To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay. The New Jersey open public
meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice and to attend meetings of a public body at which business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance
with the provisions of the act, the Portland Board of Education has caused notice this meeting to be published on February 18, 2026, posted on the district website, www.fle.com, lb.com
published in the board's designated online media outlet newspaper the record and the star ledger and filed with the clerk of the burough courtly and mailed to all persons if any who have any requests
notice please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and online at a future The open public act allows for participation at board meetings and defined meetings as any gathering
whether pictorial or by means of communication equipment which is attended by or open to all of the members of a public body held with the intent on the part of the members of the public presence to discuss or act as a
unit upon the specific public business of the body roll please. >> Miss fires >> here. >> Miss Curry >> here. >> Mr. Goslin >> here. >> Miss Gotenk >> here. >> Mr. Lopez >> here.
>> Mr. Mcierum >> here. >> Miss Perez >> here. >> Miss Rifter >> here. >> Miss Morell >> here. >> The board convened executive session at 6:30 today to discuss legal personnel and other confidential matters. Miss
Palato, would you like to begin sharing your superintendent's report? >> Yes. Thank you, President Moral. Good evening, everyone. This evening, I'm pleased to welcome our high school representatives, Che Lee and Jason Kim, who will provide an update on recent and
upcoming events at Fortley High School. >> Hello everyone. Uh my name is Jason K. I'm a junior at Forley High School and I'm one of the members of the student council club. Hello everyone. My name is She and I am a current senior at Forley High School and I currently serve as a co-president
official department proudly present strength the musical. Join us for a joyful high energy adventure filled with laughter, heart, and a powerful reminder that what makes us different is what makes us strong. Show times are as follows. Friday, March 27th at 700 p.m. Saturday,
March 28th at 1:00 p.m. and 700 p.m. and Sunday, March 29th at 3 p.m. Think you can sing? Prison Club is hosting a karaoke night on March 12th, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for students, staff, and the whole community. Tickets are $5 in
advance and $7 at the door. Sign up using the QR code on the flyer. Give back to your community. Until March 27th, Key Club is hosting a hygiene drive to help local youth and families in need. Drop items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and shampoo
by RI 203. Small items make a big difference. Over the end of February, our Asian student alliance hosted a Lunar New Year celebration that brought students together to share and learn about important cultural traditions. Students participated in hands-on activities including Chinese
calligraphy, dumpling making, and creating lunar parts. Events like this not only celebrate the rich cultural diversity within our within our school community, but also create opportunities for students to learn from one another and build a stronger sense of belonging.
Congratulations to the 24 student athletes who are in the first team all big American division honors this past proceeding. Several bridge also received all burden county recognition. Senior friend Christo and Junior Rain were named first team of all Bergen County. Seniors Adela and Jenny Yang earned
second team all Burton County honors while senior John Walls is selected as third team all Burton County. continued his outstanding team by competing at the New Jersey State the champions. We're here in third place finish at high jump finishing the season as the third best high jumper in New
Jersey. Great well done girls bowling team captured North Sue state sectional championship the first sectional title in program history. Individually, junior Raina Kim had an incredible season on the planes, finishing second at New Jersey State and earning recognition as the second best
singles bowler in the state. Very well done. She was also named the Bergman record athlete of the week for outstanding performance. As always, we keep winning. Reminded that all juniors are scheduled to take the NJTP adaptive next week.
Students should report to their test room no later than 7:45 a.m. with a fully charged Chromebook to compare or wired. Students in grade 9, 10, and 12 will have delayed opening next week due to junior's testing. We are pleased to
share that students in grade 5 to 12 recently participated in social emotional learning, SEAL. Throughout the week, students participated in age appropriate activities and discussions designed to build self-awareness, strengthen peer relationships, and promote positive decision-m the week
provided meaningful opportunities for students to focus on their wellbeing and support the positive school community. As always, we are we proud to be. Thank you. >> Thank you, Che and Jason. and good luck to all the Portland High School students
next week on the NJGPA adaptive. Um, thank you. Um, I'd like to begin with an update on our HIV cases. There have been 12 cases investigated and four were founded. Um, all required February fire and security drills were success successfully conducted in each of our
schools. Um, these drills included both fire and security procedures. Um, finally, uh, we will hear from our district auditor, Matthew Wilcox, from Wilcox and Company, who will present the annual audit report reflecting the 2024
2025 fiscal year. >> That's great. All right. Thank you so much for having me. My name is Matthew Wilcox with Wilcox and Company. I am a member at the firm. I'm filling in for my father Steve today who's on vacation. So I'm happy to be
here. Thank you so much for having me. U so when we do the audit, we have two reports which I don't know. I'm sure you've all got it. There's a larger report which is the owner advantage report and then there's the actual ACFR which is kind of shows us how we did
during the year. Um talk about each of them for a couple seconds here. Um management report we do a compliance audit. There were some findings this year but we have discussed them at length with the administration and the finance committee and I'm happy to report that a lot of the corrective
action that was necessary to happen has already taken place. So we're not expecting them to happen again in our next year audit which is a great thing to hear. So the annual comprehensive financial report is the report that I like to look at more. I think it's report that kind of gives us a picture
of where we are as a district and I'm happy to report that you know based on what I'm seeing here the district is in a pretty solid financial place especially compared to it peers in the state. Uh our reserves are very strong for a district our size. You got 11.5 million dollars of capital reserve 2.8 8
in maintenance reserve about 800,000 in emergency reserves. There's $24.7 million in total fund balance and the uh results of our operations last year were 953,000 of revenue over expenses
which is which is great. So I'm I'm happy. Listen, I've been doing a lot of these presentations all over the state. Not a lot of them are great reports like this. ides tough times throughout the state with all the things working against us in the world of budget. So I
feel great about where we are as a district financially. So really that that's all I really have. If there's any question >> any questions we have you have more than that. So you have 11.5 million capital reserve that's to
be used for capital projects. You have a maintenance reserves of 2.8 manual that's used for maintenance of the buildings and then there's an emergency reserve of 82,000 which are for and what I will say is that these you
know especially the capital reserve has been growing which is great we're putting more money in that we're taking out which is what as a what we love to see but I will say compared to your peers the reserves are strong and and this is a beautiful building but not every school I'm sure you
>> use the reserves for anything else except for what It's just all very >> Thank you. >> President's report. >> Thank you, Miss for your superintendent
report and thank you to the students for their wonderful reports. It was very nice. Um do we have any committee or reports? >> Uh yes. Uh the policy committee met on
March 5th. We discussed three existing policies and possibly adjusting by laws regarding number. >> I'd like to do report from the senior center. >> Sure. >> Um they have activities every month. I
just want to mention that there's going to be a memory screening on Tuesday the 24th in the morning for seniors and blood pressure screening tomorrow and also Friday the 27th. >> Thank you. Any other reports?
Okay. >> I don't have a report. >> Go ahead. But I do want to piggy back in addition to those performances won boys. I think he won girls last year. >> Yeah. Um and then there's another high
jump number two county. So shout out to that time. So shout out to them. Um and the girl and women's team up. So congrats to that. Good luck to all
the uh spring sports that are starting. Any other reports? Okay. Do any board members have any comments on tonight's agenda? None. Okay. May I have a motion to open the
floor to the public? >> What? >> Oh, yeah. One second. Um, the walkins first. >> Board members. Um, we have four walk on resolutions this evening.
I'll just read each one. in permanent part of walk on item number 10B. uh long-term suspension be resolved before the board of education hereby affirms the long-term suspension for the following student uh number 8687B
uh be resolved before lead board of education hereby affirms sorry um 11B uh be resolved the court board of education affirms HIV investigation number 298
916 findings for student number 4047 uh 12B be it resolved for le board of education hereby permits the following non-resident student to continue
enrollment at the four league public schools the remainder of the 2526 school year at the advertised prorate tuition rate pursuant to applicable law and is student number 73 343 and item 13B be resolved for lead board
of education hereby disenrolls the following non-resident students from the board league public schools uh student ID number 3215 thank you >> thank you may I have a motion to open the floor to the public >> motion
>> motion change second all in favor >> any oppos any extensions is now open to the public. We will hear comments from the from any member of the public. State your name and home address
for the record at the beginning of your comment. Participation is limited to three minutes in which to make your statement. Do we have any members of the public that wish to come to the podium?
first well. So now that is a superintendent. My question is what are next steps for a assistant superintendent? is the board
going to go and hire search firm from you know the the board of education spend also um last month at the end of the at the end of the meeting business okay announced that
there'll be no move soon okay is great for okay Um it really felt from that there was a lack of communication. It felt like the way it was done was very underrehended.
It was not on the agenda. There's no growth. There's no board participation. Um I tell you as a parent I got involved because people who know me know this because of lack of communication. Okay. And the purpose of
the zoom it makes it more accessible to parents and guardians who forever reason cannot come in person that want to participate. It may be that parking is very bad within that island. So sometimes I do not come because I know
if I move my car not be able to get a parking spot. Okay. It may be that they don't feel well. Maybe that child is sick. But I respectfully asking that this board reconsiders bringing back
Zoom and and if they do not I requesting that be put on agenda and put to a vote and let people discuss it all about communication. Okay. And by by
by doing the way it was done was was poor communication. It was done at the end of the meeting on your new business. There's no resolution sheet on it. It was nothing. So, please bring back Z. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your comment. >> No. >> Rather than waiting till the end of public comment, I'll just respond briefly. Um, and not to take away any uh potential comment the superintendent may have about an assistant superintendent. Um, but I would submit that's a
personnel matter that does not necessarily have to disclose at this point in time. Um, but I'll refer to Miss Palazo as to what if any information she may want to share on that regard. uh with respect to uh the uh conduct of the board meetings and
I'll just refer to by law 0164 as well as 0167. 0164 is conduct of board meetings. 0167 is public participation in board meetings. Um, without agreeing or disagreeing with anything the gentleman just said, um, I do disagree
legally and procedurally and we have the board about the the underhanded I guess reference that was made. Um, because I think it's important to note that there was no board vote, discussion, bylaw, or policy approved to allow Zoom participation by the public for public
comment. And so therefore, there's no discussion, vote, bylaw, or policy required to disallow that. Um uh so that's not required. Um that being said, the board does meet uh they do have committee meetings where they do discuss issues. Those committee meetings are not
subject to public disclosure under the open public meetings act. And so again, there are other assumptions being made. The board is not communicating by itself through it committee based structure which is legal. So again in summation um there there was no requirement for the
board to take a vote uh to disallow Zoom participation uh by the public public comment. There's no requirement in the open public meetings act to require same unless the board itself is having a uh meeting conducted by electronic
communication uh means and they are in turn as a whole doing it and there may be further discussions amongst the board with respect to how it governs itself. um with respect to inerson participation that may be required. I'm thankful
again I don't we can't get into a back and forth but there there is no process to bring it back. There was no process to allow it in the first place. Um so there's no process to bring it back. Again the board sets policy and bylaws. Um if you want to speak during public comment and ask them to do that you're
free to do that. Um but there is no uh process that entitles uh that uh that privilege to be uh reven Everyone um my name is Cynthia Hannah. I live at
2416 Ros Street. On behalf of forc education parent advisory group, I would like to briefly share a few updates from CPAC. First, I want to acknowledge and thank our director of special education and supervisor for their time
collaboration during during our recent CPAC meeting. The discussion around the IEP process and evaluation procedures was extremely helpful for families. Appreciated the transparency, the clear explanations, and the opportunity to
better understand how the district support students through the evaluation and I development process. Meaning like this help strengthen the partnership between families and the district. Looking ahead, CPAC will be hosting an
upcoming virtual session with team up to enhance the lives of individual with disabilities. This session will focus on resources, support systems, and ways to empower individuals with disabilities to live more independent and fulfilling
lives. We hope this will provide valuable information and practical guidance for many of our families. We also want to highlight some powerful neuro friendly programs available within our community. Programs such as adaptive
painting classes and inclusive gymnastics are created creating welcoming spaces where young children and young adults with different abilities can express themselves, build confidence, and develop social
connections. It is encouraging to see our community continue to expand opportunities for neurodeiverse individuals. Lastly, as we began preparing for the upcoming school year, CPAC will soon be
uh opening nominations for next year next year leadership team. We encourage parents who are interested in advocacy, collaboration, and supporting the special education community to consider getting involved. Parents leadership is
an important part of maintaining a strong and active seed. Thank you for your continued support of our students, families, and special education programs. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the district.
Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Are there any other members of the public that would like to speak? >> My name is Mike 230 Warren Avenue. A couple things I just want to get off your chest. Eliminating Zoom is the most ridiculous thing
that this board could do. Think about logic, common sense. You have a tool in the toolbox that is extremely effective to parents and residents of this town that you roughly take it away without
any explanation. Obviously, you can do it because it was originally a courtesy. I get it. But what you just basically did to people in this town who basically cannot make it to a meeting, but yet can go on Zoom for
three minutes to talk about buses and lunches and stuff like that. You shut them out because they can't get to the they can't get. So I think that's a really terrible leadership decision you
make. sport to people enhance things that are working well, not remove them. Next, regarding my son's Club America, I just want to say a few things.
He offered a donation of $2500 last meeting. All he asked to put it on the agenda. Obviously, you didn't for whatever reason. Two, if you really believe what people say in
this town about that the children, the students who are going to be a part of this club, especially my son, my son does not spew hate speech. He is not a trans fob, a homophobe, or
anything else. For all the people in this town to say that about my son is a lie. And for a lot of you in this ward that know my son personally should stand up and speak about it.
Here is my son. He is raised as a conservative. That is not hate speech. All him and his friends want to do is set up a club. And you all strung along and now all of
a sudden it's about a budget. Well, he answered that with the money, a donation that goes on in these meetings all the time. And you basically all just said, "Nah, no thanks."
He's home right now so upset and he can't understand why he did everything possible to bring his club went out and raised money not just from Republicans from Democrats
unaffiliated. Everybody gave him money and he has Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated waiting to give him more money. So you're disrespecting him. You can just pull him off.
>> My three minutes up. >> And one other thing I'm going to say right to you, Morel. You're one of the 600 signatures that signed that petition against the clock. >> Sounds good. Thank you, sir. >> Just remember that. >> Thank you. Justin 2185.
>> I want to piggy back. >> Can you repeat what they're talking? >> Excuse me, sir. Can you please stop disrupting the meeting from the audience? Thank you, sir. >> Sir, can you please stop disrupting the audience and please don't make me apply threats and please stop throwing things around the audience. Thank you. Kids
repeat what they're taught, which is normal. Kids shrug their parents. That's also normal. I know that from personal experience because I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian cult where independent thought wasn't encouraged, but rather replaced with rehearsed
talking points and beliefs handed down by adults. And when you're a kid in that environment, you genuinely believe those ideas are your own. You even go so far as to repeat them confidently. You're passionately because you've been surrounded by them your whole life. But
in reality, you're merely echoing the world view of the adults around you. When adults push national political agendas through their children, we're no longer talking about student voice. We're talking about adult activism being rooted through a minor. And that puts
the board in a very uncomfortable position because now you're being asked to treat what looks very much like an adult-driven political effort as if it were a purely studentled initiative. Schools should absolutely allow students
to express themselves politically, but we should also be honest about the difference between genuine student organizing and situations where students and effect are effectively being handed scripts and performed and per that are
performed by adults with political uh with platforms by adults with political goals. So before this narrative keeps getting repeated that this fundraising effort was a spontaneous studentdriven fundraising effort, I think it's reasonable for people to ask questions
about how much of this actually originated with the student and how much originated with the adult stand behind because the last thing our school should become is a stage where national political organizations and the parents aligned with them use their children as
a mouthpiece. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Is there anyone else in the public that would like to get up and um I'm Martia Johnson. I am at 800 Park Avenue. This is my first meeting. I'm new. I
don't really know what's going on. I'm just asking one question. Is Zoom because I wasn't aware until recently. Is Zoom being eliminated or is the participation being eliminated? If so, um if that is the case and Zoom is still
going, is there a forum or a place for us to roach a concern or anything where we can send that from home? Because I have a disability. There may be days that I may not be able to make it, but I would like to bring something to
community to the community and get a resolve to the question. Where would we do that? I I'm not sure. I'm just inquiring and yeah, I think that's it. >> Thank you. Let me do it.
>> At the request of the board president. Um so the answer is yes. Uh members of the public will continue to have the ability to communicate uh generally through the administration. So that be through the superintendent Miss Palazo and or her designated uh meetings uh
will be live streamed to the public. You know the open public meetings act allows the public the right to attend meetings um as you are this um and it gives the public the right to comment at meetings they attend. Um there is no provision in
the law that requires that public comment to be by way of assume and so the board is not doing anything that is illegal um or unethical or in any way or shape or form um uncalled for. Um so again meetings will be live stream. If you have question, comment, concern, you
can always direct them to the superintendent. Um you can also um uh direct questions or comments to board members but 99.9% of the time they have an ethical obligation to simply refer that question to the superintendent anyway. So I was just trying to cut the middle man out or woman out. That's all
in that regard. Okay. Thank you. previous and I live on um I live on covered and bluff and um I uh
I wanted to say please help uh keep Fort Le High School a safe and kind learning environment for our staff and students by keeping Trin USA's Club America out of Our school freedom of speech has limitations when it impedes on the environmental safety and well-being of
others, whether that be physically, mentally, or emotionally. The Equal Access Act of 1984 states that schools are not required to permit activities of student groups that promote violence, hate, or illegal acts. And district policy um 9700 under special interest
group states proposed uh proposed contributions may be rejected by the board including but not limited to propos uh proposed contributions that have the primary effect of advancing the name product or special interest of a person corporation or organization fail
to meet district standards of advocacy taste uh are of little or no educational value to pupils or uh interpret or interfere with the regular school program. Journeypoint USA on its own website um in its club resources pages
denies health sciences preventing uh pertaining to vaccines, pasteurization, and human sexuality and gender studies. The website doesn't seem to know the difference between socialism and communism or that we haven't been a purely capitalist country since the Food and Drug Administration was created in
1906. CPUSA's website also teaches blatantly false history and smooshes together facts that don't correlate or ignoring other facts entirely just to fit their narrative to minimize the wrongs of white perpetrators and demonize other
groups. Examples are in uh in a video called Dear Socialism. No thank you. The girl filming says the socialist utopia of c of Cuba to make a point. And in another video uh called the deadliest virus in the world. The man on the video
says that the Germans put Lennon on a skill train to Russia so he wouldn't infect Germany with communism. Uh in the same video, it talks about death toll numbers under communism without name specifics uh and listing Africa as a communist country.
Also found in DPSA's website is professor watch list where teachers are dogs and had their lives ruined by doing their job of teaching factual science, honest history, real world political economics and lawful civics. Uh just
because a student or parent disagrees personally with what is being taught when it doesn't line up with TPUSA's bias. found in many places in the TV USA's website are quotes from followers um and its founder Charlie Kirk is um
has and is disdain immigrants anyone not white uh and non-Christians women who work outside the home and anyone who is uh is LGBTQIA especially those uh who are trans with the above uh mention
would you say that the equal access and the TPSA club on campus Uh oh. Hey, >> according to district policy, they would be uh advancing the name of special interest group organization to meet standards. >> I'm really sorry, but your time is up.
But thank you to your comments. >> That's okay. Any other members of the public? Okay. And I have a motion to close the floor to the public. Motion >> motion
by Kang second curry. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, moving on to resolutions. May I have a motion to approve items 1D to 13B?
>> Motion by A. Second 12:4. >> Yes. Except we're on 12 p.m. Monday. >> Yes. >> M. >> Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Goslin.
>> Yes. >> M. Goank. Yes, >> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes, >> Mr. >> Yes, >> Miss Perez. >> Yes, and I know my name, which basically
>> yes. >> Morel, >> yes. May I have a motion to approve items 1 C to 3? >> Motion
second. >> Okay. My mistake everyone. It was out of my uh script. It's one BNG, two >> 3 BNG motion. >> Motion make >> yes. >> Miss Curry,
>> yes. >> Mr. Goslin, >> yes. >> Miss Coten, >> yes. >> Mr. Lopez, >> yes. >> Mr. Mcpieran, >> yes. Miss Perez, >> yes. >> Miss Richtor, >> yes. >> Miss Brell,
>> yes. >> Can I have a motion to approve item one to you all? >> Motion. >> Motion. Victor. >> Second. Pres. >> Yes. >> Miss Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Goslin. >> Yes. >> Miss Cotang. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Meran. >> Yes. >> Miss Perez. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> Miss Morell. >> Yes. >> Yes. May I have a motion to approve
items 1 F to 8 F? >> Oh, seven. Sorry. F to motion second. >> Second carries. Roll call, please. >> Miss buyers pen. >> Yes.
>> Miss Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Gustlin. >> Yes. >> Miss Coten. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. >> Mr. McTurnan. >> Yes. >> Miss Perez. >> Yes. Miss Richtor. >> Yes. >> Miss Morell.
>> Yes. >> And I have a motion to approve items to 18. >> Motion. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Second by roll call, please. >> Miss K.
>> Yes. I'd like to say thank you to Miss Ashley Rice for her time here. >> Miss Curry. >> Yes. Great. Thank you to Ashley Rice. Mr. Goslin. >> Yes, >> Mr. Cotang.
>> Yes. And congratulations to >> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. I'd like to congratulate the money. 86 years. Mr. McTZ, >> yes. >> Miss Richtor, >> yes. >> Miss Morell,
>> yes. May I have a motion to approve items one p? >> Motion. >> Motion. M second. Second. Perez. Roll call, please. >> Miss Ken, >> yes. >> Miss Curry.
>> Yes. Mr. Goslin, >> yes. >> Motang, >> yes. >> Mr. Lopez, >> yes. >> Mr. McN, >> yes. >> Miss Perez, >> yes. >> Miss Rector, >> yes. >> Miss Morell,
>> yes. Moving on to any old business. Any new business? May I have a motion? May I have a motion to adjourn? >> Motion
second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any extension? Thank you all for coming out.