05/21/2026, and this is the regular, meeting monthly meeting for the Jersey City, school board. Thank you all for coming. Let's please stand for the pledge of allegiance. At this time, President Velasquez, if I may, our high school's ROTC will be presenting the colors and we will have Sariah Fanning Orange, a twelfth grader at Lincoln High School with the pledge of allegiance and singing the national anthem. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, and liberty and justice for all. She's gonna sing. Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleamings whose brush drives and bright stars through the perilous flies. Oh, the It's okay. Good job, dear. Good job. You were wonderful. Good job.
What a brave moment. And we what a brave moment, and we totally appreciate it. So let's clap for this young lady one more time. Thank you. Now we will have roll call, please. Good evening. This meeting is being held in conformity with the open public meetings act, NJSA 10 colon four dash six, et seq. Proper public notice of the meeting was caused to be sent to El Diario LaPrensa and Star Legend newspapers and posted on the district website. I will now take the roll call.
Trustee Blunt? Present. Trustee Ioffe? Trustee Mohammed. Present. Trustee Patel. Trustee Reza Bala. Present. Trustee Richardson. Present. Trustee Schneider? Present. Vice president Morris? President Velasquez? Student representative Gwyneth Friedman? Present. We have a quorum. Thank you very much. Again, I'd like to, thank everyone for coming tonight. And we will begin with the superintendent's report. Good evening. So we have a few things. I'm going to begin by highlighting two schools for their attendance.
And as I share every month and sometimes with the weekly messages, attendance is so important. Students who have good attendance outperform many in their class. So at this time, I'd like to congratulate the Cornelia f Bradford p s sixteen community. Thank you. Please come to the front. Trustees, if you would join me and remain there because we have a second school. Okay. Thank you. And the second school that we are honoring today is the Charles Waters School PS
twenty four. Congratulations. Back in business. At tonight, we also have, a group of students I like to shine a spotlight on. This is a young a group of young leaders who are part of the citywide student council. They have not just represented our student body this year, but have actively transformed a school community. I'm going to be speaking, of course, about our citywide student council. At this time, I'd like to invite Danny,
assistant reporting secretary at Middle School forty, to come to the microphone. When were do I start? Go ahead. Oh, thank you. Good oh, good evening, superintendent, doctor Fernandez, assistant superintendents, intendents, directors, principal Salgado, board members, and community members. My name is Dani Valakian. I'm honored to stand before you as an officer of the citywide student council. I'm currently an eighth grader student at Ezra Noland Middle School forty. It truly means a lot to be here representing my school and peers. I was born and raised in New Mexico.
But when I was three years old, my family moved here to New Jersey. Shortly after I turned four, my parents enrolled me in school to begin pre k. During those early years, I was a very outgoing child full of hope and excitement, but I was also quite mischievous. I constantly annoyed my teachers and did things I was not was not wasn't supposed to. A phase that lasted about Okay. Until the fourth grade. After that point, I began to notice my own behavior and decided to start helping out instead of acting out.
I took on more responsibilities, like taking care of my siblings and helping my grandmothers whenever they needed assistance. I took a liking to building things as I worked together with my family to make furniture like tables and dressers. And I even helped clean my grandma's cars. As I grew up, I matured much faster than my siblings, which led to opportunities that weren't given at my age. I was allowed to use the oven and the laundry machines, and I even received the phone before my older sister did. Getting these bigger responsibilities helped me grow and taught me valuable lessons about what life
will require as I got older. Eventually, my parents transferred me to MS forty to finish my middle school years. When I first arrived, I was a very quiet student and felt like I wouldn't fit in until I met the right group of people. My new friends pushed me to be more outgoing again, and I even started painting anime characters on the school walls with my art teacher. By the time I reached seventh grade, my interest in art grew, and I decided to join the school's art club. I spent my time painting and drawing after school and even during some of my
regular classes. I create artwork for my teacher to hang up around the building for holidays. And at the time, I truly believed I wanted to pursue art as a career. However, I once I reached the eighth grade, my perspective shifted towards a different passion. I realized I didn't want to pursue art anymore because I found a new love for school leadership and community service. This led me to join the citywide student council, where I was eventually chosen to be an officer after the previous one had to leave her position.
This role has taught me so much about responsibility, time management, and stepping out of my comfort zone. I truly love my role as an officer at MS forty, and enjoy the incredible experiences and people I've encountered along the way. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my citywide advisor, miss Rodriguez. I really appreciate how she's provided me support to both as a student and as a person, checking in on me and caring for my overall well-being, and making sure that I'm okay with anything that's going on.
Another person who I would like to recognize is Ms. Williams. Ms. Williams oversees Citywide Student Council, and she always makes sure that everyone is on the right track. Even though I've only known her for a few months, she has consistently been there to make sure that I was included with everything that was going on. And she makes sure that we all get home safe after long meetings. Finally, I want to thank the Jersey City Public School District for giving me all these wonderful opportunities that I was able to get involved with. These opportunities have provided me the means necessary to be able to help me fix
my problems, find what my true passion was, and to help me become the person who I am today. Without without my family, my teachers, and all these amazing opportunities, I don't know where I would be right now. But I look forward to a very bright future as I've been accepted into Lincoln High School. I'm excited to start my next chapter as a Lincoln Lion. Thank you. Danny, thank you. And we look forward to next year's, you're gonna be part of citywide. Correct? Yeah. Okay. Great.
Missus Campbell, Willie missus Williams, not Campbell. Missus Williams, thank you. So let's make sure we make sure. Alright. Thank you. At this time, I'd like to invite Jessalyn Kosher, the recording secretary of student at Snyder High School. Good evening, doctor oh, good evening, superintendent doctor Fernandez, assistant superintendents, directors, board members, and community members. My name is Jesslyn Kautcher, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my journey through the Jersey City public
school system. I wasn't raised here my entire life, but moving to Jersey City at the start of high school became a defining part of my story and growth. It's where I learned more about who I am, how to adapt, and how to keep pushing forward no matter what life looks like in the moment. When I was younger, my family and I went through a really unstable time. We lived between a motel room, a family member's house, and sometimes even our car until my parents were able to get back on their feet. It's something I still carry with me, not just because it was difficult, but because it shaped how I see the world and the person I've become.
I can look back at pictures now and realize how much strength that time required, even when I didn't fully understand it then. After that, I live with my uncle and his big family, which brought its own challenges, but also taught me how to adjust, share space, and grow in environments that weren't always easy or familiar. Those experiences taught me resilience at a young age and helped me appreciate stability, support, and opportunity more deeply. As I got older and began to really think for myself, I started to connect parts of my past with negativity. Certain memories reminded me of struggle and uncertainty.
And for a long time, I viewed them as things I wanted to leave behind. But over time, I realized something important. Sometimes the moments that feel the heaviest are the ones quietly building your strength. That shift in mindset didn't happen overnight, but it but it changed the way I understand my past and myself. Instead of seeing those experiences only as hardships, I began to see them as proof of how much I have already overcome. Moving from Brooklyn to Jersey City for high school was another major transition in my life. Starting over in a new place wasn't easy,
and I had to adjust to new people, new expectations, and a new environment, all while figuring out who I was becoming. But looking back, that move gave me the space to grow. It gave me the chance to redefine myself rather than being defined by what I had already gone through. High school became my turning point. One of the biggest factors in my growth was joining the student council. Over the past three years in the citywide student council, I've been able to find my voice in ways I never thought I would. It helped me become more confident, more open, and more willing to speak up, not just for myself, but for other students as well.
I learned how powerful it is to listen, to collaborate, and to take leadership seriously in ways that actually make a difference. I want to give a special thank you to Mrs. Williams for giving me the opportunity to be part of student council and allowing me to experience leadership in such a meaningful way. I also want to thank my advisor, Mrs. Gupta, for always pushing us to do better and encouraging us to go above and beyond. Their guidance, support, and belief in their students helped me grow academically, personally, and as a leader throughout high school. Throughout my time at Snyder High School, I also I was also prepared for life beyond graduation. Snyder challenged me academically,
taught me how to manage responsibilities, and helped me develop the confidence to step into new environments. Through my classes, leadership opportunities, and involvement in various activities, I learned important skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and perseverance. Snyder not only prepared me for post secondary education, but also for the real world by teaching me how to adapt, stay determined, and continue growing even when things become difficult. Looking ahead, I am committed to continuing my education at Hunter College, where I will major in biological sciences on a pre med track.
I'm excited for this next chapter and for the opportunity to keep challenging myself academically while working toward a future in medicine. This path is important to me not just because of my goals, but because of everything I overcome to get here. Looking back, my journey hasn't been easy, but it's been meaningful. Every challenge, every transition, and every experience helped shape me into someone more resilient, more focused, and more determined to keep moving forward. As I move forward, I carry my story with me not as something that limits me, but as something that motivates me. Thank you for allowing me to share my journey with you tonight.
Thank you. And thank you for sharing those very wise words about challenges and how strong they make us. So it's an inspiration to your colleagues, to us as well as educators. Thank you. At this time, I'd like to invite Suwad Aghabadi who is the, citywide student president, a student at Innovation High School, and she will provide the end of the year report. Good evening, superintendent doctor Fernandez,
President Velasquez, assistant superintendents, directors, board members, and community members. Today, I'll be presenting our end of the year report for the twenty twenty five-twenty twenty six Citywide Student Council. Our overview of this year was this year was defined by consistent engagement, student led advocacy, citywide student council maintained a strong and stable representative base from October 2025 through May 2026 with 100% representation from all schools. We had an average attendance per session of 88 students with a median turnout of
92. Over half of all scheduled meetings surpassed 90 attendees. Third, advocacy and key issues. The council demonstrated commitment to amplifying student voices through a feedback through a student feedback summary report prepared by JCBOE student representative Gwyneth Friedman. Five critical themes were identified across Jersey City schools. In order, they are academic support and AP preparation, mental health and wellness resources, facilities and cleanliness,
and school culture and safety and extracurricular engagement. In addition, we had special guests from Kean, Jersey City. The council hosted representatives from Kean University to present on the Kean NJCU merger. This allowed students to engage with institutional leadership regarding the 2026 transition and explore expanded opportunities under Kean Jersey City. Five, culture fair execution. Some student representative research created and presented culture booths representing countries from around the world.
Each school was limited to only five students, student represented, and set up members, including the officer, highlighting the dedication and professionalism of the students involved in the fair. Some students demonstrated resilience and creativity by adapting their presentations using the resources available despite logistic challenges and material deliveries. These delays were caused by the tight vendor timelines and the producment process, which required the submission deadline to be extended from 12/23/2025,
to 01/08/2026. Many schools, for example, faced difficulties finding culturally appropriate materials through approved vendors. Success and feedbacks. The event was planned for 1,000 students and received an overwhelmingly positive response. 400 students responded to the survey. Future councils should improve survey participation to gather more comprehensive data. 67% of respondents rated the events as highly satisfied, while 25% rated it somewhat satisfied.
The average pre event excitement score was 4.5 out of five. Key areas for improvement include more food and culture refreshments, 34%, the approved budget for $10,000 budget for snacks and culture items were lower than the original estimated need of up to $18,000 for 1,000 attendees. Future council members should advocate for items that are approved to be delivered prominently or timely manner. Longer time at the fair, 25%.
The structure of forty five minute student rotation, limited engagement, future planning should consider longer rotation or fewer rotation groups. More group more countries and culture represented, 19%. Only while we have 12 citywide school participated, all those schools were represented to represent three cultures, some have represented fewer. Lastly, for our conclusion, the council accomplishment reflect the collaboration, vision, and school pride of all participating student council members.
This year established a strong foundation and persists for even more impactful multicultural events in the future. Thank you for listening, and have a great evening. Thank you, Suwad. Now, often, student councils are viewed simply as organizers of school dances and spirit week. But this year, this specific group of students redefine what student leadership looks like in our district. They served as a vital bridge between the administration and the classroom,
ensuring that student voices were not just heard, but woven into the very fabric of our decision making. Making. Tonight, we are presenting the citywide council with a commemorative place a plaque to permanently honor their contribution. This recognition is earned through their outstanding work in three areas, amplifying student voice by participating in district wide forums that allowed students from every neighborhood to share their experiences, challenges, and ideas directly with the administration and the leadership
about action oriented advocacy. They didn't just bring us problems. They brought us solutions. They united student leaders across different high schools fostering a culture of collaboration, empathy, and collective pride that broke down old rivalries and built up a stronger, more connected district. Leadership is not about a title. It's about the impact. The young leaders sitting before us tonight have left a mark on our schools that will benefit students for years to come.
Thank you for your brilliance, your tireless work ethic, and your unwavering commitment to making our schools a better place for everyone. You have set a new standard for leadership, and we could not be prouder of you. And all this is due in part to the leadership of missus Williams who is always behind the scenes while quietly keeping them on task. We could not do this without you. We are really very thankful.
Please join me in a round of applause to our citywide student council. I also ask I'm going to present you with a plaque, but I ask our board trustees if they would join me in the front as I hand out the plaques and you've come to shake my hand and our trustees for being part of this occasion. Trustees? Thank you. When I call your name, please come up. We have a sergeant at arms, Arjun Shetty. Arjun? Thank you.
Please check-in. Thank you. Timekeeper, Marjorie Sanchez. Assistant recording secretary, Danny Blatkin. Art historian, Anahita Agawa. Assistant to the President, Jay Patel. Congratulations. Thank you. Event chairperson, Luzveris Vargas. Sergeant Ed Arm Debashki Saha. Congratulations. Thank you. Here we go. President Suwad Elhabidi. Congratulations. Thank you so much. Thank you. Second Vice President of Public Relations, Dahlia Abdelkareeb. First vice president of education,
Deontay Simmons. Smile. Come on. Give us a smile. Thank you. You have a beautiful smile. Membership chairperson, Durayan Padilla. Good. I like looking at teeth. Thank you. And recording secretary, Jessalyn Coacher. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. After she yes. I'm waiting. Okay. Could you all come up with your plaque so we could take a group picture? And missus Williams come on. You too. You don't get away. Come on. Come with your plaque citywide. This month,
we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month during May as a time to recognize and honor the history, vibrant cultural tapestry, and the invaluable contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders. They contribute to communities across the nation and right here in our own neighborhood. As the first or second most diverse city in The United States, Jersey City's identity identity is profoundly shaped by Asian Americans,
Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders, the residents, the business owners, the teachers, the leaders. The national theme for 2026 is power and unity. Strengthening, strengthening communities together beautifully mirrors the spirit of Jersey City. This month highlights the critical importance of diversity, inclusion, and the collective strength of men of many working together. It serves as the powerful call to action for our students and community members to
explore, appreciate, and honor the rich heritage and ongoing contributions of these individuals who help and thrive throughout the city. At this time, I want to introduce our student presenters. It is going to be Debashki Saha from Infinity Institute and Arjun Shetty from Frank R. Commonwealth Middle Schools. Please come to the microphone. Thank you. Good evening, superintendent Fernandez, president Velasquez, vice president Morris, board trustees,
miss Ellen Ruane, senior leadership team, administrators, parents, fellow students, and the viewing public. My name is Debakshi Saha, and I'm currently a junior at Infinity Institute High School. It is truly an honor to be part of this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration and to share a part of my identity and culture with all of you tonight. As someone who is South Asian and proudly Bengali, my culture has always been a meaningful part of who I am. I spent my early childhood growing up in Bangladesh, where I was surrounded by rich traditions,
strong family values, and a culture that has continued to shape me no matter where I go. Growing up in a close knit Hindu Bengali household taught me the importance of community, tradition, and staying connected to my roots. Some of my favorite childhood memories come from celebrating the Bengali new year with my family, attending Janmashtami celebrations, and participating in traditions that brought everyone together through music, food, prayer, and culture. Whether it was through hearing Bangla spoken at home, wearing traditional clothing during celebrations, or gathering with family for cultural events,
those moments constantly reminded me of who I was and where I came from. As I grew older and began balancing life between two cultures, there were times where I felt detached from my heritage or caught between two identities. But every time I came home, Bengali customs, language, and traditions grounded me again. They reminded me that my culture is not something separate from me. It is a part of me. Being Bengali has taught me resilience, pride, and the importance of carrying my traditions with me while still embracing new experiences and
opportunities. To me, heritage is more than just celebrations or celebrations or traditions. It is the connection we carry to our roots, our values, and the people who shape us. I hope we continue embracing and sharing our cultures proudly because our stories and our traditions are what bring us together and help us better understand one another. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Arjun Shetty, and I'm a proud student of MS four and a member of the citywide student council. You may recall my speech from a few months ago,
but today, I stand before you not to speak about the district, but to honor and celebrate this resonant month dedicated to recognizing the remarkable accomplishments and contributions of Asian American, native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. I am a proud Indian American, the son of parents who carry the weight of tradition across oceans and the inheritor of a ubiquitous culture that has persistently shaped who I am. They, along with many others, arrived in the pursuit of the American dream. And though the path was never easy,
they built something beautiful inside anyway. Growing up, I sometimes felt the tension many children of immigrants know well, the pull between two worlds. At home, the aroma of home cooked food, the rhythms of our language, and the values of hard work. But outside, the fast pace of Jersey City, the hallways of MS 4, and the citywide student council meetings where I, along with many other proud students, found our voice. For a long time, I've tried to balance these two worlds. I've always understood that many of my friends were the descendants of immigrants too,
but it just felt wrong to openly express my heritage. But now, I've come to understand that balance isn't the goal. Integration is. Our Asian and Pacific Islander heritage is not something that we should conceal behind the curtains. It should be the foundation between everything we do. It is why I listen carefully before I speak. It is why I believe in this eclectic community, and it is why I'm standing here today celebrating Asian Pacific Islander month in a country far from my roots. And I am not alone. Jersey City and our schools are home to one of the most vibrant and diverse
Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the state of New Jersey. Walk through Journal Square, down Newark Avenue, or through the Greenville neighborhoods, and you will find Indian restaurants next to Korean grocers, Filipino community centers alongside Chinese language schools, and families from Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and beyond, building lives, raising children, and cultivating our city with their responsibilities. This is not incidental. This is a piece of Jersey City's identity. In our public schools, schools like mine, Asian and Pacific Islander students representing a scintillating share of our community.
We are in the classrooms, hallways, stores, and hospitals. We are the people who bring our full, nuanced, beautiful selves every day, and we are proud to see those actions being reciprocated through events like these at the honorable board of education. AANHPI month is not simply a moment on the calendar. It's not about the CEOs or the actors. It's a nod to the AANHPI heroes who hold our country strong with their seemingly mundane tasks. It's a reminder that our stories belong in the center of American history, not a footnote, not a stereotype.
So today, I stand before you not just as an MS four student or a member of the citywide student council, but as a proud Indian American young man who is grateful that every student who walks through the doors of a Jersey City public schools feels the same pride. Because when our students, teachers, and citizens know where they come from, they know where they are going. Thank you. Yes. During the month of May, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Jewish American Heritage Month were celebrating within our schools. Schools received various resources to commemorate these two heritages.
Together, we are honored to highlight the incredible contributions of our students as we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This evening, we proudly showcase student performances from p s 24 and p s 27. Additional student work may be viewed at the Jersey City school website under the curriculum and instruction department diversity calendar. Board members, the Chinese fans in front of you signify longevity, hope, and love. Enjoy this evening's entertainment. This evening, we would like to recognize one of our own,
Alya Rana, who was recognized for her meritorious contributions in the Hindi duas competition organized by the permanent mission to India to the United Nations. We congratulate Aaliyah for actively embracing her heritage and continuing her Hindi language education at the Golmoraar Hindi language program. Congratulations, Aaliyah. Please come to receive a certificate of recognition from doctor Fernandez and the board members. We also invite miss Saran from p s twenty seven, who is Ayo's Hindi teacher, to join for the photograph. Congratulations, all you, on your wonderful achievement.
Please direct your attention to the stage as I introduce our first group of performers from Chaplain Charles Waters School PS twenty four under the direction of their teacher, miss Reynolds. They will be performing a dance called the Tinickling. What an inspiring performance. Thank you, PS twenty four. Please join us in welcoming princess Appalit from Liberty High School as she sings a Chinese song, This is My Name. Hello. Hi, everyone. My name is Princess Appalit, and I attend Liberty High School. Today, I'll be performing an original song called,
which means my name is princess. This song is about me introducing myself in Chinese, and it's also about my age, what school I attend, my favorite subjects, and about how I'm passionate about volleyball and dancing. I would also wanna thank miss g, mister Klein, miss Wren, my dad, and my friends for coming in to support. Thank you. Thank you, Princess Apellid, for that wonderful performance. Next, we are proud to recognize Alfred e Zampella School PS twenty seven as they perform
a Hindu dance. Let's welcome miss Nina Sarin, bilingual teacher from PS twenty seven to introduce the parents. Good evening, everyone. Namaste. As a bilingual teacher at Alfred e Zampella p s twenty seven, I am incredibly proud to celebrate the joy of culture and community within the Jersey City public schools. Our next performance, colors of Bollywood, is presented by parent volunteers from p s twenty seven. This performance brings together a fusion of Bollywood songs,
regional music, and dance styles from across India. We are grateful to these parents for sharing their time, talent, and culture with our school community. Their participation reflects the strong connection between the families and schools throughout our district. Thank you for the opportunity to share this performance this evening. Please join me in welcoming the p s twenty seven parent dance group in colors of Bollywood. Thank you. Thank you for that beautiful and heartfelt performance.
This concludes the evening's performances. What an incredible evening of music, dance, and reflection. We are grateful to all administrators, teachers, and students whose contributions have made this celebration of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month possible. If I can please direct your attention to the screen on the left and right side, you'll see all of the schools that contributed to the AANHPI celebration. We invite all of the performers to return to the stage for a photograph with their senior leadership team and the board of education members.
Thank you all for being part of this meaningful evening. Good night. Thank you for such a wonderful performance. Trustees, let's have a picture. If the principals can come join us, please. And, miss Acosta, you too. And, mister Okay. We are also thrilled to share some incredible updates from across our district tonight celebrating the profound impact of our students, families, and community partners. First, I want to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary achievement,
a remarkable group of high school students who will not only graduate from high school in June, but they have already also officially earned if we could have a few minutes, please. Thank you. They have also officially earned their associate degree. 21 of our seniors have already earned their associate's degree from Hudson County Community College. Congratulations. That are you? No. They're not. To balance the rigorous demands of high school while simultaneously mastering a college career curriculum
takes unparalleled dedication, grit, and sacrifice. They are entering the next chapter of their lives with two years of college already under their belt. And this is, let's give them another tremendous round of applause to these brilliant scholars. You make the entire district extremely proud. Parents, the opportunity is also available to your children in the coming years. Moving from our students to our incredible families moving from our tremendous students to our incredible families,
today was an absolute triumph. We hosted our annual parents as partners conference at NJCU. This was our twenty seventh parents as partners conference, and the energy in the room was electric. The turnout was overwhelming, proving once again that when schools, families, and families unite, our students win. I want to also extend my deepest gratitude to our distinguished guests who helped make today so impactful.
To mayor Solomon, thank you for serving as our keynote speaker. Your inspiring words can continue verse please. And your continued vision for our city's youth set the perfect tone for the day. To Assemblyman Walker and Senate McKnight, thank you both for taking the time to join us and for your unwavering support of our public schools at the state level. To our board president Velasquez, trustee Mohammed, and trustee Rasamalla, thank you for always supporting our families and district efforts.
When our local leadership shows up with our parents, it sends a powerful message that we are investing in our children's future. Finally, I want to invite everyone in our community to our big gathering. We are hosting a massive America's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebration. It'll take place at Dickinson High School on Saturday, May 30 between 10AM and 2PM. This will be a fantastic filled with history,
community pride, and family friendly activities. Please mark your calendars, bring your neighbors, and let's come together to celebrate this historic milestone in our history as Americans. Thank you, everyone. And this concludes my report for this evening. Thank you, trustees. Thank you, doctor Fernandez. Thank you for all the, people who the students and the parents and everyone who performed today. That was a beautiful, beautiful oh my god.
It's a pleasure to celebrate the incredible I have a phone that talks when I'm it it's off, but it just it just talks on its own. It's like like having a a permanent what what is that that talks when you call in the house? A parakeet. No. Not a parakeet. Yes. Anyway. So I I do apologize, but I do wanna continue thanking everyone, that was in performing today. And I also thank you, doctor Fernandez, for manch mentioning today's event, parents as partners. I have to also say that it felt like a partnership today.
It was a great program, but, we we have to, you know, give also praise to not just the leadership and the people that that that put the program together, but when we get our legislators and our city leaders together and they actually stay there, not just come in through one door and walk out the other, They actually stay there and they feel like they are part of the district,
like we are a partnership that it's not just good optics, but it's a good feeling for all. And I think today, we did a great job as a part as partners. So I too would like to thank the mayor and the first lady and the legislators that were there. Parents were more than happy, and they appreciate, the respect that was, bestowed upon them today. And and one more thing, and I would be remiss if I did not thank all the individuals in this
district that worked tirelessly to make today's site a success. It seemed easy. It was just like everything flowed. Mhmm. But I know that took so much work from doctor Savino and everyone across many departments. It wasn't a one person job. It was a team of dedicated community aids, schools promoting the event, parents, staff, clerks, community aids, teacher aids. It was just Jersey City public schools coming together.
It was. So I would be remiss if I didn't thank all the people who work behind the scenes and who attended from the district. Thank you. Yes. You know? And we are we've had this event for twenty seven years, and and there was a time when parents had to stand in line to be served and or not even to be served, to serve themselves. But they sat at beautiful tables with flowers, and it was just such a a an atmosphere of class sophistication,
everything that our parents needed, and deserve. So, again, I thank the district for putting on such a show, and and just making us all feel like gold because it was really wonderful. It was wonderful. It was. I also I wanted to say that I went to an event on Tuesday at an art it was an art show, the JC, art JC arts program. Okay? And, it was full like never before. We had about five or six students that,
displayed their art, and their parents were there to support them. But more important, their colleagues were there to support them. There were students from all of the high schools, supporting their friends and and letting them know how great they are. The art was fabulous. Amazing, the job that our students do, and we never give it the attention that it deserves. So I wanna thank, again, the administrators and the teachers that are responsible for putting that on,
but the students are just we have amazing, amazing students. Thank you. Thank you all. And anything that I cannot do is really amazing because I am one. I love art, but I can't even stay in the line when I'm drawing and when I'm coloring. So I appreciate everything that I see our students do that is just excellent. I think that at some point, some of the their art can be sold. It's just a great piece. Anyways, thank you again and thank you,
doctor Fernandez. We will then have, public comments. We have thirty thirty six people. Therefore, we will cut it down to two minutes. Two minutes. Stop it. Two minutes. And before we begin, Ramon, please. Thank you, board president. Good evening. I'm gonna read the public, comment statement. Speakers will be called to the microphone to speak in the order that their request is received. All statements or comments shall be directed to the chair. It is the expectation of the board that comments will remain positive and focus around the best interest of the students and the district as a whole.
The board will not condone comments that can be perceived as harassing, insulting, threatening, or lacking in respect or civility. The chair reserves the right to, a, interrupt and or warn or terminate a participant statement or comment when it is too lengthy. B, interrupt. We will wait. We will wait until everyone leaves that wants to or needs to leave right now, and then we will continue our program. Thank you. B, interrupt or warn a participant when the statement of comment is abusive, obscene, or maybe defamatory.
C, request any person to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum or presents themselves as a danger to others in the building. D, request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person prevents or disrupts a meeting with an act that obstructs or interferes with the meeting, including threats by words, actions, or objects. E, call a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum interferes with the orderly conduct of a meeting. And f, waive these rules when necessary for the protection of privacy or to maintain an orderly
operation of the board meeting. Thank you. Miss McKenzie, please. Our first speaker, Amy Komadas. Not here. Elena Doneska. Good evening. I'll speak of Ellen's behalf, and she's here. Good evening. I'm sorry. What was that again? We didn't I will speak on Ellen's behalf. She's next to me. She has a toothache, so I will discuss it. Good evening, president, board members, superintendent, trustees, and members of this administration. My name is Ivana Kovac. I'm the general manager of GL Group, certified woman owned construction company that has proudly served Jersey City public schools. It is unfortunately that must stand before you tonight to speak not about partnership,
but about hardship, uncertainty, and what appears to be profoundly unfair treatment of a small woman owned business that has delivered significant work for the district. Between 2023 and 2024, GL Group was issued over 21,000,000 in construction purchase orders by New Jersey City public schools. Of that, more than 10,000,000 worth of work was successfully completed that has now been in place for over a year and a half. GEO Group was not an unknown contractor. We were one of the district's most relied upon and highly regarded contractors completing critical
projects across numerous schools, including Ferris High School, McNair, Snyder High School, Junior Academy Schools five, six, eleven, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, 23, 24, 27, 29, 33, 34, 37, forty, forty one, and the board offices. We performed bathroom renovations, painting, flooring replacement, asbestos abatement, masonry restoration, HVAC upgrades, electrical work, and we responded when the district needed us, often around the clock. Then on 11/04/2024, everything changed. GL Group received an order to cease work from Superintendent Fernandez with no explanation provided.
No formal reasoning, no due process, no transparency. To make things to make matters worse, our project manager, the individual who personally oversaw many of these successful projects, was publicly recognized by this district, the ribbon cutting ceremony, was suddenly prohibited from entering district offices or visiting project sites. Again, no explanation was provided. Since then, we have spent months attempting to resolve this matter professionally. Legal teams became involved. Reconciliation meetings took place. Documentation was provided the period. Additional information was requested.
Thank you. Anuja Shah. Go ahead. Please, miss miss miss McKenzie, call the next person, please. I thought you couldn't speak. Anujisha. Let's move on. Santoshi Parikh, Misha Patel, Yakin Shah. Anton Heskins. Hi. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. My name is Anton Peskins. I'm here with Parents United. I've lived in the Jersey City Heights for seven years, and I work for the city of Jersey City as well. I'm here speaking in support of Niamh Shah and his family.
Niamh and his family have been my next door neighbors since I moved to Jersey City. I've known Neeb since before he was born. I try to be like an uncle to him, and I'm his backup caregiver. I knew Neeb before his diagnosis, and I know him now. Before his disability progressed, Neeb was a cheerful, active, fun loving kid. I've watched his life change in serious ways since his diagnosis. I know from experience how how important early support is. I had an IEP growing up, and I didn't really have too much of a hard time because in my parents'
town, they understood my needs. I understand the district has verbally said Neeve was gonna get a five zero four plan until June 25, and a second TTS eligibility meeting has been set up on the last day to be in compliance. That's a step forward. But my concern is will there be a real coordinated plan in place for September? Niamh has an extremely rare and complex medical condition. He doesn't fit very neatly into, like, a standard box, but that shouldn't mean him and his family have to fight alone for him to
safely attend school. My question is, what is the district doing to make sure that Niamh can access kindergarten on day one just like other kids his age? Thank you. Thank you. Sachin Bradford? Mayuri Kidd, Andrea Worthington, before I start, I signed up my daughter, but I never got a confirmation. I signed up twice, and so I want her to take my spot if she's not on there. Her name is Ayla Hadding. Is she on there? She's not she's McKinsey. Alright. Okay. Alright. So I'm gonna start then. Good evening.
I'm a parent of two students here in Jersey City, one you just saw. I'm here tonight because our children are struggling, and the evidence is impossible to ignore. A survey of PS 16 parents found overwhelming consensus that technology use in school is far too much. Parents are reporting their kids having difficulty focusing, mood changes, sleep disruption, and academic decline. Our school is taking steps to reduce non educational screen time, but this should be coming from the district. Not every school has such an attentive and hardworking principal as us. Children are not eating lunch or learning social skills because screens are on during lunch.
Kids are accessing games, YouTube, and inappropriate content on school issued Chromebooks with little oversight. Screens are being turned on during recess, morning stars, and aftercare, not as learning tools but as crowd control. The research supports that parents are seen at home. Studies show some students sorry. Studies show students are off task for up to thirty eight minutes of every hour when devices are present. We know children retain information better from paper than screens. A neuroscientist testified before the U. S. Senate earlier this year that Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to
score lower on cognitive benchmarks than the previous one, with a direct correlation to schools' screen time. That's hard to ignore. Other districts are acting, so why not us? Los Angeles Unified, the second largest district in the country, just voted unanimously to set screen time limits, ban non educational platforms, and restrict devices during lunch and recess. 17 states have passed or are considering similar laws. We are asking JCPS to do the same, specifically establish grade level screen time limits,
block non educational platforms on school devices, require non screen activities for substitutes in aftercare, audit EdTech contracts that's a big one and give parents real transparency into what platforms their children are using in Thank you. So, Ila Hadding. Hello, everyone, and thank you for listening. My name is Ayla, and I go to p s sixteen. I'm in the fifth grade, and I am 11 years old. I would like to talk to you all about something that is negatively affecting the children of our city. I'm pretty sure that we all know about the screen usage problem in our country.
Right? So why are we not taking action immediately? We all need to know and understand how dangerous and unhealthy this is for young minds. My little brother, Leo, is five years old and is in kindergarten. He is such a sweet, kind, and smart little boy. His school, the annex, is great too, but they do have some contrast from a nurturing learning environment. Leo comes from home from school five days a week saying stuff like click to subscribe or quoting cartoons. This is not okay for a little kid to be bringing home from school a place of learning. He tells my mom,
dad, and I that he watches cartoons and other shows at school, like the show Wild Kratts. Yes. It is an educational show, but shows don't belong in school every day of the week. Not only that, but the math curriculum is all on screens too. So many studies show how bad this constant staring at screens affects kids. I have already seen the changes happening in my. Why are we spending so much money on technology that is hurting kids? We are all here to help kids learn and stay safe. Right? This is why I decided to speak here tonight.
I hope I have acknowledged this major problem here tonight for the schools of Jersey City. A special shout out to all those adults working to make these schools a better place. Thank you, and have a great night. Thank you. Mohit Singh, Tamanabhan Patel, Hey, all. Good evening. My name is Tamana, and my son is a graduate of Jersey City Public School. I'm here with Parents United. They and their families deserve better. I am here in support of Niv Shah and his family. Niv is entering kindergarten with a rare and serious disability.
Neve's condition affects basic body function. Most of us never have to think about breathing, hunger and thirst signals, stamina, temperature regulation, toileting, and safety. His family is trying to make sure he can attend school safely from the first day. I understand the district has now verbally agreed that new needs five zero four supports. That is important. But for a medically complex child, verbal agreement is not enough. There are many steps between saying a child needs a support and actually making school safe.
The plan has to be returned. The nurse or aid has to be identified. Staff need to be trained. Backup coverage needs to exist. Emergency protocols need to be clear. The classroom has to be ready. Niv is not a simple case. His medical, behavioral, and safety needs are documented. If it took months just to acknowledge that he needs support, then the community deserves to know how long implementation will take. My question is simple. What is the district's return timeline for turning verbal five zero four support into real
services before day one of kindergarten? We are asking for coordination, urgency, and a clear plan. Please do not let this family reach September with promises instead of support. Thank you so much, and have a good evening. Doctor Kerry Magro. A letter I would have written for my parents when I was still not speaking. Dear mom and dad, I know it's breaking your heart to see me as I am now. Most of the kids we know are starting to talk, while I'm just making sounds. I'm lashing out because I'm struggling. I can't communicate my needs, and I can't stand the feeling of water. I cringe when I hear thunder,
and I don't like to be touched because of my sensory issues. I know things aren't easy, and we don't know what the future has in store. But I wanna tell you though to keep fighting for me and believing in me. Because without you both, the greatest advocates I'll ever have in my life, I'm not gonna be the person I am today. At two and a half, I'm going to say my first few words. And at four, you're gonna find out from a doctor I have something called autism. Supports are gonna be difficult to come by. Autism will be far less understood than it is today. But your advocacy, along with the educators and professionals who support me,
is going to change everything. Because one day, this child who grew up in the Jersey City school system will become a professional speaker who gives talks about autism, bullying prevention, disability inclusion, and kindness to schools and businesses across the globe. I'll write seven books, earn my doctorate in education from New Jersey City University, investing in student assemblies, staff professional development, and parent trainings to help our schools truly embrace disability inclusion. One in five students are bullied, and students with disabilities are twice as likely to be bullied compared to their non
disabled peers. That is why this work matters. Educators can change school culture. It can help students understand that words matter, help educators support different learners, and make our schools a better place to learn. Thank you. Thank you, Karen. Suzanne Mack. All for having for having me last month. I found the clock. Thank you so much for giving me a little extra time out of courtesy for my Ford service. But I came here tonight because he was supposed to come here last month, but I came here tonight because, doctor Macrow would like to donate a a a full set of his books,
which include Defining Autism from the Heart, Autism and Falling in Love, or supporting your autism journey for the love of autism, I will light it up blue, Santa goes the extra mile for students with disabilities, autism on autism, and the second volume. Doctor Magro, as he goes around the schools in Jersey City, normally donates his books to the students, in in mass. We've done that many times, and, he wanted you to know especially the parent groups. I think you have parent groups that, you know, we can donate more books to you, but we wanna do that tonight.
And also, I I just wanted to tell you, I said last month I wasn't gonna be here because I was having surgery. I my hip surgery was delayed, so I probably won't be back for a few months. But, as of July 1, I'm taking over as managing director of his, nonprofit. And he is writing a new book, which I have the name of it. Could you tell me the name? Autis Autistic People Make Great Friends Too. It's a it's a coloring book for children four to eight, and we'd like to, if,
doctor Fernandez is agreeable, we'd like to donate that to your, to your children from four to eight in your pre pre k and your handicap classes as our gift to you. And, we also want to explore partnerships where we can support not only the staff and, but this but the students and and the parents. And I also wanna tell you we we now have, we have the autism program, which we give scholarships, but we also have a teacher's program. And one of one of your, teachers at PS twenty four,
the autistic, sorry. I Ivana Debbie can take the books and deliver them to miss Director Smelling. Could you please, just bring them to doctor Fernandez with their memory? Thank you. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Carrie. Ivana Kovacs. Bilgin Bilgin. Thank you. Kadeh. You'll pronounce it. I'm sorry. Practice is gonna make it perfect, so I think you are gonna learn by the end of the year. Good evening. My name is, father of two kids, going to Jersey City Public Schools.
We are Jersey City Public School parents, caregivers, and community leaders with skin in the game right now. We expect this board to act with diplomacy and decorum and to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and accountability. We are watching what's going on, whether it's the special ad audit, excessive ad tech, overcrowding or crumbling facilities, we are working in solidarity and are laser focused on better outcomes for all our kids. At today's parent conference, President Velasquez told parents to come to board meetings and said,
we are partners. This is the right message. But partnership has to be consistent. When parents come here, raise policy questions, ask about overcrowding, screen use, special education, or facilities. The response cannot be shorter speaking time. Lectures about the policy, security pressure, or call parents like Stan Lukas. Parents are not the problem. The lack of clear answer is the problem. We are not asking the Board to solve every issue tonight. We are asking for disciplined public process for overcrowding,
show the short term plan and the long term timeline. For special education, lease the remaining audit materials or explain the legal basis and the lease date. For technology and screen use, publish a real district policy, not scattered practice. For facilities, give a building by building status, including HVAC and AC needs. One tracker, one public update each month, owners, dates, actions Wilson Fonteika. He's not here right. Lindsey Lane. Good evening. My name is Lindsey Lang, and I'm a Jersey City resident and a parent of students at PS thirty seven.
Last month, I joined this meeting to ask of the board what is Jersey City's educational technology policy and how are we measuring whether it's working. Tonight, I'm once again here asking this board to make educational technology governance a formal priority agenda item for next school year. The groundswell of data and concern about the use of technology in school settings, it's not going away. It's growing fast. We simply don't have time to monitor, assess, delay. We're already behind other large urban cities who've been evaluating the value of technology and
systems in classrooms. If I could address doctor Fernandez specifically, you noted in January that the district developed a digital resources guide and disseminated it to every school. You also indicated a related survey would go out to schools on use of technology. So two questions. Could that guide be shared publicly on the district's website? Will the results of the survey be reported back at this meeting or in another format for parents to understand what was learned? In a dream world, every school would have a technology crosswalk or a matrix that outlines for parents what
applications, technology are being used, when, and why. Instead, each September, we're met with a list sent by well meaning teachers of an alphabet soup of educational platforms. I wouldn't be able to list every application that I, as a parent, have used in the last five years with my children with two minutes of commentary. I know you all want to give our students equity. There's nothing more equitable than a piece of paper and pencil. So now I urge the board with seriousness to prioritize for next year a district wide educational technology policy,
more transparent reporting on usage and outcomes, and a long term framework that aligns decisions with student needs. Thank you for your time and consideration. Anjali Prakash. Sanjali Prakash. Those people are crazy. That is a message our board of education president chose to send about parents like us. Perhaps now we are being told comment meant something else. But the fact that so many parents immediately believed it was about us should concern this war far more than whether the microphone happened to catch it. Parents advocating for children with disabilities,
children who already struggle to be heard, children who barely have a voice, and for some families here tonight, children who have no voice at all. You think we're crazy? You know what's crazy? Ignoring us for years while children suffer. Telling parents to email you with concerns and then ignoring them. Bringing lawyers into the conversation when we push for answers. Threatening arrests when heartbroken parents beg to be heard. Bringing armed police officers into BOE meetings faster than you're willing to extend public comment time by even a few minutes. Today,
that would have been eighteen minutes of your time. Smiling through these meetings while children remain continually out, while schools remain continually out of compliance with the very laws meant to protect the children with disabilities. Holding conferences about parents as partners while treating parents like the enemy. That's crazy. What's crazy is forcing families to become lawyers, investigators, advocate, and case managers just to secure services children are already legally entitled to. What is crazy is watching districts spend millions on ineffective ed tech while children become
more dysregulated, more isolated, more dependent on screens, and academically fall even further behind. And maybe the craziest part of all of this is that despite everything, parents still keep showing up. We keep coming. We keep speaking. We keep advocating because parents are fighting for their children. That is not crazy. That is love. We will never stop fighting for our children. They deserve better. Emily Peacock. Good evening. My name is Emily Paco. I'm a twelve year resident and parent living in Ward B. I'm here with Parents United for Special Education Reform.
Tonight, I wanna talk about decorum and respect. This board claims to have decorum and respect. You told us how long we can or cannot speak, how we are and are not permitted to speak to you. You shortened public comment in the name of order. For what? Why? And then you threatened to allocate only thirty seconds. Why is Dejean Morris leaving? That's disrespectful. Sir, you brought armed police officers and said on Mike, arrest her as they move to physically remove from this room a mother of a child with disabilities who is exercising her right to speak.
How much is that costing? And for what? We're not threatening you. We're exercising our free speech and holding you accountable. If you conflate that with being threatened, that's a you problem, not a security problem. Also, on mic, you said, You seem to forget that children are watching you as an example. They see how you behave. Respect is a two way street, especially since you work for us. Respect requires that we as constituents are treated as partners of the education of our children, and not giving lip service about that. Not as nuisances to be managed, timed, and escorted out.
Respect requires that when a parent stands at this microphone and tells you their child's education rights are being violated, you do not look at your phone, you do not whisper to the trustee next to you, you do not go to the bathroom or fall asleep or roll your eyes. You listen because that is what respect looks like. Did you not learn that in school? You cannot demand respect from this community while withholding it from those you are charged with serving. That is not order. That is a power dynamic, a dynamic that has led to failures we are here to name every month. Respect is not a favor this board grants to the public. It is the baseline of the job you were elected.
Miranda. Good evening. My name is Miranda Gorgiero. I live in Ward E. My kid goes to PS 37. I am speaking with J, CPS parents, caregivers and community members with skin in the game right now. We expect this Board to act with diplomacy and decorum and to demonstrate fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability. We are watching what is happening across this district, whether it is the special education audit, excessive EdTech spending, overcrowding, or crumbling facilities. And families are beginning to work together in solidarity because we are laser focused on
better outcomes for all of our children. And tonight, I want to speak specifically about special education leadership. We understand that the board should not select individual candidates or micromanage personnel decisions, but government governance is not micromanagement. Setting expectations for transparency and accountability in a leadership search is absolutely within the board's responsibility. So with that understanding, we urge this board to direct the district to conduct a nationwide search for the next special education director rather than filling the position solely through internal promotion.
We also urge that this search utilize an external search firm so the process is broad, transparent, and credible to the community. This is not about criticism of any one individual. It is about recognizing that many families, staff members, and community stakeholders have expressed ongoing concerns regarding communication, consistency, accountability, compliance, and trust within the district's special education system. Given the importance of this role, we believe the district should take this opportunity to identify the strongest possible leadership candidate
nationwide. Thank you. Jessica Tao. Eve Weissman. Good evening. My name is Eve Weissman. I'm a resident of Ward B, and I have a rising second grader and a rising kindergartener at PS seventeen. I understand there is a narrative circulating around these last few board meetings that those of us showing up and asking for changes are simply privileged parents or that some of us don't even have kids in the schools. That narrative is defensive and plainly dismissive of the legitimate concerns that we have been raising. We are organized. We have signs and sometimes coordinated remarks. We speak forcefully.
We apply pressure publicly. And that can feel uncomfortable, especially for people who want us and others to recognize the good work happening in our schools. And there is good work happening in our schools despite the systemic failures. We did not start here. And trust me, we would rather be home with our kids than begging you to do the bare minimum to support them. The parents you are hearing from have tried private conversations, emails, meetings, and respectfully explaining what is not working. And when nothing changed, we turned to public accountability. That is how organizing works. That is how we build community power. How we treat disabled children matters.
Whether families can access support, respect, and inclusion matters. Whether this district actually listens to parents before parents reach a breaking point matters. So we will keep showing up, not because we enjoy conflict, but because our children deserve better. We have connected with hundreds of parents across this city about their experiences with special ed. Parents continue to reach out to us after hearing us speak. Many don't have the capacity to be here, but that does not mean their experiences are not real. Why hasn't a job posting gone out for a permanent special education director?
Why hasn't the district commissioned a full programmatic audit after so many issues were identified in just half of a report? Why don't you want a full picture of what is going on? Our country is facing enormous challenges. There are many other places we could be and causes we could be attending to, and we are here asking you to do Sylvia Gulak. Sylvia Charles. Good evening, president Velasquez and trustees, superintendent Fernandez. I'm Sylvia Charles. I'm a parent of four Jersey City public school students who attend PS thirty seven. I'm always disappointed to have only two minutes because there's so much to say,
which is, I believe, the point of limiting public comment. As so first of all, I'll address what happened last meeting. I was removed from the last meeting by security after I sought to correct your counsel about your own policy. Dijon Morris was heard on mic saying to arrest me. For what? The board council read part of your public comment policy, but this is not the whole policy. The policy goes on to say that at the discretion of the chair and or board president, public comment may be extended extended by an additional thirty minutes. Furthermore,
under Natalia Ioffe in 2023, the board chose to limit public comment to three minutes. And under Dijon Morris last year, you chose to limit public comment to ninety minutes with the additional thirty minutes. This seems to be in direct conflict with the statement on the website that the Jersey City Board of Education encourages comment and opinion with regard to the conduct of our schools. As the budget increases, our time to question decreases. Secondly, I'm here to say that, sadly, my family has decided to pull our three youngest children from their current school.
I love the community at Cordero and how they know each of my children by name, and they care about my child. But as a parent, I'm tired of being put in the middle of what seems to be a systemic issue with the amount of screen time and reliance on technology in our schools. And I'm running out of time, so I'm just gonna show some of this. December, January 2024. These are all expenditures, technology expenditures. Month after month of idea and title one funds being spent on technology expenditures. Darryl Lucas, Vanessa
Vega, Sho Golden, Good evening. I have a third grader and kindergarten student at PS sixteen, and I've spoken here in the past about the need for a district wide policy when it comes to the use of Chromebooks and other digital learning tools. I wanted to share a model of how other districts are collaborating with parents on this issue. Kristen Drake, administrator at Zekeld County Schools, had this to say on a recent webinar about how they are managing this in their district. Quote, we put together a committee on the request of our superintendent. He received feedback from the community that kids were having too much screen time.
He immediately brought that to the teaching and learning depart. They reached out to all the division so we were on the same page. The first thing we did was gather the data. We talked about what is our usage of all of our programs and really dug into it. At our last meeting, we decided we needed to bring in those same parents who had expressed concerns to the superintendent that we want to make sure everyone is at the table as we make recommendations to the board, end quote. So I want to ask, how is the district currently collecting this data? What is the plan to share the usage,
how it correlates with outcomes, if there is one? Parents deserve to know how much instructional time is happening on the Chromebooks and the apps, especially when a growing body of evidence shows these tools to be ineffective and leading to less cognitively able young people. Many of the biggest vendors in the space have also shown themselves to be utterly negligent of student privacy issues resulting in active lawsuits. This is one issue uniting JCPS parents, caregivers, and community leaders. We have skin in the game right now. We expect this board to act with diplomacy and decorum and to demonstrate fiscal responsibility
and accountability. We are bringing real issues to the table, whether it's the special ed program, excessive ed tech spending, overcrowding or crumbling facilities. We are working in solidarity and are laser focused on better outcomes for all our kids. Thank you. Dan Golden? Speaking here. Oh, okay. So my name is Dan Golden. I've lived in Jersey City for eleven years, and I have two children in the elementary school system. So I wanna walk the board through some public information I, you know, scraped as I started, like, talk to my wife and others, other concerned parents in the community.
So one, we are one of the high spending districts in New Jersey, one of the worst performing. We spent 28,000 over $28,000 per pupil. New Jersey state average 21. Graduation rate is 75% in Jersey City. Statewide, it's 91%. Sure. You'll say, oh, urban is different. Let's look at Bayonne. Bayonne spends less per pupil, graduates 88%. Union City, three miles north, spends roughly what we do, graduates 87. Elizabeth spends what we spend, graduates 83. So we're completely not underfunded, just, outperformed by every other neighbor. Number two,
like, you know the system is broken because the auditors told you, and it's still the exact same problem. So two years in a row, same 10 problems. Because you cut down the time, I can't list them, but, you know, backdated checks, missed the contract documentation. One thing I'll call out is that there's a there was a $31,300,000 childcare contract approved with zero supporting documentation. Fact three. We have a billion dollar budget, and this morning, I went to DonorsChoose. I'm like, I wonder how Jersey City is doing. There's hundreds of teachers asking for wipes, highlighters, glue sticks, tissues. We spent a billion dollars.
Like, it's ridiculous. So here's what I'm asking. One, a corrective plan for these findings with someone that's actually concrete and accountable for this. Two, documentation for this $31,000,000 childcare contract posted publicly for everyone in the community to see. And then three, before adding any more taxes, any more costs, really under giving everyone in the community a sense to understand, like, why do we have the same exact audit findings this year as we did last year? Thank you. Danielle Walker. Jermaine Woodward. Elizabeth Perry.
I didn't see it. Hello. Hello. Good evening. Over the last several weeks, I have submitted additional correspondence to the administration and members of this board requesting formal clarification regarding an unresolved investigation related matter that has affected my employment circumstances for approximately three years. To date, I still have not received findings, conclusions, procedural explanations, or any formal resolution regarding the matter that resulted in my reassignment from my office
and department following public comments I made before this board. What concerns me most at this point is not simply the passage of time, but the continuing lack of transparency and administrative closure surrounding the situation. I have respectfully requested clarification regarding whether the matter was ever formally concluded, whether findings exist, what basis exists for the continuing workplace consequences, and whether the district intends to resolve the matter in a fair and transparent matter.
Today, district council acknowledged receipt of my request and indicated that additional information would be provided after her return from vacation. I appreciate that acknowledgment and hope meaningful clarification and resolution will finally be provided. However, I believe it is important to state publicly that no employee should remain in a state of prolonged uncertainty for years without procedural closure, explanation, or resolution.
I continue to request only what should exist in any fair administrative process, clarity, accountability, findings, and resolution. Thank you. Sabrina Harold. Cheryl Mays. Good evening. I'm here to address ongoing concerns regarding overtime procedures and delayed overtime payments affecting custodial and facilities employees throughout this district. Many builders are already operating short staffed. Overtime is often off offered the very same day coverage is needed. Employees are contacted, told to report, and then expected to submit the electronic request afterwards,
sometimes only hours before the shift begins. The problem is that many of these requests remain listed as in progress even after employees have already reported to work and started performing an overtime assignment. So the district is essentially telling employees they must obtain prior approval before working overtime, while at the same time continuing to rely on employees to report before those approvals are actually completed. If employees waited for formal approval before reporting, many overtime assignments will likely go uncovered, creating operational problems for schools themselves.
At the same time, employees are now being required to complete multiple layers of paperwork, submit an online request, track an approval status, retain the proof of submission, and still complete traditional overtime sheets afterwards. Despite all the additional procedures, employees continue to experience delayed overtime payments even when paperwork was submitted on time. That raises an important question in the system truly improving I mean, is the system truly improving accountability, or is it simply shifting more administrative burden onto employees while payroll and record issues
continue, unresolved. These concerns deserve attention, especially because payroll and record keeping problems involving employees under Local two thousand two hundred and sixty two have repeatedly appeared in order findings over the years. Employees are not asking for anything unreasonable. They are asking for clear procedures, consistent administration, proper staffing, and timely per payment of earned wages. This is my pre auth. I sent it May 4. I got it back May 7 approved. So how do you approve something after I've already worked it? Can somebody please come get this? So because I want miss
Lena Herring. Okay. Good evening. I am miss Lena Herron, executive board member, and union representation for local two two six two. There are several, concerns that needs to be addressed. First, while layoffs are being considered due to budget constraint, it appears that consultants, some of whom have already retired and been brought back, are still being retained. If the department is over budget, it raises serious questions about why these consultant positions aren't privatized over existing employees. This creates a perception of mismanagement and equatility.
Secondly, with the new budget cycle beginning 07/01/2026, it is unclear what changes, if any, are being made to ensure benefit financial oversight. If the same individuals responsible for the current budget shortfall will manage the new budget, what measures are being put in place to prevent the same outcome? Third, local two two six two operates under a signed union contract. That agreement is a legally bonded document. If the terms of the contract are not being followed, we need a clear explanation as to why.
Agreements should not be signed if there is no intention to uphold our contract. Finally, I am asking directly who is being held accountable for the current situation. Our members of local two two six two constantly show up and perform their duties, often go above and beyond when needed. It is only feared that the leadership be held to the same standards of the responsibility and transparency. Thank you. That was the last person on my list. Thank you very much, and thank you to all the speakers. Doctor I'm sorry?
Oh, okay. I did see that some some of you, walked in a little late. Just give us your name if your name is on the on the list. Of course. Santoshi Parikh. She's on. Go ahead. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Santoshi Barrick. It's my first time talking here. I'm a parent of a fourth grader at p s sixteen and preschooler at p s three. I'm here to talk about the concerns the parents across JCPES are having around the excessive screen time our children are experiencing during a school day.
In first grade, my daughter was thriving. Strong writer, curious reader, excited about cursive writing. She loved to read without being asked. Then second grade, homework was moved entirely online. The focus disappeared. The reading dried up. The mood at home changed. I didn't connect it to screens until her teacher told me she got my daughter on YouTube during a test. In second grade, during a test, why is YouTube accessible on a school issued device for a seven year old? She's not alone.
A p s 16 parent survey of over 70 families found the same story. Difficulty focusing, screen fatigue, mood changes after school that us parents are dealing with, and declining academic engagement. We're urging the board to adopt four principles. Technology as a supplement, not a replacement. There's a distinction between tech ed and ed tech. A return to paper and handwriting. A meaningful parent transparency experts. A prohibition on non educational platforms like YouTube on school devices. And a written,
uniform technology policy for every classroom. We are all in this room for one reason, not politics, our children. Our children are not a pilot. Your name? Anuja Shah. Hello. Good evening. My name is Anuja Shah. I was here last month as well with the same topic, Neef Shah, my son. I'm here today with parents in Aireddy and their families deserve better. For months, I have been asking how my medically complex disabled child can safely access school. His need were known, documented, and repeatedly raised. Yet we were pushed between CSD,
five zero four, school principal, nursing, early childhood and other departments with no clear point person and no clear timeline. Give me one second. This is the exact problem we are dealing with at home and we are telling you, you will deal with it in in school as well. If you do not take the right actions, do not give him a behavioral plan. I'm sorry, I'm returning from my speech, but here is a live example. And he also asked if he can speak. I don't know if you'll allow him. Any which ways, going back, the district did not move with urgency required under its child find obligations. Now suddenly, exactly one day before several community members signed up to speak here today,
the district scheduled a short notice meeting and verbally offered a five zero four plan effective immediately in his private daycare. I'm glad that happened, and I'm very grateful that we were one step that we are now one step closer. However, the plan is still not drafted, not approved, and there is no guarantee yet that these supports will carry into his IEP or his individualized health plan a new term that I just learned last week. We are also now facing a second eligibility determination meeting after disputing the prior classification decision. That meeting is being held on the last compliance day, which is the twentieth day from our dispute. We have been told documentation will be reviewed after the meeting,
and referrals may happen after the evaluations, not in parallel. That means more delay, and the school year is almost over. It took months to figure out that a five zero four four plan could actually be implemented in Niamh's current private day care setting. That should not have taken months when we requested to keep him in his day care setting months ago for his emotional well-being. This should have been figured out then. But by now, he may already have had the support that are only being drafted next week. Maybe we would have never had any behavioral incidents in school or here today, and he may would have never been checked out of his aftercare program.
My concern is not only need. This is not an isolated case. Not every medically complex child has a parent who can send repeated emails, escalate, gather medical documentation. Okay. Okay. That, concludes the speakers. Miss McKenzie? I'm sorry? They they have one? No. Okay. Miss McKenzie, that completes the speakers? Yes. Okay. So now we're just moving if your name is not on the list, mister? Name was on the list. It's Yakin Shah. I'm his dad. I'm sorry? Sorry. I'm late. Yakin Shah. Yes. Your name is on the list. So I'm, Anujah's husband and his father.
Hi. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm gonna hold him because he want to say a few words, but I cannot allow him. I know he's not 18. Can he speak couple of things? Just continue, please. Nico. You wanna say something? No. Not I'm in his name. Okay. What do you wanna say? I don't know that No problem. That's it. I Do you have anything else to say? I'm sorry. Yeah. He wanted to he was very eager to say some stuff. But as you all know, my wife has been trying very hard. We have been trying a lot. He's a very smart child. You can see that. He needs a real good help. He needs a program that he really deserves.
What we asked the board is what are the best can be done? I know they are working for it. We had a good meeting last time, but we cannot be stalling because what he's going through is the first time you might have heard. Rohard, r o h h a d. And I can I need sorry? One second. I don't have much time. You're sorry. I can I can guarantee you if you if you Google it, you will see what Rohad is? And I can guarantee your doctors that you have been seeing. They might not know what it is. The problem is the first word itself says rapid. Everything what happens is rapid for his case.
So delaying the stuff and and considering him like other cases, it's not gonna work for him. I know, board of education, everybody is trying hard for him, but here we are running out of time. In his case, everything is super rapid. He won't have time. Putting him on the school on day one without the proper setup for him is gonna be very, very risky for his life. So I urged everyone who can do whatever for him, I'll be very grateful. Thank you. I'm not gonna take much time off everyone. Thank you so much for hearing me out. Thank you. Anyone else that came in late? Okay. So we're we're moving ahead.
Okay. Oh, yeah. That's Vanessa. I came late. Yes. May I may I have Go ahead. Thank you. Appreciate it. Good evening. My name is Vanessa Vega. I'm a lifelong Jersey City resident, a pediatric occupational therapist turned clinical psychologist. I was raised here, educated here, and now I'm raising my own two daughters here as well. I also know personally how difficult and thankless service on the board of education can be. My father served on this board for many years, including as board president, so I grew up witnessing the sacrifices that come with public service. So I begin by saying thank you and also by reminding you that families hurt
where they care. Anger is often louder and more active than gratitude. The parents who come here and advocate passionately are not enemies of the district. In many ways, I think they're some of the people who are most committed to Jersey City because the truth is many dissatisfied families just leave. In my private practice, I work closely with children who have greater educational, emotional, developmental, and behavioral needs than the average student. And when families feel their children are not getting they need, they often leave Jersey City for what they perceive are greener pastures, or relationships become adversarial, leading to costly out of district placements and litigation.
I don't want us to lose families this way. I believe one important step forward is creating more hyperlocal and adaptive child study teams. Right now, many CSTs are spread too broadly across too many schools and communities become deeply embedded supports, for any one ecosystem. Each school has its own culture, strengths, and needs. Teachers deserve support teams that know their buildings well, collaborate proactively, and help develop classroom based solutions before challenges escalate. When systems become too broad in their reach, they often become reactive instead of relational. I love this city deeply. Jersey City shaped me,
and I believe we owe it to the next generation to dream bigger about what our schools can become. I also wanna say this in solidarity with my advocacy group. We are JCPS parents, caregivers, and community leaders with skin in the game right now. We're watching what's going on, whether it's special education audit, excessive ed tech, overcrowding, or crumbling facilities. We're laser focused on better outcomes for all of our kids. Miss McKenzie, I believe that's the end of a public okay. Thank you very much. Doctor Fernandez, are you going to address some of these? And then we'll give an opportunity for the board,
anyone that wants to speak. Let's have doctor Fernandez, please. Thank you so much. I just wanna clarify. The math curriculum has hardcover books and workbooks. It is not only online. So please, if you have that specific concern, please speak to your school principal about your experience. I want to, thank mister and missus Shaw for acknowledging that the district has been working with you, and we have time.
I know you just met, and we're working. He we will be ready for him in September when he enters the school. Other than that, we cannot comment on specifics, on students' needs or personnel matters or legal matters for that matter. So, just wanted to make sure, the, we are going to be working on a district wide, policy, the use of technology, AI. So that is on our to do list. And, someone talked about corrective action plans. They're available online.
If you want to check, please, go to board docs, and they're there. And we will be automating systems to improve efficiencies and minimize human errors. With that in mind, I'd also like to thank, doctor Magro and miss Mack for their generosity, and, I believe that's it. There was one comment that I'd like to ask, counsel Ramon, mister Rivera to please, speak to that. Thank you. Thank you. There was a comment from representatives of the GL group who are doing work,
with the district a few years ago. That matter, is being handled through their legal counsel, regarding their request to be paid. And I'll just say that we've been waiting for information from them since October 2025. We then requested that again, two weeks ago from his counsel, and we still have not gotten a response. So prior to them providing that information, I would I think it'd be premature to discuss any repayment to that vendor. Thank you. That's it. Okay. Now we're open for the, board's comments. Yes. The chair.
Trustee. Yes. Thank you. I guess I wanna start with some of the comments I heard about the, the excessive technology and everything. Now two years ago before for political reasons, I was removed from this board. We had started that process. And to make a comment three years later, because that was 2023. This is 2026. Three years later, saying that that's gonna be worked on is unacceptable. I'm just gonna say that. I sat and spoke in person in front of the teacher of the year for Union County.
This woman literally wrote it was just for this one particular program, the gifted and talented program, but she wrote the entire curriculum herself. I also spoke with board members in Parsippany Troy Hills, where their educators get together and they write their curriculum. I know we buy and purchase a lot of things, and the conversation needs to change because there was always questions about the cost of the contracts when we renew these, platforms, because, you know, we have multiple platforms.
We started out with, like, MyON and a couple other programs. Then we have all these other programs. We don't know who's using them, how much they're being used. And I could just speak from personal experience. There is a lot of homework being done on the Chromebook. But to direct the parent back to the school, I think it's counterproductive because the school gets the information from the district because the district decides on what to give to the school. And I sat there and even had some of these questions as a parent at
PS twenty four when they started doing the you know, when you invite the family to come down and look at the new curriculum when they brought in the Sabbath and all that stuff. I sat there and I heard this, but I brought I raised these questions then. And so now we're hearing even more that this is a problem. And and there were parents from all over the city who were there, including sixteen, seventeen, 37, 34. I I mean, I can go on and on. And so clearly that's an issue. I won't belabor that, but I think we understand that personally,
I mean, you know, I don't make the decision, but as a district, when we see I I don't know what everybody reads, because I do a lot of reading. Excessive reading. And even China, the country itself, is pulling back from technology, because of what's going on with screen time and things like that. So it behooves us to pay attention to that and to try to make sure that I believe that we should really take a look at books and paper again.
You know, some of the parents have said it. Let's just be let's just put it out there. Right? I think that's a good thing. I also wanna talk about the well, I I won't talk about the student issues because that's a student, but, that definitely needs to be addressed by the district. That's a district thing to handle. And the board should be getting an update on how that's going. But the the technology guide, that that whole AI thing, you know, because we because we're not even there with that. You know, we had a conversation about that. We're we're behind the eight ball,
and I even spoke to some people, you know, offline within the district about, you know, where are we? Because there are other districts that are doing things that are phenomenal even though AI is doing it, but they're they're being responsible with it in a way where they limit it to this and to this. In other words, I think somebody mentioned it as part of their comments tonight. Technology is supposed to be utilized as a tool, but you don't use it to kind of replace what we used to do with
pen and paper and, you know, independent thinking and, you know, all that stuff. And so to be tech heavy, to be tech heavy, it it it is a concern because look at what's happening in the schools, what we're dealing with the yonder pouches and everything. And and the kids are getting into the yonder pouches. As a matter of fact, well, I'll you'll you'll see the report that I give you from national for next board meeting. I'm gonna give you time to look through that and, hear some of the things that I've come up with with that, you know, in terms of information.
But I just wanna make this one last final statement. This district, because it was and I'm gonna be perfectly honest. It was within the district itself influencing the board back in 2019 when the board was influenced to not do that special education audit. We missed an opportunity that probably wouldn't be leading to some of the issues we have today. I'm just gonna say that. I just have I I don't recall,
and I was on the on the board at the time, trustee Richardson. And I don't I don't recall an influence from the district to the board. Was that the time you were the president? I don't recall the you sent me. Prior to me becoming president, and the meeting was at Dickinson High School. And we also had the presentation on the, well, they kinda called it a forensic audit, but it was an operational audit and, you know, all the other things that came out. There was a PowerPoint done. But if you look back at that meeting, you'll hear everything that took place then.
Okay. But, again I don't wanna educate anybody, although I could, but I'm not gonna do that. Thank you. That's kind of you. However, I also wanted to communicate. You you bring up some very good points with regards to technology and all of that, but, I I have also, asked you to please serve on a couple of committees where you could address these issues and you haven't had, the opportunity or you haven't afforded us the opportunity to discuss that in committee. Yes. With all due respect Go ahead. I wrote to you in writing for the technology committee.
I was declined. I also Go ahead. Okay. I also asked for student life and services. Was declined. And then, I think the last one, because it sat out for a while, the the the family community engagement committee Mhmm. That was given to vice president. Mhmm. Right? But I requested that. All of that is in writing. And I and I know you put it in writing, but this is also what I, communicated to you. Technology is not a stand alone committee any longer. We had you or I asked for you to please join us in curriculum.
That's where we could have addressed all of these issues. And there's no problem in you bringing them here, but you still have an opportunity to come and join us in curriculum so that we we, as a team here in the district with curriculum, can work on them. Please join us. Well, let me be quite honest with you because I'm not the type of person to step to the side and not wanna do something. Right? So because, you know, the two to one the two to one Chromebooks came here Mhmm. Because I worked on that. The the the the the touchscreen computers came here because I worked on that.
The ESIP program is here because I worked on that. I literally literally brought those things to the district. And the upgrade of the entire infrastructure from one gigabit to 10 gigabit 10 gigabit was me as well as the phone system we have. Remember the old Avaya phone system? No voice mail? That was me. So I don't I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I Now I'd like to hear from doctor Williams here, and we got them implemented. You can speak to mister DG.
You can call him at home, wherever he is. He'll tell you. We'll call him. And I was on I was chair of the technology committee. But I but I also communicated that you would be vice chair of curriculum, and that would have been included. You I never got an email about being vice chair of anything. Yes. You were vice chair of curriculum as well as the other committee. No. No. No. No. Believe that you, communicated to mister Wayne you you couldn't make it, and you haven't made it yet. I I explained to you We would like to continue.
Frame. We will we can always discuss this in-depth, but we would like to continue. I thank you for all your comments, and we will address them. Mister, miss doctor Fernandez, please. May I? Oh, I got a merchant. And I just wanna clarify something. Mhmm. When I directed the parent to go directly to the school because, apparently, in this classroom, they're not using the books. So it is available to all our schools. So that is Uh-uh. That's not Uh-uh. That will not Additionally,
you think, misunderstood curriculum and materials. Readily. Our curriculum is written by teachers in this district based on the standards. We purchase materials, but we write curriculum. Mhmm. So that's a clarification. Miss Shruane, is there more that you'd like to add on how curriculum is written in this district, please? Yes. Yeah. Yes. Thank you, doctor Fernandez. The NJDOE mandates the standards, the New Jersey learning standards, in nine content areas.
Every district is responsible for implementing the New Jersey student learning standards. Here in the district, we have teacher committees who write the district who, excuse me, write the curriculum, and then the board approves the implementation of the curriculum for the following year. Every year, more than once a year, depending on the updated standards that have to be the curriculum has to be revised, we post for teacher committees. Every curriculum in this district is written by teachers with the oversight of the district
supervisors and instructional specialists. The resources that we purchase with the board approval, we call them the adoptions that are used in every school for implementation of the standards, They are resources that are used to teach the curriculum. They are not the curriculum. And so often, people think the resource is the curriculum. It's not. There is a difference between the two. I need to say, if you if I'm alive,
if, doctor Fernandez, that the resource that was put out recently was an overview of the approved resources by the board members throughout the years and how much screen time is allowed or suggested in each of the areas. I need to say, and this is where clarification is greatly needed. In the schools, there are other programs that are being used. We have district approved adoptions.
Schools use other resources, online resources. So every time people think there's an overuse of technology, and I'm not making a comment on that, I'm just saying it comes back to the district, to curriculum instruction, that we are saying this is the screen time that must be used. According to the adoptions, there are limited screen time. I will talk about the math. We purchase books for every single student to use at night for homework.
In many of the schools, I think the teachers, they let the students take the page out of the book and take it home. We do not recommend we do not recommend for the math program that online resources are used at night. And this is what we are hearing over and over. Mm-mm. So that will not we will not entertain a conversation, please. I Set up a meeting. What? We can call a break right now. We can call a break right now. We can call a break right now.
We can call a break right now. Call a break. Through the chair. We will call a break. Okay. The board is going to recess now. Until so to the chair, if I might just address the parents parents, I read a statement at the beginning of the meeting, and I I appreciated all of you listening to the statement that I read. And no. No. No. No. No. No. No. But but that statement We should be removed. That statement shows you how the meeting should be run. You've been warned now multiple times, and I'm gonna reiterate, under this statement, individuals who are disruptive may be asked to leave,
but if not, then law enforcement will step in. We read it every meeting. You're continuing to yell at me while I'm trying to help you guys understand how these meetings are run. There are children here, you should be modeling for your children to show them how we can communicate back and forth. We can't hear you if you yell at us. You can't we can't have it. This is not a dialogue. This is us explaining to you and responding to your questions. Do the chairs be explored out? Perhaps We are taking a break.
To the chair. Ten minutes. Pursuant to, district public comment statement, which I read at the beginning, section c, I'm sorry. E, call a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum interferes with the orderly conduct of a meeting. We are now calling for that recess. And how long do you want it to be? Give us twenty minutes. We just need to discuss Our twenty minute recess, and then we'll we will reconvene and continue the board comment in response to public comment. Motion. Motion for Lisa. Motion. Second?
Second. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Aye. We're done. Gentlemen, we will assume our meeting. Board members, please find your seats. Allow me to communicate that we wanna continue our meeting. We definitely want the parents to remain as part of this meeting so that they can listen to the comments, that the board and the superintendent might have to answer their questions. However, if at any time it gets as loud and
disruptive as it did, we will clear the room and go ahead with our meeting. We afford everyone an opportunity to speak, but you also have to allow us an opportunity to communicate, and answer the questions or we are not gonna get into this, dialect dialogue. We're just not going to do it. We haven't done it before. We will not begin now. Anytime that we cannot conduct our meetings with the order that they ought to be conducted,
we will clear the room. Thank you very much. Madam president? Yes, sir. I just have a couple of, remarks, of of some things that was said, here today. Mhmm. Correct me if I'm wrong, with all of our unions, that we have within the district, whenever that whenever there is an issue among the staff, the proper, chain of command is for them to have the leadership of the union come, I guess schedule a meeting with the superintendent to have a conversation, and and come to some type of resolve as to whatever the issue is.
Time and time again we see, that we have members of unions come to board meetings to air out, you know, their their concerns, but fail to actually follow the, the policy and procedure on, addressing the issue properly. So I just wanted to reiterate, how important it is to follow policy and procedure, when you have, situations that are occurring that you want to be corrected, and especially if you want the board, to actively, work with the superintendent, to make sure that we, resolve the issue. So by coming and yelling and and things at a microphone doesn't necessarily fall in
that category of policy and procedure. Madam president, I'm gonna halt into the Please. Madam president, if I could address director Snelling, if, in fact, she does continue to be disruptive, there is a legal charge which is called defiant trespass because she's been asked to leave once already. If she refuses, they can implement that charge. Madam president, can I continue? And one more thing, Madam President, that I just wanted to say. Our, our policy on being disruptive is very serious. If for some reason we seem to think that,
that our, And she's saying that she's leaving because she knows she'll be again, our preamble is very serious, and we abide by it. And when you come here and you become disruptive and you do not follow the rules that follow this meeting, we will act on it, as you see. We asked her to leave. The director asked her to leave because she's being disruptive. Once you fail to follow that instruction and the police are called and the police ask you to leave, it's called defiant trespass, which is a an arrestable charge. So please,
again, we ask that you adhere to our preamble. As I was saying, we have, a protocol for unions and and issues that come before us. You know, I just think that somehow we we misconstrue that that that that process. And a lot of the issues from the union does not get resolved because they're not following the proper policy and procedure and, chain of command for concerns. Madam superintendent, correct me if I'm wrong. The leadership of the union, if there's a concern, they are supposed to then grieve it. Grieve the con agree it's grieved,
and it's brought to you. And then a meeting of some sort is had, and then the the the process maybe you can explain that because I have a, open door. We I schedule regular meetings with all the unions, the leadership. So the first thing is we try to smooth it out, have a dialogue so that it can be addressed as soon as possible. Something else that we're go we then after that, if that does not work, if we don't have a come to a consensus of on a situation,
their, process is to file a grievance. Yeah. Then it comes before a committee. I we review it whether it's upheld or not. And then if a grievance is, we don't find it, it stands. They have other mechanisms in place to take it outside the district. So there are systems in place for employees to exercise. Many of these things, you know, the person who spoke today is not representing the union. It is representing themselves.
It's not the leadership. It's not the president. Oh, so she's not part of leadership? Well, I she's not the president. Okay. Alright. She's not the president. Typically, I find that these situations happen because they don't wanna follow the proper, policy and procedure, and they come to this meeting because they think somehow we're going to expedite an issue that hasn't even been put in in in the process yet. So we just need to I don't know if you can re re, reiterate to the unions the proper procedure, on handling that because coming to the meeting, telling us all this stuff, it it Thank you. I will. Alright.
Secondly, I wanted to discuss the I wanted to discuss the, the situation, with the special education, audit. We have, gone above and beyond to bring to the community the process on this, issue. The superintendent well, first of all, we had a meeting. We discussed it at a meeting. We gave, detailed, outlines on why the special education second the superintendent had the auditor, which is unheard of, come, to the meeting to explain why, it has not been released yet.
And yet we still maybe there's some selective hearing. Maybe people are not paying attention, but the auditor himself came and said that the audit is not completed. And when it is completed, I believe it's June twenty twenty fifth, when the audit will be completed. But yet you still come and say that you want this audit, you want this audit, and we just told you that it was gonna be released on June 25. So patience is virtue. We ask that if you want a transparent, audit to be taking place, do not rush the process. And lastly,
madam president, I just have to say that it is it it's it's amazing to me that some of my colleagues, sit here, and feed negative false information to the public just to get, some type of spotlight. We very well know that, the issue with the technology, of that sort. I was cc'd on the email where you offered for certain board members to be placed on certain things, and they boycotted it for the very reason because they don't want to be part of a committee where we have reasonable professional discussions about doing this because they want the public, ambiance of being able to be cheered on and things of that sort.
So the real work happens behind the scenes in our committees. And when you're offered to be part of that and you decline, that means that you don't wanna be part of the process. So, you know, before you, you know, sit here and try to, gaslight or pretend like you're being discriminated upon for whatever political reasons you assume, you know, let's be factual and speak the truth. Secondly, I just needed to, you know, reiterate, you can't be politically removed from a board. A the community has to vote you out. So let's not start another, untruthful, un, untruthful, rumors so that somebody can spread it across.
So and then the last thing that I wanna say is, you know, and I'll call his name directly. You know, you know, trustee Richardson, you spoke about how the district influenced, a board to do x, y, and z in regard on technology. I highly doubt that because as vocal as you are and matter of fact as you are, I don't see that in 2019, you allowing that to happen. I don't see that you allowing the district to tell you or persuade you not to do anything, not someone of your magnitude, especially in 2019 when you were at your best.
I I I don't I don't see that happening. So, you know, be careful about the rhetoric that you speak about because remember, we are recorded. So, you know, at the end of the day, don't sit here and say, oh, well, we were persuaded by the administration. At the end of the day, the administration can attempt to persuade all they want to. The votes and the decisions rely on this board. And if you thought at that time that you were being, you know, somehow, you know, persuaded not to do something, I doubt it very seriously that you will sit there in a calm manner and not let that be heard. Madam, president, I yield back. Through the chair. Thank you. Before I let you speak I'll let you speak.
Give me a second. I also wanted to say, actually, pretty much to you as well. You know that we have our caucus meetings and all of these concerns that you, that you feel that have existed and that still exist, that's where we can hash them out. Why, are you solemn at the at the caucus meetings? And just, and just, wait for an opportunity when we have an audience online as well as publicly to, express all of these things.
And and I I do believe that that really, creates more chaos than we ought to be creating for ourselves as a board individually and all of that. If you really, really, and I think you do, care for this district or you wouldn't keep coming back, election after election after election, then, yeah, I I I I extend the opportunity to work with us, not against us because this is what happens. Now you can speak.
But before you stop madam, I'm not sure if you Do you have the floor? Allow him to I'm just saying I can't hear you. Because of the order. I have the floor. To speak. No. I'm asking because you can't hear Point of order. Just this is has nothing to do with it. Yeah. I'm gonna ask security I'm sorry. Go ahead. To remind members of the public to please take your seats or exit. Or if you have something that you wanna hold up, do it against the back wall. But we want your attention. We can't hear when everyone's talking Yes. And and you're not be able to listen to us. So please either leave,
stand in the back with Hold of a sign or have a seat. Thank you. That's all I'll assign. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. Go ahead, trustee. Thank you. So I don't think my time here I don't need to explain anything to anybody about my commitment and what I've done for this district. Mhmm. The people who live here in Jersey City, they know what I've done. I've helped save this district money. I brought money into this district, and we had resources here that we have never had before due to my advocacy
and my work. So so I'm I'm I'm I don't care about, you know, the little attacks and things like that because that's been going on before I even got on this board. Because that's part of the nature of what happens when somebody wants to come and do good. Yeah. The people come after you. I mean, it's been the life of this district since I've been around here, and I've seen everything go down for, what, thirty nine years going on forty years. So I've been here fifty years. What I want what I want
is to for some because we have to stop covering up the disrespect that goes on. I mean, you you you know what has been going on in the past. We don't have to rewind the tape because it's on tape. And we can go back to if if, Trustee Morris, because this is before your time, we can go back to April 2023, the tape, and you can see what went down there. And then we can go back to that meeting, like I said, at Dickinson High School, you can see what went on down there.
So I don't have to explain myself. Those the facts are there. But but you're I brought it up because it's pertinent, and it makes because it's pertinent to the point. Thank you. Thank you, trustee. Let's let's move on. Thank you, both trustees. Let's move on. Any other trustee that has a comment? To to the chair. You know, first off, the ed ed tech is a a a big item. I see it in my own kids, and I hear the parents that were here tonight. I've also been involved in some of the discussions with the district.
And even today in the recess, you know, I think there is there is a disconnect from what parents kind of know, what happened, what the district happens up at the at the administration level, and then what happens in the schools. And I think there is an opportunity to do a little bit better at bridging that and figuring out what is the gap and how to communicate that to all the parties, the stakeholders, the parents, the schools, because, you know, we are seeing it. We do seek our kids come home with more screen time than we would desire. And in more and more research is coming out against it,
saying that there there's a downside to all this. But we got to be careful to say that this is, you know, this is stuff that's happening here up at the administration. It's because there is a lot there is freedom given to teachers and, you know, at the school level. So there's that's a double edged sword. We want our teachers to have the creativity to meet their students where they need them. So I I think it's something we can continue to ask the district to look at and work on and figure out how better to communicate and also how to the lessen the amount of screen time.
So I I I do hear you on that. And then the one other comment I wanna make is I just want people to be clear that, you know, with with special ed right now, it's an agreed upon procedures that we're looking at. There is a difference between a programmatic audit and actually looking at the effectiveness of the program. That's just something I think we need to take in mind. It's been talked about since 2018, 2019, how effective is our special ed program. I think with with the current state, is it worth looking at and and considering? I think it might be. I think it's worthy for further discussion.
So thank you. Thank you very much. And again, as you said further discussion, I think we need to also continue these discussions in caucus. We do have more time there, and and, I think it's it's appropriate, and it's important. It's necessary. So let's To the chair. Please keep that in mind. If I could just say this in closing. Yes. Oftentimes, we get cut off about time. Okay? Let's so we need to be honest about that. About, you know, dragging the meeting out, talking. But if we're gonna hash out the issues,
it has to be in the public forum. It can't be in the email. It can't be But that is in a public forum. Quercus is a public forum. No. But but He wants to tell There are numerous there are numerous occasions Yes. Where we say, well, you know, you know, if you wanna speak, you wanna speak. Then there's times, you know, when you get to the point you say, I'm not even gonna say anything because you keep saying you don't want me to say anything. No. But I've never heard of it. In the meetings. In the meetings. I've never heard you say anything. Okay. Let let's of course, you Okay. You're not gonna even describe to that.
Thank you. But we will take that into consideration. But the point is Yes. Because we wanna make sure we're understanding, we're hearing the parents and trying to make this bridge. It's not about the use of the technology. It's about excessive use. It's about using it with as a tool to some degree. We understand. Letting it be everything that the child is working on when they're at home. That is the issue because that's what many parents like us Exactly.
See on a regular basis. We understand. Lorenzo. Because because we're talking from a reality point. Right? Is let's continue this conversation and caucus. It's important. Whether it's the use, the time, the whatever, it's important. But it came in tonight, and it's on public comment. We're responding to public comment. I just wanted to make make sure we're making sure that's the point that we're trying to get to. It's not that we're saying, We don't agree this and that. It's, Let's look at this because it's a problem,
and parents are saying it. I see it. He sees it. Mhmm. Other people are telling us too. So I don't know how many of the other people are gonna be interested in. Thank you. But yeah. No yes. Thank you. Hi. I'm sorry, guys. I'm trying to talk about EdTech as well. Yeah. But I am gonna say this. I'm on the education curriculum Mhmm. Committee, and I do see the amount of work that goes in from the supervisors, the directors on that committee. What we see in the classrooms, my child included, we do have the ripped up,
the not ripped up, but the ripped out math sheets that come home. But a lot of times there is also additional work. Lily Lowe, IXL, ALEKS, MYON. What I can say from being on education and curriculum is that is not what we are agreeing upon when we are sitting in those meetings. So somewhere between our our directors and our supervisors coming up with this robust program and then whatever happens once they get into that classroom is completely different. So I won't sit here and say that that, miss Ruane is not consistently pivoting and always trying to make sure that our students
are, receiving the best. But there is somewhere in that middle once it gets to the classroom. Again, that's not at this level. That's somewhere down that. So I I wanna make it clear. And what happens also, trustee Resabella, is that teachers, and even the schools, have the opportunity of purchasing or bringing in other material to enhance the learning. Yes. And that's probably where we go rogue or we step up you know,
we just bring in too much and we don't stick to, what's the correct what's there to execute the curriculum. So if we could just find that way to to be make Condense it and stay more focused on exactly. I don't I think that would be resources. Really great. Another thing is I'm not gonna I'm not trying to minimize the people that came up with personnel matters, but we can't speak on personnel matters. And so I but I don't want you to think that we did not hear them, but we are not allowed to speak on them at all.
And then the last thing for special education, again, I was very I was almost to tears when doctor Carey came in to see another autistic man come and talk about his journey. I have an autistic son that didn't speak until he was four. So to see the growth in the in the books written and, the kindness to donate to the district, that was, very lovely. Mhmm. And then also to the special education parents, we we hear you. We see you. We are still consistently having the conversations. They're not falling to the wayside. We are still having them.
And, as much as we're still having the conversations and I respect everyone's opinion that sits on this board as we all try to find the best possible way together with nine different perspectives to try to find the best way to to meet children. But we we hear you and we see you and your voices are extremely important. And, so thank you for coming out tonight because it is rough when you leave your kids at home to come sit here. My son has called me five times despite seeing me on Facebook live.
So thank you for for coming out and and spending the hours here to have your voice heard. Thank you. Madam president? Yes. Just two final points. When, miss Ewing, spoke about the, information with the technology, that madam superintendent, that information that she spoke, about right now, is that made, public for the parents? There was, information that was shared with the parents, and there was information that was shared with the educators to and the administrators to make sure they follow that information.
I'm just trying to understand the disconnect because I hear Matt saying that, you know, it we're we're dealing with it on this level, but when it gets to the, the the the schools, for some reason, the information is not being translated to them like we understand it to be. The disconnect, I would say, is the, the educators in the classroom, what they perceive as a pick and choose. I I need this this other program that's gonna be great. And some are, but it's balancing that.
So there are some that are part of the curriculum we write. Got it. And there are others the schools either purchase or free online and supplement that. And that's where, like, IXL is not a dish it's not, you know, part of the curriculum that we but it's available. Yeah. So that part of our goal is to make it concise and directive that schools
can't even purchase additional resources without us vetting it Yeah. And seeing if it replaces something, where is it going to fit Got it. So that we minimize that use. So it's part of that instructional freedom that educators have Mhmm. To make decisions, and that's part of the disconnect. Thank you, madam superintendent. And my final point, madam president, is this. I did hear a couple of parents come to the microphone and said that they wanted a, nationwide search for,
the special education. I just wanted to remind the public that, that particular job belong that's the superintendent's job. Her job is to step to to to staff. So she selects who she wants to be in this particular position. And as it pertains to in in the board, after we're presented with that information as to who she wants to hold that title, we then vote to support the superintendent on who she wants. To come and ask for a nationwide search for, a director of special education, is is something that's not gonna happen because at this point,
the superintendent selects whether it's internal or external, and then the board then confirms what she wants. And in my opinion, as I close, I believe that the interim, director right now has been doing a awesome job, in, director right now has been doing a awesome job, in especially considering the the the cards that she's been dealt. I believe that she handled the push the position with not only just tenacity, but a a clear understanding that, you know, she's under the micro microscope. And not only that, but that she has to do a good job for the board, and I think that she's done that thus far. So I think we need to give her an opportunity,
to work through the issues, before we start requesting for her to be replaced. Thank you, madam president. I concur with you with regards to, the director of special education, because I also speak to parents, other parents that have students in special ed with various needs. And they they see a difference from the moment that this director took took this on and what was before. The principles that I have spoken to because,
again, remember, I have been here fifty years, so I know quite a few of these principles. And, you know, I speak to many principals at different times. They are content with what's happening, the changes that we're bringing the and and, you know, to the edge, special ed department. And also, guidance counselors. So, yeah, like you said, give it an opportunity. But further than that, doctor Fernandez, what is the downfall if we were first of all,
we don't have any money to do a a nationwide search. But then what else happens with regards to the law? Special education laws differ from state to state. So that has something to, you know, keep in mind. But whenever we're ready to post, it will be open to outside candidates as well, and individuals will be able to apply and will interview and select the best candidate. I will recommend to the board the individual I see as the best candidate at
the time. Okay. Thank you. And before, someone else speaks, I just wanted to let that, miss Ruane, would you please I don't know if you have been including, trustee Richardson in our in the Zoom communications. Okay. So that he can he can begin to come to our meetings. And, doctor Fernandez, your director of, technology is part of those meetings as well so that we can hash out some of these issues with regard to technology in curriculum.
And whatever we don't do there, we can also do in caucus. Okay? So something good came out of this meeting. This is a good Doctor Fernandez? Thank you. We will follow-up with the invitations. Thank you. Amen. Anyone else? Yes. Just to the chair, I just wanna thank you for, addressing the nationwide, special education director search. And I I concur with you that, director Galaise has been doing a very excellent job, given the circumstances that she was coming into,
and had to endure while she was under previous leadership. So, there's been a lot of changes to special education. A lot of good changes. I've sat in meetings with Karen and I've seen her interact with parents. And quite frankly, her reaction was to, you know I probably would've reacted a little bit worse. But, you know, very professional and address the issues and reiterated, when questions were redundant or, you know, just not being heard when when explained.
As far as the EdTech, you know, I just think about in the past how previous previously, there was book and you know, you had a dictionary encyclopedia. And then other, demographics had computers versus certain other demographics and how it took longer for students who were more impoverished to find the answers because they didn't have these computers and things like that. So to hear it today where it's a issue, you know, it's a little I'm like, okay. You wanted it. You didn't want it. Now it's now it's here.
And it's now become an issue to our children where now it's an addiction problem. And how do we address that? You know? Because if we're coming into an age of technology where they're gonna have to know how to use computers and for many things, you know, I think, you know, parenting comes in, you know, but that's what your parenting comes in hardcore. You know, when you gotta step up. Because my kids had computers, and I still had them writing. And they didn't have a phone until they were 18. All that technology was like,
they had computer time, half hour. It was limited. So it's it's more on the parenting part as well. Well, you know, not nowadays, the first thing we put in children's hand is is either a phone or a laptop I mean, a a Tablet. A tablet or whatever as opposed to a book. Right. Or some type of electrical you know, so it's like it's we have to not just keep blaming or, taking the hashing because of computer and technology. That is there has to be a point where parents have to have to take
the, accountability for that as well. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Before I have her here, Natalia. Thank you. Before Gwen speaks One second. I also thank you, miss Afaf, for, attending the meeting at the school with the parents, the special ed parents, with miss Galaise, myself, you and the parent. And it was extremely productive because we were able to have a conversation where it's a question and answers and dialogue, make some decisions, said, you know,
this is the difference, you know, because there's a lot of confusion. Not everyone knows. We didn't discuss specific students because there was there were a number of parents, and we can't discuss. But those are the opportunities that are really productive when we have conversations. Unfortunately, these meetings don't lend themselves to dialogue. So I just wanted to thank miss Galleis and you for, you know, coming to those meetings. And I I found it productive. The feedback from some of the parents was very productive.
And, you know, that's really what works. So just to add on to it, I know I know that director Lace is putting more like, even asking, you know, if she'll come to coffee shops and and me you know, I'll I would go there anytime with her too. Just to, you know, hear the issues, bring them back to the board. Thank you so much. Thank you. Through the chair. We all know how you love special ed. Yes. I forgot to mention. Is it still on the table to have the five zero four community meeting,
plan? I know one of the parents, again, not getting into the weeds, but overall overarching the 504 conversation to direct the them to that information and also vice versa? Sure. So myself and, director Burns and, the superintendent are on an email thread where we've decided, I believe, what was the month? June? Yeah. We're gonna discuss it in June. And then we're gonna because we don't know yet because the special education audit comes back late in the month. So I figured I figured it would probably better for us to have that discussion,
in that time. So and I hopefully, I'll have, Anne sing your invitation. Hopefully, you can bless us with your presence at that meeting. I would love to have you. Okay. Before, I we afford our student representative the opportunity, to to give us her report. I'd like to address Doctor Fernandez. The we've this has come to us, a couple of times. Teachers that are still requesting classroom items when the schools are to provide that.
How how can that be addressed, with your principals or what what what can you do? We have had that conversation, the directors, myself, principals meetings. However, I have to say sometimes they wanna, you know and I'll speak from my teacher experience in the elementary schools. You want a fancy border. You want extra things. And sometimes these websites, these GoFundMe or what donors choose, they make it so easy Mhmm.
To go in, tell a very sad story, and have these projects funded. And every month, we're accepting them. And it's above, you know, what is purchased. Each school has funding for supplies and materials, cleaning, tissues. All that is provided. But individuals get overzealous in using these websites that allow for a sad story to get them whatever they
ask for. So, you know, sometimes it's, an additional fancier computer than the ones we provide. And and so it it's an ongoing conversation with the principals. Right. If they doctor Fernandez, if they if they have those those grants or whatever that, affords them to purchase it, I I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with, as this gentleman was saying or at least what I understood from what he was saying,
apparently, the teachers are asking the students to bring in No. No. No. The he was talking about DonorsChoose that, you know, he goes on and he sees, projects and all that. And So And it allows for individuals to tell a sad story and gain support. We at this board have, voted in the process on all of them all of the time. So, I mean, unless they're asking you they're giving you a list, as as, the Catholic schools used to do,
for my daughter, okay, in September, a laundry list, unless they're doing that, I really don't see any harm in the teachers requesting donor's choice. We hear it all the time as, items voting items in the curriculum department. So, yes, doc Doctor Luz. Doctor Luz. So if I may thank you. Yes. We are one of the biggest partners with DonorsChoose. Okay. And so and that's exactly what it is. Any educator could post something on there and say, I'm doing something extraordinary in my classroom,
and they're you know, this project is where, extraordinary in my classroom and they're, you know, this project is worth, I don't know, $200, and I'm going to purchase these items. And random people can go on and donate money. Anyone can. I mean, you could log on right now and make a donation to someone. The the idea is that it is, as doctor Fernandez said, it is above and beyond what is given to the schools. And I'm gonna say this for however long I could recall, including this year. There have not been any budget cuts. The per pupil allocation is $500 per student,
and that is what has been given to the schools. There is enough money. And believe me, I approve purchase orders, hundreds of them on a daily basis for supplies. And it again, even from the maintenance department as far as, whether it be, you know, cleaning supplies or tissues and those kinds of things, they are distributed as often as needed for each of these schools. So, again, these are above and beyond, what we and, I know that doctor Fernandez has raised this issue as has as have I at principal meetings. It's the teacher isn't supposed to send a note home,
saying I hope not. You know? And I don't think that that is happening. And on the off chance that it is, that's an individual rope situation. Right. But the DonorsChoose, it is nationwide. And Then there shouldn't be one of the biggest partners because we're such a large district. Can I interject for a second? Shouldn't be an issue with it, and maybe someone has to communicate that to the parents so that they don't think, you know, that we're or that our teachers are out there begging for things. Yes. Very briefly. Is it still the policy of the district that all donations,
regardless of the value, is supposed to come before the board? Yes. So once so just to give you that I Before you answer, if that is the case, then any administrator or teacher that makes a request, they would have to know that before the request. So shouldn't that be brought before the board that the need is there before it is, extended to the public? Because it has to be voted on. Correct? It's received after it's awarded, and we vote on it.
And then we vote to accept it? Correct. Okay. But I'm just saying that the teachers are seeing that there is a lack thereof of supplies in their room and instead of going into their own pocket or asking a parent or things of that sort, is there a process on on or on how they're supposed to get that? Does the principal limit the teachers on what they can present to the board? They would have to present it to their principal. And the principal makes the decision? Have a budget, and they can purchase using district funds for supplies and materials or request items from
the district, like cleaning supplies, feminine products. Those things are purchased. So if the principal denies it, say say for instance, I'm a teacher. Would go above them and ask someone else. They're a division person. But normally, they wouldn't do that because they wouldn't go over the head of the principal. So my question is if I'm a teacher and I ask you, who's my principal, that I need x amount of supplies in my room, you deny it. I know that if I go over your head and request it, that it may not be official, reprimanding, but it could be unofficial reprimanding in other ways.
And then I say, hey. I decide I wanna go and purchase it myself for my student. Wouldn't that be a donation from the teacher to the particular classroom? No. That's just, Fernando. We just We just bring in the receipt. Well, no. That a a receipt is for reimbursement. For reimbursement. Right. But if they just wanna do it, they can do that. They can do that. Okay. And I would say every teacher does that. You use you buy whatever you want. Yeah. Okay. So, again, I just want to, first of all, Gwen, I I wish that,
Susan Mack and doctor, Magro had stayed here. We wanted to thank them personally again for their contribution. And, we look forward to the coloring book that he's going to bring to our students. And, maybe doctor Fernandez at some point, if we can put a little thank you in writing even if it's a an email I will definitely. In our behalf and your I will definitely. Thank you so much. Now, Gwen, first of all, we missed you last month, and we appreciate that you're here.
We hope that this was a very a learning experience for you. Please. I'm so sorry I couldn't be here last month. Outside of school, I serve as the chair of the youth foundation of Jersey City's junior board. And as the meeting got rescheduled, it fell on the same night as our, fifth annual night of Broadway fundraiser, which, I actually got the privilege to emcee this year. So, unfortunately, with the double booking of commitments, I wasn't able to make it. But I have all of that information from last month's citywide student council meeting and
all of those sentiments within this report. So speaking of citywide student council, I'd actually like to begin by recognizing them. I've had the privilege of working closely with the citywide student council throughout this year. And as a former citywide student council officer myself, I still remember how nervous I was before my first opportunity to speak before this board and how much this district helped shape my confidence and character on a personal level. Inevitably, these meetings can become divisive, but I think that those speeches every month are an important reminder of our common
goal and the students that we collectively work to protect. To give the board members a little bit of perspective, at every city wide meeting, each school presents on a topic of their choosing, whether it's a holiday, a school event, or an issue impacting students in their respective schools. But more important than the presentations themselves, it's the experience of learning how to represent yourself and your school with professionalism and maturity. Students are expected to speak in front of peers they barely know while carrying themselves responsibly and confidently. I believe that the officers this year and especially under miss Williams' direction deserve recognition
for the way that they've represented this district with pride. Now, on that note, as she stepped up to receive her plaque this evening, citywide president Suwad asked me to share some of the specific results from the recent student survey that she spoke on. Mental health was identified by thirty eight point two percent of students. Extracurriculars by 51.7%, school culture by 54.8%, cleanliness and facilities by 56%, and a lack of academic support by striking 68.4%
of students, making it the top concern among students district wide. I think that this number reinforces the need for stronger academic support especially when it comes to, as I've said before, standardized testing. As someone who just completed six AP exams in the last two weeks, I can say that my peers and I felt prepared walking into those rooms. But that preparation came from the hours we spend every Saturday at Dickinson High School doing AP Physics mock exams and AP World DBQs week after week. I believe we need to bring that same level of support to SAT preparation,
especially for our juniors and seniors. Integrating SAT prep into the existing AP Saturday framework, even if it's just for time modules and realistic testing conditions with proctors, could make a real difference for students across the district. Considering that most lack the financial capacity to spend thousands on tutors and prep courses just for the opportunity to succeed. Now being that I am a student, I'd also like to quickly weigh in on the discussion surrounding AI during this meeting. Specifically, as someone who's seen how ultimately disruptive it's become within our high schools.
The only way to combat AI is to prevent its entry into our classrooms. I've been given assignments and worksheets that are entirely AI generated and have witnessed students utilizing AI to respond back. And that's not learning. It's just a conversation from one chat box to another. And this isn't just an issue within our schools or within this district, but it's a larger epidemic within my generation and our society as a whole. However, I think a good start would be restricting the utilization of personal computers in our high schools. On our school issued Chromebooks,
the district has banned any generated AI from bringing, from being accessible to students. But our schools need to crack down on preventing students from bringing their personal laptops to class, which I believe is an initiative that our district has taken on, but that's something that needs to be enforced within our schools around this district. Frankly, from my perspective, it hasn't been enforced, and it's really deteriorating creativity within our classrooms. As students, I believe that we need the opportunity to fail because without trial and error and without critical thought,
we'll never actually learn anything. And while I believe that the entire board can agree upon this issue, it's the enforcement of these policies that needs to be expanded upon. Finally, I'd like to share that we've made strong progress with our student testimonial initiative. With the help of our citywide officers, each school submitted letters from students describing how New Jersey's funding formula has affected their educational experiences with close to 200 letters shared to me as of this evening. What stood out to me while reading these letters is that our students are more
than statistics tied to underfunded schools. They're students working jobs to support their families. They're translating for parents and languages they're still learning themselves. They're balancing rigorous coursework with clubs, sports, and community service, and doing everything to build this future for themselves despite the challenges they face. These letters have been shared with doctor Fernandez and I do have some more to add on to the personal drive. Who plans to distribute these letters to legislators and community members to help with student voices behind these funding issues. Because every dollar cut from our schools is ultimately a dollar taken away from students
and the opportunities they deserve. Thank you. We could listen to you for hours. You're awesome. Thank you so much. Through chair? Yes. Yes. Couple of things couple of points I'd like to make from notes I've taken about Please. Please do. And and George, please get closer to this so we can all hear you better. Thank you. Matt told me to put it over. Okay. First and foremost, when good things happen and we be we should share it more, one of the best things that could've happened is to have people who are in high school to acquire their associate's degree.
I mean, that is just such a strong statement as to the quality of education that we give people. You know, that you could be there's some people who are grad who are grown and never received a degree. When you're in high school and you got an associate's degree, I think we should share that more. I also echo the fact that you're an extraordinary young lady. I can see you going very far in the future. I also I don't know, Doctor. Fan, if this can be done. I'd like you to give the lady who sang another chance next next month.
I think she got nervous. She got scared. You know, if you if if she works and works on the song and come back and do it again next semester, she'd be okay. Don't don't just push her out to pasture because she because she got nervous. Exactly. Absolutely. You know, I I think she because she did the the the national anthem, and she started out Really well. And then all all of a sudden, she forgot where she was. She was trying to read. That's not something that you can read. You need to recite it personally. And so if she could do that, I think she'd be okay. I also like to when former elected official Suzanne Mack Mhmm.
Comes into all our meetings. Now this meeting, she don't don't let any books. She was a respected elected official. And when she can't comes, we should give her a little bit of respect because she's just been doing what we what we're doing now. You know? And I know that she's not as strong as she used to be, but she still comes. And we we she respects that. There is a term called I think coined by, Doctor. Martin Luther King, agree to disagree. You know, we're gonna have different opinions about certain things, but we don't have to fight each other.
You know, you can be you can say what you say with decorum and efficiency. You can say what you wanna say with dispatch, but you don't have to fight each other. And so I want to leave you with those thoughts. Thank you. Thank you thank you very much, George. And I think, you also raised a great, concern there with regards to our elected officials. We have always, afforded the elected officials a little more time, always. I did that last month for miss Mac. The reason that I
didn't, okay, do it again this month is because I got a lot a lot of, criticism, email, Facebook, everywhere with that regard. So it's from the same parents that were here. I don't so, you know, not to stir up any greater issues, I I I let her have only the time that everybody else had. But I do agree with you. Not only was she an elected official, she sat in this chair for years and years and years,
and she did a marvelous job and never boasted. She just worked. So you're right. So next time if she comes, she will have the time she needs to make her, comments, okay, in totality. Thank you so much. Any other To the chair? Just Yes. Yes. Gwyneth, thank you for your comments and your update. Great. Congratulations for getting through your six AP exams. As someone who did a number of AP exams, I know the feeling. So, thank you. And then to the superintendent, could we get a copy of the the student report,
the survey, whenever it's ready? The the survey that the student council or Gwyneth Share it with me and I'll share it with the trustees. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other okay. Motion to go into closed session. Motion. Second. Motion. Second. Would you, please read, miss Mackenzie Priyama. Pursuant to the open public meetings act NJSA 10 colon four dash 12, the Jersey City Board of Education will now be going into the closed session for
purpose of discussing matters where confidentiality is essential. The matters discussed in this closed session can be made public at the time that the need for confidentiality no longer exists. It is now 09:20. Okay. An hour and ten minutes? One hour ten minutes. Okay. An hour and ten minutes. Favor. Aye. Aye. Miss McKenzie, please. Let's do roll call, as returning from the closed session or executive session. Trustee Blunt? You're present. Trustee Aoki? Present. Trustee Mohammed?
Present. Trustee Patel? Trustee Rezabella? Present. Trustee Richardson? Present. Trustee Schneider? Here. Vice president Mars? Present. President Velasquez? Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. And thank you all for coming back. Do we are we going to do this rest? No. Because I'm asking someone. Are we still in the restaurant or we're going over the road? When is that? The chair, I recommend that you go through the agenda and when we get to legal, we will add the resolution we discussed in closed session. Okay.
Very good. Thank you. That's 12 o three. Let me 12 o three. Point o three. 12 o three. Okay. So let's start the vote, please, and discussion. I want now, motion on Motion. Sixes. And and what? On which one? No. I want a motion on five I'm sorry. Six. And, six six point, o one to six point o two. Motion, please. Motion. Second. George had motion. And who second? George motion. What?
High motion. George motion. And, second it? Second. Matt, you second? Okay. George motion first. Did John just okay. Any discussion? Call the vote, please. Oh, did you have discussion, mister Richardson? Okay. Call the vote, please. Trustee Iofe? Yes. Trustee Richardson? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? I'm gonna have a state on both of those. I wasn't here. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Vice president Morris? Aye. President Velasquez? Motion Yes. Education?
Motion. Seven point o one to, 7.19. Motion. Motion. Thank you. Second by, Iofi. Discussion. Call the vote, please. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Malau? Yes. Trustee Iofe? Yes. Trustee Belanc? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. On 701 to seven o point o nine, no on 7.1, and then yes on 711 through 719. Trustee Richardson? Yes. Vice President Morris? Yes on all. President Velasquez? Me.
Yes on all. Motion passed. Thank you. Special education, 8.01 to 8.05. Motion. Second. I'll wait for you. Discussion. None. Call the vote, please. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Yes. Trustee Richardson? Yes. Vice president Morris? Yes. President Velasquez? Yes and all. Motion passed. Thank you. Facilities, 10.012. Finance. 9.19.
Just motion? Motion. Second. Okay. Natalia Matt. Discussion? Call the vote, please. Trustee Visabella? I am a yes on all this month. Yes. I'm not. What was that, missus Zamella? Mhmm. Oh. Trustee Richardson? Yeah. These mics, we can't hear each other very well. Please bring it up a little. I'm abstaining on 901 to 908, and yes on the rest. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Vice President Morris?
Yes. President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Thank you. Facilities, 10.01, 10 14. Motion. Second. Discussion. Call the vote. Oh, no. Chair? I just wanna make sure that I read correctly. I was little off. Everything that we're approving for those contract renewals, we're at 0% increase to the district this month. Miss Rosabella, we can't hear you. I don't know how to I'm just, confirming with doctor Luce if all of the things we're approving, like the approval contract renewals for, like, our our boiler and our fencing,
we're all at 0% increase to the district. I'm pretty sure each of them I've I've read. They're for the 2627 school year. So they're as of July 1. They're new contracts. It's the renewal. But all I'm asking is it didn't increase. It's the same. Like, we're renewing them at the same cost that we have. Yes. It's 0%. We can't hear okay. Yes. I don't think it's it the it's the mics are not high enough, please. Should we talk in the mic? Through the chair, can you hear me? Mhmm. If I bring We were stating that the renewal of the contracts,
everything stayed flat. Nothing increased. Oh, okay. Thank you. Call the vote, please. Trustee Richardson? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Vice president Morris? Of course. President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Thank you. Personnel, eleven point zero one to eleven. Excuse me, please. 11.14. Motion. Second. Give it to her. Give it to, Natalia. Discussion. Trustee Blanc? Discussion?
Yeah. Trustee Aoki? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel oh, she's got it here. Trustee Visible. Yes. I there's one that I would like to abstain on. I'm just looking for for it. I wanna I just wanna abstain on the Tia, if you wanna share lying. No. No. I'm saying if you wanna share what you're saying, you need to get closer. Yes. The only one I just wanna abstain on is is Okay. Go ahead. I don't see it. I apologize for taking the time. I thought I saw it on here. It's already Okay. It's a yes. We're going to move it.
Okay. Trustee Snyder? Yes. Trustee Vinterson? Yes. Vice president Morris? Yes. President Velasquez. Yes. Motion passed. Okay. And then legal, we have a resolution. Motion. Second. So my motion is to amend the agenda to add an item. To do you just do the eleventh? To the He's moving to he's moving to, amend the agenda, to include 12.03. To to add a resolution to To add a resolution. I second. What? I second. You second. Discussion.
I have to read it. Could we have it read to us? Yeah. Well What was that? Give him a he's about to read it. Okay. So, the board is, motioned and seconded to add a resolution to the agenda under 12 point o three. Mhmm. The resolution I will read as follows, and the first vote will be to add it to the agenda, and then they'll then it'll be added as 12 o three. And you can vote on all the twelves as one, and it'll be included. The resolution reads as follows. Resolution reinforcing the Jersey City code of conduct and banning Moussaab Ali from all district
facilities. This is a resolution which is amending the previous ban regarding Moussaab Ali. I'm gonna read the entirety. Whereas Jersey City Board of Education has a student code of conduct that requires students to attend school and follow their regular schedule, and whereas former Jersey City Board of Ed president Moussaab Ali invited and encouraged students to attend a political rally off campus during the 02/13/2026 school day and missed class without permission in direct violation of the code of conduct and whereas mister Ali's encouragement
of the Jersey City Board of Eds Walkout jeopardized the safety and well-being of district students, whereas the Jersey City Board of Ed respects its students and their first amendment rights, but is also responsible for its students' safety and well-being. Now there be be it resolved that the Jersey City Board of Ed condemns number one, condemns mister Ali's encouragement of Jersey City Board of Ed students to intentionally violate the student code of conduct and to miss school to attend the 02/13/2026 political rally at
City Hall Of Jersey City. Two, and this is where the change is going to occur with regard to the ban. Bans mister Ali from access to any district facility, and this is new language, during student instructional hours unless he receives prior approval from the superintendent, comma, he is attending a public meeting for the Jersey Board of Ed, and this is, again, new language, or he is participate participating in any legally protected election related activity, including but not limited to voting in an election,
period. Okay. Clarification. We are voting to amend the agenda to include 12:03. We're not voting on 12:03 yet. Yeah. It's just to put it on agenda. I'm sorry? It's just to put it on the agenda. Just to put it on okay. Any discussion? Discussion to put it on the agenda, or should we wait for it? Putting it on the agenda. Yes. No. Okay. So call the vote, please. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Schneider? No. Trustee Richardson?
Nope. Vice president Morris? Oh, yes. President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Okay. Now we will vote for items twelve zero one, twelve zero two, and twelve zero three. Motion. Motion. Motion. Second. Madam president? Yes. In regards to, 12.03, the amended item, banding Musaib Ali from, our from our facilities. I just wanna be perfectly clear, that this, original, resolution to ban,
Musaib Ali was for the protection of our scholars. We did not feel the need to have to put in, in a categorical, categorical order as to what he was not allowed to do. The simple ban was to, keep him from encouraging our scholars to leave the building during the buildings during instructional hours. As I stated when the press reached reached out to me, as I stated that this was never a political, a political resolution. This resolution was to ensure the safety of our scholars,
and also to strengthen the code of conduct, that every, staff, student, and anyone who enters our facilities are supposed to adhere to. The disappointing, part of this is that, the former, president, of this board, Moussaab Ali, is using any little item that he can to try to get him over the threshold. He purposely, is twisting, the banning to, not only just affect him in an upcoming election, but it's also to, somehow discredit the board of education, saying that he is not able to do it based on us.
But let's be very clear. We live in Hudson County, where we have what you call you can vote early voting. You can vote anywhere you want to. City hall. You have any other areas that that Vote by mail or anywhere. So by no means was this act stopping him from voting for himself, as he stated in the press. This is basically another, political stunt that he is trying to use because he knows that the number is not adding up for him. And I just wanted to reiterate on the record that we are not stepping away,
nor are we backing down from the band based on his theatrical, videos that he has in front of the Federal Building. We're not backing down for that. We are making provisions to adhere to the constitution to let you know that it's not about you, but it is about the entity of the board of education. So I stick with it a 100%, this band. And I think that we should also have further discussion on where it goes thereafter this, because I feel like the safety of our of our scholars is paramount. So I wanted to make that statement on the record since I was the one
who motioned for the actual band. I just wanted to let the actual band. I just wanted to let the public know that not only are we continuously, encouraging this particular band, but we're standing by it. And we will not be persuaded or, as a fear tactic, forced to remove this based on him filing anything in federal court. Madam president, I yield back. Thank you. Did you get that? Thank you very much. So is there no other discussion? Please call Roe. Trustee Richardson? Yes on 12.01, no on 12.02,
and nope on 12.03. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes or no? Trustee Rosabella? Yes on the first one. I believe yes on the second. No on the resolutions 12 o three. Mhmm. No to that one. Trustee Blunt? Yes on all. Trustee Schneider? Yes on 12 o one and point and 12 o two. No on 12 o three. Vice president Morris? Yes or no. President Velasquez? Yes or no. Motion passed.
Okay. Before we move on, I I saw trustee, Blunt get a little animated. How are the Knicks doing? It's one. It's one. It's one. What what it's a minute forty eight. That's okay. Twenty seconds left, but the Knicks had a hundred and seventy and ninety one. He got all excited, and we we know that that, you know, he loves this. So thank you. Now again Through the chair before we move on, I found what I I didn't wanna hold up the board's time, but I found what I didn't wanna vote on in eleven. Do you want me to wait until the end, or do you want me to say it now?
There was one I wanted to abstain on in eleven. Would you like me to do it now or wait till the end? Do it now. Okay. I'd like to abstain on eleven point eleven under the maintenance department number 2. Hold on. Hold on. Which one is that? Okay. Eleven point eleven maintenance department number two. Okay. You have that? Thank you. Okay. No submission on thirteen. So let's go to '14. Mhmm. Fourth, other business, 1401 to 4 and 1402. Motion.
Motion. Second. Second. Discussion? Call the vote. Trustee Rezabella? Yes. Trustee Ayo fi? Yes. Trustee Richardson? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Vice president Morris? Yeah. President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Okay. Good of the order, anybody? Motion passed. No. I said good of the order. That means if we have anything else to discuss. I know. Okay. Now I'll entertain motion to adjourn. All in favor? Aye. Meeting's closed. Thank you.