Everyone, welcome to the July 9th, 2026 meeting of the Hamilton Board of Education. I'm going to read the open public meetings statement. The New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend any meetings of public bodies in which their interests may be discussed
or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, the Hamilton Board of Education has called notice has caused notice of this meeting to be published by posting the date, time, purpose, and place thereof on the Hamilton School District's website under current legal notices and posted on
authorized premises ensuring compliance with the 48 hour online notice requirement. This notice has also been made maintained on the website archive for at least one week. Let's have a roll call. >> Mrs. Baronado here. >> Mr. Puya >> here. Yes. Mr. Dphano
>> here. >> We'll note that Mrs. Donio is excused. Mrs. Fallon >> here. Mrs. Geraldo >> here. >> Mrs. Hunter >> here. >> Mr. Poa >> here. >> Mrs. Skola >> here. >> We'll note that Mr. Thomas is absent.
Are we excused? >> He's excused. Thank you. >> Mr. Lions >> here. >> And the student rep, Mr. Don, is also excused. >> Okay. Let's rise for a question. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it
stands nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. We don't have any presentations this evening as our our practice in the summer. Our building principles are not here. I'll go ahead and see if Mr.
Ramsey has anything to do for the board. Uh thank you, Mr. Lions. Just just a few uh brief uh statements from me tonight. Um first and foremost, even though it's summer vacation, I'm proud to report that our schools are alive and vibrant
with students and faculty and staff. Um we have our extended school year taking place throughout the district. We have our summer scholars summer program going on at the War Syd. We have Project Enrich, our middle
school program in full effect as we speak. And we have the Hamilton High School Jumpstart program which will be during the month of August where our incoming freshmen get a head start on their high school career. Uh in addition
to that, I'm proud to report that the high school and the middle school completed their summer credit completion program already and our teachers, supervisors, and administrators are working real hard uh preparing for the
upcoming school year. They are rewriting curriculum. uh they are working on master schedules and certainly you know putting the finishing touches on you know various uh regulations that will be in effect for the upcoming school year.
>> Thank you Mr. Lions. >> Thank you Mr. Ramsey. Okay we'll go to board member comments. Uh I'll start with Mr. Strong. >> Nothing to report on. >> Okay. >> No report this evening. No report. >> What did you do, Mr.
>> I would just like to say I believe it was at the last meeting I I um meeting. I'm sorry. I thought that um we were remissed because we missed uh students that were going into the military. We tried to get a program in in um in order
to recognize those. So I did uh through um Mr. lines. I did get the names of several uh young men who are going into the military and I apologize if I misrepresent your name, but we have
Jaden Barski, Gavin Defraes, Logan Meyers, Chase Osborne, Justin Vega, Chase Henry, and Jonathan Cruz. And they are all entering the military after graduation. So, we wish them well.
Godspeed. And of course, you know, in this day and age, unfortunately, we don't know what's going on. So, we hope, you know, that they get through their recruitments and um and do well. And like I said, we give them all the grace
in the world, you know, to be able to uh fulfill their duties. Also, on um page eight, you will see the names of some new hires. And I see some young energetic faces in the audience. I have some of you are the new hires. So I hope
you will come up and introduce yourself so we can welcome you in uh into our district and that is all I have. >> All right, Mr. >> No report this evening. >> Okay, keep it moving. Mr. Cle, stay with the trend. No report this evening.
>> Okay, Mr. >> No report. >> All right, Mrs. Hunter, >> no report. >> All right. Um I will talk a little bit about later in the agenda. The board will be conducting the first reading of
a policy regarding student use of internet enabled devices. Um so let me say a few things about that. First as a matter of function when the board passes policy policy is required to be read twice at a public board meeting. So tonight we will have an initial
introduction of the draft policy number 5516 student use of internet enabled devices. Between now and our next meeting when the board will read the policy a second time and adopt it there'll be a great deal of deliberation in committee with the full board in two
separate meetings with the administration with our schoolwide teams with members of the community members of the student body with our association various other stakeholders to have the conversation. Now, the student use of internet enabled devices policy is a
derivative of Governor Murphy's uh executive order that was passed about a year ago that banned the use of cell phones in public schools during the educational day. Uh, so this draft policy does not what it does is it
speaks to a what we call a bell-to-bell prohibition on cell phone use at school K to 12 across the board during instructional time. There will come September, just so we're clear, once the policies are in place, there will be no
use of cell phones in class by state regulation. That said, the board has an opportunity along with the administration to determine things like exceptions, what to do on field trips and on the school bus and after the school day ends. There's some nuances in
the policy that the board will deliberate and take direction from the administration on. Uh we've talked about this at public meetings prior to uh and this has been in the news for quite a while. At the end of the day, the district has to follow the requirements that the state sets for us. For example,
the district chooses not to implement a cell phone ban bellto bell. Uh the state has the ability to withhold our funding, for example, and take a number of other actions. And this district, as long as I've been in here, is not in in the business of defying state orders. Uh I
can't think of a time where we've ever done it, including the CO 19 pandemic. That said, we will take all due deliberate speed and time to talk through and understand the impact of the policy, the impact to our kids and to our staff and to our parents to make
sure that we're making thoughtful decisions and really thinking this thing through between now and the next meeting. Um, that's my sort of setup on the on the conversation. The board will have an opportunity to vote at the end of the meeting on this draft policy and board members can comment, but I'll open
it up now if I missed anything in terms of the outline. The board did discuss this prior. Did I Does anybody have anything they want to weigh in on as relates to the device? >> The only thing I would add is that the the board the the school got this two days ago.
>> Correct. >> So, I mean, we just got this. We're going to work through it. As John said, the not us as the board, the principles and the administrators will work through it, then they'll bring it to us and we'll put it into place. It is a state law, but you know, so our hands are very tied.
>> Mr. Fle brings up a good point. The board require we're required to read it at two meetings. So, we're going to read the draft policy tonight, then we're going to do the final adoption at our August meeting, which is August 13th. The reason another reason to do that is because we want to get the information
specifically the rule change the uh guidelines around its implementation and all the relevant information out to parents, kids, staff members as soon as we possibly can, especially with school starting very shortly after our August 13th board meeting. So, more to come,
but I just wanted to kind of communicate that at the outset. Uh, and certainly if people have questions, they can reach out. we can answer them in between meetings. So, this is we'll move on to public comment. This is the first of two opportunities for the public to be heard. Anybody
wishing to address the board, go ahead and step up to the microphone. Let us know you need an address. You can have a chat. Seeing none, I will close the first public portion of the meeting. Uh we have two in these board meetings. So, at the end, there'll be another opportunity for the public to be heard.
Moving into the published agenda. I'll take a motion on finance items number one through 28. >> Motion. >> Mrs. Fallon. >> Second. >> Mr. Pia. >> Roll call. >> Mrs. Baronado. >> Yes. >> Mr. Puya. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dano.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Fallon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Geraldo. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Hunter. >> Yes. Word for 11. >> Mr. Fo. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> And Mr. Lions. >> Yes. Musha carry. Next we'll we'll move
to personnel items 29 through 51. I'll entertain a motion. >> So moved. >> Mrs. Bernata first. >> Second. >> Mr. Koya second. >> Roll call. >> I just want to note that once again um we'll ab you have to abstain from we might be
reaching out just to clarify some of your relatives. So Mrs. Baronado, >> yes. >> Mr. Puyo, >> yes. >> Mr. Dphano, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bon, >> yes. Mrs. Geraldo, >> yes. >> Mrs. Hunter, >> yes to 36 to 51.
>> Mr. Fa, >> yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> And Mr. Lions, >> yes. Motion carried. >> And as Terry noted, recuse will be noted based on required based on requirement. >> Yep. >> Okay. Next, we'll move to program
students miscellaneous item number 52 through 60. I'll entertain a motion. >> Motion. >> Mr. Skola first. >> Uh, Mr. Stephano second. >> Oh, sorry. You got it. It's all good. Uh, roll.
>> Mrs. Baronado. >> Yes. >> Mr. Quer. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dphano. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fallon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Geraldo. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Hunter. >> Yes. 5250 59. >> Mr. Faer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Skola. >> Yes. And Mr. Lines.
>> Yes. Motion carried. Next, we'll move to the addendum. I'll entertain a motion on on finance items number 61 through 65. >> Motion >> Mr. Fa first. Mr. Koya second. >> Roll call. >> Mrs. Feronado.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Poya. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dano. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fallon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Deraldo. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Hunter. >> Yes. To look at items 61 through 63. >> Mr. Po, >> yes. >> Mrs. Skoola, >> yes. >> And Mr.
>> Yes. Motion carried. Next, we'll take a motion on personnel items number 66 through 71. >> Motion, >> Mr. Koya. First, >> second, >> Mrs. Hunter second. It's noted for the record that on item number 66, the
exhibit is KK. On 66, the exhibit is KK, which you should have in your packet or with your information. I'll take a roll. >> Mr. Baronado, >> yes. >> Mr. Poya, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Stephano. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fallon.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Gerorado. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Hunter. >> Yes. The vote for item 67. >> Yes. The vote for item 67 is from 71. >> Mr. Floyer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. And Mr. L.
>> Yes. Motion carried. That takes us to the end of our published agenda and our addendum. Next is the second opportunity of public comment. Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. Mr. Donio is keeping me honest. As I mentioned earlier, uh we're going
to entertain item number 67, which Mr. Don will read into the record. >> 72. >> 72. >> Thank you. On behalf of the administration, it would ask the board. Okay. The board adopt a motion. Adopt a motion or make a motion to adopt Strauss
estimate policy 5516 replacing existing policy 5516 student use of internet enabled devices and for the administration develop regulations implementing the same. >> Okay. Need it first. >> Motion
>> Mr. Koya >> moved. >> Second Mr. Fernano. Discussion on the motion. >> Okay. Roa. >> Mrs. Baronado. >> Yes. >> Mr. Koya. >> Yes. >> Mr. Davino. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fallon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Terrell. >> Yes.
>> Mrs. Hunter. >> Yes. >> Mr. Fa. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Scola. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lions. >> Yes. Motion carry. Okay. Public comment. Anybody wishing to address the board, come on up to the podium here. Let us know your name and address and we'll be
happy to hear from you. >> Hi. Um, I'm Tori Dime. Um, I am a 2026 graduate of the College of New Jersey and I've been honored to have been hired as a 10th and 12th grade ELA teacher at Hamilton High School. Um, at college I was heavily involved in community
service through the Bonner Scholar program as well as dance and many other leadership opportunities including being a school ambassador. Um, and I'm really excited and enthusiastic to carry forward those passions in the district and within the community of Hamilton.
Um, and I'm very excited to witness student growth throughout the year. So, thank you so much for allowing me to introduce myself and be a part of your district. >> Thank you. Welcome. Thanks for being here. >> Okay. Good evening, Mr. Lions, Mr. Koya, Mr.
Ramsay, and fellow board members. My name is Ashley Elliot, and on this evening's agenda, I am presented as the preschool teacher hire, one of them. Um, I come to Hamilton with over 17 years of experience as an early childhood educator. I taught both preschool and second grade, so I'm very familiar with
the preschool expansion as well as the creative curriculum. And along with my years of experience, I've also worked the past four years in your ESY program here at Hamilton where I've come to know so many of your amazing educators. Um, I'm very excited to be a part of their team. Hamilton is a very special place and when people say it, they really mean
that. Um, Hamilton is now officially where I call home. Although I am not a Hamiltonian born and raised, my husband is. Um, and we just welcomed our six-month-old son who we are very excited to have a future blue devil ourselves. Um, and lastly, I just want
to say thank you because preschool is the foundation of education. Um, so it's very important and it's lies near and dear to my heart. Um, and being entrusted with somebody's little one, I know that is a great responsibility and I want to thank you for that. So, thank you very much and I'm very excited.
>> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. Welcome. All right. Come on up. >> Hello all. My name is Dalton Natassie. I am the new special education teacher over at the Hamilton Middle School. I really appreciate the opportunity you
all have given me. And for you, for some who know, some who don't know, my dad started off as a teacher at Hamilton Middle School and I've always wanted to follow in his footsteps. So, I would say this is a great opportunity to uh to follow in his footsteps. Again, I really appreciate the opportunity. Thank you
everybody. >> Thank you. >> Good luck. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Hi everybody. I'm Paige Pulton. Um I was recently hired as an elementary teacher. I have been teaching at Waterford for six years now. But I'm excited for this
new opportunity. I uh was born and raised in Hamilton. I met my husband um when he came over to middle school and now we're happily married with a two-year-old. Um, so yes, very grateful for the opportunity and I'm so excited. So, thank you very much.
>> Thank you. Welcome. We're excited for you. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, anybody else in the public portion? >> Okay. Board members, anything else? Now, we'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> Mr. First,
Mrs. Skull second. All in favor? We're ajourned. Thank you, everybody.