##VIDEO ID:bxSImOSruLU## States of America and to the Republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice for all the New Jersey public meetings law was an acted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the act the forly board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published on April 15th 2024 and posted on the district website at www.fb.com published in the board's designated online media Outlet newspapers the record and the Star Ledger filed 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 B the open public meeting act allows for remote participation at board meetings and defines meetings as any Gathering whether 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 a unit upon specific public business of that body roll call please Mrs buers K here miss colbat here miss Curry here Mr Knight here Mrs kotang here Mr Lopez here M Morel here Mr Rino here Mrs RAR 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 Curry second Orel all in favor any oppos the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it 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 for AC in accordance with the provisions of the act the forly board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published on April 15 2024 and posted on the district website at www.fb.com published in the board's designated online media Outlet newspaper the record and the Star Ledger filed with the clerk of the bur of Fort Lee and mailed to all persons if any who have requested said notice please be advis 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 members of the public body know the intent on the part of the members of the body present to discuss or act of the on specific public bussness of that roll call please Mrs bu K here miss PB here M Curry here Mr Knight here Mrs kotang here Mr Lopez here M Morell here Mr Rina here Mrs RoR here the board convened executive session at 6:30 P.M to discuss legal personnel and other confidential matters Dr krait will you begin by sharing the superintendence report good evening everyone and thank you for joining us evening Thursday is our big day as we reopen the schools today was the first day back for the teachers and staff and we held a productive meeting to prepare everyone for the year a big thank you for the custodians secretaries the administrators the central office staff and any everyone else who worked with security work this summer to prepare the buildings we had a wonderful meeting with CPAC the special education parents Advisory Group this week and we're proud that moving forward we have about 35 people attending um you know admin work hard year round as everyone else's schools do and this summer gives us the most amount of time to prepare that year we're opening our school with the vocational trades building under construction at the high school 31 replacement staff members new to our district and they spent the last three days last week the last three days of last week getting a tour report Le and learning a lot about our district and A Renewed Energy to begin another year of learning with enthusiasm as we start the year the most important thing for parents is to support your children and encourage your children learning is the key whether it's learning from most on a test or learning A Life Lesson like to be on time for school still learning I encourage all our students be on time be prepared to learn and never give up together we will create opportunities for all of the children for Le and always remember that Fort B is the place to be let's make there this year the best for everyone thank you thank you are there board members with committee reports I have a committee report um hi good evening [Music] my name is T buers and have a a board committee report on the D&G so uh the building and grounds um committee met on August 26 at 3M the board members that were in attendance were president Christen RoR Michael Rino Tanya Byers Kang which is myself um the administrators and attendance were uh Dr travitz uh Diane kako Baker and AD Dina mess um we talked about the high school shop which Dr C's just spoken about he showed pictures the pictures were very beautiful it's if you haven't uh been on the high school track you can see in the back of the track I had a couple questions about um what happens in inclement weather child students to bring umbrellas um the next thing that we talked about was a long range facilities plan and um that's something that our district needs to put together uh it's a approximately um8 something, 83 89 something, that we actually don't have at the moment so we will be doing that next year for our next year the long range facility plan um and then the third thing that we talked about were steps for the property that we was spoken about at the last meeting and um the demographics the potential use and the appraisal and the recommendations were the members present agreed to move forward with an appraisal um and Dr pravis will follow up with legal to get potential appraisers um and we briefly spoke about uh CEO agreements that we have um for class three officers and one for salt and gas for our Bo vehicles and for the snow and then we spoke about uh pilot money that we have $383 ,000 $383,000 that we is received each year for the use of the Boe property for the rec program and um that about sums it up for the Boe I mean the B eny committee report thanks thank you um sure can can we ask any questions on the committee reports or um so the long range facilities plan it like I thought historically we sometimes make changes to it is this something bigger that that the committee talked about so the long range civil clment district has been operating from was a modified one uh that just has a list of projects traditionally order a long range facilities plan that used to be required by law every five or 10 to 10 would include a demographic study would include uh square footage it actually include every uh school with a breakdown of what needs to get done with the life of whatever project that is meaning if you have new windows it would tell you you're in year two you will need Windows in year 10 um and it has pictures of every item that priority that from my understanding there has not been one in about 10 years okay um and that's what we're looking to do and somehow you know based on you just starting the year we have to get through our first set of payroll and make sure that where we are with the budget but before we can do anything we have to determine uh how much so we have a quote an estimate of $83,000 for that and what that includes and we'd like to move forward eventually with a long range facilities plan the same way with the Strategic plan to know how many students we're going to get where are they going to be um how the town is changing and identify what is crucial at the moment and moving forward 1 three and five years out um and then I think she mentioned that the pilot monies it's the pilot money so so so that that was something that was established like whenever the the municipality approved that payment in Li of taxes um when they granted the developer a a like a a waiver on taxes so the school board in a pilot we didn't we don't get our fair share of the school taxes from the modern or you know that the property that was issued the pilot so we were always told and and and under the impression that those monies were to cover the students that we were getting from the modern and those buildings and then also some was um allocated um to be used for our class three art officers so did that change I mean I think I just heard that it's now like how what how did we calculate that the wreck owed us 300 cuz that 383 it used to be like I think 500 and then maybe went to 400 and then I think it's been stable at the 383 so the um so the question at the time we met there were three there current three in locals that we have the B Le one in local is for gas and Vehicles another one is a class three uh school security Shar Services agreement where we are responsible so they hire and train class three officers if you're not familiar with class three officers these are individuals who have recently retired from police dep Department that are licensed to carry firearms and they wear uniforms they are part of the forb police department we are responsible for them as far as weay we pay um and the third one that since I arrived here was was a um intercal agreement with the town that denoted a specific dollar amount and that was a dollar amount that they used to as calculation mying again prior to my arrival that it was somewhere in the $500,000 range however it has remained stable at 383 um that because it's cannot identify for students it was identified specifically for the use of the facilities with Recreation the contract says that because I was at the meeting where it was approved the public was very um very advocating that these large construction projects were going to generate a lot of students but we weren't going to get any of the tax money um and and again it also was to fund this is the first I've ever heard that it's for to pay for rep program so there has never been a a contract that references specific shared services agreement that I'm aware of that references pilot money it just mentions the only one that we have that actually uh stays in dollar figure is the one for use facilities by the recreation department Miss AR and I met with um the burrow administrator as well as the Chief Financial Officer and it was explained to us that that is the money that's how it's denoted in their but how the money is addressed to the use of facilities for the recreation department so those are the three share Services agreement that we have and the one for the recreationist doesn't say on it that's what we were told from then that that is the money of pilot okay I mean that's again the first I've heard that it's how did how did we calculate that the recck Department's use of our facilities is something in the range of 383,000 so we didn't calculate that's the fund that was the money so they're using the pilot money to and saying this is for use of they're they're telling us what the amount is or use of the facilities that 383 ,000 so I don't know how they calculated that I when but that's that's the same number and we specifically ask them because we wanted Clarity on what exactly are we getting from Pilot money as well as what is it used for and they said the only way they would able to do is through the that particular verbage in the contract so so has the rec Department's use of our facilities declined over the last 5 years since we started at 500 I my understanding is that their use of our facilities has actually increased that I could not answer without looking at what their usage is I don't look at their us but we can definitely so but we're not receiving anything to cover the students that come out of the mod and and the other I forget what it's called the other the the um other property by the bport Lee so there's no nothing where we're still not getting any school taxes for whatever the students are correct you have do can you recall because I know we've looked at this a number of times approximately how many students we have from from the modern there are about 75 students who live in the modern any questions this is the oh I had a report after is it yeah is it a term to this payment agreement does it expire so uh payment and taxes is not a requirement for a town to give they do not have to give pivate money it is the choice of the so in essence if if a contractor or developer chooses to build property they have the option not giving they the law you know that's just know bit more they are not required to give any money fors if they even a b again that's negotiated by the municipality and the developer um and they usually do have terms be 15 20 30 years that on that that that term when it expires um then it would revert to paying the ordinary taxes right but there's no requirement of that developer or to correct there's no I don't know how long this instance I mean it could be 15 years 20 years those are standard terms for I think this are you asking when it expires for them to stop giving us the money or when yeah when the agreement to give us that money instead of tax money when it's year year my fluctuate it has fluctuated there's a calculation that they U they didn't present us but I hav seen it when I first got here and I know for the former VA was trying to figure it out as well but to Paul's point it's yes maintain steady for correct okay number mean if we have 75 students coming from there at our kind of standard 18,000 per student is what we we calculate is what it cost this District to educate a student that's a million $350,000 that we're finding somewhere because we're not getting any taxes from that property that's that's a big nut and they're not struggling from what I yeah but again that's that's something that the town and Board of Education usually negotiate and and again they are not required for pilot money I work in other districts in other towns that pilot money was not given for development so it's it's really the discretion board how you want to you know move forward with that but as far as information that's the way money instruct here um the action board wants to take this so just for clarification you're saying that like it could be zero they could be giv us zero my understand yes said there are other towns I worked in where a lot of development went on there no so whatever they give us it's like I said a right now it's a gift but to PA Point understanding that when you have students who are com in right there's a usage for will for every student that comes it's a gift that's costing us about a million doll a million 350 so so we we receive $35,000 as a choice and that's what do so how do we how do we address you'd have to have your mayor and the as Council or your committee from this discuss it with the the governing body and discuss what your concern present your concerns and and see what they say again I remind everybody that pilot money is not a guarantee they don't have to give there's nothing in the statute that requires a a municipality to give August 21st the power policy committee met um all the policies that were discussed are on tonight's agenda um most of the changes were not uh discretionary changes where the committee made any decisions um there was one that we spent some time discussing and that's guidance counsel guidance counseling 2411 um it allowed us to select from four different models and we thought that the best model um for our district would be that a program of guidance in counseling including developmental career guidance and exploration shall be offered to all students in the school district and shall include the services of teaching staff members certified as guidance personnel and other designated teaching staff members um there was a policy that is not on tonight's agenda that received a fair amount of discussion and that is the district's busing policy um and I'm not sure any additional information the the committee hasn't met since August 21 um but we have been providing busing Services um largely in instances where we did were not required we actually only have one student in the district who's statutorily entitled to busing but the committee especially since it's so late in the year wanted to continue to provide the ing along the lines of what we have in the past which will require some type of um stien a payment that a payment is required and I think ultimately the committee agreed on something like1 or $200 for the year um but there we may need to revisit this um next year um the decision was made because we're so close and we no one wanted to go to parents and say busing is not going to be offered at all this year so that stay tuned for for um more on busing that's it there any other committee reports yeah just to um add on to what um Paul you just mentioned about busing we actually um I I know that um email was sent out to students and parent oh to parents to notify them that if they would like busing um and they live within one .7 miles I believe we did the 1.7 first and then um the next morning we send it to everyone else in the is in the middle school because it was for the I the Middle School only got it got it so there is um there is more updated correspondence and um I believe um parents are parents can sign up and um will receive an email confirmation from Transportation um by now um if their kids uh if their children is child is um um is on the bus thanks any other committee reports um I know we had a lot of comments and questions on the committee reports but are there other comments and questions on the agenda or any other items I just want to wish all the student return you students much success this coming school year and also uh hope every family had a wonderful summer uh also would like to wish all the sports programs best of luck congrats to the varsity football team on earing their first win of the Season under coach gers and for Le if you haven't heard yet please go to northjersey.com and vote for Luke senator for athlete of the week after going 11 and 13 in passes and a lobbing 227 yards uh their first game uh their first home game will be this Friday evening so let's go out there and show sport you know it's portly night out but let's go out there and uh and show support for the football team and also girls soccer will get underway on Monday versus foris Catholic uh and their first home game is next Thursday versus rale so good luck and go get thank you yeah I have a question um on questions but the first one I have is on uh one b& it's not really a question it's more of a comment um on the 1 BNG how we're using space in school one and School 4 um the library is going to be used for um classroom as well so that's just kind of showing that we're we're in need of space around here um there's photos attached if you open up the attachment there you'll see how it's drawn out how the petition will be there and so we're we're itch we're inching into our library space and we were that way before a couple years back uh before we built this beautiful facility and um you know we're getting in that way again so I just I wanted to bring that comment up in case no one saw that um also um the number two on the b& um it says the necessary and I was wondering what is necessary for the toilet room facilities to be in compliance so it's like the so to be toilet room compliance what do we need to have we need to have a toilet for a certain number of students or certain like what does it mean so if there are not toilets in the classroom for the younger grades specifically kindergarten it's kindergarten then you have to have within sight distance so for example at school number three is Bros the hall as long as you're in sight distance you can you have to get special commiss for that perfect perfect okay yeah I was just wondering that's that's a little funny and then the last thing I was is could you tell me a little bit about um the impact tracker of forf um I'm sure it's something that's wonderful I just for myself and other people may want to know exactly how it works maybe something that we could be using that we're not using or our students could be using that they're not using um it's the impact tracker product for f the mobile serve renewal contract so those a students who are doing community service they they're the ones who track the hours so that program so one gets sign up there's an approval process of who signs off on everybody's community service hours and that's what that mobile shop for perfect okay I think that are that those are all the questions thank you I have a question regarding uh 3B the year to date number um doesn't seem to reflect year to date can you talk about what that data so it's once per month so we kept the chart on but it's actually every month of changes in the numbers so it's not you today month today correct well it will be adjusted once we start uh every so the numbers cannot be twice a month so it will be once a month so we just had our it will be the middle of the second meeting of every month be the accurate numbers on this on this chart and will be year today can I ask a quick question um the followup on T is on 2B and G I was just confused I understand why we're doing it but you list School number two three and four with various rooms but then in the resolved paragraph we're only doing something tonight in connection with school three so why are school two and four listed you're talking about and it's a couple the two that's additional dual use because that's a renewal for the Dual use I believe of educational space at school three school one and school four they're dual use at a first time application and so on the bottom of 2 B and G that's a renewal for the Dual use of space at school three and then the number two three and four those are the alternate toilet facilities for those kindergarten and B and those are renewals separated the first time ones from the renewals so is this is a new rule no no every year you're supposed to renew it you have to so why at all a renewal so this first time one b& is and then the two b& we have to renew those every year the toilet facilities and then dual use um one b& no one b& is use of the libraries right which was never they never put in for it before this is the first time that they're asking so so so one b& G has to do with the fact we don't have enough classroom space so we are now going to have classrooms in our library that's one is school one and school four for the first time ever yes correct asking about one b& okay so 2 b& you say that you're going to we're using alternative methods of compliance for toilet room facilities corre at the following elementary schools and you list School two school three and school four and you list a bunch of rooms at each of them right then it's then what I'm not understanding is then for the the the resolve therefore be it resolved that the we approve renewal for only school three that's for dual youth that's for dual youth is renewal in all of those buildings they've already had the application process which is what's going on in one b& for the schools that have never used it before two b& is renewal guys guys stop to& G has to do with toilets the first part is the renewal of the toilets the second part is the renewal of the Dual use space for that specific classroom at school Dee I think you should be two two resolutions confusion all right okay I have one more question and me I had another question to ask um would would um Miss Baker or Dr KV in M explaining to me uh and to everyone how it's going to work for the seventh and eighth graders that are taking the classes together um because that was a major concern for many parents and um so to my understanding the seventh and eighth graders um have are going to be taking the unified arts classes together and this is something that the teachers came up with and I support the teachers uh our Educators I have uh faith in them um as I just would like to understand exactly you know how it will work um I read an email that was sent out um that said there are two parts s to it and just wondering how that will work how do you choose if you have an eighth grader how will that work you have a seventh grader how will that work um these are students who have are coming from a very um this is this is an incubated building and um they're going into you know there's a there's a big difference between seventh and eighth graders and this is this isn't um an after school club that students that are like-minded that men have the same um desires to play music or do different things or are choosing to do this is um a a class that you're graded on that is a um an academic class so um I just need a little clarification exactly how it's going to work so I'll just speak to the overall I'm just wondering if parents just wondering if parents have the ability so so one of the things about the out having so the the reason why we you know conversation was brought to us by the level Administration was that again back to the scheduling concept of latitude so you know we've talked about how we increase the math program so you have students now at the at the middle school who can take an algebra track a geometry track and and then there's basically ma eight right those your three tracks so as we are trying to increase that and off for more of that again students in a cboard makes it very difficult because if a student it for example today we had stud contact us say my need English honors and geometry honors but because Singleton one class they are offered only in the morning because all seventh grade all eth graders are only taught those three classes in the morning and then their unified arts in the afternoon so the request of the student was hey can I get a break can I take maybe English in the morning and geometry in the afternoon and then figure out what other unified Arts I could take in between doing it this way by mixing them gives them that opportunity as far as it it frees up the ability to have more classes and in some cases you actually have 12y olds who are in seventh or eth grade right so you have the younger ones so the age wise they're still some of them are same age as far so that that's one component so giv some latitude to number two um it it also we have we have staff that just don't have the ability to teach more and more classes we we pay for overes so we can actually mix some of the classes together the curriculum was discussed with the teachers they enjoyed it actually gave them opportunities to do multiple things so what was the one the science one hydroponic Hydroponics was an opportunity now to say we can do it over a 2year period to see how things work and develop it in the science classes so same classes yeah so what if you are an eth grade and you've already had class then you'll only get one section of that that class or what do you where do you start so because you have students who are in eth grade that have already had this these classes and now you have seventh graders who've never had these classes so where are you starting at so that the teachers will have the opportunity to actually increase the the content in that in that uniform misten the curriculum was Rewritten so to last it's one curriculum and the course is going to be taught there's going to be instead of um let's just say stem seven and stem 8 it's stem one and stem and stem to that's a good answer okay that's so the curriculum was Rewritten to avoid repetition and redundancy but for example a concept like Hydroponics that was originally let's say taught in e8th grade the teachers got together and saying hey this worked really well let's talk about how we can make it applicable in year one and year two regardless of the grade level so it's the teacher is not teaching two different grade level curriculum it's one curriculum okay and it was redesigned for that purpose so those students who were in the classes now for instance so if you have Johnny in seventh grade and you have Karen in eth grade and they're both in the same class this year um so Karen hopefully graduates and goes on to high school and Johnny's going to go on to 8th grade so is Johnny going to travel with all the students that were in his class class so that he's in the same place for next year so are you going to have to worry when you schedule next year that all of those class all of those students are together because it sounds like it's like the same thing over and over so that's a building level they it's it's almost like they're looping in a way that's a building level process so they will know who's in year one and then who's when they go to year two they go to year two because that sounds like it's going to make the SCH is more complicated instead of not because that's it's the same as okay you're in Geometry one you're in Geometry 2 now you're in this you're in unified Arts one now now you're in unified Arts 2 before when you were you were in you were in either a seventh grade or an eighth grade it was already there so now it's going to make it kind of hard because you you got everybody together mixed in the same classes so so the looping with two years in a row you're going to have Theory at the same teacher but you're only talking about the unified Arts so the unified Arts there would be that differentiation so when you're teaching that class it's it's what we actually want to achieve in all of our classes right so when a student when you have 20 students come before you and you say okay what levels are you at what what's your knowledge we can start to to bring you might have an eighth grader who's not performing at that level and now you can actually differentiate the instruction to a young to a different level um do that with Al extra teachers and with all extra help so without extra teachers they should all teachers should be differentiating their instruction in the classroom so I mean the building level the building level Administration the teachers met they they were confident they could do this were're excited about it um it's giving you different opportunities yeah so all the students will take year one together and then the students will take year two together they're just mixed this just happens to be the first year of that we're doing so the ones that are in eth grade are they going to miss something no and the stand the way the standards are written they're written in grade level bands so there aren't for those courses there aren't different standards for seventh and different standards for eth it'll say just by the end of e8th grade let's just say the standard span is from grade 6 to 8 they'll just say by the end of 8th grade this is what needs to be covered so it sounds like there's not a way down be because it's all scheduled and they I I would suggest if you have specific any parent out there who has specific concerns you really contact the teacher they're the ones who help design it and and they you know they can answer most of those questions specifically to what to address those concern I'm sure will be great like I like I said the if the teachers development developed it they came together it just as to see it as a surprise and then to know um a stem is is a could be a challenging I mean each subject every student is different every student is different every student is beautiful every student is perfect in their own way every every person can learn one thing easier some things easier than others um music if you've never played an instrument you don't play instruments in music you write music it's music is a music is a heavy subject in Middle School um it was last year from what I saw I don't know I would love to see how the curriculum has changed um because it the in the is school um it's music was different and it's wonderful I love music I'm not saying anything bad about music it's fantastic but I'm saying music is a could be a hard course many students so you're putting um you know I like to see the curriculum it is what it is but that is something I am concerned about the music class if a student's never played an instrument or doesn't read music and um they're going to put the seventh and eighth graders together I would think they have to bring it down um because it's it's a it's a pretty heavy curriculum or it was last year so I'm looking forward to seeing the new one thanks so like just for clarification for example if a student is enrolled in seven and e8th grade then one this year and the seventh grader becomes eighth grader next year does that mean they move to stem two and those eighth graders who are new to the district and they start from S one is that how this would work I believe that that would be the for most part they are still going to be within C yes but the exact classes may not be exactly the the same it just depends on schedu so that would just concern that the the E graters are repeating the same yeah because it's all new curriculum so they're not repeating anything the whole curriculum is new yeah concepts are similar but the activities and the objectives were changed so that it didn't it wasn't repetitive what would you suggest a parent that still have a problem with this I would reach out to the teacher and and to the principal um and they would show and explain the Reas the rationale actually demonstrate what was being taught and how was being taught than and were there any concerns with the maturity level of the students coming in versus the the students that are getting ready to leave the building none that we brought to my so left questions any other questions okay um board members in front of you you have the list that I have emailed you six times by now um I was going to bring but we uh those are a list of potential goals uh you also have a copy of district and board goals that um the district goals Dr kvit kind of threw out there as thoughts of what we like to do do you want to explain more on sure so I I took I went back in time and learned a lot I'm just kidding um there were some goals that were presented in 2017 2018 2019 2020 and I started to put them on the the board goals and District goals and I just thought maybe we a lot of those themes are very consistent to what we've been talking about so read them you know successfully negotiated sign successor agreement so the the forley admin forly Education Association contract is up at the end of this year so that's a goal that may be the for okay we collaborative within the district develop a comprehensive 5year strategic plan that was in 2017 and 18 um and to plan and participate in the board Retreats and board skills and processes that's not my Lane particularly but it's just thought as far as District goals comprehensively assess District facilities and grounds with intent of developing a long range facilities plan to provide the best environment possible for student learning and activities that goes along with getting a demographic study and determining how will our facil support increas in students as well as what we do need address the disproportionality of performance on standardized testing among the district's different demographic groups that was presented when we showed the data as well as the dis actionality report that the equity committee discussed and then leverage District technology and other appropriate resources to increase Community engagement and perception public schools which is along the same lines of how do we communicate with what's happening in our school district I know that the pr committee was meaning on that and I know there was conversation about how do we get more Community engagement so those why those three goals on both board and District level were as I said starting in 2017 and 2018 maybe the board would like to continue those you also have the list um I know some of you have responded to the email that I had shared a while uh with the 16 or so different categories and topics some of you had offered opinions on it um but I was going to bring that up under new business I just wanted to let you know that the you had this copy but then what the additional paper was Dr PR had added um before we go to Old business and new business at the end of resolution we are going to go back into executive session for a confidential matter that came to our attention after we had closed the first sign um so we'll let you know public comment and voting and everything happen and then we'll go back in session what at the end of the meeting yeah before old and new business that way if we want to stay and discuss these goals we can have conversation dur any business or we can do it at the next whatever one decides by that point thank you for putting this together help okay I we do have one Walkin resolution that I'm going to read now before we open to public comments it will be 6B and reads therefore be it disolve that the the Board of Education hereby permits the following non-resident student to continue enrollment at the fortly public schools for the 2425 school year at the advertise per rated tuition rate and that is student ID number 84755 26385 student at the middle school in grade 8 and that is item 6 B okay may have a motion to open the floor to the public Mr Knight second miss all in favor any oppose or exensions okay we will hear first from members of the public physically located here in the cafeteria tonight then we will take questions and comments from those participating remotely participants are limited to three minutes in which to make their statement for remote public participants please select the raised hand button and Mr rro will recognize each Community number in the order of the raised Hands by lowering your hand you may unmute your microphone and state your name and home address for the record and begin your comments everyone please limit your comments to three minutes and please state your name and address for the record before you begin your comments there anyone here in person who would like to speak step up please step up hello everyone uh my name is [Music] father mother of one of the student of count who lives in building two Horizon Road Fort Le and my question is about the transportation from for Le to can you speak the M from for Lee to H previous two years when our daughter was attended to the school we have on Horizon and uh we negotiate first time with b or business office this was included because the shortest time for the any stops which is in right now schedule is face at 25 minutes of w Crossing very dangerous Street for example our Poli on Horizon Road we have every month for sure some accident where was involed and walking 25 minutes in the morning basically when it's snow Crossing BLS it will in up it's little bit uh dangerous drop on The Bu stop Every Morning by car on this whiches in schedule is quite difficult for us because my wife has some disability and no always can drive and I sometimes at this time on walk so I ask B and I ask business office include this store like it was previous two years and more I must not just for this year also for next year and last year not just our this St it was few KS coming from this St so starting from I believe a 22nd as soon as we got email from Mr I believe I have just because I sent a few peoples I I got the respond just from uh Miss goldbas thank you very much for your respond and after your request Mr Gand write something which is not AC no any answers moreover I investigate the questions and I notice bus stop was not included in request or in uh forbid okay your time has expired thank you for your question okay I'm not really sure what your question my question is is it possible to include bus of Horizon Road Poli it will not change the root of the bus because today I sent to Mr CS well what happens with the bus stop so your daughter is she goes to ban Academy I'm correct yes so what happens is we send the whole roster there are 35 students on that bus and what they do is the bus company will look at all the children and they come up with different stops so everybody has to walk a certain distance to get to one of the bus stops and I know we did receive your letter and we actually did reach out to the bus company to see if additional stop could be accommodated but what they do is they look at the total roster of children because if um we have to be fair to everybody on the bus we don't do door too service so it will not be like I don't know if it will be I know we did send an email to the bus company to see if they accommodated and they said they will not even get back to us until September uh why no one from business office not respond to our I that James did respond to you that he said that thean actually responded back that you wanted the name and the phone number of the company because you wanted to call them directly I called them they told is based on the request what they get from the business office of for sir she if you could communicate after September 9th that she stated the bus company said that they will not have an answer for her until September 9th so if you could communicate with Miss mrey then um that's the best answer she can give you right now forly doesn't control those buets with the private company so they once they respond to her she will have a better answer it looks like discrepancy when I called bus bu bus company they told me I need to talk to school and she put the request in for you and they told her that she will not have an answer until at least September 9th so after September 9th would be a better time to communicate with her when she has more of an answer from should initiate this communication we are not having a back and forth your question has been answered we have we have no other answers for you at the moment okay thank you is there anyone else in the public who wish to speak hello hello my name is I leave the same address with my hband and he will be transl my if you use the mic and speak a little slower it's hard to hear you ah okay um I Che it I don't understand why previously two years we have this St and why we don't have this stop this year my son went to the academy years ago and every year the bus stop was was different and it was different time it was on John Street and North Avenue then one time it was on Main Street it it's something that I believe world doesn't control it's the bus company the same schu the same third year the same because uh previously two years a board more business um um facility include this bu stop and now know I don't understand why by the amount of children I believe that you know they they can't make a 100 stop and it's a long it's an early day I know that my son would be there I think 6:30 in the morning or before 7 and like I said the first year was like a half a block away second year was three blocks away uh I'm assuming because more students came from other areas so they they combine it or they look at a map or thank you so sir and and ma'am um your question is valid the board has heard your question as Miss Mes who is a school business business administrator mention she received your letter or email that was sent um the email was sent to the bus the school district issu was called a bid to bus companies students the addresses and they respond to that bid and they propos where the stops will be um so the school district isn't directly in control of where the stops will be because youve heard that they may vary from year to year but again your question your concern was relate to the bus company and m r me indicated that the bus stated that they will get back to her by September 9th which is next week so I would suggest that perhaps you can communicate with this me in the 10 um she can give you her information tonight she can step aside and you can give her yours and on the 10 you can serve her back and see you have an answer that's satisfactory if it's not you are more than welcome to come to the next board meeting um to reiterate your concerns and or see this okay but just now public comment is be back and forth that's why we're just trying to give you the information so we can move on but we really can't Sol just just conclusion we need to wait 9 September that's that's the response we got you said ask when I hear back from them yes said ask yes problem is for 10 days no one respond to us yes since no one respond us why again I heard that there was a response given to you perhaps you can take that up with Mr me tomorrow um but this evening I heard that there was a request submitted from you there was a response I'm acknowledging receipt and there was an email to the bus H um again I don't know what happened over the last 10 days a lot that happens getting schools ready um so I can't acknowledge it I'm not going to apologize for something I'm not aware of we understand your concern we heard the concern and as you ended or you heard miss me State you'll get a response from her by the 10 after she hears back from it could be some if this problem doesn't um resolve what next our step um let's hope it gets resolved this is wait see the answers okay okay can I just ask on the bidding process so this is something that we did like when last June or something no what happens is we had um the bus company we were able to reew the contract with them but what happens every single year you get a different prop of students because your seniors have gone out and they get new students in there's 35 students on the bus go to Bergen Academy there's 6 35 students go to Bergen Academy Al ha Then There are kids that go to the old Japan there's T there's all different stuff we're talking about the one for Bergen Academy there's 35 students on the bus all of the students have to walk to a bus stop his child is not unique in that situation I have several students that have to walk 15 minutes 20 minutes 25 minutes in order to get to a bus stop what they try to do is they look at all the students who on you know the route or going to the school rather they try to look at all the students who are going to the school and come up with the stops that I guess I guess the most Central centralized for the student and there's five different stops so it's not like his daughter doesn't have a stop that she can go to she can get to school on uh I don't know when you start school I don't know if it's Wednesday or Thursday when they started I mean she can get to school because there's five different stops that she can build to well we're waiting to see if we can have the additional s for you and we put the email to the company and they said get back to was by September 9th but previously two years we have they St and now we don't have but the group of people is different that's why as so every year when when a new group of people new group of students come they find the location of all the students but that's the intent of sending it out to bid every year or do the when they determine where everyone is That's So EXC me Mis respectfully because it wouldn't be fair that everyone else who signed to speak um the way the public comment por of meeting works is each person takes three minutes to ask their questions or make their comments then the board responds but it really isn't a back meant to be a back and forth and we long AG but we heard your comment and what I would even suggest perhaps me is that you can get you can't give the name of the other students but perhaps they can give you a route map or what have you they can pinpoint what the spots are that might help further explain I don't know it's Public Safety ISS issues lot what gets emailed to the parents with the five stops so that there's five different stops that they can bring their child to to to go we don't give the other students addresses I would get that out what go to each parent saids there's five different stops C and with the point so it's the five different stops so it's 627 Main Street in Anderson at 628 is Anderson and Stillwell at 634 it's columia ab and pal 640 it's West Street in lywood and at 643 it's Washington ad and Avenue how many students there's 35 students how many H St hop I don't know he should so perhaps find it out because there might be some rationale that there's five in this stop five of that stop they 35 we can't make an extra stop for one that might be the answer so it could be thank you I see what I see sorry who are you I'm Lester Taylor I'm the attorney for the foration thank you sir thanks anyone else in the public thank you for 89 hard Jud uh I was here last meeting I just wanted to find out if there's any progress in said about the busing for the kids after school programs like for softball and whatever I guess also not going have to check with James because I know they were just trying to get the regular busing T from school first so we still have to work on it yeah cuz the issue was you know after school we had you know people changing the the field where the Field's supposed to be she used to practice right here right here or whatever and uh you know the last the changes really soon thought right we'll get back to you by the next meeting we'll have the answer because I know James was most concerned with just trying to get all the routs organized the um intermediate and the middle school and then there's a regular after School athletics for the high school sports so I will get an answer next meeting that's what I'm asking excuse me I will get an answer next meeting yes thank you very much thank you anyone else in the public to speak hello hi Michelle P 555 North Avenue I'm really excited you're having this conversation teach about long-term goals short-term goals all good to your homework I love it um Lester I might allow to ask you a question about something regarding the board or does it just need to get addressed generally you you can address your question to the board chairwoman okay then whether I can answer that board member have question for um I'm this but um if a current board member volunteers to moderate a debate between board ofad it's um is that ethical is that something that would be advised for a sting board member or is that something that should be advised outside of the scope of or member responsibilities is that your only question yes you want to make sure okay um I can't speculate and I can't give legal advice thank typal lawyer speak [Music] there anyone remaining in the audience good evening everybody ter Gibbons a hill press Avenue in for Le I am reaching out I want to stop by to follow up about the busy schedule so it seem to be the topic of conversation tonight so I figured I would add on to it um I'm concerned because of my two daughters that need to get to school we seem up had very minimal Communication in regards to the busing also the change in distance so for what's allowed to be I guess a bus or kids that are eligible for buses to go to school and then if you're outside of the parameters or the distance for the school to be able to get free busing for the kids now we have to pay but even in regards to paying there's no spots to get our kids onto the bus on top of that we have no communication so between emails and phone calls we're not getting any communication back school starts Thursday I'm continuously out for my job so my wife has to try to figure out how to get all of our five kids to in from school and this is just not something that is very helpful last minute before school starts tomorrow the next day so it would be nice if we could have some type of communication some type of information some way to be able to get some some type of busing set up so that the kids do not have to cross the bridge traffic it's not safe it's not doable they're not in the walkable distance where I think that they would be able to safely walk to and from school and just the bridge traffic alone there's continual accidents I don't think you want your kids going across that I don't want my kids going across that it's not fair for anybody else so if we have something in place that would be my my only question and concern are your children in the middle school is that yes so what happened is once um we wound up doing I guess the mileage we found out that the mileage that was calculated here in the past was incorrect so the district actually purchased a new software called transfinder to actually calculate the mileage to or from home to the school it's not necessarily without that new Boutique it's the shortest distance and it's walking distance it's not driving distance so trans we got this software in March we had to learn how to use it all then it took a while because we have to download all the student information into the system and then it had to get geocoded so it did take time and we do apologize for the delays um I know it was joint notice but we did send emails out to the parents last week on August 28th we first the subscription blessings and it's like almost like a lottery because we only have so many seats on the bus and I think it's always been like that even in the past when they even had busing we were never able to bust everyone in the intermediate of middle school that just was not the case what we did is the board because it was so late to send the emails first to the uh the students that lived 1.7 miles or further from the school to give them the first opportunity to get their paper working and then we opened it up to everybody else I believe the emails went out the next morning to everybody else in the Middle School in the is I know James has been working to get schedule set up and I believe yes he sent um I'll double check to James tomorrow but I believe he notified those students who are on the bus that they've got on and he also was making calls and I know that we also were starting like a weight list unfortunately we just can't transport that many students definitely understand I would just probably get the suggestion for the future that you know when it takes that amount of time your guys for planning creates emergency on ours not fair to all of us to now have to subject our children and our scheduling because you guys have poor plan there's a lot of kids a lot of data a lot of info I understand all that takes time but now I'm subjected and my kids are subjected because of y'all's sport planning it wasn't the boards don't blame them so whoever it was so whoever it was I understand s but there's also state law and once we found out that the students did not qualify for free transportation we couldn't just stick our hand in the sand and act like it didn't exist we have to make sure that we got it right that's and I do apologize and I do and I do apologize for that we do know with short notice you know good question is it is the you mentioned that it's like a lottery system is it is it a lottery syst or first come first we did first come first Ser we started with the 1.7 give it to them first and then the next morning we open it up to everybody else and we do have a waight list at this point but I think even in the past from what I understand they wer never even able to transport that many students before I think it was only about 150 so there's more there's about 1,200 kids between the island in the middle school but they were never able to accommodate everybody how long is the wait list right now James told me there's like 27 kids on there and we are looking to see if maybe there's something can do like the tearing the busing maybe if we accommod but at this point in time we just not 100% sure what we can do I think we need we need to make communication uh much a better communication and goal for year because it's something I've heard from a lot of parents that they're upset about this so yeah I agree completely and I take full responsibility for that like I said I know it was just short coming we were didn't get the software until March then we had to learn how to use it you know too so there was like that little bit of learning for than there but I do apologize I'm even talking about just in general with uh when the people are calling and and trying to speak about about busing not getting a call back or I heard from many parents that they were getting a full Bo voicemail that was something I heard for so just if we could tighten that up I think it' make a lot easier for everybody you know I got the same feedback um I could leave a voicemail myself as well um and I think that um with the school starting in two days I can I I I can only imagine that the number of calls and requests would only increase over the next week or so how can we support or can we have staff that allocate them so that they can support Transportation Communications just open the next week or so is that possible what happened was um James didn't even have access to was the transportation at flboe and he didn't even have access to that email so then once we found that out we also open that email up again that we got in touch with the it so that Jason could um James could have access to and actually Lita and James have been going through that because we Haven been getting any data with emails and it's not just for the is either I know is is a big part but there's a whole bunch of other students that we transport to so we've been trying to address all the um transportation needs because we have a large amount of special need students that also get transported out so we had to make sure all thatround information went out so there's been a lot that have to get out L but we weren't aware that James didn't have access to the transportation at SLV so we also address that and that was responding to those thank you for your time I if there is like some type of lottery or something that can be an additional purchase for us that would be great as well we can look into that thank you so much thank [Music] you is there anyone else remaining in person speak okay Mr rero you're up bin 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 gosin hi thank you Jason hi everybody um Keith Goslin 2185 Le Mo Avenue um just hopping on tonight to talk about the uh cpag meet and greet just to kind of congratulate the parents of uh Fort Lee that showed up um there was a lot of people there and it was wonderful to see and uh thank you again Dr Travis it was great to meet Monica the new director um and uh I just wanted to congratulate again all the parents um Andrew Goodman and Cynthia Hannah and myself as well um with the work we did in putting it together and uh just to see people interacting with the child study team and asking questions about Transportation with uh the transportation team was wonderful and that's it so I just wanted to say thank you again uh and look forward to um we're going to schedule our first meeting soon and we'll uh be in contact with the district to let them know but it's likely going to be the 18th we're just waiting on uh few more details um and that's it so thank you thank you thank you Mike also 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 hey everyone uh Mike also 230 Warren Avenue forley New Jersey um I was listening earlier in regards to the long-term uh facility plan uh can anybody tell me how much money we have currently in in the capital reserve account oil Park do you have any other questions Mr well for this if we're going to do a determine a long-term facility plan first of all majority of a lot of our the Mechanicals the roofs and a lot of the structural stuff has already been completed in within the last 10 years so we should have already been having an ongoing long-term facility plan already uh you know we have brand new buildings being put up we have all the Mechanicals put in we have all these Capital Improvements being done shouldn't we have already you know a a schedule of when all this stuff happens that if if the AC units or the Mechanicals are 10 years in existence we already should have that in place correct uh is there any more I me to all of them at one time explain kind of where we're at don't mind well the the thing is we should already been having since all the Capital Improvements that have been taking place over the last 10 years we should already have a schedule of what needs to be replaced in certain amount of time right now the question comes down to next thing I'll that's the last two questions the other thing regarding the modern the modern the first modern and the Hudson lights are full ratables the second modern is the one with the pilot and if I remember that was the one that we had to get with all how many students were in that one not all three because the first the the modern and the and the Hudson lights or are full rable on that and that should be be getting part of our budget as well so we just have to worry about how many students are in modern too so going back to my last question my first question is do we have enough money in the capital reserve account right now how much is in the money in the capital reserve account ballpark so approximately $8 million the capital reserve how much 8 million you have 8 million what how much do we put in how much do we put in every year into this capital reserve account if our budget is almost a hundred million a year should we at least be putting $3 million a year into the capital reserve is that your final question yes one second so there's approximately $8 million in the capital reserves as regard what have we been working on we have a modified Al facilities plan which listing of all the projects so there has been a lot of renovation uh in many cases you know when we plan out things that's why I mentioned the Strategic plan and including that a strategic plan of of long range facilities plan so in some of the buildings for example the heating and ventilation systems they're 50 to 75 years old in order to acquire air conditioning in those buildings the most affordable route was to put an air conditioning unit inside a 75-year old unit so if you look at school number three you have 70y old units that are now have about 7y old air conditioner inside of them so it's like buying a 1965 car and putting in a brand new engine well aware I'm well aware of it Mr krait and the question is in school number three we still have that all those 75 year old Mechanicals correct Micky we're not going back and forth he's trying to answer your questions let him speak okay so so we are we have those Mechanicals that work but we have units that were in inside of that so in many cases when we're looking through again a plan a long-term plan of how do we make sure and ensure that every build is up to code and up to what we need and determining the square footage and everything about it that was never done for from what I have been told by The Architects for a long period of time we have a list but a traditional long-ter facilities plan includes the lifetime of everything so even when we look at this building and we talk about the drainage issu that are uh existing in this building that is brand new there was never in the plans that were submitted and built an actual drainage every air conditioning unit in this building so there's a concern number one that the chiller is not working because it was never commission properly and number two with every that architectural plan that was presented so many years ago or actually about 8 years ago 9 years ago when this building was built the plan was and it's in testimony it's in all the documentation there was a metal pan plac in every classroom that had air conditioning there was never a drain attached to it so when we wanted to know about the leakage that exists in this building it's because that metal pan unless it's removed manually daily or every week then they will flood so the right way to do it is create a j drainage system in this building in every classroom so when that metal pan overflows it gets stain it's outside that was never done but that's not in a long range ofc plan that currently exists it was never done with that in mind so as we go through everything to figure out well if that's 2 million approximately $2 to $3 million renovation in just this building alone that's that's the concern so that's why you have a long range facility plan as far as the costs and how much we put every year it's really dependent on how much is left over so if we have an increase in special education students an increase in busing that we talk about increase need for special education teachers that might reduce the extra money that we would normally have and be able to put into our capital reserve so that affects that every year so all of these things are coming to a head and the best way to do it is to develop a plan look at where we are what do we need look at the demographics and everything else as far as the the modern when we ran the report based on the addresses there were 75 students currently in our Genesis student information system that reported the address of the modern buildings well that was the the 75 was always pretty much the number that the town always gave us it was going to be about 75 students from I when I remember when this thing was being built okay thank you for your comment question all right take care Caroline Corino 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 hi everyone good evening um uh Caroline Karo I live at 3061 Edwin Avenue quick comment uh Slash question I guess um my son he's going to actually start the prek over at the 308 hun building the new the new building um so kind of just like on the lines of communication um I didn't find out I because the Pre-K was before at I know School two and school three and I have a daughter that goes at school three to school three right now um so I didn't find out about the fact that my son was going to go to the Tom Hunter building until his teacher emailed us like a welcome email two to three weeks ago um it wasn't on the application so if that could just be maybe for the future um I communicated better from the uh communicated better um ALS so but I I am excited for the building so I heard it's new and nice um also he's only for it's a prek4 program um so I was a little bit disheartened that there's no like orientation um for the preschoolers um I don't know if it was because this is a new building um that's kind of just what I had to say tonight so thank you there there are no more so thank you for your comment and I appreciate it um we don't do a pay orientation that's something I think we should to do and and I appreciate that the conversation take place and try to build into that absolutely nope there are no more raised hands okayo second Morel all in favor any opposed or exensions okay moving on to resolution may I have a motion to approve items 1 B through Walkin resolution 6 motion second motion call pleas Mrs bu Ken yes Miss KB yes Mrs car yes Mr Knight yes Mrs Kang yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rino yes Mrs R yes and Iain from my name on 5 you can put me my their own yes Mr wants to be add okay thank you may have a motion to approve items one b& through 3B motion K second Rino roll call please Mrs bu can yes Miss KB yes Mrs carry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs kotang yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rino yes Mrs RoR yes may have a motion to approve items one F through motion second motion Curry second Mor call please Mrs K yes MB yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs kotang yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rino yes Mrs rner yes and thank you to our generous ders we have a motion to approve items 1 p through 21 motion second motion Mor second roll call please Mrs buers Ken yes M colbat yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs Cen yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rino yes Mrs r yes may I have a motion to approve item one p uh motion second motion kback second Morel will call please Mrs Byers K yes Miss kback yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs Cen yes Mr Lopez yes M moral yes Mr rabina yes Mrs R yes okay um before we move on to old and new business we are convening back into executive session to discuss confidential matters we will reconvene in approximately 15 minutes approximately 15 minutes and action will be taken we have a motion to go back into executive session motion second motion Morel second Lopez any all in favor any oppose okay outright dangerous so I hope that um we can work with our bus company to accommodate that and and I also believe that um some students find the 6:30 start of the r of family um challenging so Dina and I spoke earlier to see after September 9th the bus would consider delaying that to 6:45 even 15 minutes um so thank you very much Wellness anyone else new business much just want to say something so just wanted to to thank Dr C and thank CAG for the meet read I thought it was really incredible and I thought it was worth discussing just a little bit more um it was incredible all the staff was there um everyone was available to answer any question that anyone might have had and it was just really great it was a great opportunity for also for some special needs families to sort of mingle and chat amongst each other to and sort of build up that community so I just think it was just absolutely fantastic and I just wanted to give accolades uh to to Keith and to Andrew and to Dr grait for making thank you thank you okay so um discuss at our next meeting we will during board comments discuss both so everyone please be prepared for that at our next meeting um in a few weeks and may have a motion toour motion moral second Rino all in favor any oppos okay thank you have a good night so