We're going to start our caucus meeting. Today is 10/16/2025, and we will begin our caucus meeting. Let us please stand to pledge. Miss McKenzie, please call her. Yes. Good evening. This meeting is being held in conformity with the Open Public Meetings Act NJSA 10 colon four dash six at SEC. Proper public notice of the meeting was caused to be sent to El Diario LaPrensa
newspaper and posted on the district's official website. Public notice was also delivered to those persons requesting that such notice be given to them. I will now take the roll call. Trustee Blunt? Here. Trustee Mohammed? Present. Trustee Patel? Present. Trustee Schneider? Present. Trustee Rezaibala? Present. Trustee Morris? Trustee Ioffe? Present. Vice president Tisdale? President Velasquez? Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. Again, welcome all, and thank you for joining us this evening.
We will begin with the committee reports. Anyone would like to volunteer to be first, or I will call out someone. Nat, are you prepared? Natalia? Trustee Iofe? You have two committees, right? Please identify them as you before you start. Thank you. Hello. Good evening. I will begin with the finance and facilities report. One moment. Let me connect. Okay. In finance, checks issued prior to board approval are shown through the month of September. Board secretary and the bank reconciliation reports are both for the months of July and
August. Monthly payroll, budget transfers, and bills and claims reports are shown through the month of September. And monthly certification of funds are for the months of July and August. State contract purchases over bid threshold are for Pitney Bowes, Inc. And Cannon for the postage machines and stamps and for copiers. There are the usual emergency transportation routes where the board is asked to approve the number of routes for special education students as well as the cancellation of transportation routes with some of the routes being consolidated. Additionally, there is a transportation joint share agreement with the Delsea Regional High School in Paramus
School District. Contracts include state contract service agreement for repairs of school buses not to exceed a 150,000. We are rescinding a contract for school pre plated commercial vended meals for Whitsons, which was approved at the last meeting. This is being done, only in order to correct the discrepancy, and it is being resubmitted as a new resolution with the correction. There is an increase to the contract for the web based financial cloud based HR management system, system, also known as LINC, for the purposes of twenty days on-site in-depth training
at the rate of $3,500 a day for the in house staff, covering the financial aspect of payroll and budget portions of the software. Prior training has been conducted mostly via Zoom. However, as the systems merge approaches final phase, an in-depth training is required at this point. There is also an approval of free membership with Union County co op pricing system, which will add them to the existing list of co ops used by the district for smaller projects like painting. There is a payment to Booz Allen, cybersecurity firm, for the district recommend for the direct recommendation of the New Jersey Schools Insurance Group
to investigate the source of cyberattacks and prevention of any future breaches of the district. Last item is the contract for workers' compensation, third party administrator and managed care cost containment services being awarded to Claims Resolution Corporation, Inc. That is it for the finance. In the facilities, we discussed ratification of payment to DCO Energy and CHA being paid through the Wilmington Trust at no cost to the district. There are several agenda items for Panetta, 11 o two, an amendment to contract for gas, oil, electric,
heating, unit, ventilator, cooling system service. Specifically, we're asked to approve the 2% rate increase for Panetta as per the state's annual publication of the allowable rate increases for public sector vendors. 11 o four is an amendment of contract with Panetta for brick and refractory services, reflecting the 2% increase. And the 11 o seven, is the awarding Panetta contract for the boiler replacement in the, plaster shop belonging to Jersey Public Schools at a cost of a $127,640. Other facilities items include 11 o three, an increase of,
$635,000 for HVAC services. Additionally, there are increases to the contract with Glorini Plumbing for by $44,500 for pipe fitting and by $48,000 for plumbing services for the remainder of this school year. Remaining Facilities item is 11 o six, whereas the board has asked to approve Cave And Point Turf Field replacement using the funds provided by City of Jersey City, 300,000, Hudson County Open Space Grant initiated by doctor Dooley for 750,000, and a commitment of additional 300,000
by the district. We are awaiting the approval of the NFL grassroots grant to be applied towards this project. That is it for the finance and the facilities. Board president, do you wanna have discussion during this time or prior to vote? Through the chair? Do you wish to open discussion for the finance and the facilities agenda items now? Yes. Let us Before I go to the next report. Okay. The finance report has been presented. Do we have any questions? Through the Chair, yes. Yes. I do want to talk a little about Item 11.03.
I've had some further discussion with the BA and others on it because as an outside Board member, it's a little concerning when we have a large overspend on a budget item. Apparently last year we did spend a lot on our HVAC systems. Some of it was emergency repairs. Our vendor was very slow in getting us the invoices, something that we really need to improve on, which I think I've heard commitments in doing so from our VA. It is something that is concerning and I do understand from a public standpoint,
people do see this, but it is something we are asking about and we have new things in place And I would ask the VA, doctor Luce, to to speak a little bit more about what we've implemented to prevent this from happening again. Yes. I'm sorry. Thank you, trustee. However, it is the superintendent who asked her leadership to okay? So please direct your questions to the superintendent, and she will delegate accordingly. Thank you. Doctor. Schneider, I do agree with you. I responded to your email. But, Doctor. Luz has a more comprehensive response.
Doctor. Luz, if you please? Thank you. So, due to this particular, issue, we've come up with not just because of this. We already put this together. Doctor. Chris, can you shut it up a little bit? Can you hear me? No. Hello? Yes? Okay. Just some best practices that we have put into place since the summer, and this has brought this to light. So this is our recommended corrective action plan for our time and material contracts which falls under this particular item on 11/00/2003. So these are just some of the items that we are going to do throughout
the year and continue this practice. So the for the first one, we are creating a spreadsheet for each time and materials contract. We're gonna maintain a dedicated spreadsheet for the contract that includes a running total of payments. So that we are we are, organizing how much the payments are and when they're coming in so that if we are close to whatever that dollar amount that has been allocated, we know where this where it lies. So the second part to that would be to establish a threshold which would be to set a spending threshold for each time and materials contract at 80% of the
total value. So once we hit the 80% mark, we will immediately commence, preparation for a new procurement action, or increase the existing PO if it's a nominal amount. We are going to do a monthly reconciliation. So at the end of each month, we're gonna perform monthly reconciliation of the invoices that we received against our work order system. Any work orders open for more than thirty days will be addressed promptly and they will represent the open billing and potential future expenses. We're going to have an accounts payable review.
The running total spreadsheet will be submitted along with the monthly invoices for a second review in our accounts payable department prior to the payments. And lastly, we're going to implement a work order closure so all of our work or open work orders, they will be serviced or closed out within sixty days in order to prevent the accumulation of outstanding obligations and to avoid these invoices from vendors. So thank you, doctor Schneider, for working with me and, moving along with this.
Thank you. Thank you. Through the chair? That's nice to hear all the things Oh, sorry. Sorry. Doctor. Schneider, are are you okay with the response? Thank you. Yes. Very helpful. Thank you. We'll move on. Yes. Trustee, Isobela. It's nice to hear everything that's put in place. I did have a couple of other questions. Has the district considered conducting a life cycle cost analysis for the HVAC system to determine when replacement is more cost effective than a repair? Doctor. Fernandez? Doctor. Luce? So, as you know, most of our buildings are over 80 to 100 years old.
So, this everything is done. I don't want to say more on an emergent basis. We know what needs needs to be done and we keep up with whatever systems in these buildings are really on an emergent issue. Yes. Once it's determined that we need to whether we replace something, we have if we go out to bid, we have an architect look as to whether something should be replaced, something should just be repaired, we order parts. We don't just determine that ourselves based on let's just do this and put a band aid on it. So could the life cycle cost analysis be built into our facilities plan so that
we can, going forward, see when a certain school's HVAC system or any other operational or CapEx project would most likely need to be replaced versus those emergency repairs? I can work on that with the Facilities Department. Absolutely. Could you please, ask the question again, clarity? Sorry, guys. I said, could the result of the life cycle cost analysis be put into the facilities plan? That way, we know earlier on. If we're on a five year plan, we know when it's coming closer to replacing it rather than trying to make emergency
repairs because we've already built that analysis into, that facility plan. Oh, okay. And you will follow-up with that. Right, doctor? I will follow-up on that. And so just just to for a larger picture, we don't wait till an emergency happens. Right. We already have a plan and we have a plan every year as to what whether we need to upgrade something or what is on the list. In between all that, emergencies do happen. So That's that's basically Through the chair. The life cycle cost analysis is just saying,
more than likely, after this year, based on whatever has occurred, this is going to happen and we might as well repair. I'm not saying that you that emergencies don't happen. What I'm saying is is there there'll be a difference between tapping into a maintenance reserve versus a capital reserve because it would now be a CapEx project. For something to come $635,000 over, it there there should be a point where general maintenance versus replacement is discussed. That's all I was I'm not saying that you wait till the last minute in
order to do an emergency repair. If I may through the chair and we have. We have replaced units. Last year, we replaced the unit at McNair academic. This summer, we replaced the unit at middle school seven. We're in the process of replacing the units at the Central Office Building. So those have been investments and we can figure out and have an analysis. But with 45, 45 buildings, this is HVAC.
It's not just the air, it's the heating and cooling with 45 facilities. And this the total is 600, but if you look at the attachment, it's dozens of work orders, which average from a thousand dollars to basically 7,000. So it is not one expense of 600, but we will figure out what would be the replacement, of some of these items as we go forward. But remember, those are capital improvements that are supposed to be covered by the school development,
SDA. By the SDA. I forgot the acronym right now. But the SDA is in charge of replacing this, But in the last few years, the funding has been very limited. So, just for the big global picture. But we will do an a replacement analysis to keep in mind. Thanks. Okay. Through the chair? Yes. I have a quick question, if you don't mind, doctor. The questions will be Oh, to doctor Fernandez. So if I may draw your attention to 11:07 on the agenda, That is specifically the boiler replacement item with Panetta,
in that subsidiary facility, which my specific question is about the contract. And I apologize for asking this question now and not in committee because I didn't have the contract at that time. So I just wanna ask a couple of clarifying questions. This is a boiler replacement process, which is understood. The cost of the boiler itself is indicated here in in the breakdown of twenty four thousand six hundred and fifty dollars approximately and some additional parts that are also listed here. My question is, pertaining to the hours. The estimated labor hours in this contract is five hundred seventy five hours.
And that is almost you know, given the days the hours that they plan to work in a day is almost seventy days. So I was just Okay. It's it's all. It's multiple employees for a total of seventy hours. It won't take seven, you know, seventy days or a long period. So then would you say, doctor Fernandez, that, like, certain if you look at the the installation, like, the larger dollar amounts underneath the cost of the boiler and it's I'll I'll give you a moment just because it's easier if you see it for yourself.
Like, if you flip to eleven o seven and the contract with Panaydah itself, it it it'll become really clear. Then you could just look at the numbers. Basically, what I'm curious about is that the installation and or the disassembling processes are quite costly compared to even the cost of the boiler itself, like $11,000 $15,000 another $8,000 So is that because there will be, like, a large number of employees performing that task over a certain number of hours and hence such a cost? That's really what I'm trying to get to because Panetta is charging the district $127,000
to, you you know, replace a boiler that costs $24,000. And I just wanna make sure that the district's not taking getting taken advantage of given that, you know, everything that they're indicating. Every time they come in, it's a team of individuals who are working. The hourly rate for these so anybody, young people, if you wanna go into the trades, HVAC is a very lucrative trade. So but it's multiple. It's teams of individuals over a period of time. It's working sometimes off hours because if it's in a building so now they're working nights.
The rates are higher. They're working weekends. So it really it becomes to work around our schedule. It's problematic. Many instances like with the roofs. We replace or we repair the smell. It bothers people. We have to stop. They have to come back after hours. It's really complicated to get this work in a public entity. It has to be people who are vetted by the state to do it. It can't be just any vendor.
They have to be preapproved. And Panetta is one of those vendors that has been working with the district for a long time. Not consistently. We have gone out to other vendors, and it wasn't very successful. Some of these individuals almost become like an ad hoc employee. You see them in this building and then they're working in the other building. So they know these old boilers and and fans and everything else that is taking
place with all these facilities. Okay. Thank you. It's expensive. It is important. That's really the my point here. It just seems like a whole lot of money to replace the boiler in in what seems like a smaller facility than, like, a school. Right? Yeah. Normally. But you know what? Have you ever gone to any of these boiler rooms? Yes. In schools? Yes. But that's why I'm curious that there seems to be a different are a quarter the boiler room It's a about a quarter of this auditorium. And these are huge machines they put together.
They take apart. They do all kinds of pipe refitting and things I never went to school for, but we've had to learn along the way. Okay. Thank you. Just as a closing question on this, and I don't have any other facilities or finance questions. Plaster shop, would that normally serve the district in some capacity? Or it's just a we did have this discussion in committee as to there may be supporting facilities that the district has, warehouses, so on and so forth. But this is described or was described to us in committee as a plasterer's shop
or a plasterer's shop. So I was just curious. I know that there are other uses to the building, you know, which you described. But is the plasterer shop portion, is that for the uses of the district or it's just okay. It's for district use. Okay. So it's, like, part of a maintenance It's part of the maintenance department. Okay. Okay. Thank you. That's it. That was my closing question. Thank you. Any other questions? Yes. Through the chair. Yes. For that boiler, is there any is there a oil tank coming out of the ground? Or is it just a new I'm sorry.
Is there a oil tank coming out of the ground? Or is it just putting a new steam boiler there? We're not we've moved away from using natural oil. So there's no oil tank being removed as this new unit is being Oh, no. No. This we have there are engineers, and this is all the department of environmental protection is involved. These are very costly projects because of oil tanks, whether they're removed or abandoned in place, it has to be over meeting certain guidelines.
It has to be tested consistently for a number of years. It has to be remediated. Yeah. So these oh, no. This is oil tank. It's it involves all that. So is there a oil tank or is there no oil tank? In this facility if it's has a tank. Doctor Luce? I will follow-up on that. Yeah. If this one has an oil tank or There's no oil tank? Because that's that's the only reason I'm asking is because there's a price here for this. But later on, will there be a I know we had earlier,
a few months ago, we voted on oil tank removals of 27 of them. I wanted to know if there was a oil tank that's separate that would be being removed here before this boiler is placed and if there was the possibility of remediation being necessary. Because this is an estimate and not a final. So if there's anything later found, will we later find us coming back to say we need to increase this? I can answer that at this time if there's a boiler there, a tank in in this particular site. But, usually,
they're done at the same time. So it's not just, you know, convert and then remove. It it has there's a timeline of how we've gone through the process. And at this point, we've replaced plenty of boilers and convert it to gas from oil that we've gotten pretty good. That it was a rough start, but at this point, we have it down to a science. So doctor Luce, anything you'd like to add? Not at this time. Thank you.
I don't think there's any more questions, so we're going to move on to the next, committee report. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, board chair. My next report is policy committee, that met Thursday last week. In policy, gen district general counsel, mister Pruchnik, recapped the student sun protection policy, which the board is adopting for the state mandate with a second reading and a final vote to take place at tonight's board meeting. Following additionally, following both internal and external recommendations, calling for the, JCBOE to commit itself to a high level of professionalism and conduct during our public
meetings, the committee went over relevant policies and considered possible revisions and additions that will help our board establish best practices for conducting our public meetings. Specifically, the committee reviewed, our board policy number 142, called board member qualifications and board policy number 164, conduct of board meeting, as well as several pertinent articles from Robert's Rules of Order. The committee will work on finding a way to include best practices in written board policy and or a verbal preamble similar to the one that precedes the conduct
the portion of public comment and the conduct of people who speak. An update will be provided at the next public meeting. Finally, the committee review JCVOE policy number one sixty four, conduct of board meeting and one sixty seven, public participation in board meetings, and held the discussion regarding the necessary revisions for the board to move forward with a monthly in person caucus or workshop meeting. This item is now up for a first reading vote at this month's meeting tonight, and it's agenda item 14 o one,
first reading of the revised policies 01/1964 and 01/1967. Please note that the new added language states as follows. The board will have a separate workshop meeting that will take place at least two days prior to the regular voting meeting. So this is just for everyone to know that this is what we're voting on in 14.01 tonight. And that is it for the policy report. Okay. Any quest any questions on the policy report? Being none, we'll move on to the next committee who is ready,
or I will call on someone. Okay. Trustee, Mohammed. You have how many committees? I have three. You have three? Yes. And and they're concise. Right? Okay. 17 pages long. Alright. So I'm gonna start with the, student focused outreach committee. All of them were held on October 7, all of my committees. So I, sent this one this one was sent, this evening to you. So on Tuesday, 10/07/2025, during the Student Focused Outreach Committee meeting, the superintendent's executive assistant, Anne Byrne, shared a presentation highlighting opportunities for students for the twenty twenty five-twenty twenty six school
year. The slides will be made available on the district website. Okay. There, was discussion about the importance of students receiving information about opportunities early in the school year. And we also had scheduled for the Sustainable JC Youth, Ambassador Opportunity. It was gonna be, presented by Deborah Italiano, but due to scheduling conflicts, unfortunately, she was not able to join us to present the Eco Ambassador Opportunity during this meeting. However, the opportunity was discussed during the June 3 in person student focused community outreach meeting,
and further information was provided in an email. Slides and links from the meeting are attached to this report. A brief, brief summary of the EPA funded air quality monitoring study and leadership training program. Students will become a sustainable JC youth eco ambassador for the program, sharing information about the daily breather, community health survey, and community solar, and receive community service hours for their participation. There is also an opportunity for a student presentation or to share their experience as
a SJC youth eco ambassador at a public meeting forum coming up on Thursday, November 13, from five p. M. To 06:30 at the Grapevine. And that's like if one of the students were to, some of the students were to sign up, and they will be able to present at that meeting. Are we still on the same committee? Are we still on the same This is your first committee? This this is yes. Student. It's the same committee you started with. This is not your second. Yes. Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry. So the I put a link for the Rutgers Community Health Survey in the report and the daily breather, where people can sign up to have hyperlocal air quality information sent,
straight to the email. And I also added, Mrs. Barron's, report to this, report as well. And that's the end for student focused community outreach meeting. Okay. Any questions? Any questions? Continue to your next one. There are no questions. So, my second committee is Student Life and Personnel Services. Every month, the Student Life and Personnel, Department will review one cluster of the six clusters that work together to provide excellent service to students for a safe and equitable learning environment. Director Crocaro shared a presentation that reviewed the services provided through Cluster One.
The department organization chart is attached to this report. And the presentation also reviewed harassment, intimidation, and bullying, and the difference between a conflict versus bullying. So, Cluster One services include Handle With Care, the Code of Conduct, which is available online and parents can also sign online, BARC support, adult education programs, Ignite U-turn and Ignite wellness clubs, social emotional learning, choose love, TICE which is trauma informed skills for educators, leaders, and parents. And, the other topics were Ruby Bridges Day.
Celebrate Ruby Bridges Days on November 14. Students can celebrate Ruby Bridges by walking to school. And there's, a flyer attached that gives access to educational an educational video on the flyer attached to this report. Professional development. 60 employees received affirmative action training by John Worthington, Esquire, on Tuesday, 10/07/2025. The training was available to any staff member of the Jersey City Public Schools who was interested. For the Hibbs, for September 2025,
we have 14 total incidents. Five unfounded, five inconclusive, four some founded, zero founded, and zero no perpetrator. For the good of the order, Trustee Tia Rizabalah suggested a webinar that parents and students attend, dedicated to freshman high school students to bring awareness of behavioral expectations, dress code, attendance, student PSAT information opportunities, and resource resources, etcetera. Attendance can be counted towards their community service hours. Trustee Rezavelo also suggested that all parents receive a copy of the student code of conduct,
at the time when their child will be receiving this employment action due to specific infraction and tier. That is the end for Student Life and Personnel Services. The first, the first request of Trustee Rasbella was what? So the first request was for possibly a webinar where parents and students can attend, where they can receive, to bring receive information, like, on behavior expectations as they enter high school, or the dress code, attendance, student PSAT info, opportunities,
and resources. And then the attendance could be, considered part of their community service. So that's something, like, for discussion for the the districts and Any questions with that regard? Any questions with this committee? No questions? Next committee, please. My next committee is for special education. Updates. And, acting director Karen Galase shared a presentation sharing updates in the department which highlighted the upcoming Special Education Parent Workshop Series and, CPAC. The workshop agenda and the meetings times are based on survey that was sent on
a survey that was sent out to the department via email and social media. The survey gathered information on best topics, workshop times, and workshop delivery. This, whether they wanted a virtual or in person. And this meeting is separate from the CPAC meeting and is open to anyone interested in the topics presented. The tentative dates are 11/19/2025, 01/14/2026, 03/11/2026, 04/22/2026, 05/27/2026, and the meeting times are to be determined.
And the topics. And also, for the Special Education Advisory Group, which is CPAC, principals are in the process of selecting their parents to, be trained to participate in the monthly meeting and bring the information back to their PTA. The CPAC meeting dates are 11/04/2025, 12/02/2025, 02/03/2026, 03/03/2026, 04/14/2026, 05/05/2026, and 06/02/2026. All CPAC meetings are from 06:30 to 8PM.
And for the NJO, New Jersey Department of Education Initiative, there was a comprehensive early intervention services action plan, and the presentation shared PS twenty's IXL Analytics to Inform Instruction. At all levels of intervention, showing for 2024 versus 2025, a 10% increase in third grade ELA and 18.6% in math. Fourth grade, 8.5 decrease in ELA and 3.7% increase in math. Fifth grade showed a 5.5
increase in ELA and 11.9 increase in math. The department purchased 3,500, ISL licenses for the 2024 school year twenty twenty four-twenty five school year, for any principal who wanted the program at their school. And the department has purchased more licenses, bringing the total to 10,000 licenses. Megan Costa again spoke about the Thanksgiving food drive. The special education department will begin collecting food for the third annual food drive on October 21. And the goal is to provide a 100 families with food for a brighter holiday.
The flyer is attached to this report. And for the good of the order, frontline training was held on 09/03/2025, and phase two will begin in December, on the second, twenty twenty five, for one on one trainings to assure compliance. And the NJE the NJEA will be featuring the PS 11 deaf and hard of hearing program in the December 2025 edition of the review. That is it for the special education. Any questions on special education report? Okay. Next report, trustee doctor Kisdale.
Okay. So I'm gonna give the ed programs report. We met on Thursday, 10/09 at 9AM. The report provides a comprehensive summary of the committee meeting, covering items eight zero two through eight two six. The meeting focused on approvals, grants, donations, educational programs, professional development opportunities, and community partnerships designed to enhance instructional, quality, student engagement, and wellness throughout the Jersey City public schools. Eight zero two, approval of, Savas job embedded professional development entering into the fourth year of implementation for Savas science
resources in grades six through 12. Course not to exceed $40,700. Eight zero three NJCU CTE articulation program for 2526. The renewal of the Korean technical age technical education CTE partnership with NJCU. Not to exceed $26,640. Eight zero four, STAR2U, job research platform. Liberty High School, agreement to STAR2U to provide a career search and job readiness platform for juniors and seniors, no cost to the district. Eight zero five US Soccer Foundation,
Soccer for Success program. It's a grant award, dollars 43,000 to support district wide physical education. Eight zero six, point through eight eleven of grants and donations. A PS 28, Durant, Donors Choose, PS 28, Map and the Memoir Project, and PS five, Center for Prevention for Counseling Grant, dollars 8,000. PS 34, Center for Prevention and Counseling MOA, dollars 6,000. PS eight, DonorsChoose, donations, classroom technology, 10 student headphones, board games, and learning materials. Eight twelve through 08:14,
Student Life and Services updates. Intern Renewal, 08:12, it was an intern removal. She simply moved. 8.13, Project Resilience Grant, dollars 930 69,000. Provides trauma informed and mental health services district wide. 8.14 Bridges to Resilience grant. It's in year three. Total is 1,600,000 and it supports parent workshops, student wellness clubs, and expansions of trauma informed practices. 8.15 through eight fifteen were field trips and enrichment.
P. S. Six is going to the Ceramic Club, P. S. 25, Nimbus Arts Center, third year CNN program renewal, third year of Cisco Certified Program Associate Program, implemented at Liberty, Infinity, and Innovation, high schools. 8.19 through eight twenty two, community and wellness programs, PS 15, community food bank partnership, 8.2, PS 41, arts and education grant, 8.21, PS 15, sports and education grant, 8.22, PS 15, and smart foundation partnership,
which provides family resilience workshops and hygiene products, feminine care donations, loss links assessment to transition ELL mainstream wait. I'm sorry. I skipped something. Okay. My apologies. 8.23. Students attend New Jersey City Principals Association Conference in Atlanta City on October 16. Eight point two four Lincoln High School Uber teen donation. Students receive $220 gift cards for transportation and meals, and this is managed by their parents. 8.25, Hunter County Interscholastic League membership,
five high schools to participate, which is activities. Bilingual and ESL and World Language Report, five eighty seven students registered for the Multilingual Intake Center, with four sixty five identified for multilingual services. Scheduled meetings for the, Bilingual Parent Advocacy Council, October 8, December 10, and February 4, and March. Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15. The theme was collective heritage or the theme is collective heritage, honoring the past, inspiring the future. Professional development initiatives,
loss links assessment to transition to ELL, students in to ELL, students in mainstream classes, Seal of Biliteracy and Recognition, Seniors, Achieving Proficiency, and, will attend Statue Of Liberty field trip on October 30. Letters of congratulations will be sent to the families. Next steps are upcoming district events and competitions. They are listed here. Mister Wayne will follow-up with the information from the curriculum committee. Any questions? Any questions for the particular Oh, yeah. Through the chair? Yes. Yes. I'd like to just, learn a little bit more about the 8.02,
the SAVA's job embedded professional development sessions. Tell me a little bit more about them and how do we measure their impact? Miss, miss, I'm sorry. Doctor. Fernandez. Doctor. Fernandez. When I was, I think mister Aldo I've got there a little late, so I don't know who would who would answer that. Doctor Fernandez. 812, 802. 802. Okay. Miss Ruane, if you could speak on 802, please. Like Oh, just one minute. Can you hear me? Yes. Oh, good. Four years ago, the district approved the adoption of the Sabus science program for grades six through 12.
Over the last four years, we've had numerous opportunities for the teachers to have professional development. The job embedded coaching is when the consultant is in the classroom, working with the teacher, giving them strategies and new ideas in how to implement the science curriculum. We have surveys from the teachers every year, and in the surveys we ask them what is their satisfaction with the professional development that they've incurred, in addition to salvage also with the supervisors. We are very proud to announce that this year,
for the first time, we have increased science scores in NJSLS. We've had them in grade five, which is not part of this program, but most importantly, we've had them in the eleventh grade. So that are I'm giving you two ways of how we judge the efficiency and the effectiveness of the consultants that we're asking you to vote on. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Sorensen. Any other questions? Okay. Good of the order. Any new business? I will entertain a motion to adjourn.
So moved. Second. All in favor? Meeting is closed. Good evening. Thank you all for coming. We will begin our meeting, our general meeting of 10/16/2025. Let's start with the pledge. If everyone Oh. Would rise to receive the colors to this evening, we have the Abraham Lincoln High School JROTC. To lead us on the flag salute and the national anthem, we have four students from the doctor doctor Martin Luther King Public School number eleven
right here. We have Isabella Fermat Ferment, Abigail Pena Delone, Abigail Rose, and Ashley Rodriguez. Please go on. 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, with liberty and justice for all. Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early lights? What so proudly we help at the twilight's last gleaming?
The Thank you. Please be seated. Miss McKenzie, please, call and roll. Good evening. This meeting is being held in conformity with the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 10 colon four dash six, etcetera. Proper public notice of the meeting was caused to be sent to the LDRO La Frenza newspaper and posted on the district's official website. Public notice was also delivered to those persons requesting that such notice be given to them. I will now take the roll call. Trustee Blunt? Present. Trustee Mohammed?
Present. Trustee Patel? Present. Trustee Schneider? Present. Trustee Reza Bala? Present. Trustee Morris. Present. Trustee Ioffe. Present. Okay. Vice president Tisdale. Here. President Velasquez. Present. And student rep, Martina Bowles. Present. We have a quorum. Thank you. And before we start, I think, our council has just a minute to speak. Good evening. I just, wanna, remind all of the, members of the public and our board members of our code of conduct that we,
established at a prior meeting. And we are working to update in our, policy. And I'm just gonna go through the four bullets quickly. We just agreed that we would, wait to be recognized to speak and use respectful language. We would make focused and appropriate comments, as board members and professionals here. We would adhere to the ethical guidance that we get as training as board members and administrators, and then just reinforce the commitment to professionalism professionalism and excellence as referenced in Robert's Rules that's adopted by the board. Thank you. Thank you very much. And
this month, I don't have a book. Mister Morris? I don't have a book. However, I want to quickly, report on the highlight of, my my month. I did go to school '34. They had a phenomenal program. It was a program, not just having to do with, celebrating yourselves, but within that celebration, there was an education because people learn, about a Hispanic part that we call quinceanera.
They were thorough through the entire program. It was so much fun. The children enjoyed it. The people that knew nothing about what a quinceanera was learned. And, there were also, beverages and things from, all Latin American countries. And I thank the principal of number thirty four school and her great team that put that together. And also I believe that part of the curriculum department, to put that together as well. And they came together.
They they had a collaboration with a couple of other schools. I think it was, not not Lincoln, Dickinson as well as number forty school. So, you know, when we do come together and and we share things, good things happen. And the best thing was that everybody was happy. And they said, wow, you know, I learned something. And I want to encourage all of the time that you know how we get this month to celebrate ourselves. One month is not what anybody should be dictating to us.
We should celebrate ourselves on a daily basis. But more importantly, when you do celebrate yourself, teach something. Thank you. Stop it now. Doctor Fernandez, please. Thank you. And good evening, president Velasquez, vice president, doctor Tisdale, trustees, the public, students. This is our October meeting, and we begin every meeting talking about attendance. School attendance is important because it leads to higher academic achievement and a better long
term outcomes while also being crucial for social and emotional development. Regular attendance ensures students are present for lesson, build strong foundations for future learning, and develop important life skills like responsibility and time management. Consistent presence in school also allows students to build friendships, feel A sense of belonging and develop vital skills through daily interactions. We will be honoring two schools this evening. The first school that we acknowledge is the Jotham Wakeman Public School number six.
Congratulations on your attendance achievement. Please come forward, and we will meet you for a picture. PS six. We have assistant principal, miss no. Miss Banero, but she's something else now. Miss Banero, please come to the front. I also want to congratulate Liberty High School on achieving the prestigious Blue Ribbon School designation. This Yes. Go on. It is very important. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students,
educators, staff, and the entire school community. What an an what an outstanding achievement. Congratulations, Liberty High School. You are also the recipients of the attendance award, so please come forward, Liberty High School. Thank you so much. Liberty High School, you also have the best turnout at the attendance banner for the attendance banner. As we continue with our meeting, this year's his we celebrate every year,
we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and it begins on September 15 through October 15. This year's Hispanic Heritage Month theme is collective heritage, honoring the past, inspiring the future. This theme speaks to the shared history and collective contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities that continue to enrich the fabric of The United States. It reminds us that heritage is not only about preserving traditions.
It also involves values and stories handed down through generations. It also about how these legacy spark innovation, resilience, and progress today. The theme is both a reflection and a call to action and encourage us to honor the struggles and triumphs of those who paved the way while inspiring future generations to carry forward the spirit of unity, creativity, and determination. As we celebrate, we are invited to recognize the enduring impact of of Hispanic culture in the arts,
education, science, public service, business, and beyond to embrace the power of heritage as a guiding light for building a more inclusive and connected future. Now I would like to introduce miss Teresita Elridge, Jennifer Estramara, and Frankie Maldonado, who will introduce tonight's presenters. Please come to the podium. Thank you. Good evening. Doctor Fernandez. Norma Fernandez, president Velasquez, president, vice president doctor Christopher Tisdale, board trustees,
miss Raine, mister Sanchez Abreu, SLT, parents, students, and viewing public. My name is Teresita Eldridge, supervisor of world languages. I am honored to be here this evening alongside my colleagues, Jennifer Stramera and supervisor of mathematics, Frankie Maldonado, supervisor of social studies. The curriculum instruction department leads the district's diversity calendar initiative. Fostering culturally responsive teaching across all content areas and grade levels. The calendar includes some of the largest demographic groups in the district and follows the
New Jersey Department of Education mandates. All the schools receive booklets that compile resources curricular activities for students to engage with diversity and learn from one another's cultures. As the school district recognizes and celebrates being one of the most ethnically diverse cities in The United States, Jersey City. From September 15 to October 15 this year, the district has honored the cultural richness and diversity of Hispanics,
as well as their contributions within our own community and to The United States. Jersey City students participated in various activities, providing a wonderful opportunity to learn, listen, and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures that make our community shine. Little bit more and James Ferris High Schools. At this time, please direct your attention to the stage as parents, teachers, students participate in a vibrant parade of the 21 Spanish speaking nations with flags and
some traditional customs. The event highlights unity, cultural pride, and the rich diversity of the whole Hispanic community, which represents 34.7% of Jersey City students population. More than a third of our students are Hispanics. We welcome our motherland, Spain. Espana. Thank you to the schools and performers today that were the flag bearers for the 21 different Latin American countries.
This evening, we're gonna have a delegation of students from PS Twenty Four. They will showcase Hispanic Heritage Month wax museum figures. Students dressed as characters will bring the influential Hispanic figures to life, sharing stories, achievements, and contributions that highlight the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic community. As the audience recognizes who each individual is, we now call PS twenty four students, Leah Rodriguez, Catherine Bravotello, and Cesar Bravo Plaza. We invite the board members to go up and ring the bells
to figure out who is who up on the stage. Ring what bell? There's a bell right in the front. There's a bell. Go ahead, mister doctor Tisdale. I was born and raised in Jersey City. I attended public school two thirty seven and Parish High School. One of my great achievements have been helping with the needs of the students and community. I have served for three decades in the Jersey City Public School as a teacher,
coach, administrator, and a privilege led the human resource department. Cool. You may have heard my name as the former principal of school twenty four and school seven. Who I am? Who is mister Rivera? Mister What do I win? I don't win anything? I guess correctly. No. I don't win anything. Thank you. Okay, I've helped children learn to read, and led schools with care and speed. From teachers' desks to principal's chair, I've guided students everywhere.
For our BEO, I've shown my heart helping learning truly start. I work with teachers of all kinds. Who am I? Who shaped young minds? Who is doctor Magda Sabino? Doctor Sabino. Oh, wonderful. I'm super excited. I was born in Cuba. I came here at five. A bilingual teacher helping students thrive. With pride and passion for education, I learned with heart and strong dedication. From kindergarten to eighth, I've got the young. In 2024,
I was proud to say I received the 2024 more Mujeres Estacada award on that day. I'm also a mom with two sons by a door learning schools, and now I'm opening doors. Who who am I? That is our illustrious superintendent, doctor Norma Fernandez. Do we keep ringing the bells, or is that it? Yes. What's ring the bell. Thank you, P. S. Twenty four, for your waxes and presentation. Hi everyone. If we could have, Mr. Rivera, Doctor. Savino, He's not misbeloscious.
He's not bad mommy. Thank you, PS twenty four, for your wax museum presentation. Bomba y plena is a traditional Afro Puerto Rican dance and music style that originated among enslaved Africans on the island's sugar plantations. It is characterized by a dynamic call and response between the dancer and the drummer, where the drummer follows the dancer's movements. The dance serves as a form of cultural expression, resistance, and community celebration. Modern day. The tradition continues to be a powerful symbol of Afro Puerto Rican identity today,
preserved by families and communities, and used to express solidarity and joy. We now call to the stage P. S. 28 students Ruth Sosa and Marcy Mejia. Thank you, PS twenty eight students, for your performance. And now I would like to call to the podium student Katie Almonte Sanchez, who will read a poem, Raices Vivas, by Oscar Hernandez, that portrays the life of a Hispanic individual who migrated to The United States. In every corner, in every song, an echo of a great nation resounds.
It is the beat of a drum, the living heritage of a great love. From the Andes, the sacred land, to the Caribbean, the wet souls. A thread of gold and sun is woven, a melting pot of culture, a single melting pot. They are the verses of Neruda and the pen of Lorca, the taste of the mango, the joy that springs, the fourth. It is the song of the grandmother, her hand on her forehead, the history that lives, that is always present. In our eyes, the ancestral fire, the strain of the people, a ritual without equal. We honor the past.
We celebrate today with the pride of being what I am. Thank you. Thank you very much, Katie, for that wonderful poem. And now, I would like to call to the stage Alejandro Santos, a senior at Ferris High School, who has showcased his musical talent at numerous events throughout Jersey City Public Schools. We commend his resilience and passion for the arts and will truly miss him as he graduates in June 2026. Special thanks to Mr. Danny Ortiz for his continued support of Alejandro.
Alejandro will now sing a song by Hector Lobo, a renowned Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Please put your attention to the stage. Okay. Ready. Okay. Thank you, Alejandro and mister Ortiz. This concludes the evening's performances. What an incredible evening of multicultural celebrations. The committee is grateful to all administrators, teachers, parents, and students whose contributions have made this celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month possible. We thank you. PS twenty four,
PS 28, Henry Snyder, James Ferris High School, and all those teachers, parents, and students that came to represent the diversity of the Hispanic community in Jersey City. Thank you for your participation in tonight's event. We would also like to acknowledge the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee for their work on the booklet of various activities, as well as for the organizing student performances for this meeting. We would also like to thank for the principals and vice principals and assistant principals that are present tonight, Ms.
Elaine Domingo, Mr. Riomuto, Mr. Pane, Ms. Acosta, and Ms. Awad, and Ms. Grisilla. Thank you very much. Additional student engagement with the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration can be viewed on the Jersey City Public Schools website under curriculum and instruction diversity calendar. Thank you to miss Ruane and to mister Sanchez Abreu for support and guidance given to this committee throughout the month. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you all. Please do not leave, the board I'm sorry. Doctor. Fernandez, I'd like to just break a little between your and your report.
The board would like to speak, to the students and the teachers and all of you, who were involved. Yes. We invite all the students, teachers who participated tonight to take a picture with the board and the cabinet, please. While they're coming up here, I would, have the board speak, please. Okay. Thank you. Through the chair? Yes. So, thank you for this evening's presentations. First and foremost, I just wanna say that I love to put, biographical sketches that were left around for us to look at.
And it's a great way to cultivate culture and, within the district as a whole. So I thought this was fantastic. I love a good dress up session. So just and and impersonations is I I love that kind of thing. So, the straw the straw hat and the big glasses and the wigs made by evening. I have to say, doctor Fernandez, a young lady, and, whoever picked her wig did a good job in terms of color. It it it was kinda spot on. I'm a little disappointed though,
whoever did this organization, because you did not include replicas of mister Morales. I didn't see a mister Sanchez Abreu or our attorney, mister Rivera. Please include them next year. It will be really interesting to see what the kids do in terms of representing them. So thank you for that tonight. Was a highlight of the evening, I'm sure. So thank you. Thank you very much, mister vice president. I just, want to say, in as much as I understood that you and, trustee Morris were having a real good time,
That young man was not impersonating me. He was impersonating Baboni. Okay? So stop it now. That hat is not one that I wear on a daily basis, although I have worn it many times, and my hair would never look like that. Thank you. Let's get up, please. Thank you once again. And now, doctor Fernandez, please continue with your report. Thank you, president Velasquez. This evening, we also stand at the beginning the beginning of a powerful new chapter for the citywide student council.
This body is more than just a gathering of students. It is the unified voice of every student across our diverse schools and neighborhoods. The mission of the citywide council is to foster collaboration, drive positive change, and lead with integrity. They bridge the gaps between campuses, ensure equitable opportunities, and tackle the issues that truly matter to the young people of our schools, from academic resources to community engagement.
The energy, vision, and commitment of every member are what will transform this city into a meaningful place, shaping not only the student experience, the but the future of our entire community. At this time, I would like to introduce missus Takiyah Williams, who will introduce the new officers for the twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six Citywide Student Council. Missus Williams? Thank you, doctor Fernandez. Good evening,
everyone. For the twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six school year, Citywide Student Council offices are as follows, based on numerical order and alpha order. MS4, Arjun Shaddee. MS7, Marjorie Sanchez. MS 40, Kamaya Miles. Academy one, Anaida Agarwal. Dickinson High School, Jay Patel. Ferris High School, Guzmaris Vargas. Infinity Debakshi Saha. Innovation Suwad El Gabihi.
Liberty Dahlia Abdelkareem. Lincoln Deontay Simmons, McNair Julian Padilla, Snyder Jessalyn Cotcher. These are your officers for the twenty twenty five-twenty twenty six school year. Thank you so much, missus Williams. At this time, I'd like to invite president of the citywide student council, Saud Elganbihi, senior at Innovation High School, to address the board. Welcome back. Good evening. Okay. Good afternoon, Doctor. Fernandez,
Assistant Superintendents, directors, Principal Pane, board members, and community members. My name is Suwad El Gambihi, and I'm a senior at Innovation High School and a proud graduate of PS23. As the current president of the Citywide Student Council, I'm coming back with purpose. I would like to build upon and improve on our past successful events. Reflection has taught me the importance of growth. When you pause and look at who you are, you learn how to move forward with you learn how to move forward with strength and clarity. I learned so much from our peers, and especially from our former president,
Salma Daladier. I'm ready to carry that energy forward, to work hard, support others, and make a meaningful impact in our citywide student council community. This school year, I intend to apply to New Jersey City University, Rutgers, New Brunswick, and among others, to study criminal justice, law, and free law. Over time, I've grew more confident in expressing myself. And my conversations have became more intentional and impactful. As the president of Citywide Student Council, I will make conscious choices about how I interact with others, like speaking up when it matters,
offering help, and actively listening. These choices allow me to grow personally and positively influence the people around me. Whether I was helping a friend navigate a tough situation, or simply by being there when someone needed support. I realized that even small acts of kindness can create a meaningful difference. What truly encouraged me to keep going was the feedback I received along the way. People began to tell me that my presence and words matter to them. The validation helped me see the value in what I was doing, and gave me the motivation to continue improving.
Not just for myself, but for the benefit of others too. This past summer was especially meaningful. I reconnected with joy in simple things, just like spending time with my best friend, enjoying the outdoors, and allowing myself to step away from the routine. These experiences reminded me of the importance of balance and staying grounded. At the time, I became more focused on my future. I took on the challenge of earning college credits and spent time researching and applying for scholarships. I also became more engaged in my classes,
seeing them not as just requirements, but as opportunities to prepare for my career path. This summer marked a shift for me. One where I not only relaxed and reflected, but also worked hard to shape the future I want. Working towards my goals became easier with each right step I take. Some will ask, how do you know when you made the right decision? The truth is, you can tell by the outcome. When you take action towards your goal, you eventually whether that choice brought you closer or further from it. I've also learned to trust my gut feeling.
When I'm working on something important or facing a challenge, I pay attention to that inner voice. It often guides me in the right direction most of the times. That instinct helped me overcome difficult situations or find answers when things seem uncertain. As a student, it's important to be involved with your community. One community that has made a massive difference in my life is NGCU Gear Up. It feels like my second home. They helped me with academic topics, personal challenges, and being there when I needed someone to talk to.
The people there are like older siblings. They've gone through similar situations and always offer support and meeting and events throughout Jersey City. In 2026, I will have the opportunity to travel to Japan with my best friend, classmates, and my school counselor during spring break. I've never imagined I would have the chance to do something like this, but here I am ready to explore a whole new place with people who mean so much to me. One person I will never be I will never be able to thank enough is God for allowing me to be here,
express my thoughts, and become the person I am today and stands in front of you right now. I'm also deeply grateful to both of my parents for bringing me here and giving me the amazing opportunity to come to The United States. Thank you, doctor Fernandez, for selecting me to be the president of Citywide Student Council. Missus Williams, thank you for supporting me and everyone on our committee. There's also one very special person I want to thank, someone who has supported me throughout my high school experience even when I probably visited her office a few too many times.
That person is Nancy Ortiz. She ain't just my school counselor. She is someone who truly believes in me. She saw potential even when I didn't and constantly encouraged me to sign up for new opportunities, apply for programs, and keep pushing myself forward. She has she has shared her own stories and experiences, inspiring me to become stronger and more confident. Thanks to her guidance and encouragement, I'm able to graduate with a sense of ease and a peace of mind. I'm forever grateful grateful for everything she has done for me throughout all four years
of my high school journey. Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day. Suwad, we are so proud of you, and we look forward to see you continued growth and achievement just like every member of the citywide student council. Those of you who came back this year, it's such a pleasure to see you mature and continue your growth. We look forward to all the places you will go and you will all go very far. Thank you so very much.
The week of October 20, the US Department of Environmental Protection designates the week as the National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week with a national campaign to bring awareness to bring awareness to and prevent lead exposure. The Jersey City Public School District is committed to water to safe water in our schools and with community stakeholders, and we have one of those stakeholders in the house,
mister Nelson, we have made the dream a reality with an unwavering commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for all our students and staff. A critical part of this commitment was ensuring that the water in our schools was lead free. We are proud to announce that last spring, we concluded the final phase of a multi year, multimillion dollar project dedicated to permanently addressing lead concerns in our schools' drinking water.
This comprehensive initiative involved the complete replacement of all plumbing infrastructure, including pipes and water fountains across the district. This significant investment underscores our priority, the health and safety of every child. By replacing aging infrastructure, we did not simply fix a problem. We built a foundation of safety that will serve our community for generations to come. Pipes and plumbing were systematically replaced with new lead free materials to eliminate the source of potential contamination.
Water fountains. All old water fountains were removed and replaced with new, modern, and filter hydration systems. Our students have fresh, lead free water in all our schools. This project was a massive undertaking, and we appreciate the patience and cooperation of our families and staff as the work was completed. The district believes in clean, safe drinking water is a basic ride for our students. This project is a powerful testament to our dedication to that principle.
Thank you for your continued support, and we work together as we worked together to continue the strong work of making our schools the safest and healthiest spaces they can be. Last month yes, mister Nelson. Last month, a few parents inquired about the special education audit, and I said it was not complete. Since then, we reached out to the auditing firm about the timeline to finalize the report.
The complete report won't be finished until the spring because of its complexity. However, we are able we were able to find a solution. They are checking a few entries and will then truncate the report into two parts. The auditing firm will be able to present the first part in November if the board agrees. Then during the late spring, they will present the portion that addresses chapter one ninety two and chapter one ninety three for special education services to students attending non public schools.
I also want to provide for the board members and the public, an update on the court case of, miss Sabrina Harrell versus the Jersey City Board of Education. Employment contracts for 14 nonaffiliated employees, including miss Sabrina Harrell, who at that time had been employed for approximately one year as the assistant director of human resources. Despite my recommendation, at its board meeting of 04/28/2022, only two board of education trustees voted in favor of renewing miss Harrell's employment contract.
Four other trustees voted not to renew her contract, and three other trustees up abstain. Consequently, having failed to garner at least five votes in her favor, miss Harrell's employment with the Jersey City Public School ended on 06/30/2022. Subsequently, miss Harrell sued the Jersey City Board of Education. In Hudson County Superior Court alleging that the Board of Education's decision to reject my
recommendation to offer her a new contract for the twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three school year involve retaliation for whistleblower activities. In addition, miss Harrow filed an equal pay discrimination claim against the board of education alleging that she was paid less than her cooccasion replacement during her time in the non instructional administrative role of an assistant director of human resources. I would like to emphasize that miss Harrow's lawsuit was only filed against their board
of education as an entity and not against any individual Jersey City Public School employee, included but not limited to the superintendent of schools and the director of human resources, mister Edwin Rivera. On 09/22/2025, following a ten day trial in Hudson County Superior Court, a jury of seven individuals found in favor of of the board ruling that it prevailed on its defense against miss Harrell's Equal Pay Act claim,
thereby soundly rejecting miss Harrell's discrimination claim. Unfortunately, the Jersey City Times reporter who was present in the courtroom when the jury issued the verdict in favor of the board got this aspect of the story completely wrong the following day in an article in title, jury finds Jersey City Board of Ed retaliated against ex employee by falsely claiming that miss Howell prevailed on her Equal Pay Act claim.
Consequently, on 10/01/2025, I sent an email to mister Aaron Morrow, chief editor of the Jersey City Times, requesting that his reporter's article be corrected. Although mister Morrow acknowledged my email, the Jersey City Time has yet to correct the record by issuing a correction, thereby damaging of the board of education and certain employees under identified in the, our in the article. However,
the article is accurate to the extent that the jury did rule in miss Harrell's favor on her so called bliss whistleblowing claim, awarding her a modest sumps in terms of compensatory and punitive damages. Nevertheless, the board of education has denied and continues to deny miss Harrell's various allegation throughout the course of the litigation and intends to vigorously pursue an appeal of the verdict
in favor of miss Harrell's whistleblowing claim. In closing, it must be noted that reported that miss Harrell's allegation involved assertions against the Jersey City Board of Education as a legal public entity and that no individual defendants were named or found liable in this matter. Thank you, president Velasquez. Thank you very much, doctor Fernandez. Are there any questions from the board?
No? Okay. Let's move on, please, and we will move on to, public comments. So before the public comments, our council will read his statement. Good evening. All speakers must adhere to the three minute speaking rule. The clock shall not be stopped. Speakers will be called to the microphone to speak in the order that their request was 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 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, warn, and or terminate a participant statement or comment when it is too lengthy, b, interrupt and or warn a participant when the statement or comment is abusive, obscene, or 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 a 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 the 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. Thank you. Miss McKenzie, please. Our first speaker is Dana Cheatham. Hello. Good evening, everyone. My name is Dana Cheatham. I've been working for at PS twenty four school for seven years.
Not one window. Is not permitted. We're not gonna have signs. Not one complaint. And I noticed that there was an opening for a morning position and came to the conclusion I see. We're gonna give you your time back. Mister Snellie, that's not permitted. Yeah. Holding the sign up is prohibited. We need her to have a seat. She can have a seat. Thank you. Thank you. Reset please reset her time. She stays up. Okay. Thank you. Please begin. Back in 02/2017, I received a letter of recommendation from Richard Stellato,
assistant principal at twenty four school in 02/2017. And the letter states a recommendation on behalf of Dana Cheatham for employment within Jersey City Public Schools. And he stated this letter is for somebody that's deserving of it, and I am one that's deserving of a letter. I received three other letters from teachers inside the same school that I've been in. Two years part time, seven years full time, was not offered the position, and then find out last night that there was favors to bring someone into twenty
four school and take my position that I earned, that I waited seven years for. Because I was told I could not apply for a morning position because someone else had seniority over me. Okay. You're next to get seniority. The person that received the seniority before me was a guy. Why is it that when it's my turn, there's no seniority? I didn't understand that. I spoke to the, director of human resources. He said that he was gonna take care of it.
It doesn't look like anything is taken care of because I'm noticing that the person is supposed to be starting at twenty fourth school on the twenty first. I've not I can't say that my attendance was bad, but the only way that my attendance was bad due to work related injuries. They kept me out of work. And to sit here and try to constantly I'm hearing that they're kicking my back in the dirt. I've never had a write up since I've worked for Jersey City Public Schools.
Not one. For me to be mistreated, looked over because somebody want a favor done, it's not fair. There is no fairness in you just taking what somebody else supposed to have because you wanna help out a friend. I wish I had friends like that. I wouldn't be standing here talking to you like this here today. I thank you all for listening, and you enjoy your evening. Thank you very much. Miss McKenzie? The next person on the list, I'm not sure they have two. Is Jane Blair here,
or is it just Janine Blair? She's not here? Okay. So Janine. I wanna start off by saying that it's really sick and pathetic that after all this time that nobody on the board could take accountability for their actions. When someone comes up to speak and tell you what's going on, everybody sweeps it under the rug and continue to do that. As we come here to speak at the board of education, we're not just coming here to say anything. We're coming here to tell you our problems, and it's been going on for a long time, and it's never being addressed. It's always we'll get to it or not at all.
I came here and I spoke to you in reference to my daughter several times for the last three years, and still nothing's changed. And it's really sad that all of you sit here and know what happened. And still, as to date, not one thing happened. Nothing's changed. I come in. I speak to you in reference to what issue that happened with my daughter. I spoke to mister Snelling about it. Nothing happened. You'll say we'll address this. I had conversations with other staff, board members, and, again, the situation hasn't changed. So for me, the only way to get your attention and let you know that I'm not playing
with you is to file a new lawsuit because I'm tired of coming here telling you about things that's happening and nothing's being addressed. I'm not coming here telling you something that's not truthful. I stand on everything that I come here and I say to you. And I've said it numerous times and again, nothing's being done about it. If you think for one minute I'm gonna just go away and this is gonna end, it's not. Take accountability. Stand up for our kids. My daughter is a part of this district. She's a child that go attends Jersey City public schools. So when I come to you and I tell you that something's going on with
my child and it's not being addressed, please don't think that it's just gonna be swept on the rug and you're gonna turn your head and I'm gonna go away and nothing's gonna happen for it. This is the reason why this district has amount of lawsuits that it does. This is the reason why parents keep coming coming up here speaking to you about issues that's just being swept under the rug. Special education issues, retaliation issues, dirty school issues, a whole bunch of things they can't be able to tell you about the abuse of their children, bullying. Nothing's done. So what is your point of sitting on the board Just to hear us come up here and then tell us what we can and cannot say?
Nobody wants to do anything. Nobody wants to address what's going on. So when you sit here and say, well, just come here with little problems that's minor, it's minor to you, but it's big to us. When it come for my child, I'm gonna walk through fire for her. I ask you kindly and respectfully to address this issue. But again, it's swept under the rug. So it seems like the only way that you know how to do something and when it's on paper and we're sitting in front of a judge. And each and every one of you board members, you have a duty. Please. Please. I'm asking you respectfully. Do what you need to do. Stop sitting here,
listening to me, come here, and tell you what's going on. Talk to me privately, and then do nothing because you know what's going on is wrong. So don't sit here and act like you don't know. And when you're speaking about the quorum and you want us to respect you, start with your board members. Don't say nothing that you don't want said back to you. Thank you. Miss McKenzie. Monique k Andrews. Good evening. It's been a while, and I see nothing has changed. So I'm back. I wanna ask this question. Do any one of you board members know what the middle state's school evaluation is?
If you don't, you need to ask your superintendent about it. With the test scores being as low as they are, these schools need to be evaluated. Okay? These schools are supposed to be evaluated by the middle state's evaluation for accreditation purposes to determine whether the if a diploma is really worth the ink that it's been printed on or the paper it's been printed on. Some of the things that they look at is self study, peer review, evaluation team reports, accreditation decisions, and public import input. So the reason why that's,
again, is important is because you have all these high schools, okay, that may not be accredited. They have to be accredited every, several years. Now it's eight years. Now I know for sure the last time that it was, Snyder was accredited, I was on the parent council. And that was years ago when we had a principal called Belinda Stokes. She's been going for a very long time, and we have not been evaluated since. So we're past that eight eight year mark. I wanna know what's going on with Snyder High School. That's number one. The other thing, I still see that we are still saying the same thing over and over again
about people being disrespected. I have never heard a case being told in front of the public whether it was already solved or not. Never. Until I just heard tonight. So I have a problem with that because if you wanted that information out, it should've came out before it went to court, not afterwards. We can't dispute what a newspaper says, but I tell you what, we all know it's true. We know it's true. I got calls from board members, okay, asking me what's gonna be done. I wanna know what y'all gonna do.
Because y'all got some of y'all have children, whether it's in the public school system or the or the, charter schools. You got children. Think about that if you were standing over here and somebody something was happening to your child and you were a parent and and your child was being bullied. Okay? What would you do? You're gonna have to you're gonna have to look in the mirror. Okay? You're really gonna have to take accountability. I don't know. You may think this Earth is the last place you're going, but you're going somewhere else. Okay? You're going somewhere else, and you better recognize, don't go to church on Sunday when you know what's happening here on Thursday,
the night. Thank you. Miss McKenzie? Alright. Sabrina Harold? Good evening. I actually came here this evening to discuss something totally different besides the lawsuit. But since you spoke it up, I just have to say, it's three sides to the story. Right? It's your version and what you just said. It's my story and what I spoke of. And then the third side was the jury, seven zero six one. Let's be clear. Let's be clear. So we're gonna speak.
Let's be very clear on the facts. Yes. The equal pay issue, which is very minor compared to the other issues. Because, actually, I came here tonight to speak about 13 o two, which is a settlement of a lawsuit. Another lawsuit. Because not only am I a foreign employee, I'm also a taxpayer here in this city. Okay? I got my tax bill. You see this here? My taxes went up. Why are my taxes going up? Well, according to our mayor, Stephen Fuller, he clearly stated
that the taxes is part of the board of education. That's why our taxes went up. But when we were asking these questions during the budget hearings, we were told, oh, no. Your tax is not gonna go up. Like, we can't even be truthful about that. But let's talk go back to thirteen point o two, which was another whistleblower. I mean, I'm not gonna say who the person's name is, but I know the case because I'm following what you all are doing and your actions and the lack of actions. This is disgusting. It's disgusting to come here. And I myself have sit sat here through meetings and listened to the same people
with the same complaints. What can we do? And I even offer solutions. But you don't want solutions. You wanna do false investigations or the person you investigate the people who filed a complaint. But the person who's actually doing the wrong or the people that are doing the wrong are never ever ever disciplined, which goes against, actually, all of your policies. You all make the policies here, but you're not abiding by your policies. And you're one employee that's responsible, as we were told before, that's your employee. So when your employee is in violation of the law,
it's your obligation and responsibility to manage your one employee. We have district policy fifteen five zero, equal employment anti discrimination practices. Y'all in violation of that. Healthy workplace environment. District policy four three five one. We're in violation of that one. Protection against retaliation. We don't even have to say no more because the jury, once again, seven zero. Seven zero. It was your you testified. You said what you had to say. They heard your story,
my story. They made the decision. Thank you. Lorenzo Richardson. Good evening. I wanna first say that, I never got my question answered when I asked about, I believe it was 11 o nine back in August, about the the 4,000,000 versus the 9,000,000 on the agenda, 11 o nine, I believe it was, about why there was a difference between the vote and what was on the negotiated price. I also have a couple of questions about the budget transfers. You had one for June for $300,000
and then in September for $289,000 and it's happening in October. So and I know there were issues around according to well, some statements in the subsequent, item. And I'm first talking about 10.06 and now 10.08 about certification of funds. You're saying that there's no encumbrances or expenditures that went over. But it looks like based on the prior to no six that there may have been going back to June.
And then in September, which is the very first month of the year, and you're in October now. Right? So, I'd like to know what's going on there. Also, the the approval and rescinding of the the food service contract. So we're in October. That started in July. So you're going back to renew that. And then you have another item on the agenda saying that that process was done wrong in the first place, and this was an existing vendor. Now if it was supposed to go out, you go off the bid,
you do it. It's a done deal, whoever you pick. But how how did that become wrong? How how did how did that happen? So because there's no explanation in terms of transparency on that. Because you have a six month emergency nonrenewable contract here, and then you're saying that by December because you got a rush between now and the end of the year to get another contract, right, with somebody. And then you had an unsuccessful attempt, of a computer breach. I'm not gonna get into issues that actually discuss anything.
But when I was here on the technology committee, you had a company doing testing during the summer. And I wanna know how did this happen unless you stopped doing the testing. Last and not least oh, I'll let it go. Thank you. My time's up. Miss McKenzie. Lakeisha Jenkins. Good evening. I'm here tonight to address a serious issue. The ongoing violations of local twenty two sixty two collective bargaining agreement and the way these actions continue to put employees who serve this district with dedication and integrity at
a financial disadvantage. According to the contract, election day, November 4, is a paid holiday. The same contract states that if schools are open on a paid holiday, employees twenty two sixty two are entitled to double time. Yet, the district and the union representatives are pushing members of local twenty two sixty two to accept comp days instead, something that doesn't even exist in the contract. That is a direct violation, and I expect to be paid what the contract requires,
double time. Next, regarding ten month full time employees state law, specifically, the Heaton versus, Jersey City Board of Education decision and civil service statute 11 a semicolon six dash three confirms that these employees are entitled to a proportionate vacation time. This district continues to disregard that law, depriving workers of benefits that have already been held up in court. Furthermore, we cannot ignore the case of a full time employee you all paid as a
part time employee who had to seek intervention from the Department of Labor to recover $20,000 in unpaid wages, that that should have never happened. I when I was the union president, I tried to fix this the right way, but you all don't do things the right way. That's why y'all end up with all these lawsuits. It is deeply troubling that the that both the district and AFSCME council sixty three appears to act in unison, not to protect the members they represent, but to preserve a system that keeps hardworking people at a financial disadvantage.
This school district needs to start doing the right thing. Respecting the con respecting the people who keeps this district running every single day and by honoring the contract. Thank you. Thank you. Miss McKenzie. Jim Nelson. Thank you. Greetings. I'm Jim Nelson, parent at Innovation High School, which is home of our citywide student co student council president and home of the newest parent teacher student association in New Jersey. This evening, I also want to recognize that today is World Food Day, so I'm looking over at the My Plates display of the PS eleven has and
wanna lift up the food service workers and, from production kitchens to to others. Recognize, Mr. Richardson has also alluded to, that we are rescinding a contract and pushing for new bids, and I hope that people are being fed in between those two stages. But World Food Day is today. Next week, as Doctor Fernandez already highlighted, is the National Lead Poisoning Prevention Awareness Week. And so we have opportunities to make the connection between our policy, between our practices as a district and as a community,
and we as a learning community. The water tests done in June are really good news. What we have invested in for the sustainably sourced safe drinking water is some point of pride for us as a community that invested through the NUA water rate payers, through the district's own expenses, and through our own resilience. I wanna underscore the importance of investing in maintaining that and also to make help us extend the lessons learned for families in their homes,
in their day care centers, other places where we also need to be monitoring various sources of lead, lead awareness to say, hey, we've learned lessons from the school project. How can we extend that elsewhere? I note that on the school district's website under district water test results, you can find letters about the schools that with the summary results as well as a zip folder of exceedance letters. There were 20 schools that in the first sample draw, there was an issue maybe 39, cold water faucets,
not the fountains, but cold water faucets. When they were aerated and flushed and retested, all but three were fine. And those three are mysteries that are that the district and consultant technics are looking into, but I want to recognize that we need to share that information with families. And I will quote from the NJAC. I know that the consultant has given the district one bit of advice, but just to underscore that the notification is required under NJAC six eight twenty six-12.4 paragraph e, provide written notification to the school community.
And this applies to any sample, either the initial first trial or flush sample, that exceeds the lead action level. This is a both and, posted on the website as the district did around September 2, but also extend notifications, e notifications to school families and facility staff. Thank you very much. Thank you. Cheryl Mays. Good evening. Please keep suppressing my rights, please. Well, thus far, the employees under two two six two's contract have voted against giving away the general election day on November 4,
and the vote took place two times. Now according to miss Hamm, the rep from council sixty three, the employees under this contract don't have to show up for work that day because it's a holiday. This directive conflicts this directive conflicts with article nine, letter e, under holidays. The rep should have informed the members that if they report to work on that day and don't receive double time as per the contract, the union will file a perk charge against the district for breaching the contract. Now the other so called rep, mister Easterlin, tells the members that the district is going to give them two comp days.
Now for four timers compensation, it's time and a half. So how does that work? At the end of the day, the discussion should be off the table by now, and you can't go outside the four walls of our contract. You cannot do that. Now I'm going to switch the topic to a personal issue that's affecting me. As of July 2023, I should have been receiving twenty two vacation days as per the contract, but I only received twenty days. So at this point, the district currently owes me six days. That can produce the money. Now if I do have the option the option to cash them in,
since you have failed to give me the access to them, one of my coworkers is owed ten days. We both sent e mails to Ms. McKenzie citing a contract article, and I do acknowledge that she contacted me back. I suppose it's safe to say that the corrective or the so called corrective action plan to fix the problems in the audit hasn't come into play yet. But one thing's certain is that this district is playing with money in the budget. See, I guess as long as the people remain ignorant, you can keep us you can keep up these deceitful,
unscrupulous practices that keep us at a financial disadvantage, meaning you continue to suppress us because it's easy. But that doesn't make it right. Board members, when are you going to effectively govern this district? Because you're not doing it. And if it's only three of you or four of you that want the right thing done, then, of course, you must be wasting your time because you're sitting amongst a bunch of evil people. But as far as but as long as the evil people out there, I'm out there with y'all peace. Miss Kinsey, miss McKinsey, I'm a have to set up a meeting with you, please,
because you have that I'm owed three days. So I am owed some days, and I like to know why I'm owed days. And if I hadn't brought this to the board's attention or the district's attention, who was gonna pocket my money? Have a blessed night. Peace. That concludes everyone on my list for this evening. Thank you, miss McKenzie, and thank you to all the speakers. I'd like to open the floor for board discussion. But because we also have, you know, so much to do in our,
other session. Let's please keep it to, like, twenty minutes. Can we try and be done by 08:30? Thank you. Motion. Discussion. Discussion. Motion. Yes, please. Motion, madam president, to, open an individual, investigation, into the human resource department, using a third party, firm or possibly our law firm to obviously get to the bottom of what's going on in our human resource department. We listen. We're not trying to What do you mean what allegedly is?
Well We wanna put it that However Allegedly is going word it. We could well, this is just a motion. We should go to discussion. But what I'm saying is when you're making your motion, please make your motion so that it you know, it's not a concrete it's an alleged you're Well, that would be the purpose of the investigation. That's why I said motion for an investigation. Thank you. Moving. Now it's time for discussion. Now it's been moved second. Now can we discuss? Thank you. Madam president? Yes. Alright. So,
the reason why, I'm asking, for this investigation is because, obviously, I'm a former investigator. And I know that, throughout this week and last week, I have received several, phone calls, regarding, obviously, the matter that the superintendent spoke about, in her remarks. In addition to that, we've had public officials, reach out, and even my neighbors concerned about what is actually going on within the four walls of the board of education regarding the personnel department. Mhmm. I had no answer to give them. Obviously,
because we have a staff that handles the personnel department. And in order for me to have an answer to give them, I believe that an independent investigation needs to be taken needs to take place. And, basically, I want, it to be a resolution instructing the superintendent to allow, an investigation to happen in the HR department. I would like for, within that resolution, that our board attorney because this is an investigation on behalf of the board Right. Board of trustees. I would like for our board attorney and his firm to oversee the investigation, in its entirety so that we can make sure that we are being transparent,
in this particular area. We're not accusing. I'm not obviously accusing anybody, but I do wanna get to the bottom of it. An in an institution this large, cannot be perfect. We have issues like every any other entity. But it's just, it's it's it's it's a little disheartening to know that we possibly could have something going on, and we do not know about it. And the accusations or the rumors or the truth or no no truth, one thing I agree with, miss Harold, is is that there is three sides to the story. And I want to get to the bottom of what the issue is.
Last year when I was president, we had a human resource, town hall meeting where everyone came out and discussed. We had our attorney there. We also had, some, folks there that gave some recommendations, to us, but we, you know, didn't hear anything else about that. So I'm asking now through a resolution, that we have this conducted and that the resolution be, done by our our board secretary, doctor Luce, so that we might be able to have it, to make sure that this goes forward. And, you know, if this passes if this passes,
mister Rivera, I am, determined, and also, I'm I'm almost I trust, because you've done such a miraculous job last year and this year. You last year and this year that you will do a thorough investigation, into the HR department and all entities of error. And then once you find your findings to come back to the board and give us a report on what your recommendations are moving forward. And in that resolution, it should also state that upon your recommendation to instruct the superintendent to sit down and go through those,
recommendations and try to apply it, to the HR department. Thank you. Thank you, trustee. I too have received, numerous calls and and also, questions by community. So I will ask the board to speak, and I will, agree with whatever recommendation the board has with that with regards to that resolution. Thank you, trustee. Yes. Through the chair? Yes. I wanna say it's a privilege to sit here, and, I don't take it for granted. But I'm a little emotional sitting here today because I have held my tongue.
I've been judicious with my words, and I have been respectful of everyone that sits around this table, especially in close conversations with members of the public. But for us to sit here and to discuss this case in such a off the hand way where we have given privacy and respect to every other case that is inside of here is unacceptable. I would never have done that to anyone that sits here because I respect everyone
that sits around this table. And to sit here as a black woman in I felt disrespected myself. So I'm sorry. I'm I can't go home with that on my heart today. That was not okay. Thank you. Anyone else? Trustee Mohammed? I thought we were discussing the motion. I thought so too. Okay. But that's okay. She needed to get that offer. She did, and we will move on. Thank you very much. No. I just I thought she had more to say maybe about the motion. No. It was not. She just needed to I agree with the motion. You were okay. Alright.
Yeah. I, just wanna say I agree with the motion as well. Just, we're not here to administer. We're not the professionals that can go and do an investigation, so we move on. And with the professionals do their job. Thank you. Through the chair? Yes. Before we vote on this motion, would we be able to just discuss the logistics in closed session as to how just specifically because, you know, if the board council no issues with the motion, but just prior to the vote so that we can understand how something like this might transpire. Counsel will answer. Counsel.
Well, that just, it sounds like you wanna table the motion now to go into closed session and discuss it because you have a first and a second discussion and the next action is to vote on it. So if you wanna go to close to discuss the logistics before you vote, you'd have to table. If you wanna vote and then discuss the logistics to close, we can do that. But I'm sorry. Through the chair? What do we have to go to close session for? Right. Why can't we have a discussion now? Through the chair. In that case, if miss Rivera can just explain how something like this would take place. Thank you.
So I can discuss it generally. Obviously, any personnel items or anything that would be appropriate for closed would have to be in closed session. So, an investigation like this would be be like any other investigation that's conducted relative to a personnel matter. It would be much broader as you're asking that we look into the personnel department, and investigate not only what happened in this matter, but, all pending matters and procedures. We need to discuss the scope. But I assume based on what I wrote down,
that trustee Morris brought up, you know, he's looking for an independent investigation, to to be done to, and really just to look at all practices, things that were brought up last year, at the, open meeting where you discussed personnel. There were recommendations made, looking at the status of those recommendations, issues related to, pending matters, you know, policies and procedures, and then make recommendations for improvement. And I believe the overall goal is to avoid, future matters where there might be claims of retaliation, harassment, or other issues. And really, the goal is to improve the department,
and to put in best practices to ensure that, you know, we can limit the liability and exposure for claims like this going forward. So, you know, not putting anything out there specifically, but something like that will require analysis, interviewing people, looking at any existing policy and procedures, looking at pending matters, and then coming back to the board with recommendations on how to cure it. Thank you. Through the chair, if I may clarify, in the past, similar investigations were handled by labor counsel. But I understand that a third party in this case is being suggested. So who would the third party be?
Like, what would the appropriate third party be in this case? The I'm sorry, madam president. So I think you recommended that our counsel do that. No? And whomever he chooses to assist Right. Will be that third party. But, you know, trustee Ioffe, you said that there was an investigation that took place. I don't remember hearing about the findings of it. No. No. Not not similar investigation of the scope that you're proposing. On individual basis, basis, labor council would handle, like, looking into like, as a third party, interviewing people. That's just from my memory and experience.
But you're proposing a larger scope. So if we're to say that current labor council is somehow conflicted because they are, you know, a vendor of the district, then that is my question. Like, the third party or neutral third party. I'm trying to understand how do we establish neutrality in this situation. Thank you. Well, that was the reason why I asked for our board attorney because he works for the board. And whoever he deems necessary to assist him in that investigation would be the third party. And let me just be very clear. Regardless of what other investigations we've had thus far,
obviously, they have not worked because here we are again. So we need to really take this seriously, find out what the problem is so that we can resolve it respectfully and get and get on with it. Because last year, I heard, as president, you guys were here. We heard nothing but complaints about it, which which which prompted me to have the town hall meeting. Now, you know, it's no longer complaints. Now we we're having, a court fine court, rulings. So I don't know what's going on because I'm not there.
But I would like to know what's going on, what the issue is so that we can instruct our superintendent on what it is that we would like for her to do in these areas. You know, I'm not proposing that we blame anybody or point the finger at anyone. What I'm asking for is an independent investigation to find out what exactly the hell is going on so that we can resolve it and move on. That's it. Do the chair? Yes. So I agree with trustee Morris, and I I'm glad he made the motion. I think that part of the perception in the public is that whoever the investigator
is is going No matter what the accusation was, No matter what the accusation was, no matter what the situation was, it was always no finding regardless of what the situation is. I even remember us, excuse me, paying out a case where we settled accusations where there was no findings, but we paid the individual. Anyway, it just didn't make any sense to me. I was the only one, by the way, that voted no that night. But, the the point the the point of all of this is and I think and I'm gonna stress it again. Standard operating procedures are necessary.
It would it would decrease a lot of this nonsense, and I think the lawsuits that we've been paying out over the course of the last several years have been astronomical. And to take the position, oh, well, anybody has the right to follow lawsuit is egregious in that we could be doing so much other things with the money that we spend for insurance that goes to these lawsuits. So, I'm I'm very interested to see what what comes out of this. Like, you know, I think the question was raised, is there racism? Probably. Yes. Who's the racist?
We don't know who those racist people are. But to assume that in a district this size, there is no racism racism at all is ridiculous. We know that people are racist. But I think that to get to the end result of what's really going on, if anything for that matter, there may be nothing. Right? Yeah. We need to understand what what is going on, and are there practices that are in place that are not necessarily being followed? Are contracts being violated? And if this is the case, we need to correct that. So I'm all in favor for it.
Any other? Could I add to to it? I I forgot one Sure. I just want, if this passes, I just want mister Rivera, our our board attorney, to, limit the information that he reveals only to the board. And the reason why is because we we need to make sure that we make a unilateral decision Mhmm. Based on the findings that he has. And I know that, you know, this district other districts or whatever, we develop relationships because somehow the notion that community has is that I protect the administration for whatever reason.
I protect what is right. If the administration is right, I'm going to speak up for the administration. If the other party is right, I'm gonna speak up for the other party as well. The superintendent and everyone else is not above being reprimanded or disciplined. And that's why I wanted to be an independent investigation because if we find that there are inadequacies, any type of, of of of of issues that be that are beyond the scope of this board and the decisions that we have to make, there is going to have to a conversation is gonna be have have to have with the superintendent because she is our only employee that also is the employer of
6,000 employees that we are over through her. So it is her responsibility or her job to make sure that everything is running smoothly as we've hired her to do. And I take very personal because I trust our superintendent, and I and I know that she has done a miraculous job from when I, motioned for her to have her raise her contract renewed, and she has rooted out a lot of the corruption that has been in our, in our administration that was not that did not start under her tenure or under her tutelage, but it was rolled over from other superintendents that she had to clean up.
So I credit our superintendent for rooting out most of that corruption, and the public needs to know that we can't tell you everything. There are personnel issues. There are investigations. When I was in New Jersey Police Department, when we had an investigation, I didn't tell the people what I was what I was doing. That defeats the purpose of an investigation. So if you feel like you haven't been told anything about all of the the complaints that you have when you come up to this podium, it's because we can't tell you. There are personnel issues and legal issues. So during this investigation, I ask that you remain calm, patient, and trust the process.
Thank you, madam president. Thank you. Before we take the vote, I had a question for, a council. The resolution comes from the VA's office, and that has to be now. Yes. So it's a two part process. The first part is, as always, we need a motion and a second to add it to the agenda, right, which you already have a motion in the second. It'll be added. Once it's added to the agenda, then do it again, motion in the second on the actual substantive motion, that that trustee Morris referenced. You're gonna vote on it now.
It'll be taken down, and then at a later date, obviously, finalized and produced in writing. But it's a motion from the floor. And all as always, when we motion from the floor, it's a two part process. So the motion from the floor is for the resolution to be Added to the agenda. Added to the agenda. Described by trustee Mars. Yes. Thank you, trustee. Call the room. Okay. Okay. Now Who who who would I'm sorry. Do the investigation? I know we talked about Ramon. My question would be, who else is there for as an outside entity with Ramon?
Ramon will communicate But so, in other words, if Ramon is picking that person, they're still still Ramon. I'm sorry, trustee Blunt. So I asked that attorney, Rivera and his firm Mhmm. Conduct an investigation. And if a third party is needed because he has a whole firm. With twenty one lawyers. With 21 lawyers. But if they need assistance, the resolution will also include whatever it is that he needs to help him resolve and come to a conclusion of what the issue is. And and this seems to be very objective. Very objective.
No partiality on anybody's side. But listen, you're putting words in Ramon's mouth. I'd like to hear what he has to say about it. No. No. I'm not putting anything in anybody's mouth. We are going to move with the resolution. Okay. I I understand what both of you were saying, but I think we should vote on the motion now so it it'll carry on to, the BA to be on the agenda next. Miss McKenzie. Miss McKenzie? Trustee Blunt? I'm sorry. Miss McKenzie Yes. Would you please clarify clarify exactly what we're voting on right now so we don't
have to do this three times? Yes. Thank you. You're voting on a motion to add to your agenda the resolution to appoint to my firm to conduct an investigation of the personnel slash HR department as described by trustee Morris and all the board members Yes. In terms of what you're looking for in that investigation. That's what you're doing now. It's two step process to add it and then to vote on it. Okay. Now please call me. Okay. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Mohammed. Yes. Trustee Patel.
Yes. Trustee Schneider. Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Trustee Morris? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Vice president Tisdale? Yes. President Velasquez? President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Okay. So it's been added to it's been added to the agenda, and now you should vote on it as it's been added. Okay. Motion and a second. Motion. Motion. Motion. Motion. It's Second. Discussion. Motion. Second. I No. He's calling. Any discussion? I see your mic open. What? Doctor Blunt? Oh.
I'm still not exactly clear where our current attorney would fit into this because our current attorney, is going to choose his own firm to investigate his own self because he's part of all this. No. No. He's not part of all of this, and and he's not choosing his firm. We are choosing him to bring some into the okay. We're okay. Motion motion I'm sorry? No. I just because I I don't want, trustee Blunt to be confused. Right? Is there permission to talk freely?
Absolutely. Is there a issue with, having Ramon's firm conduct investigation? No. I don't think that's the issue. Okay. And it's not a conflict of interest because we're not asking mister Putchnick, who is the administration's attorney. We're asking the board of trustees attorney to conduct the investigation. He works for the board of trustees. And to report directly back to the board, not to give any information to the superintendent or to anybody in the administration, but to speak directly to the board about what it is that has taken place.
Now, again excuse me, trusty, Mohammed. I'm not done. He just stated that there are 21 attorneys that he works with. We don't see him. We only see him. And sometimes we see, miss the lovely miss Madeline. Those are the only two that we work with on a regular basis. The rest of them have no dealings with anyone here. And if we were to get the administration, I'm sure the public doesn't want the firm who did the labor investigations to do the, investigation because I'm almost certain what we're going to get back from them,
and you're not gonna be happy with that. Not saying that the results are not gonna be the same, but independent, he works for us. Yeah. And I trust, mister Ramon. I I trust mister Vera and his firm, and he has sworn an oath to abide by the New Jersey state statute's laws. And I don't think that he would affect his license I I don't to do anything different. I don't think he's gonna compromise, his license. But, again, we it is our prerogative as a board as to who we choose, and we've chosen him. Yes.
Permission to address, trustee doctor Blount? Permission to address trustee doctor Blount? So they're asking for permission well, we're asking for permission to investigate the HR department. That's why the board is asking for, Ramon to do that investigation. It's not Rivera. But mister so it would be the HR department. Yes. Not us. So let's let's take the next vote, please, so that we can move on because we're already past the I'm sorry, mister doctor Blunt.
Go ahead, doctor Blunt. I understand. Yes. See, I I'm I'm beginning to resent. You're saying you don't know what you're thinking. I know what he's what you're asking him to do. Right. I just have a concern about it, and I should be able to voice that. Absolutely. You have that right. Yeah. But you keep everybody here keeps coming back like I don't know what I'm doing. I have a concern. I'm asking me to investigate me. Now I have a concern there. No no matter how you look at it, that's how I see it. That's that's how you see it, doctor Blunt. Blunt. Chair. We are asking to investigate the district. No.
I know. That was just an example I'm saying right here. Yeah. I understand. But I think we are we've belabored this. Let's move on with the next vote, please. Trustee Blunt. I know where I'm left. Mhmm. Alright. Yes. With trustee Mohammed. Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Reza Bala? Yes. Trustee Morris? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Vice president Tisdale? Yes. President Velasquez? Motion passed. Thank you. Okay. Now before we, break to go downstairs,
I'd like to hear a few words from our student representative. Do the chair? I'm sorry. I'm she's no but I do have a question about something doctor Fernandez said earlier that I didn't ask. Okay. Can can we have her Yes. Yes. I just wanted you to know I had a question. Okay. Please. Good evening, superintendent, doctor Fernandez, president Velasquez, vice president Tisdale, and all fellow trustees. As the student representative, I'd like to follow-up on a previous proposal along with bringing to your attention a new concern I received from parents and students.
The proposal I the proposal I introduced earlier this year was the creation of a centralized scholarship system for all Jersey City high schools. This system would help students find scholarships more easily by listing opportunities, deadlines, and requirements all in one place. As of right now, many students miss out on financial aid because they don't know what's available or where to look. A clear platform would make access fairer and help more of our students succeed after graduation. I'd like to ask if there's been any progress on this idea and if there's
a timeline or a team working on it. I'm happy to support the next steps in any way that I can. In addition to that, I would like to bring up a concern that has come to my attention through numerous individuals, and that is the school lunch. A parent has stated if board members were served this school lunch, they would choose not to eat it. The parent claims that her child often complains about how the food is undercooked or just genuinely unappealing. Multiple students have also reported that there are not that many choices for vegetarian foods. Meaning that if a child is allergic to whatever this vegetarian food happens to be,
they end up not eating at all that day. Students to have nutritious meals at schools and therefore hearing these concerns we must act. Now to be completely honest, I'm not knowledgeable of who's in charge of school lunches or who has control to alter it. Therefore, I voiced the concerns of these students and parents here with much hope that together we can find the solution. Thank you for your time and for continuing to listen to student voices. Thank you so much. Anyone has questions for the students? I actually do have a question Yes. Madam president.
So I've received some complaints as well regarding the school lunch. And my question would be to the superintendent. Is it possible for us to do a survey, throughout the district well, the schools that receive the lunch from the vendors to find out exactly what the the problem is, with the lunches? And then whoever it is that's in charge I know it falls under the finance committee, but I forget the woman's name who's in charge of it. Whatever those findings the surveys are, have her contact the vendor and find out why they're bringing,
what's what was described by, the junior trustee. Because, obviously, they're vendors, so they're being paid. So we need to figure out, like, what the issue is. Is there any way we can do a survey or, throughout the district who We certainly can conduct the survey, but keep in mind that federal that lunches have very strict federal guidelines as to what can be served in schools. We can't hire a chef or cook to like to cook what most young people like. So but,
nonetheless, we have some meals that are prepackaged because the schools don't have a stand alone cafeteria. And then there are others that are created in the cafeteria. Yeah. So that can definitely be done. Yeah. And so we may want to survey district wide to see if there's a difference between made in school versus avenger and then communicate are. So that's definitely, something that can be done and it will be She's answering your question,
hon. Well, madam superintendent, I appreciate that, and I just wanted to say, like, I understand that, but spoiled milk was never a violation. Be. But that was the complaint I received, spoiled milk, food that's obviously not edible, I'm assuming the one that's packaged. So, you know, the reason why I said a survey is because I don't want to I've never eaten it well other than Yes, you have. Yes. But anyway, what I'm saying is the package Not the most It's okay. Yeah. It's not but anyway, I'm talking about the vendor, the prepackaged lunches. Yes. Even though it's prepackaged,
sometimes when it's prepackaged, maybe it's set out or unbeknownst to the vendor. We just want them to to pay more attention to what they're doing. Absolutely. It relates to that area. Absolutely. Sometimes specific people feel bad discarding food because it's a shame that sometimes children don't eat it and it just goes to waste and they may put it to the side and then somebody else picks it up. There could be. But if there is a case where an individual, if something happens, I'm going to ask that those parents please contact that school principal directly so it
could be addressed at the source. And if there's something in the building that was overlooked, that sat there, let them know. We could they could also notify the food service department. But, you know, immediate attention at the school, that's, like, the first line of defense. And so we can look into the meals and try to make them as appealing as possible. But within the federal guidelines, you know, we can't serve certain types of milk and too much fat and the grains and
just, you know, the regulations. Through the chair? Yes. And you did have a question. Yes. I did have a question. But in terms of lunches, you know, I don't think that, it it's great that we're addressing it. Perhaps one of the things that we could do also is when selecting the vendors, probably include a student group who do the tastings, of the foods or whatever. The prepackaged food sometimes, you know, they go into these heating systems, and sometimes, I guess, when they're putting them in there, depending on where they are in the thing, some of them may not get heated properly, which is just simple human error.
I don't think it's done intentionally or anything along those lines. But, I definitely would say let's try to include students on the selection committee when we're choosing a vendor. My question had to do with the audit relative to special ed. You may comment that in November, the initial part of it will be presented. And then in late spring, the second part, my why is the second part being presented in late spring? Because of the complexity of collecting data. This involved non public school schools that don't fall under the district.
So collecting that data from those individual sites and vendors takes a long time. And so when you say collecting the data from the individual sites and and vendors that in the non public schools, that would be all the schools that we service who are not part of Jersey City Public Schools. So a parochial school, maybe a private school, charter schools are not in that umbrella. No. Not charters. So I I'm just trying to clarify for the public because we asked this question last month in terms of a timeline for providing the information relative to the special
education audit. So you gave information relative to November for the general overview In house. Yes. In house. And so in the spring, once the additional material has been collected, then the other piece of it will be revealed. Yes. Thank you. You're welcome. Through the chair? I'm sorry. I just had a follow-up, like, statement. You mentioned that there was two different, I guess, like food sources, creation and then the packaged foods. I just wanted to put it out there that majority of the concerns were from the created food.
The parents often blame, like, the staff that are cooking, but I still feel that it's very necessary that we do a survey just because we cannot take, you know, the information from one parent and just, you know Correct. Thank you. And we'll definitely, send a survey out to okay? Thank you so much. Trustee Rosabella, you had a question. Through the chair? Yes. She brought up the scholarships, which I thought was really great. Would it be possible to have our work based learning coordinators disseminate information as it pertains to So,
scholarships, I really, facilitated many many times through school counselors. So it it has to go through that as well as the work base, but school counselors. It's something that's more complex. Originally, you had thought of, independent website, and so there were, security concerns with students accessing information that was out there and putting their private information on websites that may not be protected as it is.
You read across the nation, there are data breaches. It's very common. So we don't wanna expose our children and their information to those things, but it is something that we will be working on to, provide maybe, a central residual for all the which is an excellent, excellent idea. And then my last question is, the election day. Have we figured that out? Because my child is in school. I'm a little concerned about that. Schools will be open on election day. Will we have people there to assist with We will have schools will be staffed.
Schools will be staffed. Other purse I we don't have to get into the But I But this is Schools will be open and in session. Okay? We will we'll have the conversation personnel items in executive session. Okay? Okay. Thank you. To the chair. I'm sorry. With regards to election day, doctor Fernandez, those, those polling places that may be in the schools, how would they be? They will be manned separately. We will have additional security on those days, and students will not be using. In many of the schools,
it's the gym that is used or, so students won't be using that part of the building. But the consensus of the committee when it was built was to allow students to attend more consistently in November because one day in, one day out, one day in, it just so we'll have three days and then the holidays are clumped together. So this way, promote more regular attendance, especially at the beginning of the school year when children have just gotten acclimated back
to school. So there will be additional staff on hand for those issues. To the chair? Yes. I just wanted well, I was gonna make a comment on what the student said, but I we don't went into polling and all of that. So I just wanted to make a correction to the Hib reports. It's five five founded, five unfounded, and four inconclusive. I will make a correction to my report. Thank you. Through the chair. Yes. May I just do also a quick follow-up to what Martina brought up in terms of scholarships. When, and this is coming from my experience as a parent of someone who's just went
to college, once the seniors begin, the application process through the centralized platform and they will be guided towards it through the by their counselors and their teachers, There is a section on I wanna say college board, but it may be a different platform that I'm thinking of. But whatever our district is using and our students are using common app. There you go. On common app, there is a section with hundreds of scholarships that are alphabetized, categorized, and include application deadlines. And they are applicable to a numerous situations that a students may have.
And they range from $300 to $3,000, $5,000, so on and so forth. So that's something that children will have access to. But I also think that for the localized scholarships like the community provides that I guess is more what Doctor. Fernandez was saying. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. If there are no more questions, thank you so much for your report. Oh, you have another question? Okay. I'm sorry. It's more of a statement rather than a question. I am aware that also on college board, there's scholarships that they offer,
but that's the problem. The fact that there are scholarships out there, but the students don't know. So I feel like, yes, there are scholarships, but our school counselors have to, you know, make an effort to let the students know. So, if you can please, you know, bring that forth. Thank you. Doctor Fernandez will address that. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Thank you very much. Okay. We have we've come to the moment where we need to move to executive session. So, we will have an hour and a half,
ninety minutes, ninety minutes. We'll use it if we have to, and we won't if we don't. Okay. And promotion? Motion. Second? Second. All in favor? Aye. Pursuing to the open public meetings act, NJSA 10 colon four dash 12, the Jersey City Board of Education will now be going into closed session for the purpose of discussing matters where confidentiality is essential. In particular, one or more of the following, to protect the confidentiality of individual privacy rights. We have not dismissed the of individual privacy rights. We have not dismissed. She's still reading.
That's rude. That's rude. That's rude. A matter involving the lease or acquisition of property or pending or anticipated litigation. The matters discussed in this closed session can be made public at that time that the need for confidentiality no longer exists. It is now 08:50. 10:20. We should. Be 10:20. Thank you very much. All in favor, let's close. Miss McKenzie, Just look at us and call our names. What happened? She lost her time. No. One oh, the district?
That's okay. We'll move ahead without them. Miss McKenzie, yes. In the absence of the district, we will move on without them. Okay. Trustee Blunt. They should be here. Trustee Ioffe. Here. Trustee Morris. No. Trustee Mohammed. Stop. Trustee Patel. Present. Trustee Reza Bella. Present. Trustee Schneider? Present. Vice president Tisdale and president Velasquez? Present. We have quorum. Thank you. Let's move on with the agenda and I'm going to take a motion
for adoption of the minutes. Any discussion? Let's move on. No. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Visabella? Yes. Trustee Morris? Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. And president Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Thank you. Next, the aids, education, curriculum, and instruction, eight point zero one two eight point two six. Motion. Second. Motion. Second. Second. Call call the vote, please. You ready? Yes. Trustee Patel?
Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Visabella? Yes. Trustee Morris? Yes. Trustee Iofe? Yes. Vice President Tisdale? I'm sorry. When am I voting on? On your report. The curriculum. Oh, so I will say that, I I was probably supposed to say this earlier. '8 zero one was not included in my report, but that was, I got to the meeting a little late when, I had already spoken. Yes. Yeah. And the supervisor, Cuccinella, was presenting. So, I support that definitely. The answer is yes, miss McKenzie. And president Velasquez?
That's a yes for me. Motion passed. We we didn't get a vote from, miss Mohammed Miss For the curriculum, miss Mohammed? Yes. Yes. Most of them asked. Okay. Thank you. Special education, that's nine point o one. No submission. Okay. Finance, 10 o. Second. It's to, through the chair. I for for on the finance, I would, request just a little commentary. I think one of the, speakers from the public asked about the school lunch contracts and what happened there.
So if the district, Which one? Yes. What number That would be 10, 10.15. If we just comment on that. We motion and we second. Go ahead. Oh, I I'm asking for just a little clarification on ten point fifteen, just because of the question from the member of the public why we were sending the, school lunch contract. Okay. Doctor Luce? Yes. Thank you. So for ten point fifteen, we are rescinding the the award of the contract that is for the pre plated meal. It was awarded to the award was given in the previous month to Whitsons.
What has occurred is we realized that the bid when it went out had an incorrect price on it. So that's why we are rescinding it. And you will see in the as in 10/2016 that we're going to approve the extension for Whitsons for six months because we've already put it back out to bid with the correct pricing. So we didn't wanna move ahead with an incorrect pricing. Thank you. We're gonna move ahead with the incorrect pricing? No. No. That's why we are rescinding it.
Oh, okay. And the so 10.16, we're giving the current Okay. With SINs an extension for six months because we need to continue to feed the students. Exactly. Okay. Thank you. Call the vote, please. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Visabella? Yes. Trustee Morris? We're at the tens. Correct? Tens. Yes. So yes. With the exception of ten point sixteen, I'm gonna vote no. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Vice president Tizio?
And I abstain on ten o three and four. Yes to the rest. And president Velasquez? Yes. That's just Facilities 11 0 one to 11 o seven. Motion. Motion by Second. Thank you. Second. Discussion. Just, comment. I would recommend if there's questions, especially on, like, ten or eleven point o three, there's a lot of discussion in the workshop there's no reason to revisit it here. But if there's questions on that I would highly recommend people watch the earlier comments
on that section. Thank you. Any other comment? Call the vote, please. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? I'm gonna vote yes on everything except for eleven point o two. That's no. And then eleven point o five. That's a no. Trustee Morris? Yes. Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Vice president Tisdale? Yes. And president Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Thank you. Personnel, 12.01
to 12.14. Motion. Motion. Second. I don't have a question. I have a comment. So I'm just gonna say, you know, I think after coming from downstairs and then having a small conversation in the hall just a second ago, I do wanna point out that, mister Rivera takes a lot of hits as the HR director, but he is responsible for processing all of the recommendations of all of the departments throughout the district, much of which don't come directly from him. And so I don't want you to think that when we're questioning,
well, me specifically, that I'm attacking you. I'm not. It has everything to do with the process and what we do as a district as a whole. So I do wanna point that out that he is not making individual recommendations for departments across the district. He is receiving recommendations from principals and this one and that one and so on and so forth. And all he does is is process the information. So I did wanna say that for the record. I don't know if it helps or if it clarifies for anyone. Probably not. But I I did wanna put that out there. Thank you for that clarification.
I think it was much needed. So But Yes. I don't understand. What we're we're talking okay. Never mind. Go ahead. No comment. No comment. No comment. Okay. Trustee Morris, please call the vote. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? So yes on 12.01 through twelve point ten. Yes on twelve point eleven, for +1, 23456. Let's see. Under the under the maintenance department,
no on 4. So yes on everything, except for the maintenance department, no on 4. And then yes on, +1 through twelve point fourteen. Okay. Trustee Visabella? If it makes it easier, it's the same just that that four. And, trustee Morris? So I'm gonna vote yes, 12 o one through, with the exception of I'm I'm gonna vote no 12.11. But yes on the rest. Okay. Trustee Iofe. Yes. Vice president Tisdale. So 12.1 well, twelve eleven,
number four, because of the language in the contract, I have to vote no. And for the rest, I'll vote yes. And president Velasquez? Yes for all. 13. They passed. Motion passed. Okay. 13, point o one and thirteen point zero two. Motion. Motion. Thank you. Second. Thank you. Discussion? None. Call the vote, please. Trustee Blunt? Yes. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Yes. Trustee Ioffe? Yes. Vice president Tisdale?
Yes. President Velasquez? Yes. Motion passed. Thank you. Policy 14 o one, fourteen point o two. Motion. Second. Discussion? Call the vote, please. Trustee Blunt? Trustee Mohammed? Okay. Are you, yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. It's my turn? Yes. No. Okay. On all. Go ahead. Next. Trustee Iofe. Yes. Vice president Tisdale. No to policy changing, out on fourteen o one wherever we have to do second meeting.
That's an absolute no. But I can go for yes for the rest. So two meetings, whatever first reading policy, that's a double no. Make it a triple no. To the chair, I've I wanted to clarify that I did not want the, second meeting either. So do we it I didn't hear the was there discussion on fourteen o one? No. No. Okay. I didn't hear a a discussion question asked because I'm not agreeing to the two meetings. K. We don't have to go through discussion, but you can't. You have a right to change your vote.
So you're changing your vote. Yes. Done deal. So it says no for the for that. Okay. What's the current tally for the policy? Let me vote. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm a yes. Now give him What's the tally, please? I have, two three no's on 14 o one and everybody else. Yes. Is that accurate? No one wants to change it else? Okay. Well, no. Someone just changed their vote. Wow. Okay. Be careful now. What is it? 15. I'm sorry. 15. I'm sorry. 15. Motion. Motion. I just motioned.
Second. Thank you. Discussion? Call the vote. Trustee Blunt? 15. Trustee Mohammed? Yes. Trustee Patel? Yes. Trustee Schneider? Yes. No. Trustee Rosabella? Yes. Trustee Morris. Yes. Trustee Iofe. Yes. Vice president Tisdale. Yes. President Velasquez. Motion passed. Thank you. Before I ask for, before I ask for a motion to adjourn, I you anyone has a question? Anyone want has a comment, concern?
Yes. Madam president? Yes, sir. I just wanted to, basically, before we end, I wanted to take, time to reflect on an op ad, that was, written in, one of the, I think it was the Hudson View. It was a it was a a disparaging op ed that was written by, one of the mayoral candidates, towards the board of education. And, governor McGreevey former governor McGreevey wrote in his op ed that, the board of education has poor leadership and that, the decisions that we or this administration has has made has,
caused a problem, to a lot of, situations that are occurring right now. For some strange reason, and this is what I don't understand, for some strange reason, these mayoral candidates seem to think that they have some type of control over the board of education because they are using the board of education and the vulnerabilities that we that we have made public against us in their campaign, initiative. For the record, and I have made this clear several times, this board, these trustees is the governing body over the board of education. The mayor's office,
the senator's office, all of these other elected officials have absolutely no decision making, powers over the board of education. We hired our superintendent. We rehired our superintendent. And we gave her a raise so that she might be able to run this district. I'm tired of these mayoral candidates making these disparaging comments about the board of education and what direction we're moving in. And then they and then he has the audacity to say that we have poor leadership. And that's interesting to me that he says that we have poor leadership because he
is the orchestrator of poor leadership. As a matter of fact, it is because of his education tax that we are in the situation that we're in right now. During his administration as governor, he said, and I quote, that he is resigning from his office because he is a gay American. As if being part of the LGBTQ plus community is a violation of the governor's office. When in fact, the real reason why he resigned was because he was about to be prosecuted for sexual harassment charges because he placed his boyfriend as the advisor over homeland security.
I don't understand why people who live in glass houses continue to throw rocks when they know that they have absolutely no bearing. While facing this harassment lawsuit, he resigned in 2004 from his office. Then he says then after he left there, he goes to the church and goes and studied the priesthood. They didn't want him to kick them out. And then he goes on national television and says, I will never run for office again because it's not healthy. But then he announces that he's running for mayor,
of Jersey City. And I'm not doing this because I have selected who my mayor or candidate, because I believe in the democracy that we have and everybody has the right to run. But when you start targeting an entity that you were the cause to lose certain funding when you were governor, when you choose an entity to criticize, when you took a bond out in your second term in your second year and we're still paying right now over $2,000,000 a year because of your mistake for a bond to to staff your your your
administration. And then you put an unqualified person over the homeland security where he was making a $110,000 a year with no experience at all, and you call that exemplary leadership? So I think, sir, that, you know and I didn't have time to respond to the op ed because, you know, there was a whole bunch of other things going on. But then you talk about the corruption in the board of education. He talks about the corruption in the board of education. And it's it's mind boggling to me that he would bring up corruption
in in the board of education when his entire campaign for the governor's race was corrupted. And it is important for us to realize this, that you cannot preach corruption when you are part of corruption. The only reason why he's not in jail right now is because or or had to go to jail is because of the, his his his resigning. So I'm sick and tired of of of we we spend times, a lot of time, going over these agenda items, going to committee, having a conversation to make sure that we do what is right for our scholars
and our employees. And so and and and and we may not always get it right. But at the end of the day, we we we try to do what we think is best for the district. And to have somebody who was an outside entity who knows who knows absolutely nothing about what's going on, basically, you know, assuming what's going on is a little disheartening. Especially because I volunteer my time here every single, month and put time in and then you come and say that we have poor leadership. So I just needed to address that op ed because it really bothered me because he's not really trying to get an understanding of what our disparities are.
He's making things up and he thinks for some reason that he's gonna get the upper hand. But just for the record, the board of education is ran by the board of trustees that has empowered the superintendent to lead and there is no mayor that is going to be able to control this board at all. Thank you. Thank you very much. Did you have a question? Yes. Just one question, madam president. Thank you, trustee Morris. I just was wondering, and forgive me for my facetiousness. What didn't we get around to discussing this evening? Is there anything that's lingering?
Do you have a birthday or something like that? I don't have a birthday or anything along those lines. I think that miss Natalia caught on. She smirked. She knows why I'm asking this question. No. No. It's no one's birthday. I'm just wondering what the need for a second meeting is for. But that that's it. I'll ask my question again next month. Thank you. Well, thank you. But going back to your, to the app that you were talking about Yes.
Yeah. I want I just wanna keep it in focus. None actually, the the the, candidates that are attacking, the Board of Education were not around when the Board of Education was taken over. And it was taken over for the very reason that they won. They want to control this board. They want to control this system. They want to control the largest employer in the city. Okay? They do not realize that it's because of that that we were taking over.
And, we will stand strong. Thank you so much for bringing that up. We will stand strong, and we hope that they start focusing on housing, safety, and the payroll tax that they owe us. Thank you very much. Now I'll have a motion. Motion. Second. I got some notes. All in favor. All in favor. Alright. Meeting's closed.