Okay. >> Adequate notice of this regularly scheduled meeting of the Frenchtown Board of Education has been provided in accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act by notification to the Star Ledger and Express Times on January 9th, 2026.
A copy of this notice has also been posted at the public school at the municipal building and filed with the bar of work. For the pledge of allegiance to 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. >> Mr. Blindburn >> here. >> Mr. Thurman >> here. >> Miss Mauard. Miss Klein here. >> Miss Nikahara here. Miss Partell here. Mrs. Nent >> here.
Um, and at this time we have open public comment. Is there anyone in the public who would like to speak? >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Maggie Lester. My wife and I are parents of a student who attended Frenchtown for 5 and a half years. Two weeks ago, we withdrew our
daughter. We did not move. We did not change districts. We pulled her out midyear because we no longer believed this school's leadership could keep her safe. That sentence is devastating for a parent to say out loud. For years, sustained bullying and physical aggression have occurred without
consent. Consistent meaningful consequences. Students harm others. They reset. They return. And it continues. Not once, not rarely. It's been repeatedly. This is not a misunderstanding. It is a leadership failure. Last year during the strategic
planning, our community and several board members that are here tonight asked how we can retain families, how to attract new ones, how to make Frenchtown a place people choose. The answer is not marketing, it is culture, and culture reflects leadership. A few years ago,
the district moved away from a principle and shared superintendent structure. That shift removed an internal check, a balance, a safeguard. authority was consolidated. When you remove internal accountability mechanisms in place
mechanism in place culture in the hands of one role, the outcome rests right there. Since that change, this building has changed. We are not the first family to respond. We are the fifth family in our daughter's class over the past couple of years to leave.
Five families, five sets of parents making the same quiet calculation that we did. It is not a personality conflict. It is not isolated. It is a pattern. When families quietly withdraw one by one, it does not
make noise. It speaks volumes. Tonight, you are considering extending the chief administrator's contract early for 5 years. 5 years is not a short extension. Five years is stability. Five years is an endorsement. At the same meeting, you
are also voting on district goal that reads, "Create a culture in which fees is a positive environment where students, families, and staff thrive and want to be." My daughter did not thrive. She came home anxious. She came home withdrawn. She began asking to stay
home. She asked why the same children could hurt her again and again. And nothing changed. We told her the adults were handling it. We told her school was safe. We believed that we were wrong. If children do not feel safe, they are not
thriving. If families leave midy year, they do not want to be here. If teachers cannot enforce standards with conf confidence, they cannot build positive environment. Words do not create culture. Leadership does. Early renewal
for five years, while these patterns persist, is not neutral. as a choice to preserve the structure that allowed this culture to take hold. We made our choice. We chose our child. My daughter will never walk these halls again. Not
because she graduated, but because we removed her to protect her. But other children will. Some of your children. They will sit in the classrooms. They will look to the adults for protection. They will trust that someone will act when harm happens. Tonight you decide
what kind of leadership they will inherit. You decide whether thriving is rhetoric or reality. Culture does not improve because we extend it. It improves when we have the courage to correct it. And that decision now
belongs to you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is there additional public comment tonight? Okay. Um since we have no um presentations, we
have the public hearing for the renewal of uh the CSA contract. Um if there is any additional public comment at this time we will take that.
Okay. Then um we will need to have a motion to approve the resolution to adopt the CSA employment contract July 1st 20 26 to June 30th
2031. >> So moved. >> I'll second. >> Are there any comments or questions from the board? I'm I'm personally finding myself very moved by the comments
and and also with our choice out trend lines over the last five years. I don't know really what that means or where that leaves us, but I also want to recognize those things as being real and true and things
that Jim will have to work on. And I want to say that out loud because of the gravity of that role. Um, yeah, I'm just they're they're by the
comment of what's happening with school. There any additional comment or questions from the board? >> Okay. Um, we'll need a roll call then. >> Mr. Blackurn. >> Yes. Mr. Germany, >> yes. >> ML,
>> yes. >> Miss Nahar, >> yes. >> Miss Portal, >> I'll Mrs. D. >> Yes. >> Okay, moving on to the board secretary report. Um, do you want anything you want to make
comment on anything in particular? Um just that I believe for the budget timeline I believe that the um the state was supposed to take action this afternoon to extend the submission deadline, but my recommendation is to
keep the the um the Frenchtown approval on March the 17th. I believe that we're going to be ready um to do that. We will get state aid notices on the 12th. Um the governor obviously postponed they
were supposed to vote today but the the the pro the the um the budget address was supposed to take place today and so since it didn't take place I'm sure they took action to postpone it um the two
weeks. So, we won't get state a notices until March the 12th, but I believe that we'll be prepared um with our like the only thing right now and we'll discuss the budget in more detail, but I believe um the only thing that's going to change
our budget at this point um would be, you know, if the board after our discussion wants any more changes, but the preschool budget and the state aid, the actual state aid notices. So, >> but you don't anticipate an issue
getting ready by the 17th announce >> and I believe the public hearing timeline I don't believe is changing. It's it's crunching the county office to get their approvals done faster. And then um financial disclosure statements. I
think you should have all checked your emails for that. I believe um those email us to all of you uh to get those done. Nothing else further on my if you did not receive that email um you should have. So that's due by
April 1st. Um, and it did come in a kind of a strange like it came from an individual, so it may have been a looked >> Yeah, it should it should have come from David Garrison. >> Yeah, >> it didn't come from me. I usually send
an out from David Garrison. >> Yeah, thank you. I know. I didn't recognize it when it first appeared. Okay. Um, all right. So we'll move on to uh the budget discussion.
>> There is uh information in the board folder. I didn't have any I didn't print anything. Um but we can go to the folder. Wow. I kind of did a little bit of a narrative. >> Budget folder. What's the file for the
narrative? Uh it's um 2627 Frenchtown budget details and I kind of did a little bit of a summary there and this kind of like um encompasses a
little bit about what we talked about last time. Um I do want to mention that all programs and staff were able to be maintained. Um we were able to um let's see actually there is a portion I
need to do an executive session. >> Oh okay. >> Um as I'm reading through this >> so the budget that I'm presenting um currently is balanced with the exception of the preschool budget which may change some things because that hasn't been released in the state aid of course. Um
what I'm proposing is um an overall tax increase of 2%. The general fund would increase $2.71% um but then we would reduce the debt service
by $17,940. So if you remember we had and there's another sheet in here if you if you want to look at that one. It's the cap banking eligibility. That's the one where um
we have the banked cap or this is the maximum um healthcare adjustment is 122,000 and we had banked cap of $17,940. that 17,940 if we don't take it, it it drops off
because we we had three years to use it and we're not using it. But I feel confident with the 122, if we take that 17,940 of that 122 this year, the remaining balance, I think it's about 104,000 will
continue to be available for the next three years. We're kind of like replacing we're kind of taking that 18 now by $18,000 and then the difference of that 122 will be available for the next three years. So I feel like we're not really losing it. We're going to
take the 18 down, but we're going to offset that 18,000 by reducing the debt service like we talked about through the using capital reserve money to offset that additional tax levy. So the overall
increase um will only be a 2%. It's kind of shifting it from the debt service to um to the general fund. Did we have an enrollment adjustment as well? Not this year, but we had an
enrollment adjustment in a previous year. And so there is still banked cap available for that as well. >> Okay. >> From that because we didn't use that in that year either. I think that was about 19,000 that was available that year that we didn't use.
So that's still available as well for two more years. So, the amount of bank cap that was expiring is 17,940. Um, which is the same amount needed to reduce the tax le from 2.71 to 2%.
>> Yes, that's >> I did it on purpose. >> Okay. That was That's a miracle. >> That was intentional. Yeah. Okay. So, we're really taking that capital reserve money and to offset the
debt service portion of it. So we were able to reduce the debt portion of the tax levy and increase the general fund by the same amount but keeping it at the 2%. there is um
you know with the increased pilot revenues that has helped us as well increase in the tax levy um and there's one uh expenditure item that we'll discuss in executive session that's kind of listed here and that will become public um at some point but the board
needs to kind of discuss that in executive session first um that will help is helping us with the expenditure side of the budget and we are in a much better place than your colleagues around the county. Um
there's, you know, spreadsheets going around uh that the superintendent are sharing as to where they think they're going to land with their tax levy and it's not a good year. So, you're much better place than you're in a good perfect storm this time
instead of a bad one like we've had in past years. Do we know yet what the high schools um will be for Frenchtown? >> We don't. >> When will we know that?
Will we know that? At the March meeting. >> Yes, we should know that by the March meeting. Yes. um the tax impact I also calculated because um the ratables actually decrease by $2 million. So that is sort of a
little bit of a you know an negative impact. So if we did the this It's a normal adjustment. That should feel better. was the wrong one.
I don't know why it's labeled like that. >> Which file are you in? Not the >> I'm in the Yeah, I'm in the tax calculation, but that doesn't look right to me. Um I think I dropped the wrong one in there. Okay, I'm going to drop this one. This
one looks like the relatables is different between the old >> Yeah, I This one's the wrong one. That was like a previous year one. >> Yeah, >> I'm removing that one. >> Okay, I just dropped a new one in there. Okay. So, this one shows the It still
says the same thing. What is going on with this thing? >> I have a Are you talking >> Oh, you know what? It's the tab. >> It's a tab. Yeah. >> Yeah, it's the tab at the bottom. >> Yeah, the There's a tab that says 2627. Yeah. So, I was looking wrong tab.
>> Didn't it match with the alt? >> And then there's al service tab. >> Yeah. Don't look at that one. Okay. just the 2627 tax. >> Okay. So, the ratables went down 2.1 million.
>> So, you'll see the um the total increase is 3 cents on the tax rate, which is $30 per 100,000 of assessed value. And then the other revenues and the expenditures are also in there. If you
have any questions and you want to review any of that, the detailed expenditures are all there. Um, you can ask any questions. Okay. Any other comments or questions that are not executive in nature for
Teresa? Okay. Uh then we'll move on to the minutes and we'll need a motion to approve the January 27th regular and executive session. >> So move. >> I'll second.
Any comments or questions on the minutes? All those in favor? >> I opposed or abstain. >> And if you could pass your effective
session this way, please. Thank you. Um since our CSA is not here this evening. Um you can see the um the reports
on the agenda and then we'll need a motion to refer the HIV report from January. Move second. >> Any comments or questions on that? Okay. All those in favor?
>> Opposed to abstain. Okay. Um I just had a few brief things. Um for our next at our next meeting, I'd like us to review um
progress towards the board goals. Um since we have not done that yet, um they are on our agenda. There are five of them. So um we'll take a few minutes at our next meeting to review progress
towards those. Um, Adam and I will be attending a meeting on Thursday evening at the high school with um the board presidents and vice presidents or another representative um
from each of the sending districts and the high school to um discuss a few things. Um, I think the um what made the or one of the things that made the high school president reach out
was the um the funding for um I'm missing a word. Um >> vocational. >> Thank you. for the vocational school. Um they are um they've created a letter to
send um and I think we're going to have a discussion about that about the um how the funding affects um the high school specifically because um any of their their kids who are enrolled at the
vocational school don't get counted towards their state aid. So they lose a significant amount of money. So they're um reaching out to the state about that. Um and we're going to have a conversation among other things they uh on the agenda
including like you know shared services and things like that and other ways to possibly um align. Um so obviously um after that meeting um Adam and I will report out on that conversation.
Um and hopefully it will be the first of you know regular meetings like we used to have. Um and I also wanted to mention to the board that in March um the board will be
hosting the FBPA meeting at the school. So, and hopefully after the meeting some folks will hang out to get a little tour of the school. Um, that's all that I have. Um, so we'll move on to the consent agenda since
there's no policy tonight. And we'll need a motion to approve items 11.1 through 11.14. >> Seconded. Okay. Comments or questions on the consent agenda? A question on 1112 which
is teacher training. I was just curious to better understand the AI tools to enhance student learning in K through second grade. I wasn't quite clear on if that was like
AI tools for the teacher to use if I was teaching kids AI. Like I'm guessing it's the former, not the latter, but >> to figure out. >> Yeah. >> Well, we've heard that they use iPads,
you know, like I don't know. So, it would it would just be interesting. Like, we know that this is the way education is moving. We currently don't as a school have a perspective on it. I don't think even NJ
overall has a clear perspective on it. And so I'm glad to see the teachers are raising their hands and trying to learn more. I love the the kind of enthusiasm around it. I'm just curious around what is it and how do we plan to use it with
our youngest learners? It was in the packet. >> It It is in the packet. The the rationale for attending, but I saw the application. It doesn't say what the train actually is. Just the title of it. >> In the title, it's just it's just broad
enough to use AI tools to enhance student learning grades A through two. So, not three K. Sorry. A through six. >> Yeah. says, "Learning best AI tools to improve student learning, streamline routines, tasks, support students in need of an additional of additional
practice and review. Does that mean we see or is it AI enhanced apps that we're going to have children use?" So, it's not it's not quite clear.
Either way, I think it's a great frame for the teacher to have, but I would love uh for Jim when he's back and feeling better to get us. I did read through that paper and it just wasn't clear. >> Looks like she's learning AI.
>> That's what I >> to help students learn. >> Yeah. But then I'm like, do we want students learning AI in kindergarten? I don't think that's it AI. We don't know for her practices to help,
right? I would guess but >> she decided it's not that great. >> They won't know about learning. >> Okay. Yeah. I'm sure um you know Holly could give us some more information either.
>> She does. Yeah. I'm sure these trainings have like a page where you sign up that explains what it covers. >> It does and I signed it downstairs and what's attached here is isn't the um the full thing. It's only the
>> registration information. >> Well, Teresa, if you've got your hands on it, if you can forward on >> Yeah, I was actually do that. Let's see. I don't see it. >> Can I ask about um 1110 and 111? Um
just to talk a little bit more if we know about Joe Tori's role. So he's going to be a substitute administrator and >> he's filling the role that was um >> Yeah. Okay. >> Was Mr. Bonta also a substitute
administrator? >> Yes. Okay. >> And I when I first read that I was like does that mean he administrates the substitute? >> Right. >> It does not. I guess I was like really um
>> yeah he was um >> you know the teacher in charge wasn't in the building. >> Okay. >> Any other comments or questions on this consent agenda? a moment. Do we need to review the semi-waver?
Everybody's okay. That's >> that before, right? >> Yes. That's part of the budget process and we don't have the number of students to qualify. That's done based on a percentage the number or >> less than 40. So if you have less than
40 student eligible students. >> Okay. Well, Warren County 8 and nine, those two Warren County special services and county ESC are contracts for next school year, but they're for an as needed
basis. So right now there aren't any services that we are actually contracting with them for, but if there would be a need, the contract is in place that we could reach out to. Okay. Any other questions? So, we'll have roll
call for the consent agenda. >> Mr. Blackburn, >> yes. >> Mr. Germany, >> yes. >> Miss Corin, >> yes. >> Miss Nahara, >> yes. >> Miss Patella, yes. Mrs. Nent, >> yes. And is there any new business from the board?
>> I had one item. So any new business, but um it's really hard to find the link to the meeting the YouTube stream for our meetings. >> Oh, I spent like 20 minutes trying to find it. >> Um it's actually I think under under news
>> being on the board page. >> Yeah. >> Our meeting days are hard to find too. They're not on the board page. They're on news. >> Yeah. They're either >> they're not any longer. There's a required public notice section on the website and it's stagnant on the front of the page. So you click on it and all
the public notices are going to be along the new law. Okay. So they're all bad. Is it possible to this is probably a trick question to just also put it on the school calendar when there is a board meeting and to put it on the school
board. >> It's not calendar. >> It should be on the calendar. I don't think it >> I think since January maybe it they the new meetings weren't put on. >> They're usually on there but um >> I did look through
>> maybe when we adopted the new meetings for the year they didn't go up. >> Okay. So I'll send a reminder to >> is the meetings. >> I know for a few days the website was being >> it still has a weird thing on the front of it
>> on the front page. has some kind of things that like some documents are not >> um but yeah I that's a good I think it should be right on the front >> the homepage the link >> yeah even better >> yeah
okay I can ask Jim to talk to the other French town school keeps popping up where you look it up now Montana >> there's one in Connecticut too >> so it is in the news but it's right It it's it's fixed to the front page. Like
it's not in the in the feed where it gets lost. It's fixed on the front page in the live stream. >> We have look for it under news though as opposed to under the board under the calendar. >> Were you looking your phone or on the >> Look on J's computer. >> Yeah.
Because it does it definitely looks different on the phone too on the computer. Um, I mean, we should probably take a look at the the web page um or the website uh for
the you know, the board materials and it's been a couple of years since we updated anything. So, we should take a look. Okay. Any other new business? >> Okay. Um, we have another opportunity for public
comment. Is there any additional public comment? >> Yeah. I I will say I was just looking up the website supposedly I'm techsavvy. I I didn't see where I've also had trouble finding the the dates for this meeting and I've also I just go straight to
YouTube for the recordings um because I do find it very hard to find anything. I didn't see I saw like in tiny text on the bottom left illegal notices but it didn't seem to have >> Yeah. So you go to legal notices and you click on that and it says meeting
notices and They were there. Somebody's been moving things in honestly. You know, there's been some in that note in that um >> in that folder before and it wasn't supposed to be there and I had to ask
for it to be removed. >> Um so >> they were all in there. There were because there were a couple of them and I don't know who took them out. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Although I think based on the board of ed like on that page. It might make sense to aggregate what the user
>> the legal notices have to be in the name. I know that. But having our calendar and access to the YouTube recordings on the board of ed page would also be sensible. >> And in the digital world, you can often have things in multiple places without it being, you know, like you can have
sort of links >> or just >> Yeah, >> that's a a thing in the visual. Um and then the other thing was I guess just thinking about what Maggie said earlier I am curious what are
what are the checks like how does because part of the reason I come to these is just to learn stuff right so okay we don't have a separate administrator and superintendent sorry they don't have a separate superintendent and principal yeah we just have one administrator.
>> So, >> you guys are the check. You guys like how does the the accountability all work? Just out of curiosity if if it's a if you guys can answer that now. >> Um yeah, I mean basically yes, we
evaluate uh the administrator. Um there are different models for administration. Um we in my time on the board, we've had multiple. We've had um principal, superintendent, we've had CSA
um and right now we have a CSA model which is one administrator who does both jobs and it's evaluated by the board of education. Um does that explain >> that evaluation happens annually?
>> Yes. Yeah. and is mandated and it's mostly focused sorry Kate on the kind of the goals that are presented before us. There's also other things but the focus of the evaluation when it does happen annually is based on the goals
that we set and then the initiatives that Jim has under those goals. meaning it may not be kind of a full comprehensive thing that you might get it as a regular you know like company when people are doing employment reviews or
>> yeah that's okay any other public comment um we do need to move into executive session tonight to discuss if terms of
employment Thanks for coming, guys. >> Good night. Um, so we'll made a motion to move into executive session. >> Seconded. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed or abstain.
>> Okay. Okay. >> And we need a motion to adjurnn. So move. >> All those in favor. >> Okay. Thanks everybody. >> I'll see you on Thursday.
>> Um yeah. >> Thank you. >> It's uh Thursday. >> I don't know. 12 minutes before I doctor