. If they go to the main office and say I'd like to speak my call my parents they can. During the education committee when we discussed it one of the
administrators said there's diff each school has their own way of doing this. We have one school district should be one way of doing it. So I don't feel comfortable unless if my ch if you're taking away from a seventh grader and a sixth grade and eighth grader cell phone if they want to call home they should be
allowed right away no questions asked. So that's one of my concern. The young the caddies are cool. The only issue is you put the cell phones they put them in. Great. A teacher gets distracted at the end of the period. Somebody takes someone's cell phone. Now the is the
teacher at fault? Is the district at fault? Who's going to pay for that cell phone once it's missing? That's a problem to me. Um the next thing is the help desk technician position. If it is a uh
temporary position. Can it be stated in the job description that it is temporary position and is it a full-time position? Is it a part-time position? Can it also be stated because the job description explains what kind of position you have. So the next thing is the instruments
instruments for what I was wondering if it was given to the friends of music or was offered the instruments. A lot of the instruments are being thrown off. We did last time Mr. Nuria actually looked them up and tried to fix some of them. So the kids that didn't have money can actually have school instruments that
they were for the violin. A lot of the vote and the rest of them was um donated to the friends of music. So I was wondering if the administration has done that before. If they didn't, can we take this off the agenda and see if Friends of Music actually won it because last time they were so excited to get it. And
some of them are actually fixed so kids that didn't have money could play an instrument because now renting is expensive and some people just can't afford it. So the kids cannot play. So, I was wondering if that could be taken off. The bills, they're redacted. I understand that they're redacted for the
public, but we have an executive session in board docks. And executive session has a lot of confidential information for the board. So, why can't we have that again also for the bills? What's the difference? I don't get it. >> Thank you. Anyone else?
>> Mr. Santana, your second round. >> Yes. Uh, I agree. Again, we keep hearing excuses about the bills with the whole reduction. I don't know why this is a big deal. I agree with Miss Favllic. This shouldn't be a big deal. Um
128 um the policy. I agree with the policy. However, I do I do support the changes that I heard from the the member of the public. If a child has documented medical uh uh reasons, it should not be
may use. It should be shall use. So I agree with the board member that also supported that. Uh but I would like to uh remind all of us that we need to maximize student readiness for learning. Okay. Um
the policy should not permit high school students to use the cell phones in between classes. This is when bullying takes place online. The students need to be the students do not need to be hooked in the whole in on their cell phones in
the hallway in between classes. This is bad policy and sends the wrong message. Okay. Um we received a response that 84% of the students favor access to their cell phone during passing periods and lunch. I understand during lunch it is
is a is a logical uh uh reason but in between classes I don't want no one's child to be hooked on Tik Tok on the way to algebra. This this is not this is not good. Okay. We don't want our children on their way to English 4 to be staring
at Instagram. Okay. And we are sending mixed messages. We want the scores to go up. We want our students to be highly engaged, but it's okay for them to walk in the hallway staring at their cell phone, and that's not good. The state of New Jersey recommended, actually, the state of New Jersey recommends no cell
phone use, period during the the the whole school day with a with a few exceptions that we already know. Okay? So, I'm not in favor and I'm I'm going to be making a motion to change the policy because I don't want uh on my
back or on my conscious a child having access to phones in between classes and god forbid. But at the same time, I have a question, what do we do if a child uses the phone to record or film uh an aggression towards another staff member
or or or classmate? that child shouldn't be shouldn't be penalized for for doing the right thing. So, I'm I'm a little conflicted in in that in that regards what the parents stated before. Um, not allowing cell phone use in between
classes in the hallway protects our students mental health and keeps them focused on what they should be doing, which is heading to class on time, not staring at Tik Tok or Instagram. Thank you. Anyone else?
>> Thank you. Just on the cell phone policy, well, I absolutely agree with the medical um needs for students to be able I personally know several students who are diabetic who use their phones and need them. So, absolutely um support a change in that language. Um with regard to cell phone use during passing
time for 9 through 12, I think there's so much of our students rely on those phones to check grades, to check missing assignments. They're not necessarily using them for for a TikTok or for Instagram, but I think they are actually using I personally know this from
several students. They use them to be able to discuss things with their teachers um during the next period. Teachers not necessarily always available. So, the sooner or the kids know that a missing assignment is in Genesis or to be able to check their calendar for things that are due or be able to have those opportunities to look
at grades, to look at other things that do impact their day-to-day. they wait till the end of the day, they may miss opportunities to talk to their teachers, to talk to other students about other things that are going on. So, um I think this policy is actually really good. I really think that it's terrific that it is differentiating between what the
students are doing, middle school, elementary, and obviously high school. Um while we can't control what students are doing with those phones, we can guide them and educate them and hopefully maybe even have assemblies and opportunities for how to use technology. Um you know, we all have technology that
we use at work. We can use our computers at work to check emails and to look at our calendars or we can use them to surf Facebook and we don't control that with our co-workers and I think it is really up to us to educate the students and how to use our technology in ways that will
help advance them and help um enhance their curriculum and um and give them that access and those opportunities. Thanks >> Miss Felovich. >> So I have a couple of concerns. I'm a high school I'm a high school teacher having students having their phones in
their book bags. I have no issues with that. If there's a like what happened with the person that called, god forbid there's a lockdown on a parent, they can just take it out of their if there's an emergency they take it out of their book bag and call text their mom whatever that's fine but they shouldn't be using it in the passing time. When you talk
about looking at grades or missing assignment that's why the onetoone but we have we have computers that's what they can do. They can go on Genesis and look that up. Genesis is not blocked on school computers unless I'm missing something. The calendar, you can look
that up on the computer, too. I do that all the time at work. If I want to put something in, if I have a parent conference, I just put it into the Google Google and then I have it all on one thing. So, I don't understand why we need a cell phone to put things as a calendar. Your calendar could be on your
computer, which is district allowed. your grades and missing assignment could be found on the district what so I don't understand the idea if it's for safety they can have it in their book it just becomes that the teacher becomes the disciplinarian and it creates conflict
in the classroom and the K Katie system Patty system I personally don't like it because the teacher could get distracted a phone gets missing who's at fault I don't know and that will be a problem because the parents will say the teacher she put made us put it there and the
teacher like I have no idea. So I think that's wrong. And the last thing is I asked this in committee and nobody ever followed up on me. On the policy it says in addition the board believes students and or staff members should not use audio or video recordings of any student
or staff member during the school day for any person without the consent of the student, parent or staff member. So does that mean staff members have to give permission for their for their pictures to be taken during school day based on this policy and do we do that?
I asked that in education committee when and if somebody said they will follow up and I true also believe that it the language for the medical should be shall so versus the medical when you need to use your cell phone for medical purposes
versus may. Shall versus may not can versus >> shall. Shall that means it's more definitive in my personal opinion. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Miss Pierman. >> Thank you. Um as far as the cell phone
policy, I too agree with um Sha for medical uh reasons. Um, and I don't want to step on any administration's toes here, but um, rather than just the policy for um,
and if I'm stepping over, just stop me. Um, if it's in the cell phone policy, I'm assuming that it would be in any kind of medical documentation in an IEP, 504, or just a regular healthcare kind
of thing that the student can carry um their cell phone. Um 28 years of living with a type 1 diabetic, I've seen how things have evolved over the years. Um I still monitor my 35year-old daughter,
but um I know when she might be low. I know who she's with at the time, if she's home alone, she's with my grandson. But at least in my head, I will know if she's and I'm at the lowest point. Um I will know that she's at least with somebody so in case I have to
get her and I know how important it is and it's important for other medical conditions to have access to um a parent that might be a little bit quicker than a school nurse. um should a child be in
a seizure or be in another type of medical situation that I I think it should be shall but it should be considered of not necessarily going whether the doctor says or going through the three steps that Dr. Berlini had said, but to, you know, specifically
know which students are the students that need their phone the most and the ones that are on kind of a an interview ify type of thing to be have it addressed um in a quick and accessible manner. Thank you.
>> Anyone else? Dr. >> Thank you, board president. If the concern is that they're on Tik Tok, then we shouldn't let them have it during lunchtime because that's a much longer time period where they can actually use Tik Tok. If we don't allow them to use it in their hallways during
their in between periods, what will happen and what has happened and will continue to happen, they'll go to the bathroom. They'll say, "Can I go to the bathroom?" And then they'll go on a cell phone during class time. I'd rather have them on a cell phone during passing time than during class time. And if anyone says they don't use the bathrooms for
cell phones, you not ever been in high school. And that's it. Thank you. >> The floor is closed. Um I will just respond to one or two questions and I'll defer to you. Um just so everyone is clarifying and aware, our help
technician job description very clearly states hourly and part-time. Um Dr. Dio, the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Miss Maym. Um I'm going to let in a moment Mrs. DeFranco speak to the um
regulation regarding medical but it is written in there and I'll also um ask Mr. Gio, our our legal counsel to speak to it as far as uh having the the reason the regulations is written in a way as well that for other matters that requires the discretion of the adults uh
is because school administrators and teachers act in local parents during the course of the school day uh for students which means that we're responsible for them and we are also responsible for making decisions during that period of
time upon student arrival until student dismissal. So if it permits for students to utilize cell phone at any time and be able to make a call at any moment, that poses a huge operational issue. And what
I mean by that is um we would be handcuffing the administration and the teaching staff and support staff because you will when we have had this students insisting for disruptive reasons to utilize a cell phone or utilize the phone whenever they want. Right? So then
you cannot effectively function uh in the best interest of that child or all other children. For those teachers in the room, just imagine for a moment that you have a student in your classroom telling you that they're going to do something that would be breaking the rules and detrimental to other people in
the classroom and in the school. Um, but you have no recourse to be able to stop them and neither would your principal. Right? So, that would be problematic. That is separate from medical situations. Right? I'll let Mrs. is the Franco speak. Um, the tech position is a
part-time position. The instruments are from 1954 and are nonfunctioning and we are going to try to sell them on Gov deals. Um, nobody wants them. They're from 1954 and they do not work.
um the bills being redacted. Um that we we will continue with that practice and the reason we will continue with that practice is because it includes wherever there's a redaction includes um confidential information which would be
parent and student names um that is irrelevant for a board to be able to make a decision on. Um, and if it includes any redactions for staff, it would only be confidential um, information related to that staff member. Not specifically their name, but
it would be like a social security number or something of that regard. Um, if the board so chooses, you can come see them unredacted with a school administrator in the business office and we'll put it up on on the screen and you could certainly do that. We do the same thing with the resumes if you so choose.
You know, you could be able to access that. Um, and as far as bullying in school, um, the grand majority, we've reviewed the cases, the grand majority of cyber bullying is not actually happening in school. It's actually happening outside of school time. Um, I can also say from walking in the
buildings uh, during the school day and even at the high school during passing times, I don't see kids on TikTok. They're actually talking to each other. Um, as far as their calendars go, it's their personal calendars. It's the
calendars that are related to their personal accounts. They don't want to put everything on their school account because that's not a private account. So, um, it relates to their their schedules. Um, I'm going to turn it over now to Mrs. DeFranco. And
>> sorry, tell your rules here, buttons to press. I'm not that good at that. I don't know how to even turn my cell phone on and off. So, can't expect me to turn this microphone thing on. Um, so I think that the reason it says may be granted as opposed to shall or may be
granted permission as opposed to shall be granted is that it's qualified. And what it says is this accommodation requires AB CD. So if you don't have ABC D fulfilled, it won't be granted. So it
it is a permissive thing. If ABC D are fulfilled because this accommodation requires documentation from a licensed healthcare provider specifying the need for necessity, approval by the district physician, approval by the principal and
school nurse, and in written a written individualized health plan detailing the appropriate usage parameters. So those four criteria have to be satisfied. That's why the they use the word may. I think that if you're going to change it
to shall, you'd have to change a little bit more. Shall be granted permission to possess the use electronic devices for healthc care management purposes so long as the following requirements are satisfied. So you have to either if
it's so it really does the May is if you meet the four criteria it's it'll be granted May is it may be granted but you got to meet these four or you say shall but these criteria must be satisfied. So I don't think it's necessary that you
change it. I think that you know the purpose the reason you have these parameters in here is you want to make sure that it's a bonafide health issue that a you know, it's it's uh for monitoring somebody's glucose levels. Um, and you want to make
sure that it's something bonafideed that a physician the child's physician is certifying to. And then you have your school physician. That's why every school has a physician because, you know, I'm not a doctor. I I can't make those determinations, but they can. So I
think that if you're going to change it to shall, you then have to change the next line which is shall be granted so long as the following four criteria are satisfied. That would be my recommendation. Or leave it as may and then I think either way it means the same thing. >> Point of clarification. I'm not trying
to be mean, but if I >> miss Favlovich, we just went over this. You need to be acknowledged. >> Point of clarification, >> Miss Favvelich. >> Thank you. If a licensed healthc care provider says you need the cell phone for managing blood or whatever diabetes,
how can a district physician principal who's not medically trained, a school nurse have that can say no? Like that doesn't make sense even the idea. If a health licensed healthcare provider says you need this, >> how could we even consider like saying
no to it? I just don't get it. >> I'll explain it to you. And uh so a chiropractor is a licensed healthcare provider. If a chiropractor says you need this, the school physician can say this isn't your area of specialty. You don't know you're not an expert in in
diabetes. So a chiropractor is a licensed healthcare provider in the state of New Jersey. You cannot practice chiropractic medicine without that license. You have um certain licensing advanced practical nurses. That doesn't mean that they're an expert in that
field. So this is supposed to be it's an interactive process an interactive process with the students physician whoever is treating them and our expert who's the school physician to go back and forth and that's the purpose of
this. So I think a licensed healthc care provider you want to make sure that it's a legitimate uh need for this because you have a policy. You don't want people doing things just to circumvent the policy. Um, and that's why you have these different criteria.
>> Just one more thing, >> point of information, >> Miss Brown. I thought the floor was closed to dialogue. >> The floor is closed. >> I just want clarification. I just want to clarify something. >> What?
Did not I turn my thing off. Oh, sorry. The floor is closed. >> Thank you. >> Do you have any other responses? Are we referring to Mr. Franco? >> I'm going to turn it over to Mrs. DeFranco if she has anything further to add.
>> I think everything was covered by Mr. Gio. And I just want to add one more thing that we currently do have some students who um use their cell phones in these capacities and it is vetted through the same process that is written in this regulation and it does work and it goes through also our healthcare
plans. So um this is just an extension of that of what we're already doing. >> Thank you. Can I get a motion for 4 A? >> So moved. >> Second.
Okay. Mr. Bodski, >> yes. >> Dr. Bertrini, >> yes. >> Mr. Brown, >> yes. >> Mr. Leah, >> yes. >> M.
>> No. >> M. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santana. >> No. >> Mr. German. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Beh. >> Yes. >> Motion carries.
>> Can I get a motion for 6 A C through E? >> So moved. >> I'll second. >> Anthony. Roll call. >> Mr. Bodski. >> Yes. >> Dr. Berlin. >> Yes.
>> Miss Brown. >> Yes. Mr. Leah. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Spy Beverish. >> Sex. No. >> M. Casso. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santana.
>> Abstain on 6E. Yes. On the wrist. >> M. Yman. >> Abstain on 6C. and yes on everything else. >> Mhm. >> Yes. >> Motion carries.
>> Negative motion for 7 A through D. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Bowski. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> M Brown. >> Yes.
Mr. >> Yes. M >> we are in seven. Correct. >> Yes. >> Morty. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santana.
>> Please pass me. >> M. Yur. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mha. >> Yes. >> Mr. Um I have um 783 abstain. >> Yes. On the rest
>> motion carries. Thank >> Can I get a motion for 8 A through F H through J? >> So moved. >> Second. Roll call. >> Mr. Podski. >> Yes. >> Uh Dr. Bolini.
>> Yes. >> Miss Brown. >> Abstain on eight. I Yes. On everything else. >> Yes. >> No. 8 A1 A2 >> M soy >> yes >> Mr. Santana
>> abstain on 8 A1 and two yes on the rest >> M >> yes >> Mrs. May. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Make a motion for 9 A and B. >> So moved.
>> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Powski. >> Yes. >> Dr. Bolini. >> Yes. >> Miss Brown. >> Yes. >> Celia. >> Yes. >> Miss Pelage.
>> Can you please come back to me? M. >> Yes, >> Mr. Santana. >> Yes, but I made a mistake on my vote before. If I may correct it, >> we'll go back to it. >> Yes, >> Miss May. >> Yes.
>> Motion carries. Going back, Oh, yes. >> Motion carries. >> Mr. Santana, would you like to clarify what you were saying before, please? >> Yes. With the indulgence of the board, I made a mistake. AC um
abstain AJ1. No, thank you. >> Does this have AJ1 or it's 10 AJ1? Is there an Asia one that I want to amend my vote to?
>> 8 J as in juice and number one. >> Oh, me too. I want to put that also. 8 J1. Sorry, I needed >> one more information. Um, >> please wait to be acknowledged, >> Mr. Sana. >> Yes. Yes. I'm have all the time. I could
be here until 2 in the morning. Um, with all due respect, I did ask uh for the the board council to please clarify and my question was not clarified. Are we entitled to view the resumeums
for people being hired or promoted? That was not answered. >> It actually was answered. You were out of the room. You are able to come into the office and it can be provided to you on a screen. Uh you could do the same with our bills list. It will not be
provided to you via email or via an agenda. But if you would like to make an appointment with our administration, you can come in and do so. >> That's not the process that we have followed before. This is all new. This is all new. Why are we creating something new? >> This is not a dialogue.
>> But you you got to be more democratic. You're being very >> This is not a dialogue. And we just hired Excuse me. >> This is not a dialogue. This is not a back and forth. >> This is not a dictatorship. This is not a dictatorship. Every time you say this is not a dialogue, I'm gonna say this is
not a dictatorship. We're a democracy. >> Santana, >> when I was interviewed on the bills list, what I said in the practice that I follow all over is board members have the right to go in and look at unredacted bills. You do that in the office because there is confidential
information. Emailing, >> what's that? >> Same thing. the the the the resumes. You guys have the ability to look at them. I don't recommend that, and I'll tell you exactly why, I don't recommend that people's resumes for who are potential
candidates be emailed out. You have a fundamental duty as an employer, because you're an employer, to protect the privacy interests of that individual. So, let me give you an example. Let's hypothetically say that your superintendent is recommending Dr.
Gio Kobe to be an employee. And you guys come Yeah. But you guys come in. Exactly. That's what I said. You guys come in and you look at the resume and say, "We're not hiring Dr. Gio to the board physician. He's not a doctor. He's a lawyer. I applied. I have a job someplace else.
Nobody knows that. My new other employer doesn't know that I've applied. It's highly confidential. That's why you don't you don't put board members because what'll happen is if it leaks out, they'll say, "Did you email it out?" Did board members get it? Did somebody leak it? That's what the
recommendation is. It's to protect the board, to protect you individually, and to protect the privacy rights of a future thing. I do agree that you absolutely have the right to look at it. And I would suggest that if there's somebody thing, you could talk to uh Dr.
Denisio, set up a meeting, go and look at the resume, or you could just discuss it. What are the qualifications? Where do they go to school? That's your right as a board member. I'm not suggesting that you're not. It's just emailing it out is dangerous because once it's out in the in the >> ether >> I never asked for the resumes to be
emailed. I never said I never said that. >> Oh, I well I I don't know where where you're saying it. My recommendation >> I asked can we have access to the resume and the response was >> I didn't respond. >> This is not a dialogue >> council. >> This is not a dictatorship.
>> This was asked and answered and we are moving on. Can I get Can I get a motion for 10B through J? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Bowski? >> Yes. >> Dr. Bolini? >> Yes.
>> Miss Brown? >> Yes. >> Missia? >> Yes. >> Miss? >> No. On 10 B C E F G H I J. D E F G H I J
>> M COY >> Yes, >> Mr. Santana. >> No. On 10B through F, charging profit to the community is immoral. >> M Y
>> abstain on 10. I'm sorry, we're like 11, right? 10. Oh. Uh, yes and everything. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yes. >> Motion carries >> 11. A motion for 11 A through G. >> So second.
>> Roll call. >> Mr. Podski. >> Yes. >> Dr. >> Yep. >> Miss Brown. >> Yes. >> Mia. >> Yes. Miss Velvich, >> no. An 11B. I don't think we should
throw out instruments. An 11 C because the bills are reducted. And 11G. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santana, >> please pass me. M.
>> No. On 11g. Yes. On everything else. >> Yep. No. On 11G. Yes. On the west. >> Motion carries. >> Can I get a motion for 12A? >> So moved. >> Point clarifier. I would like to make a
motion to amend the bylaws the the bylaw. >> There's already a motion >> the the policy. second. He said he needed a second. >> Um I would like to make a motion to change the policy. >> I had clarification first.
>> We are moving in the direction of using Robert's rules appropriately. We have new legal counsel. So you have to get recognized in order to >> ask you who spoke first. >> My question was not answered about regarding and the policy say staff
should not be audio and video tab uh or school during the school day for any purpose without the consent of the student parent or staff member. So do we get consent permission from parents and staff members before we take pictures of them or record them in any shape or form?
>> Staff members consent. Yes. So staff members opt out. We've had staff members throughout the year opt out. They don't want to be on video. >> So they have a form and parents too. >> They opt out. >> Uh we don't have a form for parents. >> Well, the policy says they should. We should. It says parents. Well,
permissions. How do you get permission without a form? >> You can get verbal permission, but that they're parents. So this is first read. So >> okay. For students, we have written permission under the media consent. The acceptable use and consent
>> and staff has it and parents, I guess, will have it. >> Okay. >> They already have it. It's in your media consent policy. >> No, I mean staff members. It says staff members and parents. That's what the policy says. >> Can I get a roll call, please?
>> Polling water. I have a a a change to the policy that I want to make. >> No, but yes, but He went after me. So he should be >> You have to You have to call for it after she's done. And you didn't. >> I called before she went. >> Yeah. But can we just let him call? Go
ahead. >> This is This Can we have democracy in this meeting? >> I would like to make an amendment to the policy. I would like to make a motion to amend 12A policy and the regulation as they see
fit. not permit students to high school students to be distracted and use cell phones in between classes when they only have three four minutes to make it to the classes. >> Second, >> and wait, I wasn't done with my
sentence. And change the may to shall for the last page for the the medical reasons for the students and add the language that the board attorney uh recommended. Second,
remember >> Miss Brown, >> point of clarif ification. There was already a an approved motion on the floor to approve it as is. So would that would Mr. Santana's motion then need to
be a subsidiary motion or do you have to vote on my motion before he can even make a motion? Because there's already a there's already an approved motion on the board to vote on it as is. I said it then um Miss Favvelich
seconded it. >> No, she seconded it and then discussion point of order. >> Then we can have a second motion to amend it that way. >> Point of order. We should be in discussion. >> Zantana, you have to be recognized just
like >> Let me just explain. Can I just explain something before we >> point of water requires no recognition. So >> it's to enforce the rules. >> I'm speaking. Let me speak for a second. This is a first reading.
Any type when you have a first reading, my recommendation would be adopt it. You can always amend policies later. You have a first and a second reading. When you start making massive changes to it, you have to reintroduce it and go through the whole thing. I already told
you I think that the May with the way you have it set up is the same is shall with the way I said it. Um my recommendation would be here you have a a motion and a second vote on it as is and then if if uh board member uh
Santana wants to make recommendations for amendment do that as a separate v vote right after this >> do a roll call >> two on the floor the first one and then we'll take Mr. Sant >> so that means either Miss Favvich or Mr.
Santana have No, they already did it. So, just do a roll call on yours and then Mr. Santana made a motion to amend it. Um, which was seconded by >> Mrs. Melvich. >> Um, and then we'll do that second.
>> Mr. Podski, >> yes. >> Dr. Bertoini, >> yes. >> Miss Brown, >> yes. >> Mr. Leah, >> yes. >> Miss, >> no. Yes, >> Mr. Santana.
>> No, >> Mr. German. >> No, >> abstain. >> Okay, so now let's entertain trustee Santana's motion
to amend it based on the two issues that I just one dealing with the the high school not having them at all. Correct. the high school students not having the cell phones. And the second one was
changing the may to shall with the other amendment that I had suggested which is shall be granted so long as the filing for criteria satisfied. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. So we have a motion second. >> Question is it all or none? So you have
to either vote for both. >> Sorry to recognize >> I'm gonna get to you. Dr. >> A point of clarification. Can that motion be split in half? Then it's Muay also suggested.
>> So at this point in time, we have to vote on the motion in place. If you guys do not agree with both or then you vote no. If you do agree with both, then you can vote yes. But we cannot change the motion now because it has been seconded and is now on the floor.
>> Let's vote on it and if you want to reconsider it. Actually, we should we're supposed to have discussion on the motion. >> Dr. Berlin just spoke. Anybody else? >> Mr. Sana. >> Okay. So, I heard from board members
saying about talk about high school. I teach in high school. I've been teaching for 22 years. We have we have a study nationwide that proves the negative effect of cell phone and social media on
the emotional well-being of children. Okay. On the self-esteem, anxiety, you name it. Okay. Facebook's own company did a a study that shows that Instagram, okay, has detrimental effect on
young girls image. Social media is have been weaponized and we need to protect our children from that danger and distraction during school hours. Okay. uh when we are trying to improve our student outcomes
for all students including subgroups okay uh increase proficiency in algebra 2 in geometry English you name it children should not be hooked on phones in between classes when you are going to
geometry you should be thinking about geometry you should not be posting on on phones you want to check your like me like Mr. for availability stated. You want to check your grades, you can check it on the computer. You want to check your calendar, you can check on the computer. You want to check your email, you can check it on the computer. But if
the state of New Jersey, Department of Education recommended that schools, public schools do not allow access to students during the school day, including even lunch. Why are we allowing high school students to be able to be on the phone and and to
to answer to the board member that stated, "Well, they could go to the bathroom and then they g if you don't allow them to use it in the hallway, they going to use in the bathroom." Well, from my from my own expertise, we have the we have the caddies. The students cannot just take the phone from the caddy and go to the bathroom. No,
the phone stays in the caddy and they cannot take it to the bathroom. Therefore, that would that wouldn't be a problem. All I'm all I'm trying to do is sleep well at night. I don't want anybody's child to be hooked on a phone
during the school day. We want them to become to want want them to focus on learning on learning and socialization with one another, being able to talk to one another, not be hooked on a phone, have interpersonal connections so they
can get along with others when they grow up. How can we not approve this? I cannot my my in in in my good conscience I can I have to do whatever it takes to make sure that we protect the mental wellbe of our children and that we ensure that
they focus to class. I don't want a child to show up to geometry staring at their phone or or grab or having their phone in their hand when they enter a class. So we should vote yes. We should take care of what the parents said that it's common sense. If the student have a
medical issue, they should be entitled. Please vote. Yes. >> Thank you, Mr. Santana. Miss Maym. >> So, I just want to give a perspective from a clinical mental health expert in schools. Um,
we use cell phones as a tool for executive functioning with our students on a very regular basis. Both our general education students and our special education students. uh coinciding with support from parents to ensure that our children have higher order executive functioning skills
utilized um by technology that can only be supported by a cell phone that doesn't have the same resources on a Chromebook or a device. Um, part of grades six through 12 is supporting
students in becoming more independent and mastering executive functioning skills that are internal versus external. External would be an example of my mother me reminding my children that they have football practice, wrestling practice, and basketball practice all in one night and it's
overlapping. My son now knows that he has to put that in his own phone along with the math test he had yesterday and that he had to study for it and now he is able to self-re so that he is learning to internalize an executive
functioning skill that he doesn't currently have. My son is a neurotypical 12-year-old. However, we have students who don't have those internal skills and these are tools to be utilized as part of learning and growing. I'm going to reference Mrs. Fineman who noted that
these are skills that her children are using and it's really important that they become independent so that they can function in society. We are a small microcosm of a societal norm and to be able to teach these skills to our
students in a safe manner is extraordinarily important. My children don't have access to anything but phone um text messaging, their phone to call us or their calendar
from 8:25 to 255. So that is also a parenting concern. Make sure that you are involved in your child's life and you monitor what goes on on a technology because I can't go to college or to a job with my children.
Point of clarification, I wanted to ask and attorney the question. Should we talk about our child during board meetings? Aren't we representing everyone, not just one child? I'm just wondering, should we discuss our children? >> Board members are free to use their
children as examples if they so choose. That's that's a parental choice. >> It just doesn't seem It feels like you're supposed to be a parent. You're not supposed to be a parent here. You're supposed to be advocating for everyone. >> Anyone else? Miss Brown.
>> Um I I think Oh, do you want to go? >> No, go ahead. Sorry. >> Next. >> Um I I appreciate the way that this is written and I appreciate the way the time and the effort it took because it's not just personal opinions that were
used to create this policy. It was a um collective um it was the collective whole we were the administration did a great job of surveying staff and students surveying the community and using that information
from the community from the staff from the from the students who deal with this day in and day out and they use that information to create the safest policy in order to continue to have the safest environment in that in that school. Um I
think that we had we've had plenty of parents who have expressed um concern about an all or nothing policy and I think the administration and the uh staff involved has done a great job at listening and recognizing the needs of
our the growing needs of our community and I just wanted to thank you and I appreciate that. >> Miss Casoy, >> thank you. Just really quickly um to piggyback on what you said also I have experience with a neurotypical child and child who has ADHD who is now in grad school and I have seen them progress
through the years, they require those devices. No one is going to open their Chromebook while they walk the hallway to check the grades. And so either we're asking teachers and to take time out of their class for those students to be able to open those Chromebooks and check their emails, check their grades, or we have to give students then time to do
those things. So either we're allowing them most of I frankly check my email on my phone a lot more than I do on my laptop. When I have my laptop in front of me, that's when I use it. But the students not in every class have their Chromebooks open. Not in every class do they have access to those. And honestly, I'm sorry to say the Wi-Fi is not super
great across the building. So there's definitely pocket. Sorry to look at you there. But, you know, they they don't necessarily always have, you know, access. Their phones sometimes work faster, work better, and if they need to, the students in high school now do a thousand things a day. They're not just
going to class and just going to geometry, algebra. They are also involved in six different clubs and honor societies and work after school and have other commitments and have sports and have things. They're they're in sometimes as early as 7 in the morning for zero period classes and don't leave until 3:30 and then have to
run to something at 3:45. They don't have enough free time during the day. And that's that's a societal issue. That's not just in our school. But if we cut them off from the ability to use their resources, which they need in order to to manage their days, that's a problem. So if we're going to take that
away then we have to come up with an alternate way for them to give them an extra what five minutes between which you know that's a scheduling problem but then we need to give them other opportunities to use the devices that we deem appropriate for them to manage their day-to-day lives which are not
necessarily on their Chromebooks at school which is only gives them access to certain things. So I just think we need to be mindful. Sorry. Thank you. >> I'd like to call the question >> second. >> We're entitled to go twice when we speak. Someone called the question and that's part of Robert's rules.
>> Yeah, but that's not very kind and polite to all of us. I think we should I >> I think Miss Brown, I think we should be a little >> call. >> Mr. Bowski, >> no. >> Dr. Berthalini, >> no.
>> Miss Brown, >> no. >> Mia, >> no. >> Miss Fage, >> yes. >> Miss Casoy, >> no. Mr. Santana. >> Yes. >> Mr. Yarm.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Man, >> no. >> Motion fails. >> Dr. Verilini, >> can I make a motion now? >> You have to say. >> I'm just not sure where we are. So, I'll make a motion. I want to make a motion
what our attorney said and what Mr. Santana said. The second part of that motion. >> So, what you're clarifying is that you'd like to make a motion noting the language of shall and including the requirements for the four stipulations that are currently >> based on what our attorney second
>> I don't think he said that though. >> Just >> Yes. Beautiful. That's what I want to make a motion. >> Second >> floor is open. >> So, I wanted to clarify what the attorney said when he said that, oh, we
have to get the the school physicians to check because it could be a nurse practitioner pro saying that you have to. My theory is if a person has a medical issue, going through all these soups will take time and these time could be actually detrimental to the students well-being. It could take a
week a week for this all to be reviewed. So for that week, they're not allowed to use their medical device to help save their lives. That doesn't make sense. And second of all, sometimes parents can't afford this this doctor or that doctor, whatever doctor they can afford, that's what they use. And for for we
have to get permission from all these people. I just think it's wrong. If a person has a documented documented conditions that's listed, then they should be if there's something that's not listed, then they should go through those steps. But if it's listed, I just don't understand how could you
deny someone. And I just think it's so wrong. Miss Brown. >> Um, as a special education teacher who works with significantly um, disabled students, I can assure you that anything that a student medically
needs is going to be provided in the school by law. Thank you, >> Mr. Santana. Um, I just hope we don't have any parent who may disagree with what the board member
just stated because, you know, we got to be a little careful to do a blanket statement like that because um, >> do you have anything in reference to the policy? If not, please move on. >> Yes, I do. If you let me finish my sentence, please. Um,
I I will support this this this motion, but it's it's it's really sad that my motion wasn't wasn't approved, even though I I had half of this. Um, I don't know. I don't know if I'm going
to approve this motion. Miss >> point of clarification. Can I ask for an amendment of putting a time frame on when the decision has to be made because sometimes there's a lapse of time between all the levels
like like uh within five days of uh rece >> but I I what I would suggest is that let's your superintendent said something earlier in Os when a kid is here the school district
is acting as the parent. They have a legal duty under the law to make sure that that student is getting whatever medical needs that he or she has and fulfilled. So, uh this is to go this is
about the cell phone use policy. And so you're having a parent saying my child needs to use a cell phone for their medical needs. Well, if they're already using their cell phone for their medical needs, i.e. monitoring their glucose or something, we're not the school's not going to say, "Oh, sorry, you can't do
it. Can't monitor your glucose." You So, I I wouldn't put parameters on it. I think that this is something that the school they're not going to do something that's going to put them in in a child in harm's way or the district in harm's way where a kid's not getting the
medical attention that he or she needs as a as a fundamental right. So I don't I wouldn't recommend putting a a parameter on it. I think we have to defer to your professionals. You have school nurses, you have principles, you
have a school physician. You appoint a school physician every year. And there's got to be a medical plan. So, let's just back up for a second. Most of these children, any of these any kid that that has a medical issue, and not just use diabetes, for example, they have a 504.
You have kids who have severe allergies. You have kids who could self- administer kids who can't. Those are all contained in 504s. It's already a legal document. So, we have to comply with that as a matter of of law. What this is saying is a kid, let's say, doesn't have any of
these things and all of a sudden says, "I now need to have a cell phone." We want to make sure that they're filing the same criteria that we're already using for kids that we're doing this for. And I think as assistant superintendent DeFranco said earlier, this is what we're already doing. So, I
I would I don't think a time frame I would not recommend that. I think you just have to look and and work with the the family, the kid, their physician, etc. And I think what I was saying earlier was you want to make sure that the
physician is making these recommendations and I can assure you I deal with this in a lot of places in a lot of public entities. You'll have doctors making recommendations and they're not qualified to make those recommendations. So you want to make sure that the person who's making
recommendations, we're not following it. It could put a kid in harm's way also. And that's why you have a school physician. So I would I would I would vote on it and if there's any other amendments, you can consider that separately. >> All right. Call the question.
>> Yes, you do. >> Yes, I do. >> Not according to Robert's rules. It just needs to be second. No, it >> have to be recognized for rules. >> There's no other question. >> If you'd like to call the question, you just put your hand up and I recognize
you just like Miss Brown just did. >> You have to follow Robert's rules. I recommend you check. >> I am. >> Anthony, would you put your hand up, please? Can you say call? Mr. earlier question. >> Call the question.
>> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Bowski, >> yes. >> Aka Bertellini, >> yes. >> Miss Brown, >> yes. >> Miss Aaliyah, >> yes. >> Miss Fiverich, >> yes. >> Miss Coy,
>> yes. >> Mr. Santana, >> yes. >> Miss Yerman, >> yes. >> Abstain. Motion carries. This portion of our board meeting is specifically for comments on any matter. When speaking, please state your name
and municipality of residents. Limit your remarks to three minutes. State law prohibits board members and administrators from discussing personnel matters, student discipline, or other confidential issues. Please note, this is not a dialogue or a question and answer session between speakers and the board. While we may not respond immediately to every comment made
tonight, all input is carefully considered and helps inform our decisions. Responses may come through emails, reports, board statements, website updates after the comment period closes. Thank you for your participation in our school community's governance. The floor is open.
Hi, Marcy Reese from Carolyn. Um, just a few quick things. Dr. Disio mentioned at the last meeting that there is a community leadership council and I was just looking to see if there's somewhere we can see who makes up this council. Just curious who's on it. Um, hot topic
of the evening, policy 5516 regarding the cell phone use. I was looking for it, couldn't find it online. Um, just too many things going on. But after reviewing it, I do agree that the cell phone policy should likely remain as is for high school students. I don't personally have a high school student.
Um I do agree with Mr. Santana that students shouldn't be using their phones between classes, but I can guarantee that a student moving from the end of the B-wing to the end of the A-wing has no time to put their face in a phone. They're thinking about how the heck am I getting in the class on time. I was
cutting through parking lots to do that. Um I don't know if that's still a thing because I don't have a high school student yet. Um, I do agree students should be allowed to use their phone at lunch to access their phones. And if the students are using their phones to bully or intimidate other students at any time
during the school day, a hip complaint can be filed. Mrs. Casoy mentioned that students check grades and assignments. I completely agree with that. My sixth grader now is stopping to ask me a genesis. She's checking her own. I got into my grade. I got it on my grade a little early for that, but she needs to know. And if she had a phone to use it,
which she she has a phone, but she doesn't use it for that. She'd probably check that. Uh cell phones are unfortunately a necessary evil in life. If we as parents are providing our children with phones, we need to guide them appropriately in using this device as well. I was a sophomore in high
school when Coline happened. I did not have a cell phone. Cell phones weren't really a big thing back then, but times have changed. In case of an emergency, I would like to personally be able to get in touch with my middle schooler. So I think we do need to tread carefully on the policy instituted at middle school level maybe based on grades but I don't
think students should be allowed to use their phones in lunch in middle school at all. I don't think that they should be using them at all but they should have them accessible in case of emergency and I absolutely don't think any elementary school student should be using the phone. Um seconds okay uh the Ajim I just wanted
to clarify I know that's also been a hot topic. I graduated high school in 2001. My brother Ira graduated high school in 1995. commented to me back in September that, "Wow, this gym hasn't changed a bit." He's right. Um, in September, I saw my niece's junior varsity volleyball
game in the Eym. It was hot, stuffy, and pretty uncomfortable, much like when I went there. And then I got to go to the alumni game in the B gym that weekend. And what a difference. And by the way, any alumni, good job. You guys beat the current team. So, that was awesome to really watch. Old men still got it. Um,
but the B gym has air conditioning. I don't know what the plans are for the for the agent, but I just I hope aside from just bleachers, there are um air conditioning plans for that. And I guess my other comments can wait. Thank you.
Hi, good afternoon. Uh, very hot discussion about this policy. With all due respect, uh, board attorney, I did hear what you said about the locus paris, but unfortunately with parents whose children have life-threatening allergies or disease that compromise their life, we are every day we send our
children to school, we are terrified to get a phone call that there's something wrong with our child. So, the policy that says may or any kind of loose wording terrifies us. It's very hard to make decisions for people who do not have children with life-threatening allergies, with anaphylaxis, with
diabetes, something that will compromise their life. So these languages we do look to be concrete. So we do not, again, the local parents, I did pick up my child with allergies. My child has life-threatening allergies. I could tell
you that it's very hard to determine if a child's having an allergy. Like TJ has 00 children, there is two nurses. My question every single day, if three children having an epileptic shock, is those two nurses playing God. So for us
to have those phones, those lifelines to make sure that at 2:35 our children that are alive are fundamental. So I appreciate the hot discussions from every single board meeting, but you have to understand where we the parents who have these sick children. We understand the local parent. We understand all of
these things, but Our schools grew exponentially. I grew up in this town. TJ wasn't I don't know what happened to TJ. We all were bus to Memorial. It was a smaller district. At this point, I'm asking you to consider children with
these disease. We're not asking you. I understand a principal should never have a decision to say yes may. I understand it says uh yes the uh physician the school physician of course but principal is such a big thing. You should never have a decision to make about these
things. I understand all of our children have 504s, but at the end of the opening, it's a very dangerous roads and a very dangerous language that you're putting in these policies. Thank you so much. Have a great day. >> There anything in the Google doc?
>> Yes, there is. Uh there are uh Olga Ginsburg Fereralon. I would like to respectfully request that all districtwide PTO's PTAs including place have the technical capacity to offer consistent and
reliable hybrid and virtual meeting options. These organiza organizations address important matters that directly affect students and families. However, a most recent FLACE CPAG meeting proceeded without a hybrid option despite multiple requests.
Excuse me. Many parents who wished to participate were unable to attend in person due to work schedules, child care needs, or other commitments as FLEC holds only a few meetings each school year. Missing even one meeting can significantly widen the engagement gap for parents.
Offering consistent virtual or hybrid access would help ensure more families can actively participate, contribute to discussions, and remain connected and informed. This small change would meaningfully strengthen family engagement. Thank you for considering this request.
Next comment is from Aiden Maloney. Hi Aiden. I know Aiden's watching. Uh, dear Dr. Dianio and board members, my name is Aiden and I am a sophomore. I want to say congratulations to the three board of education winners that won on
November 4th. Thank you for having policy committee of the whole meetings again. I have a question tonight. My question is I wanted to know why the board doesn't announce board meeting dates on the district social media pages. Thank you so much. All my best. Aiden,
>> can I respond to Aiden really quick? Can I respond to Aiden really quick? Um, Aiden, that is a really good idea um to make sure that we are announcing them on our social media for students like you. Um, I cannot speak for all PTAs and
PTO's, but uh, Henry V. Milan's school does announce all um, board meetings um, so does Memorial um, on their social media. So, um although you don't attend those two schools
once at all and no longer anymore, um I think we can look into that for you. Floor is closed. I will open up the floor to board member comment on any matter. So our last board meeting I talked about gifted and talented and I will be
talking about gifted and talented for the remainder of the year for sure meaning 2026 as well. So let me read the policy policy 20 actually regulation 2464 part A2 it says to identify students in
need of gifted and talented service in grades K through six and I'm going to repeat that K through six the district will assemble a committee for the purpose of identifying uh students demonstrating gifted behaviors the committee may be comprised of
combination of blah blah blah great Wonderful. Then in February 2022, um 2021, the year 2021, Mr. Idken and I made a motion to post the criteria for
eligibility for gifted and talented including reach on the web website for prospective schools. The criteria should include the required test scores. The criteria should be specific enough to allow parents to understand why their children was or was not included in the
gifted and talented program. Great. Now we're going to talk about state law 1835-39 18A colon 35-39 information available on the A school district shall
make detailed information available on its website regarding the policies and procedures used to identify students as gifted and talented and then continue of service offered to gifted and talent. The information shall include the criteria used for consideration of
eligibility for the gifted and talented service including multiple measures used in identifying process to match a student needs. Great. In 2022 2023, this is the criteria. Kindergarten had a criteria, first grade
had a criteria, second grade had a criteria. Currently on our website it's grades three through four on every elementary school. We do not have any criteria for kindergarten. We do not have any criteria for first grade. We do not have any criteria for second grade.
Then I thought that's odd but we used to have it in 2022 2023. So that doesn't make sense. Then I looked at the program again our regulation part C C1 when a student in grades three through has been
identified as gifted and talented. Wait a minute. K through six supposed to be identified. Now if you're identifying only 3 through six had been identified as a gifted and talented they will get permission. Okay great. So now it's 3 through six but the law says K through
12. Okay fine. Then there was an amazing lawyer that wrote a beautiful oped and this is for Okay, come back. >> Mr. Santana, it's okay. I called you.
>> All right. So, I just wanted to congratulate those finishing fall sports and for those that got individual awards, best of luck heading into spring sports. Also wanted to give a special shout out to one of our own John Vanos for his coach of the year. Uh his recognition on that much deserved. I
also wanted to thank Mr. Rhinus and his firm for the scholarship and contribution to Feralone School. That sounds like a great scholarship and yeah so thank you to them and congratulation to those who got awards for the fall. >> Mr. Santana.
>> Yes. Um I I believe I I'm an educator. I understand local parenthesis um local parents but we have to be a little sensitive with um some of the things we say because we do have a segment of the population that believe
that parents don't co-parent with the government. So just just you know I understand it's the law but we just got to you know um I did ask the district post board meetings on a social media site. You know a lot of people don't
know when the meetings are you know uh and a lot of people don't know who the board members are. So maybe a social media sites can be a little more uh informative in that regard. They already do a wonderful job. um the school district leadership council uh perhaps
Mr. Dr. Dionio perhaps uh the district can consider those who did not win on the school board election to maybe invite them to be part of that leadership council is just a suggestion uh I would like to uh congratulate one
of our own uh for moving on winning the election and moving on to the council Mr. Vowski, I wish you success and I would like my street to be repaved. Uh, I would like to congratulate um Mr. Rosenberg,
Dr. Bertoini, and Miss Corbella on winning the election. I recognize your victory. We cannot only be happy with our country when we win. We have to love our neighbor even when we don't we don't agree with them. Joe Biden, my president
then. Uh, thank you, Miss Kosoy, Bjana, and Marcy for running. Although you did not place in the top three, you you are also a winner. I recognize the results of the election, and I call you a winner. When I won my election, I was
called a loser. When I won my election, a board member called me a loser. The board president did not did not denounce that statement. But then that board member, I was never I was never given an apology in person or during a board me during a board meeting. And I hope I'm
giving an apology in person and in public because I feel that if I did not look the way I look, I would have I will be I would have been treated a lot better back then, current, and currently
because a lot of procedures have been used to keep immigrants on this board out of committee chairs, out of president. Next year, I'm going to become, God willing, a certified board member. I'm going to finish my training. I am running for board for board president. Why am I running for board
president? I want to increase the student achievement for all students. I want to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion to the board. I want to increase parent involvement and reach out to the immigrant community. Many immigrants in this town feel afraid.
I'll come next. >> Miss German. So, I actually wasn't going to say anything about this, but based on what Mr. Santana just mentioned, our board elections have become very
political. Three years when I ran, three years ago when I ran, a constituent reached out to a board member that was running for reelection. And during that reelection, the constituent asked a number of
questions and all this for board member could say was Miss Yorman sued the school district. And I and I have proof of that correspondence at this point. It is uh from my knowledge when
something is said in executive session no matter whether you're on the board or not on the board anymore it should never go outside that space. There is an old older board member that
is coming back on the board who should while he's in close session keep the information that he hears in close session. Although my children's situation is well
known, my children are now out in the workforce and choose whether their employer wishes to know that they have a disability. and for a board member to just talk
during a campaign season that became very political three years ago. He chose to share it with somebody he didn't even know. And how many other people has he shared
information over 16 years within a close session environment? as he shared it with the public. And that's and Miss Corala, I totally agree with everything that you just said about having a child with a
serious medical issue and how we worry from the time we drop our children off and even now into adulthood and from the time they're in their safe
space. And all I want to say is I totally agree with you. I've been there, done that. It's been a while, but now I have my children that are older who now one has a grand has a child, my grandson.
And I would hope that anything that any board member discusses behind closed doors does not reach out to a resident of Fairone or anywhere else for that matter. Thank you.
>> Anyone else? So I want to continue NJPSA which is New Jersey Principal Association says identifying process is ongoing K through 12 when a school district does not start gifted and
talented until third grade based on regulation. That's what we seems like we're doing as some do. It's not compliant with the law. My job as a board member is to make sure the district follows law. I may not agree with them. Doesn't matter. I took an
oath that the law must be followed. And if I see that the law is not being followed, I have to keep saying it and I will say it every single board meeting until the law is being followed because I think it's wrong to say that we're identifying K through six and then on
the district website it says three and four. What happened to kindergarteners? What happened to first graders? What happened to the second graders? I also have a concern that 7 through 12 it says it's the honors classes but that's also high achievers. So K through six we
don't combine high achievers with gifted. We want gifted in separate but starting seventh grade we put high achievers with gifted together. I don't get that. Why aren't we identifying gifted students and giving them certain and at least identifying and giving the honors teachers that this student and
this student and this student is gifted so that they will be providing more support for them. I don't understand that. I also don't understand the gifted tier system support. This is this in 2024
uh tier tier one was 100, tier 2 was 10 to 20 and tier three was 5 through 7. 2025 tier 1 is the same. Tier 2 went from 10 to 20 to 8%. So the cut the program seemed to be cut. Tier three was
three to five, I'm sorry, 5 to 7%. Now it's 3 to 5%. Again, it seems like it's cut. So, I don't understand why the tears uh were cut. I don't remember ever being informed. Lastly, I want to talk
about December's board meeting. I would love to attend December voting. I made plans. I worked incredibly hard to make sure the child care was provided. It was changed last minute. Nobody ask when was I available. They just said this this random day doesn't work for me. They
didn't ask me which days would work. They just picked a random Monday. Two people on this board that are immigrants and that are not incognito that they're immigrants cannot attend the meeting. And the board leadership
thought it was okay, not a big deal. I said to the board leadership, can we make it on a Tuesday so everybody can make it? Nope. We advertise. That's it. We don't care if you're come or not. And then we have emails constantly in solidarity. What kind of solidarity is
this? If you made the meeting 11 months ago, I made sure that I'm going to be available. And board leadership changed the last minute and said, "Oh, well, you can't come. Your fault. Bye." So wrong. >> Thank you. Um, Miss Herman,
>> I apologize for taking those last three minutes uh and be remiss to not say uh happy Thanksgiving to our whole Fairone community, staff, students, etc. And um spend as much time with your family as you can.
>> Mr. Santana, >> I want to say happy Thanksgiving, but I I think we should model the behavior we want for our children. We want to We want bullying to stop. Let's stop the bullying on the board. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion in our schools. We need to have it here. We want
democracy and free speech and free exchange of ideas. Let's let's let's not use procedural gimmicks to to silence the bo the board members. Again, we have two factions on this board. We have a majority who keeps doing everything the
way you want without working with the minority on this board. Okay. A a board meeting was a schedule a year in advance and is being changed. I was not asked if I'm okay with the change. I happen to
have a conflict a a real conflict. Okay. And which I have informed the meaning should not have been changed. Okay. The meaning should not have been changed. Okay. Under this majority we have a 78% proficiency in math. Only 78% of the of
the high school students are are graduation ready in math for the past three years. Okay. Only one-third proficiency in math in the lower grades. That's not a good record. And if you plan to continue the same uh you know
it's not good. It's not a good record. 78% proficiency uh only 78% of student proficiency in math in the high school. That's not good. the the um I agree with what the board member stated during my first term. Confidential information was
leaked. Okay, it's leaked. It was leaked many times and I have specific examples of things that were said and then the next the next morning all of a sudden a community member knows and send an email. Oh, you're trying to do this, you're trying to do that. So again, I
for I forgive. Okay. But I I just can't forget. Please, let's stop the factions and let's stop the we have the five votes. We could do whatever we want. Please stop it. Our children are not winning like that.
Please stop making the immigrants on this board feel excluded because we represent the people out there and a lot of immigrants in this community feel silenced, afraid. Okay? Please, let's be careful with the language that we use. Please be careful
bossing people around. Please, let's not use the the the the the robbers rules to silence and cut people from their freedom of speech. Okay. In Dece in January, we have an opportunity to elect
a new board me a new board president, someone that will bring kindness, compassion, and empa empathy towards everybody. Not giving chair positions to friends or people that you like. Okay.
when we have test scores that need to raise, we cannot continue with the same person in charge. >> Thank you so much, Miss Brown. >> Um, I also wanted to uh congratulate all
of the fall sports athletes on great seasons. Um, and I wish you continued luck. Um, I also wanted to congratulate uh Mr. John Vanos and the girls. Yeah, I know. and the girls soccer team on a storybook
season. They won their first league championship ever. They made it to the semi state sectional round of soccer and they lost a heartbreaker one- nothing um to a team that had previously beat them in the beginning of the season 5 nothing.
So they did a really great job. So I just wanted to recognize those girls um and they're a young team so it's going to be really exciting to see them grow um in the future. So, I just wanted to thank you, Mr. Vanos, for your dedication to that team. Um, it
definitely does not go unnoticed. And I also wanted to wish everybody a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. The floor is closed. Um, our next meeting is on December 8th, 2025. is a rescheduled monthly board meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Edison School,
Eugene Aventa public meeting room, room 19. And then we will be having our organization meeting on January 7th, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. Edison School, Eugene A and Benta Public Meeting Room, room 19. Can I get a motion to adjurnn?
>> So moved. Second. >> All in favor. >> Happy Thanksgiving.