Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Mic check. One, two, Jimmy. Jimmy, can
you hear me? Jimmy Gam Yeah. Sorry. >> Hello. >> It works, right? >> Can you hear it? >> Is it working? I >> think so. >> HS.org. or
testing. Check. One more time. Just make sure I read this. Good evening everyone. Welcome to a meeting of the 10 Central Regional High School Board of Education. Please be advised that this and all meetings of the board are open to the public and
media consistent with the open public meetings act and that advanced notice required therein has been provided. Meeting notice was also posted in the boardroom of the upper school campus, sent to the Courier News, Star Ledger, Express Times, and the Hunter County Democrat and sent to the clerks of
Delaware Township, East Damwell, Flemington Burough, Raran Township, and Readington Township. The public will have an opportunity to be heard as shown on the agenda. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Dugen, >> here.
>> Miss Gong, here. Mrs. Ms Miss Gray, Dr. Halpern, Mrs. Kellogg >> here, >> Miss Laccasta here, Mrs. Peterson >> here, >> Mrs. Rothell >> here, >> and Mrs. Santangelo >> here.
>> All right, please um join us for the flag salute of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
>> All right, Leslie, will you read the district mission statement? Hunter and Central is an innovative educational community dedicated to the intellectual, social, and emotional safety and growth of all students. While fostering curiosity and promoting
wellness, we aspire to create powerful learning experiences, establish strong partnerships, and serve as contributing members of society. Thank you. I would like to move to approve the regular and executive session minutes of the July 21st, 2025
meeting. Roll call. >> Mrs. Dugen. >> Yes. >> Miss Gong, >> yes. >> Mrs. Kellogg, >> yes. >> Miss Laccasta, >> yes. >> Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rothell,
>> abstain. I was not here. >> And Mrs. Santangelo, >> yes. >> Oh, yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you. We would just like to note for the record that the board has received correspondence which will be maintained on file in the office of the board secretary.
Um, the agenda does note that there's a president's report, but we don't have one this month. So, we will skip to the superintendent report. Jessica, thank you, Lisa. Good evening, everyone. It's hard to believe, but we are getting close to school starting again. Our
summer programs have concluded. Thank you to our curriculum and instruction, special education, and counseling departments for another successful summer working with our students. We have been focused on preparing for the new school year. our staff report on August 27th and our students begin on
September 2nd. It all starts to feel very close and very real this week as we welcome our new staff for our annual new staff orientation starting tomorrow. Dr. Hall, Miss and the leadership team have revamped our orientation to ensure staff
are acclimated to Hunan Central and feel ready for their first day. My personal favorite part of orientation is the campus tour led by Mr. Bob Cole and Mr. Ed Brandt as a central alum, Mr. Cole, and then longtime staff members, Mr.
Cole and Mr. Brandt, have so much historical knowledge and fun anecdotes that it's impossible not to love it here. Next week on Tuesday the 26th, we are very excited to welcome our new students, which include both incoming freshmen as well as transfer students.
Thank you to Mr. Brandt and his team for planning the new student orientation. We are very happy to be able to offer additional activities for the students after the more traditional orientation day. This is one of my favorite days of the year. I love seeing our new students and talking with them as they walk
around their schedules and trying to find find all their classrooms for the for the year. Tonight on the agenda, we have multiple items to support setting up a successful start to the school year. As you know, we have the 2025 2026 district goals on
the agenda for approval tonight. As I reported last month, I worked with the leadership team at the end of June in reviewing data from the 2024 2025 school year in order to create recommended goals for the upcoming year. Over the past month, the board reviewed the proposed goals and made revisions to
ensure they reflect both district priorities and the board's perspective. We have amended the goal statements and have goals under instructional practices and student achievement, academic and wellness, counseling, communication and student voice, fiscal responsibility and
operational effectiveness, and student and staff health and wellness. What looks different this year than in prior years is the proposed measures of success under each goal statement. While you all know this, I think it's important for everyone here and for those watching to know that we are
continuing continuing, excuse me, to work on the metrics for each goal to be reflective of our mission statement. And I know Leslie just read it, but I'm going to read it again. Hunton Central is an innovative educational community dedicated to the intellectual, social,
and emotional safety and growth of all students. While fostering curiosity and promoting wellness, we aspire to create powerful learning experiences, establish strong partnerships, and serve as contributing members of society. I appreciate the collaborative process in
the continued review of the proposed metrics as we work together to ensure our goals are forwardinking, realistic, and attainable in guiding our district's progress. We would like to have revised metrics prepared for our September board meeting. Related to this, I am very pleased to
formally begin our strategic planning process that begins tonight with a presentation from the New Jersey School Boards Association in just a few minutes and an item for your approval on this agenda to contract with NJSBA for strategic planning services. Our last
strategic plan, destinations, expired at the end of 2022. And as I reflect on our past plan, I am proud of the work and the strides we have made with goals in wellness, powerful learning, partnerships, and service. We will be relying on all of our stakeholders for
input into our strategic plan. This includes you all, our staff, our students, our parents, our partners, and our community members. It is extremely important to us that we get involvement from each of these groups of people as our strategic plan needs to build on our
progress thus far and also reflect the input and vision of the whole school community. We will have three evening meetings that build on one another so that we can ultimately create long-term goals for the district. This is particularly significant as this will drive our annual goal development as
well. I am now going to ask us to move to the audience for a presentation about strategic planning from Miss Maryanne Freriedman, senior field service representative with New Jersey School Boards Association. And you might want to bring your packet
with you that was at your um spot when you came in. Thank you very much. Oh, sorry. It's because I was doing >> Are you recording the meetings? >> No, not at all. Okay. Good evening everyone. I'm sorry that I'm going to
have my back to all of you. I'm not used to having my back to to the audience, but um I need to be able to use the microphone for the recording. So, this is where we are. My name is Maryanne Freriedman. I am a senior field service representative at New Jersey school boards. I've been with the association
for about 15 years now and I'm very pleased to be here and I thank Dr. Kangallocei Hay and also the board for inviting me in tonight to discuss and talk about our strategic planning process. So we're going to talk a little bit about what strategic planning is, what the advantages are, how people can
be a part of the process, and then wrap up and see if the board has any questions. So strategic planning really creates an organizationalwide vision and mission that directs and motivates stakeholder groups, all members of the educational community to come together
to work for the common good. And that's really important because education really needs community support today more than ever before. So that's what strategic planning will do. So the advantages are it's very pro. It allows the board to be very proactive instead
of reactive. boards over the past I would say 10 years or so have become reactive because of all of the mandates that come down from the state department of education and NJSBA is not part of the state department of education we're a separate entity entity and we train
and provide services to school boards superintendent and business administrators on how to be more effective ethics training goal setting strategic planning things like that also allows the board to be more creative and innovative because it's going to ask all of you, the stakeholder groups, to put
together your creative and innovative ideas and see what the majority of each group comes up with. It's also a planning process that's flexible. So once the process is in place and the goals, strategic planning goals have been established and the superintendent
and the administrative team are working on those action plans, those can be modified moving forward. If something in the action plan is not working well, they can be modified and be flexible so that they can try something different that they feel will work. It also
provides for that forum of communication and participation from all of you as the stakeholder groups. Provides that ongoing process that cycle of planning. It optimizes limited resources. We know that today limited resources are um
pervasive with every school district in the state. And then it also helps to increase communication because you'll see following along with the agendas as you come to board meetings that many of the things that are on the agenda are going to be part of that strategic plan.
And there'll also be an annual state of the strategic plan presentation from the superintendent that will discuss the things that have taken place over that year and things that are coming up in the upcoming year. It allows the board to have a clear focus on educational
decisionmaking. It highlights the importance of that good information for that decision-making. And again, it creates that district-wide vision and mission that helps to direct and motivate people to work towards the common good. So, why would somebody want
to engage in a strategic plan? It really will be at the top of everything that happens. And I'll show you that in a second. But if your school enrollment is changing, if the makeup of your school population is changing, we know for a fact that there are more people in any
community in the country that have fewer people it fewer students in school than there are people who actually have students in schools. So that's very important to get their input as well. And then would you benefit from a road map for the district's future? This will
give you a road map for the next three to five years. It gives the superintendent and the board that road map and it also allows you as stakeholders to follow along with that plan and seeing what that road map has done has accomplished and what's coming up. Then are there any changes in your
family structure, the economic structure of your community, educational levels changing in your community? Is there competition for your public schools? And is limited funding impacting your programs and services? And also if your previous strategic plan, if you had one,
has expired, then if you answer yes to any of those questions, strategic planning would be for you. So this is that waterfall effect. And strategic planning really is going to be at the very top of the waterfall. And it will inform district annual district
goals and board goals, the administrators goals, building goals, department goals, teacher and classroom goals, and student goals. All of which flows into that pool below which we in um strive to include and improve student
achievement for all of our students. So the components of the the 3D this it's only Monday. This is a problem. Um the components of the 3D strategic planning process is this pyramid. The commitment of the board of education is at the bottom and along the
side. And that is the commitment of the board to not only invite you in but to listen to what you have to say. Okay, that's really really important to people. And then at the first night, this will as Dr. um Kangalloi Wade said the fir there will be three meetings
over three months. The first meeting will have information which will be the state of the school that will be provided and developed by Dr. Kangallocei Hay. Then we'll break into small groups and we put you into very random small groups. I will be the the
person who does this. So I'm the one who takes the hit for this. But we like for people to be if if you come in with eight people and you all want to be at the same table because you're all friends, you're not going to get the full experience of what other people in
your community value and what their opinions are. So we really do try and break people up. Sometimes people are not happy about that. I always say I haven't lost anyone at strategic planning yet and I don't plan on it. But we'll break you up into small groups and
the activity will be thinking about the state of the school report that Dr. Kangalloi Hay had provided. She will identify some strengths and challenges that she's identified and then what do you all identify as strengths and challenges for the district. So, it's
not just what the superintendent is going to include, but also you'll be able to state what you feel are strengths and challenges. We ask you to develop a top 10. Everybody remembers David Letterman, right? Top 10 list. Okay? So, we'll ask you to come up with a top 10 list of strengths and a top 10
list of challenges. If you can't come up with 10, that's fine. But then the small group will they'll brainstorm first. They'll come to consensus on those top 10 lists, strengths and challenges. And then the small groups will report out to the larger group. And then at the end of
the evening, it's about a two-hour meeting, the first meeting. At the end of the meeting, then we'll ask you, anybody who's participated, for common themes. What were some of the common themes you saw identified in several of the groups. Okay. Then we will break and
we'll go to the next meeting which will be the following month and that will be a visioning and initiatives meeting. and we'll have a visioning and activi visioning visioning and initiatives activity for you all. You'll be in different groups most likely, okay?
Because the you know the random is pretty much being you know left to each meeting and we'll ask you we'll do a visioning exercise. will ask you to take a look at the strengths and challenges from the previous meeting which will be at your tables and it will also be on the website usually within a couple of
days after the meeting itself. So people who haven't been a weren't able to come to the first meeting can look at that see how we got to the conclusions that we came to and be able to hit the ground running if they come to the second meeting and haven't been at the first. So we'll ask you that are there for the
visioning and initiatives exercise to review those strengths and challenges and think about those challenges and what if they weren't challenges now they had been overcome what would those things look like and those could be the initiatives that you would like to set forth and we'll ask each group each
small group to come up with a vision statement and then again at the end of that night we'll have the small groups report out and we'll come up with common themes again things that they've seen repeated from from group to group and then we'll also identify goal areas just
very very broad goal areas and then at the next meeting we'll come up with goal statements and objectives and you'll be able to we call I always call it strategic planning gone wild because you can sit wherever you want I'm not going to direct you to any specific table
there'll be three to five goal areas and those goal areas will have a tent card at each table and you'll be able to go to whatever table goal area you would like to work on and if you would like to mark on more than one you can contribute to one and then go to the next. Okay. Then the strategies and action plans
will be developed by the administrative team over about two to three month period of time and then when those are completed they'll send those to me. Dr. Dr. Kangelo Wade Hayade will send those to me and then I'll incorporate those into the final plan and I'll come in and
present that as a final plan to the board and that's usually about in the fourth or fifth month of this process. So who can participate? Literally everyone can participate board members past, present and future parents. Okay,
staff and administrators students present and past. We can even have future students. So you will be able to invite all of the students from your neighbor and community from your neighboring districts that sent your receiving districts and you'll be able
to ask them to participate as well. And then community members and town councils as well can participate and community businesses, ministerium, all of those folks will be able to come and participate. It's really the more the marrier and we really appreciate people
who come out. You can come out to all three meetings. If you can't make all three but can come to one or two, we appreciate that as well. Okay? So, it's not mandated that you sign up for all three meetings at the time. Student voice is something that is absolutely
critical to this plan. Student voice is already here. It's not something that we give them. They already have it. But it's something that we honor. And we honor that by inviting them to come in and listen to them. Okay? and then incorporate those things that they talk
to us about into those plans. Okay? And these can be middle school students and they can be any of your high school students. So, how can you participate in the strategic planning in the 3D? It's again a four to five month process. You can attend and actively participate in any
of the three meetings. Um, I think we're going to we're planning hoping to be able to do one in October, November, and December. Then become involved in the schools as you're able to. Okay, there are lots of opportunities for people to get involved in school districts today and then attend board meetings as you're
able to also to hear the progress that towards achieving the strategic planning goals. So what questions may the board have for me? This is your question and answer period. And if you want to are they okay to go back to their seats if you want to
or >> you want to ask >> or you can ask from here? Yes. >> What have you found are best practices in this process? >> So, we have forms that that I can send and I've already actually sent invitation forms to Dr. Kangelosi Hay that she can send out. Um, there'll be
one that she'll send out to businesses and things like that from her as a representative of the district. But the others are flyers that you can put up on on your school, you know, in your schools on your website. You can send it to the districts that that come here for high school. um you can invite their
board members. Um it's really word of mouth is one of the best things that you can do and literally calling somebody and saying we have the strategic planning process that we're going to engage in and I'd love for you to be able to be a part of that if you can. People always respond to that more than
they respond to a flyer, but the flyers work too. >> Did you have a question? Can you tell us about a successful um group that you had and maybe that wasn't so successful and how you got them sort of a little momentum become successful.
>> So usually coming out and talking to the board and to your community members and you really for an August meeting you have a a good representation of people here. So that will that will also help and we'll send out those flyers. Back to
school night is a wonderful opportunity for you to be able to talk about the strategic plan because that's the time that you get the most parents in. You'll also have students here that night. So that's the time to really get the parents interested in this process and
you can talk about it. This presentation is is Dr. Kangelosi Kate has it. You can put it up on your website if you would like to. Um, we'll add the dates once the dates are are confirmed. If the if the board approves the going with New Jersey school boards, we can add the
calendar to the website as well. And that will let people know when these things are going to happen. We also like to really have some kind of a signin or a registration form that's on the on the district website so that people can respond and say they'd like to come.
Mostly that's so I know how many people are going to be there. So I have the appropriate number of pens and markers and large post-it notes. We use the huge post-it boards so we'll have a lot of those. And um usually we do this in two.
So I hope to have a fellow FSR here with me. Um and I've done these with as many as 300 people which is huge. And we had four FSRs help with that. So, if I know we're having two to 300 people, I'm going to get
additional reinforcements for myself. Um, and then anything under 100 is pretty much I can handle on my own if need be. But I will be trying to bring in another FSR. And then just making sure that the outcomes from each of the
meetings, I type those up usually the same night or the next morning and send those to the superintendent, the board president, and the um vice president and the BA. I ask them to look it over, make sure it reflects. There's also an attendance list. The attendance list we
keep because we want you to be acknowledged for your participation in the strategic plan at the end of the plan. So there'll be a nice list of folks who participate. You don't have to put that up on the website after each meeting, but then people can go in and look at and reflect on what you all did
that night. And as I said, if somebody couldn't make the first meeting, but wants to come to the second meeting, they'll be the outcomes are such that they'll be able to see exactly what happened that night and how we came to the outcomes that we came to. And so it gives them the ability then to come in
and really kind of hit the ground running with the second with the second meeting. Okay. And then doing that it helps people to to stay focused on the plan also. I hope I answered your question. >> So there's there's always the
stipulation if you feed them they will come. And so often times it's, you know, and you'll see what you what you end up wanting to do. Sometimes it's sandwiches, sometimes it's pizza, um, usually some drinks, coffee, tea, that
kind of thing. Um, and that's the other reason why we would like to know about how many people are coming. Okay. Just so that we can make sure that we have enough for everybody. Anybody from this side of the board? Yes. So, as I've been flipping through this, you know, I see your involvement from a
pre-planning, planning, so on and so forth. Once it's approved and moved forward, do you have any involvement in evaluating progress, whether it's quarterly, semiannually, any of those things versus just letting the whole year go?
>> We do not. But you can what what I've seen a lot of districts do and this is for the board and the superintendent to discuss is when they have their agenda then once everything's been approved the final plan has been adopted and approved what they will often do is identify
items in the agenda with the goal statement or the goal area that it pertains to in the strategic plan. So you're always going to see what's coming from the strategic plan. And remember, it's really going to dictate and give you guidance on everything that you do
moving forward. So everything that's that's included in the strategic plan will likely be coming forward at board meetings and you'll be able to see those things. So as people come to board meetings or watch the live feed or watch the recorded version,
they'll be able to see those things that are apparent that have come from the strategic plan. The other thing that I just wanted to mention is things that come up on the through the strategic plan are not always possible to do. So there may be some things that that are
requested and that are suggested and recommended in the strategic plan that are not possible. I had a district years ago, a shore district actually down in the southern part of the state and somebody came. It was a one-building schoolhouse and it was about a hundred
years old. And one of the students said, "Would it wouldn't it be great if we had a rooftop pool?" The answer is yes, that would be great if you could have a rooftop pool. However, I explained to the student, I said, "This might not be possible
because of the age of your building and the fact that it's the weight that would be on the roof, but the superintendent will investigate that with your with your township committee architect and an engineer and see if that's possible." And so the student looked at me and he
said, "Okay, well, if that's not possible, then can we do maybe a rooftop garden?" I said, "Now, that's something you can probably do." And I believe that they do have a rooftop garden going on right now. And so what ends up happening is if there's something in the strategic
plan that can't be accomplished, the superintendent just needs to be able to say, "We did investigate this. We did everything we could to see if this was possible and it wasn't possible within the confines of this strategic plan, but we may be able to do it at some point in
the future." So, it's not necessarily lost and it's not because somebody just didn't feel like looking into it. We looked into it. We tried, but it's not possible right now with funding and everything else. We did have a district years ago before the accountability regulations came out. It was a rather
large school district, and they wanted to hire a full-time public relations person. And that was in place for their fourth year of their five-year strategic plan. In the fourth year of their strategic plan, the accountability regulations
came out which clearly stated that you could not have a full-time public relations person for a school district. So, they had to scrap that whole piece which was rather large. They had built up resources for this facility areas, I mean, finances, all of that, you know,
personnel, and they had to scrap that. That was clearly something that couldn't happen any longer because of the the state came down and said that you couldn't do that. So there are lots of things that may interfere with the strategic plan, but just about I would say 90% of strategic plans are able to
come to fruition. So yeah, anybody else from the board? No, you good. Okay. I want to thank you so much for all you do for your students, your staff, and community. Um we appreciate that at NJSBA. We
appreciate you. We appreciate you all for coming out tonight and hearing about this and being part of your board meetings. And if anybody has any questions, my contact information is in the the packet that you have. Please don't hesitate. Okay. Thank you so much.
>> I'm going to pull this out. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> You're very welcome. And I will talk to you soon. Okay. Thank you. Have a good rest of the night. All right. Thank you again to Maryanne and thank you to you all for your support in the strategic planning
process. I do have one more update for everyone tonight. We are aware of public concerns regarding the fact that we have not yet renewed our agreement with Hunter and behavioral health for the school-based youth services program for the 2025 2026
school year. I think it's important to address this and for everyone to know how we plan to continue to support students throughout their time at Hunter and Central. Over the past several months, we have been working closely with Hunter and Behavioral Health to address concerns about the school-based youth services program and potential
changes to enhance services. Unfortunately, we have not come to an agreement to continue those particular services at this time. I also remain in communication with six staff members and administrators from the Department of Children and Families. This is the state
agency that oversees and provides the funding for school-based youth services. While these conversations continue, I want to remind everyone that Hunter and Central has a strong counseling department and a specialized structure that contributes to multiple tiers of supports for students. Each grade level
has three school counselors in addition to one students student assistance counselor. Student assistance counselors are able to provide a more targeted and individualized method of counseling specializing in prevention, intervention, counseling, and referral services.
Because we are not currently hosting a school-based youth services program, we are now eligible for the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services or NJ4S. NJ4S provides wellness services to students and their families through 15
regional hubs in the state. Additionally, we continue to evaluate and recommend other mental health services such as Care Plus on the agenda tonight, which will fulfill the motto on our district's seal, a sound mind and a sound body. We remain fully committed to providing the very best educational
experience for every student and this commitment includes a strong focus on their health and well-being. And last but not least, you will see the Hibben suspension report on the agenda. This will close out the 2024 2025 school year with the one HIP case from executive
session from last month. Thank you again and this concludes my report this evening, Lisa. >> All right. Thank you. So before we move to the first residence forum which is basically comments on the action items on the agenda only we will
have a second forum at the end of the uh meeting. I just wanted to know because we have more people than usual how many people are looking to speak right now. Okay. So we we don't have to Some people might speak.
>> See how it starts going. >> Okay. All right. We were just trying to figure out if we needed to reduce the five minutes. Okay. So, we'll open up the first public forum. You could step forward and just list your name and municipality. We'll see. Yeah. Okay.
>> Oh jeez. >> We don't want to do >> Let's have a three minute. >> Okay. So, because there's more people, we're going to we're going to reduce the time to three minutes per speaker. you want to throw out.
>> Yeah. >> All right. >> So, whenever you're ready, we'll do the three minutes. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, my name is Ronald Levy. I I live in Delaware Township. Um, and I speaking to something that was
just spoken about u by the superintendent. Uh I understand that funding for Care Plus services um for the coming year is going to be voted on tonight. Um uh and I'm would like to speak in strong support of continuing Care Plus counseling
services. I s signed a petition in support of Care Plus this morning. I'm going I would like to read that petition for the record. The the the board has a copy of that petition. As of uh this afternoon,
there were 425 signitories on the petition and that's only after 3 days. So, let me um read the petition now and mention that speakers following me will be talking about their direct experiences with Care Plus.
We, the undersigned stakeholders and community members, are deeply concerned that the board has not yet voted on Care Plus for the 202526 school year. Without timely action, there may not be enough time to ensure these critical services remain in place
for our students. Care Plus is a vital part of the school-based youth services offered alongside traditional assistance counseling. While the school funds many enriching activities such as sports and theater and values their importance,
some students, including those who participate in extracurricular activities, require more targeted support to thrive. Care Plus identifies and supports these students, filling the gap by bridging school and personal challenges through
integrated services offered both within and beyond the Aspire program. These Care Plus on-site professionals do not provide mental health c counseling or prescribe medication. Instead, they
focus on building skills, increasing knowledge, and equipping teachers and families to helping students succeed in school. They conduct suicide assessments. They support students who might otherwise require costly outofd
placement. And they help them remain engaged in their education. These services also reduce absences for outside appointments and address health issues that can interfere with learning. This program is not only an efficient use of taxpayer dollars, but also
directly boosts student achievement. If you believe in student success, you know how essential Care Plus is and coste effective Care Plus is. We urge the board to act now to ensure it continues for the 202526
school year. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Do I have to say my municipality or anything before I start? >> Yes, your name and municipality. Yes. >> Um, my name is Subash Turbo from the Raritton municipality. Thank you. My classmate and validictorian of the
class of 2025, Alex Auchnney, wrote me a statement that I would like to give you tonight in relation to the SBYS. This is that statement. I've been thinking about how I want to deliver this statement for a while. And after much deliberation, I've realized that the only way I can truly do so is to be honest. I've
learned that the board of education isn't renewing its grant with SBYS, a program that has assisted the school with licensed and trained therapists from Hutton Healthcare for more than three decades via a grant at no cost to the school or parents. This is a program
that he used for the last for the two most challenging years at Hun Central. A program that let him work through his mental challenges, a program that he can confidently say has saved his life. He knows many friends who use it and agree that the school-based youth services
works and is an essential part of our support network for students who need help. Because with so many people attending Hunter and Central, especially in this college application environment, it's inevitable that some people will struggle with their mental health. What
this program is to them is an opportunity to get professional support when they otherwise may never have had the means of doing so. a way to find somebody who will listen when they feel alone and a safe space to find solace in when they have nowhere else to go. Let's
not forget what happens when these sorts of support networks can't be reached. Let's not forget the 10 central sophomore who took their own life not that long ago. Let's not forget the solemn silence that filled our halls afterwards, the grief that their family
felt, and the vow made by Central's special education teacher, Michael Burnernhard. We need to make sure that this never happens again. Let their presence and their absence forever remain a reminder that every student deserves support and not one of them can
be afforded to be lost. I'll never know what went on in their head, but I'll know what it's like to not want to live anymore is what Alex wrote here. I know what it's like to be afraid to tell my family, to ask for support, and I know what it's like to feel like there's no way out. The reason
I'm here today is because the of the amazing work that the SBYS counselors did to create a safe and welcoming space for me where I wasn't afraid to tell somebody that I was struggling. I can't thank them enough to so to see the program not being renewed is nothing short of baffling to me for something
that cost neither the district nor the parents any money. The student the school-based youth services have left an immeasurable impact on thousands of students. I implore you to resign the grant program that saved me from myself before somebody becomes the next student who makes another teacher say never
again. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Jess Long. I am uh a resident of Flemington Burough. I have two of my own children here at the school and um I've been a uh I'm a vice
principal right now and I'm speaking on behalf of a a communication that was sent to you earlier today. Um I'm going to just go through some of the points there. Um I've been a principal a vice principal here for going on six years and I've been um in the school as a
employee for 22. Um so I just kind of wanted to focus mostly on Care Plus. I did or we did have some communications in our email to you about the student assistance counselors, but I think tonight is the bigger decisions about Care Plus. So, as a vice principal, I have um a special relationship with Care
Plus, and I just wanted to talk about some things they could provide to help you guys make your decision tonight. Um the first thing I wanted to point out is just that Care Plus completes a full intake whenever they begin services with a student, which includes an in-person meeting with a parent or guardian. Um uh
the gentleman that spoke first talked about assessments that Care Plus does. Uh that to me is one of the most powerful things they can provide. Um when we as vice principles find that we need a student cleared, which means that they have said something that indicates they want to harm themselves or somebody
else, um we need to get them evaluated by a psychiatrist. Um they can write a note that says that that student is safe to return to school and is no uh threat to themselves or others. Um, and that is a a uh if you've ever had to do that or be present for one of those, um, it is a
long process. It it it asks a parent to take their child to the emergency room. They have to sit in the emergency room for up to eight hours sometimes. Um, and so for them to be able to provide that service here on campus, um, I think is great. Not just because it's convenient,
but also because it's a safer space for the student. they might already have a relationship with the people that are assisting in that. Um, it's done in a much more uh quick manner. Um, and it also is a much more comprehensive um set of recommendations that people on campus
have been able to give um information on. Um, the other thing that's great about it too is that once that clearance has come through, if the student needs additional services from the person that cleared them, that is almost never going to happen through an emergency room clearance. Um but it can happen with
care plus. They can with the permission of the parent continue to to receive services here um from the person that they already dulged all those um uh thoughts to. So um you know I have more to say but we have three minutes. I just
wanted to make sure that those facts were clear. Happy to answer questions. I know that's a break of protocol but I'll be here. So thank you guys for your time and and I um hope this helps in your decision- making tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi everybody. Um I'm Marcia Goldstein. I
live in Raridan Township and I have to say that I first of all thank you all for all the time that you give in serving on the board. My husband Bruce Davidson did it for three years and I missed him every Monday night. Well,
every time you had a meeting. In any case, I am so puzzled as to why you wouldn't sign. You wouldn't want the counseling program coming back into Hunted and Central. It doesn't cost
anybody anything. It doesn't cost the kids anything. There are people on the campus that can support them. currently although I'm no longer working as a social worker I sort of come into am because I sub in Rifus and in JP Casease
and I have to tell you these kids are so nervous the the JP Case kids are so nervous about coming here it's a very stressful time for children they asked me to come and sub here I said no no no I'm staying where I'm at but you guys
taking away the ability for children to have counselors trained counselors without it costing a dime on the campus makes no sense to me. I really
wish you could explain your decision not to sign the papers to allow a grantbased program from remaining 35 years. 35 years. And even with that, of course, there have been kids that were not
captured, were not given the assistance they need, but there were many more that were helped. Why would you take anything away from children in this school that they could easily access? Is it a matter of confidentiality?
Is do you think they're being influenced in the wrong way? What is it that you're afraid of? I don't quite understand that. It's not costing the school a dime. It's not costing the kids a dime. It's not costing their families one
penny. Nobody has to travel elsewhere for services. So, I wish somebody on the board would get up and say, "This is why we hesitate to sign the papers that will permit
train counselors to come into Hunter Medical Center as they've done." Not, excuse me, that's where I went. Um, the the high school for 35 years they were here. Did you feel they did harm to the kids? Did you feel they weren't
beneficial? What is it that you are afraid of having happen by having trained therapists, counselors, whatever you want to call them, social workers coming here and helping the kids? I wish somebody would
stand up tonight and explain to me what your hesitancy is about because I will tell you being an adolescent >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry your time is up. Yeah. Thank you though. >> As to why you're making this decision.
>> So, so before um before we move on to the next uh topic, just to clarify for purposes of what's on the agenda tonight, there is no item related to school bathe you services. there is a resolution related to um care plus counseling services. Um and and just to
to without going into to great level of detail, uh I think it's fair to say that the administration tried working with Hunter and Healthcare since February um to to before February to address various concerns with the the Well, I'll give it to you. So, please let me finish before you cut me off. Um so there there were
some concerns and and frankly the superintendent has addressed this in writing both with with school-based and DCF which oversees school-based as well. Um in terms of of the school-based concerns they they included the uh amount of times that the counselors were seeing students before getting consent
either from the parent or the student when the student was over 18. uh they included um things that were that were in the um uh well inconsistent with the affiliation agreement that had been provided. Uh frankly, the agreement between the district and um school-based
Hunter and Health uh was a one-page document that that I think looked more like a field trip to some field trip permission slip to some people than an actual legal document. There were indemnification concerns in terms of liability arising from this. all things that that were tried to be addressed
through the process of of discussing it. Um other issues um data request in terms of when school-based youth services was seeing district students. We understood that they had that data but they weren't willing to share it with the district. um just overall insight and and
consistency between the the DCF program for the funding that Skullbased received and how that was being implemented uh in this particular instance and a refusal to provide documentation or discuss changes to it to be consistent with that. >> Confused there is there litigation involved? I'm not sure why the attorney
is speaking to >> I'm speaking because I I speak on behalf of the board in this instance. So I've been requested and if you don't want to you've asked for for information I'm providing information. You might not like You might not like the answer, but allow me to finish, please. No one is cutting. >> I'm going to do a motion to table, please. I mean, a motion to go into
recess. >> Yeah, we only have three minutes each. >> Okay. So, listen. This isn't a back and forth. So, you need to just be respectful and listen. Otherwise, we're going to take a recess. This is not a back and forth. He's making a statement. >> Do you want me to continue explain? You
want >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yep. Okay. So, uh, beyond those concerns and again, these are all things that have been addressed both the school-based and and Hunter and Health and the DCF, uh, on behalf of the administration, uh, in not in deciding not to recommend
the continuation of this service. Uh there also were concerns with um specific questions being asked of of Hunter and Health that they declined to answer. Uh various phone conversations where they they chose not to to respond to those and imposed arbitrary deadlines
that we found out were not in fact being imposed by DCF. Uh uh an outright refusal to consider any amendment to the contract. Uh again, this one-page document that had been in place. uh and and just a general, you know, unwillingness to discuss with the
superintendent the concerns that were identified by the administration during the course of the year. As a result of that, the administration chose not to make the recommendation to continue with it. There is no agenda item specific to school base on on the agenda tonight. Uh so just that's kind of where we are.
>> Anything you want? Yeah, >> we could speak about school. If you want to speak about skullbay specifically, that'd be perfectly fine to talk about during the second public comment, but the first public comment is specific to items on the agenda uh itself. Thank you.
>> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right, >> we're good. >> Yes. >> Hi, Nancy Tucker, Raritan Township. Hi, everybody. Um I'm here tonight as a resident of Raritan Township for 30 years. As a mother who has had two
children go through Hunton Central, as a staff member who is the communications officer for 20 years, communicating with our public about unspeakable tragedies, fires, floods, a pandemic, an unheard of
home schooling that lasted for over a year. And during all of that time, I really gained indepth knowledge about our community's reactions to things. I am also the co-chair of the Partnership
for Health's mental health action team. And I want to make it very clear, I am not speaking tonight on behalf of the Partnership for Health. I am speaking on my own behalf based on my experience as the co-chair of the mental health action
team. But I wanted you to be aware that the partnership for health every three years comes up with a community health assessment. We are at the end of the three-year cycle. Three years ago coming out of COVID mental health is a part of
this assessment. Loud and clear very strongly. We learned from all our constituents and all our health partners that depression was a serious concern for adolescents and young adults in our county. As a result of that, the
community health improvement plan that was developed focused on depression in that age group and that means doctor's offices, schools, organizations all focused on that and made it a priority and developed action plans based on
that. We are now completing the third year, the cycle community health assessment and are extremely concerned because what we've learned from all of our constituents is an extraordinary high level of anxiety in our adolescents
and young adults. This is especially concerning because Hunter County has a higher rate of anxiety and suicide than the state of New Jersey. We are one of the top three counties for those concerns.
We are developing a community health action plan that is going to address that that will be released at the end of the year. I am asking you I am actually begging you mostly as a mother to really
consider eliminating all resources for mental health programs from our campus. I know and I'm speaking about Care Plus. I know that Care Plus is remarkably beneficial and what I have always liked
about it is that it does not it does not remove students from class and give them private therapy. It involves families and parents, which I know is so important to this board. It's a program that has greatenefits
>> I'm sorry, your time is up. Thank you. >> I don't know. >> Good evening. Scott Cohen, Raron Township. I'm here to speak on behalf of the operations and transportations committee number 11, the award for the
behavioral health services contract. As we're reminded at the start of every board of education meeting, Hunter Central's mission statement is read aloud. Tonight I want to focus on the pieces of the mission state two pieces of the mission statement. The emotional safety and promoting wellness, two
essential components for student success. Quite simply, if our students are not well, they cannot learn. At last month's meeting, the board voted to advance a significantly revised version of policy 2411, which governors governs counseling services. This was in effect
a complete rewrite, and many community members raised deep concerns. The reason was clear. The language of the new policy shifts away from the school directly fostering emotional safety and wellness and instead places greater emphasis or perceived emphasis on
college and career readiness. Support for student wellbeing is refrained as little more than referring families to outside community resources when they have elevated needs rather than ensuring those supports are actively provided within the school. Which raises an
important question. What is the board's position on mental health and how do you view the school's role in meeting those needs? How do you interpret the roles the words emotional safety and promoting wellness in Central's mission statement if the very services that support the
highest need students are not being fully supported? I was encouraged to see one of the district goals, specifically goal two, focused on counseling, but it affirms the board's it appears that the board's commitment in this area is affirming. However, the word of the goal
is thinly veiled and falls a bit short. It refers to increased awareness of Sachs and the use of outside community resources for additional services. Nowhere does it explicitly mention the incorporation or utilization of in-house partnership services such as
school-based services or care plus two trusted external partners that have long provided the specialized supports central students require. This omission is troubling as it suggests a shift from a layered system of support for student wellness to a model that increasingly
outsources help. That brings me to tonight's agenda. Uh and that's in regard to the renewal of the Care Plus contract. Care Plus is not just any vendor. It's a trusted partner that has provided our district with licensed clinical professionals including dedicated social workers and counselors.
The cost for the service was already accounted for in the 2025 2026 school budget. Last year, Care Plus was renewed three, yes, three months earlier at the May board meeting alongside numerous other contracts. This year, however, Care Plus's renewal is only now being
brought forward for approval with less than 10 days before schools end students enter the school. One example of their direct impact and benefits to the students is dedicated counselor to the Aspire program. The Care Plus counselor embedded in the Aspire program is vital
for students who struggle thriving a traditional classroom environment. >> Mr. Cohen, your time is up. I'm sorry. Thank you. Mayor Whoops. Mayor Stella Wallace, Raron Township. I do apologize to the board for the outburst. I'm very emotional with this issue. Um, we have
three minutes to speak. So, I'm going to just say the number one right now. Um, I'm going to read a letter from another resident regarding Care Plus. As a Hundred County resident and parent of four children who will soon attend Central, I'm writing to express my
support, my strong support for continuing Care Plus for the 2025 26 school year and to urge you to add it to the next board meeting agenda for a vote. Number two, I'll explain that at the end. I know the board is familiar with Care Plus and is its role in
supporting students, but as both a parent and community member, I feel it's important to stress just how critical these services are for our children. Care Plus fills a unique gap that traditional student assistance counselors and extracurricular programs
cannot. Number three, identifying and supporting students who may be struggling in ways that directly affect their education, health, and future success. These on-site professionals provide early intervention, suicide assessments, skill building, and support that keep students engaged and learning,
often preventing costly outofd district placements. They also help students manage physical and emotional challenges that might otherwise result in absences or falling behind academically. Number four, our community values sports,
theater, and enrichment programs, and Care Plus is equally vital. The return on investment is clear. Better student outcomes, stronger family support, and cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars. Losing this program due to a delay in action would be a serious setback for
our students and our community. Many fellow residents, caregivers, and I believe this program must remain in place. I respectfully urge you to place Care Plus on the agenda so it can receive the vote it deserves before it's too late for the 202526
planning. Thank you for the your attention to this matter and for your commitment to our students success. Sincerely, Kristen Ericson number five. I also my child was in the Aspire program. We had such a rough year. She
had three tragic deaths in a month in her life. at none of them due to COVID by the way. So it was horrible. I don't know where we would have been to be honest with you. We had outside counseling number
six. We had outside counseling. That wasn't enough. I sat there hoping I wouldn't get that call from school. With Aspire and Care Plus, I was pretty sure I wouldn't. Number seven, that is what kept my child in school. And she is a
rising senior. Everyone here who's lucky enough to not be part of that program. I'm envious. But think of me and my family. Number eight. Number eight. Those were eight suicide attempts by teenagers while I was speaking.
>> Thank you. All right. I prepared for five minutes. So, this is uh not going to be as nice a flow, but uh Nikki Bryce, Rariton Township. Um I'd like to bring up the next item on the agenda, the district
goals. And I really hope that you will spend some time to have an open, honest public discussion about the process of coming up with these particular goals. I noticed on the agenda it says move to approve the district district district
goals for the 2025 2026 school year but it does not say as recommended by the superintendent like it does on nearly 20 other action items throughout the rest of the agenda. Um, I just hope that the
superintendent, the administration, um, our educators and experts who would have the best understanding of Hunter and Central's needs, challenges, and strengths were engaged, um, during this entire process.
Um, I want to point out specifically with respect to goal number two, and I think Mr. Cohen touched on this um regarding academic and wellness counseling. Although references made to guidance counselors and student assistance counselors, the wording does
imply that uh the level two and level three counseling services through school-based counselors and the Care Plus program respectively will no longer be offered through Hunton Central. Um, I understand Care Plus is an agenda item
that's up for approval. I hope you do vote to approve it like the other speakers have uh have spoken about. Um I I do think um the more you can provide
within the school um by having these higher level counseling services in place, the less risk you have of students deteriorating to the point where they'll need something more than the school can provide. Um, for example, classification for emotional issues that
leads to outofd district placement that would be extraordinarily expensive for taxpayers. Um, I just worry that if you're taking away services, you're opening the school to additional liabilities and additional cost. Um, and I'm going to change course a little bit
here, but the final goal, goal five, student and staff health and wellness. Um the goal starts the the proposed goal statement by saying central will ensure the students and staff are well-maintained.
What does this even mean? I I think it needs to be defined. What well-maintained? Um I I kind of laughed at this. I think it's it's broad and my first reaction honestly was will you be cleaning their fingernails? I mean what is keeping the
students well-maintained? And then it goes into bathroom cleanliness. I'm just sort of astounded there is a district goal about bathroom cleanliness. Is this necessary? Um I I
just have more questions than answers at this point and just please I help us understand. >> Thank you. My name is Nancy Rammore and I'm from Raritan Township and I'd like to read a letter that I wrote to the board which
they did not consider. I am requesting that the issue of dis discontinuing school-based youth services in Hunter Central be placed on the August 18th agenda for discussion as well as to hear why this decision was made. I am writing
to express deep concern regarding the recent decision to discontinue the schoolsbased program that has served our students for over 35 years. This program has been a cornerstone of our district's commitment of student well-being,
offering critical support to students at no cost. >> I'm sorry. We This particular item is not on the agenda. It isn't on the agenda and I asked for it to be and I think I have a right for the public to hear my letter. >> Okay. So,
>> they're very similar. >> You could you could speak at the final >> Let me finish. I was online and then you made that decision to make the change. >> No, actually the Hang on a second. The announcement was for action items on the agenda. So, those are always been on the
agenda. This one in particular is not >> and I requested it to be. And can you can someone explain to me why it's not part of a public discussion? And also I must say >> okay >> that no no no wait let me finish I must say in regard to something that you said
sir the keystone act is why some students over the years >> all right unfortunately we're going to take a recess motion. >> So motion second >> I I want to make a motion to make a recess. Can I get a second? Okay >> second. Second.
>> I think you need to actually state the motion. >> All right. I did >> Becky second it. >> Okay. >> All right. >> All right. We are going to ask people to start being removed. I'm sorry. You're
out of turn. Okay. So, we need to follow a process. You're not following a process. So, we're going to have security remove you if you continue to speak. >> So, go with the role. >> All right. So, let's do the roll call. We're taking a recess. >> Roll call to for recess. Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Gong,
>> how long is this recess? I think you should restate the motion so we know how long the recess is so that people know how long the recess is. >> Yeah, >> Mrs. Kellogg. >> No, unless we specify how long the re recess will be. >> I'm going to say 15 minutes.
>> 15 minutes. Do you want to read? >> Sure. >> So, vote it down and then hear 15 minutes. >> Okay. Okay. So, we're making a motion to take a recess for 15 minutes. >> Finish finish that vote by voting no.
So, vote. My recommendation is you vote down that motion and make a new motion. >> Oh, boy. Okay. This is part of our rules. >> Okay. So, >> all right. So, finish. >> Yes. >> No. >> So, I guess you're no. >> No. >> So, I vote >> Miss Laccasta. Okay. >> No.
>> Mrs. Peterson. >> Sorry, Mrs. Rosel. >> That into your microphone. >> Hang on. >> And Mrs. Santangelo. >> No. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, we'll make a motion for a 15minute recess. Can I get a second? Okay. And a roll call.
>> Mrs. Dugen? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Gong? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Kellogg? >> Yes. >> Miss Lacasta? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Peterson? Yes, >> Mrs. Rothell. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Santangelo. >> Yes. >> All yes. Motion carries.
Seven. Fix that curtain. >> Live stream. I know everyone is. >> All right. All right. I would like to make a motion to reconvene into our first public forum session. Can I get a second? >> Second. Okay. Do we need to do a roll?
>> All in favor? >> All in favor? >> All in favor? >> I. All right. >> All opposed. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. So, just a reminder that we are not speaking about school-based youth services until the end of the um final public session. This
is just about items on the agenda and we're going to finish up with three minutes per person. Just the people that were remaining in the line. That's it. Okay. >> Okay. >> Whenever you're ready.
>> Is this thing on? Uh, yes it is. All right. Ed McLaclin. I'm with Delaware Township and um I uh I'm speaking about Care Plus which is on the agenda and um I I I want to um I just want to lend my
support to everything that we've heard tonight from those folks that preceded me uh related to Care Plus and uh offer my support and my belief in it as well. And um in the event that there's anybody on the board that remains uh uh not
committed to voting yes, I would encourage you to please vote yes. Your mission uh says pointedly that you are dedicated to the emotional safety and growth of our students. It seems to me that uh that Care Plus is is one of the
many things that has uh that has served our students very well. And a point I've iterated be a point I've made before which I will reiterate is that if it if it's not broke don't fix it. Care plus and these other services have been very
effective very useful for our students and um and have uh been a great support for them. Uh let's keep it in place and let's keep it going. Please renew it. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Reverend Vernon Williams, Raron Township,
President Santangelo, Superintendent Kangalloi Hayes, I am encouraged to see that finally you have placed on you have placed the care plus contract on the agenda tonight for approval. Of course, you know that placing this critical mental health service uh on the schedule
is only part of the need of the need. I expect that you will move forward with the approval of this service tonight. Uh I'm at at a loss to understand why the board has been dragging its feet in approving this contract given that you voted unanimously to approve the 2025
2026 budget that included the care plus service back in March April uh which um which you did not object to at that time. The color plus service is obviously something that superintendent Kandosi hates and her administration feels very
strongly that it is needed as a board. Part of your task is to support the superintendent. If you do not support the superintendent in providing this critical service, then you owe the residents and taxpayers a cogent answer as to why you voted for it in March,
April to place the funds in the budget and now would turn around and say it is not necessary. I'm concerned that ideologically something has changed since your stated board goal number two does not speak of this critical in-house mental health
service. uh that is already again accounted for in the budget and again that you already approved your bul bullet point number two of goal two proposed measures of success where where you state by blank 2025 central will
develop a plan to ensure that students and families have access to a listing of mental health resources which are available through nonprofit local and state providers. You do not talk about the in-house uh uh contract that you are
you could you could uh vote on tonight for Care Plus. Again, no mention of last year's critical in in school service of Care Plus has already been approved to be provided again this year. Also, I'm concerned that you might be thinking of not renewing this vital service that has
been a tremendous help to so many of our students because of the changes that you have made to policy 2411 governing mental health services at the school which I commented on at the previous board meeting. I'm anxiously I anxiously await your
proving me wrong by going forward with the vote on the Care Plus service tonight in the affirmative approving the Care Plus contract that you agreed to do when you voted for it in the budget you approved back in March April time frame. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Uh Victoria Craig Washington. I'm from up north of Warren County. Uh I am here tonight because I am one of your teachers. Um I know some of you might recognize me. Uh I am also one of the Aspire teachers as well. This is my
third year in Aspire. Um I'll be teaching it again this year as far as I know. Um the the reason why I'm here tonight is talking about how um important Care Plus is to completing my job. You talk about teacher wellness and
I will not be well. We will not be well if you do not let Care Plus back in because you are going to leave an empty hole in the Aspire program. I have watched those Care Plus counselors work so hard with all of my students to make
sure that each one of them is successful. You are going to cost this district money because those students are going to have to be placed somewhere else. They will not make it in Aspire. I know that other mother talked about this, but I see it firsthand every day.
Those kids will not make it. And I want you to understand that I would not be here if it was not for one of those Care Plus programs style programs when I was in school. If we're looking at it from the perspective
that, you know, it's a parent's right or it's a parent's need to get their child mental help. Well, guess what? My mother said that we don't talk about that stuff. And it wasn't until a teacher reported me in seventh grade that I started getting help.
On top of that fact, you are looking at an equity issue. There are people who cannot afford therapy, that cannot afford to drive their child somewhere, that do not get off work until therapists offices are already closed.
You are making it so that these children have an unequal standing in life. And I think that's not something this board should stand for. though right now what I'm looking at you actually having to think about voting for this shows what
you really feel about these children Rachel White Ritton Township I'm going to finish um the gentleman's speech from earlier um one example of the direct care plus counselor's impact and benefits to the students is the dedicated counselors to the Aspire program. The Care Plus counselor
embedded in the Aspire program is vital for students who struggle thriving in a traditional classroom environment. Aspire provides a pathway to success and place for those students to do school. But that program only works because students have access to both a student
assistance counselor and a care plus clinical professional working together to support their emotional safety and wellness. Without that partnership, many students would not have the same opportunity to remain engaged, reach graduation, and look forward to a meaningful future. Our collective
objective, I hope, would be to see students stay in school and complete it successfully. While the direction with school-based services remains unclear and is not on the agenda tonight, I urge each of you to consider how closely both of these critical supports tie back to central's mission and support getting
them back up and fully functional for this academic school year. To vote yes on Care Plus on the Care Plus contract is to affirm your commitment to protecting our students health and well-being. to vote otherwise would send a very different message that the words
emotional safety and promoting wellness are not being upheld in practice. Please let your voices be heard and let your votes reflect a true commitment to the mission we recite at every meeting, showing the students that you support them by voting yes and approving Care
Plus. Thank you. Sorry, that ends our first public forum session. We will be moving into our organizational items. We have six items to move. The first one is the district goals. I just want to mention um Jessica
Canalosi Hay mentioned in her superintendent report that we work together on the goals. So, I just want to mention that. Um the second item is to increase the bid and quote threshold to 53,000 per the state. The third is
the um officials for the various positions that are listed on the agenda. Those are the school officials. The fourth is the adoption of curricula. The fifth is the adoption of textbooks. And the sixth is the HIB report which our superintendent had already addressed. So
with that I would like to move items one through six. Can I get a second? >> Second. any um comments on the action items? >> Yes, I have comments on our um district goals
and um I'm just going to read from my notes. I'm not sure how we approve this incomplete document. So, notwithstanding that we couldn't meet as a full board and get to discuss goals at a board retreat, I don't think I can approve an
incomplete document. And what I mean by that is that the metrics have all these blank spaces throughout the document. So who fills these in and when does it come back to the full board for approval? The goal statements and with all due respect to
the author editor, the language is not what I would expect from members of a school board. There are run-on sentences, too much jargon, and sentence fragments that don't make sense. Um, I also stopped at goal five. 100 uh 100 in
central will ensure the students and staff are well maintained. I'm not even sure what that means. But back to the metrics. At my committee meeting, we discussed and agreed that the metrics would be a work in progress. We would collaborate with the superintendent on the metrics. So, I'm surprised that
these measures of success are blank and that you want me to approve them. I can't approve the document as it exists today. Thank you. >> Okay. Any other comments? >> Uh just to add to Miss Gong's comments, um I was in a separate committee
meeting, but during personnel, um the discussion was to approve simply the goal statements and then work continue to work with Miss Kangela on the metrics. Um obviously I'm a bit surprised by the document that we have in front of us. I have similar concerns
to Miss Gong. Um I also have concerns about um human supervision and no capital expenditures particularly around the uh the bathroom goal under goal number five. I'm not sure how we improve the bathrooms without spending any
money. Um so I I just I don't I don't think the goals are realistic. I think the intention was to make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Um, and so I I can't I can't
support these goals. Um, especially with the blanks and the fact that they are they're just not achievable or realistic. >> Any other comments? I just wanted to comment on first of all I think that goal number five I don't
think that was >> sorry that didn't work. I think that goal number five that was not the I think that must have gotten a lost in transition. I don't recall. I think that's different than what we saw the other day as far as the actual language of the uh goal statement. However, um I
know that many members of this board worked really hard on this and I know that it's very easy to tear things down, especially when you don't participate in building them, but um I know that at least one board member, actually two board members that I know said they
wouldn't participate in the goals. So, it's unfortunate to hear, you know, bashing goals that it's like I said, it's very easy to tear things down, but it's a lot harder to build them. So um that's all I have to say. >> So I did participate in the goal process
and um you know if we were to separate the motion we could probably talk about each goal separately but since you think that goal five is not what was
created written what happened to goal five? Is there a new document that I don't have? >> Yeah. >> I Yeah. >> Did it get on the agenda? Was a different version put on the agenda?
>> I don't know. I mean, maybe I'd have to look. >> Yeah. >> It might just be the wrong version that was sent. Well, obviously we can uh approve them as the working goals and move on. >> Uh we can approve them as the working
goals and move on and make any adjustments as necessary next month. >> Right. Okay. >> So, are you proposing to amend the motion? >> No. >> Because it says that we're approving district goals, not working goals in the
motion. >> Right. But actually in the superintendent report, Jessica mentioned that they are working goals. We're still going to work on the metrics and the timeline. That was the understanding and that's what she stated and that's
what we're doing. So then someone should change the motion. >> Why? >> Because that's not what the motion says. The motion is to move items one through six. >> So, Miss Kangelis Hay, do you recommend
that the board approves these goals exactly as written? >> No. And my understanding was that we would continue to work on the metrics. Um, so that's what we were working through in committees this month. Um, and I know you all know this, but it's
good for people to hear that as well. Um, because some of the metrics are perhaps not feasible. You know, you mentioned the one about the bathrooms. There's a lot that goes into bathrooms, believe it or not. Um, I know there's a metric, for example, on test scores. Um,
we just had a bomb dropped on us, for lack of a better term, on Friday from the Department of Education that testing is going to be totally changed this coming school year, um, including different tests. So, that may need to get reworked. So, for sure, we need to
work on the metrics. Um, and I would I'm looking forward to doing that with you all. Um, and that is part of the plan going forward. Okay. Any other comments? Okay. So, we'll take a roll call.
>> Miss Gong. So for organizational items one through let's see is it one through three four sorry one through four
>> six thank you no on one the district goals yes on two through six >> Mrs. Kellogg, >> no. On one, yes on two through six.
>> Miss Laccasta, >> yes. >> Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rothell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Santangelo, >> yes.
>> Okay. Majority, yes. Motions carry. >> Thank you. Next, we're going to be um reading out our committee reports, starting with student life and program committee. Leslie, >> the SLMP committee met on Monday, August 11th, from approximately 10:00 a.m. to
11:00 a.m. Present at this meeting were myself, Rebecca Peterson, Lisa Santangelo, Jessica Hay, Edward Brandt, and Jessica, help me. How do I pronounce DD's last name? >> Derer. >> Huh? >> Derer. Thank you. I didn't want to get that wrong, although I still have to
practice. Uh, we did not receive any questions from anyone prior to our session. We had the opportunity to review the tuition and transportation needs within special education for out of district placements. Mr. Brandt reviewed a student club name change and discussed an overnight trip for our
cheerleading team. I'd like to move items one through three on the agenda. Can I please get a second? >> Second. Any comments on the action items? All right, seeing none, can I get a roll call, please?
>> Mrs. Kellogg, >> yes. >> Miss Laccasta, >> yes. Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rothell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Ms. Gong, >> yes. >> And Mrs. Santangelo,
>> yes. >> All yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you. All right. Next is the operations and transportation committee. Jessica Rothell. >> Uh the operations and transportation committee met on Tuesday, August 12th.
Ellen Halporn, Sandra Gong, Lisa Santangelo, Jessica Canalosi, Hade, Heather Spitzer, and I were in attendance. Prior to the meeting, I received several questions that were addressed at the meeting and provided in our minutes. Items 1 through 10, 12 through 19, and 22 are standard organiz
organizational items that are approved annually or monthly in order to conduct the day-to-day business of the district. As it pertains to capital funds, we're returning unused funds from a roofing project to the capital reserve account. We are requesting an increase in the amount needed from maintenance reserves
for the NE network switch projects as the -ate reimbursement will come after the project is completed. Care Plus is on the agenda for a vote as a professional service as well as an hourly contract for a physical therapist. Mrs. Spitzer's team was successful in the bidding of additional
buses and vans and we are seeking approval for the release of the funds to purchase them. Um I just like to point out that um publicly I um thanked Jess or Heather and Mrs. Kangalissa Hade and Miss Spitzer on everything they did. Um
the dissolution process was a lengthy one and um I congratulate their team on being able to successfully set us up for the start of the school year. With that, I would like to move items 1 through 22. >> Second.
>> Any comments on the action items? >> Yes. On item two, invoices, I see that we have another attorney group, Padulla Law Group, and I see that we have a July billing statement from Padulla Law Group, but we
don't have a July statement from Approise. So my question is uh really not a question, it's a statement that I am hesitant to approve the Padulla Law Group invoice because I haven't seen
Appraise for our board attorney. So I don't know if we'll eventually see Aprises bill. I assume we will, but whether the same conversations will occur and that we're going to actually pay for duplicate services. I >> I don't believe those are on the invoice
on the agenda this month. Thank you. They're on the agenda forformational purposes, not on the agenda for a vote. Just FYI. >> Okay. Any other comments? >> Yes. Uh so we've heard a lot tonight
about Care Plus and um the board was first informed about the this last month. Um, we did not know at the time that the budget was passed that this was on the budget or even that there had been an RFP out because in the past we had voted
on the RFP for this service. Um, I would have requested honestly at that point that it be smaller that we consider having one behavioral person. Um, when we discussed it briefly, I I had a lot of questions
personally. Um, and unfortunately didn't get many answers enough that I could feel confident making this decision. Um, it's amazing actually. There's quite a few people in the audience who seem to have plenty of information. I wish that
that um I had had the opportunity to hear some of it. Um, so unfortunately because I did not have access to information um on the actual program, I went digging into what information I could find which is publicly available.
Um, I understand that this is an emotional topic because mental health is crucial for our students. And I also understand that as a board member and taxpayer, I'm keenly aware that school budgeting has real world impacts on families throughout the district and many of who are whom are struggling
right now. So, we're being asked to approve a service at a cost of more than a quarter of a million dollars. Like I said, I would have liked to have had the opportunity to dialogue to understand this issue more thoroughly prior to this vote, but that was not
provided. So, the only information I have here tonight is what is publicly available. As I said, in looking into this issue, I found that first and foremost, Hundred Central does take student mental health very seriously. We have 15 counselors, four student
assistance counselors or SACS. The counseling department also has a supervisor of counseling, two counseling specialists, and a counseling secretary. Additionally, Central employs one behaviorist, one behavioral specialist, three school psychologists, and four
social workers among other positions. So, I wanted to understand how we at Central compared to other districts as far as the size and the scope of our counseling services. So, I began pulling the numbers from high schools in New Jersey with over 2,000 students. Since
high school presents unique mental health challenges that districts need to address, and we are a unique school because we are one of the larger ones, uh there are not that many districts uh over 2,000 students. In fact, um
without including charter or specialized schools in my search, I was able to identify and compare 25 high schools with over 2,000 students uh to create a cohort with Central here. The average student body among the cohort is 2450.
Central is estimated to have 231 students this year. 10, like I said, 100 Central has 15 counselors, which means there are 153 students per counselor. The cohort high schools average 219 students per counselor. So that means we
have almost 70 fewer students per counselor than the average school in the cohort. I recognize that Care Plus is intended to be more directly aimed at helping students with more critical issues as well as students with issues like school avoidance and anxiety. What I also learned is that these
students are also within the purview of our Sachs who are specially certificated to address these more critical issues. So among the 25 high schools in the cohort that I found, the average number of sacks per school was 1.3 with the majority of the schools having
zero or one sack. Hutton Central has four sacks, which is more than any other school in this cohort. Additionally, throughout my research, I found that New Jersey offers free or lowcost high-quality mental health services that are at no extra cost to the district and
taxpayer. Programs like New Jerseys children's system of care or perform care provide therapy and crisis intervention while behavioral health and Catholic Charities offer insurance or Medicaid covered counseling. Both perform care and Catholic Charities have
mobile crisis response services which can come to a family in crisis. I wasn't comfortable just comparing us to other school districts. So, I also went into our funding and see how our funding of our counseling department compares to other districts. I looked in
the state data for this. There is a subgroup of data for districts which either services grades 7 to 12 or 9 to 12 like Central does. I looked at the percentage of each school's total budget which was spent on support services between 2015 and 2023.
Among the 46, we'll call them non-ele districts identified, Hunton Central ranked the fifth highest in the percentage of our budget dedicated to support services. Mental health resources are a concern, but it's a concern that has been totally allayed, in my opinion, by looking into
our numbers. The data demonstrates that we have exceptional resources within our existing extremely qualified staff. coupled with robust local community resources, it appears that our students have access to multitudes of care. In the actual budget numbers for 2022
2023 in school districts serving grades 9 to 12, the average percentage of spending dedicated to support services was 16%. Central spending was 19% of the school budget on support services,
3% point percentage points above average in that same year. And for the same school districts, the average percent of the budget dedicated to total classroom instruction was 54.7. We came in under the average at 54.6.
As far as the students access to the student sacs, we have approximately 575 students per sack as the ratio in our school. Most schools have three times as
many students assigned per sack. The percent of our budget which has been dedicated to total classroom spending has decreased every single year between 2019 and 2024. During that time, the percent of the budget dedicated to to uh
total classroom spending decreased by 1.4% and the percentage of the budget dedicated to support services increased by 1.17%. Mental health resources were a concern for me, but that concern, like I said, has been con allayed by looking into our
numbers. The emotional safety and wellness of our students can be and should be well supported by the robust services we have. Now, if you will recall the budget presentation this year, some of you were
uh present for it. RBA outlined uh we have a lot of financial strains on the district right now. Many of these strains cannot be controlled. State aid has declined $931,17 between 2020 and 25. During that same
time, the Care Plus contract has cost over a million dollars. We face declining enrollment, increased tuition and transportation costs, increased health benefit costs, utility costs that have increased 50% over the last two years, increased costs during chapter 40
due to the chapter 44 law, and increased insurance rates and employment benefit costs. Additionally, we have potentially significant unfunded liabilities which are extremely difficult to plan for but which have come out of which will have to come out of our operating budget and
we cannot put our head in the sand and hope everything is okay. Since 2016, the number of teachers employed at Central decreased by more than 10%. While the number of other positions increased 10%. The very last thing that I want to see
happen to this district is what we saw happen down the road earlier this year. I do not want to be faced with having to lay off a single staff member and will not vote to lay off a single teacher because we have committed to a contract for more than a quarter of a million dollars that we cannot necessarily back
up. As we have seen, layoffs are harmful to the students and the community as a whole. Likewise, I don't want to see this district have to massively increase taxes above the cap when our community is already badly struggling with the tax increases.
It would be really easy to just say yes today based on emotion and because people are yelling at us. That's the easy thing to do. But our job is to make the hard decisions based on the good of the students and the district both today and in the future.
Like I said, I wish that I had had some more information prior to having to go find this information, but this information tells me that we have the resources here within the school and we need to also support the education of our students as well as the mental health. So, I will not be voting no on
this. I mean, I will be voting no on this. >> All right. Any other comments? Um I think only you know it's only fair as the chair of um this particular committee that I also speak um and after
very careful consideration um and this was not is not going to be an easy decision as someone who deeply values the importance of mental health student for our students um especially given my own personal experiences. I understand how vital these services are.
Um, however, some several key factors are influencing my decision. Most significantly, we are approaching the conclusion of a litig litigation process that has lasted over a decade and is expected to have a substantial impact on our budget. Combined with this year's
budget presentation, which outlines several ongoing financial pressures, it is clear that we must proceed very cautiously. Additionally, I believe we need more time to fully evaluate critical aspects of this contract. These include the referral process and the
potential for outsourcing services, the acquisition of grants, the possibility of generating businesses from our students, the use of interns during sessions. I too am also mindful of the current student to counselor and student
to sac ratio. Um, with under 2400 students, Central has the best counseling ratios. Clearly, as indicated, um, given the potential financial constraints and the unanswered questions surrounding this contract, I believe the prudent course of action is to continue working with our current
excellent team and evaluate whether this additional support is necessary at the future. And this does not by any means indicate that I am not dedicated to the students emotional wellness. Anyone else have any comments? >> Uh, yes. And sometimes I do wish that we
could vote. >> No, that was really >> Yeah, I was >> I'm really sorry. >> I'm sorry, but if you're going to continue to speak, we are going to ask you to leave. Okay.
All right, Sandra, can >> I just say one more thing? >> Yeah, sure. Go ahead. >> You don't know my personal situation. >> So to say something like that is not fair. >> I'm also voting on mine. >> Okay. >> Okay.
>> All right, Sandra. >> There are times when I wish we could actually vote before we hold our debate. Um, so it's Monday, August 18th. School starts on September 2nd. Care Plus was approved last year by several members of
this board. I believe five members of this current board voted to approve Care Plus. The funds for Care Plus for the upcoming school year are in this year's budget. Recall that in June we approved the increase in salaries for the SRO, the
school resource officer, and the class 3 officers. I certainly support protecting the physical safety of our students at a cost of a little over $310,000 for the upcoming school year. During the policy committee readout, we will probably approve policy 5339.01,
student sun protection. We are protecting our students physical safety and their skin from the sun. So why shouldn't we worry about our students mental health? Let's abide by our mission statement. 100 Central is an innovative educational community dedicated to the intellectual,
social, and emotional safety and growth for all students. Let's protect our students mental health. There's a mental health epidemic in adolescence and young adults. Shouldn't we do everything to protect our students, physical safety, the health of their skin? Shouldn't we
protect their mental health? And you don't know what my family's history is either. The other thing I wanted to mention just about FRSD is that they've been cited for not spending enough for their students, which is why they're sort of in the
pickle. They are. and why the taxpayers are being taxed at a higher rate now. So, let's walk the talk. Let's do the right thing. It's Monday, August 18th. School starts on September 2nd. Let's vote to approve Care Plus today. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Any other comments? >> D. >> Yeah, I I guess I would just like to point out that, you know, this is something the board has been discussing for several months. It did not just come up, you know, surprisingly on this agenda. We spent over an hour discussing
it in executive session last last month. So, and I I can tell you I've got a four-page document in front of me. I have seen folders full of of documents. So, it is really disingenuous to say that for some reason someone who's been
on the board for three years and has voted to approve this twice and has access to all of the information that they could possibly want um somehow doesn't have the information and needed to do their own research to figure out
whether or not we have the right number of counselors. Um I don't think anyone on this board would claim to be an expert in mental health. um or an expert in the number of staffing that is required and I think that um the fact
that Miss Kangalloi Hay has said that this is critical to our students, it's critical to the operations of our district and it is in our budget. If these are things we want to talk about for next year, for the 2026 2027 year, I
can completely understand that. But having students coming back in less than 10 days and not having access to these services I I think is irresponsible. So I will be voting yes.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Anyone else would like to comment? I will just add that um I think the decision to bring a third party into our schools especially around behavioral health services carries a level of
responsibility that is guided by process and diligence and transparency and there's sure lots of information out there and I think how we partner and bring that information together to have a real comparison of how behavioral
health services operates as a whole is super important. And when you have a program that was previously financially supported in part by COVID funding um and now you're at the full quarter of a million dollars like all of these factors come into play and I think
everyone has had very valid points and I appreciate everyone that has spoke this evening regardless of who agrees with who. Everyone should have a voice and I thank you for that. >> All right, I will make my comment. Um, as someone
who holds a degree in psychology, I do see the value in mental health services. As a board member, we are tasked with setting and following policies and providing financial oversight. Program effectiveness and outcomes are a very big consideration. In addition, the
financial financial ask of over a quarter of a million dollars is quite large and has increased year-over-year. To that end, I do not feel like I have an adequate understanding of how these professional services effectively align with the district's needs and how it relates to our internal programs in
addition to contractual concerns. Therefore, I will not be supporting the approval of Care Plus either. So, with that, I will ask for a roll call, please. >> Mrs. Kellogg. >> Yes. >> And just to clarify, this is
>> what is the motion? >> Yes. Yeah. Uh I did Jessica say that? I thought she said that already. Did you move them? >> The original, but it was a while ago. >> Yes. It's to move all the items. >> Yes. Thank you. Okay. Roll call. >> Okay. Mrs. Kellogg is a yes. Miss
Laccasta. Yes to items 1 through 10, no to 11, and yes for 12 through 22. Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. All items except for number 11, which is a no.
Mrs. Rothell, >> yes to items 1 through 10, no to item 11, and yes to items 12 through 22. >> Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Ms. Gong, >> yes.
>> Mrs. Santangelo. >> So, yes to items 1 through 10, no to item 11, and yes to items 12- 22. >> Okay. All motions except 11 pass. All right. Thank you.
So, we will move on to the personnel committee. The personnel committee met on August 12th. In attendance were Heather Spitzer, Maryanne Stokes, Jessica Canalosi Hay, De Kellogg, and myself. We did not receive any questions for this month's agenda. The public agenda
contains the detailed full list of items. In summary, however, the committee discussed the following. Retirements, resignations, appointment of various positions, professional development courses, volunteers, internships, and leaves as leaves of absences. With that, I would like to
move items 1 through 25. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any comments on the action items? All right. Seeing none, can I get a roll call, please? >> Um, Mrs. Kellogg.
>> Yes. >> Miss Laccasta, >> yes. Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rothell, uh, yes on all items except number 30 and item number nine.
>> Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Miss Gong, >> yes. >> Mrs. Santangelo, >> yes. >> All yes. Motions carry. >> Thank you. All right. Next up is the policy committee. Becky. All right. We
met on Monday, August 11th at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Present were Leslie Lacosta, myself, Lisa Santangelo, Edward Brandt, and Jessica Canelosi Hayade. Uh we have 14 items for second read, four
items uh to abolish for second read, nine items for first read, and four items to abolish for first read. uh questions from non-committee members totaled five and they were all answered uh in the minutes and the ex well at least the ones that I got before the
committee any meeting any questions that I got after the committee will be addressed in next month's committee uh we have reviewed 20 uh 58% of the manuals so far in 2025 uh for first read to amend adopt we have P5230 late arrival early dismissal this
was just updated to include language about late arrivals as we have both uh types of uh programs for students. Policy 553901 student sun protection is a new policy which is mandated by the state of New Jersey pursuant to a new law 18A40-12.39
which requires that we have a policy on student possession and use of sunscreen. Uh policy 5415 is uh been updated in accordance with administrative review and uh it has some changes to coding um in the system for when students withdraw
from a course to clarify things for colleges who I guess had been inquiring. Uh policy 5440 honoring student achievement was also revised in accordance with administrative review to align our honoral policy with the current practices already outlined in our
student handbook. Policy 5514, student use of vehicles on school grounds. This was a prior stress as may audit um update from 2016 which um had not been adopted at that time. This has been amended um additionally aside from the update to align with our
current practice and then to include other wheeled forms of transportation. Uh 5516 student use of personal electronic device. So, this one is not I want to really be clear on this one because it can seem a little confusing.
This is in November of 20 24 um in the winter of 2024. The committee worked with parents and staff via the administration to develop the district's cell phone policy which is numbered 5501 and called student use of personal electronic
devices. That policy had two pretty wordy def definitions to delineate between personal devices like cell phones versus personal computers which kids used for their schoolwork in lie of their Chromebooks. This summer the district chose to make the decision to end the
bring your own device program. So all students will be required to utilize schoolisssued Chromebooks while in school as a uh safety measure uh cyber security safety measure. As a result of this decision, the committee um wanted to revisit this student use of personal
electronic devices policy to just simplify those definitions because we don't need the very specific crazy ones anymore. Um back after we passed the original policy in in uh winter of last year as well, stress ESM may amended policy 5516 to
become its own cell phone policy. So it has actually a very good regulation that the administration is interested in adopting. So to make that alignment easier, we're simply reing 5501 to 5516. So you will see 55
uh16 on here for adoption and 5501 to abolish, but we are not abolishing all the work that was done last year to draft that policy. It is simply cleaned up with some um better definitions and
um being reumbered. Policy 5560 student disruptive students. Uh this language was amended to include the appropriate terminology intervention and referral services team the INRS team. Uh policy sorry regulation 5600 is
um the student discipline code of conduct. This is revised annually as needed and has to be approved annually. policy 5710 student grievous grievance was updated pursuant to a stress as May um 2024 December update.
So that is all of the updates for the first read. The first read to abolish we have as I just discussed 5501 student use of personal electronic devices. We are simply renumbering it. Um policy 5530.1 student assistance program. This
is a um policy that was that is out of date and it's actually kind of it's not really a policy. It's more of an announcement of a program from back when the state started push started um codifying the student assistance coordinator position. Um
the operative language we were told by the administration um is really out of date and that the student assistance counselors would like to update that language. So the easiest way it was decided to do that is the language of the student assistance counselors is
going to be moved into the regulation for the counseling department where the other delineations within the counseling department are specified. Um that way the counselors and the sachs can work with the administration to update the language as needed without feeling that having to come through the board for two
approvals every time um they do that. So that is going to be moved to the regulation for 2411. And so the standalone policy is going to be abolished. Policy 5821, legislative internships and policy 5844, part-time
employment, are two policies that are not stme policies. They are out of date and they don't reflect current district practice. Um if a student wants to try to go for the I think there's one a year or per legislator. um if they want to
apply for that. This doesn't taking away this policy doesn't stop that. Um it just we don't really follow the practice that's outlined in the policy. We have second read to adopt. Um we have the second read from all of the ones we passed last month. We did not receive
any questions from any board members about the second reads. And for the second read to abolish, same thing. We did not receive any additional questions. So, uh, next month we will be reviewing the 6,000 section of the policy manual and also, uh, be looking
at some recent updates from our policy vendor. So, with that, I will move items 1 through 4. >> Second. >> Any comments on the action items? >> I have a comment on policy 5530.1.
Thank you, Mrs. Peterson, for that explanation that it's really just an announcement. The policy is called student assistance program but it is just a short policy. It is just an announcement but I think it would actually help goal number two that says
100 and central will increase access to and awareness of academic and student assistance counseling services. So I would say we should keep it. Thank you. >> All right. Any other comments? >> All right. Seeing none, can I get a roll
call, please? Miss Laccasta, >> yes. >> Mrs. Peterson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rothell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dugen, >> yes. >> Miss Gong, >> yes. Except for
policy, so it would be under K 3.2, policy 5530.1. I would say no. But everything else, yes. Okay, >> Mrs. Kellogg. So, yes to K1.
Um, K2 1 through13 is a yes. K14 is K214 is a no. Um, K32 is a no. And then K44 is a no.
Everything else is a yes. >> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Santangelo. >> Yes. >> Majority yes. Motions carry. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to additional business. Um I don't think there are any liaison reports are there?
>> Okay. So um with that any additional board business where we want to see something added to a committee >> I would like to request >> is your I don't think your microphone >> this thing is not working as well. We need a replacement sometime. Um the uh
I'd like to request that the operations and transportation committee um consider an our you know uh putting to discussing an RFP for demographic study. Um we have a lot of building going on around us and I don't think until we really understand what the future um holds for the
district. Can we really get a handle on on even strategic planning? It's probably going to be helpful and don't think we'll have it by the beginning but hopefully by the end. Um, so I'd like to request that the committee take a look at that. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything else?
I have just something I'd like to ask you all consider. Um, obviously I'm disappointed about Care Plus. Um, this folder has all the information that I that was in your electronic folder, but I I understand and I appreciate your
perspective and the position you're in. Um, but with us not having that and school starting September 2nd for our students, there are some swift and intentional things I'll need to work on with our leadership team and our counseling department to make sure that we have supports in place. So that may
be some new service pathways through hourly professional service providers. That may mean contracting with the company for those clearances that we speak about. That's usually hourly or per clearance. Um, so those are the sorts of things that I would need
support on and I we will bring them to the the committee. Jess, >> thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Is it possible that we'll actually end up spending more money on these hourly services than we would >> We're not asking questions. We're going
to discuss them in the committee. Right. That's the process. >> So can can again, we're sticking with the process. Would the committee please consider whether or not the hourly services would be more expensive than
the care plus option? Thank you. Okay. Thank you. All right. With that, um we are moving into our final residence forum which is anything on or off the agenda. I am going to remind you that we are going to adhere to the rules
and everybody will be respectful. Otherwise, we're going to ask you to leave. We're going to do three minutes. And Mr. Cohen, you can begin. mic testing. Excellent. Okay. Well, I just want to congratulate this board. Masletoough. In the 15 years I've been
coming to these board meetings, I have never seen the board not support something the superintendent put forward. We rely on our administrators and the staff at this exceptional and extraordinary school to come forward to the board with all of that understood of
the expectations of what these school administrators need to run this school. That is their job. I understand you have a responsibility fiscally and in other manners to address with the school district and the community. I'm a taxpayer. My kids have graduated out of
Central. I don't give a flying f that my taxes are being increased for the goodness of our kids for supporting them. I don't care about averages across other districts. I care about the exceptionalism of Hunton Central. We are
not average. We have not been average. We don't accept average. We never will accept average. I'm outraged by the decision of this board when we consider that the schoolleing administrator sitting right before us gave you two
board agendas, the board goals and the Care Plus behavioral contract up for recommendation and you denied both. That is not exceptional. That's all I'm saying. I'm leaving the rest of my conversation for another board meeting.
Disgusting. Um, Nancy Remore, as I said before, um, first I was very emotional when I got up here earlier. Um, I hear what you're saying about Care Plus. However,
school-based youth services offered you free services. There was no charge to your students to your school for the services. I cannot understand how you cannot even consider
renewing that contract. Any of the issues that you have had with behavioral health, they can be worked out. What can't be worked out is the fact that there are laws. The Keystone law says that anyone over the age of 16 has the
right to counseling and does not require the parents approval. However, after working with the school-based program for over 15 years, I could tell you every effort was made to have those
students bring those papers back from their parents. 35 years the school-based program was in this school. We had no litigation. There was not anything. Their services,
if you asked to see the surveys that the students and their parents gave every year regarding the services that the children received, you would have found 95 plus approval rate. Yet you chose not
to renew a contract that offered your students and families. Do you know how many families cannot get their children to counseling after school? They were offered that during the school day. Do
you know how many families cannot afford it? They were offered that in their school day. And you are denying that of your students when it cost you nothing. And I don't want to even think about what it
might cost this district that you have not approved these mental health services. I would encourage you to rethink your decision on the Hunter Behavioral Health Schoolbased Youth Services contract.
Hello. First, I'd like to apologize. This is my very first board meeting and I didn't know I don't know the difference between Care Plus and the school B based counseling. I am a concerned mother who has two children
and um I had a whole thing written up that now is just being thrown out because I'm learning and figuring things out. I can tell you my son um we told me that he wanted to see a
therapist and so I diligently started call you know researching and calling that you know all these I could not find a therapist who had openings
zero literally I could not find a therapist with openings finally After we had we were on a waiting list three, four, five, I don't it was a long time. It was felt like a very long time. We
saw a therapist and she said, "Well, I know that you had requested um once a week, but I don't we I don't have availability for that. Um I could only do every other week." Oh, and she actually I'm sorry because
what she started with was when I after speaking with my son, she sat down. I sat down and she said, "Um, your son has informed us that he is suicidal and he has a plan and this is his plan.
So, I suggest you blah blah blah and take away all the yada yada." I'm a mom. I'm sitting there like what? And and and then she says, "And I can't
see you every week, so I guess we'll see you in two weeks." Excuse me. You just told me that my son has a plan to kill himself. How? What? Excuse me?
I called the school because I was freaking out and I don't know what to do because I'm just a mom. I'm not a therapist. I and my son has an IEP and um
I don't know how all of your how it works here with all of your counselors and how who gets farmed out to who and how and what and where or any of that. I do know I was told we have the school-based counseling.
Sorry, we have the school-based counseling for you and we will get him out of class right now and speak and take care of it and and we'll I'll we'll talk to him and he was allowed to be in
that space where he felt comfortable. Um this has nothing to do I don't understand. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. I'm so happy I came this evening. I had some other obligations, but I decided I
wanted to come. I was very confused about this whole counseling thing. I must commend the board. You are so concerned about taxes. I'm concerned about taxes. People are concerned about taxes in this county. Um,
and I think it's great that you don't want to see the school have to pay what' you say a quarter of a million dollars for Care Plus. I don't want to pay it either, but I know that for 35 years,
this school had a counseling service, a school-based counseling service that was grant paid by a grant, and yet that's gone. Why are you getting rid of any counseling service that's available? I
mean, you're getting rid of Care Plus because you don't want to pay the money. I got it. I get it. Everybody's worried about the price of eggs today. What I don't understand is why would you not continue a a service that's grant paid
by a grant? What is the issue with that? Was that service a terrible service? Did they do something illegal? Did they hurt the children? What's going on here? Is it it's if it's
money, I get it. But if it's not money and there are c there are people who can provide the counsel and they have provided the counseling for 35 years. If there's been an issue with that
school-based program, please let the public know because you getting rid of all counseling is ridiculous. That the woman who just spoke, I I feel for her. You know, you can't get you can't even go and call
your primary care physician today without waiting three months. Forget about counseling. But when my grandchildren were in this school and well one of my grandchildren had a problem, there was a counselor
that was there for her immediately. And when she ended up having even more extensive problems, that counselor was with her when she was over at the emergency room, the emergency room at Hunter Medical Center. You're going to
get rid of all of that? Why? It won't cost the school. It won't cost the county a dime. So, we as the public have to understand why you will not have a service that
would not cost and yet they as far as I know they provided professional people that provided good services. So, please provide us with the reasoning for having gotten rid of that service as well.
Money speaks. I get it, but that doesn't cost you a dime. >> I thank you. I just want to remind everyone that Mr. Trent went through the details of why we do not have school-based youth services already.
>> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh would you put Mr. Trent's uh explanation on your website so that folks can uh >> this meeting is recorded and it is on.
>> Got it. It is shocking to me uh President Santangelo that you have a board member who said that they didn't know what was in the budget and acted as though they don't know how to even find it in the budget. It was simple. We looked at the budget.
That's how we know. 278,000 roughly $280,000 which is roughly 310 of a percent of the actual budget. I understand that support services is 19% of the budget but this is 310 of a percent.
If you want to look for savings, why this critical service here? When you eliminate this service, you eliminated the the studentbased uh counseling, you've eliminated Care Plus, and now you're
about to place all of that work on the school system on on the current SAC program. Did you do analysis as to what that's going to do to to those counselors? who are they going to uh uh not be able
to see because of the extra work that has been piled on them? But I go back to uh uh the fact that you have a board member who does not pay attention to their own budget. They voted for it twice. Well, at least that I know of.
And and and just finding out last month that that is in the budget, that's reprehensible. How can we trust? I mean, if if if if the individual your board member is concerned about uh uh economic responsibility or financial
responsibility, how is it that they don't know what's in the budget? Do they really look at the budget? What else don't they know that's in the budget? It is a derelction of board duties. And it should be reprehensible to you
that they don't they admitted they did not know what was in the budget. That's ridiculous. Thank you. >> Rachel White, Raton Township. So, a couple things like I came here tonight because I heard Care Plus was
potentially not going to be voted through, which is I'm still in shock over that. Um, I wasn't aware that we weren't going to have school-based youth services, and that to me is horrifying. Uh, the amount of risk that will
increase as far as the safety and the well-being of the students in the building, if you have any idea what actually happens in the building with the students, you would already know that. Um, the fact that you could lump together all student services like the
student assistance counselors and everybody else together as support services just shows that you don't understand the different levels of care because a student assistance counselor is not providing the same services as a clinical counselor can provide in a
session where a kid has a higher need. They're not. You know, some of these support services are talking about what classes to take and what's going to look good on like a college application. That is not the same thing as services for a child who has some sort of other need. And there are so many different kinds of
needs. And we we had we're talking about like we have all these great we had great services. We had comprehensive services with all these different layers and all these different programs. We had it. And it doesn't matter that somebody else was underserving their students more. and like now we have good enough
that's better than what they had. We had something great and now we don't have it. And it's not just this I guess it's like this is what happens when you make decisions based off of dollars and cents, but you're not actually looking at what is the value of a
student's life or their health and their well-being, their success, whether or not they're able to finish school. What's the value of that when you're looking at all of these different numbers? That's what I really want to know because I think in making these two decisions, we've increased the liability of the school, which you know, you're
going to need a lawyer. You're going to need a lot of really great lawyers. If we end up having an increase in self harm, in suicidal ideiation, anxiety, dropout, whatever the heck else it is, like just wait until some parent comes and says, "You cut all of these services." Even though the community
showed up and told you that they wanted them and that they wanted to pay the tax dollars for them, that their children were using the services, that the services were helping the students, you know, and the only reason you don't know all the things that you want to know is because of confidentiality. And you
know, I'm sorry, that's just the way that it works. People have rights. And so, you don't get to know what the student services specifically are, but you have to trust that the professionals who are providing the services actually do know, and you have to defer to them
because that's what they do. So, I just think that this is really unethical to be honest and I'm I'm ashamed of the school board. Thank you. Hi, I'm Heather Mazio. I'm a resident of Flemington and a parent of a rising
junior and of a graduate of the class of 24. Um, I hadn't planned on speaking this evening, so I apologize if my comments are a little disjointed. Um, couple things I noted while uh the
lawyer was speaking earlier. I'm forget your name. I'm sorry. Um, one of the issues that I, if I'm understanding her comments correctly, because I share her sentiments and it was all too fast and I didn't catch it all. Um, that there
there was an issue with a delay in notification regarding students over 18 years old. Students over 18 years old are adults. Parents have no obligation there. Like I took my son to the emergency room a month after his 18th
birthday and they wouldn't tell me anything without his expressed consent. I couldn't go back with him in the in the emergency room until he asked for me to come back. 18year-olds are legal adults. There is
no obligation. So if there's a delay, at least the information is getting through at all. Second, uh there was a comment about students under 18. Uh the parents are brought in before the services are rendered. I would imagine unless there's an emergency situation, but I have a
student in the Aspire program who gets Care Plus service and before they even met my child, they brought my husband and I in so I don't know what the issue there was, but that's not what's happening. Parents are brought in right away. Um I was on that side, so I didn't
see who was commenting. I believe it was Mrs. Peterson about the ratios. Um, just because other schools are worse, that doesn't mean we have to lower our standards. If your child came home and said, "Well, I got a C on a test, but
everybody else in the class got an F." Would you be cool with that? Like, you have standards that you meet because that's your standards. You don't lower yourself to the lowest option out there.
Um, thank you. We're in a period of historically high levels of unrest and conflict in this country. Minority groups of all kinds, whether it be race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation are all being targeted. And this climate is
trickling down to schools with bullying on the rise both in person and anonymously online. Why in such unprecedented levels of unbridled hate and abuse would you remove services targeted at providing
support for our most vulnerable students? If anything happens to these students because of the removal of service besides the legal ramifications that you may come across, may it be on your conscience.
All right. Thank you. We're closing out the final residence forum. >> Yeah. All right. So, I would like to make a motion to convene into executive session. Can I get a second? >> Second.
>> Action after. >> No action taken afterwards. >> Okay. Second. >> All right. And can I get a roll call? >> Mrs. Peterson? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Rothell? >> Yes. Mrs. Dugen?
>> Yes. Miss Gong, >> yes. >> Mrs. Kellogg, >> yes. >> Miss Laccasta, >> yes. >> And Mrs. Santangelo, >> yes. All yes. Thank you.