you doing? >> All right. We will see how the sound is. I'm not sure what it's like for you remote people. >> I can hear pretty well. Are y'all in the uh are y'all in the room or in the room?
>> The board room. You can hear well because it's you can hear well because I'm sitting right in front of the phone. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's true. That's true. I will say room is like always incredibly difficult. I usually have to have like
my sock. I was trying to be like you, but I wore socks. >> I can't do that. >> I can't do no socks. >> We I know. I can't do it.
Um, Alex, he's good. Yeah. >> Calling this evening's meeting to order. >> We have a roll call.
>> Miss Carter, >> present. >> Dr. Genevacy. Mr. Kapatia >> here. >> Dr. Listen here. Mr. Peters >> here.
>> Mr. Slottman >> here. >> Dr. Stilliano >> here. >> Miss Williams Galliano >> here. >> We have a corn. >> Wonderful. Thank you. The New Jersey open public meeting law meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the
public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of the act, the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education has caused notice of this
meeting to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof communicated to the Hopewell Valley News and the Times on January 7th, 2026. This meeting notice was also sent to Comcast Cable and Verizon FiOS. The
board meeting the board reserves the right to enter into executive session during all meetings of the board of education. The meeting is being recorded for the purposes of board review, future reference, participation, preparation of
the minutes, and viewing on YouTube, Bulldog TV, and the school district website, www.hvrsd.org. Members of the public who intend to participate in public comment, we ask that you sign in prior to speaking at
the deis and this will assist us with our record keeping in the future. Please join me in a flag salute. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the stand.
Repeat. >> Can I get a first and second to approve the minutes for May 18th regular meeting? >> First, >> second. All in favor? Any opposed or abstaining? Seeing none, the minutes are passed and
approved. Okay, we are going to go ahead and move on to our student recognition today. We have TMS restorative circle group here with us. I think they might be out in the hall. And I'll turn it
over to Dr. Trista just give a little intro. Yes. I want to thank and welcome our restorative circle group from the middle school. um they're joining us here today. Mr. Emik, uh the vice principal who is in charge of of coordinating this
um this restorative circle is here today to introduce the students. You all are going to tell us a little bit more about your work. So, I'm not going to steal your thunder. I'm just going to invite you to the podium. Um they're being honored tonight for a wonderful recognition they had an award they won, but also for the great work that they continue to do for the district. So,
without further ado, Mr. Emik. >> Thank you, Dr. Trice. Oh, that's louder than I thought. Um, so just to give you a little intro about what the Restorative Circle is and what we do. A few years back we started a partnership with the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office. And what they do is they bring
two detectives in and with therapy dogs. And now we're up to two therapy dogs as well. And they train our student leaders in restorative practices and how to engage in questioning to repair damage that's done to relationships in the wake of not only just biased incidents, but
also incidents at large. um as middle schoolers are apt to do things relationships fall apart and their goal is to teach their peers through the student leaders that you can always repair those relationships or make determinations about how to move forward if you if you don't intend to. So
throughout the our time with the prosecutor's office, [clears throat] we've been doing that work and our our student leaders and our teachers who I'd love to introduce really lead that charge. So we have Senor Moseri and Miss Fuch here. Um and they really do all the work. So, I'm here speaking, but I don't
I I don't take any credit. It's all the kids and all those teachers. So, this year, in addition to all that work that they do throughout the year, they came to us saying that they would like to enter a competition. So, New Jersey, the Department of Civil Rights has a competition called No Hate in the Garden
State where student groups are allowed to come up with really any project that they would like to fit that theme. And our students decided that, and I love this because it's kind of envisioning a positive thing as opposed to looking at some of the negative things in our world, to envision a world without hate.
And so they [clears throat] engaged in that project in a number of ways, including with a poster competition where any student in the building could design a poster that they thought kind of fit that theme. Um, they helped in partnership with Mr. Turnbull, our principal who's over there as well, uh
to take over the morning announcements and come up with inspiring quotes that fit that theme as well, so that we could blanket the building and those ideas. They went into lunches to do outreach, um you know, spinning a wheel and conversing with students, giving out token prizes, which the the lunch
students just loved. And we were fortunate enough to win second place statewide amongst all middle schools. And I have to tell you, we we went to a it was a Zoom um and we got to see the other winners. And when you see the amazing work that's being done in the state, it's just incredible. But to know
that our students were honored as the second best middle school participant is just unbelievable and I couldn't be more proud. Um, so I I want to applaud them. We do have some of our participants. I think it's I I would like one our teachers to come up and introduce them if you could introduce the students or
at least one of them if that's all right because they're the ones who really did the work and I think they deserve to be acknowledged. >> Thank you so much for having us. Um, so this evening we have Daniel Warino, [applause] Britney Sardas, [applause]
Elanor Colton, [applause] Ashra Mananda, [applause] Benjamin Lei, [applause] Dylan Horvath, >> [applause] >> And unfortunately this evening um Eve Irwin could not make it, Julia Goodrich,
Ali Ananian, Zoe Means and Maya Snyder. And that is our group of 12. And we are really thrilled and we are really blessed to work with this group. So thank you so much >> and I would love for for you to share your name with us as well as your >> My name is Elena Miseri. I teach Spanish
at Timberlain. This is Lizzie Fuch and she teaches special education. >> Thank you both so much for your >> If I can give a little bit more background on this group before, um, well, we're going to take a quick pause and go take pictures with them because I know Mr. Sadiski is going to want
pictures, right? Um, you want to be in the newspaper. Um, so I just want to say, uh, it's it's I think that the the group has been in place like three years now, third year. Um I was approached by um detective um Marlon Webb um who we
had worked many years in the past. He had come in and done work with us um in and um with our csos about working with different populations of students as our demographics began to change. He had worked with the prosecutor's office for years doing racially sensitive policing work. And so he did that work with our
csos. he approached me and this was a new program that the prosecutor's office started as a district all the districts in New Jersey must report any incidents of bias uh possible bias crime that happens. So anytime we have an harassment, intimidation and bullying
report that's specifically around um you know violations of race that could be considered a possible hate crime. Most of the things that happen in our district do not rise to that level. 99.9% of them don't. But we do have to report all of those to the prosecutor's
office. Uh we do it through our local police department who then passes that on to the prosecutor's office. And when they do have a case that they they deem um appropriate, they actually bring that student in and they start a file on that student. to stop from having to start
all these files on young people and and getting them right in the disciplinary police stream of of of discipline. They started these restorative circles where they formally trained populations of a group of students that are identified by middle schools and high schools. We were one of the first middle schools that they were working with. They started in
Hamilton and the first case and incident that happens the students take on that that mediation and they do a tremendous job. I've had the opportunity to sit in and watch them do this work. They really do ask questions and allow the students to come to the resolution on their own.
And they do administer discipline at the end of that, right? And usually it's it's it's something that's very closely aligned to our student code of conduct. They don't force an apology, but having seen them do the work, um apology happens whether it formally does in that circle or not. You can see the kids are back being friends almost before they
leave that circle. So, it's important work and they've extended it beyond those just biased comments. We have since extended that work with um Detective Webb sits in the circle with the students um and his K9 partner. These are not therapy dogs, they're K9 officers um Sunny. And then they also
now have a group that's going at our high school. Um so it's it's it's amazing work that we're doing. Um and I just really am impressed that these students have really uh taken it on and they take it very seriously and it's very impressive work. I haven't seen adults run circles as well as they have. So I thank you all for the for the work
that you're doing. let the board have any questions or >> can I I was like yeah please I was just gonna say um we are so deeply impressed um I think the entire community is and I know here at the board we've been having
a lot of conversations right I think we're all living in a world right now where there is a lot of hate and particularly I think children are exposed more to this with social media than they ever have been um and we've been having conversations at the board level with administrators and you know what are the things we can do and how do
we support children in our schools but there is nothing more powerful than creating this change at a school than when students lead it and so we are deeply grateful for each of you and your work and I hope that this is um you continue to do this work for your lifetime because we need more people
like you so thank you very much [applause] I just wanted to say that normally um emotional intelligence building is not rewarded with a second place. So what you guys are doing is really incredible and the
fact that you did it within 3 years and as 11 12 13 14 year olds is profound. So, thank you. >> And we definitely are going to take that picture because you'll want to look back on this moment.
>> But I I do want to underscore what Dr. Stalliano said is that this skill makes a different a difference for your entire life. There are adults that are still learning these skills and there are
adults that are still learning the power of using language freely um in in standing in in the shade of free speech. And I know that that's
complicated legal language, but in truth sometimes we use things as a shield to protect the harm we have done. And so the work that you all are doing now matters for this moment, but it will matter forever in your life. And I I
just celebrate what was said already, but encourage you to hone this, continue to reflect back on it. Um because it'll give you power and influence in how you build teams, how you build communities,
how you work with people in your life. and it matters. So, thank you so much. Um, and keep going. Quick break for pictures. [laughter] Uh, who's right? The problem is I don't have USB.
>> Yep. Next slide. >> I know [laughter] these these uh these laptops. >> No, you know what? We'll just I just won't be able to do anything while you
do that. You can [laughter] So, if something happens to this, I cannot I cannot be trusted to use a touch. See if it works. because every night is a big night when we get to celebrate the kids. I do want
to now pass the baton over to Carolyn McGrath, our fearless leader in the in a a lot of clubs, but in this case, the [laughter] green climate change Oh, I have gum in my mouth. So, sorry if
I'm chewing gum. This is a little rude. Um, good evening board of education and HBRSD head. Thank you. Administration. Um, as you said, I'm Carolyn McGrath. I am co-chair of the
climate action committee and I'm also the advisor to the youth environmental society at HVCHS and I have several of the students here with me this evening. Um and we're going
to be presenting an overview of the progress on implementing our district's climate action plan. And I am so super excited because we have two students here this evening who are alumni who are
graduates uh from Hopewell who wrote the original proposal four years ago. So they're here to join us this evening. Next, please. Oh, actually I can do it.
>> Yes. So, first I want to acknowledge my co-chair um Dr. Bertell who could not be here this evening um but also the huge number of volunteers that are on this
committee who have been tireless over the last four years and um I also want to thank the administration for your support and the board for your support. So,
the climate action plan has oops has four different areas. Education, transportation, food and waste, resilience, and facilities. And we're going to be walking through each of those.
So, education. So some highlights from this year we had Laura Shifter and sorry I have a tremor and it gets worse when I do public speaking so sorry [laughter] Laura Shifter and Shiva Raj Bandari from
this is Planet Ed. um they're nationally recognized speakers on school climate action and they met with our committee and gave us really wonderful feedback on the work we're doing and how we can move
things forward. Uh we were also really excited to part partner with STEM Teachers NYC through a mini grant program. And this allowed us to bring in professional development
um for teachers both in our district as well as we were able to open it up to neighboring uh teachers. And we had uh a speaker from the New Jersey Environmental Justice
Alliance as well as the um Native American Advancement Corporation. And also side note, I got to present some best practices at their conference uh that we've been doing here at
Hopewells. So that was pretty exciting. So, the Seal of Climate Literacy, I've been on this committee for the last year. It's a statewide committee and we're hoping to have this complete by
the end of the summer so it could be adopted statewide. It would be um for students to have an endorsement on their high school diploma indicating that they
have focused on areas of climate. So this year we also partnered with the EcoPto and uh Hop Valley native plant exchange and we uh had a native seed sewing
extravaganza which was a huge success. So green week am I am I doing green week? I'm carrying on. Oh yes, [laughter and gasps] I am carrying on. Okay. Green week. Green week is we're in our sixth year of
Green Week and we have events from community cleanups, bike bus, student expo. We had um nationally recognized speakers come to the district, speak with students, meet with students and we
also had a second year of tree planting. Also this year um one of our yes club members worked with foss and this was overseen by Helen Corvaline who teacher
at the middle school and this is a micro forest that was planted at Timberlane Middle School. So that was during green week as well. So you probably know this from last
year. The big harrah was that we received a 30,000 plus grant from the department of education for climate literacy for community resilience. And one of the first things
we did was last summer we hosted a community meeting. That's this photo right there. And we organized a cohort of teachers to write curriculum. um that curriculum spanned
um elementary, middle and high school and it also uh was across four different subject areas. So that was a huge expansion of climate curriculum. We also partnered with Monmouth
University for free professional development. Um they were our community partner through sorry our sorry CC partner through this process uh
providing professional development for our staff and I'm going to turn things over to Sarah. All right. Good afternoon. Um, so HBRC students also we had the opportunity at
this event which happened this past spring at Monith University to meet with other schools and it was just like this big event where we all got to um learn from each other how each of us was uh using this grant differently. Um, is
there like a clicker or something? Sorry, could you? Okay. Then we also got an additional grant from the Hopel Valley Education Foundation and through this we were able to um provide some experiential learning opportunities for
HB students at the watershed institute. So, for example, um we had some of the younger kids, like the third graders, um at all four elementary schools, the waterershed actually came over and gave like this really cool lesson on like uh
stuff to do with like water and whatever. And um next slide. Okay. And then we also um got to have some students in TMS, the middle school's um energy and the environment class and the high schools
engineering classes. They got to visit the watershed and learn firsthand about green infrastructure. So they got to take a fun little field trip. Um and yeah, this one's Miranda. Hi. The lessons that Oh,
okay. The lessons that HVRs teachers wrote last summer came alive when students in grades 3 through 12 STEM classes got to explore green infrastructure through hands-on lessons in their classrooms. Students in grades 7 through 12 investigated rain garden design and the
benefits of native plants through project-based learning. Grade 11 English students created multimedia projects that highlighted the environmental justice impacts of storm water. Students in grades 3 through 12 crafted art about pollinators and native plants
that will be displayed in the rain gardens. In total, hundreds of Hopewell students experienced meaningful solution focused climate resilience lessons this year as part of our participation in the NJ DOE grant program.
I'll be turning over to Julia. >> [applause] >> The next focus area of our climate action is transportation. At the end of the 2025 school year, we shared a survey with the HBRSDA community, gathering information about personal vehicle transportation to and
from school. We then analyzed the data gathered from these surveys. This past year, we also took uh drone footage of arrival times at TMS and CHS, demonstrating a high volume of traffic on Timberlane Drive and Pennington Titusville Road at arrival times.
Yes, students gathered on the ground data about the number of personal vehicles dropping students off at school. When we analyze that data, we found significant emissions contributions from personal vehicle use. Stony Brook Green Team students also
gathered data on car drop offs and analyze the carbon footprint of those vehicle trips. From these analysis, we see how personal vehicle transportation is a significant contributor to our district's emissions footprint. Now, over to Bella.
Okay. So, the next focus area of our climate action plan is going to focus on food and waste. This year, we received the report from the Ruckers Cooperative Extension Food Waste Team that outlined their work with Hopewell Elementary School and Stony
Brook Schools. And the climate corpse member assigned to these schools performed food waste audits with students before and after waste reduction lessons. And this data is specifically from Stony Brook before and after these lessons. And as we can
see there's a significant decrease in food waste. And then this next set of data is from Copwell Elementary where we can see the same trend. And then next, this chart depicts some
major areas of food waste in our schools, which is a major greenhouse gas contributor. And then now I'm going to turn it over to SL. The uh the next focus area of our climate action plan is resilience. Our
work in the area of resilience has focused on providing district families with climate related resources when extreme weather events occur. Yes, members have been at the forefront of promoting mental health in the face of climate change. At the high school,
we hosted workshops and created educational displays. Last year, we used lessons from psychology psychologist Leslie Davenport's book to teach younger students strategies for emotional resilience in a changing climate.
Uh, I don't know who's [applause] our last focused area of our climate action plan is facility. The climate action committee has been very grateful for our partnership with storm water experts from the wershed and the Mercer County Planning Cup who's provided free
professional assessments of the district's major storm water risk. Using their reports as a starting point, we worked with partners at the watershed institute to identify sites at each campus that could be developed into rain gardens.
Site preparation began in April and includes included dozens of student, parent, and community volunteers. Each site took more than a day to prepare for planting. During green week, the plants arrived and students planted thousands of native plants across the district. Hundreds of
students participated through six days of planning across all the Hopewell schools. These are the completed gardens which we will be watering and watching grow through the summer and fall. Eventually, the rain gardens will provide nature-based storm water protection and pollinator habitats at
each school. Now, turning it back to Miss McGrath. I'm so proud of these guys. They're so good. [laughter] So, I'm super excited that we have been approved for a second year of funding
through the NJDOE grant um which will allow us to continue to expand climate curricula as well as to support the physical gardens themselves. So, very
excited about that news. So, I am just here for a moment and I'm going to turn the last part over to Julia. So, you may ask, what's next for climate action at HVRs?
It's been four years since the Youth Environmental Society created the climate action proposal and the board of education passed a resolution for climate action. The climate action committee has made significant progress uh towards our district's climate action goals in the
last four years, including securing over 90,000 in external funding, expanding professional development and curriculum, arranging numerous pro bono consultants, performing extensive data collection and analysis, deepening community resilience, and organizing an extensive
number of community-based events. However, the high level actions needed to move us towards less re reliance on fossil fuels and greater facilities resilience have been stalled. We cannot achieve these goals without greater leadership from the administration and the board of education.
Therefore, we are asking that the following priority actions be taken. Take immediate advantage of free technical assistance programs to plan for electric school buses. Apply in the next rounds of funding for electric buses like similar schools in Montgomery, West Windsor, and Princeton.
Explore long-term cost-effective options for reestablishing district-wide composting or remove signs indicating that we compost. Establish a regular space in the weekly district bulletin where the climate action committee can directly share climate related resources within the community. Schedule a meeting
between the climate action committee and the board finance and facilities committees to review recommendations in the climate action plan. And finally, schedule a meeting with community partners from the watershed and Mercer County planning with the facilities director, superintendent of business,
and the superintendent to review storm water risks. Now passing it over to Miss McGrath to end the presentation. >> [applause] >> So, thanks for listening to our summary of our progress as well as next steps
and we look forward to continuing to partner with the board and the administration. Um Julia and other students are actually passing out a report that more fully um
provides goes into more detail uh of our progress and provides a road map for moving forward. So we have copies we have some extra copies and we hope that you'll take the time to read these so
that we can move forward together. Yes, if you could put back that slide with the check marks on it. Yes. >> So, I have agreed to all of these. Um, but [laughter] I know we have to figure out the bus situation. I know that's going to be something to do a little bit more
research in. Um, but I already have meetings set up with our directors of facility to examine composting. I know that there was a something fell through with our vendor. Um, we can start small. I've talked to the students and it doesn't have to be all the schools, but this is something we did do in this district and we need to bring it back.
Um, in terms of the other items that are up here, these are all items that are well achievable and um, our students have worked really hard to make these things happen. Um, so we have agreed to these things, including providing a corner of my superintendent newsletter to update folks so that we don't have to wait till the end of the year to see all
the amazing work that the staff and the students are doing. And this is completely studentled, you all. Um, they they give me my marching papers and I march, right? So, we've been volunttoled to do all this stuff and I think the least we can do is follow through and do those things. So, that's my recommendation.
>> Awesome. Yeah. I I can't say enough and I'll let um open the floor to the rest of the board to speak if they'd like, but um there is a number of times in our experience as board members where there
is just a clear mandate from the students and this is one of them that is been clear and resounding and consistent and I want to acknowledge you all for that. Um I I this is not the first time
we've seen that list which means um we've had ongoing discussions because some of them are going to take many years to actually implement. We've talked about busing the electric um busing and what it might take for us to
actually convert any one or multiple buses. So, I applaud you not just for continuing to do the research. Um, because all of this is researchbased and I very much appreciate that, but also
for the consistency because it's not just giving up and walking away and saying, "Well, they didn't hear us." You've accepted that it takes time and you're going to continue to to hone in on the message. So just huge huge
acknowledgement. Um all of you spoke very clearly about uh the work and that means you are intimately involved, right? It's not a script that you're um just reading, but that you're really living this out. So we appreciate it. I
hear you and I look forward to our continued work together to figure out how we get some of these big items figured out for our school district. Anyone else from the board?
Okay, seeing none, thank you so much. [applause] Do we Do we want to do a picture? Mark the moment. Let's mark the moment. Is everybody back? Okay. [clears throat]
>> All right. Well, we have one more um item on the agenda before we go to public comment. Um so, this one is a little bit of a surprise to the agenda maker.
Um, but this would be one of you would one of Bob Kerita's last board meetings with us. >> Not one of >> I'm I know it's a I just let let me let me go with it might um just in case.
[laughter] Um but the um board is really just humbled by our opportunity to work with such an amazing business administrator
and representative of of work that most schools would die to have this level of competency um in running the office. And so we have um created a resolution on behalf of uh Mr. Calvita. So, I'm going
to have uh Vice President um Dr. Lillston read it out for us. All right. So, sorry. Um so, this is the resolution honoring the retirement of Robert Kolivita from the Hopelo Valley Regional
School District. Whereas, Robert Kolivita has devoted over 30 years of his career to public education. And whereas Robert Kolivita has served the Hopel Valley Regional School District with dedication, integrity, and excellent excellence for 24 years. And
whereas Robert Kolivita has demonstrated excellence in financial and operational management of the district. And whereas the business office of the Hope Valley Regional School District under the leadership of Robert Kolivida has won multiple certificates of excellence in
financial reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International. And there's one more whereas whereas the board recognizes that Robert Kolivita's service has positively impacted colleagues, students, and the broader Hopewell
community. resolved that the Hope Valley Regional School District Board of Education hereby honors the retirement of Robert Kolivita and expresses deep gratitude for Robert Kolivita's service and dedication to the Hopewell Valley
Regional School District. Resolve that this resolution shall be recorded in the official minutes of the board of education and archived for future reference. So, thank you, Bob. So, we have this for you. And then we also have a card that has been signed by current
and future board members. Uh, current, not future, current and prior board members. >> The elections are on the up. >> We'll allow the future ones to do it too if they want to. [laughter] [applause] [applause] It's really fun to make him turn red, [clears throat] [laughter]
but also he really, really does deserve the acknowledgement. So, we didn't really do it just for embarrassment. [laughter] [gasps] Okay, with that, we are now preparing for public comment for the evening.
Members of the public are invited to address the board on any matter for a maximum of three minutes during this portion of the meeting. You're asked to state your name, address, and municipality. In response to your comments, the board of education may respond or direct the
superintendent to do so. The board may also opt to take the matter up at a future meeting so that the matter is researched by the district administration. Members of the public who intend to participate in public comment, we ask that you sign in prior to speaking. This
will assist us with our record keeping. >> One more thing, you have three minutes. At 2 and 1/2 minutes, I'm going to hold up the yellow sign and then at 3 minutes, I'll hold up the red side. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh my name is Cara Leus. I live at 23 East Welling Avenue
in Pennington Burough and I am speaking as a mother of two hope fall graduates, one to be graduating in four days, three days. Countdown is on the way. I'm also an educational researcher and I'm a psychologist here in Penningtonboro.
I'm asking the board to reconsider the decision to cut the German language program. When my oldest child was choosing a world language 12 years ago, I will admit that I had preconceived notions about whether German was useful,
practical, and whether it was needed with so many Germans speaking English. I think some of you may hold those same assumptions. So, I asked my colleagues who are experts in language acquisition and
their advice was clear. The fastest way to ensure a child does not become bilingual is to take away their choice to learn the language they're interested in. They also told me that because so few districts have German, the German
teachers are exceptional in Hopewell. If they don't lose have a job here, there's not many jobs. That advice proved true. My oldest children German and all my others followed the German program. um became more than a class. Starting in sixth
grade, they saw the same group of students every single year, every class together. Uh beginning at Timberlane into the high school. In many ways, it functioned like a multi-year academic home room, a stable, engaging community
within a larger school. The program also opened doors that no other HBSR HBRSD language program offered because so few high schools offer German, so few middle schools offered German, my children achieved great competence in the
language. My middle child received financial scholarships from local German society and was selected for a year-long program supported by both the German and United States governments through the Department of State. uh and she was not the first hopeal student to do that.
Many hopeal students have received these awards. Uh German gave my children autonomy, competence and relatedness often referred to as the psych psychological nutrients of motivation and engagement. Even if enrollment is limited and I
learned when I arrived that it is not limited. this program has outside value and I ask you to reconsider any limited cost savings since all students do need to take a foreign language and I heard a rumor that a French teacher might be hired so I don't even know if there is
cost savings. Um and in just in closing I'll just ask you to please preserve German Um, I'm Bonnie Lou, 12 Lindon Lane, Pennington Burough. Um, good evening, board of ed and administrators. I'm here tonight to speak on behalf of the gifted students
in our district. As a former secondary educator and a parent of two children in the exceptionally abled program, our gifted program, one who's currently finishing up fifth grade and one who's currently finishing up seventh grade, I have for years raised my concerns with administrators over the way the district is fundamentally failing our gifted
learners. However, this is my first time bringing it directly to the board. In January of 2020, Governor Murphy signed the Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act, stating that gifted students in grades K through 12 require modification to their educational programs to achieve their capabilities. Our current EA program doesn't come
close. Gifted learners are students with special needs. Yet, we treat their education as an afterthought and as a result, these students often become disengaged and frustrated by school. First, I want to clarify that both Miss Lester and Mr. Sedone, the EA teachers that my kids have had have been wonderful. The true program is with the
resources allocated to the EA program by the district and the program structure. Let me begin by sharing some numbers and I'm happy to explain all my calculations in detail if anyone's interested. Um, in grades K through two, students are not identified as gifted and differentiating differentiation is left up to teacher discretion. There's no EA program. In
grades three through five, students in the EA program receive between one and one and a half hours of gifted pullout each week in the best case scenario. That means that over 95% of their academic week is spent without gifted modifications. For fifth graders, their weekly hour even forces them to miss
core academic periods, which they then have to make up the work for. We were promised the middle school would allocate more time to EA. And yet, we received an email just this past Friday from Mr. Umstead telling us that next year the time given to sixth graders in the EA program will be cut in half from what was offered this past year. Because
the incoming sixth grade has more gifted learners, the district has penalized them by cutting the sixth grade programming in half, dropping it down to a mere 2% of their total academic time. Furthermore, while the seventh and eighth grade options look better on paper with regards to time and gifted programming, they force a heartbreaking
choice. Students must give up electives to take EA. My own seventh grader dropped EA this past year because she had to give up either art or music, two of the things that are most stimulating her, in order to receive gifted services. Students with IEPs receive accommodations during their academic
classes or during the core block at TMS. Our gifted students should not have to sacrifice their elective time just to have their academic needs met. Compounding this, their abrupt removal of German, as spoken previously, felt like an insult to these incoming sixth graders, many of whom specifically had
chosen German for its known academic rigor that they so desperately crave. Other districts prove a better way is possible. A dear friend in the Council Rock School District shared with me what her gifted children receive. Elementary gifted education there replaces a a subject each day for 50 minutes. In
middle school, it's a 100 minutes a day across science and social studies. And at the high school level, 150 to 150 minutes are spent in classes geared solely to gifted learners. Hope doesn't even offer gifted modifications at the high school level. Council Rock's example of offering gifted programming during academic periods provides a model
for what Hopeell should be doing. I understand that budgeting and scheduling create complicated logistical challenges. I was an educator myself, but logistics should not dictate compliance with state law. Our gifted students deserve a core curriculum that integrates differentiation and respects their needs. I urge the board to review
our EA scheduling and resource allocation immediately. We need to do better for these kids. Thank you. Um, good evening, superintendent and board. Um, my name is Marian Leos. I live at 10 Model Avenue in Hopewell Burough. Um, I'm here tonight as a taxpaying
resident for the last 17 years, as well as a proud parent of two elementary school students, of which the youngest is in the corner on the floor as an entering kindergartener. So, I am at the very beginning of my HBRSD journey. I'm not going to lie, HBRSD was a
significant influence on my decision to move to Hopewell. You know, it seemed to have near limitless opportunities for students, and we have incredible teachers. Caroline McGrath is just one of so many inspirational teachers we're lucky to have. In the last two years, the struggles at HS HBRSD has been
facing have become more serious. You know, the fiscal cliff is here and it's no longer in the future. you know, I've I've attended some of the meetings. I've watched the YouTubetubes, man. Um, I commend you for managing the situation as well as you are. Um, but I
still can't help but feel sadness that what now that I'm finally here with my children. I'm just hearing about more and more cuts. Recently, I heard that German will no longer be offered at Timberling, and I'm assuming it's due to low enrollment, but
now I'm hearing maybe it's not. Um, I know you're phasing out low enrollment classes. I'm concerned that without the feeder program into the middle school, perhaps even one day, German at the high school is no longer available. This brings me to two questions. Will there be a comprehensive list of the
difficult decisions made to operate HBRC within its budget? When each cut happens in isolation, we don't see the big picture impacts. And so, it feels like we're having a death of a thousand little cuts. But each one of those cuts impacts our students in ways and I know you know that but as taxpaying residents
and as parents of students when we only hear like a little bit here and a little bit here we don't see the monumental changes that are happening for those of us that have lived in the district for so long and moved for a very specific reason. Um, and are there professors for
independent study of world languages for families looking for a deep commitment to a language such as German? As it would happen, aside from the German program being excellent here, and I didn't even know that when I first moved here, and that's amazing news. I also married a German, which means I have little German American citizens and they
understand the language, but darn it if they speak it because guess who doesn't speak it? Their dad does. And guess they don't read and write, you know? So having more time in a school system like us teaching that language would have been incredible. So um those are those
are my two questions. Thank you. Hi. Uh, my name is Sarah Kabi. I'm at Three Park Avenue in Pennington Burough. Um, I have three kids in the district. Um, including a rising fifth grader who is in EA uh the EA program and who hoped
to was excited to study German. Um, I want to second everything that Bonnie said about the EA program. Um, but I want to devote my time um tonight to uh the decision to eliminate German at the middle school. Um, I don't take the
budget pressures the district is under lightly. I I know that everyone has been working to minimize that impact over years. Um, and I understand, I don't love, but I understand, you know, the decision to shift some of the
costs of those extras, courtesy busing, after school enrichments, all of those things more onto parents. Um, and I get it. But eliminating an academic program, especially one that I have been told is is reasonably popular. I'm sure it's not
as big as Spanish, but um, it is reasonably well enrolled and beloved by the students who take it. I would hope that that would be an absolute last um last resort because once a program like this is gone, it just it doesn't come back. It seems all but impossible to
imagine. Um and so I would like to believe that a decision of that import would be made with great deliberation uh and that um that everything was done to save it. um the timing and the way this change
was rolled out haven't given me that confidence that I would like to have. Um if all the other options were being weighed and this was truly the only way to make the numbers work, I would have expected to hear about that decision before students were allowed to enroll
uh to register for classes. But that's not the way this went down. You know, um our kids were told that German was an option. they enrolled and it wasn't until they were um in the case of Tollgate kids at least having a tour of Timberlane that they were told that they
would not be able to take German which was turned an exciting happy day into a real a real bummer with some kids coming home in tears which kids are going to be disappointed sometimes that's a that's life but this was a real um felt like an
own goal um and the fact that it so seemingly last minute implies that it was a reactive decision made hastily. That may not be the case, but that feels like the implication. Um,
I know hiring specialty teachers can be challenging, but did the district try and fail to find a replacement or just seize the opportunity to make a cut? How much is really being saved if those students just have to take a different language instead? Um, as Cara said, you
know, kids so rarely get to choose a subject to study in depth, something that they are really excited about. Um, and having that choice among languages was a really special thing. And offering more than the bare minimum is something that Hopewell has always done and I hope
will continue to strive for. Uh, good evening. My name is Sarah McFarland. I live at 107 Jameson Drive in Pennington Bro. Um, I have a son in fifth grade and a daughter in first grade at Colgate. I'm here to echo what
Bonnie said um and to represent the many parents who are disappointed in the hope of Al EA programs um and the recent changes to the middle school curriculum serving our gifted students. Uh gifted students are often viewed as the children who will succeed no matter
what. Uh but that assumption overlooks their educational needs. Just as students who are struggling academically deserve instruction tailored to their abilities, gifted students deserve a curriculum that challenges them at their level. When gifted learners spend years
repeating material they have already mastered, they can become disengaged, underachieved, and lose their love of learning. My son began disengaging from school in third grade and remained uninterested until he started the EA program with Miss Lester in fourth
grade. She reignited his love for learning and he finally felt understood, excited, and challenged. I worry that Noah and many others like him will disengage again in middle school without an adequate EA program. Middle school is a particularly important time because
students are developing their identities, study habits, and long-term attitudes towards education. Without appropriate challenges, many gifted students never learn how to handle difficulty, setbacks, or intellectual risk-taking. It's my understanding that
there is already a supervisor in charge of Coco Valley's gifted education. I implore this board to call upon this resource to find solutions so that our gifted children receive the education that they too deserve. Limiting the curriculum to half a year is a
disservice to their education and full potential. Thank you. Okay, members of the board, thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. My name is Anna Ravenfield Murphy. I'm a resident of Pennington Burough, 118 East Delaware Avenue.
I'm the parent of two children at Tollgate Grammar Elementary School and an active youth sports coach in our community. Professionally, I'm a licensed psychologist and public servant who has served the federal government, state of North Dakota, the state of New Jersey, and the Hope Valley community
for over 15 years. I'm here tonight to join the collective voices of the parents advocating for our children. Sorry, I didn't think I would get emotional. Um, and for all the future students within this district,
I fully support the concerns addressed by Bonnie Lou regarding the EA intervention and wish to have my support for her commentary noted for the record. Additionally, I want to express my deep concern regarding the district's track
record in meeting the needs of advanced learners. I will keep my comments broad and brief since I'm probably wasting time catching my breath. I'm happy to share specific details of my experience in a private setting if anyone is so interested.
Our district uses taxpayer funded standardized test assessments to identify the exceptionally able in our student body. However, I've seen firsthand when the evidence-based recommendations from these objective assessments are not
followed. The reasons cited by administrators and teachers alike are things such as lack of resources or concerns regarding a child's social emotional needs. This raises a significant question for me.
Why are we paying for these measures as taxpayers if we are not utilizing the resulting data and recommendations? Furthermore, I implore the board to examine the language used by administrators regarding person-
centered interventions for advanced learners. Often differentiation or acceleration is withheld due to quote social emotional concerns. I've been hearing this for years, among other reasons. Yet, there
seems to be little consideration for the social emotional risks of an underchallenged student such as underachievement, boredom, disengagement, and social isolation. We should be more concerned about the
consequences of failing to challenge these students than the challenges themselves. A one-sizefits-all model is incompatible with a genuine commitment to social and emotional well-being, especially when no
formal assessment of that well-being has been conducted to justify withholding services. Thank you for your time and consideration. Good evening. My name is Nora Wden. Um I live at 32 Eglantine Avenue in Pennington Burough and I have three
children in the school district, two at the high school and one who is just finishing Tollgate this year. I would also like to express concern this evening over recent cuts to meaningful academic programs, specifically our German program. And I would also like to
um add my voice to the things that have been said previously about the exceptionally aabled program. Um both of these cuts affect my rising sixth grader. I am of course disappointed for him, but more than that, I'm very wary of the district
making choices to cut academic and enrichment opportunities that are meaningful to our students and their growth rather than exploring cutting any other options, administrative costs or trimming in other areas. Um, I agree that cutting an academic or enrichment
opportunity should be a very last resort. The diversity of learning that we offer our students really matters. When we trim down our offerings and cut language options, arts options, or enrichment options, we provide less meaningful input and learning for our students, and
our curriculum becomes watered down and less engaging for them. That diversity of options also serves various learning styles, types of intelligences, and interests. and it meaningfully affects our children's experience and engagement in their learning. I am leerary that
these cuts represent our district prioritizing in a way that does water down our curriculum and offerings and weakens us as a highquality school district. One that I am so proud to be part of. I realize that German is still planned as an offering at the high
school. However, the district has been very clear across the years that it encourages students to choose a language in sixth grade and stick with that language all the way through high school, ideally as this leads to increased learning and mastery. This will no longer be an option.
Every avenue should be pursued to preserve a rich diversity of meaningful offerings to our students. cutting programs like language, exceptionally aabled programs or other arts or enrichment programs should be avoided at all costs. These things are just as meaningful to our students whole
education as their core subject areas. So I would like to ask the board to reconsider cutting German. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Jennifer Gasparine. I'm at 304 Bird Street in Pennington Burrow. Um I also have two
elementary age students, one entering Timberlane next year. And I'm here just to echo what Bonnie and Sarah said regarding the EA program and the cuts being made at the middle school level. Um, I just want to make sure that my
statements and concerns about it are um the same as theirs. Uh, the cut regarding the sixth grade program specifically being half the year as opposed to the full year starting in the elementary school, the fact that they're just meeting once a week for maybe an
hour. Um, those are things I'm asking you to please look into and um, take that into consideration that these students have special learning needs just like other students with special learning needs in our district and um,
so um, just ask you to take a look at that as well. Thank you. Anyone else? Hi everyone. My heart is pounding. I wasn't planning on speaking, but um my name is April McCoy. I live in Hopeboro Township and
I'm here to talk about math and um I'm a parent in the district and I didn't get the memo about the gifted kids. I'm actually here for the average kid, the kids still developing their academic identity. Um and I actually don't believe in the dichotomy of um gifted
versus struggling. Um, I came here initially because of my son's math placement. But somewhere between like reading the policy, talking to educators, and obsessing over the policy, I realized it's not just about one kid. It's about the system overall. And like many parents, I spent the last few weeks trying to understand the math
pathways available to kids and the consequences attached to placement decisions made in the sixth grade. And um, to be honest, I need like a flowchart and a spreadsheet to get all the placements. But what I discovered um you know surprised me a little bit. Um a
student who misses the a placement benchmark by just a few points can find themselves on a pathway that delays um their algebra until 9th grade. And for a 12-year-old that's like a significant consequence. Um and that's like by a few points. Um and it raises a broader
concern. Are we designing our math pathways around what students need today or assumptions about what may no longer be true? And to me, the question should not be, how do we keep students out of algebra until they're perfectly ready? But if we're waiting, but if we're
waiting for 12-year-olds to be perfectly ready, um, we're going to be waiting for a really long time. For me, the question should be, how do we help more students become successful in algebra? And those are two two very different questions. One focuses on sorting, and the other focuses on growth. Um, one is a
gatekeeping mechanism, and the other one focuses on opportunity. And um I do want to be care careful here because I don't want to claim that I'm expert in everything. Um I can't spell. I do not know the difference between a rhino and a hippo. Um and if you ask me what I had for lunch yesterday, I would not be able to tell you that. But teaching and
learning just happens to be like one of the things that I do know about. Um I know about student motivation. I know how opportunity actually shapes outcomes and happen to be one of the few things that um supports and um kids in um learning. um as an educator um as a part of my work for years. I visited schools
across the country and conducted hundreds of empathy interviews with students and educators and I visit exceptional districts across the country and one thing I've learned is that students when the students rise to a challenge and research shows over and over and over again that instead of limiting access increasing access put
that down. [laughter] Limiting access actually does not help and they rise to a challenge and access actually matters. Opportunity matters. the stories that kids tell themselves about who gets to take like the advanced courses and who doesn't it matters and research consistently shows that
participation in advanced courses is one of the strongest predictors of academic um um future academic opportunity and so we should possibly align um and think about maintaining these high standards but we should be asking ourselves the hard question about whether or not current placement policies are
identifying potential it's okay >> Mark can you sign in and read the rest of this Please, >> there there is a second there is a se second public comment >> or someone else can tap in. >> Husband, please sign in and start from
here. [laughter] We can't lose momentum. To start with, we should absolutely maintain high standards and go on, but we should also be asking. >> Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I know what the the passion's going to be lacking. Uh, all right. All right, let me sign in
here. All right. Hello. My name is Mark Robinson. I'm April's husband. I live at 12 Harbertton Ridge Drive in uh Hopewell
Township. Uh okay. So uh where we left off was predictors of uh future academic opportunity. >> We should absolutely maintain high standards but we should also be
asking hard questions about whether our current placement policies are identifying potential as effectively as they could. Uh so the questions are who's being excluded, who is being accelerated, how many students narrowly miss that
benchmark, what percentage of students with IEPs are in advanced pathways? What percentage of multilingual learners? How many students who were denied access would have succeeded if given the
chance? If we don't know the answers to those questions, we should. And if we do know the answers, we should be discussing them publicly. I'm not asking the district to lower standards.
I'm asking the district to examine whether the consequences attached to those standards are appropriate. It must be more supportive. The goal should not be to make algebra easier. The goal should be to make
success in algebra possible for more students. Thank you. Good evening. Um, my name is Elise Murray. Um, I am the parent of three former students here at the district. I
also spent as many years sitting there with you guys as I've been out. So, I rolled out in 2020 after six years. And um, and I'm here mostly because of Bob. I wanted to come and say goodbye and good
luck and to thank you for everything that you did to uh to make me pretty proficient in uh school board governance. Um also to say that I know the decisions you guys are making. I know what it's like to be there every
time we wanted to make a cut on some not that we wanted to make a cut on something but we had to. You know, we were sitting there and listening to people that we agreed with. we really would like to do everything. I remember that very well. Um, and as a parent who
I took German, my boys took German, I also took French, my daughter took French. We kind of all wish we took Spanish cuz we're all trying to learn Spanish now. Um, but you know, that's neither here nor there. Um, I also had two uh exchange students that one from Bolivia, one from Madrid that both spent
a year here. And um I can just tell you that every single one of those kids who came through this district, including the Spanish kids, um are just doing marvelously in college. Um my oldest is now uh a an engineer, a master's degree
engineer. He played division one football at a military academy. Um, so I can just say that the sports that we struggle to keep and maybe people wanted to cut for academics, I'm so grateful because I think that really paved the
way for my children. Um, their grit, their resilience, their teamwork. Um, so I really just wanted to say that everything that I learned through you guys and you guys helping me bring my children up to become as successful as they are, I just can't thank you all
enough sitting around this table. um with the work that you do when sitting up here for hours at a time and sometimes people not agreeing with you. Um I know what it's like and um I really commend the work you're doing and Bob, you're just going to be tremendously missed. Um and Rosetta, I can see you're
carrying the torch very well and I'm proud of you guys and I'm glad I came back to say goodbye. Thank you. Any additional comments? >> Okay. Well, Bob, would you like to
comment? like to come. I may have prepared something that >> Yeah, some of you have heard some of it, but um so um
I I spent 30 plus years, 31 years in public education. Um and you learn very quickly that you don't succeed alone. um any success that I achieved was um the result of all the the people in this
room and and past administrations working together to accomplish something at least said it a few minutes ago. Um I did a little math. Over the course of my career, I served under six superintendent, nine board presidents, and 53 board
members. Okay? Each brought their own unique vision, their own priorities and expectations. And navigating that kind of change while keeping the work of the district moving forward was one of the great challenges
um and privileges of this role. It's a challenge to try to get all of different people coming on every, you know, six months or, you know, sometimes we had people in the middle. Um it's it was a challenge. I did it and and one of the parts of the role that I enjoyed the most. Um I enjoyed meeting each of our
board members over the time and I tried to spend as much time um with you as I could. Some of you religiously avoided my committee. I didn't take I didn't take offense that Jenny Long, if she's listening, avoided it like the plague.
Um that she never wanted it. Um, I won't look back on all the late night meetings that we had in in negotiations where we got silly at at 11:30 at night or later on occasion. Um, I won't look back on
our budget discussions, although they were they were wonderful at times. Um, but we got a lot done with those. I'll remember working with all of you. Um, especially the administrators in our buildings and on our our key staff
cabinets. Um they're the ones the ones in the buildings who did the heavy lifting. Um the teachers and staff who showed up every day even when the job was exhausting and often unrecognized. Um the board members who gave their time
because they believed in this district and this community. And I'll always remember the students um because every decision we made was ultimately about creating something better for them. Um, I was fortunate to have uh many administrators pull me in to teach demo
lessons ear when I was just starting out here, working with the counseling office, working with various principles to get things done um for kids. Uh, even Carolyn McGrath, who was here earlier today, working with her uh her kids on on those projects. Um, I am trying to
get buses. Caroline, it's not that easy. Um to my cabinet members, the the steno pool over here, we joke when I'm presenting, they tend to tune me out, but that's okay. Um but both of all of
my cabinet members, the superintendents I work for, um their willingness to try to understand what I did to make their jobs easier will never be forgotten. Um and I've sold to them before, we work together. Other districts do not. They fight in
their cabinets. Um they lie to each other. They don't tell each other where they can cut. Mine came to me and said, "I don't want to cut this, but I know we need to." And they worked with me to do that. And I am forever grateful for that because we were able to do a lot of things that we might not have been able
to do. Um again, I mentioned the principles and supervisors, those people, the the jobs that they do every day. um knowing that there were going to be probably budget cuts coming each year. Um I have the utmost respect for for the people who
are running our schools and running the curriculum and programs that we are so known for. They they as a former teacher and elementary school teacher to watch what they did was was uh fascinating. Each day I knew there was a reason why I didn't want to be a principal.
Um I also over the years and one of my staff me one of my team members is in the audience today. I had uh great staffs over the last 24 years to work with. I knew that when I gave them jobs to do they would get done. Um they would be accurate and they and I knew that
supported the work that we did as much as as I did. Um and it was a great gift to have such stability. I had very um little movement over the years. Uh, and that that that helps really helps us do the the job. I know that the awards on the door, they come in my name, but they
were they were a benefit of that whole group of people and the whole building and district that helped get those plaques or district plaques. Um, that shows that we worked hard together. Um, and everybody else in in the buildings, all the different the different folks
that came along in all the different departments. I'd like to think that I I used to joke with folks when Plet's people were out or Tannis was out. I would go to them and and joke around and say, "Hey, uh, Tana asked me to watch you, you know, make sure you're not leaving early or anything." And until
they knew who I was, they took it seriously. Um, and I just wanted to, it was my way of getting to know them and and saying, "Hey, we're all working together with this." And once they understood that, you get that relationship back and forth. >> [laughter]
>> Did you did you ask Bob if I if I was leaving early today? So anyway, it was just my way of trying to get to know all the different people in the in the buildings. Um, something else I I wanted to say. I talked about this community. Both my
children, John and Caroline, both walked across the Central High School graduation stage. Um, I brought them here to this district because I knew what kind of people would be looking after them. And I'd like to think that I looked after the community's children the same way I looked after my own. I
really um cared about what was going on in our classrooms, um on our athletic fields, our plays. I've attended a lot of them when I could over the years, but there's just something special that goes along in this district. Um there are two folks that I wanted to just mention. A
lot of folks don't know who they are anymore, but my very first superintendent, Bob Sopco, and my first boss here when I was assistant business administrator, John Neimoth, both of them have passed on. Um, but they gave me a chance 24 years ago. Um, I had very
little experience. I learned on the job as an ABA. Um, and the board after five years of doing the ABA work decided to give me a chance to take this job and I'm forever forever grateful for that. Um, retirement's strange for me. I'm 58
years old. It's not really completely retiring. I'm going to take on a a different task educating young business administrators to learn how to do this job and hopefully do it well. Um, I leave all of you in this community with gratitude. I've built a lot of
friendships with folks. I've experienced a ton of things. Um we've we've done a lot as as board members um over the years when I look back at all the different um things we we argued about what we tried to get done um and how we always tried to find a way to meet in the middle. Didn't always go smoothly,
but we always found a way to meet in the middle to do what was best for kids. Um it was a a just an honor to do the work um to serve this community. And um for me again I reiterating it's just been enough and I thank you for giving me the
chance the community for giving me the chance and um it's not good. It's it's goodbye for now. I I will plan on keeping in touch with a lot of people in this district. My door will be open if there's questions about what goes on here. Um and it's it's it's very um
what's that word? What? Bittersweet. Bittersweet to leave. Um, but I know I'm we're leaving it in good hands. You guys are a good board. It's a good community and and you will find somebody to replace me and they'll do a great job. So, thank you again.
[applause] >> Thank you, Bob. I'm not going to make you cry anymore today because I already did that at your retirement party, but you know that you're going to be uh sorely missed. Um, you always had our our children at heart. I will say this quick story. Folks used to email me when Bob wouldn't move their POS forward
because he was like jealously guarding the money and making sure we were overspending because educators like to overspend. Um, and he and they would ask me, yes, absolutely. They would ask me, could you have uh Mr. Kvita move my PO along? I said, he won't move mine along. What do you think? But let the babies
need something. The babies needed drums or something. and well if they need it and theirs would go forward but mine would not. So it always was about the kids. If the kids needed it he would he would he would ask do the kids really need it and then he would make sure that happened. So we we thank you for that.
You always kept what was most important because he was an educator first which was our children and our family. So we we you're going to be deeply missed and I know you're going to stay in touch. So we have uh some some comments that we need to address here. Um Dr. Dr. Blitz, I'm going to let you do the math one because I know that we have been looking
at the math progression very closely because we are interested in increasing the number of students in and then being able to access algebra more quickly and also making sure they have the foundational skills. But we have been messing with that progression a little bit and looking deeply at it. And the supervisor that we have in charge of
STEM um for the secondary level is a math person. We were we were very lucky to have a content area person and Dr. Resnik was here tonight. uh would also let you know that that's one of his his goals. So, we are very interested in the disproportionality who's missing from these classes and that we're supporting
and making sure the pathways are open so kids can reach that algebra um if they if that's their desire by 8th grade so that they can have the options to take higher level math at the um high school level. In terms of EA, we have not cut EA. So, what we're what is probably
happening is a schedule issue. So, I promise you that I will look at that with the um with the vice principal over there that does scheduling. I know um firsthand because I was a vice principal who is in charge of the master schedule as was Miss Smith. Um she can also share this. I actually replaced her years ago
and then I became principal. The issue that we have with scheduling at the middle school um and in the high school for that matter is the number of electives that we offer in the middle school are extensive and you're teamed. So, it makes it very difficult to schedule all of the things that kids
want to do and and EA. Um, I know that you referenced PA, Pennsylvania, I'm a resident of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania um uh exceptional learning and and um gifted is is a IEP and they have a very stripped down schedule. They do not
offer the number of electives that we offer in the middle school or the high school. So, it's very easy to put implement it at um all these minutes because there aren't many options for electives anyway. And they're doing things like before school, after school. They provide busing for that or they
don't. Um which is something I don't want to do because that creates a problem for those students whose parents can't drive them. Um but what I will promise you here and now is that we need to do a program review of EA. Um it's been a while since we've done that. Um, and there is uh uh some experts that we
know that do live in Pennsylvania that know that piece over there and then also know gifted and talented. I also supervise that and we have had revamping of EA so many times over the years and it's been quite a a length of time since we've had um a program review. You have
a strong teacher that we that I handpicked in Miss Lester. Um she's very passionate about this, but I really think it's time for an outside person to come in and review the program and to really look at it closely. And I promise you that we'll examine that schedule. Um I can't promise you they're not going to have to give up something to schedule
that. That's the only issue. Um but definitely look at the minutes and see if there's something that could be done with that schedule uh to make things fit a little um a little more easily. In terms of German, um I know that you know that this was a hard cut to make. uh we
had to make a lot of hard cuts and we tried to do our best to ensure that we were not um eliminating programs for students completely and that we were walking into this uh uh with a very tight lens. We have two very strong and and luckily very young German teachers
that have been over this program for years and I don't think they're going anywhere. They're not going anywhere on our behalf and I know that the program uh for for German is very well attended. Um, I don't want our high school to not have options. A problem that we've had over the years, and someone mentioned
that, you know, students were in sixth grade picking a language and then they were kind of forced to stay in that language through 12th grade. And the reason that was is because we did not offer level one courses in any of the world languages except for uh Latin for the longest time because it was only
offered grade 9 through 12. So, if you didn't like your language in grades 6, seven, and eight, and we have some students here that probably remember that, that was too bad. you were stuck because there was not a level one in the high school. Eventually, we added Spanish. So, we have Spanish and Latin right now. And then we were able to
finally kind of we're working towards Chinese. Um, as we look to um eliminate German and sixth grade, we will still be offering it in grades seven and eight. Um, and students will be able to access it in the high school. It will look like
every other high school with their languages, which is level one, level two, level three, and then AP would be the fourth year because many middle schools, even some of the ones that that you know are premier and and ranked higher than us, don't offer as many languages as we do in the middle school.
That is really a a luxury that we've had for a long time. We've held on for a long time, but it's very difficult one to find the staff. And we found we've had that hard time with the staff. having like a part-time German teacher, if you can find one at all, is almost impossible. And having one running between the two schools and trying to
fill out a schedule is impossible. Um it it was so hard that over the years we bought somebody out of retirement several times to do it. So that's hard enough. Um and then also, you know, we needed to make some cuts. So some natural cuts came with one staffing that
kind of half a position and then really needing to make a cut. I don't want to cut German moving forward because I don't want students to not have multiple options beyond Spanish and French at the high school. My plan is to have Chinese,
German, Latin, French at the high school moving forward. And then to continue offering as many the ones that we do have at the middle school, seventh and eighth graders will still be able to access that language because they started it. We are not going to phase out any language until a student who has started it, especially when they're
working on those requirements for graduation can complete those even if we have to pay for that in some other other way if we can't find the staff or we have to make that cut due to low enrollment. The board has made that commitment. We have a lot of very uh of dedicated parents. You're all brilliant.
You're all very talented in your own right. and I value your opinion and I'm so glad that every one of you came up and spoke tonight because as we continue to make these hard choices, I need to know that these programs which pro programs are very important to you and as we fight to keep them, we know which
ones that you really really value. how you can help us is, you know, if we hold on to it at the middle school, we need your kids to sign up for these courses because the board, not just this board, boards before this one, and um President Murray could have told you that when she was here, have have put the stake in the
ground. If these courses are under enroll, we cannot run them. So, secondary level students, grades 6 through 12, if the courses are underenrolled and then just because they're in that that that book, that program of studies, just like college, if they're not full, we may not be able
to run them. If we don't have the faculty to do it, we may not be able to run them. Um, so you all registering for these courses is very important. And it's also a shift in our culture in that we are no longer this district where kids come to us in preschool and stay to
12th grade. We cannot continue to operate where we don't have level one courses at the high school for things. If a kid comes in the middle of the of of the program or they come in their ninth grade year and say, "Oh, well, you can only take one language." So, that's something that um the good result of
this. I do wish I can continue to offer it at the middle school. Um and who knows what the future holds, but this struggle that we have with budget is not one that we're just suffering alone. I don't know what's going to get better and I don't like the death of a thousand cuts, but I also don't want to come in
and decimate programs because it is very hard to get them back once we lose them. Um so all that being said, um we, you know, keep us accountable. Um we absolutely value your public comment and it does help us make our choices um as hard as they are. So we do appreciate
those. Um and with that being said, I'd like to pass um it to you um Vic U Dr. is to talk about the math progression and some of the work that we've done in that regard and then anything you might want to say about EA as well. >> Oh, sure. Um, hi everybody. Um, we have
really been extensively looking at the math progression specifically at the middle school. Um, my fellow ed committee members here can talk about um, just how we we're reviewing the data. Um, we have a new supervisor of math who is is putting in benchmarks so
we can um, accurately monitor our our students. Um, and we are consistently looking to do more. Um, I don't want to speak individually about your one child, but um, we we can touch base and and and look through um, the data. I know that there was a recent bench benchmark that
was being administered this week. Um, in terms of the EA program, a lot of that, like Dr. Trice said, we did um, put a designated uh, EA teacher at the elementaryaries a few years ago, which was for consistency between all four
buildings. And I think that has had a very positive response. Um at the secondary level we have had more enrollment and you know to be honest it's it's a lot has to do with staffing issues in terms of um how are we going to staff all these classes. Um but you know we will look to do a more thorough
program review for it next year. >> Can I can I just request I know Dr. Resnik's not here but as part of that program review can that go to the education committee? Thank you. It has Oh, thank you. >> Can I just ask a question about the EA
piece? Absolutely. >> Okay. So, >> just so I perspective right now is nothing has changed other than it being a scheduling issue. Is that a fair statement or am I just >> at the middle school? has historically been a scheduling issue because trying
to schedule kids on team activities, off- team activities, allowing them to have all the electives and a period for them to go to for EA has been a struggle. >> We've gone through multiple iterations. I was in charge of EA at one point, not just as assistant s, but I was the supervisor of it.
>> Um the the way that um best practices are is that you don't identify until grade right before grade three. >> Students should have pushin EA experiences. all of the kids should. And then you're keep you're taking a portfolio of the students. You're seeing who has those abilities because just
because you're gifted doesn't mean you're a great great student. Usually a truly gifted student who represents about less than 2% of the population is not necessarily a great student. They're a messy learner and they're very focused on, you know, sometimes that certain thing that they enjoy doing. So looking
for those skills in students whether they have an IEP or not, whether they're a top student or not, is what a a EA teacher who's trained properly, which Miss Lester is to do. And then they take the Kogat, which you know, the KOAT has come a long way. Um, but it does have some biases. That's why you need the
teacher input. You need that push-in experience. Then a scheduling those experiences with all the other things that kids want to do and not have them miss class. Even at the elementary school, we have a lot of learning opportunities is tough. um putting that with music, putting that with the other
things. And the high school, they don't want to give up a period for EA. They want to take AP. They want to load up on their AP and honors classes. So looking at EA and doing a program review, which we haven't done in years, is is it's time, but we're still going to have a struggle with the choice. So some, you
know, you do have to make a choice sometime, which I hate to say to students, but that's complicated. um having acceleration which was another comment that was made saying a student skipping a grade. We workshop a lot of our classes math and reading. So you can
go beyond the grade level but there are students who have been that are truly exceptional that have been accelerated. Like for example we have had students at the elementary school taking high school level math you know reading high school level books. Um that's how we got one of our EA teachers. was hired specifically
to work with a a handful of kids that were that that gifted in math. >> Mhm. >> To your question about the middle school, there there are were more students interested in taking the EA course in sixth grade. So, it had to go from a full year to a semester to
accommodate all students for scheduling. And then in seventh and eighth grade, it was combined into one course. >> It it really is staffing. Is there as you guys are looking at the at what this looks like in revamping or how we're thinking about it, does it
make sense to look at some of the districts that we have historically compared ourselves to and see how they're doing it >> and see if it's truly a staffing issue or if it's a >> It could be a scheduling issue. Right. So, it's it's something that having a program review is important. Uh to tell you the truth, when I've looked at in
the past, it's it's the the options we have. Um but I haven't it hasn't been a it's been a while. I know, but I' I'd personally like to reach out to the um the Association of Gifted Children and just have them come to an um an objective. >> They might see something we're not seeing.
>> Yeah. I mean, I think I since I've been on the board, I've talked about this idea of equitability and we talk about it all the time and I know the numbers that were shared by some of the audience about the amount of time that's being spent in that. I just hope that we can >> find some good examples as we're looking at this to make it more equitable
overall. >> And I know Mr. Turbull is talking about looking at that master schedule again. It might be something. It it's it's tough. The scheduling piece is tough. We might have enough staff and it's just maybe the way we're scheduling. So, we we just need to look at all of that, but we're committing to doing that program review because it is time
>> and just I don't from a timeline like what is a program review like this look like? I just don't know anything about this. >> We did just did one in literacy for elementary. Um, and so they usually will come in, they'll review, they'll do site visits, they'll look through um, just our paperwork if we have a H, like all
of that stuff, and then they will um, present their recommendations of what we can do better, like what our strengths and weaknesses are. Yeah. Actually, I really we we learned a lot doing the literacy review, so I'm very excited actually to bring in an outside um, consultant. I mean, it will cost more
money, so it >> I like how you look at me when you say that. Thank you, Vicki. But >> before the end, I guess Mark's question, do you think before the end of the year or for spring or >> awesome if they're available? Okay.
>> Thank you, >> Dr. L. I just Yeah, I had one follow-up question because there was a a community member who spoke about how kids are screened into EA and I was just wondering if you could directly address that because my recollection from last
year on your committee, Dr. Pelitzus, um is that we had um a staff member who came and spoke to how we have actually broadened the screening criteria and now look at Kogat and multiple different assessments and teacher recommendations. So could you just talk a little bit
about that because I think there was some concern that there may be sort of bias in how children are um or how students are recommended to the program based on um what's happening behaviorally with them and and I remember that being an issue we discussed. So could you just share some more?
>> Um so currently we um we have four multiple measures for identification. We have the Kogat um which is weighted at 60%. We have the um math diagnostic which is weighted at 20%. We have the reading comprehension which is at 10% and then the vocabulary which is at 10%.
So has prior to I guess it was last year um we had only used the cogap for identification. So, so with that change, are people are the students being re-evaluated or in mass? And is it is it is it rolling in
that some kids may still be in that transition. So, they could be cycle. Okay. All right. Any other questions? All right. I just have a quick um maybe clarifying and then a question. So for
German, if it's it's not going to be offered in sixth grade next year it let me see if this makes sense. In seventh grade, would it then be German one that's being offered or is it I'm trying to figure out the process. So next year
um students that are in grade six now rising to seventh grade will take German two because they took German one in sixth grade. the sixth seventh graders who took German two will be taking German three and eighth grade and then by the time the sixth graders get to to um ninth grade there'll be a German one
class. Currently there is no German one class at the high school. Um so if they didn't take it in in middle school, you weren't taking it in the high school. So that's how it worked in the past. That's how most of the languages were for many years. Um so now we're getting to that point where we do have a German one. uh
if the money if we found some money at some point and you wanted to add German and we can find a teacher because we would need a teacher right you could add it back at any point um and then we we've had the curriculum in both ways so that wouldn't be a problem um but you know it does give us time to build German one um we do need more one
classes at the high school because that is that has been an issue um yeah starting kids at at the high school and we just did not have the staff for that we've had the two strong teachers for years and again I I don't see them going anywhere I think that they'll be here for with us for a while. Um, so I'm comfortable with our staffing
in that regard. >> Um, and then the the one other question, if we need to take this like offline, that's fine, too. But I'm just going through the questions and I think there was also a question about if a student wants to do like an independent or something outside, how does that work at the middle school level? >> Um, right now we don't have an
independent study offering at the middle school. The high school they do have it. They can do independent studies. They just have to find a teacher who is willing to um do that with them to help them mentor them through that. And it could be anything. It could be a world language. It could be, you know, um Mr. Kabio, I think, was trying to say
something. So, I'm going to pass this off to him. He did an independent study also at the high school. So, that that's always an option at the high school. We've never offered that at the middle school. >> Mr. Kavadia, did you have a comment? >> No. No. I I don't know what that was. I'm not on my
>> You crackled. He's crackled over here. They want to leave you out. >> All right. Wonderful. Well, with with that, thank you all um for a very active discussion. Uh we'll close out public comment number one. Um I'd like to get a
first and second to uh approve the consent agenda items. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? Any opposed or abstaining? Seeing none, all consent agenda items
are passed. Okay. Um, moving on. Had to make sure I didn't miss anything in between. Uh, any old business item? Seeing none, um we'll go ahead and move on to all of our committee updates and
we'll start off with finance and facilities. >> Okay. So, this is the big meeting that we do all of our annual organizational stuff, I call it. But I'll just point out a couple items that I wanted to make the public aware of. Um internal
appointments. You're going to see this on the agenda. These are going to be for the additional state or federally mandated responsibilities, the staff members. This is something that's typically annually. Um, we are going to talk a little bit about our school district organization, which is annually required by state code and how the schools are going to be structured next
year. There's no changes to this year. Um, at this point, we talk about routine employee appointments, uh, which provides the superintendent the opportunity to offer positions to employees over the summer between board meetings, etc. Um, in case others are resigning from districts to come on. Um, we also talk a little bit about
professional services. There's going to be a big comprehensive list there. Um, any additional providers are placed on our monthly agenda. Uh, and if there's any questions, you can always reach out to Bob for the next 3 hours. Um, there's an uh item there related to tuition rates. Um, you know, we're going to
approve those tuition rates. Um, these are the rates that are used for our staff and for any districts that pay to place a student here. Um, so you guys can take a look at that and the public can also take a look at that. two items that I do want to call out specifically. One is there's a bid award tonight for
the Bear Tavern playground for the for the public and for our board. If you recall, this started from donations, private donations from the community. Um but given the fact that uh it was a complete moved project to the front of the building um and the fact that we
needed to do some extensive costs here related to environmental review um that total project cost has now gone up to 550,000 o over the original 250,000 estimate um that was donated. So we're and with a grant as well, I'm sorry. Um, so the bid
that is on the agenda tonight is going to be to approve that for the construction as well as for the additional costs which we're going to pull out of capital reserves in order to fulfill that. The second item that I want to point out is the contract award for the construction manager. Um, this
has to do with um our first referendum uh or sorry not our first referendum but our past referendum. Um the total cost of that of that uh particular position is well under the budget which is great news. Um it also does leave us room that if that position needs to go longer
they're available to go longer. Um which is great. So that's a net positive financially. Um the director of facilities and the architect have also reviewed that proposal and feel that it's within the current good current standards of today. Um, and I know that uh Bob and others have also reached out
to other um folks around to be able to confirm those costs and everybody feels good about that. So, um, if there's any questions on either one of those, Bob can can answer them. Um, additionally, we had our >> Just one thing on that, just wanted it was asked before, but this was done through a a competitive process. We had
it we we um advertised for um solicitations, got four or five bids uh from folks, we did interviews um and we found that these guys were um highly competitive in cost but also rep in
reputation uh throughout the state. So um yeah, so other than that, two other quick items. Obviously, uh we've got some uh conversations going on about the replacements of Bob, which will come here in the near term. And also, we are
continuing to work with, uh the township to be able to get, uh some some movement on finalizing that agreement that they've been so kind to use. Uh not too much detail on that yet, but more to come hopefully in the near future. Um as well as uh with some of the additional pilot programs that are happening. I
just spoke with a uh uh two committee members from Hopewell Burough who have reinforced their commitment to some sort of money coming our way as well which is a net positive which is good. Um and that's it. That's all I have. So if there's any questions if not I think I need to have I need to move something
right. >> No they're all good. It's all consent. Um the the just for the record though I do want to note for the public um item 12 under finance of facilities was also on consent agenda item on the consent
agenda but it was missing its aster. So just >> great call out. >> There was a bunch that were that we printed a little too soon today before we >> happy printing. Huh? Everything on on
finance was on consent >> noted. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mark. Yeah, number 17 as well. So, anything under finance is all consent. All right. Moving on.
Personnel. >> Dr. Yeah. >> Um, it is a busy time of year, so I have a few different things I want to talk the board through. Um, first we do have two additional retirements that I want to acknowledge. The first is Regina
Brunetti. Um, and the second is Carrie Crowley. Both of them currently kindergarten teachers at Stony Brook Elementary. Um, Regina Brunetti has been with the district since 2002, Carrie Crowley since 2004. So, both of these
um, teachers, I want to send a deep thank you to your commitment uh, to Hopewell Valley. Um, and we wish you all the best in your retirement. Um, we have a list, you'll see, of new appointments for positions starting in
the fall. We have a list of ESYs. Um, you'll see subs and interns for the fall. You will see approvals for ECAS um, for summer staff and fall athletics. So, all of those are included in the agenda. Um we also have as we do every
year our cabinet contracts which we're putting uh to the board to vote. Um we did the same thing this year as we have done for many years where we take the average of all the negotiated rates uh for uh salary increases for next year
and is that average that we used for our cabinet contracts. Um we also if you remember last year the administration created and submitted the comprehensive equity plan which is a state requirement. Um this year we have
to do um what do they call this a statement of assurance and so we have been following the plan and will continue for the next two years and so we are signing off on that as well. Um, and finally, I want to give um a little
congratulations to Mr. Thaddius Thompson, who I'm a little blocked here, but um he is going to be on July 1st um supporting us in the acting BA role. And so we want to thank you and we're very excited uh to be working with you in
that capacity. So, thank you for your support. Um if we don't have any personal questions, then we can go to a vote. First and second. >> A motion. >> Second.
>> Roll call, please. >> Okay. Dr. Genevacy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kapadia. >> Yes. >> Dr. Lillison. >> Yes. >> Mr. Peters. Yes, >> Mr. Slottman. >> I
>> Dr. Siliano. >> Yes, >> Miss Carter. >> Yes, >> Miss Williams Galliano. >> Yes. >> Motion cars. >> Marvelous. >> Well, welcome Fattius. All right, moving on to education seal.
Okay. Um Dr. Resnik is not here so I will take this. Um at the education committee uh this past month we had um a first a brief
discussion with the handover of PQM to Macaffies um on what will happen to some of our special needs students who work there. Um and Miss Donardo reported that um they have been in touch with PQM. um
we're kind of waiting until the new owners get settled in and that we hope that we can have a fruitful relationship with them. Um just like we have in the past.
Um so that's a a work in progress. Um we also discussed um attendance corrective action. You might remember from the previous board meeting that we have been put under corrective access
action um because of chronic absenteeism um at the high school. Um we've realized that we were doing some things with our attendance that was hurting us. So, um the first thing that we're putting in
place is just a sort of change in how we um mark some of our students who are out on medical leave so that we are not getting dinged by them. Um and so they
will be now marked as present but out on medical leave. So that will help us. Um so it's basically present home instruction. Um, and so that will help us a little bit. We also discussed with
Miss Riley uh new consequences that are going to be put in place at the high school level in the upcoming academic uh year for students with excessive absentism um for those students who do not have a
medical reason for being absent. So things like taking away senior option and some of the freedoms that they gain. Um and so hopefully by doing those two things that we can get ourselves out of
that corrective action. Um we also discussed a proposed trip for the model UN. Um, and you might remember that we um are really looking at all of our school trips and all of our
different clubs um so that we can have um equity across the board on how many trips the students are attending while also making sure that they're not missing too many days and that they're not um having an excessive financial
burden um on parents or the district. And so, uh, we just reviewed that and discussed, um, you know, the pros and cons of that and what we should do with that one. Um, and then lastly, we
reviewed, um, the, uh, Timberwolf Academy proposal. Um, oh, um, so basically the revamping of the current core literacy for sixth grade. uh basically just to uh better
address the challenges of transitioning into the middle school. Um so they had some great literary um works that they're introducing to sixth grade um which was great and um we will have in
July a review of the elementary literacy program at our meeting. Did I miss anything important Dr. Palissa? Okay, that was education. Any questions from anyone? >> I have two questions. Thank you so much for that um report out Dr. Jennusy. That
was great. Um one is actually about the the PQM arrangement and I was worried I was wondering if you could talk a little bit more about that program because I do recall um some of the postings from PQM and McAffrey saying that they are going to they intend to retain staff. And so
I'm just wondering, is this program seen as something different than sort of standard staffing or or why do we think that they might not sort of retain our students um in the program that they're in now? That's actually a great question. So it's a work-based learning
program which students acquire credits for doing and learning job skills as part of their school day. It's volunteer. They don't get paid. Most don't get paid. Um, so and they go with job coaches and they're supervised and
they learn important work skills. Um, so when I spoke at our committee meeting, um, I actually work closely with Macaffies in West Windsor, but that was about 20 years ago. And I had a great relationship with them and they were very supportive of my students from West
Windsor who were completing these experiences. I we we have calls in We're giving they need time to transition, but we're we're hopeful. I mean, we can't say for 100% certain that they're going to do it, but we're hopeful they're they're going to
continue supporting our initiative and our program there. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> If I can just add, um I'm a big Macafferty shopper in New Town, but you know, my son work there. They're very good to their employees. They're very good to children, and they do provide
these work to school-based programs. Um, and they do go on to hire those students that are in those programs, I've noticed over the years. So, I don't anticipate, and in Princeton still does it, I don't anticipate they're going to do that. They're a family-owned business, Macafferies, and they're very supportive of of um hiring all types of
individuals. So, I think that we're going to be in a good place with them. I think we just have to wait for the transition and for them to set things up. >> Okay. Um, thank you for for sharing more about that. And then the second question I had was about the absenteeism. Um, and so I'm assuming this is going to
come up in policy because we're talking about disciplinary consequences. So did um Miss Riley share more about you know what she's explored with those students around the root causes related to their chronic absenteeism and if there are things that we need to address that are
sort of driving some of that things happening at home social anxiety um things that sort of imposing a disciplinary consequence like taking away senior option might not resolve >> so I'm going to respond to that it wasn't there wasn't a disciplinary action
The what we were talking about was we had we have students that are hospitalized usually for extended periods. We were marking the absence as what were we doing? We're doing absent instead of or
no we were doing medical instead of present home instruction because they they receive home instruction if they are hospitalized and that's where that occurred. That was the first piece. But then I think what Dr. Genevvesy was
saying was the second piece was that Miss Riley had talked about maybe we ought to revise our student code of conduct and increase the disciplinary consequences for chronic absenteeism or or change them in some way. And so I just was wondering if you could share more about that piece. Yeah. And
actually there probably should be three buckets because we also did talk about the students like the school avoidance students. Those that's a completely different bucket of the ones that might lose senior options. So those are truly
the students who are not struggling at all. Um and they've got all of their credits and they're just like I don't need to be here anymore. I got my I got my college acceptance in December. I am
sliding through senior year. Yes, it's just those students >> to that point. There's ways around like, you know, when you have a student with school avoidance, there's ways to get honor their attendance through IEPs, through 504s, through INRS plans, and
that is still available to us and we should be doing that. And you have to code it a certain way when you mark them present. Um, so that was a small percentage that we can fix easily. Um, we are aware of those students are in a different bucket, but we're just talking about the kids and this is not unusual
for an affluent um, high school that are kind of like, you know, taking a few days here and there and that sort of thing. >> I also just want to reinforce that for our students who are school avoidant. I don't know like when I say that our staff gets in the car and drives to the
homes, we all do that. like the two or three of us will get in a car, we we'll call and we'll say, "We really want to come over. We want to talk to you, you know, so and so, we want to meet with you. We want we want them to know how important it is for them to come with us to come to school." So, we don't take that lightly.
We take it seriously and we we look at the whole child and we do look at what's going on, you know, and we set up plans and programs for them. And and I think it's also important to say even though we're talking about these three buckets, it is a fairly small number of students.
Like we're I mean we're taking attendance incredibly seriously as we should. And and the what flagged this for us was the recognition of not coding students properly. And we just took a
look at some other things. And so it's really an opportunity to say, "Hey, where else could we, you know, do better." And so, yeah, so it's not like a major issue. It's an opportunity that we're just taking taking seriously. Awesome.
Anything any other questions? Awesome. Thank you. Moving on then to governance, community relations. >> Sure. I guess I can get us started. We met on June 4th and I would invite my fellow committee members to please jump
in in case I missed anything in my notes here, but we did have a brief meeting on the 4th not to take [clears throat] away from the uh policy committee discussion. We did briefly talk over uh the civility pledge and the schoolboard association. I think it's the civility starts with us
program. I know we're going to get into that later, so I don't want to talk too much about that, but we definitely had a good discussion in support of that. obviously uh talked a little bit about the survey on the the voting survey that I it continues to I guess we're waiting for it to close and then process the
data and go from there. So uh more to come on that. also talked a little bit about ways that the board can engage moving forward whether in the superintendent's update or you know other forms of uh communication that go out from the school district that
include could include you know uh board specific updates from you know some of the things we talk about here and I think that was mostly it subsequent obviously we we had some visitors overnight recently at Bear Tavern that I know we recently saw an article about
but um doing their own version of community relation I guess so. But I'd invite um Mr. Kapadia or Dr. Stilliano, please jump in if I missed anything. >> Yeah, I was just going to say um Mr. Spot the Captured most of what we we
discussed. Um the only update I was going to add was that um we have uh been working with Senator Turner's office as well as our other um electeds in the 15th legislative district on the uh budget request for a line item in the
FY27 state budget to get $75,000 in state funding for um continuing our partnership with Attitudes in Reverse for air therapy dogs as well as additional mental health services for our students. Um the exciting update is that Senator
Turner did submit a resolution. Um it's budget resolution 533. Um I've updated the advocacy template. I know Dr. Stilliano has shared it um on Facebook groups and to some parent organizations. So, if there are parents who are still
looking to advocate and speak to our elected representatives, the best thing that they could do right now is to send them emails asking them to co-sponsor resolution 533. Um, as well as sending an email just thanking Senator Turner for her doing that for us. Um, senators
have a limited number of requests that they can put in. Um, so it's a big deal that she decided to, you know, once again after last year submitting $125,000 for the be the Bear Tavern ADA accessible playground, now also doing it for us again for for this service. So, um, just expressing gratitude is always,
you know, I think it's it's the least we could do. Um, by no means is a budget resolution number uh does that mean that we are going to get that those dollars. Um, Governor Cheryl still needs to approve a budget. We will find out by the end of the month. So only a few more
weeks of waiting. Um but what's really important in these last two weeks, three weeks um before the budget gets signed is reaching out to our uh assembly members to co-sponsor uh the budget resolution. Um if you have ties to other state legislative offices, you can have
other assembly members from across the state um co-sponsor. It's actually um last year when we had submitted for the playground, there were actually assembly members from North Jersey and South Jersey that had also co-sponsored the resolution. Um so, you know, there are
folks that feel strongly about mental health services, about therapy dogs, about all of these these great things. Um and so, you know, you don't know where support can come from and the more folks the more names we have on that budget resolution, the the better chance it has of getting through. Um so, that's the update on the state funding. Um I
know Mr. Lotman had mentioned the survey regarding um you know whether or not we should be moving forward with initiative to lower the voting age in schoolboard elections to 16. Um I have yet to look through the data. The survey is closed. I greatly appreciate Dr. Trees and
Principal Riley and the administration for helping administer the survey to our students. We're sitting at around 300 responses. So it's a fairly representative sample. Um, and I hope to compile some of those results and and have a presentation in the coming months
uh at a board meeting. Um, and I think it's also just important as we look ahead. Obviously, this budget this budget process is not complete. Um, but I think it's important as a community uh to think about what are some other ways we can speak to our elected officials about funding. I think there's been a
lot of conversations around cuts and I I very much appreciate the parents and community members who took the time out of their evening to come and speak to us. Um, but this is, you know, this is a I understand that, you know, $75,000 or $125,000 is is really not even a drop in the bucket. Um, but for some of these
one-time capital expenses, it can go a long way. Um, and, you know, I I encourage all of you as community members to also, you know, meet with us and and send us your thoughts and ideas of what you think could be a high impact project um that we could get our our elected officials on board with. So,
thanks again uh for all of my fellow board members for supporting the initiative, but also for the community members who have advocated to our state legislative offices. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Padia. >> Just really quickly, um I wanted to read this resolution uh for the civility um
policy. Um the the New Jersey school boards has asked boards of education like Hopewell Valley Regional School District, but all across the state of New Jersey to make a pledge and practice in promoting civility and and board meetings. Um starting by the board members taking uh the pledge first. Um
this in our political climate of late, we've had um board meetings across this state that have not just the state, the country that have gotten a little sparky. Um we do have disagreements here in Hopewell and we do have meetings that that sometimes get that we fluff up a little bit with each other. But I can
say that generally as a rule that we do this civily and that the the community comes to us. You may not always be happy with us, but you come um most times very professional and respectful in your presentations to us. Um you hold us accountable. You ask hard questions, but there's respect coming from the from you
to us. And I I could also say that we have boards that are that work together well. Um Bob shared uh Mr. Kvita shared that that's not the case for some boards. Some boards are at each other's throats. They're bringing each other up on ethics charges. They're slandering each other in social media. We don't have those issues. So when we were all
asked to make take this pledge as boards, it was an easy one for us because I believe we operate like this as a matter of course. We do have a district civility policy that all of us honor. Um both the families and the and our administrative staff, our our our faculty. So this is an easy one. So I'm
just going to read it. All the board members have signed it except for Dr. Resnik. I will chase him down and then I will share this with the New Jersey School Board Association as our pledge. So it says whereas recent national polls indicate that Americans are dissatisfied with and frustrated with the lack of
civility in public discourse today. Whereas the board of education of hope valley regional school district recognizes freedom of speech and freedom of expression are sacrosain protected by both the state and federal laws and allow individuals to express their opinions and to communicate their ideas
without fear of repercussion. hand. Whereas the board um further recognizes that public exchange of diverse ideas and vary viewpoints allows for robust discussion and indispensables to decision-making processes. And whereas the elected representatives of the
community and stewards of public trust, the members of the board of education recognize that their positions allows them to model open, free, and vigorous debate while also maintaining the highest standards of civility, mutual respect, and decorum. Whereas the members of the board recognize that they
are models not only of the community but also for the students who they serve. And whereas in order to publicly declare its commitment to civil discourse and to express its concern for the common good and well-being of all students, staff, and parents uh parents and the
community, the board of education has determined to adopt this resolution. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of the Hotwell Valley Regional School District pledges to practice and promote civility, to engage in civil discourse, to respect and
tolerate the the viewpoints of others, and to work collaboratively. The board also pledges to communicate openly, honestly, and transparently, also permitted by law. and the board enacts this civility pledge to build a stronger
and more prosperous school community to achieve the district's goals and to advance the education of all students. A copy of this resolution will be shared with the New Jersey school boards and we do have the signatures of our board members um represented there and we will get that last one that we have missing.
>> And Mr. Kapatia also needs to sign it. Thank you. >> Awesome. Thank you, Dr. Trice. Well, we'll in your in policy, I think it's the first thing on your Okay, moving. We'll go right into
policy, Dr. Lillston. And if you >> Yeah. >> Can I have a a motion and a second to accept the civility resolution, please? >> A motion. I move. >> Second.
Okay, thank you. Okay, so the policy committee met on June 12th. We were joined by Dr. Pelitz. Um, so we have two policies up for first reading tonight and no policies up for second reading. Can I have a motion, a second to bring policy 5460, high school
graduation, and policy 5461, high school diplomas for first reading, please? So moved. Second. >> Great. So these policies address changes that were made to the portion of the state code that addresses high school
graduation requirements that are mandated by the New Jersey Department of Education. Um these include both mandated revisions to the high school graduation policy and a new policy titled high school diplomas. Um so we're
just going to focus on policy 5460, high school graduation first. So, this is a revision to the current policy. Um, so as you look through this policy that's posted on board docs, you'll see that there's numerous suggested revisions from Strauss Esme that align this
current policy with state code. Um, so these revisions address things like making sure that educators have the appropriate certifications to teach and assess NJSLS content areas. um they provide more flexibility and guidance to districts to implement individualized
student learning opportunities as well as non-traditional learning experiences like service learning or internships. Um and there's also requirements around completion or exemption from completion of a college financial aid form. So the
committee did review all these revisions together along with um Dr. lets us and for the most part we are recommending that we um accept these proposed revisions which are mandated in state code. Um but we do have we do have a few additional revisions um that are
specific to our district. Um so in section A1H we did adjust the language requirements from five credits to 10 in a world language because that aligns with our district's current requirements. In section A4, you'll see that we added
the requirement around service learning or intercultural sensitivity and competence, which was actually incorporated into our policy last year and is effective beginning with the class of 2030. Um and then last in section H3 we
revised the language related to the state seal of biiteracy to indicate that students do need to pay the cost to complete the assessment for the seal of biiteracy. However, we have added a similar fee exemption into this
provision that we have for sports and extracurriculars related to financial hardship. So we do have that exemption in there as well. Um the next policy we have up is 5461 which is high school diplomas. This is a new
policy. Uh so this policy addresses the requirements that must be met for a board of education to award a state endorsed high school diploma. Uh the provisions in this policy are already covered elsewhere in our policy. Um, but because our district is in alignment
with everything that's in this policy, we are recommending that we adopt it just to ensure that we've covered all of the the changes that have been made to the state code. Um, so let me just pause there and see if my policy committee colleagues have anything to add.
Uh, Mr. Kapatia, do you have anything that you'd like to add to that? >> Um, no. I I was just going to say um I I really do want to again like commend Principal Riley and the board for uh moving forward with having there be a codified cultural competency and
cultural competency and sensitivity graduation requirement. Um and I know we're potentially looking at exploring in the in the coming years of how it's actually being rolled out. I believe next academic year is the first year where our freshman will be graduating
with that requirement. Um, so excited to see how it works, excited to see the enrollment in potentially some classes that have been historically underenrolled. Um, and seeing how we can continue to to build that out into our curriculum. >> Any questions from the board?
>> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed or abstainating? >> Thank you. Dr. Lston. Okay. I need a first and second to um approve June and July calendars. I move to approve.
Last time >> second, right? We always start with that doing. >> All right. So, we'll do uh we got personnel July 20th 6 o'clock.
Okay. And since we plan to have an announcement sooner than later on my successor, we will let that individual work with committee to set that time with them. Um,
>> yeah. >> Look at the week of July 13th. I know you guys like the 8 a.m. slot. What? What? Any any day but Friday maybe. Yeah, you're invited. Okay. Um, I'm just
going to 14th the Tuesday. Okay. Is that okay? >> Okay. Okay. So, we'll do the 14th at 8. 8:30 >> 14. All right. uh gov and community relations.
>> Um I am it's up to whatever works for for um the rest of the committee as long as it can be the 8 a.m. I'll wake up at 7. It's okay. I'll wake up and start my morning with government relations. So
>> just let me know when works. Oh, >> no. No. It honestly, no. It's We should do it. What? Whatever. I'm I'm down. I'm good with it. >> He's down. >> Um, seven. Um, could we could we do the
eighth? >> [laughter] >> Okay. All right. Um or the nine. No, I would I I actually that that's a that's a tough um that's a tough week for me. I could Could we push it to the I actually think like could could we do
um the 15th maybe? I know that's close to the next board meeting, but I think that's before the next board meeting is on the 20th, right? >> 16. The 16 work? >> Okay, let's let's do 16 at 8 a.m. Eastern time.
Was it the 13? Is that >> Yeah. Yeah, I can do it. >> Yeah, >> that's it. >> Okay. All in favor? Any opposed or abstaining?
>> Awesome. Okay. Any are there any new business items? Just uh reiterating from last time, probably should have been old business, um that the deadline for filing
nominating petitions to run for the open positions on the HP Valley Regional Board of Education is 4:00 p.m. on July 27th. Uh reminder that the petitions must be uh handd delivered to the clerk's office
on 209 South Broad Street in Trenton. The positions that are open at this time are three three-year Hopeal Township terms. Three three-year Hope Township terms. And we scared Mark last time that he
would have to run again, but petitions can be picked up in my office, but they cannot be returned to my office. One sec. >> Okay. Thank you. and we're going to go ahead and move
into our second public comment section. Um, members of the public are reminded that they are invited to address the board on any matter for a maximum of 3 minutes during this portion of the meeting. You're asked to state your name, address, and municipality. In response to your comments, the board
of education may respond or direct the superintendent to do so. The board may also opt to take the matter up at a future meeting so that the matter is re researched for the district administr by the district administration. Members of the public who intend to
participate in public comment, we ask that you sign in prior to speaking. This will assist us with our recordkeeping. Public comment is now open. Hello again. I again am Nora Wen. I live in Pennington Burough and I have two students at the high school and one at
um who's just finishing Tollgate. And I would actually like to take a minute to speak about the need to eliminate the access to phones at the high school. Now, this is something that I'm so grateful that our legislators in New Jersey are now going to require that school districts prohibit student use of
internet enabled devices for next year. So, I'm aware that this is something that I'm sure you are discussing and um preparing to implement. Um technology, especially smartphones, but also access to the internet on Chromebooks has been, I believe, the number one most
detrimental thing to our students overall. Um, in my opinion, the use of the yonder pouches at Timberlane has been incredibly positive and critically needed. This measure is researchbased. It's concrete and it's enforcable. It
protects our students learning, focus, and attention and also allows them critical time during the school day for healthy social growth and development. Our high school students are in desperate need of this as well and deserve our action to protect their
learning as well as their social growth in a healthy environment. Their brains at this age are not developed especially in the early years of high school to manage this on our on their own. So I do not believe it is adequate for us to expect that they will manage this on
their own. And I believe the new legislation obviously requires us to act decisively and create a system at the high school that is enforcable. Furthermore, I think it's not realistic for the system to rely on each teacher policing this. It's not fair to them and it drains the resources from the
critical work that they are doing educating. So, I just would ask the board as you are having these conversations to consider if our system for keeping phones away and completely inaccessible for the school day is easily enforcable and if it's largely
watertight and if it's not, I think that's inadequate and continuing to harm our students and our school environment. Um, I was so pleased this year when I went to back to school night at the high school that for the first time there was more action on this than there had previously been. and many of the
teachers, not all of them, but many of them had cubbies over the door that they were planning to use for students to check in their phones. Um, so that was a positive change this year. Although truthfully, my understanding from my own children across the years is that that
has largely not kept up across the year. Um, so to my my perspective is that the Yonder pouches have been largely successful and I see no reason why they should not be considered at the high school. I think that would be very positive. If something different is
considered, I would again ask the board to ensure that the system um does remove the option of access to the phones for the entire school day and the implementation and enforcement should re not rely on teachers policing this and it should ensure that the students have
a healthy social environment during their lunch and their free periods as well. Um I believe this is the single best thing that we can do for our students growth and their health. Thank you so much. Um, hi everyone. Uh, I just wanted to make a couple more remarks, um,
addressing some of the stuff with EA. Um, I know most of you know me already. >> Remind us your name. I'm sorry. >> Oh, Bonnie Lou, sorry. 12 Lyndon Lane, Pennington Burough. Um, I know most of you know me already. I've been the PTO president at Tollgate the past two years. Um, I'm pretty involved in almost everything going on in the district. Um, and I have been talking to parents
across the schools about this. Um, unfortunately, tonight is the moving up cere this promotion ceremony for both Stony Brook and Hopewell. So, there were numerous parents that wanted to be here from those schools and couldn't, but um, I'm encouraging them to email you all so you might hear. Um, so just know that this is universally across the
elementary schools. This is not just a tollgate because we didn't have our promotion event situation. Um, secondly, I know you all really highly value social and emotional learning, and I just want to I don't want to start crying, but I want to just personally like help you understand how this is not just an academic initi issue. This is a
social and emotional issue. Um, for my son, having only one hour a week where he feels like he's getting something that challenges him has led to on and off. We've had great years at Tgate and we've had some really hard years at Tolgate. Like refused to go to school. He spent
hours and hours in Courtney Schaefer's office and like he loves to learn. When he's in there with Miss Lester, like Tuesday was the only day he wanted to go to school most of this past year. Um, and so it's just inadequate to have one day a week where that's the case. And so when we got to the place where he was
like, I'm so excited about German. That's going to be super hard for me. And I'm so excited that I get to do EA every other day. And then to have the German, which he was super excited for, cut for him. And then to have EA, which was supposed to be every other day, now be only every other day half a year because there's lots of kids taking it.
Like it just all the excitement about middle school, it just deflated for him. And so just from a personal perspective, that's social and emotionally where I'm coming from. Um I also want to stress that the failures of the EA program appear to be more structural in nature.
and I thank you for um you know thinking about doing a review, but I would say like I've been talking about these things and talking to administrators about this for years and my kids are almost exiting the program and I've already been on this for three or four years and they're not going to see the benefit of anything changing and that
just kills me. Um, we have a supervisor where onethird of his job is to be on top of the EA program and it feels like no creative solutions are being offered and it's an afterthought always when I bring things um to him. I also wanted to
say that under New Jersey law um districts are encouraged to have pathways for public feedback. I've tried numerous times to present this feedback. thing that I kept coming to is that um the core period could be a great place to put EA and it wouldn't take them out at the middle school of things, but I
don't know why that has not been something that's followed. Um I also wanted to say something about every other day pack. That's where they are right now. It was supposed to be full year. Now it's being pushed to half year. And my last thing before you cut me off is just that I heard that um the EA teacher at the middle school is
changing and now it could be a theater teacher. and I have no concept of what the new curriculum is or if there's oversight on training that new teacher and I'd like you to address that. Thank you. Any additional comments? sign in.
Um, hi everybody. Seth, Pennington Haron Road. Uh, Mr. Peters can answer questions if he wants us to, but I really feel like Bob. Um, it looks like our health insurance costs and and are here for and been have been approved. So
I guess my questions are has the things come in line with what we had planned for and all of the budget conversations that we had been through and are they in line with where it is that we wanted to um to see things. It looks like it's a 20% increase, right? So, um, I just
wanted to check on that. And then a little and then in general, all of these other financials that we've approved, have things I mean, some things look like they've been held at C at the same cost, but are we seeing things costs in line with what where we wanted to be
with all of the very hard conversations that we had along the budget leading up to what we just have now just approved to pay for next year? Um, and then with Bear Tavern, what I mean it looks we're
going to pay for that and then when are they going to start construction? Like when is that starting to move forward? cuz if we're going to move like I I just can't see the the actual thing that we're proving um that's in there. And then probably one um goaround on the
what a a better I think a just a more complete explanation would be would be good on the what looks to be millions that are being put into reserves which I think are regarding the stuff that was around the I mean you kind of mentioned with the referendum
monies or whatever else but just kind of a let's think it'd be good to do a little look at that and what got you get out of softballs. Okay. Any >> Go ahead. Sure.
>> I'd like to start with the first one with the access of of the cell phones. So, it's good that you asked that question because we have passed a policy that goes into effect in the fall where it's a bell-to-bell schedule. Uh, a policy that's K to 12 students are not allowed to use their cell phones in any of our buildings during the school day.
Not in the hallway, not at lunchtime. Um, from the first bell to the last bell. We are looking at a mechanism for that. Um, like the yonder pouches, the complexity with the yonder pouches is um, we funnel kids into two buildings, two doors in our building in the in the
middle school. They corral. They can staff are paid to kind of watch watch them. Anyway, they're locking their dunder pouches there and they're putting them in their lockers. The high school kids don't use their lockers number one consistently and we we don't they're coming in multiple doors and the numbers
of them is just um prohibitive. So, we um Miss Principal Riley is looking at a pouch that kids can lock and keep on their person, but it won't it won't um it can't access the internet while it's in there. So it won't ring, it won't jingle, it won't do any of those things. And then they can unlock it to leave for
senior option, to go to the trade school, to go out uh for the various things if they if they can sign themselves out at a certain age. We don't have to monitor all of that, but it has to be in the pouch and there'll be consequences if they're they're not using it. So we do have we are looking at that very closely and that is going
to be um K to2 and we have already adopted that policy. So I'm looking forward to that because we do need to reign in the cell phones. Absolutely. In addition to the Chromebooks and and that internet um access, we have also and our supervisors have already started working
on this being very intentional about when students are using the internet and why and for what purposes and far as assignments are due uh that they're working on. And we are going to be phasing out blanket onetoone in the primary grade, specifically kindergarten, first grade, and second
grade. We are no longer going to be purchasing enough Chromebooks for every student to necessarily have one to take home. There will be carts and they will be available because students do need to learn keyboarding and know how to use these devices. All of the accessess assessments that are coming up that are
high stakes are given on these now. Um and they don't need to be living on them either. So this all the time on the computer, we're phasing those out uh for the the younger grades and really making sure that we have textrich environments and less using of the Chromebook. Um, we are in a better place than you think at
the elementary schools, but I still would like it to be less than what we do. So, we are and we are looking at the middle and high school to make sure we're doing it intentionally. Um, Miss Lou, again on the EA, we are definitely going to look at the high the middle school and see what how we can schedule. We have often had teachers
from different disciplines teaching EA, which is okay because it's not honors, math, or language arts. We've had math teachers. We've had um humanities teachers teaching EA. It's really about allowing students to do what your gifted child does, which is explore and to to find their gifted their genius hour and
spend that time. So, we do need to look at that. We need to have someone from the outside come with other ideas on how we can expand this for our students. Um, I wrote down some of your ideas about the core periods and the pack periods being an option. So, as we as I meet and
I've already emailed um my scheduler, um the scheduling vice principal and the principal, Mr. Turnbolt saying that we need to look at this. So, I promise you we're going to look at this December and and make a change. And I know change has been slow, but we have made changes. I handpicked Miss Lester for you. She has
was trained um Miss um or I'm sorry, I draw a blank. Why am I doing this? The teacher that will be doing EA, helping with ES, Miss Schubin, thank you. Miss Schubin will also be have to be sent out for training for EA. They do a lot of work at Ryder University with that and we will make sure that we send
that that uh teacher out to be trained. Uh, in addition to that, the do EA teachers do collaborate. So, Miss Lester will be help helping her to make sure she gets her feet under her as she um as she does this work. I'm very confident she will do a good job. Um, but we do need to look at the scheduling and see what other things that we can do to to
make more options available to your children. And then, Mr. Kvita, I know that you can't wait to answer those questions for Mrs. Sadiski. Sure, >> you got it. Okay. [clears throat] >> So, the health benefits um is a wild card. We are self-insured. we aren't
paying premiums. Our best guess uh right now is about a 20% increase in total spending um which went to the 20% increase in um uh premium rates. Unfortunately, the folks that have chapter 44 premium
rates, their premiums are gauged by salary. So, their increases will only go up the amount by the amount of salary that they get. Um we had a bad year this year. um we've been able to cover it through belt tightening and taking
things from other areas. Um we had a lot of high level claims this year. We had a lot of claims that actually uh went into stop-loss which were covered for. Um, so the best guess I can say right now is I'm hopeful
that those high level claims that we experienced this year were an anomaly and that we'll get back to where we were in prior years and that that the the money we budgeted to cover um costs uh will be effective. We do have our
reserve account that we set aside um for health benefits that was will be untouched this year. So we'll have that reserved to help us if we're not. But um the kind of year we have had this year with the number of highle claims um again it's it's unanticipated. Um and
we're talking some some really high level um serious claims for folks um that we're that we're tracking. So really that's weird. Um so I mean I'm hopeful that we are we are budgeted
appropriately for next year. very pleased with when we budget when we started the process. We budgeted somewhere in excess of 5.1% for transportation. As you saw in the agenda today, we've gotten all of those transportation contractors to come in at
zero. So, that's uh that's going to be very helpful uh in in maintaining our budget going forward, which give us some flexibility should additional students come back in. Um we we have by no means are spending that money right now. that's going to sit there um as we look
towards uh the enrollment season over the summer. You know, we'll start to see folks moving in and getting ready for the school year. Um we did also see some uh favorable numbers come back in our um
our uh property and casualty insurance, which should also provide a little buffer for us. We are uh under budget when it comes to property and casualty insurance. So, that's going to to help us out as well. Um, but those are, you
know, th those volatile things um have kind of settled in. Um, right now, knock on wood, I hate to say this, but we haven't had um any major facility issues um over the last it's got to be three or four months now. Um I've just it's it's
been a good, you know, we have our full staff now. We are fully staffed in the facilities department. Our guys are are taking care of things. We did have some air conditioning problems. You always have air condition only have air conditioning problems when it's 98 degrees outside, which is what happened last week. Um the pack was was hot and
from what I understand today that was fixed. Um so we are going to be starting our referendum projects this summer. Uh the roofs are are uh they're underway. We haven't actually gone onto the roofs yet, but for all the premeings are held,
permits are being pulled, and we hope hope to start Friday on all the roof projects. Uh same is true. Obviously, we just awarded the bid for the Bear Tavern playground. Um those guys are ready to get going once tomorrow when I uh tell them that they have the notice to
proceed. Um they are on a fast track to get that thing installed prior to um school in September. The equipment has been ordered. It was ordered a few months ago. Um there was a lead time on that, but once we get the approval to move ahead, the be the the excavators
will come out and they'll start to regrade that area for uh the playground. So hopefully um we'll have the the dedication of that playground when we come back in September. I think that what's that? Oh, the additions. So right now we are
we are heavily involved in uh the design phase. We hope to go to bid for those sometime late fall prior to the uh winter break or just into the new year to be ready to go um for the summer of 27.
Um we went out real early for the roofs and as the board uh as we reported we did uh have very favorable bids for the roof. So, we're ahead of the game right now. Again, knock knock knock on wood. Um, by going out early, we tend you tend to get a more favorable uh result. So,
more to come into the fall as we prepare bid packages to go out. >> That's that it John? >> Yeah, not on this. I just had a thought about the previous about the Chromebook discussion if it's okay to mention here. >> [clears throat]
>> We did have a just going back to it. Obviously, we did have a presentation recently at a couple Edcom meetings ago. I wasn't able to join this past one, but there was a discussion about Chromebooks and the usage of Chromebooks and social media and YouTube and the different
things that, you know, in some instances are necessarily on the Chromebooks, but I my understanding was from that meeting that there are options for parents to sort of control the Chromebooks. I'm not sure many parents know that. So the the
in in terms of like screen time and things like that. If that's not true then and I'm speaking out of term, but my understanding that it is true. So it might be worthwhile to consider, you know, there might be an email that we could send out or something like that just say this is this is this is a live experience for me obviously as a parent
of two middle schoolers. So, I uh definitely appreciate the concern and I just the thought occurred to me that after that comment that might be something we want to consider moving forward. This is maybe a tutorial for parents and and you know if if you're having a struggle with that that there there might be some options for you to
to address it just like you would your a cell phone. Thanks. >> Now, there was one other thing uh Seth that we forgot. They're reserve accounts. They're placeholders. So by um statute, you're allowed uh as of June
30th to uh project what you think you might have. So you always shoot high. Um we I set I did resolutions for both maintenance and capital reserve depending on what we would need. Um what we typically do here is once the audit uh once we go through our annual audit,
we will meet with the finance facilities committee along with the auditors and they will make a re the we will make a recommendation to them. they will either affirm it, they will ask questions. Um, last year we did nothing. Uh, we felt that the money given the current
situation in the budget was better going back into uh the general fund budget than it was to go into additional capital projects based upon the passing the referendum. So this year, um, depending on what happens over the summer, if something happens to go ary
and we need money, say in our maintenance reserve to cover something that's not in the referendum, we may decide to put money in there. Um, but that will come, that decision will made sometime mid midfall, October, November. But this just gives us the flexibility
to do something if the the uh board and the the finance committee and ultimately the the entire board uh decides Okay, seeing no other comments, we are going to close out our last um public comment
section and we are going to move into executive session. So, I need a first and second to do so. >> A motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? Any opposed or abstaining?
Um I just want to note that we um will be reviewing her harassment um HIV issues as well as two personnel matters. We may take action and need to come out of executive session um and but go back
in because I think we we have kind of a um couple of issues to break from that. which you think in the in the public um sorry the personnel matters. Yeah. >> Um the second executive session um will
be the superintendent's evaluation. [laughter] Thank you everybody uh in the audience. Still remaining