WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=deHCKAYuQv0

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: deHCKAYuQv0):
- 00:00:44: Meeting Commencement: Roll Call, Pledge, and Agenda Approval
- 00:06:46: Luca's Presentation: K-12 School Highlights and Achievements
- 00:11:05: Superintendent's Update: District Events, Security, Tuition
- 00:19:47: HSA Presentation: Unifying Kinnelon's School Organizations
- 00:25:25: Kiel School Awards: Kenny's Koala Kindness Recognition
- 00:36:41: Stony Brook Awards: Continental Math League Achievements
- 00:46:13: Retiree Recognition: Honoring Years of Dedicated Service
- 01:10:07: Teacher and Specialist of the Year Awards
- 01:31:33: Meeting Resumes: Committee Reports and Open Discussion
- 01:37:42: Finance Committee Report: Budget, Repairs, and Healthcare
- 01:45:59: Personnel, Education, and Policy Committee Updates
- 01:50:15: Delegate Reports, Agenda Vote, and Executive Session


Part: 1

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Hey, test one, two. Two, two, two, two, two. >> Mhm. >> We're going to go ahead and get started. Really excited for this evening to recognize our K through 5 students. Um so we're going to get started with our meeting. This is the Kinnelon Board

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of Education regular meeting for May 19th 2026. The New Jersey Open Public Meeting Law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In

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accordance with the provision of the act, the Kinnelon Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published in the Suburban Trends on December 28th, 2025, posted in the Kinnelon Public Library, filed with the bureau clerk, and posted on the district website.

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Kayla, will you call the board, please? Mr. Eisenmeier? Here. Mrs. Geiser? Here. Mr. Myers? Here. Mrs. Perella? Here. Mrs. Donaldson? Here. There is no closed session at this time. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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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. I thank you.

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Routine matters, we have approval of the minutes for the April 28th, 2026 public hearing, regular minutes, and the executive session. Can I have a motion to approve? Motion. Second. Okay, any discussion on the minutes?

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No? Okay. Can you call the board, please? Yes. Mr. Eisenmayer? Yes. Mrs. Geiser? Yes. Mr. Myers? >> Yes. Mrs. Perella? Yes. Mrs. Donaldson? >> Yes. Thank you. Luca. At Kil School, we would like to begin by thanking all the parents who donated

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during Teacher Appreciation Week, as well as Mrs. DeWall and Mrs. Reimarus for bringing the Mary Poppins theme to life in such a memorable way. Our preschool students recently enjoyed a wonderful field trip to Brook Hollow's Barnyard, and our Kil School art show filled the hallways with beautiful student artwork as families joined us to

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celebrate our young artists. Thank you to Mrs. Santagado for all of her hard work in making the event possible. Our second graders and their families also enjoyed the Paint with Someone Special event. Thanks to Keisha for organizing such a meaningful evening. Looking ahead, we're excited for the

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upcoming Kil School spring concerts from May 27th uh through June 1st, our second grade move-up day visit to Stony Brook on June 4th, and field day on June 5th. Thank you to all the volunteers who will help make these events successful.

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At Stony Brook, our students and staff have enjoyed an exciting and a successful month. We extend our sincere appreciation to the KEA and Keisha for celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with two wonderful luncheons for our faculty and staff. Our annual art show on May 11th

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showcased the incredible creativity of our students, and we thank Mrs. Scully for organizing such an outstanding display. The spring choir concert, featuring music by The Beatles, was another tremendous success, and we congratulate Mrs. Selling and our talented student performers on a fantastic evening.

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We are also proud of our fourth grade goal students who presented their cases at the New Jersey Law Center and earned recognition as one of the top 12 teams in the state, winning with two entries. In addition, congratulations to the students selected to present their "What Memorial Day Means to Me" essays and

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poems at Cedar Crest. We are proud of all the students who participated in the contest. We look forward to the Student Council trip to Borough Hall on May 20th and Stony Brook Field Day on May 22nd. We wish all our students, staff, and families a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.

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At Pearl R. Miller Middle School, students and staff recently enjoyed a successful field day filled filled with great weather, friendly competition, and school spirit. We thank the PRM HSA for generously providing Dairy Queen treats and ice pops for all students, as well as the Outback lunch that helped make

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the day so special. Congratulations to the eighth grade class for winning this year's Gold Cup. We are also proud of the students who participated in the PRM Science Research Fair, where 36 young researchers presented impressive projects on topics ranging from environmental science to

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sports physiology. In music, seven sixth grade band students represented PRM and the Kinnelon Music Department at the New Jersey Elementary Honor Band Concert at Mount Olive Middle School, demonstrating exceptional talent and professionalism. Finally, congratulations to the cast and

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crew of Beauty and the Beast Jr. for two outstanding performances and for sharing their hard work and talent with our school community. At Kinnelon High School, our students continue to excel in academics, the arts, athletics, and leadership. We recently enjoyed another outstanding instrumental music concert, and we

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congratulate Mr. Stroud on receiving a prestigious service award from the North Jersey School Music Association. Congratulations as well to Raina Fitterman and Savannah Mango for being selected to the 2026-27 New Jersey All-State High School Chorus. We are proud of Samantha Gallarosa,

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Erica Wang, and Ava Gutkin for also having their writing selected for publication through the National English Honor Society. And we especially congratulate Ava Gutkin for being named one of only 10 New Jersey student journalism All-Stars by the Garden State Scholastic Press Association.

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In science, Samuel Baldino earned fourth place individually at the New Jersey Science League competition in physics, while in business, Joshua Fine was recognized as the KHS Colts Investment Club Trader of the Month for both March and April. In athletics, congratulations to Braden

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Jones for being nominated by nj.com as one of the top freshman baseball players, Brandon Nigro for recording his 100th career strikeout, Madison Gigante for scoring her 200th career lacrosse point, and Caden Lombardo and Kelly Donaldson for receiving the 2026 Morris County Scholar Athlete Award.

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Finally, we congratulate the class of 2026 on their college and post-graduation commitments, and look forward to celebrating them during the many exciting events leading up to the commencement on June 12th. Thanks, Luca. That was a lot. Our students are doing really well.

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Um okay, superintendent's update. Thank you, Mrs. President. Welcome, everybody. Thank you, Luca. Okay, so welcome tonight. Um these are the meetings that I love the most. This is what school is about, and if you're like me and a little north of 50, and you remember

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the actor Nick Nolte in the movie Teachers, at the end he has a line, you know, "School was built for the kids." This is what it's about. So, to our students and to our families, fantastic work, fantastic job. For our parents, I know it's not easy. Your children are a reflection of you and your hard work. So, their awards and recognition here

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tonight are as much yours as it is theirs. So, thank you very much. Um for Luca, you know, for his presentation uh and what he shared as to what happens here district-wide and ultimately culminating here in the high school,

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look no further. If you ever have any questions, and parents, I'm speaking to you directly, anything, anything at all, call me, find me. I'm always here. Mrs. McLaughlin, who's to my left, she knows that much. So, uh I'm easy to find, you could always ask me because again,

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what I'm going to share next in my my one slide and updates, because you should know as parents and taxpayers, isn't nearly as as fun as Luca's. Um but before I do that, uh with Memorial Day here, um and I don't know how many of you here in the crowd actually are servicemen or

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women or former servicemen and women or have family that were. I know that lots of family members on both sides of mine were. And with the Memorial holiday, for a lot of folks, sometimes the reality of the sacrifice that our armed forces go through uh might get lost. I don't think

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so in our community, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say if you know a serviceman or woman or woman, please thank them. Thank them for their service because without it, um we wouldn't be here to have these great freedoms that we have. Um understand their plight as best you can. I know that my some of my

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family members went through a rough time coming home after certain engagements overseas. Um so, it's not easy. Um but we certainly need their support and they need ours. So, um just again, if you know somebody, thank them, give them a hug, give them a handshake. And if you have an opportunity, I know the town

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here does a really nice job on Monday in the morning uh for a service and a an honorable memorial. So, um I just wanted to say that and share that out here. Moving on to some district business. So, just a few updates you may or may not have heard

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that the Department of Ed did a walk-through unannounced at PRM last Wednesday with Mr. Shivison I, Mr. Suda, and Mrs. Josefidis, and Mr. Kerwin, our Class 3 officer. The essence of the meeting and the walk-through is essentially it's a I got you.

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They want to see how well we're doing or not and make their recommendations which I'm always in favor of. I like to hear that. I like the fact that they quizzed us on site and I'd like you to know that it was a positive interaction. They were here for about an hour and a half. We

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did receive some suggestions only suggestions for and recommendations for improvement if we choose or not to implement them, but Mr. Shivison I and the board and our Class 3 officers and chief will discuss that, but overall a good interaction and engagement and as

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parents with your children, you need to know that these things do happen and do occur. We take security very seriously. I know I do, always have, and so we had that on the 13th. This Thursday afternoon, Mrs. Donaldson and I, the finance committee, and our athletic

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office has a meeting with a joint committee of the town and the rec department to discuss the possible multi-purpose joint field, multi-purpose athletic joint field with the town. So, it's the first step. It's just a

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discussion. Obviously, there's a lot to be laid out and to work through. I have a lot of experience with turf fields, not here in Kinnelon, but in my prior district, so I understand the inner workings and the makings. Nobody on our board some years back had anything to do with that. It was a

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donation, and so for the town, we could all kind of work together. It's our hope that maybe we could work something through and uh to move things forward for that field and essentially Kinnelon Road, at least in my view, would become like that point in town. If

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that happens, we'll see. I don't know, but uh I thought I'd share it with you that this is out there and these conversations are happening. Uh on the board agenda tonight uh under the D section on policy is a non-resident tuition policy for the NDA 26-27 application and approval of rate

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for non-resident students. So, uh during the COVID years, uh even before the COVID years, I I was a resident here and I heard and listened and watched like many of you. Um And I heard quite a bit about non-resident students and how about tuition rates and

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I know so and so and there's other towns. Well, now you fast forward 5, 6, 7 years and look around at some other towns in our area alone. And then think about the rates that some of our own community members or maybe friends or family you have in other districts might

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be willing to pay. You just heard our student representative talk about all the wild and great, fantastic accomplishments that happen right here every day, which is also why my family relocated here in 2017, for the schools. I was fine where we lived. It was school. One reason why we're here.

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So um I don't know, the board has to vote. Once it goes public, it assuming that it passes in the majority, this will be live. So, if you know anybody, Jefferson losing sports, West Milford, Butler, down the hill, Pompton Lakes, I don't care where they are, where they're

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from. If they're in good standing, they have to follow the process. So long as they could pay the tuition, they're welcome here. Uh there'll be separate rates, K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Um but I wanted to share that with you and it is on the agenda tonight for approval. Under some summer projects, we discussed

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it in the CAC committee meeting. You may have heard some of that as you walk through the door. Uh we have our culinary arts room that will be uh that demolition starts June 15th. We have our art room relocation and the art room storage, which is right outside this room. That starts June 15th. We have the

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bathroom renovations by the cafeteria. That starts June 15th. The auditorium lighting and electrical upgrades right in here. We're looking at an October start date. It's a long lookout as far as approval and process. So that's why we're looking October. The outdoor patio

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we're hopeful for August, but it may fall into September on off hours of school as an extension for learning space as well as the cafeterias. The Spiro field paving walkways and the flagpole that'll happen over the summer. The new cafeteria here in the high

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school, the AC install and PRM first floor, which would mean PRM that is totally air conditioned in this this school year. We're looking the end of May, early June. We're just waiting for those quotes. So it's that time of year. It's a busy time. And then we have paving at

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Kiel and PRM over the summer. So quite a bit happening in improvement-wise. We do have a ECIP program with PSE&G that we're waiting on. That would be a 60/40 split for the board and our tax dollar on boilers because we desperately need

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boilers at PRM. Any kind of air conditioning, LED lighting, all of those upgrades. So we're holding out. If something falls through with the town as far as the field and that doesn't work, then we are going to pivot and move in a different direction with those finances. So rest assured, a lot of information will be

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coming forth over the fall and early winter. So those are the district updates. I know that's what not why everybody's here. Some dates to remember. This Thursday, Mrs. Trombetta's office, the director of curriculum will put out in a highlight

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format in Smalls, a try forum, all the academic updates that you you know, you can look to K-12. May 22nd on Friday, our principals are sending out their information as it pertains to to buildings. June 9th in this very room, we have Stony Brook School, Mrs. Utell, the

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fifth grade commencement ceremony, followed by the board meeting here with 612 student recognition. So, a lot. June 11th, the PRM moving up ceremony at the high school field for the first time in the afternoon. And then, June 12th is our last day and the commencement

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ceremony kicks off at 10:00 on our field. So, a lot happening. It'll be a sprint. Um Congratulations again. And before I call up Mr. Ottens and Mrs. McLaughlin from the HSA, they have a few words before we get to student recognition. I'm going to

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tell you this, the first big um fundraiser of the HSA next year, and they're going to work with us on this one, is a wrestling event in our high school on Sunday, September 27th. I'm going to encourage you all to come on out, have a good time. The last time

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that this wrestling promotion, ISPW, were here, that was the end of March of last year, of 2025. If you've seen the video, I know it's a little bootleg. Uh yes, that's Mr. Suta and I in the ring taking on PRM's Mr. Cantella and one of

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ISPW's wrestlers, Evil Kip. We do have a return match with a bunch of other fun-filled things for that afternoon. I promise you you won't be bored, so you could support the HSA and come on out if you can on September 27th. So, more information about that is coming your way. So, at

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this time, I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Ottens and Mrs. McLaughlin from the HSA. Come on up, floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Everybody, I'm Brian Ottens and this is Jamie McLaughlin. For those of you guys who don't know us, I think I know a lot of people in this room, but I'm the

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current president of Kisha. Jamie is the current president of the PRM HSA. Um before we go into this, I think it's important to to just give a little bit of a structure of how how this this works and a lot of people don't know but there's three independent organizations

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that are each governed by a board of directors that work hard to raise money to basically supplement the funding that's traditional in schooling to enhance the experience of every single student in the school district. Um historically there's one for high school

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there's one for the middle school and there there's one that serves the elementary schools. Um it's my third year. How how long have you been doing this? Very long time. A very long time. We've we've noticed a lot of issues that that come about um

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in running three independent operations. Uh it's it's a little bit confusing to the town uh for parents that might have students in different schools. I I know for myself like it's an argument in the morning. Hey, did you order Chick-fil-A? I I thought I ordered Chick-fil-A. I Well, I ordered on this Chick-fil-A. Anyway.

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Our goal is to basically combine these three organizations into one. We all met. We independently voted and we decided to move forward with merging all three HSAs into one HSA. Um and what that's what's that what is what

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that's aimed to do is streamline things. There's a lot of redundancies. There's a lot of fees and things that we're paying three three x where we could just combine into one. Uh we can have one membership toolkit. So, I think the communication out to the general community and the parents is

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going to be way better moving forward. Um and ultimately the goal is to raise more money and to put it in all the right places for the students. So, do you want to say a couple things? You're so good at this. So, I'm going to just put you on the spot.

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Um in general I think in addition to what Brian said, one of the other things that I think is going to be really helpful is streamlining volunteers. So, you now have one single board where it used to I think it was like 16 or 17 people between the three

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organizations. We've got it now down to 12. Um really at the school level, you're not going to see a significant change. Every program that has ever been there is still going to be there. It's more the management of the funds, the management of the expenses, and the

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organization of the volunteers that's shifting. That's pretty much what I'll add to that. Yep. Awesome. And we're at we're at time where I think we've got some some very capable people that have volunteered their time, and I think that we're at the right moment in time to make this change. So, I'm a super excited.

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The most important thing is that everybody here gets involved. Right now, it really falls to some very passionate parents that are volunteering and spending their time, spending their money, donating, doing all this stuff. But when we throw these events, we're

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going to have some amazing town events. Uh we talked about the wrestling event. That's that's going to kick it off. But uh we're going to have a a giant town gala instead of the individual tricky trays next year. We're going to have one big town event. So, bring everybody. Bring your families. Invite your friends

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and and get active and be part of this because without you, we can't do this. And now, we're going to be I think we're taking three independent organizations and streamlining it to one, but I don't want that to dilute or to change everybody's

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participation and the money that we raise. So, I we just need everybody to really get involved. We're available. If anybody has any questions, there's a lot of moving parts to something like this. But I think that we're all in good hands, and we're uh we're going to make some great changes for next year. So,

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thank you all. >> [applause] >> I would like to thank uh Jamie and Brian for all the hard work, and Chris Ives with the high school. They spent a lot of time going through all this and trying to streamline this and rewrite policy and collapse everything to save money for and

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actually put that money back to the kids instead of running three separate organizations. They've done a lot of work. So, thank you guys very much for all you've done. I really appreciate it. >> [applause] >> Okay, so at this point, we're going to handle our student recognition K5. It'll start with Kiel School. So, I'm going to

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ask Mr. Mongon, principal, to come on up. Mrs. Tedros, come on up. And uh we'll handle it from there and that'll follow with Mrs. Utell and Stony Brook. Hello everyone. It's really nice to see how many people came out and this is I'm

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so glad to see you all because what we're honoring here today, uh the winners of the Kenny's Kiel Koala Kindness or 4K Award really deserves a tremendous amount of recognition. These are the students who serve as role models. These are the students who are

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kind in their interactions every day. The students that really show us what it means not only to be a great student, but to be a great person, which is really the most important thing. It's a tremendous reflection of themselves and also uh of their families as well. So, uh we

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are so pleased to share this with all of you and uh we're going to acknowledge them one grade level at a time. So, uh what I will do is as I call the students' names, I'm going to ask them to come down here um to get their certificate and then we're going to have them line up in front along here and

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take a picture. Again, we'll do that one grade level at a time. So, with that said, we're going to begin with kindergarten. Congratulations to our kindergarten 4K Award winners. Brielle Argerio, please come down. Amelia Braden Kaylee Feliciano.

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Ashton Goldworm. Aubrey Holtzer. Hannah Lance. Eliana Lurkausky. Elliot Prince. Zachary Volpe. And Nicolette Zaffarese. Hey parents, we also have a banner in the hallway, so once your children come back, if you'd like to take a banner a

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picture in front of the banner in the hallway, you're also welcome to as well. And now it's to honor our first grade group. As you can see, we have a a large group of students here. Congratulations to our first grade 4K award winners.

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Kingston Avitria Avery Curiatto AJ De Leon Remy Geiser >> [applause] >> Morgan Hahn Kenzie Rohrbach Giovanni Jimenez Charlotte Kent Christian Klobach

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Brady Kwiatkowski Giana Lamastro Matthew Melko Gracelyn Miola Elena Miller May Mukhtarov Griffin Nagy Callie Nelson >> Sophia Nopachai Madison Ottens

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Michaela Partridge Kiara Patel Hunter Ressa Calliger Cisco and Brielle Woods I think we might need the panorama setting for this. >> And now our second grade 4K award winners.

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Congratulations to Kaya Boswell. Addy Churdo. Peyton DeCarlo. Isadora Drozd. Ava Geiser. Shea Grasso. Langley Hawk. Theodore Jasinski. Michaela Leidigh. Gabriella Muniz.

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Searsha O'Connor. Nina Prince. Jed Stewart. Catherine Stover Grayson Urban Holden Urban Anastasia Wooden Stella Wysocki and Nora Zlakowski Congratulations to all of our 4K award

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winners and thank you for helping to make Heel School the wonderful place that it is. Okay. At this time, I would like to welcome up Mrs. Utell and again Mrs. Tadros for the Continental Math League Awards. I'll just give a quick second for the families that need to go take pictures

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so that we can honor our wonderful Stony Brook students. We are very fortunate uh to be able to provide enrichment opportunities in math for both Kiel and Stony Brook school. This enrichment is achieved not only as

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differentiation in the classrooms, but for additional opportunities outside the regular classroom. At both Kiel and Stony Brook, students were able to join before school enrichment programs and these groups interacted with mathematical concepts in team building and project-based learning. At Kiel,

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this was led by Mrs. Lofredo and Miss Murley. And additionally, at Stony Brook, we're able to provide two different math contests. The first one we will talk about is Continental Math League. Here, students were invited to participate if they loved math and wanted to expand

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their mathematical thinking. They met before school to practice different complex mathematical multi-step problems. They were led by Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Giuliano, Miss Zogheb, and Miss Tenant. Then they took a series of tests over the school year. I was fortunate enough

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to administer those tests and watch these amazing students work. Here are the results after the entire year of contests. So, we're going to start with third grade. We're going to start with fifth place. Mrs. Nutall is going to read the names.

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So, in third grade, if we could please uh parents, we're going to ask for your student to for your child to come up. We have Ryan Chakravarte. In fourth place, Jackson Paddock. >> In third place, Liam Moser. In second place, Mackenzie Pappendick.

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And we had a tie for first place in third grade, Ellis Myers and Max Perez. And now for fourth grade, in fifth place, we have a tie, Anthony DeRosa and

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Evelyn Bailu. In fourth place, Niranjan Anish. In third place, Karina Simbalov. In second place, Michelle Wang. And in first place, Anna Marciano. >> And for our grade five students, in fifth place, Baxter Dennison.

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In fourth place, Logan Pavendick. In third place, with a tie, Logan Muller and Damon Roe. Second place, Jack Bauer. And in first place, Jacob Levitt. The The next contest that we were able uh to do

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is called the math Olympiad. And the students that participated in the math Olympiad were chosen to participate based on NJASLA scores and classroom performance, they worked on their own to practice their mathematical skills at

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home, and the results were outstanding. But, I have to mention a couple of things about this. So, we received an award for Stonybrook School that um it was uh

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because of our collective outstanding scores, Stonybrook School was chosen to receive the high achievement award. This will be framed and will be hung in the school because it is something that is collective. The um Math Olympiad is a

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global competition, so it's not just the state of New Jersey. And the amazing results that we have in our school is just astounding. The next thing that I want to talk about is something called the George Lenchner Award. George Lenchner was the founder of the

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Math Olympiad, and this special award is only given to very few students, and those students are, if you were able to achieve a perfect score. And for the very first time at Stonybrook School, we have a

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student who achieved a perfect score, which is globally in the top 2%. Um and I would like to present that award to Jack Bauer. >> [cheering] >> So, Jack also received uh a perfect score

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um certificate, a meritorious award for having the high achievement score, and a gold pin for all of his achievements. So, these are all for you. >> We would like to add to this incredible list of students in second place and

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scoring in the top 10% Jacob Levitt and Logan Pappendick. In third place in the top 10% score, Anna Marciano and Michelle Wang. And in fourth place, top 20% score,

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Logan Miller and Baxter Dennison. Thank you very much families for coming out to recognize their incredible accomplishments. We are so very proud of them. Okay, this is your stuff, Jen. Okay, so um once again, congratulations to our families and our students for such fantastic achievements, and of

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course, our staff uh that help along the way. They mold and uh develop our young folks from day one. So, um right now, what we have is we honor at our May meeting our retirees, and then we follow that with our teacher of the year and its specialist of the year uh

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recognition. So, the building principals, all four of them, are up here, as you could see, to my left. Um we're all going to take turns in speaking about the retirees, and then each of the buildings will speak specifically uh about our teachers of the year and its specialists of the year.

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Um so, just if I could, just a few words before I will be representing Sharon Woodruff and Marion Rita, but for all our retirees, uh this is a I didn't add the number of years of service here uh in Kinnelon, but it's quite a bit, obviously. Uh so, thank you for your

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service. I know times have changed from when you began in our our district here and in the field to where we are now. Um you know, the next steps in your life, enjoy them. Enjoy the time. I say that to everybody all the time. If you can go and you can manage that and there's

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something else you want to do or you can do or your family leads you there, to take advantage of it and do it while you can and while you have your health, because your health is the single most important thing in life. Um so, for our retirees, I know you're going to be coming up and coming down, but thank you

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so much for all you've done and you do. Um so, I'll kick off talking about first Marion Rita. She uh Marion spent 34 years total in transportation. She was one of our transportation drivers. She started for First Student, and then

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drove for years in the Ringwood School District, and then we were able and fortunate enough to um to convince her to come and join us here in Kinnelon. Marion was a fantastic addition to our transportation staff and you know, it it's um

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I know that they both had a conflict meeting Marion and and Ms. Woodruff, who I'll get to in a minute, um with schedules and and things like that, but um I start in this very room every year and talk about how important transportation means and is to us as a

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district and as parents because we're putting our children, our most prized possession, on the bus. And we're entrusting them to whomever is driving. And let me tell you, nobody was better than Marion. In the 3 years I got to know her, pleasant, nice,

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tough. All day, all night, that bus was impeccable. And um you know, if you give give any school district a fleet of Marion's, there's wonders you can work. So, uh certainly I wish her well. I wish she would have

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stayed a little bit longer, obviously. That's my own selfishness, but uh for Marion Rita, 3 years here, but 34 years, think about how many districts she drove for and the towns she covered. That's that's quite an accomplishment. God bless her. So, if you join me in just in a round,

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Marion Rita. Next is Sharon Woodruff and for those of you who don't know Sharon, she steers our transportation department right now. Um she's done that for the last 20 years. Sharon had been driving for 28 years, eight for First Student, and then

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received a phone call from uh the former BA here in 2006, which to me seems like a lifetime ago, um and ever since she's been here. And she was one of the first uh supervisors in the state of New Jersey to be uh to pass the Rutgers University state

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certification test. She not only um was a supervisor of all the routes and drove routes. She also would twilight in the afternoon for athletic routes. So, when you think about that, folks, that's a long day.

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To wake up at 4:00, 4:30 in the morning, to get your stuff together, to leave your family, to drive to work, to come in to work, to make sure all the routes are safe, to talk to the building principals. And if you have a super like me, then have to contend with me in the in the central office, which sometimes isn't

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always the best and pleasant. And then go back out and do it until 6:00 at night. Not easy. So, I always, um, grade folks on their durability and sustainability. You know, anybody could get lucky once. Anybody could do something once. Anybody can receive an A

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on a test once. Can you do it twice? Can you do it 20 times? Can you do it 30 times? We'll see. So, uh, Sharon certainly had that stability, pleasant in the office, everybody liked her, uh, wonderful to work with and work for. She was major in helping us, uh, in dropping

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and consolidating routes. Never a hesitation. Um, she'll certainly be missed. It was a shock to me when she told me, but, uh, you know, she's off to bigger and better things as well. Joining her family, moving out of state. God bless her. So, again, if you see her, we have a couple more weeks left. So, if you see Sharon

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for our staff, say hello. Um, and, uh, if you ever received an email from her, you know it was always with the best of intent, professional and courteous. So, Sharon Woodruff, she'll certainly be missed. >> [applause] >> And I don't remember which of the build- Mrs. Ahluwalia, you're coming up? Okay,

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so that I'm going to get out of the way? Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for having us this evening. We are so proud to be able to continue and really in recognizing our honorees this evening, our retirees. If I can have Miss Martin come up to the front with

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me, please, for a moment. Thank you, Ms. Martin, for coming on down, but we are so excited to celebrate you tonight, and I'm excited to step step back into Kiel for a few moments here. So, when you really think about 33 years, right, and what that means, not

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only 33 years of service in the classroom, but really how much has changed in 33 years in the world as well, and Ms. Martin has really transcended time. Uh her impact when you think about also all

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the conversations that we've been having here at the district and the school levels about, you know, just the importance of giving students a foundation, right, that lasts a lifetime. That is what Ms. Martin's role has been. So, Ms. Martin has been a testament to our first-grade team, has

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provided foundational support, teaching students how to read, how to write, basic math foundational skills that again, when we talk about student achievement at the high school, it's because of our teachers like Ms. Martin that our students achieve and do so many

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amazing things here at the high school, for example. So, Ms. Martin, thank you for all of your time, your dedication. It has been incredible to work with you. I know we all agree in various capacities. You've really been a foundation, and again, not just for the first-grade team, but also at Kiel

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School. So, thank you for all that you've done, and we wish you all the best and great health and happiness in this next chapter. And now we're honoring Karen Jackso, who I've had the privilege of working with since 2009, and even by that point, Karen had done so much great work in the

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district. And as I was thinking about what to say, it just wouldn't feel right if I made any sort of speech on Karen's behalf without mentioning Paul McCartney. And I think there are a lot of similarities there. I think when you think about it,

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someone who has tremendous passion for what she does, someone who does it at the highest possible level, someone who is beloved. Karen is absolutely amazing. I have seen her go to such great lengths

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for each of her students. The bond she has formed with them are really incredible. And over the course of the time she has spent in the district, she's touched so many lives in a way that those students are going to remember for the rest of their lives. And even more than that, um just

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recently as Karen has been running the Tomorrow's Teachers program, uh having her as the role model and the person supporting and guiding the people that are going to go into this line of work, I can't think of a better person to show them the way. And that just means your legacy is going to continue

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on for generations even beyond that. So, Karen, congratulations on your retirement. We wish you all the best in the future. And now we honor Anna Diaz. And Yeah, I agree. >> [laughter] >> Anna stands out in so many ways, but I

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think the thing that has really um that when you meet Anna and when you really understand her approach to her work it comes from the fact that she knows from personal life experience what it's the importance of learning another language and how of coming to a new country

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learning the language and being able to interact and being able to get the most out of life as a result of that and I know that that has motivated Mrs. Diaz every day in her work with students and again someone who has goes above and

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beyond that gets to know exactly what her students need to find the approach that's going to work for them and I have seen her spend countless hours doing that we've had so many conversations about students and she always finds a way. You know in giving

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students the gift of another language she's opening up a whole new part of the world for them that in the absence of that they wouldn't have that is certainly what Mrs. Diaz has done throughout her time in our district we are incredibly incredibly grateful to her for that. Congratulations Senora

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Diaz you deserve all the best in your time. >> [applause] >> I am here to recognize and congratulate Joy Tenga. Unfortunately, she was unable to be here with us tonight. When we talk about schools and the importance of the role of every single

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individual and every staff member one of the most important roles is your school counselor. Joy Tenga was the absolute model of what a school counselor should be. Kind, caring empathetic, a listener not just with her students but with the

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staff a a to cry on someone who truly went above and beyond for her students and for the families. What I saw her do in the last 5 years in communicating with families goes beyond words. She was an absolute prize to this district. She

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started at PRM. Every morning I would take my loop at 9:30 every single morning like clockwork, she was my first stop to talk about the emails, to talk about what the day laid ahead, to talk about students, and to talk about just about everything. La Cucina in Oakland, what she was doing

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with her daughters, and just someone to rely on. It is an absolute honor to wish her the best of luck in retirement. I know she is now spending time with her girls and her husband where she wants to be. So Joy, if you are watching, we are so

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incredibly proud of you. You have left this a mark on Stonybrook, on this district. Your job is in very good hands now. She has passed on the role to someone that she mentored, and that made her incredibly proud as she exited our doors

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in December. So Joy, if you're watching, we love you, we miss you, and congratulations. So if I can invite Mrs. Yago on up to join me, please. Sounds like Kiel schools in the house tonight, that's for sure. >> [laughter]

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>> So Mrs. Yago, thank you so much for joining us. We are so incredibly, you know, I should say I'm incredibly proud especially to be here to be able to recognize and honor your service for the past 23 years. Again,

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Kiel school is the type of place where not only is it about building a family, but it's about helping students to build their foundation for life. Mrs. Yago has played such a critical role in that. And again, I can't state it strongly enough,

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right? Anytime you were to mention the guided study program at Kiel School and the importance and critical role of teaching reading and how to help students, especially, you know, who just maybe have the foundation right, but they just

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need that motivation, that encouragement to succeed and overcome. Mrs. Yago has been that strength for students that I as a principal was so proud to witness and to work with you hand in hand every single day in just servicing our kids.

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You were behind Kiel School Cares. And again, just building a sense of community. To give you a little background, when I walked in as principal 6 years ago, Mrs. Yago was always such a great support in also building up her colleagues in every single hallway and just again, being

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such a great support for the school. So, it goes beyond the impact of individual students, but really you have been the heartbeat of Kiel School and have left a lasting legacy and we are so grateful for your service, your dedication and all you've done and it will live on

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forever. So, congratulations. We wish you all the best and you've earned it, Mrs. Yago. Laura Genatt also could not be here because she has already moved to Florida, where she has started her next chapter. So, those of you who have met

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and know Laura Genatt, I could go on and on. Her high heels, her long dresses, her capes that she used to wear once a week throughout the halls of Stony Brook are legendary. She was a fourth grade teacher, a third

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grade teacher and ended time here in Kinnelon at PRM, which Gary she absolutely loved. She loved seeing the students that she met in third grade, and now she said, "Oh my goodness, they're so big." She was the epitome of what a classroom

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teacher is. Fun, focused, and ended every single lesson with her students with not yet. You don't know this? Not yet. You will. And around that room were posters of the power of yet. Every morning she would start her classroom with would you

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rather? The fun games that she would play with them, the absolute joy that she brought to Stony Brook School as the head of Sunshine Club, her unbelievable parties, and last year's Principal's Day when I walked in and there was a giant poster of me dressed as a New York

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Giant. That was Laura Genatt. Cared about every student, every family. She was an in-class resource teacher with her partner Sue Hill for over 10 years, and the two of them were just a dynamo. So, Laura, I know you are watching. You

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are missed. Your laughter is missed. We are so incredibly proud of you and the work that you have provided to the children of Kinnelon, because they will remember you forever. We hope you enjoy Florida and the sunshine and your next

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chapter with your family. We love you, Laura, and miss you. Good evening. It's my honor to recognize uh Ray Danielson. I don't believe Ray did made it here this evening, but on Ray's behalf, it's it's my honor. I was his principal for 10 years, and

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Ray taught Latin and social studies here at the high school, and he had every section as the as you may know, a Latin teacher is very hard to come by, let alone a very talented Latin teacher. It's one of the toughest positions to fill in a high school. And Ray did an

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amazing job. He had so many students that he was beloved. The students at each year at the Honor Society, the Latin Honor Society, which he was the advisor, would just speak so highly of him and his humor, his kindness, and his rapport with the

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staff. Outside of Latin, he was our social studies teacher. He was a dual certification, so he would step in and fill in as an amazing social studies teacher. And then athletically, he was a tennis coach. And he did an amazing job helping out

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our tennis team over the years. And one year when we were trying to produce a musical and a play, we didn't have a stagecraft advisor, and Ray stepped up, and he really helped us out as a school. And he did an amazing job for our plays

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and musicals. So, Ray will be sorely missed in the our very talented world language department, and he he's going to be very hard to fill in the future for our Latin students and our social studies classes. So, Ray, all the best

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to you in your future and your retirement. If I could please call up Kevin Plummer, a good friend of mine, sitting right out there. If you could please come up. >> [snorts] >> Kevin is one of our amazing custodial

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and maintenance staff, and mostly in the custodial area here at the high school. And you know, I've worked with Kevin for 10 years. And he's part of a dynamic duo during the day with Ryan Carbone. And

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Kevin is beloved by our students. He cares about our students. Outside of being an amazing custodian, he was beloved by our students, um, communicating with them daily. Our staff, uh, Kevin on so many days

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just became part of the family and invited me in as part of the family here at Kinnelon. So, it's just so much more than uh, custodial work on a daily basis. Uh, how many days did we sit in the main office and laugh with Melissa Giaquinto,

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Steve, and Vinnie and just share the stories of our families. I was always envious of Kevin because when I would tell him I was going on a family vacation LBI, where did you tell me you were going? You would tell me you're LBI or your Shore Point is where?

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On a cruise. Kevin goes on a cruise every year to Bermuda. And he knows it like the back of his hand. So, I was always pumping him for information because it's on my bucket list to go on a cruise, but Kevin would share stories about his wife and their trip with their family to Bermuda.

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And outside of, you know, a school is so much more than just your position. And something that Kevin reflects, he's part of the family in the high school. He's part of the staff. Uh, we embrace each other. He's a major he's a fabric of the

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school and you were going to be sorely missed because there wasn't a time under a difficult situation, when times are going good, when those difficult situations happened and we had to, you know, take care of a stage or take care of a graduation or anything under the sun,

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Kevin didn't hesitate and he did it with a smile and he did it with such a positive attitude. So, I cannot give you enough credit for all that you've done for us. Thank you so much, Kevin. >> If I can please call up Marlene Goodroe. Wow. Marlene and I started, believe it or

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not, 18 years ago. This is an incredible story. 18 years ago, I walked into Livingston High School as an assistant principal. And I worked with her every day. And it was such an incredible experience being an 11-year teacher

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and getting to know her on a daily basis as a counselor. I was assigned with Marlene along with two other counselors, and we worked hundreds of hours together trying to help kids in every aspect. And she taught me so much as an budding

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administrator and helping families, helping children in crisis, helping staff members. So, after I was at Livingston for about 3 years, and I earned my first principalship at West Essex. And I had a counseling opening at West

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Essex. We opened it up to interviewing. Marlene showed up. She was hired. Marlene is I have to say this carefully. She's one of the top three counselors I've ever known in my career.

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One of the top three of my career and what I've you know, what I've I've worked in different schools and we had a great experience at West Essex and then I was very blessed to come to Kinnelon and don't you know, we had an opening at

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Kinnelon and Marlene applied. We have had a journey together for 18 years. Um once again not just being the counselor, but being a friend to our staff. Uh if there's

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needs within our staff, they go to Marlene. She shuts her blinds. She's helped so many kids and when you hear that idea that a ripple effect of all the positive things she has done for our families and children. There are millions of ripples in this

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world right now in a positive way where she has saved kids. And I just can't thank her enough for being my friend and being an amazing educator. Uh she's a great daughter. She's supporting her family right now and I'm going to miss her dearly. So.

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>> [applause] >> I think that's everyone. We would now like to honor our Governor's Teacher of the Year and Governor's Educational Services Provider of the Year. So what those awards are, those are decided by a committee involving staff,

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administration, parents, and uh I always say especially in a district like this, in schools like we have, I think this award takes on a whole other level of meaning cuz just across-the-board, we have such excellent people working in our schools. So, um

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and I think we kick this off with exactly someone who is such a tremendously outstanding teacher. So, I would like to call up Mrs. Kathleen McKenna. >> [applause] >> Kindergarten is an extremely important

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year. For some students, it's the first time that they're in school at all, meaning they come from a home where maybe they're an only child, maybe they have a couple of siblings, um and now they're learning how to interact in a place where there's a whole other group of people uh with different backgrounds,

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with different priorities, uh and it really is it's a lot to navigate, especially at that very young age. And Mrs. McKenna has such an incredible understanding of children at that age. Um

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she gets to know her students uh incredibly well, and most importantly, gets to know their families incredibly well. Her communication is outstanding. Um I've had the privilege of working with Mrs. McKenna not only here in Kiel School, but also in Stony Brook. We go back a long way by this point, and the

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thing that I have seen from Mrs. McKenna at every step along the way is someone who is so completely dedicated not only helping children learn how to become students, cuz again, some of them are doing that for the first time, but also

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to really embrace who they are as people and to become the best version of themselves. And that happens in small ways in the classroom, in big ways in the classroom, uh but every day that's Mrs. McKenna's priority. And you know, of course she gets those students in in

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kindergarten, but I can guarantee you this, there are students who throughout their lives will always remember and be better off for having been in Mrs. McKenna's class. So, congratulations to Mrs. And Kiel Cysco's Educational Specialist of the Year. Now, what that title is is basically everything outside of teacher

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falls under the auspices of Educational Specialist of the Year, and I would like to call up Dr. Carrie Bott, who is our Kiel Cysco Educational Specialist of the Year. So, when you hear the the title physical therapist, um that has different

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connotations for different people. I would venture to say that there is nowhere uh like a school to really embrace all the talents of what a physical therapist can do, and Dr. Bott does it at the highest level. Um she is well known to

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our staff and spends a lot of time with our pre-K students. Um basically, what she does is through her work with them, through her work with families, really make it so that students can get the most out of being in school, so that any barriers that

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they face, she is tireless in making sure that they can overcome them and putting them on a path to get the most out of what we offer in school, but really, it affects their entire lives even beyond school. Um and I think, you know, in working with Dr. Bott again

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over a period of many years, I see uh how creative she is. Just the wealth of knowledge that she has, and so, you know, when she approaches a situation with a student and a family, already she comes from a point her default setting is, "We can solve this. Now, let's find

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the way." And that has been infallible over the entire time I have known you. So, Dr. Bott, uh we are incredibly lucky to have you here. The students are fortunate beyond words, and you are very deserving of being our educational

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specialist of the year. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> Okay, and now please welcome up Mrs. Utell. If I can please ask Mary Kay Catalano to make her way down here. >> [laughter] >> So, thank you to Mr. Mangan for explaining um

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what the process is for Governor's Teacher of the Year. The teachers in the buildings get the opportunity to write essays about their colleagues and co-workers, which I think really hits home when, as a committee, we sit there and we read these, and they are just so touching.

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There is a comment out of one of them that talked about how Mary Kay is one of the utmost professionals in regards to differentiating her instruction to meet the needs of every single individual student in her classroom. Mary Kay is amazing.

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We all know how incredible teachers are. Her dedication to not only meeting the needs of every single student that walks through her doors, that have walked through her doors, is something incredible to watch. She is calm, patient funny understanding.

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The emotional level that she reaches with her students hits home with every single one of them. And sometimes in the day-to-day journey of a teacher, and how fast the days goes, you don't realize just how much of a difference and impact you make. One of the biggest highlights of the

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year for me, and in first year, my first year when I saw it was when we have the luxury of watching our KHS seniors walk through for the clap out in the building. One of the best traditions that this district has ever created. She has every single class picture

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hanging in her room of every class that she has ever serviced. She stands outside her door with her current students, holds up that past picture from that many years ago, and you see all of those students with tears and

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hugs for her. Those are the moments that I think deep down teachers don't realize the impact that they have truly made on students. You have truly impacted every student that has walked through your door. Not only that, with students, but with

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her families. Her communication, her ability to bring parents into her classroom is something that I am in awe of. But more importantly, her communication with our community and beyond the walls of Killeen. A few years ago, for those of you that do not know, Mary Kay

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started a pen pal program, which not only brought back the art of letter writing and getting our students off of technology, she made pen pals with the Retired Educators Club at Cedar Crest. That program has now grown where we were there last week to about 80 residents

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who live at Cedar Crest. To watch those residents with our students and to watch our students interact with the senior citizens, the conversations, the laughs, teaching them about phones and websites and apps was

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something that would just made me laugh. She has brought a Thanksgiving Day program at Cedar Crest, a Memorial Day essay writing essay writing contest, but it's not only that, she's brought Cedar Crest and the senior citizens of our community and others into our building.

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I am so proud of the work you do every single day with your colleagues, with your families, with your students. I am proud to congratulate you on earning this honor, Ms. Mary K. Catalano. >> [applause]

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>> I would now honored to please call up Mr. John Mannion, our educational specialist of the year. So, for the last 8 years, John Mannion has worked at Stony Brook. And when we think of our power professionals, sometimes we don't realize the quiet

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impact that they have on our teachers and students. They are the people in the background supporting the teachers every step of the way. But most importantly, working with child study team, with physical therapists, with occupational therapists to meet the needs of their individual students. Whether it be as a

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shared power in the classroom, a one-to-one, which Mr. Mannion is with a fifth grade student currently. Mr. Mannion though goes above and beyond the duties of a power professional. He is at every single choir and band event. He is at every single dance.

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He helps out. He is there. We have a morning crew we say at Stony Brook with those of us who arrive at 6:45 and he walks in the door at 7:15 every single morning. Greeting students for our title one program, greeting our students for our student council and business club.

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They all know him. He does not just say, "I'm only with this class." He is all over our building. His flexibility, his dedication, his understanding of students' needs is remarkable, John, and something I'm incredibly proud of and you should be incredibly proud of. His work with

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teachers goes above and beyond every single day. And to hear his laugh and the one thing we love about Mr. Mannion every day is that he wears nice dress shirts, but every single day they're different. So, it could be Schoolhouse Rock from those of us over 50 who

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watched Schoolhouse Rock back in the day of school to Elmo or Sesame Street. And the kids adore it. They ask him questions. They talk to him. He is our bus arrival duty, greeting our students at bus. He is at bus dismissal. He is

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all over the building. And so, for that, I am so proud of. Congratulations on this amazing recognition. You are very deserving of this, John. And now, I'd like to welcome Mr. Suda and Mrs. Yossifides. If I can please have Bonnie Hendricks

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come up to the podium. Bonnie Hendricks is our Teacher of the Year at PRM. Uh once again, I've had the the the fortunate opportunity to work with Bonnie for close to 10 years now at the high school where she would co-teach

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with Mr. Stroud. And now to watch her in PRM, uh we have a process where the students, parents, community can nominate a teacher along with our staff. And Bonnie received an overwhelming number of recommendations for this

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award, and it's not surprising. Um Bonnie's genuine care for our students in the musical arts or in general is contagious. Her students love her. Um to to see her in action and now at PRM, she

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has sole control of the program, which is amazing to watch her work with the full student body and to nurture the program in such a way with empathy and kindness and just inspiring our students on a daily basis. At the high school,

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she was equally as talented in working with all the students in AP and now we have her focused on the middle school. We recently went on the 8th grade trip as chaperones and we had an amazing time. But Bonnie is always that

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foundational piece for part of our staff. Once again, not just as a teacher, but as a friend, a colleague, a caring person and a huge part of PRM and our district. I I can't think of a more worthy winner for this

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year's recipient because it's it's well overdue in any school. But thank you, Bonnie, and congratulations. And if I could please call up Mrs. Tara McClain. Tara is our educational specialist of the year and she's our our school counselor at PRM.

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And although I have known Tara from the past in the district, uh it really opened my eyes this year to see exactly what she has done for so many years at PRM. Uh right off the bat, you know, we had several meetings and student

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interactions and orientations over the summer where I got to know Tara and to see her her approach to counseling and her empathy with a family situation, the history she has with the children at PRM

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and to see that come into play in a very difficult meeting and to see how she works with parents, listens carefully um has viable solutions, multiple solutions for children while also being fair and

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stern and realistic it really is at a different level and I know I'd mentioned Marlene at the high school, my experience in high school, but there's a different tone in the middle school. It is such a a nurturing developmental level and Tara is spot on with what I

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experienced in just sitting back and watching you work. It was truly truly special and um you know, today we had meetings and throughout the process working with Mrs. Josephides, she's our HIV specialist uh there's never a time

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that there's not a level of care and humanity in what you do and you see a different lens in every student in supporting them even in challenging times and working with parents and never giving up and that's truly special and

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it's not just coming to work and leaving. Tara's always around. She's taken part as a a track and field coach um at the orientation, I believe it was the rising um fifth grade last year. She came running into the meeting late last year right off the bus and just jumped

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right in explaining things about the high school for the rising um fifth into sixth grade parents and just her humor her kindness it permeates and to hear her talk about her family and our family at at PRM right

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now, it's just really it's it's really nice and I can't think of once again a more deserving two award recipients but you're in your level. Thank you so much for everything you do and congratulations. >> And I am so proud as the principal of

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Kinnelon High School to invite Senora Maria Fiusa to the front. She is this year's teacher of the year. So, Senora Fiusa is in our world language department as a Spanish teacher. And while, again, we're still

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getting to know each other this year, I cannot think of a more deserving person of this award. And her colleagues, and obviously community members, feel precisely the same, which is why she's here before us this evening. My first memory of this

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school year, in the fall, um was also getting to know Senora Fiusa through her involvement in really advising the animal activist club. Which, again, at the high school level, if you think about sometimes the level of just engagement, right, that it takes to get students involved, to get them, um you

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know, just to really think critically and deeply about whatever the initiative is, I was so blown away in the fall, truly, just by something as simple as during lunch, getting to interact with students and hear their passion come through. It really is a testament to the work that you do in your classroom every

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single day. Um I can see that, too, just, again, in doing drop- through visits. And ultimately, Senora Fiusa, the other piece that I think is really important, and I I know I'm like, I wish I could be next to you here. Um but ultimately, Senora Fiusa, you can see

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and hear every single student in a very special way. And that, in just 9 months' time, is abundantly clear and stands out. And as I said, the fact that you hear and see, and our high school students are so drawn to you is a testament to your dedication, and I am

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so proud, too, as principal to get to work alongside you every day. Congratulations. Our teacher of the year, Senora Fiusa. If I can just say one thing. >> Please, please, please. If I can just add one thing, and this is this is a testament to Maria and her family in the back and

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Kinnelon. Maria just shared with me her daughter, Angelica, who she was so privileged to see go through Kinnelon as a teacher and a resident, just became a doctor. And it's a testament It's She was an amazing student, an an

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amazing person, and I'll tell It's a testament to Kinnelon and its success to have both your daughters, and now your son going through the system and seeing what a quality education, and now she's a doctor, and she's going to be working at Saint Barnabas, and just amazing. So, congratulations.

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Thank you. And next, I am very, very proud, again, to invite Ms. Marlene Goudreau back up to the front, Kinnelon High School's Educational Specialist of the Year. So, it's going to be really hard for me to beat Mr. Sudas.

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>> [laughter] >> I'm like, come on up here and join me. Um so, Mr. Sudas obviously has known Ms. Goudreau for a long time now, but I have been so fortunate to get to know Ms. Goudreau and her work with students for the past 9 months. And again, every

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single day, it is so incredibly clear where your heart is, where your dedication lies. And just on top of that, the the level of care and concern that you have for your colleagues, the close-knit bond that exists in our counseling department, and the way in which you all support each other,

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support our students, it transcends the hallways, it transcends all of Kinnelon High School and your dedication, your passion, and you know, again, every single day is a new day, but the fact that you come in every day and have such a tremendous impact, there is no one,

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there is no one more deserving of this award. So, congratulations, Ms. Godreau, our educational specialist of the year at Kinnelon High School. Thank you. I'd just like to thank all our staff for their for their amazing achievements this year. Congratulations to all our

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teachers and educational specialist of the year award winners. And we are going to miss a lot of those folks retiring. I know some of them personally. I'm very I'm really sad that you're leaving Kinnelon, but I know it's for moving on to bigger and better things

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and I wish you the best and enjoy retirement if you're actually going to be retired or taking on some new challenges. So, we'll take a quick break. So, folks who would like to leave and don't want to listen to the rest of the agenda can leave or you can stay for the

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riveting stuff that we're going to be voting on and discussing. So, we'll recess for about 5 minutes. No, not for recess. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Okay, we're going to go ahead and get started now. So, we're up to committee

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reports. Um, finance, facilities, and security. Kelly, you're going to take that for me? Thank Sure. Um so, I am filling in for Frank tonight. We had a long finance meeting, so please bear with me. Um we talked about the emergency

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replacement of the boilers at Cisco. Hopefully, we will not need to go out to bid on that. We already started the process with our first bid. So, we're already moving forward with that. Um in terms of repairs, there's a heating valve at KHS, a boiler damper

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actuator for KHS, the old cafeteria door in KHS, um the Kiel fire door, uh the HVAC at Stony Brook um needs a replacement. We talked about the Maschio's uh annual contract renew renewal. Um and we also talked about how

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um this year when our administration met with the um PRM and KHS student councils, they're really happy with the upgrade that we did last year. Um so yeah, with Maschio's. So we're also really happy that on Fridays

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now we're able to bring AJ's in. So, that was just good all round and we're happy to move forward with another annual contract with them. Um we talked like all the other committees did about the non-resident tuition policy. Um we talked about the rates for each individual grade. We talked about how

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it's um gen ed students and it's planning to start in September 2026. Um we also talked about how there was a revision for the head custodian job description. So, now maintenance um workers or custodians can cut our grass cuz it is a big job and we just want to

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be able to have as many hands on deck for that as we can. Um we talked about summer cleaning over at Stony Brook and how we are going to be using an organic green clean product this year. Um and we submitted that over to the town for

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approval. Um we talked about a school board how school board sent a resolution to all schools in Morris County asking districts to appeal to the state for relief with assistance with health care costs. Um we know after all the financial conversations that we had this

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year, that was a huge fee for us and they're already kind of projecting that next year it's going to be the same if not more. So, um they had thought how we feel about that and just to reach out now for state aid to kind of mitigate that in the future. >> [clears throat]

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>> So, they're already giving an indications that it's going to be the same or more? Yeah, it's nothing concrete, but they said to project um the same or more. It's not um a positive outlook. And didn't in your email, didn't you say it's 75% increase

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in health care costs over the last 5 years? I think cumulative. I think that's what the number was. 74% increase in health care costs in the last 5 years. Health insurance care like for So, we're thinking if we collectively do something now, then maybe the state can get

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proactive in mitigating that and supporting the town. >> Does anybody remember when the state health care program came online? It was I thought it was around COVID. The chapter 44 was enacted in 2020 and it began January 2021, but they were before

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that there was um chapter 78. Chapter 78 was in the 11 12 year and it had kicked in 12 13 with Obamacare and everything else. Uh chapter 44, the new state provided that was 2021. Yeah. Interesting correlation. I don't know.

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Okay thanks. Yeah, good question. Thanks for bringing that up. Um we talked about a student transportation agreement for an out of district placement. Um we also talked about a KHS um in the faculty room. Uh it was brought to our attention that the sink counter needs to be replaced, so

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we're moving forward with that. We also talked about um some of the construction that's going to be going on that's starting on June 15th, like the new cafeteria bathrooms, to relocation of art network of the art um work plumbing, the demo of the casework in the current art room and how we're

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going to repurpose that, the casework for the art room display and storage, um the icon outdoor covered seating area, um and how that would have outdoor lighting electrical outlets and fans. Um we also talked about the glass overhead walkway that we've been referring to is

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going to be on hold till next year. Um PureTech we talked about how the auditorium phase two with lighting and live streaming upgrade, um Caitlin's going to be sending the letter of intent for that, um and they have a meeting coming up uh that they're going to talk to the company to find out when

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they plan to start. Um we were able to get a cell phone uh cell phone free uh school grant and they gave us $7,000. So um the administrative minds got together and decided that the best way to utilize

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that money would be to um get cell phone lockers and put them in every single room at KHS, um and that's going to be something that will roll out over the summer so that we can start in September next year. >> they going I thought we were only putting them in the office?

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Okay. Yeah. Yeah, because they're not supposed to have them at all in school, so why would they need them in the I some of the issues we're having is kids are doing stuff in hallways and filming each other and some of those have to do with social

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media and stuff happening in school which shouldn't be happening in school because they're not allowed to have their cell phones. Right. So we really don't need them in the classroom because they shouldn't have them at all. I think the thought in the committee was if the kids have them, it's just going

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to be a check if they have them, it's a check point to get them out so that there's just Well, they go down to the principal's office and they can put them in there. Like I don't know. Also, the There's a policy that says there's no cell phones in school. So, if that's our policy, then that's what our policy is. If we're going to change it,

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then we should change it, but like we can't have a policy and then say, "Okay, well, if you have them in your classroom, you're going to put them in your classroom." Like then we don't have a policy that's effective. Then we have to change policy. Like why do you have a policy if that's not what's happening?

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We just received the funds, so the administrative team was just trying to find a solution. Right. Oh, I understand that. I mean, that's fine. We have the funds, but I I don't want to spend money and just now that's going to encourage kids, "Well, you have a locker in the classroom, why can't I bring it in?" Like if there's a policy and a

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regulation and that's what we have created, then that's what we should be doing. 6 through 12. Or change policy and the regulation. All right. That's just my feedback on that. I that actually I

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because in education we talked about how we were not going to have it in the classrooms because it's there's no phones in schools. Right. I know, they're ubiquitous. It's a pain in the neck. Yeah. I think the policy started this year and what we're finding is, you know, it's it's been really effective at PRM, but there's there's a

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little there's been some glitches and some >> Well, and it was new here and everybody got upset, so they didn't like the fact that we got rid of the bags because we had this policy and then okay, so now the kids that are freshmen were like, "Well, we never had bags." So, Right. that you know, the seniors were pissed. I get it. It started with them. Okay,

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we're moving on. They're graduating. There's no bags, there's no cell phones. Use your locker. I don't know, it worked for me. Me too. I don't like why this is a problem for people. I I really don't understand. Like Sorry.

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It's also a tripping hazard, it's an egress hazard if there's bags all over the place. That's a problem from a a safety perspective. So, okay. Thanks. Thank you so much. That That was a lot. A lot of information. >> actually did come up in committee and were talking a little bit about that,

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too. So, you know, I think that more conversations need to happen. I'm excited about the $7,000 grant. >> Yeah, that's great. And it is pushing towards a cell phone free environment, which which I think our board is, you know, really in support of and we have a lot of initiatives to make that work. >> Yeah. So, um

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yeah, more conversation just needs to happen. Okay, the um BA contract was approved by Morris County, so that was a great thing. Yep. >> And that wraps up our finance meeting. I will come in and sign that. Thank you. You got it. Congratulations, Caitlin. All right, personnel and negotiations.

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Okay, I only have one thing to add cuz we talked about four main topics, three of which Kelly just covered. So, the head custodian, student transportation, and the BA contract. So, those are all also things we discussed. The last one is we just have to approve the evaluation models, the strong evaluation system. That's something that needs to

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be approved yearly. Uh that's on the on the agenda. It's Oh, we we already did that one. Yeah. Got it, okay. Strong with an E. Yeah. Okay, so that's been approved already. Got you. But, we're doing the eval- have have been doing the evaluations all

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year. Okay. All right. Okay. That's it for me. All right, education. Yep. Um we heard a report on Edmentum courseware um and got a quote for $5,000. It's a courseware map and track kind of thing

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for school work and supplies and um it's all sounds good. Um we heard and we recommend approving several of the athletic initiatives. Um the football team has a week zero

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encounter at the beach. I can't remember if the battle at the beach or something. >> Bash at the beach. Bash at the beach. Yeah. Yeah, so they have to win. Um that was the requirement if you know, they go, they got to win. Um, girls wrestling is now an approved sport, um, a stand-alone sport, um, and

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we're hopeful to enter into a triop, um, just to make that happen for next year. Um, and looking at getting the new gym resurfaced, um, which needs to happen. This is a follow-up and an ongoing conversation from last

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meeting, um, the bio medical science academy kind of thing, um, and if it was timely last time because it was in process, and this is an update, and uh, you know, further to that, um, the issue

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has been with the current biomedical science program is that it, the way that it's been structured and has limits to the coursework that's able to be completed while also being a part of that, uh, curriculum.

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Uh, Ms. Trambetta and the the faculty have been able to extend it out to 4 years, um and sequence it so that students can also participate in the science research program and the APs that they were not able to be in before, so it's looking

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great. Um, and looking forward to getting that. That's on the agenda. Um, in addition, we approved some independent studies, um, looking at a proposal for a district art show, um, that we asked for some more details, and hopefully they can put it together.

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Um, we also discussed the cell phone lockers, AP review sessions, some transportation agreements, the non-resident tuition policy, and of course, we made sure that, uh, Ms. Lawler wanted to be back next year, uh, cuz it's her contract got approved, so.

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And she said yes. Yeah. Okay, policy and governance. Yes, so, um, the same thing, policy talked about a lot of things that the other committees talked about as well. Um, we talked about the non-resident tuition policy. Um, we also spent some

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more time hashing out the parental bill of rights. Um, the parental bill of rights will be placed on the June 9th public agenda for discussion and for first reading approval. I know it came up in CAC tonight and a lot of people have had questions about it. So, we're excited about that. We're happy that people are are following what we're

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doing and that they're excited about this bill of rights. It is something that we're spending a lot of time on because we really care about it as well. Um, and so, it will be at the next meeting um, for approval on the agenda. Uh, we also talked about some HIB

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appeals and some current open HIBs. Um, at KHS there were three unfounded, one founded and Stony Brook there was one unfounded. It was a good meeting. Okay, thank you. All right, anybody All right, we'll move on to um, delegates. So, New Jersey

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School Boards Association, anything? No. Uh, Morris County, Frank's not here. Legislative Jonathan anything? Um, Educational Services Commission, Kelly, anything? They're meeting next month. Okay. And Community Relations, did you guys meet?

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No. >> Since the last meeting, no, right? Okay. >> Liaisons meeting um, next Wednesday over lunch. >> It's a working lunch. Okay. >> That'll just be the admins with liaisons. Okay. Okay. All right. Petitions and hearings for citizens for

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agenda items, is anybody Katie anything? Anything online? Okay. Um, all right, so then uh, we'll move to the agenda items. I'd like a motion for a roll call on a block vote for agenda items A, B, C, and D. Motion. Okay.

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And any discussion on agenda items A, B, C, and D? No. The only thing I'd like to call folks attention to is the um, um There is a very long uh resolution regarding um

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the what uh Kelly talked about for the the increase in health care costs actually and there is one chapter that says the projected increase would follow the 31.9% premium increase that took effect in January 2026. Further exacerbating an overall premium

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increase of nearly 74% in the preceding 5 years. So, it's really what's driving a lot of districts um that have budget issues. I know for us, we saw a $1.3 million deficit after um

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we were informed of this. Given all of the things that we've done to cut costs and streamline things and if this is the same thing, now we're going to be looking at potentially having to come up with the same amount of money is what you're being told. Uh yeah, and just to clarify, it's not that the district was

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in deficit. We were just closing the gap between our expenditures and our revenue and the health care increased at such a significant amount that it was the 1.3 which matched where we were trying to um bring our expenses down to match our revenue that we're allowed to go up with the tax levy. 31 um percent was the

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average through the state. We went up uh 16 and a half but we budgeted 19 as a contingency. Uh we were more fortunate. We're also more fortunate that we're on the fiscal year calendar cuz we're in a private plan where some districts um were met with an increase mid-year without any warning.

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So, at least we're aware of it now and again with budget um process planning, we'll have to you know, work appropriately. Yeah, it's a real uh So, they're saying that they're projected for 31.9% again?

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Okay. That's insane. Hopefully the governor does something. Yeah, let's hope that there's some kind of look at why healthcare costs are just 31.7 in 1 year is just ridiculous. It's

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I I don't even know how to I don't have a comment on that. Okay, anybody have anything else on any of the agenda items? No? Okay, can you pull the board, please? Yep. Mr. Eisenhauer? Yes. Mrs. Geiser? Yes. Mr. Myers? Yes. Mrs. Perella? Yes. Mrs. Donaldson? Yes.

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>> Thank you. Okay, um now we go to Committee of the Whole. Does anybody for the Committee of the Whole have anything? There's nothing on the agenda. New business, anybody have any new or sorry, unfinished business. Is there any Anybody have anything unfinished? No. New business?

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No correspondence. Do we have any anything to talk about? Nope. Petitions and hearings of citizens not agenda items. Nope. Okay. Uh board member comments, does anybody have anything they want to comment on? No. >> I love your spirit, Mrs. President.

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I can always count on you to get me sparked on any kind of item when you come up. Sorry. I like that. Okay, so we have no comments. It was a great meeting and I love all the recognition. Um so, I do need a motion to go in executive session. We will be talking

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about a legal matter, some student issues. No action or decisions will be action will be taken or decisions will be made, so Can I have a motion to go into exec? Motion.