like to call the order the Highland Park Board of Education hybrid Workshop voting meeting today Monday February 24th 2025 the New Jersey open public meetings Act was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of
and to attend the meetings of the public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in compliance with the open public meetings act the Highland Park Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting setting forth the time date and location to be submitted for publication
to the home News Tribune and Courier News and posted on the board's website at least 48 hours in advance of this meeting members of the public who wish to address the board will be given the opportunity to do so before the board adjourns for the evening roll call
please Dr batty here miss Calon here Dr Coleman Dr Pixley Miss puce here Dr scholman Miss Danny here miss vman here miss War here we will now recess to Executive
session be it resolved pursuant to the sunshine Act njsa 10 col 4-12 and 13 the Highland Park Board of Education will now meet in closed session to conduct a student Hib hearing hip personnel and hpaa contract
ratification these exe exemptions are permitted to be discussed in closed session in accordance with njsa 10 colon 4-13 information regarding the board's closed session discussion will be disclosed to the public as soon as the need for confidentiality no longer
exists I move that we recess to Executive session second all in favor I good okay we are now going to reconvene to regular session uh maybe we have roll call please oh I have to move it right yes I
move we reconvened to regular session sorry it's like there's a lot of people here okay roll call please Dr batty here miss Cel here Dr Coleman here Dr
Pixley online she miss cruce here Dr schoolman Miss Danel here miss bman here miss bores here I will stand for the
pledge I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the rep it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all um for our Communications since our
last meeting we've had some Communications regarding um cooperation with law enforcement agencies um school safety uh support for lgbtq plus students concerns about executive orders um and concern about a former
board member for number nine on our agenda tonight we have the approval of minutes the hybrid voting public meeting and executive session of January 27th 201 25 I move that we approve those minutes
second Dr batty yes Miss cassal dun yes Dr Coleman yes Dr Pixley Miss puce yes Dr schoolman Miss Danel here
yes Miss Gman yes Miss Mor yes okay we're going to go to our uh student representative report hi everyone um for Irving Irving welcomes bajara Carla to introduce our K and
first grade students to the art and relaxation of yoga last week each class participated during gym last week and we look forward to our family yoga evening on Thursday next week is our authors Across America celebration to promote a love of
reading and recognizing those authors who have had a profound presence for our students we also look forward to surprise readers and high schoolers coming to read our yearly School service project to celebrate the 100th day of school is our pet food collection for a local animal shelter the students and
staff have brought in photos of their own pets and we've exceeded our 100 can goal way to go Irving the students have been learning about famous black Americans and their contributions to writing art science and inventions each morning on the announcements and in their specials it's
been a great month of learning we taking preschool open registrations through March 28th kindergarten registration will begin soon after please check Irving's website for more information and finally um Irving will have invite only conferences on the evening of March
11th now for ble black excellence and education celebration was uh will be February 28th Peaks and valleys will be presenting black excellence and education to celebrate Black History Month the week of March 3rd will be school social worker week um we would
like to acknowledge Miss Morales and all the incredible way she supports our students staff families and the entire ble community on March 6 at 8:30 a.m. will be coffee with the principles families are invited to join Mrs nap and Mrs balone for an opportunity to connect and
learn more about all the great things happening at ble the first week of March will be read Across America week where we'll celebrate with guest readers visiting our classrooms and spirit days highlighting how literacy impacts Our Lives March 12 12 will be spring evening
conferences these conferences are By Invitation Only and will be scheduled by teachers as needed March 19th will be the talent show we can't wait to see our students Shine On Stage as they showcase their amazing talents career day will be March 26 visitors from around the
community will speak to students about different careers and students will engage in activities to explore future career choices finally the kid heart kids heart challenge um ble is wrapping up the kid Hearts challenge with the American Heart
Association so far 38 students have registered on the portal which provides health seal and nutrition activities for families plus four students and two staff members have learned hands only CPR for the Middle School Mr farmer and
Mr deigle just completed the Black History Month poster project in gallery walk students were able to research and show off their hard work last week in another successful Black History Month sixth grade project please take a walk down the first middle school hallway if you would like to see some of their beautiful and creative
artwork that the students created Highland Park Middle School participated in the New Jersey regionals of the national middle school science bowl at the Princeton plasma physics lab on Friday um or they they participate on Friday the 21st a total of 16 schools
from all over New Jersey Delaware eastern Pennsylvania and selected counties in New York participated in this tournament after a winning start our team a placed joint seventh after losing to the teams that finished joint third and Joint fifth it was great to see the students complete compete
strongly with other other of the best teams in the regions the eighth graders from the club will complete for their place in the high school science Bowl team next year while the returning sixth and seventh graders are looking forward to participating in the National Science Bowl competition the next year with more Zeal than before next the climate and
culture of H Park Middle School has been kicked into high gear hpms celebrated the 100th day by looking for 100 pictures of the hbms owl aka Mr dep around the school there was 100's chart where students and staff could stick the
pictures to when one was found The Who and holler initiative began where staff and students could send positive messages birthday wishes or say thank you to someone who made a difference in their day these inspirational and fun messages were read every Friday over the loudspeaker ending our week on a high
note we will be honoring women's History Month in March by highlighting the wonderful women of hpms there are so many great women in our school that play an integral role in the lives of our middle schoolers who deserve to be celebrated each day we will honor one of our owlettes by reading a small bio over
the loudspeaker this Friday hbms will have a Winter Dance for all Sixth and eth graders there is a DJ photo booth and snacks we encourage all students to attend thank you to the parents and Guardians who have put so many hours into making this night special for our
school the class of 2029 program of studies night will be held this Tuesday February 25th from 600 p.m. to 7: p.m. in the high school cafeteria our eth grade students and families will learn about all things High School including course offerings Support Services sports
clubs and activities also during advisory this past week some ninth grade students went into the eighth grade rooms to answer questions any of them may have about life in high school thank you to Dr Donovan Mr Richardson and mix press for developing this special night for the upcoming class of 2029 and thank
you Mr lobianco for arranging to have some of the nth grade students come back for a Q&A session with our eighth graders students in action are going to start volunteering at zone 6 to organize food in the food bank and deliver food to families Mr Lano will be putting
together the hpms career day community volunteers and other guests will be coming into the school to discuss their career path and what it took to get where they are and finally for the Middle School the Middle School spring conference is March 18th by invite only students have an early dismissal that
day now last the high school in February we're celebrating Black History Month with a week full of Music delicious food and fascinating history lessons from February 24th to 28th mark your calendars for an for our amazing spring musical in April the prom
which is sh to Dazzle audiences with three showstopping performances April 4th 5th and six there are also some great fundraisers happening like the pan can wig fundraiser where you can donate to see a staff member Rock a crazy rig for the day our model un team Brave the
weather earlier this month to attend their conference in Washington DC we're also collecting clothing donations for refugees in Center Hall everything collected will support the Reformed Church of Highland Park the counseling department celebrated National School
counseling week from the 3rd to the 7th highlighting all the vital academic social emotional and collegecareer support they provide mark your calendars for the program of studies night on the 25th if you have a rising ninth grader and students will pick their freshman
courses that following week finally the teen center is hosting a free dinner and eye opening program for parents on March 26th called hidden in plain sight come learn about teen drug Trends signs of experimentation to watch for and take an
Illuminating look inside a mock teen bedroom it'll be an informative night for adults only as always there are so many enriching events and opport opportunities happening at the school now for some sports updates girls basketball is 9 and 11 and finished third in the blue division heading into
the playoffs Vanessa Kohler became the Highland Park girls all-time leading scorer she passed a record of 1,528 points set by Nikki enano 36 years ago in 1989 boys basketball is 12-8 and
finished third in the silver division heading into the playoffs wrestling is 18 and 14 and fourth in the the blue division Noah Berlin Langston became Highland Park's first County champion in over a decade when he won um the 25
pound title on January 25th winter track is having a great season with sherat 7's um 55 meter dash and Robert oconnell 800 meter run qualifying for the group one state champions next week and that's all thank you so much for that a very
extensive report there's so many wonderful things going on in all of their buildings does anybody have any questions or comments okay thank you we'll move to our superintendent report check okay thank you good evening everyone um I want to piggyback on that
was an amazing report and when I look out in the audience um as Anna was was sharing it a lot of this couldn't be done with the amazing staff and students that we have and many great faces um in the audience and I hope many more online so um I'm excited for tonight to
celebrate a lot of those uh exceptional members of our school Community tonight so I have a little program so first I am going to um invite up um our high school team to Spotlight two well deserving
students and then I'm going to move on to each building for recognition Teacher of the Year Ed Educational Service Professionals of the year and um unfortunately we have some midyear retirements but we're going to celebrate uh the next journey in their lives and and all their dedication to the Highland
Park Community as well so that is our program our studies and a a huge shout out and thank you to my amazing secretary Miss Susan oato for putting this together tonight thank you so um Dr Donovan I'd like to call our high school principal up to the podium um I believe is Miss Hajj and
Miss H there okay okay perfect thank you hi everyone so I am reading on behalf of Miss hodj I am proud to recognize Britney better okay feel like normally I can project okay I am proud to recognize Britney Lima her dedication and positive
attitude have truly set her apart from others in her choir she is a student who inspires others to be their best while herself continuing to grow and lead her section whether it's in the classroom in our interactions with choir members or being a helpful student leader Britney
consistently demonstrates kindness responsibility and a strong work ethic congratulations Britney keep on Shining your light of goodness and inspiration you can come up and now I'm going to introduce Miss TOA helper to read the second
nomination everybody hi I'm really excited to nominate Samantha Milstead yay who I call Sam um Sam is our international thespian Society president she dedicates um thousands of hours to our drama club she's been a part of the
drama club for the last four years she's the hardest worker and she makes sure to create an environment of inclusivity within the drama club everybody feels welcome especially when they're around Sam and she works very hard to make sure that the underclassman feel like they're
really an important part of our club so Sam you're awesome and we love you let me get my itinerary here okay so next I would like to call up our amazing Irving principal Miss Megan MCN to recognize some deserving staff at
Irving well good evening everybody thank you all so much for being here going to take it out it's just easier for short people that way pull it off of there all right so I have the pleasure of talking about four amazing people tonight and I'm so excited and
every time I try to shorten my you know my presentation it gets longer but I really really tried this time because each of these people are so amazing and deserve this dedication and really deserve to hear how wonderful they truly are so I am going to start with our
teacher of the year for Irving who is Mrs Lindsay bevens I see her back there you can you know wave there you are there you are with her wonderful family so it's really an honor to congratulate
Miss Lindsay bevens as Irving's teacher of the year for over a decade she's been at Irving she's been an outstanding educator her dedication her passion her care for students unparalleled and the students who have been taught by her are the lucky ones
I'm lucky to be her leader but the students are the lucky ones in her presence as are the staff that work in her classroom thank you for being here tonight as well so so what makes Mrs beven so special it's really her ability to meet each child where they are at you hear about
it all the time she understands it she understands that every single child in our care is unique and her care is unique she whether it's tailoring projects to fit students individual interests or adjusting assignments to suit their abilities she ensures that
every sing sing Le child is engaged and most of all excited about learning one example I can think of and that was in one of her nominations was there was a little boy in her classroom who was having a huge difficulty coming
to school there is nothing that connected him she couldn't get him to come in and she knows that he absolutely loves race cars so what does she do she decorates her class in race cars and does everything she possibly can to get this child into school and to love being
with us at Irving that is one example of something she will go out of her way to do just to make a child successful and comfortable her commitment to making learning meaningful extends Beyond just the content of her lessons she consistently adjusts the difficulty of
assignments based on each students needs and for instance when students come into her classroom yes they're working on writing their names of course they are they're little right but you'll see different approaches for different Learners which is what I really keep pointing
out one might be tracing their name another might be matching letter Clips to spell their name another might be using a whiteboard and a marker but again she can constantly finds ways to meet the diverse needs of all of the students in her class she makes every
child feel capable so she doesn't just work with students um she's very deeply committed to her own personal growth she participates in workshops and not only does she attend the events but she loves working with others and most recently she is in one
of our preschool disabled classrooms she has learned tools of the mind she shares her wealth of knowledge and she has truly invested in all of our students I've seen her go into teachers classrooms she provides feedback on routines classroom management and she
always has kind and thoughtful advice her dedication to her students extends Way Beyond the classroom as well she constantly reaches out to parents on her own time provides them with resources to help their child succeed at home whether it's through her class blog
or talking to parents at pickup there is always a strong sense of communication and commitment but perhaps what stands out the most about Mrs bevens is the way she builds relationships with everybody that is a strong pillar at Irving it's all
about relationships and it's relationships with everyone students parents and staff and most importantly her students she creates a classroom environment where every child feels valued respected and it really shows
through everything she does at the end of the school year one of my favorites Mrs Bens creates a heartwarming video that brings our entire School Community together reminding us all of the joy and connections that we've built over the
year she makes it a point to include everyone she has a checklist and even if you don't want to be found she's finding you even if you don't work in the building she's finding you and you will be in that blood Gap production it's a work of genius and the entire School
looks forward to it every single year her rapport with students is truly special she makes them feel safe loved and like one of her own children so Mrs blevens is more than deserving of the title of teacher of the year and it comes with a nice parking
spot too her unwavering commitment to her students her Innovative teaching practices her professional growth and her deep connection with the entire School community that goes far beyond her classroom setting
and the entire School Community make her a truly exceptional educator Mrs bevens is a shining example of the impact one teacher can have on the lives of her students and colleagues and it is a privilege to have you at Irving so
congratulations to Lindsay bevens e okay next up Irving's educator Educational Services professional the I'm sorry about that all right so it is a true honor to
stand before you today and celebrate an extraordinary individual who embodies the very essence of dedication compassion and excellence and education please join me in congratulating Mrs sattin Sharma on being Irving's
Educational Services professional of the Year raise your hand so we can see you so Mrs Sharma has been a valued member of our team for many years and in that time she has proven herself time and time again to be an exceptional par professional she's one of those rare
individuals who doesn't just meet expectation she consistently exceeds them her contributions to the classroom are immeasurable she's the kind of person who sees what needs to be done takes action without being asked whether
it's supporting our teachers assisting assisting with lesson plans or helping students navigate their daily routines she is always present always prepared and always willing to go the extra mile even when it's not easy her attention to
detail is remarkable and she has a memory that never misses a beat she remembers everything from students needs to important school events and even the smallest details that make a huge difference in the Daily Success of the
classroom and like I just mentioned one of the most the largest things that stand out about Mrs Sharma is her proactive nature she does doesn't wait for directions she takes initiative she doesn't ask anyone to do anything she just does it she gets
it she knows what the students need and she takes the wheel and goes she regularly asks how she can improve and seeks out opportunities for for professional growth but she also offers new ideas and solutions to problems she has a constant drive to do
better for our students and it shows in every task that she takes on your impact on the students however is where you truly shine every day you come to work with the goal of making a positive difference in their lives I don't think I've ever heard a complaint out of you
ever she builds strong trusting relationships with each child making them feel valued safe supported you have patience compassion and you're always trying to assist students with their academic goals helping them to overcome personal challenges or really just being
there to lend an ear the teacher you work with comments on how you always work with students who may struggle for instance with fine motor skills or social interactions you help them to make incredible progress toward their individual goals you show
exceptional care in identifying any type of impairment or any need a child may have outside of their goals you always make sure that students have snacks and water and you're always thinking about their
well-being that is your ability to nurture and guide students big or small but you've had an impact on their lives it's not just inside the classroom Where Mrs sharma's influence is felt she
is an active and involved member of our school Community every year for Diwali she always is ready and willing to share her expertise she has created a slideshow for our school family and she shares it with all of the students all
of the staff and she truly wants to teach about her own culture she always is looking for ways to contribute to our school as your principal I can tell you that working with you is a real privilege you inspire everyone around
you whether it's colleagues students or me personally your professionalism dedication and heart are unmatched and I feel very lucky to have you as part of our team Mr sha you are truly deserving of the Educational Service professional of the Year award you make our school a
better place with every ounce of effort you put in and I cannot thank you enough for all you do so congratulations all right now I'm going to move on to Irving's two ret retirees that I feel so lucky to
talk about uh the first is going to be for miss Helen radkey I see you over there stand on up you deserve this all right so Tonight We Gather to celebrate the incredible career of a truly remarkable
educator Miss radkey who has dedicated 32 years of her life to shaping the music musical talents and spirits of so many of our students here in Highland Park this moment is Bittersweet while we're excited for Helen as she embarks
on the next chapter of her life we know that her absence will leave a void that is immeasurable and impossible to replace Helen has always been deeply proud of the impact she has had on her students she didn't just teach them how to play instruments or how to sing she
truly instilled in them a love for music that transcended the classroom she gave them the tools to not only appreciate music but to truly feel it as a person many of her students will tell you that one of the greatest joys of being in her class was the ability to
recognize a piece of music and immediately recall the name of the composer whether it was Beethoven Bach or a contemporary composer Helen took great pride in fostering this awareness within her St
students she delighted in seeing them connect with music at a deeper level and that connection was long after she left the classroom Helen wasn't just passionate about music teaching music theory
technique or performance she worked tirelessly to make each Orchestra show and sing along a memorable experience for her students and for our families year after year she poured countless time into rehearsals fine-tuning every detail to
ensure that every performance was one to be proud of whether it was a grand concert or an intimate singal Helen's dedication and enthusiasm were always evident in every note every gesture and every encouraging word she
offered she loved teaching our first graders how to play the guitar and perfecting Orchestra notes with our beginners at ble Helen you have been the Cornerstone of the Irving tradition for 32 years
your unwavering dedication tireless work ethic and deep love for teaching have created a legacy that will live on in every note played every song sung and every student has who has had the privilege of learning from
you the Legacy you leave behind us is not just in the music but in the lives that you've touched the hearts you've inspired and the memories that you've created for our students you're a part of Irving in a way that will never be replaced and we are so incredibly
grateful for everything you have done for our students as you step into retirement Helen know that you leave behind a profound mark on this community you've given so much of yourself and we are better for it we are
the lucky ones while we will miss your dedication and endless enthusiasm we are excited for you in the new adventures that await for you you've earned this moment of rest and relaxation and we know that whatever comes next you will be bring the same
love and passion you brought to us every single day so from all of us thank you Helen for everything you've given us your influence will remain with us always every every class every note every performance have been a
chapter in your incredible journey I leave with you one last thing keep your heart in tune and may your life always be filled with music that brings you Joy just think you don't do not ever have to use the computer again unless it's the
choice oh I will miss our chats and showing you how to do sgos every year but we'll always remember our love of kitties and hearing about all of your gigs and thank you for sharing us and those parts of your life happy
retirement and all the best congratulations e all right last up for me last but not least Miss Linda Moran it's your turn all right so today we gathered to
celebrate an honor the incredible career of Linda our Beloved School secretary of 25 years in the Highland Park School District while we are excited for your well-deserved retirement we will surely miss your energy professionalism and the
warmth you brought to our school each and every day you have always been a shiny example of what it means to be both helpful and professional whether you needed a form a quick answer or simply a word of encouragement Linda was always there ready to assist
with a smile she consistently went Above and Beyond in her role not only helping the staff but also supporting and guiding other secretaries in our school Community Linda's dedication and passion for her work have been unparalleled and
we could always count on her to give her best even if she didn't feel well what truly stands out about Linda is her special connection with the students she's always been a fun and approachable figure to them whether it
was helping them with a problem or just brightening their day with her warm presence her role as an after school site assistant and site manager allowed her to build lasting relationships with students and their families she was more than just a staff member to them she was a true mentor and
friend Linda's leadership extended Beyond her day-to-day responsibilities she served as a building rep a treasurer for HPA and a member of the negoti team during several contract negotiations she always had the best interest of her colleagues in the school
at heart fighting for what was fair and right for any everyone and that is something I always adored about Linda she always cared for others her commitment to supporting her co-workers and advocating for the entire School Community speaks to her character and to
her Integrity Linda is a true creative Soul she loves crafting especially making beautiful cards and scrapbooks her Artistic Touch has brightened many a day and we all know especially at Irving how
much creativity she always put into all of her creations and time at school she loved doing anything creative with the Cricut Machine she was down to help any staff member with anything creative she worked on invitations
programs or she just teased me about how I liked all these online design these design programs that she can't figure out but that's all right it's okay Linda's heart has always been with the students and families of Highland Park and it's clear that she has formed deep
meaningful connections with them whether it was through her work at the school or her personal involvement with the families she's always been there offering help and care and of course who could forget Linda's love for
country music h her dog Blakey guess who he's named after Blake Shelton himself is just one example of her person of how her fun personality shines through in everything she does
full of joy warmth and fun even though we tease you it's okay Linda your presence has truly been a gift to all of us your kindness dedication and passion have left a lasting impact on the school and the district as a whole and all of the roles
that you have had and your absence is felt by everyone who has had the pleasure of working with you you have made a difference in so many lives and we're all incredibly grateful for the years of service that you have given we wish you nothing but the best in your
retirement we hope it's filled with all the joy and relaxation you deserve you can go to as many country music festivals as you can sleep in clean out your closets and remember you only have to take care of yourself now not everybody body
else I'm so appreciative of your dedication and I feel blessed to have worked alongside you for so many years happy retirement thank you Miss MCN now I'd like to call up the principal of ble Elementary School Miss Jennifer for
nap so I am excited to be here tonight to honor four of my staff members and you'll always be my staff members even though you are retiring and leaving me how dare you kathle and Kim so first up we're going to honor our
teacher of the year Jamie Boop it it is my absolute pleasure to stand here tonight and recognize someone who is truly exceptional our teacher of the year Miss Jamie Boop now before we get into all
the well-deserved praise because she does deserve a ton of Praise Jamie I do have to ask how in the world did you get this award when you're never working never never working um that's just a little inside joke between me
Boop that we say all the time and I did make sure she wasn't going to be embarrassed if I did it here the truth is Jamie is one of the most dedicated hardworking and impactful teachers in our whole school she just
makes it look so easy which is why I tell her she's never working Jamie you are a phenomenal ABA teacher the way your students grow and th thrive in your classroom is nothing short of incredible just the other day we were talking in
the conference room about how we wish we videotaped her students when they came in September and how they are now the growth is just amazing and it's all because of you Jamie um you create an environment where
every child is seen heard and supported you have a gift for breaking down barriers celebrating progress and turning challenge es into triumphs the work you do changes lives not just for your students but for their
families as well you're also an amazing colleague who has mentored countless teachers and made them just as amazing as you your patience expertise and
unwavering dedication do not go at unnoticed and even though you never work somehow you always manag to create engaging lessons provide endless support to your students and be an incredible
colleague to all of us so Jamie while we may joke about your lack of work tonight we're making it official you really do work and you are more deserving of this award and this honor congratulations for being teacher of the year we are so
lucky to have you at b as part of our ble family let's give a huge round of applause to Jamie either next up is our Educational Services professional of the Year tonight we recognize an extraordinary individual
Mala Ram Raa who we recognize Mala who has made an incredible impact on our school Community mala's dedication compassion and support make a difference in the lives of our students every single day
my Mala is a vital part of our team supporting our autistic students with patience care and an unwavering commitment to their success she approaches each day with a deep understanding of of her students needs
helping them navigate challenges celebrate achievements and gain confidence in their abilities her ability to connect encourage and uplift those around her is truly remarkable Beyond her work with students
Mala is a valued colleague always ready to collaborate support and contribute to a positive learning environment her dedication does does not go unnoticed and the impact she has on both students and staff is
immeasurable today we take a moment to express our gratitude and our appreciation for all that she does Mala your compassion hard work and commitment to our students make our school a better place and we are so fortunate to have
you as part of our ble family please join me in congratulating Mala our ESP of the year e okay now on to our retirees I'm gonna start with Miss Kathy
schme I'm excited yeah she she right there I am excited to celebrate Kathy who has been an essential part of our school Community for the past 15 years if you know Kathy you know that she is
always willing to step in and help wherever she's needed whether it was in the classroom the office the cafeteria or the hallway Kathy was there ready to lend a hand a listening ear or a much
needed word of encouragement her patience kindness and dedication have made a lasting impact on both students and staff alike but let's be honest if we really want to
honor Kathy today we have to acknowledge the true love of her days as a power professional bus Duty I know it was your favorite Kathy I know nothing quite compared to those peaceful moments of bus attendance directing students who somehow forgot
what they were supposed to do even though they do it daily and let's not forget the pure joy of enjoying every student M ensuring every student made it onto the bus or to the correct activity because who doesn't love a good
Adrenaline Rush at the end of this day school day Kathy while we know you'll miss those treasured bus Duty moments or at least we'll pretend you you're going to miss them we also know you're leaving
behind a legacy of kindness teamwork and unwavering dedication you have touched many lives you've definitely touched mine and our school simply won't be the same without you as you step into this welld deserved
retirement we hope you get to enjoy all the things you love relaxation family those new spa treatments and most importantly never having to do bus Duty ever
again let's all give a big round of applause to Kathy schme thank you for your amazing 15 all right and last but not least Kim crane yes yes it is truly an honor to stand before
you today to celebrate an incredible educator Kim crane after 23 years of dedication to this District shaping minds and inspiring creativity she is now embarking on her well-deserved
retirement Kim brought passion energy and commitment to the young artists in her class her love for art was infectious and because of her countless students and staff she helped us with our p nights not only learns how to
paint draw and be creative but also how to express themselves and see the world in new ways she had a way of making every student no matter their artistic abilities feel like an
artist Kim your impact on ble this community and most importantly your students will be felt for years to come while we are sad to see you go we are also so happy for you as you begin this
exciting new chapter we you have given so much of yourself to this district and now it's time to enjoy life's next eventure hopefully with plenty of time for your own art relaxation and all the things that
bring you Joy including your goats I will truly miss all of our office chats where we solved all the problems all the problems but I am also looking forward to my personal guided tour of the grounds for sculpture as
soon as the weather gets warm on behalf of us all thank you for everything you will be greatly missed but your legacy will remain in every stroke of creativity you inspired in
your students congratulations on your retirement and I promise I'll keep that Kil running thank you Miss naap next I'd like to call up I believe Mr depay is here with us uh in person our acting interim principal for the middle school and um
Mr odato is Miss Brady online for us okay and welcome Miss Brady who is on leave but uh Tuning In from from home because she really didn't want to miss this so come on up and I'm going to pass the mic I'm not sure you or Miss Brady or Miss Brady are you yeah can you hear
me yeah yes we can hear you can you see me no no I know I I can't see [Music] myself no so um I have Mr depay up at the podium speaking uh standing with me so if you want to speak and then we'll do the pictures he looks enough like me
right he can do exactly like very good all right all right go ahead miss Mr de just move your mouth and I'll I'll fill it in so I I first uh I wanted to to thank you Dr Susa for allowing me to to come tonight to speak because um it is
tricky because I'm on leave but I I there's not one part of this that that I think of as work uh this is a tremendous honor that I look forward to every single year and so I was kind of negotiating my way to get in here
because I was like I I got to come I got to come this is like such an important day um not not only for these two great recipients of this um but for me as well it's a very proud moment so I thank you very much for allowing me to to be here
tonight um so I am going to start with Mrs Sai our teacher of the year um so Jen SI actually started her career in Highland Park during her student teaching and I I was just talking with her earlier
because I wasn't sure exactly where she had done her student teaching it was not in the Middle School however when there was an opening at the middle school she applied and she was well qualified and so she came to the Middle School um but after her first year I was sure we would
never see her again I was very sure of that um because what I failed to mention was that her student teaching was at Irving in kindergarten so the middle school was quite a shock um but miss SL persevered and and that's really what
makes Jen um just a tremendous professional a wonderful teacher and a valued friend of mine um Miss has gone to embraced and implemented every single professional development she's ever attended with
Fidelity and I say that because it's easy to sit at a professional development and Nod your head and take notes but it's it's far harder to actually take all the information and use it and apply it and see the growth that that these professionals are recom
commending um her instruction her classroom community and her students growth reflect everything that she's learned and I really it's such a big deal but I just wanted to make sure that it was noted um for years I have been asking mided TurnKey what she's learned
because she's she does it so well um and she would always kind of politely decline she was like no I don't know I don't know and I'd say oh come on Jen you know you know what's the big deal you're great you're such a great teacher let's do it and looking back I I realized that it was a big ask so I do
apologize because Jen was all of 22 and I'm asking her like hey go tell these senior colleagues who have been teaching for 30 years how to teach correctly like no big deal go ahead um and so I I can't really blame her for declining but as
she's become more senior she's leaned into these moments and I really could not be more proud of the leader that Jen has become and that's within her Department within the school within the district um so I think that's a
tremendous a tremendous um thing for her um so what's wonderful about both the governor's teacher of the year and Educational Service professional of the Year Ward is that it comes from the entire Highland Park Community um so even though I'm on the committee
committee and there's there's several members of the staff on the committee we really we don't choose it it comes from the students it comes from the parents it comes from the staff um and we just have the opportunity to read the nominations so uh this is just one of them and it may seem simple but it
really embodies what every single nomination said this nomination said Missi deserves this award I now like math because Missi makes it fun Missi is also the kindest teacher I have ever had um I want to start with math being
fun because that just sounds like a and oxymoron to me but uh you know coming from an English person which I am it's it seems like an impossible thing but I I've sat in that class I have watched her I I've lived and breathed this
experience and it's transformative Jen and you should be proud of every single thing that you do in that class um you know I I sit here these days doing math homework with my kids and I'm I'm like H
God this is awful and I'm thinking gosh what where's my misss side to jump in here and do a little you know trash K ball or whatever and dances and all these wonderful things that that bring out um you know the the the wonderment
that is is math and people that don't really have that initial appreciation um so Missi you do it for not only the students who like math but for all the students just like me um in your class that maybe don't don't and that's what makes you so very deserving of this award um in addition to making
meth fun msi's kindness came up in every single one of the nominations um Mr dep and I talk about kindness every single day at the middle school on the announcements when we're speaking with the students um and Miss Tai embodies it and so Jen you make our
job easy because you breathe what we're preaching and students truly respond um when students see their adult Ro model being kind they want to follow and they do uh so we're we're indebted to you for
that and we thank you Jen your professionalism dedication your ability to make math fun and most importantly your pure and genuine kindness make our school a better place I truly could not be happier for you or more proud of this
accomplishment so congratulations to Mrs Sai on this so well-deserved award since you can't see we're ready for can't see someone tell me what's going on my God next okay next okay are we
on all right M Ray where are you I can't see you but I assume you're there um so Mr a um I am so so so proud of you and
um just of everything that you've done and given to us uh here at the middle school I say this and I I look back and I think oh my gosh what what how did we do this but Mr a and actually Mr depay came to Highland Park the same year and
so it was kind of the three of us and we hit the ground running and I was like all right let's go for it and I had no idea how it was going to go um but the three of us have become quite a team um in ways that I really couldn't anticipate or or imagine um we rely on
you Alex in ways that we we didn't know until we started and you make the day run incredibly smoothly and so much better than we could have imagined um you know it sounds simple but we start our day at arrival and sometimes even earlier for a meeting Alex monitors the
Halls answers every single call from us teachers in the main office you check in with Mr dep and I throughout the day you work with the students who are escalated or needed an ear to talk to um and then we get to lunch which in middle school is like a day in and of itself so like
that's you know we've already had our first day now lunch happens that's an entire extra day on there we regroup after lunch and uh without fail Mr a is called to an emergency so I don't think he's ever finished a lunch that he gets I lovely lunches and we're always
jealous but um we can finish those for you if you need us to um and then the end of the day which again in middle school is like another day in and of itself so now we've had three full days merged into one day um and he is
just nothing but professional through all of the craziness and wildness and excitement of a middle school school day uh Mr May Mr a has made many relationships with almost every student in the middle school he knows every
single Student's name which I find to be just wonderfully impressive but you know also things about their lives outside of school um the boys love Mr a as a mentor her they give him high fives they ask him to play football at lunch which he
happily does the girls they love Mr a but they also respect him and they follow his directions um it's been absolutely amazing to watch him build these relationships and to make a difference for so many of our students um Mr is also our family
liaison um and so he's delivered foods and goods to families in need he does Wellness checks if students have haven't come to school he's delivered important paperwork to families who we can't reach um and it's another way that Alex has been able to build these relationships
and Trust uh with the students and their families um so this is just a little side story but my my dad last year came to a volleyball game that we were hosting it was like the staff versus the students and I introduced him to everybody who was there and he said to
me he said of Alex he said that's who I want to know is here as your safety specialist um and when I hired Mr a two years ago the middle school was coming out of a particularly difficult time and
in truth my dad was worried about me um I was looking for a youth safety specialist who would be able to provide safety to every single student and staff member at Highland Park Middle School which is not an easy job um but Alex has been the absolute perfect hire and you
have given me a a piece of mind that I didn't have for some time um and in truth Alex you have given peace of mind to all of the parents of all of the kids at the middle school including my
own so I always tell Mr a to tell his parents that they raised him right but today I get to say it to you myself so to Mr A's parents you raised him right and we are eternally grateful for the professionalism dedication and heart
that you instilled in him no one is more deserving of being the Educational Service professional of the year so congratulations Mr a Miss BR are you still there I am just going to say two quick things and it's nothing I don't want to take away from every word that you have said today um
but I also just want to reiterate two things to miss Sai and Mr a that you know the little things matter the most sometimes to us so I know you know it's not always broadcast or showcase but one thing for Miss sigh that I appreciate is that she pres provided me with every
single schedule for every single day that we have in in the middle school there's seven cycle days there's an advisory 7day schedule there's a delayed opening there's an early dismissal there's a regular I have 28 I think
hosted on my wall of all the schedules mrsi has provided for me and the and the staff here and I truly do appreciate that's the little things that you know go volumes um and I still do forget what day we're on but I always have that wallpaper on my wall so I can reference
it at all times so I appreciate that Missi um you do so much more but I don't want to take away from Mrs Brady and for Mr a um he is like my shadow and I appreciate him being there at all times uh he's there to give me the garbage picker if I need to go down to the
cafeteria he's there to get on the bus so we can do attendance um he is like the right-hand man and I do appreciate everything you've done he knows what I'm about to do before I do it because half the time I don't know what I'm doing and with this transition right now it's
greatly appreciated that when he's there uh he reminds me of many things so I do appreciate your efforts um I'd like to say that you know as Miss Brady spoke so highly of you and how you're the protector I thought I was of the building but I will gladly take a
backseat if that's what it means and Mr a go for the I know you tried to sit in my seat many times when I'm not here to take over um but I do appreciate every time you're here and and the building is safe when safer when you're here so we appreciate both of you thank
you thank you Mr depay and thank you Miss Brady and last I'd like to call up uh representing the high school our high school principal Dr Christina Donovan okay it worked that time hello everyone it is with great excitement that I stand before you today
to recognize a truly remarkable educator a dedicated K-pop mentor and an exceptional member and Owl of our school Community Kesha stefen We can't we are here to celebrate a teacher who embodies what it means to
be committed fearless and passionate someone who not only excels in the classroom but also Inspire students colleagues and me this teacher is known for her unwavering school spirit oh showing up with enthusiasm positivity
and a smile whether it's cheering on students at sporting events organizing a robotics competition or running upstairs to make sure our seniors can sing to Mariah Carey her energy is infectious creating an environment where students feel motivated and eager to succeed but
truly what also sets this teacher apart is their Fearless approach to teaching science whether in the classroom or this spring grading AP exams she is encouraging students to ask questions explore new ideas and approach problems with curiosity and critical
thinking your passion for nutritional science is evident even though today I'm pretty sure you baked bread with plastic wrap she goes above and beyond in ways that extend beyond the classroom as an adviser to the robotics Club they dedicate countless hours after school
and on the weekends to help support students in fact I seem to recall that the robot lost its arm at the beginning of the season and now is fully functional so congratulations she helped students understand that the value of learning goes far beyond textbooks it's
about shaping Futures One Challenge at a time your ability to balance innovation in the classroom with leadership and extracurricular activities is nothing short of inspiring and so today I would like to congratulate Miss Stefan our teacher of the year thank
you hello family in New York okay now I'm excited to talk about a truly remarkable individual who has made an undeniable impact on the lives of our students and that is Mr Eric Davis while Mr Davis may not always seek the
spotlight his tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to students shine through every single day you are a true champion for the students that you work with showing up every day with a smile ready to support guide and encourage your persistence is unmatched much like
a runner training for a marathon you're steadfast determined and focused on the long journey ahead you never give up on our students not even when they're not on your roster you will step up and help us your work ethic is a perfect example of how dedication and hard work pay off
there's a saying apparently in running it's not about how fast you go but how far you're willing to push yourself you embody that spirit in everything you do you consistently go above and beyond you ensure that every single student has the support that they need you offer
academic help and sometimes just lend an ear when somebody needs it you are an inspiring example of commitment occurred when you tutor students when you go above and beyond every day both in the classroom and outside this is clearly not a job for you it's a mission we
would like to congratulate you for being our educational specialist of the Year Mr Davis thank you for everything you do thank you do Dr Donovan I would be remissed if I didn't just say uh I know everyone is excited probably to get some very delicious cookies and water and take some pictures um but thank you all
for coming there is nothing that warms my heart more than than these celebrations every day day in day out the work that the board does the work that Administration does the work that our staff does the work that our caregivers do and more importantly the work that we
that the students do and that we do it for them and I think everything that I heard tonight is just you know pays tribute to all of that um hard work and dedication so I am immensely uh grateful for each and every one of you and and more importantly thank you to your
families for Lending so much time uh because they all go above and beyond so I'm I'm really truly grateful thank you again so for those that want to schedule for the board meeting that it's going to happen uh we're just going to take a brief interlude to congratulate all of
our deserving staff and students take some pictures there's some light Refreshments please help yourself we'll take a few minutes and then we'll reconvene to our uh regular program thank you and there are boxes for any of our recipients to take their Awards if they
want the o e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e e e e e e is not over then you get me again I will
I will try to to keep this brief I know we have a lot to covered tonight um tonight I wanted to share out the by yearly data from good night everyone ssds so just a reminder ssds stands for
student safety data system this report and online system collects two types of information the first is incidences of violence vandalism harassment intimidation or bullying weapon offenses substance offens es restraints
seclusions and other incidences leading to removal from school so or the school environment so this we would report any time a student has to leave the educational setting whether it's for in school suspension or out of school suspension our SSD ssds report also
reports Hib trainings and programs uh so again just to give you a timeline we report it twice a year so um this is the first half of the year and then um usually by the um beginning of next year I'll report the second half of
the year so something important to note when looking at the data I know I've talked about this but just a friendly reminder because we only talk about it twice a year publicly um but there can be the way the data is reported it's reported
by um multiple offenses for for one incident so a single incident can consist of multiple incident types and multiple offenders so sometimes you'll see the number could be high but it could just be two incidences but having a lot of offenders uh for example a student might
make a a criminal threat toward another student with um while holding a knife this would be entered in the ssds as a single incident of criminal threat and weapon use so sometimes when you see it both places they might not even be separate incidences um and we talked about the multiple offenders and
multiple incidences um some of the um common definitions of fight is the mutual engagement in a physical confrontation in which the offender understood that the confrontation might result in bodily injury to the party this does not
include a verbal confrontation or a minor confrontation such as a shoving match each participant must be classified as an offender so it's important when um our administrative team are categorizing something as a fight that it has to be a m Mutual engagement
of a physical confrontation an assault is when a person attempts to cause or purposely knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person physical restraint is the use of personal restriction that immobilizes or
reduces the ability of a student to move all or portion of their body um so we do have to report when we use um restraints and we use Handle With Care so sta only staff members that are trained in Handle With Care are allowed to potentially
restrain a child so usually what happens for a physical restraint before that the Handle With Care training um does require deescalation techniques verbal deescalation techniques first to try to calm the child down and if that doesn't work and they become a threat to
themselves or others we may have to engage in a physical restraint um and we have to report those a simple threat attempting um by uh physical Menace uh verbal threats to another um in fear of bodily injury the offender knew that the
threat could make the victim fear care ful so that would be caused for a simple threat and then other incidences leading to removal any incident not listed in the guide book that takes place on or off school grounds that result in a disciplinary removal for at least one
half of the day or more must be entered so here is our report from September to January 1 so at the high school we had total seven uh total incidences of seven two of them were violence four were substances and one
was a confirmed Hib of those total of the ones of violence uh both of them were fights so of the category of list that I gave under possible um violence they were both fights at the middle school for the first half of the month there were 14
total incidences four of them were violence seven of them were substance abuse or use three of them were weapons and two were confirmed hibs for the Middle School of the four violence um incidences one was assault and three
were fights and at ble there were five total incidences with all five being confirmed hibs and for Irving zero any questions no
questions that concludes my report for this evening thank you all right thank you uh we're going to move to public comment this is our first public comment of the evening um the Highland Park Board of Education welcomes public participation and has
reserved this time for your comments board policy number 0167 establishes and regulates the right of the public to participate in public meetings um we'll start with inperson first is there anybody here for public comment and um Angela how many people do
we have online 10 if someone online would like to make a public comment please raise your hand and with no hands raised we are going to close public comment and we will move on to our
curriculum I'm sorry well our committee reports we'll start with curriculum and instruction hi everyone uh curriculum instruction met on the 13th um we talked about a number of things there were some course approvals um both to workplace
experience career exploration Community Based instruction and it was the same uh small uh change basically making these um flexible in terms of credit offerings uh which allow for um different Pathways to participate in these classes um so
those was a fairly minor curricular change we also looked at Benchmark data in ela um it's important to know that the Benchmark um data is not comparative across time points although there are sometimes skills that are measured
across those time points that we can compare um they are measuring uh standards that were covered in that quarter um and so I think that's important to know uh but we were able to compare certain skills across those time
points to see how we were doing compared to last year as well as um uh across uh benchmark assessments um so at Irving uh for example first sound fluency um for students in the well below category
improved from 37 to 24% um that was a skill that was tested across those time points uh and above went from 7% to 24% so those are large gains and the skill that was assessed across um
uh across different benchmark assessments in first grade um we had more students maintain their their level of proficiency than a year ago um so while we maybe didn't see as much growth in certain things we uh last year we saw
a drop across benchmarks and this time we actually see saw more things maintained um oral fluency was one of the reasons for seeing a drop last year and we didn't see that this year nonsense word fluency uh proficiency um which is correct letter
sounds uh increase from 56% to 64% um whole words red proficiency increase from 48% to 67% so we're seeing some um nice gains in some of the things that are actually assessed across a benchmark uh periods um and something
else to note is that 30% of first graders who are in uh intervention or exited this period in ela um so that showing some that the intervention is successful in moving students uh onto grade level um so that's something else
to to note uh in addition to the Benchmark data um at ble um uh changes were more moderate um so an oral reading fluency we saw a change from 51% to 53%
um and um last year we saw a drop in that so we're seeing small gains to maintaining again so this is similar to to um what we saw at Irving um we one of the ideas uh about why we're
seeing kind of more maintain is that the teachers are getting more comfortable with the curriculum um so that's something to knowe as teachers get even more comfortable with foundations and and some of the um uh different programs that we use um that that you know we
might see more growth next year um something to kind of note is oftentimes You Don't See Much growth the first year you might even see a drop the second year you often do see maintain just in terms of educational change and so third year as teachers really become expert in
something uh you can often see see gains so I think that's something to shoot for and and seeing this kind of Maintenance or small gains this year um that makes some sense in fourth and fifth grade we use the map um it's a comprehension
focus in ela so rather than the kind of more foundational skills it it's assessing something a little more complex um and if any student is below grade level they also use uh Acadia um
to assess those more foundational skills so they are being tracked even as they move into intervention and get additional support for foundational skills even as The Benchmark assessment isn't necessarily assessing that um map was new to B last year um and testing uh
has been going uh I think much better this year in terms of the number of students actually participating in the test taking it more seriously and so forth um and then uh something to note is that 133% of students were moved out of intervention in ela at ble um they
are also seeing the most students in intervention across the district so that's something to know um at the middle school they use map as well um there was uh overall I would say it was maintained there were
some skills maybe there was more of a dip and some there was growth um but they also exited 31% of students from Intervention at the middle school um and um there's a issue with intervention of the Middle School in that often times
they have to uh either CH Ela intervention or math um and scheduling those interventions is a real challenge the district's exploring um a possible pullout model and other options for how students if they do need
support in ela and math um how they can um get both of those supports rather than kind of making a choice or you know one Benchmark period going to ELA the next one math and um and how to best structure that schedule wise so so they get what they need
um we also looked at the um a new um policy around Publican executive sessions um we're still workshopping that and I know some of the other committees were also looking at that um we think we have an option that's a little more straightforward um but that
is U something that will be coming up um we also reviewed field trips uh just a couple things and note high school counselors uh were going to Woodbridge for a college fair um there's a competition for athletes and the teen center is taking students
to a Broadway Theater um and those are just a few highlights from a number of field trips um so that concludes what we discussed a couple things that we're looking at moving forward is to um look at some of the professional development
and uh to see the kind of long-term vision and look across different professional development uh efforts across the district um and um also uh looking getting an update on start time uh also some of the times
in terms of scheduling for Bandon Orchestra and those kind of things and just seeing where the district is at with um uh with those issues uh one thing to note is that uh last year attendance for ban even though it was early was great
in the surve students showed they preferred doing it before the school day um as opposed to after which would limit their after other after school activities um so that's something that we did find out last year um but we will check in with where we are with that at
the next meeting and that concludes my report any questions oh yeah I expected question caffeine or something um
uh so um for CCM instruction we'll be voting on field trip requests which I mentioned uh approval of hibs we had one unconfirmed and one confirmed um approval of special education uh parent advisory group meeting dates um those
are listed in the agenda approval of sidebar agreement um with uh for ble Green Team um and the tech crew
um okay and uh approval of the course revisions the ones the three I named that is it I think it's now questions oh do I move him now no no okay I I have to do something that I
missed long no questions for Dan um we had uh forgot we were so excited to move into the meeting we forgot to mention that we were um going to be tabling number 12 which is the contract negotiation um memorandum of agreement
with the hpaa um so that's going to be tabled for this meeting sorry about that okay um equity and Excellence yes equity and Excellence met on February 20th um see here so we first reviewed a or discussed a couple of policies that we
had previously looked at and had questions uh on the first one being um policy 5533 around student smoking and the committee at our last meeting had a question about um whether students can be fed by police if they're um found
smoking premises School premises um and Dr cesco followed up on with that on that with the hppd um per theou if a complaint is filed in court it may be subjected to fines however there is no language that says a fine is mandatory which of course
this is not anything that the district would be implementing it's just we wanted to know again what the implications or possible implications would be for students so that students are also aware of that um then we talked about a little bit of followup on um uh The Spectator code of conduct um policy
9163 or regulation I guess um uh Dr Susa reported that um she had reviewed uh regulations at other school districts around um sport again sportmanship sportsmanship um and issues related to
spectator participation at events um and not so welcome participation in some cases uh so what uh some minor adjustments were made to the language of our code our regulation around sportsmanship um participant conduct uh
for example when it comes to the offenses um uh when a person has a second event second offense they get a two game suspension um if I'm yeah I believe that's correct as opposed to initially a 4 game
suspension I'm sorry my notes are a little confusing I think maybe the first offense is a two game suspension the second offense we saw originally five but now we're saying four seems more for the second offense correct that's right okay and then the second offense four games originally five um and then the
third offense was initially remainder of this season um but now it's we're thinking subject to more disciplinary actions leaving it a little bit more open for flexible options on a case-by Case basis so again just some uh regulation
language adjustments based on what other districts are doing around these unfortunate misconduct of activities student games um let's see we talked about Pol okay policy 9322 around public and executive sessions and remote
participation this is a you know board member um specific policy um and as Dan had mentioned other commit committees have been looking at this policy as well um we discussed codifying a stance on remote particip remote participants here amongst ourselves voting on Executive
session items so if a board member is um participating in a board meeting On Any Given night remotely um and we know that they're not able to in those cases participate in the executive session we talked about then you know the complexities around voting on issues
that are discussed in executive succession so drusa is going to look at adding language to the regulation around that um first to review uh we talked about also the high school FAFSA requirement uh the new uh
doe requirement that all students uh have to um uh file a FAFSA for as a graduation requirement high school counselors have help they have already held a faf and night and that was in January they have a plan for day and evening events as well as onetoone
sessions on how to complete the FAA for families caregivers um a waiver will be provided for parents who do not want to complete the uh faasa um an additional language support will be provided for parents whose preferred language is not English so there are efforts underf foot
to ensure that there's additional support around this new requirement which is something that the committee had discussed previously uh and then we looked briefly at the January disciplines uh data and just looking at um the out of school suspension and in school suspension
incidents at ble there was one out of school suspension um around an ongoing issue and it involved a safety risk to a student at the middle school there were three incidents um a fight involving multiple students phys in a physical in an instance of physical aggression uh
the high school there was uh one in school suspension for uh vaping possession of paraphernalia um and a hip related incident uh and Dr zesa just reported that Elizabeth ISM Mo and her team are working on monitoring the data on an ongoing basis and she will be
sharing information on the support that is being provided to students particularly those who are bound with paraphernalia and how we can support them more therapeutically um and then lastly we talked about a uh resolution to support students and families targeted for
immigration enforcement um and that is a resolution that I would like to actually um read into our um equity and Excellence committee meeting notes and as an item to vote on we never usually get to vote on anything but we did discuss we did discuss this resolution
um of I think our past public meeting that we wanted to really put this forth to um just make it clear where we stand as a district on our Resolute support for um our position around supporting all of our students and particularly our students who um could be targeted for
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids so uh I would like to read that into our notes that everyone here at the tables had a chance to review the resolution that Dr Susa did bring forward for us to U modify as we see fit for our district we had it go through legal council as well and made some
adjustments adjustments to the language accordingly um so on that note should I read it now or do I have to wait until we are voting I would wait until you're voting okay unless you want to read it now and have any comments anybody have any
comments I don't think anyone does but if you all are comfortable I'll wait till we are ready to vote sounds good okay thank you all any questions I actually had a question about the what you're talking about about the FAFSA um I was just wondering when the other workshops or information
would come out about that because I mean I know I I finished the college application process and I submitted my fasta um back in December um which brings me to two questions I'm wondering what what sort of deadlines you were considering for these workshops because
I know for example a lot of my schools require the fasta to be submitted by this Sunday um or even before like some of them required me to submit it uh by the end of December so I was just wondering like what deadlines you considered or
are still considering for this yeah well that would certainly be for the high school counselors and I don't know what their plan is I do know that I think it depends on what you're applying for like early decision regular decision and then that's going to determine when your fafsas do but that's a good question Dr sesa I don't know if you have any information yeah I I don't we can follow
with Dr Donovan but I do know the ones that are happening soon are for our Juniors for next year so they're planning already for next year and I know Dr Donan has uh Full Speed Ahead to work on some spring and summer work for some early decisions early actions there's language on that that it's been
a long time since I've thought thank you thought about and I know that um in the past that timeline wasn't really considered for those kinds of planning and that's something that's very important to Dr Donovan so we'll work on that as well but the dates that are upcoming are for juniors to get a head start on it so I guess the question then
though is for our current like in your like in your case but you said you're fine you got yourself but for our current seniors who are you know reaching those deadlines or a threat of or potentially missing a deadline I think that's more kind of immediate yep and I I believe um I'd have to just hope
I believe I think it starts for 2026 and Beyond so but if but if anybody needs help although it is still important I think to just really have that education about those dates because we have talked about that in the past where some students and families may not even be aware of the date absolutely not want to miss miss a FAA deadline yeah one thing
we did talk about in the meeting is that um the FAA application process this year has drastically changed um so I mean the time that takes to get through the BSA application has been cut down dramatically I mean like 15 minutes at most um and so that is it's a huge
difference and I'm speaking from years of experience I couldn't believe until I went through it myself um so that's a good thing and you know now that it is required at least make it a little bit more user friendly and not like you're filing your taxes again you know that's so and I'm not sure if you guys are
aware of this or if this is in the program for next year but a lot of schools have come out with something called the CSS yeah uh which is like for the private universities to file the uh financial aid if you need that and I'm not sure how many people knew to do that
or did it in addition to the FASA I'm not sure so that's on a school by school basis right so some schools require it and some schools don't so the school in question should notify the applicant that yes you also need the CSS right but you're right A lot of people don't even know that that's additional um
financially form they'd have to fill out there's a lot of Googling parents are doing a lot of Googling for these dates it's it's not coming easily but I was going to I have a note to email you about that because the ruter one they preferred to have at the end of January so the people that already submitted it and that's a very local school so the people that already submitted it I don't
know if they have some kind of an advantage and this Workshop wasn't until mid January so it's cutting it cutting it kind of close I know the the deadlines were tough but I will say um actually the person in contact would be Miss asamoa so if anybody out there would has any questions about the FASA
or timelines or workshops that actually goes through Miss asa's office as a supervisor of counseling health and wellness so she oversees the school counselors um for their programming and things like that although I know Dr Donovan has that background and experience she was the one that kind of pinpointed that hey some of our deadlines should change because students
are missing out on opportunities so I was really grateful she brought it to all of our attention um so hopefully moving forward we we won't have those so if there's specific questions out there for any of those deadlines I encourage you to reach out to miss asima with those questions and I wonder if that could be communicated is that communicated on the website like now is
the time to really like black yeah yeah I would think it would be but yeah it's good thank you for the question okay uh finance and Facilities uh we we met on uh Finance facilities met on February 11th we have
a large we were a large group um an Jen and Allison from the board and Dr saska and Mr Rosa and then we had uh administrators from the district uh Mr Rodriguez and Mr Robinson Mr Luis uh D daer and deer and John
Flanigan we all in attendance um and I'll just mention a couple of highlights from the the agenda topics that we discussed and I'll go through the agenda when we get there um you'll see on there that we are submitting
we're voting to submit um the uh plan for the ble structural repairs the walkway there that has to go now to the doe so that's on our agenda um they approve the plan so that we can then put into place um as part of that we have to
revise our long range facilities plan to include the ble walkway and the ble bathroom renovation so that's on our agenda um you'll be happy to know that the renovation of the baseball field is on our agenda and it was they worked it out so that our students could use it
for the spring and then they will get into the renovations however they planned it out Mr Flanigan and uh the powers of be so our sports are good for the spring so we're very grateful for that um and you'll see on the agenda that um we are accepting from the burrow
the um the next installment of the pilot money um which now is an annual an annual thing that the burrow has to do and that we have to do to accept um the money from the River Road Project um that was a pilot program but but we are getting the uh benefit from the tax
benefit from that as well so that's on our agenda um a good part of our meeting I'm checking if I miss anything a good part of our meeting was going over the budget reviewing the budget for um 25 26 and so
each of the Departments brief briefly went over their budget um and let's see they they reviewed each of their budget for the board me for our board members and um under the superintendants and business administrators you know uh guidance each
each department has taken steps to do what they can to decrease costs we're possible in their budget re budget requests in the understanding that this is a very challenging budget year for our district District um under facilities in particular the
priorities were set for um the ble walkway the um in Irving the have adding the one additional pre room which is partially Grant funded so we need to move we will we will move forward on that as well I think SEC some security
camera Integrations is on the priorities other needed projects are being put off in the interest of our of our budget um um a conversation about what the what the next big things would be but they're but they're not at the moment going to be able to be done next year um that's
including the high school gutter issue and and roofing issues there that's gonna there's looking for a fix for that but it's not in this budget um there will be more detail on the budget we come through on our I guess our next meeting March 17th is our public budget hearing at that time we'll go over more
specifics um I think those the highlight for the meeting we did not is everybody else we did not get to the uh uh policy 9322 um so I'm glad you guys are when you can figure it all out we'll we'll look at it next month and we'll hear
what you have to say it'll be easier for us um I think the last thing I'll say about the meeting is that um the the board members that are there are very much appreciative of all the work that's being done by um uh the superintendent our business administrator to develop next year's budget it it is a very
challenging financial situation they are going through it line by line to see how we can uh bring our numbers in line without impacting significantly instruction keeping to the priorities of the board um given the finances that there are in the state currently so with that I'll go through
the agenda we have a long one for this is annoying here one second we have a long one here um the first few items are as we typically do approving our bill list this is January 28th February 24th for
3,849 roughly um we are going to be uh voting on recommendation to approve the preliminary report of the treasury of school monies up until December 31st um same thing with the um board
secretary's report again reporting that no budgetary line has been overextended the certificate Board of Education certifications again through December 31st 2024 on um the sufficient f are
available to meet the district's obligations for the remainder of the Year budg budget transfers are on there travel and related expense reimbursements we have some contractors for professional development I'm looking at number seven uh implementation of the
504 plans and um some work for ELA teachers grade 6 through 12 uh We've a very long list of Professional Services and related Services um and these are organiz ations that could agencies I guess that could
provide us um help when we need it uh for example in the area of getting us nurses um P professionals feeding therapies some of our special education many many of these are special education needs PT
and speech evaluations and services um PT andot assistance is all through white glove Community Care we we approve them then if that service is needed they would the our district can reach out to
them to uh to get that um through solent uh ldtc uh if we needed a learning disability teacher consultant social worker speech teacher of the death um Center language for interpretation services for different
languages um yoga for eth and nth grade students during PE classes uh fourth year undergraduate psychology students to provide um sounds like some work sleep hygiene curriculum same
people through um in our high school Comm Collective curriculum I'm sorry what was is uh what Kayla Jenkins would be providing and we are also voting on [Music] um oh that's the uh accepting the money from the pilot program is number nine
some bedside instruction for two students an out of District placement for a student at Rucker's Day School also a tuition contract for a mckenny mckenny vento student which is student who's been displaced
um uh over at ble we're approving um we're voting to approve asbest batement um that's for the uh the bathroom that the bathroom renovation that's working on that we have in the works um a six Monon copy release uh extension of our um lease for
the modular classrooms over at Irving Irving it's a two-year extension additional cafeteria tables the baseball field renovation the plan for the uh ble walkway the long range uh facilities
plan the the uh addendum to it the addition to it rather um and then we have one of those passrs that we need to do this is for the Children's House monu and um it is State funds it's not coming out of our budget but we we need need to
vote on it and it's for um uh Playard fencing for the Monas School we're accepting a donation or voting to accept a donation of $111,000 from the Highland Park athletic teams for our baseball field thank you
very much also the robotics Club has a donation of equipment um from an singer um $1,500 uh there's an approval here for the survey that we need to continue the work on the high school
Greenhouse um so that's on here and the last one is approving is voting to approve Colin or director before after cares as an au authorized signatory of the state subsidy agreements so that is our agenda items
any questions it is a lot some water any questions or anything I just want to thank again the boosters and Mr Flanigan Denise um the athletic team is that something separate for helping to get the baseball team um be able to play on the field this season I'm very very
excited and thankful for that I know it was a lot of work no other questions I'm going to um go through our Personnel items which actually we have to make note to take this off yes yes okay so for personnel um number one is the approval of
withholding a salary increment for one employee for the 25 26 school year number two are leaves of absences for three employees as listed number three are three resignations Miss Nagi thank you for
your many many many many years of service here um and uh Miss uh uh Sam Perez is just going to be um residing from schedule be while they are doing this their uh interum assistant
principal duties and then um Miss wosi is going to be moving on to her future so congratulations um approval of appointments uh we have appointments for several baseball coaches I have one
readin change for E Cody Benton is going to be volunteering to coach High School track and field uh we have Miss tacis for the culture and climate specialist at the Middle School Mr Robinson will be with us for a little bit longer as the
supervisor of stem we have approvals for team treatment meetings Irving primary um Miss FIA is going to be um site managing grades two and three at after school from now on um we have a new uh enrichment
specialist for our prek after school program um because it is growing quite a lot so we need a an en richment specialist there we have some interns that will be um volunteering at the after school programs um
providing seal lessons for after school students we have uh some Peaks and valleys mentors um employees that are assisting with prek registration thank you very much uh we have a music teacher for
Irving and ble welcome Miss chiaro um we are so excited to have you and Miss aair is going to be helping with some academic credit restoration we have the approval of two transfers Miss J will be moving to third grade general education and Miss
Peterson will be moving to um first grade icr math um we have the approval of an independent study program at the high school Miss fantry and then we have two additional sections um one miss pal Williams will
be doing a third period 3 icr and then um kovalis will be doing a period for glow um thank you for taking on the extra section we know that it is a lot and that is it for personnel
questions all right and then for policies um we have the policies listed um in number one are moving for second reading and these were policies that we had discussed at our January
meeting and that's it for policy we are going to move to our second public comment once I find it the Highland Park Board of Education welcomes public participation and has reserved this time for your comments
board policy number 0167 establishes and regulates the right of the public to partic participate in public meetings um is there anybody in person for public comment we just want look at the on um uh Angela how many people do we have
online okay if anybody um on our Zoom would like to raise their hand for public comment please do so now hi this is Abby Stern Cardell um um I just wanted to say that I'm really encouraged seeing this was
earlier in the meeting the um data about ssds and um I'm really uh happy to see that trend from last year this year so I would love to see that highlighted to the Greater Community because I think it's important to show the growth uh
there I was also wondering if it's on the website anywhere because um it would again be great for people to see the Improvement uh so that we can make sure people are seeing that thank you thank
you is if there's anybody else who would like to make a public comment please raise your hand okay um you made like you kind of moved a little bit and I was like I don't [Laughter] know um all right so uh with no hands
raised we are going to close public comment okay we'll move to our board action items starting with curriculum and instruction I'd like to move items one through five second Dr batty yes Miss cassal D yes Dr
yes Miss pruce yes Dr schoolman yes Miss stano yes Miss vaman yes Miss Vorhees um yes on all but abstain on to B equity and Excellence yes I would like to read in um a resolution move that so
I'm going to read in resolution to designate campuses as safe as safe places for students and families targeted for immigration enforcement here we go whereas ensuring that our schools are safe and inviting for all students and their families and
ensuring the physical safety am I too close and emotional well-being of all children at the Highland Park Public School District Highland Park is a vital requirement for Highland Park to advance its Mission and whereas this safe and inviting environment would be disrupted
by the presence of immigration agents who come onto Highland Park property for the purposes of removing students or their family members or obtaining information about students and their families whereas Immigration and Customs Enforcement ice activities in and around
schools oh are you not hearing me at all yeah just in case oh okay okay um let's see okay so whereas Immigration and Customs Enforcement ice activities in in and around schools would be a severe disruption to the
learning environment and educational setting for students therefore I'm sorry I think I might have Miss that I think I missed a couple of sentences there I'm sorry I have to go back whereas this safe and inviting environment would be disrupted by the presence of immigration agents who come
onto Highland Park property for the purposes of removing students or their family members or obtaining information about students and their families whereas Immigration and Customs Enforcement ice activities in and around schools would be severe disruption to the learning environment and educational
setting for students therefore be it resolved that the Highland Park Board of Education hereby declares that every Highland Park School is a safe place for its students and their families to seek help assistance and information if faced with fear and anxiety about immigration
enforcement efforts resolved further that the board encourages the superintendent to increase and enhance Partnerships with community- based organizations and legal services organizations who provide resources for families facing deportation resolve further that the
board encourages the superintendent to create in language know your rights presentations for students and family members to cover their rights regarding interactions with law enforcement and immigration agents resolved further that the board encourages the superintendent
to connect with a rapid response Network to assist students or their family members who have been detained resolve further in order to provide a public education regardless of a child's or family member's immigration status absent any applicable federal state or
local law regulation ordinance or Court decision Highland Park shall abide by the following conduct one Highland Park Personnel shall not inquire about a record about or record a students or a family member's immigration status and
pursuant to the family education rights and Privacy Act fura shall not disclose with without parental consent the immigration status of any student or other personally identifiable information two any request by an
immigration official a for entry into a Highland Park School or other Highland Park property B to communicate with any student while that student is under the supervision of Highland Park during any school program or activity or while using Highland Park sponsored
Transportation or c for any any information about our students shall be immediately forwarded to Highland Park's legal council for consideration in considering such requests Highland Park's legal council will not authorize the sharing of information or access to
students unless required by law and will prioritize the Constitutional and legal rights of Highland Park's students and families three Highland Park shall refuse all information sharing with immigration agents across all aspects of the district to the fullest extent
possible under the law four any requests by immigration agents for information or to access a School site shall be initially denied and immediately forwarded to the superintendent and legal council for review and a decision on whether to reverse the denial and
allow access to the site Andor decision on whether the information will ensure Highland Park's compliance with applicable laws the request must be provided with adequate notice so that the super intendent and legal counsel can take steps to provide for the emotional and physical safety of its
students and staff a should an immigration agent request access to a school site the superintendent and or legal council shall ask for the immigration agent's credentials asks the agent why the agent is requesting access and asks to see a
warrant signed by a federal or state judge B immigration agents must provide written Authority from Ice instructing them to enter any Highland Park site and for what purpose as well as a warrant signed by a federal or state judge which
specifies the name of the person under arrest five Highland Park will not enter into agreements with state or local law enforcement agencies ice or any other Federal Agency for the enforcement of federal immigration law except as
required by law six staff are prohibited from inquiring about or recording any information regarding an individual's immigration status or country of birth seven Highland Park Personnel shall treat all students equitably in the
receipt of all School services including but not limited to the free and reduced lunch program transportation and educational instruction eight Highland Park will offer a informational resources and IND District counseling services that adequately acknowledges
the impact of immigration status on students and their family members and B know your rights presentations to students and parents in uh their preferred language and C the district will ensure that students are aware of opportunities to gain access to college
inate tuition financial aid scholarships internships and career opportunities regardless of their status nine Highland Park shall offer training to district and school teachers and staff on the rights of immigration uh sorry on the rights of immigrant and
undocumented students the importance of supporting the needs of immigrant students and families and on policies adopted by the district to promote a safe and welcoming learning environment almost done resolved further that the superintendent shall ensure that all
teachers School administrators and other staff will be trained on how to implement this policy and notification in no less than the top languages spoken by the students throughout the district to be distributed to families to fully inform them of their rights in the district
fur further resolve further within the next 30 days the superintendent is encouraged to develop the plan for training teachers administrators and other staff on how to respond to ice Personnel who are requesting information about students and families and or attempting to inter school property the
plan shall also include procedures for notifying families about ice efforts to gain information about students and families and how to support students whose family members have been displaced because of ice this plan shall be comp communicated to all School District
families in all supported languages resolve further and lastly the superintendent is encouraged to prepare an implementation plan defining Partnerships with Community organizations and training and support for School site employees to ensure
rapid response and effective coordination and report back to the board in 30 days thank you I have to move it so I would like to move resol resolution to designate let me get it right
resolution to designate campuses as safe places for students and families targeted for immigration enforcement second second Dr B yes Miss Cel done yes Dr Coleman yes Miss puce yes Dr schan yes
Miss Dano yes Miss bman yes Miss Borg yes finance and Facilities I move uh items one to 24 under financing facilities second Dr batty yes Miss calun yes Dr
Coleman yes Miss Cru yes Dr scholman yes Miss Danel yes Miss dman yes Miss bores yes for personnel I would like to move items one one through
seven second we both did it's fine sorry Dr batty yes M Salon yes Dr Coleman yes Miss Cruz yes Dr scholman
yes Miss Danel yes Miss bman yes Miss yes and for policies and regulations I'd like to move number one second Dr batty yes Miss Cal D yes Dr Coleman yes Miss pruce yes Dr scholman
yes Miss Danel yes Miss gardman yes Miss Bor yes all right that concludes our action items does anyone have a board lead on report I just have a brief I'm sorry did someone else have one a brief statement from the Board of Health they're just
asking if um if there's anything that we would like them to be prioritizing right now just to let them know that they would love to be um a resource for us I was just saying mental health would be next priority that
I was gonna say but they didn't want to say it now yes hold can we um can we save this we'll save it for new business if we can oh well it was a response to oh okay that I know can we like discuss in response to the report you're giving me the face no we
have to she's giving me the face you got the face email yeah yeah we could also do an email yeah um but it seems like we all agree um okay and then um I didn't oh
yeah and nobody else right okay um I do not have a president report except to say uh that the board kit is available online for anybody that wants to run to be a board member so if you're thinking about it it is available on the njsba
website um old business new business okay I mve to a journ everywhere hi good night