Good evening everyone. We're going to get started. Welcome to the November 2025 Hoboken Board of Education meeting. Thank you all for being here. If you are joining us this evening to speak on agenda or non-aggenda items, please use the signup sheets located at the podium
direct at the table directly in front of me. Miss Lopez, can you please read the statement of compliance? >> Yes. This meeting is being held in conformity to the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 10 col4-6
at SEC. Proper public notice at the meeting was published in the local papers on January 14th and January 16th, 2025. If any board member or member of the public in attendance believes that the meeting is in violation of the open public meetings act, the Hoboken board
of education requests that they make a statement at this time. The board wishes to make those in attendance aware that this meeting is being recorded on video and will be broadcast by the board at a later date on CATV channel 77 and FiOS channel 46.
The full meeting recording will also be made available on board docs which can be accessed through the district homepage. The Hoboken Board of Education is committed to preserving the decorum of the public process and is mindful that we live in the electronic age of computers, cell phones, and other
electronic communications devices. Nevertheless, we respectfully request that all meeting participants kindly silence their electronic devices during the course of the meeting. And if use of the device is necessary, we ask that you please leave the meeting room if you need to conduct personal business.
>> Thank you, Miss Lopez. Please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. Miss Lopez, can you please call the role? >> Yes. Miss Angley here. >> Miss Kadamuri here. >> Miss Delera >> here. >> Mr. Delator >> here. >> Mr. Graa >> here. >> Miss Connor >> here. >> Mr. Clul >> here. >> Miss Norwood >> here.
>> And Miss McGurt >> here. Thank you, Miss Lopez. We are going to begin our meeting this evening with the recognition for our October students of the month. I will turn the meeting over to our assistant superintendent of schools, Miss Sandra Rodriguez Gomez.
Thank you, President Mcgherk. At this time, we have the privilege of celebrating one of the most joyful parts of our work as a school district, and that is recognizing our students of the month. I extend a heartfelt welcome to the members of the board of education,
superintendent Dr. Johnson, our administrators, faculty members, community, students, and their special guests, family. Each month, our principles and staff come together to reflect on the students in their buildings who consistently
demonstrate growth, leadership, character, and commitment to learning. The students we are honoring this evening represent not only academic achievement but also kindness, resilience, curiosity, and the spirit of
community that defines Hoboken Public Schools. These students stand out not just for what they do, but for who they are becoming. They are becoming scholars, peers, teammates, role models, and citizens whose actions make our
classrooms and hallways better places to learn and grow. This recognition is not only a celebration of the students, but also of the families, of their teachers, and of the school leaders who nurture their potential each day. We thank you for your partnership, encouragement, and
love that surround these children and help them thrive. This evening, each principal will introduce their student of the month and share a personal reflection that captures the heart of why these students were selected. It is my honor to invite the principal
of the Joseph F. Brand School to the podium to begin our student of the month recognition. He will then introduce the Connor's principal, Miss Addie. And she will follow the same pattern introducing our next presenters, principles Dickerson, Sorphine, and Pika Petra of
Wallace Hoboken Middle and Hoboken High School. Each will celebrate their school selection and then of course pause for a picture opportunity. Again, thank you for being here this evening. And with that, I would ask Principal Bartlett to join me at the podium.
Thank you very much, Mrs. Rodriguez Gomez. Good evening, Dr. Johnson, members of the board of education, and our guests here tonight. At this time, I would like to ask Beta Guzman to join me at the podium. Congratulations to Veta Guzman, the Brandt School student of the month for
October. Veta was nominated by her third grade teacher, Miss James. Miss James said, "Veta is an amazing student and a great example for others. She always follows classroom routines and directions and is quick to help anyone who needs a hand." When Miss James was
out for some professional training earlier this school year, every substitute teacher and every specialist teacher mentioned how Vad stood out as a model student who consistently was respectful to both adults and her peers. This is something that Miss James sees
every day in class. Beta listens carefully to feedback and uses it to ensure she makes progress and each assignment is better than the last. Miss James said, "We are all so lucky to have Veta as part of our classroom family. She's always respectful and approaches
all situations with a smile. Veta has truly put her all into third grade, which has been noted by her second grade teacher, Mrs. gardener as well as many other adults in the building. She tries her best on each assignment and continues to grow each day.
Vada is proud that she has officially made it to reading on grade level. She read a lot of Babysitters Club books over the summer, which she thinks helped her build her reading skills. She also became a big sister and ensures she's always doing the right thing so her
brother has someone to look up to. Outside of school, Veta enjoys playing with her Barbie dolls, playing with baby Natie, drawing, and reading when she has free time. In school, her favorite subject is reading, and when she grows up, she wants to be a third grade
teacher, just like Miss James. That's a good role model to follow. Veta. When told she would be recognized here tonight, Veta said, "I felt very happy and proud of myself when I found out I was student of the month because I listened and tried my best. So it was like giving myself an award. Keep
working hard VA and I am sure you will manifest so many more awards for yourself in school and beyond. Please join me in congratulating our brand student of the month Veta Guzman. At this time, I'd like to welcome to the podium Mrs. Juliana Addie, the principal
of the Connors Elementary School. At this time, I'd like to call up Nantry Rather, our Connor student of the month. Neiantry is a remarkable fifth grader, fifth grade student in Miss Lauren Schulty's class. Miss Schulty shared
that Neantree exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated learner. She approaches every assignment with focus and determination, demonstrating responsibility and trustworthiness in all that she does. Her active participation enriches classroom
discussions and her respectful treatment of others makes her a true role model for her peers. Academically, Nantry is meeting and exceeding all expectations. Whether she's tackling assessments,
crafting thoughtful responses about her core novels, or working through challenging math problems, Nantry demonstrates exceptional effort. She recently achieved a 91% on her first first math investigations unit assessment and maintains an A average in
both math and ELA. What truly sets Neandria apart is her resilience. She never gives up when faced with challenges and eagerly applies feedback to improve her work. Beyond academics, Neantre's kindness and
caring nature shine through in everything she does. She's always working on a new art project or impressive drawings and she's shows respect to everyone she meets whether in the classroom or throughout the hallways. One story
perfectly captures Neantre's character and exemplifies good citizenship. When one of her very close friends was being excluded during recess, Neantree problem solved by creating a game that everyone could play together. This thoughtful
solution helped her friend feel included without calling attention to the situation, demonstrating emotional intelligence, empathy, and problem-solving skills well beyond her years. Nantry loves to read with favorites including the Wings of Fire
series and Warrior Cats. She dreams of becoming an engineer or scientist, possibly a paleontologist, and her favorite subjects are math and science. She shared that her favorite thing about Connors is her teachers, saying that they're not only kind and comforting,
but they also provide excellent instruction. Nantry truly embodies all of our Connor's Koala Kality character traits: kindness, respect, caring, good citizenship, responsibility, and trustworthiness. It is for this reason
that she was awarded the student of the month. Please join me in congratulating Niani Ruthor, our Connor's student of the month for October. At this time, I'd like to call up Mr. Steve Dickerson, the principal of Wallace School.
Good evening. It is my pleasure to recognize our Wallace Elementary School student of the month for October, Cameron Rivera. Cameron, come on down here. and he absolutely gets best dressed. I
love the best. Cameron is a bright and caring first grader in Miss Evans first grade class who truly embodies what it means to roar every each and every day. That's showing respect, being open-minded, achieving his goals, and
being responsible for his thoughts and actions. Miss Evans, who nominated Cameron, shared that he is not only a wonderful student, but also a wonderful friend. In the classroom, Cameron always offers his help help to his classmates and teachers
alike. He raises his hand to participate, follows directions carefully, and takes pride in completing his work. Cameron is always asking thoughtful questions, and striving to improve. Socially, Cameron spreads kindness
wherever he goes. He takes turns, shows patience, includes others, and never forgets to say please and thank you. Thank you for that. His classmates describe him as someone who makes everyone smile and a friend who helps you when you need it.
Cameron has also achieved perfect attendance so far this school year, which speaks to his dedication and enthusiasm for learning. He comes to school each morning ready to grow, ready to help, and ready to make a positive difference in our community.
Outside of school, Cameron loves scary movies and enjoys watching Blueie. His cheerful personality and sense of humor light up the room, and his teachers say that his laughter is contagious in the best way. Cameron, we
are so proud of your kindness, your curiosity, and the joy you bring to Wallace Elementary School. Please join me in congratulating our October student of the month, Cameron Rivera. And now for the principal of Hoboken
Middle School, Ryan Sorine. Good evening everyone. Please join me in welcoming Grace McMullen to the podium as Hoboken Middle School student of the month for October. Grace was nominated by her science teacher, Mrs. Sigi, who shared that she stands out for her helpfulness, empathy,
and the way she balances supporting her peers and putting in 100% of her into her own work. Grace consistently demonstrates that success is not just about achievement, but about lift lifting others up along the way. Miss Lamir adds that Grace shines in room 108
every single day. She embodies responsibility, humor, and determination. Even on mornings when she might be tired from studying or after a late night of sports or extracurriculars, she still comes to class ready to participate, ready to think, and ready to raise the energy
around her. She contribute she contributes excellent ideas during discussions, keeps her classmates engaged, and brightens the room with her sharp wit and positive attitude. Miss Everheart shares that in the short time she has known Grace, she's been impressed by her curiosity and her
willingness to think creatively. Grace never hesitates to lend a never hesitates to lend a hand, whether it's helping a classmate understand a concept or supporting the teacher. Miss Jenner Lions describes Grace as dedicated and enthusiastic. She's currently enrolled in the CTI
grade 7 honors math class. She consistently goes above and beyond showing persistence, curiosity, and a true love of learning. Grace isn't afraid to ask thoughtful questions to deepen her understanding, and she's always willing to help classmates who have who may be struggling. Her effort
and leadership set the tone for what it means to be a Hoboken middle school student. Grace's friends Mudra and Maria shared that she's hardworking, creative, and always willing to help others. Mudra describes her as a funny and w funny and witty while Maria adds that she's
talented writer who brings creativity and joy to every project that she touches. Beyond the classroom, Grace is a proud member of of the junior thespians and the HMS student council. She's already deeply involved in our school community and looks forward to taking on an even more even more
leadership opportunities in the years ahead. When she found out she was selected as student of the month, Grace said she was surprised. But but not at us, Grace. She loves being a student at HMS, especially because she finds her teachers so helpful and easy to talk to. Looking ahead, Grace hopes to attend
Princeton or Harvard and dreams of becoming a sustainability manager, someone who helps create a better, greener world for for our future. During these ceremonies, we often hear about a student's character or their academic success, but in Grace's case, she truly represents both. Her work ethic and
motivation in academics and athletics are second to none. Yet what stands out most is her heart. Grace embodies the kindness, compassion, and inclusivity we strive for in all our students and in our own lives. As members as a member of
the wonderfully diverse HMS community, Grace welcomes everyone with warmth, and makes every student feel seen, supported, and valued. She brightens our hallways, uplifts her peers, and reminds us daily of what it means to be a Tiger. Please join me in a well-deserved round
of applause for our October student of the month, Grace McN. At this time, I'd like to welcome the principal of Hoboken High School, Miss Robin Pria. Good evening. At this time, I'd like to invite Gregory Early to the podium.
Hoboken High School's October student of the month. I have to admit, it is very rare that we have a freshman in the month of October being honored as our student of the month. That is quite a task and I'm very
proud of him. All his teachers were very eager to share words about Gregory which is a testament to his character. Gregory, a new and welcome addition to the Redwing community, has quickly distinguished himself as a model student
and kindhearted peer. His teachers describe him as enthusiastic, thoughtful, and genuinely committed to both his academic success and the well-being of those around him. Gregory's kindness and positivity
radiate in every classroom. He's the type of student who lifts others up, builds meaningful connections with his classmates, and helps create an inclusive, welcoming environment wherever he goes.
Academically, Gregory demonstrates excellence across the board. He consistent consistently completes assignments with care and precision, participates actively in class discussions, and approaches every subject with curiosity and dedication.
In Spanish, he impresses his teacher with his consistent effort to communicate in the language and his willingness to take risks to improve. In computer science, Gregory's intellectual curiosity shines. He often goes above
and beyond project requirements, adding thoughtful enhancements that elevate his work. His creativity, resourcefulness, and intuitive problem solving skills are traits that will undoubtedly serve him
well in all his future pursuits. In addition to his academic achievements, Gregory stands out for his impeccable attendance record. He has perfect attendance and he has never been late. That is amazing in high school.
Beyond the classroom, he's known for his warm demeanor and friendly interactions. And I can say no matter when I see him and how busy the hallways get, Gregory always takes a moment to greet teachers and classmates with a smile. Gregory
Early embodies what it means to be a Redwing. Hardworking, kind, and full of positive energy. His enthusiasm for learning and his care for others make him an outstanding choice for October's student of the month. Congratulations,
Gregory. Congratulations to all of our students recognized tonight. We are so very proud of you. Please keep up the excellent work. Next, we will hear from our student representatives from Hoboken Middle School and Hoboken High School. First up, we have our Hoboken Middle
School reps, Zamaya Serret and Scarlet Verba. Good evening, Dr. Johnson, Miss Rodriguez Gomez, members of the Hoboken Board of Education, and everyone joining us tonight. My name is Amaya Serret, and I am an eighth grade student at Hoboken Middle School.
My name is Scarletta, and I am also an eighth grade student at Hoboki Middle School. It's an honor to be here this evening to represent our school and share some highlights from October at Hoboki Middle School. On October 9th, the PTO hosted its annual fall festival. Our HMS families enjoyed playing
cornhole, pumpkin painting, and socializing with friends. A special shout out goes to Chava's Empanadas food truck for providing us with delicious empanadas. The next PTO meeting will take place tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. which will include HMS data presentation from Mr.
Soraphine in room 108. Throughout the month of October, Hoboken Public Schools participated in a recycle your battery challenge. At the conclusion of the four-week challenge, the home room in each building with the highest collection wins a pizza party. The winner at HMS was Miss Rothm's home room, who will have their pizza party
next week. Red Ribbon Week took place at HMS from October 27th to October 31st. Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and longest running drug use prevention campaign. During Red Ribbon Week, students pledged to increase their knowledge by learning
more about effects of drug abuse and renew their commitment to live a healthy life lifestyle. Our HMS community participated in spirit days and activities throughout the week of October 7 27th to support the Red Ribbon Week campaign. Hoboken Middle School
proudly participated in its first annual pink out this October. Throughout the month, students showed their support by wearing pink every Friday and contributing a suggested donation of $1 to the American Cancer Societies, making strides against breast cancer. Together, we raised $500 to help fund research,
support services, and awareness for this important cause. Fall athletics has officially wrapped up at HMS. Our boys soccer team and girls volleyball teams both finished with four to three records. In its first season,
tackle football finished strong with a six to1 record. A fall athletics banquet is tentatively set to take place on December 3rd. Tryyous for winter athletics will take place the week of January 5th. Be sure to check out the
HMS weekly update for additional information regarding registration. Auditions for this year's show, Romeo and Juliet: Together and Alive at Last, will be held on Tuesday, November 18th at 3:15 p.m. in the HMS auditorium. All audition information can be found in HMS
weekly update. The Hoboki Middle School National Junior Honor Society will be holding a Thanksgiving food drive for the Hoboken Shelter Thanksgiving dinner. The donation drive will take place from November 3rd to November 24th and the
donation dropbox is located outside the HMS gym. We will look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you next month. >> Until then, remember to live each day with Tiger Pride and always >> enjoy the ride. Go Tigers. >> Thank you, ladies. Next, we'll hear from
our Hoboken High School representative, Miss Jenniserio. Good evening. My name is Jenna Serio. I'm the Hoboken High School student government representative and thank you for having me today. Let me just start by congratulating Miss Norwood and Miss Grana and their re-election to the board of education.
On October 18th, the senior class enjoyed their time at Six Flags as Frightfest, returning at a totally reasonable time, just like every year. On October 19th, members of the student government participated in the out of darkness walk over at Stevens Institute of Technology. On October 20th at 6
p.m., the Hoboken mayoral debate where the six official candidates were asked questions by the Hoboken High School students was held. questions were asked that were tailored more towards education, helping to enrich our Hoboken public high school students. On October
22nd was our showcase of excellence in which Hoboken High School students represented all of the different clubs showcasing the abundance of opportunities that Hoboken High has to offer. On October 23rd, Hoboken High School held our student government induction ceremony recognizing each grade level for their outstanding
commitment to Hoboken High's student government. Throughout the month of October and November, the Hoboken High School student government held its annual Hoboken High School Field of Heroes celebration. Over 150 veterans and groups were honored this year with flags at our beloved Louis M. Tagler
Stadium. For sports, there's a lot of sports news, so buckle up. Um, on October 6th, the girls tennis team held their senior night against Memorial, winning 5-0. On October 17th, the girls soccer team held their senior net against Ferris, winning
6-0. Also, quick congratulations to the Hoboken High School girls soccer team for being crowned county champions for the first time in county history, beating the Bayon Bees two to one. On October 20th, the boys soccer team held their senior night against Snder,
winning 3-0. On October 24th, the Red Wings football team, dance team, cheer squad, band, and cross country team held their senior night with the football team winning 33 to7 against Pasc Hills. And on October 29th, Hoban girls
volleyball held their senior night against Bayon and won three sets. Congratulations to the JV team also for being crowned Hudson County JV champions as well. You can give them a round of applause. The boys and girls soccer team were crowned national division champions. Um,
and our football team finished the regular season undefeated with a record of 9-0, the best record in the history of the past two decades. You want to give a round of applause? Finally, for future events, the class of 2026 is hosting a pancakes for prom
fundraiser on November 22nd at the high school cafeteria from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Hoboken High School student government will be hosting the second Hoboken cupcake wars competition in the Hoboken High School gym on November 22nd at 2:30 p.m. We hope to see you there. And finally, we would like to thank Dr.
Johnson for starting the food program for students all over Hoboken while the government shut down affected SNAP benefits. This district is truly a remarkable place, one that looks out for and cares for every student. Thank you again to Dr. Johnson and all the members of the board of education. And thank you
very much for this opportunity to speak. And we look forward to seeing you at our events. And as always, go Red Wings. Thank you so much for those very informative reports. It's always amazing to hear all the wonderful things that are happening at HMS and Oen High School. Dr. Johnson, do you have a
superintendent report for us this evening? Uh for my superintendent report, I'd like to have uh Miss Rodriguez Gomez uh come to the stage where she is right now. And she's just going to provide some highle overview uh data points from
the 2024 2025 uh testing program and student achievement uh results. Thank you, Mr. Cook. Mr. Cook, just let me know when to go. Okay.
As Dr. Johnson has just shared. Tonight, I will be sharing our district districtwide performance trends from the most recent NJSLA administration in alignment with the state's deadline of November 15th. Please also be aware that
our principles will be representing will be presenting their school level data to their respective communities at upcoming sessions if they've not already done so. We will be sharing a few data a few key data points regarding overall district
achievement. These can also be found on our district's website. Additionally, we'll be we will be sharing the district's navigation reports as prepared by our partners at link which is an assessment and benchmarking um company. Our
partnership with Lincolnit is similar to their partnership with other schools with other school districts in that in addition to managing benchmarks and our assessments, they also call our assessment data and prepare reports which compare district performance to
state performance. Tonight I will share a few slides to give you an idea of how we did on the NJSLA English language arts, NJSLA mathematics, and the NJ GPA for students in grade 11. For those of you who may
not know, the NJSLA will be taking on a new format this year, one that is adaptive, and our students are currently engaging with the field test model. We will begin with we will begin with our overall district achievement in ELA
and math. If you take a look at ELA English language arts, you will note that we are represented on the uh graphs in blue throughout the presentation and the state data will be represented in orange.
In English language arts, all students, all grades, we continue to make steady gains compared to both ourselves and the state in that we are outperforming the state. The same holds true, you will
note, for our math performance. We will now move on to our data in regards to subgroups. Subgroups are broken down by race and there are six categories. Asian, black, Hispanic,
multiple, other, and white. In English language arts, the subgroups are continuing to make steady progress as well. Now, this is we are uh I'll stop here for ELA for you to take a really quick
look at the data. You will note that we are also continuing to make steady gains within our math subgroup data as well. Now we don't only disagregate by subgroup but
also by program type. The program types are students who are English language learners, those who are economically disadvantaged, students with 504s, students with IEPs,
and our general education students. Here is a look at ELA and math for program types, beginning with, of course, English language arts. Here we are at math in regards to our
uh subgroups. Lastly, in regards to NJGPA, the New Jersey graduation proficiency assessment, we also continue making steady progress and we continue to outperform the state
in and that's the data my uh pardon me for not advancing the slide. That's English language arts. We are blue, the state is orange. And here's our math data
in English language arts. And across the district, we are seeing positive movement in literacy achievement, particularly in grade levels where structured literacy practices are firmly in place. Our continued investments in Orton
Gillingham training, daily foundational skills routines and protected intervention blocks are reflected in this progress. This is not a just one thing we're doing. It's many things that we're doing. We are also seeing narrowing gaps
among several student subgroups which indicate that our tiered supports are increasingly reaching the students for whom they were designed. Moving forward, we will continue to emphasize systematic phonics, vocabulary
development, and academic discourse to strengthen comprehension and writing. In mathematics, we're observing trends in students conceptual understanding, especially in the early grades where instruction emphasizes hands-on learning
and mathematical reasoning. Middle grades continue to be a priority area due to the rising complexity of content and the pathways that lead us to algebraic independence. This year we are reinforcing pacing
expectations, professional learning and problembased instruction and targeted support blocks. These structures ensure that all students have access to grade level mathematics with timely intervention as needed. This affirms our
continued commitments to expanding our dual language immersion program, organizing and supporting ongoing Orton Gillingham training and certification, and strengthening curriculum alignment and lesson design. As I close, I want to emphasize that our
direction is intentional and our progress is very real. We are seeing growth where we have invested deeply. We are seeing gaps begin to narrow and we are aligned on where we where continued focus is needed. Our district remains
grounded in highquality core instruction, strong intervention and enrichment structures, consistency across classrooms and schools and we are so very proud of that. On behalf of our students whose
data was reflected here today, thank you for your time this evening. Thank you, Miss Rodriguez Gomez. We're now going to take a brief two-minute recess before committee reports in case there's anyone who needs to get home to finish homework or get ready for bed.
>> All right, we will now head into committee reports. Miss Lopez, do you have a business administrator's report for us this evening? >> No report at this time. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on to Miss Norwood with curriculum. >> The curriculum committee met on Wednesday, November 5th. In attendance
were Dr. Johnson, Miss Sandra Rodriguez Gomez, Miss Angley, Miss Katamatori, Miss Connor, and myself. There is one curriculum item on the agenda and the committee recommended it for approval. It is 9.01, which is approval of field trips. Uh the most important thing that's been
happening um over the past months actually is the New Jersey QAC process and there's a whole review of instruction and curriculum that goes along with that. Uh Miss Rodriguez Gomez and the content area supervisors have been dedicating a significant amount of
time to ensure that all of these CUSAC documents are ready. Uh I think uh the bottom line is that our QAC is anticipated to be on time with no deficiencies and I think I'll save you um a lot of uh procedural and uh
administrative uh detail that I put in my report. Uh part of this was also uh the presentation in student achievement presentations as was done earlier today to the board earlier this evening to the board but also at Brandt Connors uh on
the 11th uh Wallace and the middle school uh tomorrow on the 12th. Uh the high school uh had it on the 5th. And um that is my report. >> Thank you, Miss Norwood. We'll now move on to Mr. Gra for facilities.
Uh thank you, Miss McGar. Um a good chunk of this meeting was uh devoted to demographics and facilities planning, but we will cover that um separately and I sent you notes on that. I'm going to cover just uh the consent items which will be fairly administrative.
Um the committee which met on November 5th u and Mr. Club was present, I was present, Mr. Mcgherk was present, Mr. Caligie was present, Miss Johnson was president, and Mr. Lara was present.
We recommend um 12.0 we excuse me, we 13.01, which is pretty standard administrative, which is approval of our fire and safety drills. Um, additionally, uh, 13.02 I will cover briefly, that's our monthly
facilities requests. Um briefly the organizations are Hoboken Acres, Hoboken Family Alliance, Hive Athletics, uh Hoboka Cub Scouts and Zog Sports. They will be taking available capacity um at HHS
gymnasium, at Connors, at TAG, and at HHS pool. Um and then the last set of items, which is 13.03, um all the way through 13.08, 08. Um, our two primary partnerships with our
prek providers, Hopes and, uh, Miles Square, there was questions about reassessing the actual space that was leased. So, we actually went through and did another uh, assessment of the actual space. Um, and that resulted in minor changes um, to these lease leases.
Um, this is really of an administrative nature. We do need to approve them, but the board looked at them and the changes are fairly dimminimous. Um and the leases are fairly similar. So we recommend approval on all of those and that is my update. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Gra. We will now go to finance with Mr. Klepel. >> Uh thank you. The finance committee met on Wednesday, November 5th. With me were Mr. Delore, Mr. Grana, Miss Mcgherk, uh Miss Lopez, and Miss Curry. Uh the committee had the opportunity to review
all agenda items, and we do recommend all for approval. Um, and we have a couple of donations. Uh, and I would like to publicly acknowledge uh Miss Mandy Look for her donation of a violin to the Grand Elementary School. And we must acknowledge the uh nearly
250 community members who in really just a handful of days uh combined to donate nearly $27,000 to the district's community of care. uh and that uh money was raised to provide meals to those in our community
facing food insecurity due to the federal government shutdown. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Club. We'll now turn it over to Miss Katamatori for governance. >> Thank you. Governance committee met on
Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. In attendance were Dr. Johnson, Miss Norwood, Miss Angley, Mr. Dr. Club and myself committee to discuss the agenda and recommends all agenda items for approval. As usual, there are a number of items relating to faculty and staff including various athletic appointments
and a few salary increases for the current school year. A few items of note include 10.01 in which includes the resignation of Thomas Lowzy, one of our current middle school security guards for for the purposes of retirement. Mr.
Lely has been with us for about 14 years. We thank him for supporting our district and our students and wish him a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement. 10.13 approves the 202526 qual quantitative and qualitative miracles for the relevant administrative
context for the various administrators listed in the agenda. 10.14 covers the approval of extra compensation for certain school administration support members in connection with their work on various district events held after the regular workday. 10.15
approves the submission of the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, the NJQACT that Miss Norwood mentioned in her report. Um, district performance reviews DPR for INP fiscal governance operations personnel and
related documents. This is the first step in the NJQAC process which begins with a district self-evaluation um using the district performance review document followed by verification by the county office and then evaluation by the state to determine the district's
performance level. Districts must meet specific standards and those that do that don't may need to create a district improvement plan with state assistance. We last went through the QAC process during the 2223 school year wherein we maintained our high performing status
from the previous QAC process by scoring over 80% in each of the affformentioned categories. The current QAC process should be completed next spring. And that is my report. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Katamatori. We'll now go to Miss Delara for wellness.
>> Thank you. The wellness committee met on Wednesday, November 5th in attendance were Dr. Johnson, Miss Connor, Miss Angley, Mr. Delator, and myself. There are no items on the agenda for approval tonight. However, the committee discussed the athletic department
exemplar handbook. Um, this handbook was introduced to the committee with the goal of strengthening leadership among coaches, enhancing team culture, and supporting the athletic and personal development of student athletes. It emphasizes accountability, consistency,
excellence, and equal opportunities across all teams. Dr. Johnson will be tailoring the handbook for each sport. The wellness committee will review and provide feedback before a presentation to the full board in December. I was really glad to hear tonight about the
full banquet at the middle school, which was something that we discussed during committee meeting, and I look forward to the high school banquet as well. Uh there was one particular uh focus on mental health in this um guideline and one thing that the committee emphasized is including a dedicated section on
mental health and training for both coaches and student athletes. This includes addressing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout specifically among female athletes. A student survey will also be distributed at the end of each season to ensure that coaching guidelines are being
implemented effectively. As the high school student government representative reported tonight, our fall athletics um have had really big accomplishments so far. Uh so happy for the girls varsity tennis team for a
second year in a row to be county champions. The girls varsity soccer, first time in Hoboken history to be county champions. And the girls JV volleyball uh as well, they were county champions, which is great. We have so much young talent in our high school. uh
boys soccer division champions and state tournament participants and of course our varsity football undefeated in the regular season and they also competed in the state tournament. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Delara.
I have a brief president's report this evening. I want to start out by congratulating all the fall sports teams at both Hoboken High School and Hoboken Middle School for what is can only be described as a wildly successful fall season. It's been great fun to cheer you on, and you should be very proud of your
accomplishments. This weekend, we pivot to the arts with Hoboken High School theater department bringing Mean Girls to the stage for four performances Friday and Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Break a Leg. And for those of you who do not have tickets yet, they
are available uh on book tick. So, please get your tickets soon. It's sure to be a big hit. And uh our productions here at Hoboken High School are always so wonderful. Um definitely do not miss Mean Girls. Many of the committee
reports this evenings reference the CQAC process which the district is going through this year. I want to say thank you to the administrative team for all of the efforts that they have gone in have put into getting ready for this process. And finally, I'd like to mention the efforts of our facilities
and custodial teams in the aftermath of the very heavy rain on October 30th, 2025. Their work ensured that school was able to open on Halloween and we greatly appreciate their efforts. It was uh nothing short of herculean given the amount of rain that came down and you
know thinking about all the various things that extreme weather brings us. But when you're dealing with extreme weather coupled with some buildings that are multiple buildings that are over a hundred years old, that presents a very special challenge. And I have to say, um, they rose to the occasion just as
fast as the water rose on various street corners around Hoboken. So, hats off to all of you for making sure the kids were able to be back in school on Friday. We will now move on to public comments on agenda items. A reminder before we open for public commentary. Over the years
and most recently, the board has been asked why it does not prohibit or stop comments about school district employees from individuals who speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. The short answer is that the law prevents the board from censoring comments made about district personnel. The board does not condone nor is the
board a party to comments as such. However, just because a speaker may have the right to say what he or she feels, it does not absolve a speaker from liability for any comments that could be viewed as defamatory by an employee. Should speakers say something that
subjects them to a civil suit, the responsibility falls squarely on the speaker and not on the board. Board policy requires that all speakers please state your name, municipal municipality of residents, and business affiliation if any. Speakers are allowed 5 minutes and vice president Angley will quietly
motion when you have 30 seconds left. Please address all comments to the chair. Board policy states that the board welcomes comments on matters of interest to the board, but this is not an opportunity for dialogue or debate between speakers and board members or the superintendent.
We have one speaker, Miss Waiters. Good evening members, board ahead members. I just want to go real quick to page two with the statement that madame chair just said about the public portion and the comments with respect to speaking. I
tell you this every time you say this speech which is you're very you're right. um with what's going on around the world today, you also should respect members of the public. You watch it and I know you do your kids and everybody else on YouTube, Tik Tok, whatever. And
these meetings can get emotional. So that's no excuse for the boy cuz you've been had this on there way before the systemic racism and everything surface on this earth. You can't take a known disregard like it don't exist. But this seem a little harsh when you say you got
the right to say whatever you want out of your mouth or whatever. It's still against the civil rights. But we not here to disrespect each other. We here to respect. You got to give it to receive it. And we also seen on two sides of the spectrum where you have board members and board presidents speak
to us in any tone of voice and express us not to respond back. So thank you again for this quote, but it goes both ways and I want it to be clearly rectified. And with that being said, with me being Patricia Waiters, ran for the board at 27 years, thank God I get
the opportunity to address you, Miss Norwell. Where is she? Address you cuz we had a nice conversation finally. Finally. So you see what happened when something systemic is embedded in the walls and we live in a very political society in
Hoboken. We had this conversation. It touched my heart. I stood on that corner. we both as candidates and watched you right for almost 30 minutes to an hour and felt honored to pull you aside and say it's about understanding. So that bring me here tonight to say
this. I have a very serious matter. I don't want to place it on the record. Like I told you that night I saw you. I'mma tell you again. When you run for public office, your sole duty is to act under the authority of the people. I want to thank y'all too cuz it's on here
too mentioning about the debates. You got little kids running up to me. Oh, there's a little kid. I took his picture cuz his mother was standing there and said I could to show you how it's important to remain professional because you never know who's watching you.
Never. So, I'm upset a little bit because I got a little emotional because I tried to do affirmative action complaints, a lot of stuff. And you guys look the opposite way because I'm Pat Waiters. Oh, she's mean, she's this, she's this. And I'm so glad I got an
opportunity to explain to you. You're running again. That's a good thing. But let's see. Do you have a backbone to speak on every item on this agenda for what is right? Every line says at the request of the superintendent. You still took a oath and you still could question
anything on this agenda. You feel me? You get where I'm going with this, right? So even though like I told you it's politics, I'm asking you again to respect this agenda. Respect people that work in this district. Respect people if our kids graduated 20 years ago they
utilize this system. That's another thing was so disturbing and say well her kids is gone. She don't even have kids in the system. I don't have to have kids. Six kids raised through this system through my mother and my family. And ask what our kids are doing now. Someh our kids have been failed with
this very same system. So don't talk about who's in the system now cuz that's your biasness too. So I'm closing and saying this. Every item on this agenda I'mma disagree with, okay? Because I want to know, did y'all do your homework and welcome aboard for another three or
four years? Did you do your due diligence? Address every issue, every penny, especially the stipens. Remember, we talked about that cuz I want to see money in the classrooms, not in the boardrooms or in somebody's back pocket. I have a situation. You have my
information. Madame President, please contact me. This is very serious. is impacting me and my family, not only as an employee, as a resident. I promise you, council, I'm not going to go into detail. I'm just saying it's so important. And I read the school
legislation. If an important meeting got to be called, I could go right directly through the president. And that's what I'm doing tonight. Please, it's timesensitive. I need the board's attention. Okay? Your whole board in its entirety. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Waiters. Miss Lopez, are there any other speakers signed up for public portion? >> No. >> We will now move on to consent agenda. Is there a motion? >> There's a motion. >> Second. >> Miss Lopez, please call the role.
>> Miss Angley, >> yes. >> Miss Kadamator, >> yes. >> Miss Delera, >> yes. >> Mr. Delator, >> yes. >> Mr. Graa, >> yes. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Mr. Clol, >> yes. Miss Norwood, >> yes. >> Miss Mcgherk, >> yes.
>> Motion passes. >> We'll now move on to public comment on agenda and non-aggenda items. Do we have any speakers signed up? >> We do. We have two speakers. The first is Miss Waiters. Sorry. Happy Veterans Day to everybody that served. Thank you, Mayor Bala. I
said this this morning. and I made it to the event on Alleian Park. He recognized me. That was huge. 27 years of running. I was shocked when he said, "Pat Waiters is here." I was like, "What?" And I was freezing cold, hands frozen and everything. But I love to see unity in
my community. My heart go out to the veterans. I was out there representing my nephew. He's in the Navy, stuck in the middle of the water because of the shutdown. And I told him to hang in there. And my brother was deceased from the Marine Corps. But to all the veterans that serve and elected
officials, this means this is huge. This mean the world to me cuz right now in a time trying times, we got to stick together, find a new way, a new strategy or whatever to embrace, love, and respect each other. Please, the world is in shambles and only we can make it
better by taking a stand to love each other. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Waiters. and I neglected to mention Veterans Day during my president's report. So, thank you for bringing it up. Thank you to all of the veterans who are in our school district working with us and all of the veterans
in the Hoboken community. Uh the next speaker is Manuel Rivera. So, Good evening, Madame President. Good evening, trustees. Good evening, members of the public. And yes, um I would unite
myself to um giving honors to our distinguished veterans, especially Hoboken veterans and veterans across our nation for their service, their sacrifice, their families as well. So we thank them and we honor them hopefully not just today, but every day when we
see a veteran, especially a homeless veteran, um we should always uh extend a hand of help. And with that, I would like to say these expressions. I would like to take, by the way, Manuel Rivera. I'm sorry, I
forgot to say my name. Uh, I would like to take a moment uh to congratulate the trustees who won uh their recent election for board of trustees for their efforts. Um they were uh wellreceived
and we once again thank them for stepping up. We also want to thank those who did not prevail for also stepping up and for answering the call and wanting to serve uh the community. We appreciate them as well and we hope them the best.
We um I would like to also say um with that we also have to remember to those who are victors and those who made promises in the campaign trail that we must remember the promises made the commitments to your community.
Please make all the effort you can to hold true to your word and your promises and to make the district as well managed and fiscally responsible as possible. It
is a importance not only for the benefit of the school district but it's also a benefit directly to the Hoboken students their families the community in general and the taxpayers of Hoboken. So with
that uh there's not much I want to say today but I just want to once again congratulate Mr. Gran Snorwood and Miss again um on their welldeserved victory. Thank you. And we look forward to many good things and of course to come back and say hey I don't like this but I like
that. So with that uh madame uh president uh I yield back. Thank you. Have a good evening. >> Thank you Mr. Solair. We will now be going into executive session for the purpose of discussing matters covered by attorney's client privilege. We will not be taking action.
So we'll be just coming back to close the meeting. We will be approximately 60 to 75 minutes. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> And I'm sorry, I need to amend my statement. Matters covered by attorney,
client privilege, and contact contract negotiations. So, we will be taking approximately 60 to 75 minutes. Do I have a motion? >> Motion >> and second. >> Miss Lopez, can you please call the role? >> Sorry. >> Miss Angley,
>> yes. Miss Cadmator, >> yes. >> Miss Dela, >> yes. >> Mr. Delator, >> yes. >> Mr. G, >> yes. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Mr. Clolo, >> yes. >> Miss Norwood, >> yes. >> And Miss McGerson, >> yes. >> 8:04 p.m. and we're going into executive session.
>> It is now 9:49 p.m. and we are just coming back from executive session. Do I have a motion to resume the meeting? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Second. >> Miss Lopez, can you please call the role? >> Miss Angley? >> Yes. >> Miss Tamatory? Yes, >> Miss Delara. >> Yes, >> Mr. Delator.
>> Yes, >> Mr. Gra. >> Yes, >> Miss Connor. >> Yes, >> Mr. Clufall. >> Yes, >> Miss Norwood. >> Yes, >> Miss Mcgherk. >> Yes. >> And with no further business, do I have a motion to close the meeting? >> Motion. Second. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I.
>> Good evening. Heat. Heat.