Mr. Rino, will you lead us in the pledge? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all. The New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the rights of the public to have advanced notice and to attend the meetings of public bodies of which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the act. The board of education has caused
notice of this meeting to be published on January 10th, 2025 and posted on the district website at www.fle.com lb.com published in the board's designated online media outlet newspapers the record and star ledger file with the clerk of the bur of Fort Lee and mailed to all persons if any who have requested
said notice please be advised this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and online at a future date the open public meeting act allows for remote participation at board meetings and defines meeting as any gathering whether corporal 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 body present to discuss or act as a unit upon specific public business of that body. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Buyers Kang, >> Miss Colbeat,
>> here. >> Mrs. Curry >> here. >> Mr. Knight >> here. >> Mrs. Coten >> here. >> Mr. Lopez >> here. >> Miss Morell, Mr. Rabino >> here, >> Mrs. Richter
>> here. The board will be convening to executive session to discuss legal personnel and other confidential matters. The board will reconvene into public session at approximately 7:30 p.m. I have a motion to go into executive session. >> Motion second.
>> Motion Rabbino second hurry. All in favor? [Music] I pledge algiance to the flag of the stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice and to attend the meetings of public bodies in which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in
accordance with provisions of the act. The board of education has caused notes of this meeting to be published on January 10th, 2025 and posted on the district website at www.fle.com lb.com published in the board's designated online media outlet newspaper the record
in the Star Ledger file of the burrow of Fort Lee and now to all persons of any who have requested said notice please be advised this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and online at a future date. The open public meeting act allows for remote participation at board meetings and
defines meeting as any gathering whether oral 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 body present to discuss or act as a unit upon the specific public business of that body. Roll call
please. >> Miss here >> Mr. Mr. Knight >> here. >> Mrs. Coting >> here. >> Mr. Lopez >> here. >> Miss Morell, Mr. Rabino >> here.
>> Mrs. Ren >> here. The board convened executive session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss legal personnel and other confidential matters. Miss Colazo, will you begin by sharing the superintendent report? >> Yes. Thank you, Miss Krypto. Good
evening members of the board, staff, families, and community members joining us both in person and remotely. To begin, I want to report that there has been one HIV investigation which was determined to be unfounded. The countdown is on and we are filled with great excitement as we prepare for
the return of our staff and students for the start of a new school year. The energy across the district is truly building and we're eager to welcome everyone back into our schools. On our board agenda tonight is the approval of our district curriculum. And while it's customary for the board to approve all
curriculum each year, I want to take this opportunity to update the community on the most significant changes to some of our courses. At the elementary level, we're pleased to announce the adoption of HMH into reading, which updates both of our K through 5 English language arts
curriculum. In addition, our K through four ESL curriculum has been updated to reflect the adoption of the Sengage Reach program. We have also updated math assessments in grades three and four and revised our K through3 social studies
scope and sequence so that it better aligns with the content taught in reading and writing. At the middle school level, we have restructured elective courses in the arts and digital media so that they now build upon what students learn in the first year
courses. These revisions apply to art 2, music 2, and digital arts 2 and grades seven and eight, ensuring that we have a more cohesive progressions of skills. At the high school level, we are thrilled to be enhancing our vocational trades program with new course
offerings, including electrical technology and repair with science, carpentry with workplace math, and electronics and computer technology. These additions are designed for our students who have a passion and interest in these trades and who wish to pursue
hands-on learning experiences connected to real world skills. All other curriculum aras remain the same from last year. In addition to curriculum work, we are investing in leadership and planning. This week, our administrators will
participate in an administrative retreat that will focus on leadership practices, strategic planning, safety, and security, and instructional goal setting. Following that, we're excited to welcome our newest and brightest educators joining the Fort Lee family at new teacher orientation. And shortly
thereafter, we will be ready to greet our entire staff as they return for the start of the school year. So, I'm looking forward to a year of new opportunities and keeping our focus where it belongs, which is on our students. Mr. That concludes my superintendent's report. Thank you. Do
we have any committee reports? Except since last meeting. Okay. Um, do board members have questions or comments on tonight's agenda or other topics? >> I'm trying to find it. I thought it was DI training for quite a bit of money.
>> It is. So >> I found CPR, but that's not what I'm talking about. >> So we don't have uh DEI training. Um I showed at home, but maybe I was wrong.
>> So yeah, I show what >> what you're referring to. >> I'm sorry. No, I'm not sure if you're referring to a specific resolution on the agenda. >> Like 40 something thousand >> that was probably 11 cur collaborative equity solutions.
That's to deliver professional development to our intervention and referral services teams on our INRS processes and that's meant to address um disproportionality in our school district. So we use it's to address the disproportionality that we've been cited
for in our school district and we are using the grant funds that we're required to use to address that issue. >> Okay. >> And correct me if I'm wrong. In this case, uh we've worked with Dr. Fergus in the past. So this is kind of a renewal this year. >> Yes, it's year two, but we're focusing
on a different area which is our intervention and referral services uh processes. question. >> That contract said 43,500 and that's grant money. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Regarding six CUR,
>> the textbook list is pretty extensive. Don't go over to go over the line items. Is there anything that you can maybe point out anything that any textbook or any curriculum that we
are um doing differently this year or just for the community to know? Yeah. So I just announced that we are adopting HM into reading for K through five and send gauge reach uh for our ESL courses. So
those are new textbook adoptions. I know that um you have shared uh with um with us that there are some new classes. I told those those are very exciting um at the high school of um electrical technology and repair with
science commentary with workplace math, electronics and computer technology. So I'm very excited. I hope students will take advantage of these exciting classes. It's kind of hard to find in in in the sea of documents, but I hope that um we get some positive feedback that
students will take advantage of these new opportunities. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or >> I have a question on 3c also have a link to the curriculum. Um that's our annual notice relating to career and technical education. The
notice only lists like our AOF like finance. I I I think I asked this one other time. I don't know what the answer is. Now we have like nursing and teaching and and you just said carpentry and tonight we have the Eastwick program. Why don't since that's career
and technology education related, why isn't that covered under the same? So in order to be considered a CTE course, you have to apply for that through the state. You have to have in order to receive um that certification or that term CTE, you have
to have three consecutive courses and it is an application through the state. So, AOF is actually recognized from the DOE in Fort Lee as a career and technical education course through which we receive Perkins funding because we accept that per those um the Perkins
funding. We're required to have an annual public notice for our AOL. >> But we have plans to have the three consecutive and expand some of the other things like our new HBAC. So that >> we can certainly look into that, but there are very specific requirements to
have that. ask you, you have to dig a little bit deeper into that. >> What's the benefit of having that diagnosis? >> So, with CTE, you get grant funding um from the state to support that. Right now, we're working with Eastwood College. So, I'm not quite sure if we
would be eligible for CTE funds if we're working with if we have a partnership with an outside entity. right now working through East working with Eastwick affords our students an opportunity to earn um credit um and the same thing with our teaching academy
through William Patterson. So it just requires some more research on our end. >> I mean if we could get free grant money all the better. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Can you talk about the the updated assessment math assessment for grade three and fourth? How are they
different? So it's so it's my understanding that we're just looking at um certain skills um and how they're assessed on those assessments, but I can certainly get more specific information from our math supervisor. >> Thank you. And in light just the third
and four years since well because there's just a focus with regards to the program after the first year of envision math and those are the grade levels that we want to pay a little bit more closer attention to with our assessments and in seventh and eighth grade. Um we're
adding art two, digital art two and music 2. Is is that what is that? >> Right. So we had we've always had art, music and digital arts, but previously we had art seven, art 8, music 7, music 8, digital arts seven, digital arts 8.
What we did is we combining this due to scheduling we're combining seven and eighth grade students. So because of that in order to create um I guess a better sequence of courses instead of having a grade level attached to the course we're saying you know art one art
two yeah so last year we adopted the art one music one digital media arts one now this is year two so we're revising those curricula for a year two course >> anything you have anything Doug any
questions >> I'm Good. Thank you. >> Okay. Um before we open the floor to the public, I just want to read the welcome resolution. It will be 18F and it reads, therefore, be it resolved that the Fortly Board of Education upon
recommendation of the superintendent authorizes the assistant business administrator/acting board secretary to utilize joint transportation services with the Leon Public Schools Board of Education for leasing two 54 passenger school buses at
a daily leasing rate not to exceed $135 for the 25206 school year. and the lease agreement is attached online. Any questions on that? Okay, I have a motion to open the floor
to the public. >> Motion Rino, second night. Um, all in favor? Any >> oppose? Okay, we will hear first from members of the public physically located here this evening and then we will take questions and comments from those participating
remotely. All participants are limited to three minutes and wish to make their statement. Excuse me. For remote public participants, please select the raise hand button. District technology coordinator, Mr. Roger, will recognize each community member in the order of raised hands. Please unmute your
microphone. Everyone, please state your name and address for the record and begin your comments. Again, you are limited to three minutes. Anyone here in public wish to speak tonight? No. Okay, Mr. Roger, you're up.
>> Mah, you've been promoted to panelist. Please unmute your microphone and feel free to share your video. Please state your name and address for the record. You have 3 minutes. >> Uh, hi. Can you guys hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay, cool. So, Mias for Tom Hunter
Road. So looking over the agenda, I have a couple of questions in regards to uh spending. So I'm looking from pages on the spending bill from uh pages 16 onwards.
You have a lot of items named forly payroll July experience order and they're in the number of millions. and they don't make any sense cuz they don't tell you why they spend the money on. So that's one item. I was
also looking over the curriculum. I would like to know a lot more on what got revised on the envision math especially for a grade two. And then I was looking for example for computer science and programming 912. I see that
you guys are teaching a dead language visual basic. No one has been using that thing for 10 years. So, and I'm kind of wondering why don't you teach something like Python which prepares the kids for you know something useful? I mean interviews are done in Python, machine
learning is Python, statistics is Python, SISOPS is Python. So everything is Python nowadays. I'm I'm you know you have the kids wasting four years learning something that they're not going to use afterwards anywhere. So that's on the curriculum to items
that I have. And then I also want some more details on the 11 cur uh the way in which it reads it's um uh equity tiered intervention which to me kind of sounds like there's plenty of opportunity of discrimination
based on tears and u classes and um you know stuff that defines a person. So I would really be curious how that training looks like and how would the public be able to have access to that.
So that's the main topics that I'm concerned with tonight. Thank you. >> Are those all of your questions? >> Yeah, I think I think we said that was it. >> Okay, Miss Her, one more assistant business administrator will answer your questions regarding um the bills list
and then I will take the the remaining questions. >> Yeah. So the payroll POS you see on the bills list are our July 15, July 30th payrolls. It's just us paying our employees.
And for the curriculum, um, if you want to know more about the grade 2 math curriculum, you could visit our curriculum on our website. If you need assistance with locating the specific course, feel free to email me and I will have our math supervisor reach out to
you with direct instructions on how to find that curriculum document more easily. As far as um the content in our computer and statistics, thank you for the feedback. We welcome it and we're always looking to improve our courses and I will certainly relay that feedback
and work with our departments to look at improvements for the following year. As far as 11 CUR, um we are required to implement an intervention and referral services process in our district. That's the
process that we utilize to um help students that are in need of interventions uh when they are demonstrating um certain challenges. And so as part of our identification, we will be working
with that provider to look at our process, the process that we use to assist students to ensure that the intervention that we are providing is aligned to their area of need. Um so that's as detailed as I as as I can get um at this point, but that is really to
ensure that our processes are are working and to enhance them as needed. >> And that's state funded, right? >> Yes, it's federal fund. It's through federal funds through ITA funds. Yes. >> Okay. >> Can I say >> Andrew, you've been promoted to
panelist. >> Sorry. >> Andrew, you've been promoted to panelist. Please unmute your microphone and feel free to share your video. Please state your name and address for the record. You have three minutes. >> Good evening. So, I'm Andrew Gin 326
Bridge Plaza North. Uh, I'm going to talk about my favorite subject, which is a special ed parents advisory group. Um, just a reminder that on Wednesday, August 27th, the special ed parents advisor advisory group be hosting its second annual meet and greet. It's going
to be 10:00 a.m. at the middle school in the media center. Parents and guardians are invited to come and meet your child's study team and also the school administrators before the school year begins. It's a great opportunity to connect with the child's study team
members, ask questions about special education support and services, learn about programs and resources, build collaborative relationships for for the upcoming school year. Again, also this information is posted on the board
education website. If anyone has any questions, they contact the child study team. Again, the meet and greet is going to be on Wednesday, August 27th at 10:00 a.m. at the middle school in the media center. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Mad Deb, you've been promoted to panelist. Please unmute your microphone and feel free to share your video. Please state your name and address for the record. You have three minutes. Mita, uh, you're still muted. Please unmute your microphone.
>> Hello. Can you hear me now? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Hi. Uh, good evening. Uh, my name is Smeita and I am on 127515th Street Portland, New Jersey. I'm very excited to share that I have been elected to serve as a vice president of CPAC
leadership team for the upcoming school year. So on behalf of the special education parent advisory group, we are happy to announce that the district is supporting our upcoming meet and greet and also child care will be provided. So, this meeting is going to be a chance
for parents to connect with the new case managers and start the school year with more support and get to know more resources. And as always, we are very thankful to the district for making this possible. And we all cannot just wait to see you there. An email has already been
sent out by Mrs. Hines. So, please take a look at that. and it's going to be on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in Louis F. Cole Middle School Media Center. Thank you. Have a good evening
and I wish everybody a very happy rest of summer. >> Thank you. >> There are no more raised hands. >> I have a motion to close the floor to the public. >> Motion Kobat, second Rabbino. All in favor? Any opposed or abstensions?
Right. Before we move on, Mr. Knight, you wanted to say something about >> real quick on 11 because I know it keeps coming up. It's my understanding, please. >> Can you just speak into the mic so people at home can hear you? >> Sorry. [Music]
So, it's my understanding um that a while back uh it was found that we were categorizing non-English-speaking students as special needs at like rates that were concerned and that's what this is about. Is that correct? >> It's not necessarily non-English-speaking students. It's
Hispanic students classified for SLB in that area. >> Thank you. You're welcome. And and that's you said fally funded, correct? >> Correct. We're required to use 15% of our IDA funds to address that issue. >> All right. Moving on to resolutions. May
I have a motion to approve items 1B through 4? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion Coen. Second. Rino. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. K. Miss. Yes. I stay on one.
Mrs. Curry, >> yes. >> Mr. Knight, >> yes. >> Mrs. Co, >> yes. Mr. Roz, >> yes. >> Miss Mor,
Mr. Aino, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dctor, >> yes. I have a motion to approve item one, BNG. Motion. Second motion. Rubino. Second. Curry. Roll call, please.
>> Mrs. Buyers King. Missback. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Knight. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fley. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. >> Miss. Mr. Raino.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Richtor. >> Yes. May I have a motion to approve item 1 S? >> Motion. Second >> motion curry second. Coten roll call please. >> Mrs. Fire Miss Bula. >> Yes.
>> Mrs. Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Knight. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Coten. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. >> Mor. Mr. Ravino. >> This just one F. What you said or >> one S?
>> Yes. >> Mrs. RTOR. >> Yes. We have a motion to approve items 1 cur through 11 CUR. Motion Curry second. >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Buyers,
Miss Kath, >> yes. >> Mrs. Curry, >> yes. >> Mr. Nate, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cotain, >> yes. >> Mr. Lopez, >> yes. Miss mor. >> Yes. >> Mrs.
>> Yes. I have a motion to approve items 1F through walk in resolution 18F. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion curry. Second. Kobath. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. P. Miss Path. >> Yes. And thank you to all the generous
donors in 3F. >> Mrs. Curry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Knight. >> Yes. And and thank you to Tony for >> Mrs. Yes. Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. And thanks to all the generous
donors. Three up. >> Morel. Mr. Rabino. >> Mrs. Richtor. >> Yes. May I have a motion to approve items 1 P through 14P? >> Motion. >> Second.
>> Motion. Kobath. Second. Coten. Roll call, please. Mrs. Byus, Miss >> Yes. congratulations to Lubie Sulli retiring after 26 years here in our guidance department. She's amazing. Um,
and no to one name on 48. >> Okay. Um, Mrs. Curry, >> yes. >> Mr. N. >> Um, you have a yes. Yes. on everything except for abstaining on uh Ernest Mazo's name on
>> Mrs. Yes. Mr. Lopez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Aino. >> Yes. With the exception of PI George.
>> Mrs. director. >> Yes. >> Okay, moving on. Is there any old business >> question um regarding the long range facility plan? Is that is there a date on it and what is the process once we re once you receive the latest copy?
>> So, it's been it's been approved and so actually I was having a conversation with President Richtor that we will um be meeting in committee to review it. Um we met with the architect this week and then following that there will be a public presentation.
So that's coming in September. >> And the goal is to take this presentation and we'll make decision from it. >> There are going to be recommendations on how to take all of the projects that are identified in a long range facilities
plan and just disperse them, you know, distribute them across the next several years. Um and then I just want to share um thank the high school um custodians um for unlocking the gates. The track gets used a lot. I am a frequent user of
that track and um and I want to thank the residents as well. There's one particular resident who cleans up that field 7:30 between 7:30 and 8:30 every morning. She walks around to the back. Um so thank you so much. Thanks everyone for keeping that place open to the
public. Um promoting an active life in our communities. >> Anyone else have old business? >> I just I have a question on the long range facilities plan. when you say it's approved, meaning we've got it from the architect and we're comfortable with the
format and and we need you um we needed to do an amendment um regarding the field and so that was approved recently and so we have the final um plan and what the architect has done is taken all of the recommendations
and prioritized them by building and so it's ready to be to be shared >> and and I would ask and and I defer to Kim as chair of the finance committee. There are finance committee meeting. >> Yes. >> To follow up on on some outstanding points.
>> Absolutely. I'll email the committee tomorrow to to schedule an appointment. >> Any new business? >> I'd like to uh can I speak? This past week was the St. Rock Festival and I want to thank all of our students uh
administrators for helping out. Uh without their students help, we wouldn't be as successful. We were like to thank uh Dana, the Beckers, uh Tanya's family for helping us out on Sundays. Did an amazing job. Then of course, Mayor
Council, police, DPW, fire department, all did a great job and we appreciate it very much. >> Right next to >> Oh, Kim, sorry. I'm I'm sure there's names I forgot. Probably dozens of them, but those are the ones that came to
mind. I wouldn't realize she was sitting right here. >> You should take a hint from the mayor when he doesn't mention names. It's because he doesn't want to forget. >> Okay. >> We gave actually on this past Thursday myself and Joe Gotana who went to the
mayor council meeting. We honored Peter Sug with an award from St. Marco of all the not just for the feast, all the work he does for Lee, all the time he volunteers. So that's >> all right. Thank you. We have a motion to adjurnn.
>> Motion Kovat, second Rubino. All in favor? >> Any oppose? All right.