We don't have Aaron yet, but I sent her a link again just okay. Adequate notice of this meeting of the Frenchtown Board of Education have 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 our clerk. And we'll pledge. I pledge algiance 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. Blackburn >> here. >> Mr. Germany >> here. >> Miss Howard >> here. Miss Klein
>> here. Miss Nara >> here. >> Miss Portalo >> here. >> Mrs. Nent >> here. Um, and at this time we have our public hearing on the 2627
budget. Um, so we'll need a motion to approve the resolution. >> So moved. >> I'll second. >> Thanks. >> So that resolution there is for special ed. >> We
Sorry. Sorry. Y there. >> Okay. There's one for the hearing. >> Um >> there is it's in the finance section. >> Um I guess we'll we'll do the public hearing first and then Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah.
Sorry about that. >> Screen. >> Yeah. You're starting, right? >> So, our our budget presentation is going to be on this over here >> and then Jim's presentation will be over here. Anyone would like to come hover
over this dual screen. >> No, I think >> you want to stay here. >> Yeah. Okay. Just in case I got ready. Okay. Yes. Is that all right? All right, good evening everyone. All
right, so we've been talking about this um in length. Um I felt like the last couple meetings just in preparation. So um just again I want to say thank you um to Teresa for all her efforts here and um putting up with some of my questions and answers and so forth. Um but I
really appreciate it as a team effort here. Um, I think some of our budget goals, again, I think they're very similar to some, you know, years in the past in the sense of trying to keep to that 2% cap to demonstrate school responsibility. I think that's an important piece. Last year we were under
we at 195. This year we at 2% um as we talked about many districts are well over that in our um due to um the circumstances of um money this year. um maintain current academic program, continue after school programs, all the things that we're really um have been
growing with. Um enriching our programs as much as we can. Uh engaging students and staff, intentional focus on curriculum, professional development, um things we talk about all embedded in our goals this year, um enhancing academic programs and exploring fabric of shared
opportunities, community. Um again, I feel like an ongoing conversation throughout the year. um really coming off a really um well attended strategic planning um team of meetings last year and focused really um focused in a
direction for this year. Thanks. Certainly some of our school highlights are a lot of things I just talked about things we've been driving through personalized plans for all our students. Um cell phone policy implemented for all our students. Uh small class sizes continues supporting uh social emotional
support, wellness room integration. Um that's another added feature that we have. Community engagement opportunities continued. You know, we talk about them every meeting. Kindergarten universal preschool have you know uh free preschool opportunity here. We also when
we get filled have an opportunity up at the Milford location. Um, again, I talk about that a lot because a lot of times when the other neighboring schools no longer can house um their students, they don't have a space to go. We have a secondary location that's all that still
remains free um for our students in Frenchtown. Character Ed, positive behavior support activities. You hear about them every month when we talk about different things um when we report on our student safety data, SSDs as we call it. uh ac
academic achievement um driving ma uh the master schedule through um opportunities such as the educational support period um built into our five through eight periods. We talked about K through four having math period the extra math period um our after school
clubs basic skills program targeted certainly our last year putting a lot of effort into our summer scholars program which will be continuing again this year. Uh we have a world language study. We've been doing Spanish for a number of years. Having our club's high interest and varied and giving our listening to
our student voice to have opportunities. So student voice with a really creative staff really provides an opportunity for some different clubs as we've talked about. Um musical theater and art all embezzled there in one. But um you know
River Union being a part of some of those things, our team being a part of those things. Um, we had new honors reading program this year, something we're going to be continuing. Um, and I think it's just expanded enrichment opportunities to our community, which we've again talked in length, I think, each meeting. Um, and we keep growing.
We keep making adjustments and building upon that. Um, I'll I'll stay in here. fiscal efficiency, community collaborations, again, you know, after school clubs, field trips, utilizing our town to support some of our enrichment within
our school. Um, certainly have a very unique collaboration and often collaboration local police fire and our DPW always there to lend a supportive hand. Uh, shared administrative services for um efficiency. We've added a staff
member shared with Delval this year to help us in that cast capacity. Um, school choice provides additional state revenues. Again, um, that's that's another piece that we continue to um, utilize, right? Participation in
multiple um, purchasing cooperatives. Um, Teresa will get into some of those things. Instructional staff and neighboring staff, right? Social media with Holland. Um, shared with Delval. We continue to explore opportunities with other schools um where it deems appropriate, where it can be successful
for Frenchtown. Um the transportation consortium um Delval Tech having that shared service for our school um is certainly um you know provides us resource and and um supplies and and
people that you know with that insight that sometimes that we don't have in a small school like that. to have that network up there really helps us. Um the ASUS program for reducing energy and you know applying for grants when those opportunities make sense and are worth
that for us. Sometimes we you know we've been we always do dives on grants you know for $200 or $300 is it worth that time for $2,000 is it worth that time and so forth. So making assessing those grant opportunities and seeing what's
best for our for our school. want switch. >> You'll be moving. >> Sorry, Rachel. >> Thank you. >> Um, so now we're going to kind of talk about the numbers and get into some of
the the details. Um, the district's revenue is made up of several key sources. Um, mainly state aid and local tax levy. Additional revenue comes from programs like school choice which brings in state funding tied to enrollment of
students from communities outside of Frenchtown. Uh the pilot revenues um have continued to increase over the um as the new units from the building project are occupied. The increase for next year in this category is $30,441.
uh state aid increased $10,90 which is capped at a 6% growth and we'll talk about that a little bit more on another slide. Um other revenues are made up of tuition interest and other miscellaneous revenues and then our total uh revenue
or our total budget is $3,237,340. This chart here at the bottom um shows a breakdown of the federal grant funds that we receive from different federal programs. Um there's four different uh title categories in ESA. IDEIDA supports
um students with uh disabilities. And the REAp program is a new category for 2526. We had REAp in the past. We lost it for a few years. It was reinstated for 2526. We are getting it again in 2627.
Um and that program mainly supports technology. It can support other things but it's mainly a technology um support program. And then as we look at how that turns into um balancing on on uh the
expenditure side, you'll see we actually have large decrease numbers on this slide um that we don't normally see, but we also have a couple of, you know, large increase areas as well. Um the total general fund budget reflects
the cost of maintaining programs, staffing and operations. And our major cost drivers include salary and benefits. Even though we made a switch um in our health benefits to a different carrier for 2627,
we still see which was a savings of $110,000. This is the budgetto budget. So we were short in the 2526 budget if you remember we talked about that but so this is budget to budget some of this increase
is was realized in 262 or 2526 but it's showing the actual change from one budget cycle to the next. So there is a a $165,000 increase in the benefit line which isn't solely made up of health benefits. It's
also um FICA on our support staff. You know, as their salaries increase, we pay more employer FICA and there's a pension liability contribution for those PERS employees as well, which is part of that number also. Um the district remains
committed to responsible spending aligned with student needs and district goals. Every expenses expenditure is reviewed to ensure it supports student achievement and operational efficiency. So I I know um at our strategic plan,
one of our slides that we were asked to um present at that uh initial meeting was a sort of a chart like this. It was not just the the um expenditures as we saw them on the previous slide broken
down to all different pieces, but more what are our fixed costs, what are we um spending on regular education, what are we spending on special education, and then there's an other category. Um so we did that um for strategic planning. And
then when we did the budget presentation last year, it was kind of like, oh, where's that chart that kind of like breaks it down in those categories. So, I thought I would add this chart this year. Um, and we can we can take this data now and then do more of a comparison chart, you know,
year-over-year just to see how it changes. Um, so for right now, this is kind of like our baseline and we spend about $40,000 in fixed costs. Regular ed is 30%. Special ed is 20%. This category is is
definitely lower um than our previous year. And that's because we have um some some special ed costs that are migrating to the high school. And um then the other cate the other
category fixed costs would be things like uh facilities. Um actually your administrative cost because there are certain positions and things that you're required to have like your chief school administrator, your business administrator, those are
required positions, the health office. >> Um those are things that you know you have to have. So uh these and your yeah facilities and yes all that is what's in the fix costs. >> So could I ask one? So just so regular
ed plus special ed equals instruction essentially right >> and then yes and then fixed cost is >> well special ed specialed >> special ed is not just instruction >> but well it's it's support services LTP
>> support services and evaluative services everything specifically related to special education >> so that kids can learn I think I didn't phrase it well I think what I'm trying to differentiate is um things related to teaching and supporting student well
support students. I mean we could but >> special ed special has other support categories in the pro in the different program codes that regular ed really doesn't have. It's kind of >> Sure. >> Yeah. So all of the all of the categories that and program codes that
support special education are included. >> Okay. >> In the special ed costs >> if if there was transportation associated with special included in that that pie slice. >> Yes. >> And tuition as well. >> Right.
>> Okay. So, um, as I said before, the state aid, uh, was capped at 6%. Um, we should have received $49,180 or an increase of 14%, but we were
capped at 6% and we only received in regular formula aid an increase of $10,000. Uh you'll see the school choice was actually you know a larger increase and that's the program that um supports the students coming from outside of our
community. We see a total increase of $28,000 almost $29,000. Um this still very much frustrates me. This cap um it's something that they surveyed. It's not the formula
which is why we went through S2 all of those years. couple of years back. We remember >> why we got into that situation to begin with. >> They the last two years they've kind of done the same thing where they haven't fully run the formula. They run it but then they cap it and they cap it on both
ends. Any district that's getting an increase will not get an increase greater than 6%. But then any district that's getting a decrease doesn't get a decrease more than 3%. So it keeps everybody in this
-3 to positive6 range. Um and uh I I I just feel like nobody cared about that during S2. Whatever it was, you got cut. And I find
feel like we have a formula. Whether it's a good formula or not, we have a formula and it should be what the formula says it should be. So this happened last year in the 2526 school year. This happened as well. So
this number should have been larger and now this number should have been larger. So um just kind of wanted to point that out. Um so we'll go on to the next slide.
>> Okay. >> So here kind of shows if we you know maybe if we didn't have those caps these numbers would be closer together in these last two years. We are seeing it kind of level off in both areas a little bit which is good.
So, this was kind of like the beginning of S2 here where we were a lot closer together and then as the state aid plummeted over that six-year period. Whoops. That's right. Sorry, I touched the screen. Um, as the state aid kind of
uh plummeted over this six-year period right here, this the tax levy kind of did the same thing. It it had it went up. So, and this this was the year here that we um
they allowed us to go up a certain amount over and above in order to make up some of this loss here. So, this is kind of a year off, but um it it's because of this that that happened in the next year. So hopefully these numbers will, you
know, if they can come back together and we can slow down the increase in the tax levy, which we've been able to do the last couple of years, and this should have been catching up a little bit more. Okay, so um the district works to
balance limited state aid with local tax levby to fund operations. Um the pilot agreement provides an additional revenue stream uh with the district receiving 50% of the payments of 191,662 and that was the 50% of the amount
received in the calendar year 2025. Uh the town the bureau has certified that amount to us. So we should be expecting to receive that um in June to support uh our budget that starts in July.
Um, we implemented the preschool expansion program in 2324. It supports two classrooms, one here at Frenchtown and one at the Milford YMCA. And then these are the funding levels. Um,
2627. This this 2526, it's not that our funding level went down. There was a large carryover amount. You can see here this carryover amount was included here. So we didn't have as much carryover
um into the 26 27 year um and then the tax levy. So the general fund is increasing 2.71%. This is our $68,000 and the debt service
is actually going down $15,000. So what happened here is we took a withdrawal from um the capital reserve account to put towards the debt service payment. So that's this isn't that exact number
because the number changed how much I had to pay. So this is a different number but um it represents that 17940 represents this decrease here and which brings the tax uh levy increase down to 2% between the two
taxing categories in the budget. So the general fund going up 2.71 and the debt service decreasing um 14% is a 2% increase. >> Hey Tesla. >> Yes. We wouldn't normally take that out
of the capital reserve account um for that purpose, but I remember we talked about this because we wanted to limit the you know the um the tax levy, >> right? Um, what was our rationale for taking it out of the reserve account that we could fill that back up fairly
easily or? >> Yes, there's actually a line item in the budget that actually like replenishes that um amount in back into the capital reserve and the healthc care adjustment because we actually had exactly this amount of money that was dropping off as
banked cap. And even though we didn't use the banked cap, we kind of took this 19,000 the $17,000 to kind of represent the banked cap. Um, so we took a portion of the healthc care adjustment. We could have
taken $123,000. Well, we got $123,000 in healthcare adjustment. We only took this $18,000 um as part of it because you can you can't take the healthcare adjustment unless you go to 2%. So, we went to the
2% so we could take this $18,000 as a representation of the bank cap that was dropping off. So, we kind of didn't feel like we were losing it even though we were losing it. >> Yeah. >> Um because we would have had to take all of this to get to that $18,000 and we
weren't doing that. So, um this then becomes part of the banked cap for future years if there's a need. So, our bank cap amount is now at $124,000. That's available for future budget cycles if needed. So, that isn't
dollars. This is a representation of the ability to tax above the 2%. Those are not physical dollars that are sitting anywhere. >> And that's for three years. >> That's for three years. It's available for >> part of this will drop off before that,
but the 123 is a three. Yeah. Three years, right? And what that impact is on um the tax rate is 32 cents um per 100,000 of assessed value. So
whatever your home value is for each 100,000, it's a $32 increase on the tax bill. So this is the, you know, if these were the average homes, the increase on a
$59,000 home is $163. >> And we're total tax is the total tax from the school. It's not the actual total tax. >> Correct. The tax for the for the school district for this. >> I appreciate you providing this sort of detail to us. I think it helps
homeowners better understand it. So, I think that's >> So, we'll take any questions from the board first if there's any other questions you have and then we can open it up to the public. >> This goes back I think your your first
slide. Um, the refunds you say we were getting back. How did we lose them? Were this were this not available? So we we look so REAp in REAp and our ES our title one money are are tied to the
same um data that makes you eligible which is the number of students that qualify for low as low income in the community. Okay. >> And for a period of time like for but one year period of time
>> one year >> one year period of time which was >> it was the year that we were in co because we weren't getting the applications for >> correct >> the need and that we actually lost I
think for two years we lost title title one then we lost title four then we lost um reap. They're all they're all tied together. >> Okay. >> So now all all three of those categories
have been reinstated because our me numbers that we're reporting now are back to where >> they they're accurate now. They weren't accurate that year because we weren't getting >> Yeah. >> the applications and the reporting
wasn't >> in terms of the >> I tried to fight that right. Oh, this is what >> the threshold for title one is 10%. So 10% of the student body population needs to be economically disadvantaged to qualify.
There's different there's different things for that because not all has to be >> the minimum I think is 10% and the number of students. So there's two qualifying >> categories. It's a percentage and the number of students. So if the number of
students is an equal >> 10% then >> you're you're not eligible. Can you tell us what the um impact is from the high school? Is there an increase for Frenchtown? >> There is.
Um I can get that. Yeah. I mean it doesn't is it like super significant or is it >> No, none of them were. >> Okay. >> Um I have to look at I I actually I have it because we reported it last night. I
just don't remember because there's five different communities. I don't remember which one's which, but um >> but nobody had like a I know some years there's like a crazy >> Right. >> Okay. Good. >> Uh well, I can't say that. Kingwood and
Milford were crazy decreases, but that's because of they had reassessments. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Okay. Thank you. All right. Any questions from the public? >> Well, thanks.
>> Thank you. Okay, since there are no further questions about the budget, we'll move forward with um the resolution for special education week. Um, and then we'll need a motion to approve um
the res resolution. I moved >> a second. >> Okay. Any comments or questions? >> And I'll just say that this is a resolution that recognizes the um
special education students as well as the staff and their parents. um and the um the support that they provided to those children. Um so we'll have a roll call with this. All those in
favor >> opposed or abstain. >> Okay. Um at this time we have an opportunity for public comment if anybody has any. No. Okay. Um, then we'll move forward to our board
secretary report. Tera, did you want to speak to anything there? Um, I did um the date on here for the school board candidate kits is incorrect. It should be July 27. I did
send them out today to those board members that uh terms um are up this year and will need to rerun for their seat. Um
ethics forms are due on April 30th. I'm confident we'll get all those in. and um the school boards convention. >> School boards convention. >> Um
>> I did send out a Google form for the school boards convention. If you're if you haven't seen it, uh look for that. And if you haven't filled it out, if you could just so I know you've seen it and whether if you say no, that's okay, too. That's perfectly fine. At least I know you've seen it and I I know I don't have
to make plans for you or think think about plans. Um, and that's all I have. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, moving on to 7.1, we'll need a motion to approve the minutes of March 17th regular session.
>> I move. I'll second. Okay. >> Any comments or questions on those? Okay. All those in favor >> opposed or abstain? >> Abstain. >> And then we'll move forward to the CSA
report. >> All right. Good evening everyone again. Um so first we just um have first report ADA um harassment intimidation bullying. We had um event this month as you see um
that was identified. Um we did have some um conduct code of conduct violations as of because of it. Um we also then had our security drills um security with our local police as we always do vibration
wise. Any minute I'll vote for the keep up date. >> Okay. So we'll need a motion to affirm the HIV report for March 17th. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Comments or questions on that? Okay. All those in favor? >> I opposed or abstain. the bus. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Speaking. >> Yeah, I can. I mean, so yeah, I can
>> uh then we'll need a motion to approve and acknowledge receipt of the school bus emergency evacuation drill. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Jim, do you want to speak to that? Did anything
>> we had our buses back? We did a great Everybody did a great job. We've been doing that for a number of years now. So um it is part of just good practice. I think it's a part of a number of compliance um you know guidelines that we have as well. But I think our
students look forward to it. It certainly helps us when we go out on our field trips for sure. Okay. >> Any comments or questions? All right. All those in favor? I oppose or abstain. And then we'll need a motion to affirm
the 2425 HIV self assessment district grade report. >> I'll move. >> Seconded. >> Any comments or questions on that one? >> Okay. All those in favor
>> and then 8.4. will need a motion to approve the revised 2025 2026 school calendar. >> So, just so everybody knows what that means is basically we're looking at the last day of school. Um, you know, we had
one snow day left. Um, we've had a couple uh rallies from students and staff on Mondays and Fridays, but it has not happened. So, we have one day left and we would just like to move take it off the end of the year. So that will move the last day till the 10th and then
graduation to the 9th. >> We need a motion for that. >> Make sure we communicate that out. >> A second. >> Okay. Any questions? >> All right. All those in favor?
Okay. Good deal. All right. got hold on. So, I'll slide over. I'm gonna talk a little bit about Qat. Um, I am going to take a another quick minute. I know we approved
it, which I appreciate. Um, but just with our HIV, you need the um the self assessment for terming grades. That's part of our team here in our program. Um we I think you when we first years ago
this score this score can be a total of 78 right I think when we first came in it was a 63 I think my first year was somewhere in there and it's just a compilation of all those so I thought it would be great for the board to just see what they're weighing in on what the scores so from HIV programs which we
talk all the time training staff instruction programs um where we're embedding in curriculum such as character ed um so procedure your reporting, school grades, all those things. So, um this will give you a little bit more perspective of where
that grade is coming from. Um but I just wanted to share again and kudos to our team for continually working through um these positive behavior opportunities for our students to really engage and you know really stay in that kindness and respect lane as much as we can and
and typically a lot of good things will come of that. Um, so all right. So, wanted to take a minute there. QAC, we got our update. We are now labeled a high performing school again, which is fantastic. So, kudos to the team and
everyone working on our plan. Um, that we we built this year. Um, they're going now off of the latest test scores. Um, so a lot of people might ask specifically what does that mean? But I think first I want to just celebrate the fact that our team has been really
putting in a lot of effort, students and staff and so forth. Um with the support of board of education, we made a number of changes and we're seeing some of these things happen for us. So we went from this was our replacement when we went through the process. We now we're
at 78. Now we're up to an 85. So needed to be over 80 um in order to achieve that. So kudos to Frenchtown. um >> very much so. So, a lot of effort going in there. So, I also thought it might
just be good for a minute just to go through what does that actually mean. Um so, it's basically about our ELA and our math scores to um more than anything. So, proficiency rate of all students in the district and and they have all these subcategories of how they weigh and
where we were last time. So, from the last time we're up 2.4% 4% in this category for ELA achievement. We also have overall performance of students in school district. So, we're up 3.4. Again, this is ELA. Sorry, it's SN. It's it's it's a um
>> it's a weird file. >> Yeah, it's a weird file. I have to do my best screenshotting it. Um ELA academic math academic, we're up 4.2. We're up 4.5. Um, and then this is another school district
measure for quality and student success. We were last time we were a 77. Um, last year score now we're up to a 77. So.3, but that's just an overall encompassing of some of those other subcategories. >> Go back to the prior slide. >> Yeah,
>> that uh those are big increases. So up 4.5 and up 4.2. do. >> How do they um how did they Yeah, I'm like trying to trying to make sense of the Excel spreadsheet.
>> Yeah, it's this is basically how it's this is how it's assessed when we go through the process when the executive um superintendent from the county comes in with his team. We go through these things and they have different formulas. oftentimes we hear by the time the next Q's hack as as you guys heard a little
bit there was some um opportunity for um adjustments mid year last year this year that we tal talked about it wasn't going to benefit our district by taking that adjustment then they applied it to some people there there's been some there's been some back and forth with this
process with some schools and school districts um and I think now there is going they are re looking at revising it for the next process. I don't think it's impacting this coming year, but potentially the following year. So, it's a process they continue to make
adjustments to and um but yeah, but as we lie and you know, as we're assessed, this is where we're at. So, again, making um making student progress and and student achievement for sure. What I found the most interesting about this Jim and I think that the school should
be very proud of it is that our year overyear progress scores have increased so much versus the year prior and the year prior to that >> that even though you know there's still gains to be on academics gains to be made on the academic side the fact that
there is improvement it just is suggested that some of the kind of initiatives that exist in the school currently are actually having a bit of an effect. Um, is there is there there's science in there as well though, right? Because >> there is. If you remember science, we
did not get um >> Yeah, we didn't get a score. >> We didn't get a score for science and then they gave us another score. I think there was it definitely went down, but our overall um you know, still went up like again to a few students
>> um initially. So, I I don't want to misspeak on it because it's changed three times. So, one of the three times I'll get it right. But initially we we got 10 points because we were a school that did not meet enough students. Then we didn't get 10 points because we
weren't enough school to get enough students. And now we have a a a score that's not 10. That's less than 10. That that's how their new formula is. >> I remember I'm sorry because I read it last week or whenever they sent out the
files. Mhm. >> They that was the only place where like we didn't see growth was on science versus on math and English we did, >> right? But at this point, like I said, we're, you know, showing achievement in ELA and math and that's an area that we'll
continue to work on. I think it's also a tough area because it's only assessed every three years, fifth grade and eighth grade. >> Yeah, we've talked about that a number of times >> how that how that um is assessed. It's it's a varied assess. This whole process
is a three-year process, right? This Q stack role. Um but yeah, but again, moving in certainly in the right direction and um appreciate the applause earlier for sure. I'll pass it along to the team.
Um we went through that. Okay. Any questions on that before I move on? >> That's great news, J. >> Well, um some quick shout outs. marking per honoral students up here. We had a really great um breakfast. Thank you to the PTO um and some of our other friends
for making a delicious breakfast for us. Um Julie had a hand in that. So, thank you. Um Mia, Claire, Ryan, and Claudette on our high honor roll, Isaac, Liam B. Al, Oliver, and Spencer. And also a part of our group as we talked about really
our students making really great efforts and doing some really great things. We have the centennial coming up as everyone knows and we've been celebrating all over and Mrs. Mrs. Miller and and team has been doing a great job. Um, but we had a essay contest led by Miss McCann. Um, Mr.
Rickstein is everywhere anymore in Freshtown in the school as well. Um, and now we have some some of our bookshop friends that have been part of um, assessing essays, being a part of our breakfast and so forth. So Zoe, Josh, and Rosie, kudos to you for being first, second, and third place in the
centennial essay. So they were a part of our group, too. Um, noting their efforts as well. So kudos to them. >> Um, we had some other things. Spring concerts, obviously, district art festival was huge. You know, that's something that continue. If you haven't
had a chance to go up there, you haven't had students be a part of that, please go check that out. Um, we've also had our students up there. They're in fourth grade. was just up there the other day. Um, having these opportunities, these musical these art opportunities at the high school for our students is really
important. Um, acknowledging all administrative assistance day the other day. Um, can't go can't do anything with that. And we had a movie night right before we went to spring break. Again, collaboration with our Frenchtown Police Department um, and our student council member students and Mrs. Rodriguez and
team doing um, you know, all the things that we need. making sure we have our snacks, making sure the movies on, make sure the volume and all that is is where it needs to be. So, also our yard camp we had over break. Uh Justin Lander, if you hadn't have you
haven't had a chance to meet him, he's a really awesome guy. I I got to spend a little bit of time with him couple days and uh just masterful what he was able to do with our team um teacher team moving for towards the end of the week. And then they did a pretty they
literally did their own puppet show. I I can't say enough about it. Parents came out, family members came out. It was really great. Um, so hopefully that's something we can continue to trend. I I was there when when Jill was saying like, "You're doing this again." And Justin's like, "Yes." So I hopefully we
can hold them to that. But it definitely was something our students enjoyed quite a bit. Um, it's volunteer month. Can't forget about all our therapy dogs and that whole team. We just couldn't do anything without them. Um, and more recently we did a yield conservation
assembly just past Friday where students got to create um their own pods and walk down to to the river and place them in there and um the river, not the river, the stream. Thank you. Let me take that back. I saw a couple eyes. Um, and you
know, so it was just a really great opportunity for them to learn a little bit more about our environment and go down and actually participate in it. Um, and then get a nice, you know, little exercise down and back. So, um, just making sure that people know about some of these highlights that we've been doing within again within our community
as we talk about that quite a bit. Um, shifting gears a little bit just back to um, we're getting to the end of the year, right? We're we're in April um, almost to May now. Um, we'll be weighing in on our this as our board goal. This is something that we will be
talking about our previous um, baseline assessments and making sure that our students are showing growth. Clearly you see you know each meeting um we've been talking about different ways that students have been showing growth. So I look forward to sharing that with you in the June meeting um as we do our end of
year benchmark uh assessments as we approach now. I think also personalized plans will be included at the end of year in that progress. What might we do best over the summer? Is it going to be should we be reading a book? Should we be going to summer scholars? Hopefully we're all going to summer scholars. Um
you know but it it doesn't work for everyone. So those intricate things that the teachers will re recommend parents um supporting people for those students to do over the summer. So um I think it's important to make sure that our parents are checking those out as we do
that um towards the end of the year so we can really set them up for the best success as we begin next school year as well. Um and I really just a little cheesy but awesome like keep being awesome FS students and staff. We're really a home stretch here almost last 30 days and um I look forward to sharing
some of this data towards with everyone toward in the June meeting. Um we got a lot a lot to do between now and then for sure. Um also I just wanted a quick update. We had talked about this attendance a little bit last time and I said, "Oh,
we're still in the third marking period." We ended up being with that group again comparing last year's first second third marking period um attendance versus this same group 678 talking about grades 678. So 68%
of those students have either maintained where they were or increased the number of times they're like more frequently present here um and not absent. So yes, that's not there's still 32% that maybe are um under couple days, but 68% of
them taking that snapshot from last year to now is increased. So clearly um again some of the initiatives some of those positive climate some of those culture initiatives that we have are are bringing students you know wanting students to be here wanting to
participate and um you know achieve in different ways which we really can't thank enough the team and everyone for doing that um and continue to do this as we finish out the year here. Um, and these are just strategies we talked about from last time having special
acknowledging our students for um, I just wanted to make sure I updated that data. Um, they trusting is coming. Um, so yeah, so yeah, it's end of the year, right? When state testing is coming, we know. So May 13th and 19th makeups will
follow. Obviously, we're going to encourage um, parents to make sure that they can do everything to make sure that their child's here. um we're gonna start communicating that this Friday, multiple communications um about when they are how that's going
to work. But this year, so Wednesday, um it'll be two 75 minute sessions on reading. Thursday will be two 75 minute sessions on math. Friday will be writing and then Monday and Tuesday will be science for fifth and eighth grade. Um I think it's important to know that
science is not the adaptive version of this this year. ELA and math are the adaptive versions. So, we're all kind of living this a little bit. Um, and you know, we'll reflect and we'll have things to share for sure. Um, we met, our team met about the fivepoint testing
plan. Um, and we're sticking we're sticking to that overall plan. We are making some of the adjustments in how we do some of the positive reinforcement, but pre-esting breakfast um is still going to be um you know, breakfast break. So everybody in our school that's
testing that day will get a um we'll get breakfast. Then we'll do a movement activity. So half and half like we've did done now. This will be the third year. Um then they go up and they do their testing. Um and then we eliminate all those distractions. We're rewarding
positive efforts. You know, teachers in a room are going to be able to give cards and so forth positive treasure box that's supported um to make sure that students really are giving their best effort. Um and they feel motivated. they feel supported. I think that's most important.
>> Um and then of course um we talked about that and then practice testing and preparation. We certainly been doing that. It's a different thing. We're probably three years ago we were doing some of those practice tests as we lead led up to testing. Now we're really
doing that throughout the year using our different um strategies and so forth, Lumis program and things like that um as we approach. So we're you know strategies that we've been using things that we're seeing a difference most of all students responding to that um I
think it was telling in our last faculty meeting I'll I'll I'll share this um April Fool's Day what typically and now our our program maybe some of you heard this K2 always will get on a loudspeaker
with me um or another teammate or whoever it be and we'll say hey you know good luck today your state testing and all those things. So on April Fool's Day this year, I took in all of K2. We went into the cafeteria and I said, "Good
morning." And I kind of made up a little bit like as as everyone remembered, your parents got the email last night, state testing will start today. And we kind of went through and K2 students were just laughing hysterically. Um, and we did our normal you got this and then so
teachers upstairs and I have to kudos to the teachers because they're the ones who really sold it upstairs on three through eight because they're like all right get your books stuff outside and they started um so we got a couple really amazing looks from some of our third and eighth graders on April Fool's
Day this year. Um, so hopefully when we do it first day they're not going to go is April Fool's again. No, we really are testing. So, we'll make sure that we send that communication out quite a bit. Um, but we are looking forward to having this in play. Again, parents will have the opportunity to say, "We want to
write something." We'll be leaving that out in the Dropbox out front and so forth to do those things. Um, okay. And then I think we really talked a lot about this stuff um, you know, in some of the other things we talked about, but as we close out the year, homework club
continues. We're going to roll that all the way through um typically through May um as we approach the end of fourth market period. K4 tutor time's been really um it's been really just well attended. We've have 20 students in that
group right now. Um, so that's something we're now as as that comes to an end, we'll we'll make sure that we're planning accord we have planned accordingly for next year. And we really want to make sure we have two teachers at that level or level there supporting that, not going in and making adjustments along the way. Just planning
that from the beginning and let the students um be a part of that. Um, ongoing data review, which I talked about in summer scholars, make sure if you haven't signed up for that. Um, our yard, I think we talked about Aqualuma is coming up on May 9th. So, students
did a little activ, you know, within our class. Um, they're building some of their, um, supply, they're building some of their I can't even >> costumes. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Um, couldn't think of that word, but um, the lights were on and everything the other day. So, >> raincloud hats.
>> Yeah. I And I don't know all those words, so thank you for helping me out there. Um, what else? puppet camp. Uh some new we have some Delv basketball that's going to be used in our facility um in June which I think that would be
great for one of their camps. We continue we have another concert coming in over the summer. Um new to us is we're part of the Frenchtown Sun newsletter. So in town we have Frenchtown Elementary School has a section of that. So we're excited for that. Um district arts I already talked
about 678. We did a collaborative uh assembly with Holland Township School the other day. Um Jordan Toma um who's who is an adult now but a very inspirational speaker that talks about having ADHD and dyslexia along his path.
He ended up going which I we didn't know but on to college and being very successful person you he went through and talked all about those things. Um I think it really then I think our sixth seventh eighth graders for the most part enjoyed it. Um, and I think it got it was a nice opportunity to go out and
socialize a little bit with some other students and high-five and hey, they know this person and that person. Um, for Bookshop, we continue, they were part of our book fair for their first time this year, which was great to have that team up here. Um, and we've been having some ongoing collaborations about
future events as well as ways that um, we can interact more with them from the school and the bookshop. So, more to come on that for sure. >> Were they happy with the way the book fair went? I I I'll get back to you. Okay. High five things. I I mean >> we didn't have like a
>> hear about the fair. Were people excited? It was quite >> Yeah, we went it was great. I mean I I as a parent it was an awesome >> gone to service definitely. I you know >> but I definitely want to follow up but have a more >> Yeah. I hope it was successful for that. >> Yeah. More detailed conversation on her.
I mean, it was a PTO fundraiser and the foundation contributed >> um money to subsidize books for students who needed help. So, they gave some so I think it was a nice
>> Yeah, >> they moved some books. there was a good turnout and that >> um autism walk this past week with the Frenchtown police another really just great to be a part of another
collaboration our our officers to want to make that commitment it's the fourth time they've done that um you know obviously we will support them in any way but it was great and so many FSD members came out so really just appreciate that um back to walking school bus tomorrow.
Um, and then school culture pieces, just the various drill, um, extracurricular clubs, sketchbooks in play, photography club, K4 STEM club, volleyball club. We're very busy here. Um, two through four is doing their own little junior drama club. So, they have a play coming
up May Thursday in May. What's the Thursday in May? >> 7. >> Thank you. That that day. Um, so make sure you're there. I think it's pretty sure 6:30 p.m. there will be communications coming out monthly kindness. Um and then end of year each grade level we'll be on another field
trip um as we close out the school year and we talked about the eel conservation assembly. So some really good things going on um and again thank you for your time. Anything
more to speak on any question? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um so moving forward in our agenda. Um, number nine is the board president report. Um, just a couple of
things to note, one of which is not on here that um, wanted to make note of, but um, coffee with the CSA, which we talked about. Um, Jim and I have um, found a date. So, we'll be um, sending
out communication >> for that. It's in late uh, the end of May, >> May 29th. >> 29th. Okay. >> Be sending out a Um the academic achievement committee will
be meeting and will submit um recommendations to the board regarding um our goal around um the receipt of data from Jim. Um, before I hand it over to Rachel for
an update on the Ed Foundation um, research, I also wanted to let everybody know to keep your eyes out for an email about um, the CSA evaluation.
Um, okay. And then Rachel has been gathering some information about ed foundations in the area and so I'm going to turn it over to her to talk about that. >> Okay. So um
um during strategic planning the idea of an educational foundation was one of the ones that was discussed was an idea that was discussed and and we needed a a a board goal to follow up on that recommendation. So, I've been doing some
reading and some research. And I've also um with with Kate's help reached out to some local folks. I spent a good deal of time with Nicole from Kingwood >> who was just a a gave me a tremendous amount of information and that was
wonderful. Um so without making too much of it, an educational foundation is a separate 501c3. It's an independent organization that supports uh initiatives in the school that cannot
be supported through the regular budget. Um and some some districts have huge educational foundations. Um some have very small ones. Um here and I think Kate you can please chime in because you know this much more than I do. Um the
other districts have not had in general have not had very active educational foundations with the exception of Kingwood. Um Kingwood's foundation raises a little over $10,000 per year. Um it has 20 some odd parents
who are trustees. The way it works, it works, it raises money through the community. It raises money um through a few big events a year that are their big fundraisers and they get local business sponsorships and a lot of their money
comes through the business sponsorships. They also do some parent events that bring in some funds. Um and and then the way they disperse the funds are really three ways. They they support field trips and they don't support the
transportation piece, but they support other like parts of field trips that would not be otherwise covered. They um when a teacher wants a grant for a special project, they come to the TR trustees and they make a proposal and
then the trustees vote on the proposals and then based on what they vote on they will essentially write a check to the board of education and the board of education will approve and distribute the money. So that's the relationship with the board. They make an independent
conversation but it's really collaborative. It's collaborative with the teachers and what they've asked for and from time to time they funded things like musical instruments or physical things but that's not generally what they do. Um Nicole was a high energy
incredible high energy leader um and it it it se seemed to be a tremendous amount of work to be perfectly honest. Um and um she did share and one of the you know the
the issues when you're doing an educational foundation is number one do we have enough of a donor base in the community to support an educational foundation is you know is the juice worth the squeeze is there do do we have the capacity to handle the
administrative tasks you know annual tax filings all of the kinds of things that have to be done within Kingwood and most places are done by the school administration are done by, you know, by the office staff, either the assistant
to the to the um CSA or to the principal or whoever um whoever in that in that environment. Um and there is sometimes controversy about what uh what people ask for funding for and what the trustees want to fund and that kind of
thing. So, it can get a a little bit like that. I think that the to me the interesting um issue is the relationship with the um PTO. We are a teeny weeny school. were very small and um there is
a bit of a competition um not just in Kingwood but in general in these kinds of things between PTO's that have these frequent fundraising events you know the all the book fair and the uh
>> so that's all of the things all of the things and and a foundation and I think it's confusing sometimes for parents who who don't always clearly differentiate and sort of a little bit, you know, are you a foundation person or a PTO person?
Um, and I think that kind of dynamic in a huge in a very large district can probably be managed and absorbed. Um, you know, I I um, you know, my sort of conclusion at at looking at what is
really needed in order to have a vi to make it really worthwhile to do a foundation is that you have to have really volunteer leadership capacity. You need a passionate, energetic person in the community who takes this on as their as their mission and is even
committed to it. So I think that's one musthave in order to do this. I mean another is that you have sort of enough business community business and donor pool to make it worthwhile in at Kingwood. They also go up to Milford.
You know they have a little bit of a wider net than we do. Um there there needs to be also some clear mission specific stuff that differentiates what you know if if we said there's a just a
crying need we just don't have enough money for staff development doing this kind of thing and that's going to be the mission of the of the educational foundation to me then it makes a certain amount of sense to have an educational foundation if there's a a clear mission
and a clear volunteer leader to do it. Um, so, um, just in so in talking with people in reading and I can I can go further and we can bring people together and we can and I talked to Jim and I've talked to Kate and I've just been
talking to folks in general. My my my opinion at this point is that we would best and I'm meeting with Rebecca this week, >> right? um we've had trouble getting together, but we're going to get
together the day after tomorrow. So, um who heads up the PTO? Um my sense is that if we put our energy and our focus into supporting a really strong PTO and and supporting leadership of the PTO
and and we also, you know, we have a board, we have all kinds of volunteer recruitment issues here. So, um, my feeling, my recommendation would be that we look at creating doing what we can to support building a strong and effective
PTO and that we kind of shelf the idea of of an of a educational foundation because I think there really isn't any specific thing that an educational foundation can do that an effective PTO
cannot do. And so I I would love to see one strong and effective community organization that that supports schools. So that's sort of it's my report. Um I would also just add to that that um
both Alexandria and Holland have decided to fold their bed foundations. They had them. I think they started with a lot of energy. Then um you know the I know Holland mentioned the expense of the insurance was
too much to handle and >> in Kenwood she said it was 10 and something a year. >> Huh. I wonder. Yeah. >> But there's other little administrative costs having supporting a little >> non. Um so so Holland has decided to
kind of combine forces with the PTO and um Alexandria is you know doing the same thing. they're get both getting rid of their foundation and I think it's for the reasons that Rachel talked about like there's a pool of volunteers that
is only so deep and um you know when you're trying to have a board for your PTO and a board for your red foundation and you know it's it's a lot actually sat next to Rebecca out after school when the kids were playing yesterday and had a really my first like really kind
of deep conversation with her about I'm so eager for you to talk to her because it sounds like >> he's awesome. >> That would be a good collaboration. She seems like she's got the energy, but trying to figure out exactly like what the most effective way to go about it is. >> Exactly.
>> So, I mean, I would I would push back on that, too, because I do think that there's a >> you know, the real question is I think that idea for the educational foundation came out of what can we do to bring more funds and more support into the school and that's the conversation we should be
having. So yeah, >> thank you. >> Thank you, Rachel. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so we'll move forward. We have no policy this evening, so we'll need a motion to approve our consent agenda
items 11.1 through 11. 25. >> So move. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Comments or questions
on consent agenda? >> Have we had a change in any professional services? 11.4. >> Uh, no, just Well, just the attorney that we went to, >> right? >> Yeah. >> For 11.11, did our tuition rates go up
at all? >> Uh, yes. The K to8 went up a thousand and the autistic went up too. Okay. Thank you. >> When's the 100th book coming out?
>> Been playing forever. >> Mr. Epste very soon. >> And then he'll be back again and again. He he's made, I think, some subtle adjustments here. Little since break. He's been back a couple times to do one
more. Just one more thing. >> Subtle. >> I was saying to Rebecca, maybe the 100th anniversary would be a good time to have some sort of fundraising opportunity or something. You know what I mean? Yeah.
>> Yeah. What does she do? >> Interesting. >> I was talking to her about the auction, too. I think that was like a little bit before her time. But my first couple years here, we had some really >> Mondo auction. >> Yeah. Awesome successful auctions. They
were fun. >> They were fine. >> Yeah. >> Also Ashley's 10 years. >> Yeah, exactly. Yeah. >> But I think it was probably following your donation here. Here. Yeah, >> thank the Lions, man. Frenchtown Lions
coming through >> the whole Lions special. >> We're all just really We want to see what's in that book. >> Okay. Uh then we'll made a roll call. >> Mr. Blackurn. >> Yes. >> Mr. Germany. >> Yes. >> Miss Howard,
>> yes. >> Miss Klein, >> yes. >> Miss Nahara, >> yes. >> Miss Partell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Nent, >> yes. >> Um, is there any new business from the board before we move into public comment?
>> Yeah, just a reminder that our May board meeting is early. >> Yes. on the 12th. >> So make sure we have a quorum >> early in the month. Not >> early in the month. >> Okay.
>> Is day 12. >> Sorry. It's okay. >> I can never remember you and then >> um Okay. >> Um then at this time we have an opportunity for public comment if there
is any >> something. Yeah. Hi everyone. Holly Low. Um, first I just wanted to extend a um, thank you to Mr. H and all the team um, for all the support for my child this past failure. Um, it's been tremendous.
I've had experience at private school in the area at another school in the sending districts and what we have here is incredibly special and I mean not from the bottom of my heart and I feel lucky every day that my kids both kids have spent time here and that my younger
one remains here. So thank you. It hasn't been easy which is why my voice is shaking a little bit. He's been uh giving us a run for our money and the No, but the the just the support and the um it's it's done a lot for him. I can see it every day. Um we're not in the
clear yet of his um some of the challenges, but it's um I've seen so much growth this year. So, thank you for everything. I don't always get a chance to say that in like the rushed emails and the checkingins and all of that. So, thank you. Um I I have two questions. I know you might
not be able to answer them tonight, but I missed the budget portion. I couldn't be here at the start. >> Um so, if there's a different way to get answers, I can follow up over email or something. But curious about the pilot because it is a big amount of money and I'm like how many years the pilot
agreement is in place for I have like a seven or 10 year number in my head but it's been in place for a few years. Just curious about that and what kind of planning we're thinking about for that >> phasing out. Um and then the preschool aid from the state. Am I did I read
correctly that it it's going down for 2020 six? So five. >> Yeah, if you wanted. >> So the initial pilot agreement was for five years and that was because governmental entities typically can't
commit to more than a five-year agreement, but that's that it was went into a five-year agreement on the basis that the understanding was that it would renew and in the five years they would look at it again.
The first the initial was they want we were looking at a 15-year but we couldn't do a 15-year. So the initial is for 15 years. So I believe this is the third year that we're actually receiving dollars from them. And the dollars we're
receiving for the 2627 school year were from fiscal year 2025 their calendar year. So they collect on a calendar year. They notify us in January how much they collected and how much they're going to give to us. And
then we can properly budget for that, but not until the next budget cycle. >> And so in two years, we revisit the >> Yes. >> the arrangement with the school specifically. Yes. >> Not the burrow. The burrow goes for
>> the the burrow, right? The burrow's agreement with the developer I believe is 15 years >> and then our ours is but there's different portions of that. There's different lengths of
contracts right between the burrow and the developer. >> Yeah, there are different numbers for the uh purchased homes and the rentals, >> right? There's that too. Um but yet the agreement the initial agreement was for
15 years. Not I know we have to renew but that was the agreement between the town and the school >> right >> or the offer from the town. >> Um and then as far as the um preschool
aid um what Teresa had said was that we had carryover last year that we don't have this year. So it's not really a reduction in that amount. It's the reduction in the amount of carryover that we have. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Yeah. >> Um and just one final comment. I thought the Ed Foundation uh research was super interesting. So, thank you for that. And um I just wanted to state my support whether it's PTO or Ed Foundation. um
that in like my concern for for equity and ensuring that you know there's a lot of families that don't show up for board meetings that don't show up at strategic planning that not because they don't love their kids but because their lives make it very difficult for them to participate more share what you know
what they want to see and um I know it's really hard to engage people who are very busy or struggling but I just want to make a pitch for always keeping that in mind whether it's um >> when we think about special initiatives, I think in general we can end up um
focusing our initiatives on the kids who already have the parents who are engaged and showing up and the uh need to remember that in general um that's the way things go and that equity is important. making
sure we're taking care of of every kid and I think that is the spirit of our school and I see it all the time but just want to make a push for that. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Is there any other comment from the
public? Yeah. Um then we will need a motion to move into into executive session to discuss terms and conditions of employment.
>> I'll second. >> Thank you all for coming. >> Thanks guys. Thank you. I say goodbye here too, right? Sorry. Good night. Thank you. back on. >> Okay. Um, so there's no further action.
So we need a motion to adjurnn. So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> oppose or abstain. Thanks. >> Yeah, let's turn the executive back. Um,
we'll be back in a couple of weeks. >> Live infle. >> Yeah. So, she's two days a week teaching, but she did have office three other days. She's teaching for two days. It's >> a great >> That's hering salary. And then she has
another salary for the >> worried about her. We are being