Okay, we're going to call this meeting to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. 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.
Adequate notice of this meeting was advertised in the Asbury Park Press on June 9th, 2026 and in the Beacon on January 22nd, 2026 and by posting the notice in the Fork River Post Office, Lenoka Harbor Post Office and District website and by filing a copy of the
notice with the Lacy Township Clerk as requested by the Open Public Meeting Act. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opus, >> here. >> Mr. Hurley, >> here. >> Dr. Forny, >> here. >> Mr. >> Here. >> Mr. Bell, >> here. Mr. Goen,
Miss Klouse >> here. >> Be it resolved that an executive session be convened for the purpose of discussing confidential student matters including but not limited to harassment, intimidation and bullying, confidential personnel matters, confidential legal
matters including but not limited to the current case load. The subject matter of these discussions will be disclosed to the public when the reason for confidentiality subsides. The length of the exe executive session is ex estimated to be
approximately 60 minutes after which the board shall reconvene and proceed with business at 7 p.m. Action may be taken. >> Can I have a motion to accept um >> motion? >> We got a motion down here.
>> Can I have a second? >> Second. Okay. Anything else? >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. >> Okay. Hello everybody. We're going to resume our meeting. Uh we're going to start with our student representatives.
>> Go ahead. All right. Hello everyone. So SGA met on April 13th. For freshman news, their Duncan fundraiser was a great success. For sophomores, their online store is now open until April 30th. For banners, signs, and commencement flowers, and
gifts. For junior news, they continued planning for their junior prom being hosted on April 30th. This year, the paperwork is online, and we will continue this for the senior prom. So for senior news, there was a senior class meeting on Tuesday to discuss end of year plans. The seniors also
discussed plans for the senior breakfast, senior t-shirt design, and senior decision day, which is May 1st. And for the executive board, election paperwork was due April 2nd. They during the meeting, we went over election paperwork and extended the date for
several open positions. And our successors for president will be attending the next meeting, which is very exciting. And then May 20th is SOA Senior and we're still looking for staff and student signups by April 24th. So any staff that's here, please sign up
for SOA Senior. Very fun event. People are going to be able to buy differentiz cups, pour it on seniors and staff members heads. And then June 3rd is Mr. Lacy and this paperwork is also due April 24th. We are currently working on a nomination list
for all the boys and the next SGAA meeting will take place on Monday, May 4th. >> All right. Thank you. And for our May unsung hero um or excuse me, April unsung hero. Um I am honored to join
down here Mia Moore. She's here. If not, okay, round of applause. The Student Government Association of Lacy Township High School has selected Mia Moore as the April unsung hero. Mia is very involved in many activities and her commitment has led her to thrive in
leadership positions. She is involved in student government events, Interact Club, and Surf Rider while also participating in soccer and basketball here at Lacy. Academically wise, Mia holds an impressive GPA and is enrolled in the leadership academy, taking on a rigorous course load. She always has a smile on her face, bring a positive
light to the classroom. Mia is always willing to give a helping hand, providing assistance when needed, and she also plays a critical role in making Lacy High School a better environment. Congratulations, Mia. Hey, Cooper. Cooper, can you just wait one minute? I just want to brag about
you for a little bit if that's okay. And I see your dad sitting here, so if you don't mind, I'm just going to read your post. Is that okay? Okay. So, uh, this is Sean. This is his father and he made a nice post uh the other day I thought I would share. My son has finally made his choice after years of touring colleges
and universities. We traveled the country and some wonderful experiences together. It's absolutely amazing that some of the sites we saw Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, Michigan,
Clemson, George Washington, Ruckers and NYU. One school always to stuck out stood out to him and he went since he was a little boy. We with extremely hard work and determination he fulfilled his dreams. Cooper will be joining the 2030 grad class of Columbia University.
CONGRATULATIONS. That's amazing. Congratulations. >> Okay. >> Yes. I'm going to bring up Miss Ellen Vidal, please. You are our special guest tonight. You have a special announcement or presentation. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> And Tom's gonna I think flip through a
couple slides. >> Okay. Yes, please. Thank you. >> You usually runs in here and does something, but you can start. >> Oh, that's okay. Good evening board members, teachers, and guests in the audience. My name is Ellen Vidal, and I am the chair of the Lacy Elks Hoop
Competition. This is essentially a national foulshot competition which starts within the community, advances to the district competition against 10 other lodges in Manisquan Elementary School. Then they
go on to the states regionals in Pennsylvania and the finals go all the way to Chicago, which they just had the beginning of this week. All along the way, the individuals win t-shirts, trophies, and as they progress, they get larger and larger scholarships. The
national winners actually have their names put in the basketball hall of fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, where the Elks organization maintains a wing just for the Hoop Shoot competition and honoring these hard workers. The students of Forker River School and
Cedar Creek School participated and all received certificates and each winner for each age group received medals as they won for their category at the school. And we even sometimes I've been doing this for four or five years now with the schools. Sometimes there's a
tie between the students at the different schools and I have to go back or Mr. Feeler goes back and tells them and they have a shootoff and it gets to be a very good competition between some of the schools too and the names that I mentioned the gy gym teachers may want to watch out for because they're your
stars of the future. The Lacy Elks would like to say thank you to Lacy schools for cooperating with us since COVID to help maintain this event and make it such a huge success. Especially Mr. Eric Feedler, the principal at Forker River School, for being the point person
during the competition. Instead of me emailing all of the schools and the teachers, all the gym teachers respond to him. I reach out to him, he reaches out to me. Thank you so much. That's invaluable, Mr. Feler. We would also like to thank all the gym
teachers of Cedar Creek School and Fulin River School that participated this year for taking the time to do the foul shots and try to follow my slides. And as part of that, having the hoop shoot we found in the schools opens it up to such a
larger base within the community. parents come forward and think it's great because they normally wouldn't have time, transportation, they're split between too many children. So this way they get to feel a sense of pride in the school without having to run all over the place. For the schools that
participated this year, I have a donation of $200 to each of their gym classes so they can buy supplies or maybe even basketballs for your schools. So it's just a little thank you for your cooperation. This year's local winners were Riker
Schmidt from Cedar Creek School, Kylie Carsan from Fork River School, Harper Smith from Fork River School, Lennox Car Valu, sorry if I said it wrong, Lennox from Fork River School, and he also went on to win third place in the district
competition for the eight and nine year old boys. And then next, if I may call up Viviana Peters. Viviana from Fauler River School is in the eight and nine year old category. Not only did she win, can you see her?
Not only Not only did she win at the Fulood River School for the eight and nine years old, she went on to the districts where she competed against another 15 20 girls. And it's hard. You sit there in silence while they shoot 20
foul shots. And it could be five minutes a player, it could be 10 minutes a player. She sat there and she took it all. She won first place at the districts in Madison. Her pictures are up there. That's Viviana holding up the plaque there that she's from the Southeast District. Her
doing the hoop shoot. And then that's Lennox who took third, the little boy in the hoop shoe competition. Viviana went all the way up to South Planefield High School on a cold, wet Saturday morning. They were running so far behind instead of being there an hour or two, it must
have been three or four hours. Um, and during this whole time, the students sit on the court and just wait their turn and wait their turn. When I say patience, I mean she showed patience. She showed patience
and she had sportsmanship and always had a smile whether it was going her way or not. And as a special thank you, we would like to present Viviana with this $250 gift card TO
her work and coaches. If you're here, I'm telling you, watch her. She's she's amazing. And again, the Lacy Elks, we're just so proud of all the participants. We want to thank the participants, their families, and the school district again
for their support during this amazing event and turning it into 20 to hundreds. So, thank you again. >> Thank you. >> All right, I'm going to keep the good news going. Uh, I want to congratulate our sea perch team, our high school sea
Perch team, which is Underwater Robots, Dileia Packin, Jillian Cox, and Beatric Perry. Uh, they were second place overall out of 32 teams at the 2026 New Jersey Sea Perch Robotic Competition. Quite an achievement. They'll advance to the international competition in College
Park, Maryland. So, we wish them the best of luck. Uh, they're an all girls team, so very exciting for all players there. We also want to recognize our students for their achievements at the Delaware Valley Science Fair. Alina Bolair earned second place for the environmental science division. Her
project was, "Is the Hawaii 104 act effective?" You have to go look that up what that is. Mackenzie Langan received an honorable mention for uh her project, which is environmental impact of fertilizers. Is slow release actually better? Um in addition, we want to recognize our middle school students for
their strong performance at the 2026 New Jersey Math League competition. Our grade six team placed first in the region. That's four counties is our region. So we were first uh for the sixth grade team. Um Austin Cook earned first place overall. Uh Juan Aras placed
second in the region and our eighth grade team placed fourth in the region. Uh Ethan Sosa was an impressive third place among all students when they ranked them all out. We also had a third place winner as well. So they reflect some real hard work and strength of our mathematics program. Finally, I'm also
pleased to share some positive news regarding our QAC review. Uh, all schools in New Jersey are reviewed every three years by the state of New Jersey. Um, you have to earn certain points uh in every category. Um, so following our interim review, so we were reviewed
three years ago uh by the New Jersey Department of Ed, we now have met or exceeded 80% of our required indicators in all five areas, instruction and program, fiscal management and governance, operations and personnel. Uh and we are officially designated a high performing district. We've been this
before, we are it again. So congratulations to all that hard work that we did, that our teachers have done, our administration has done. Really is a significant accomplishment. Okay. Only 18 out of 30 in Ocean County are high achieving districts. So we are one of them. So that's really some uh
impressive stuff. Okay. Uh we'll move on. Uh Mr. King, Principal King. Ah, I know >> it's more hit than miss lately, Jay. That's pretty good sign right there. >> Yeah, that's pretty good. >> That's my yield from view as I come down
every night. >> All right. I'd like to start this evening by announcing our April seniors of the month. Our first senior of the month is Samantha Sabokco. Samantha, come on down. Her families in attendance, a round of applause for them as well, please.
I'm Samantha Sabokco and I'm proud to be April's senior of the month at Lacy Township High School. >> Congratulations, Sam, on winning senior of the month for the month of April. There's no one more deserving. Some LTHs activities that I do is I'm a part of the student government association,
yearbook club, DECA, NHS, art honors society, surf rider, and sportsswise I participate in girls field hockey, winter track, and girls golf. >> Sam is involved in many things here at the high school. Um, she is a three
sport athlete, a officer in SGA, and the most thankless job is being the editor of our school yearbook. Sam has been the editor for the past three years and each of those years we have received a national recognition for our yearbook the layout and design and that is a
credit to her work ethic and um design and capabilities. >> Some of my favorite memories at Le Township High School is participating in the battle of the classes. I got to decorate the halls and participate in school spirit. >> The world needs more Sam Sabokos. She is
a well-rounded student who is respectful to her peers, to her uh teachers, to her adviserss. She is always willing to go the extra mile, work outside of meeting times and make sure that everything is done to the best of her ability and
we're really excited to see what she does in her future. >> Outside school, I like to hang out with my friends and family. I like to do a lots of arts and crafts and go on runs. >> Congratulations again, Sam. Good luck next year at Monontlair. We'll be rooting for you. Go Red Hawks. >> My future plans after high school is
that I'm going to be going to Montlair State University where I'll be majoring in marketing and I will also be playing Division 3 field hockey. >> All right, Smith, congratulations. Our next April senior of the month is Jonathan Graveman. Jonathan, come on down. His family's here as well. Round
of applause for that. >> I'm Jonathan Graveman and I'm proud to be April senior of the month at Lacy Township High School. >> John, congratulations for winning senior of the month for April 2026. >> In previous years, I've played basketball and volleyball and I've volunteered for the Interact Club, NHS,
student government, and many others. John, since the moment I met you freshman year in world history, you set yourself apart very early. >> Some of my favorite memories at Lacy Township High School were the after school volleyball practices where me and my friends got to mess around and have a great time. >> I got to work with you not just freshman
year, but also freshman and sophomore year for the volleyball team until you retired to pursue academics, which we are obviously proud of you for. And I have to say that you are one of the most dynamic young men I've ever met in my career. Out of school, I like to spend time with my friends and family and I tutor kids as well.
>> John, your personality is top-notch and you have a tremendous character. I always enjoy the pleasure of getting to be around you when you still manage our volleyball matches, having you now in AP US history where I've gotten to see you excel at the highest levels of our academics and our history department. I could not be prouder of you.
>> I plan on going to either Drew or Ramapo College for psychology where I later plan on being a child psychologist. >> Congratulations. You've earned this. You deserve this. And if you want to unretire to come back to boys volleyball, we still have 6 weeks left. Don't worry, you're on the
eligibility list. Congratulations. >> Yep. only two. >> Oh, we have two residents. >> All right, I'm gonna hog the microphone for a little bit longer. We have two very, very special students to acknowledge. Uh, two, not one, but two individual state champions in their
individualized sports. Our first state champion to bring up is Deemos Charos. Come on up, DEOS. Deeos was a state champion in bowling this year. Mr. Zillinsky, you have a resolution. >> So, we have a resolution for for such an achievement. Um, this is signed by
obviously the board of education. I'm going to read it for Miss Claus. >> There's a resolution. Lace Township School District. Whereas >> Deus Sarnes, affectionately known as Deemos, began his journey with the Lacy High School Special Olympics team in 2024, demonstrating from the outset an
extraordinary level of dedication, perseverance, and personal growth. And whereas during the 24-25 school year, Deemos navigated the rigors of competitive bowling by advancing through the county and central levels to reach the state competition where he earned a
bronze medal, a remarkable feat for a firstear athlete. And whereas Deeos has continued his upward trajectory of success this school year by showing relentless commitment to his craft, increasing his scoring average over 18 games of practice and challenging
himself by mastering the use of the 14lb bowling ball. can. Whereas through his hard work and disciplined play, Deemos once again qualified for high level competition, earning a silver medal at the county level on February 1st and a
silver medal at the Central New Jersey competition on February 28th. And whereas on March 29th, 2026 at Lucky Strike Lanes in North Brunswick, Deemos competed in the unassisted ramp division, delivering an outstanding three-game performance to secure THE
GOLD MEDAL. I'M NOT DONE. Whereas Deeos embodies the true spirit of the Special Olympics by never missing a practice, maintaining technical discipline by consistently avoiding the foul line, and always displaying exemplary sportsmanship by
congratulating his fellow competitors. And whereas the Lacy Township School District is incredibly proud of Deemos's achievements, which serve as a powerful example of how determination and a positive attitude lead to excellence. So now, therefore, be it resolved by the
Lacy Township Board of Education, Ocean County, New Jersey, that the board does hereby formally recognize and congratulate Demo Sarnis for his gold medal achievements and his inspiring representation of the Lacy Pride spirit. The board further acknowledges his hard work and looks forward to his continued
success in seasons to come. Congratulations. Congratulations again, Deemos. Our next individual state champion is Killian Kojio. Killian, come on up. >> Killian achieves state championship status in wrestling. And Mr. Zinsky, I
believe we have a resolution. >> We do. We have a further resolution. I I just want to editorialize that being a state champion in any sport is incredible, but the wrestling state champion is special because you are the state champion. There is no one else.
SO WE AGAIN HAVE A resolution for you passed by the board of education. Okay. Lacy Township School District resolution. Whereas Killian Kuchio has demonstrated extraordinary athletic prowess and determination as a member of the Lacy Township High School wrestling program culminating in historic and
dominant 2526 season. And whereas Killian Kuchio has achieved the pinnacle of high school athletics by becoming a 2026 New Jersey state champion, marking only the second time in the history of the Lacy program that a wrestler has
earned this prestigious title. And whereas his path to championship glory is paved with consistent excellence, including being a two-time Shore Conference champion, three-time district champion, and a three-time region champion while placing third in the state in 24 and second in the state in
25. And whereas during his 2026 championship run, Killian displayed unparalleled defensive mastery, not allowing a single offensive point to be scored against him throughout the state tournament while securing I don't know what these are. Two I know what pin is.
Two pins, technical fall, major decision, and a commanding seven to1 victory in the state finals. I got that right. Yes. Okay. >> And whereas Killian concludes his junior campaign. We're expecting a senior campaign. Yes. >> Okay. Good. All right. Killian concludes
his junior campaign with a stellar 42 and4 season record and an all-inspiring career record of 108-9 so far, distinguishing himself among the 4,270 wrestlers statewide who v for only one
of 14 individual titles. And whereas beyond his physical talents, Killian embodies the spirit of a true student athlete through his resilience, intensity, and unwavering work ethic, serving as a leader and a mentor who elevates the performance and confidence of his teammates. And whereas his
academic and athletic dedication has earned him a full scholarship to compete at the NCAA level for Virginia Tech. Yes. >> Bringing further honor and recognition to the Lacy Township community. And whereas despite these monumental achievements, Killian remains committed
to the pursuit of excellence, maintaining a low and forward focus as he prepares for his senior season and continued vision quest for greatness. I love that movie. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Lacy Township Board of Education, Ocean County, New Jersey, that the board does
hereby formally recognize and congratulate Killian Kuchio for his remarkable achievements on the mat, his exemplary character, and the pride he has brought to the Lacy Township School District, and wishes him continued success in his final season and his future collegiate career. Congratulations.
>> Congratulations. their families are here as well. So, a round of applause for them. >> I'd also like to recognize their coaches that are here as well. We have we have over here THAT >> All right. As it turns out, I'm still here.
you stay. >> Thank you. Uh it gives me great pleasure. This is one of the most amazing board meetings of the year because we get to celebrate the people you see up on the screen right there. Uh we are about to start celebrating our teachers of the year. And before we get
into the winners here, I want to share with you once again how they achieve this status. Each school puts together a panel of teachers, administrators, parents, other staff members, and they sit and they start going through their
staff and they talk about people who would be eligible for this honor. We all come up with a list, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 people, sometimes 13. To hear the accomplishments, to hear what brings them to that forefront to be considered
for this is an amazing, amazing time. And I wish I could bring the entire staff in there with us as we talk about them, but it is confidential. With that group, we narrow it down to three possible winners. At that point, we forward the three winners to the board level, and there's a committee at that
level that sits through the candidates, picks through them, and they pick a single winner for each building. Before we announce those winners, I want a sincere round of applause for all the nominees that were nominated, all the hard work that all of you do in this room. It is every day in and out. You
are greatly appreciated. These seven, six, seven, what do we have? >> Seven. Explain that later. >> That's fine. These seven represent all of you and please always remember that we would give you all awards. The seven carry on your hard work every single
day. So to all of you, a round of applause. With all that being said, I have the prestigious honor of introducing Lazy Township High School's teacher of the year, Mr. Matthew Bar. Come on down. Mr. Broad has some family members here.
So, a round of applause for them as well. Don't worry. So as we discussed and spoke about the qualifications and qualities that make a teacher of the year possible, Mr. Bata exemplifies that. His first and foremost
motto, rule, passion is to create a community in his classroom. He knows what needs to be taught. The students know they need to learn. but without a very very sincere connection between the teacher and the student. A passion that he has to make that connection which
each one of his students and each one of his classes he knows that knowledge that he possesses will never reach the target audience. So he spends a lot of time and effort building those relationships. He spends a lot of time and effort embracing the students into a a
family-like atmosphere that makes them want to learn the subject. And what does he do then? He provides them with a challenge. And when challenged, his students step up. And why do they step up? Because they know he's they're safe. They're supported. And they're cared
about from him. They know if they struggle, he will help them. They know if if they need help, he's there. What he won't do is make it easy for them. What he does do is he makes it possible for them. And it's that difference. It's
it's that effort and energy in his class every day, every year since I've known him that brings him to our forefront today. So, it is my honor and pleasure to announce Mr. Matthew Barata as a Ley High School teacher of the year.
And with that, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. Brandis, principal Middle School. >> Uh, good afternoon everyone. It's always a privilege to be able to come up and speak to the board and to the school at Lacy School community. Congratulations to all the students, all the state
winners, and to all the teachers of the year. Uh, congratulations. I'm here to announce the Lacy Township Middle School teacher of the year, Miss Siobhan Barker. Please join me at the podium. Congratulations to Miss Barker. Her mother's here tonight along with her
daughter. her son's playing soccer along with her husband. So, she's uh doing the parent balancing act. So, I'm happy she was able to join us uh tonight. Uh most importantly, in the beginning of the year, um we always have teachers, we bring them in, we do presentations, we
challenge them, we go over their responsibilities. Um, and this year I asked our staff at the middle school to make sure with with everything they have going on and we always, you know, add things to their plate, doing more with less. Uh, I
challenged our staff to have fun. And, uh, you know, with that, uh, Miss Barker took the flag and ran with it, you know, beyond what she does in the classroom. And let me explain a little bit what she does in the classroom first. Um, she indivi individualizes instruction more
than just about anybody in the building. Uh, in her classroom, she not only makes it fun, creating games. If all of you have wrapped presents uh around Christmas time, the kids on the back, she incorporates that into her classroom. Uh, March Madness, she always
adds that into her classroom as a game. But again more importantly she takes the students she challenges them individually with their test scores and really works on them as individuals and makes uh learning fun. So with that she also takes on the responsibilities of
being a data coach, instructional coach and a leader amongst her peers which is not easy to do um within any building. So I really you know appreciate that and uh challenge her to continue to do a great job. Uh beyond that, she's taken
on the role of class advisor and certainly an act to participate in all the fundraisers we do and not only participating but kind of getting highly involved and highly competitive. So, she's out there uh trying to spike the volleyball at the PTC games and during
our Easter egg hunts, you know, throwing people around and uh throwing garbage cans around looking for Easter eggs. So, um I appreciate her efforts more than you know. Um it's a challenge amongst a building does not that does not have anybody under the age of 34. So a lot of
our staff is balancing the act of parenting families and it is most difficult and she does an exceptional job. I applaud you on your efforts and you are welld deserved candidate of teacher of the year. Thank you.
Congratulations again to all the award winners and teachers of the year. And I will now like to introduce Miss Holly Neimik, principal of Cedar Creek. Hi everyone. I would just like to again um echo what's been said. Congratulations to the students here
tonight and the educators and staff who are being honored and recognized. Um I get to share a little snapshot of Cedar Creek's teacher of the year, Miss Mrs. Jennifer Uert. And I'm sorry it's not short and sweet.
That's not it. you have to stay down here for a little longer. Um, she is here with her family who is here with her. Hi. Um, her husband Adam, her mother Patty, and her daughters Aubrey and Bailey. So, Mrs. Uert also gets to
work in the same building that her daughter Bailey is in. And Bailey is going to be going to the middle school next year, which is very exciting. Um, Mrs. Uert has been an educator for 19 years. Uh she embodies the spirit of what it means to be a Lacy Lion. And
that that's a that's a tough feat. Lacy Lions are very proud. They're rooted in tradition. And that's really what Mrs. Eward is about. The pride she has for her school community extends well beyond the classroom door. Her passion for igniting curiosity is
commendable. Walt Disney said, "If you can dream it, you can do it. Do you like that? I I want I know you're so good. Um, this quote really represents Mrs. Uart's classroom. She's dedicated to supporting
all the learners in her classroom and around the building. Her classroom reflects kindness, high expectations, and a love for learning. When you walk into her room, it is like walking into Disney World. I say that not only
because the kids and the staff love being in her room, but she makes learning interactive. It's kind of like the lines at Disney. I haven't been there in a while, but apparently they're very interactive. So the 2-hour wait only seems like five minutes, and that's what learning is like in Mrs. Huert's
classroom. At the heart of her instruction is creating an inclusive and supportive envi environment. She's an advocate for all kids and she works to improve teaching and learning not only in her classroom but throughout the building and she really has a passion for supporting it across the district as
well. She volunteers her time. She helps with the drama club performance. She leads scholarship committee. She's on a multitude of committees and that's only at Cedar Creek. I know she helps at the other schools as well. Um, she has
developed a donor donor choose project to secure wobble stools and flexible seating for her classroom. And I think one of the greatest character traits of Mrs. Uert is her infectious laugh. That is not a requirement to be a teacher. However, it does reflect her personality
and joy that she brings every day. So, thank you, Mrs. viewer, not only for inspiring the students you teach this year, but the students you've taught in the past and will teach in the future. We love you. She didn't want to come. All right.
>> And now I'd like to invite Mr. Feedler from the Fork River School. Good evening, Lacy Township Board of Education, Mr. Zillinsky, Mrs. Stewart, staff, all the staff that are here, and our community members. On behalf of the Fork River School, I'm deeply honored to
recognize our 2026 teacher of the year, special education teacher, Mrs. Katie King. While Mrs. King cannot be with us tonight following the passing of her father earlier this week, our thoughts are with her and her family. We are so glad she may have a chance to watch this
tribute on a video replay to see just how much she means to our community. Mrs. King's journey to the Fork River School began in Ohio, where she grew up in a suburb of Cleveland. Upon graduating high school, she pursued her college career at Mercyhurst College, where she discovered her calling in
elementary and special education. In 2006, she began her career in the heart of Brooklyn at PS 102, while her husband, Mr. King, began his career as a New York City firefighter. For 11 years, Mrs. King served one of the most demanding and rewarding student populations, teaching children with
emotional regulation impairment. When the King family relocated to Lacy Township in 2017, we didn't just gain three amazing students in Michael, Ryan, and Samantha at the Fort River School. We gained an educator, Mrs. King, of incredible caliber. After successful but
brief tenure at Lenoka Harbor School, Katie came home to the Fort River School after district restructuring where she has served as a special education teacher since 2019. To know Mrs. King is to witness boundless passion. She doesn't just teach curriculum. She helps to develop
the whole child, working to build each of her students social, emotional, and academic potential. She describes her classroom as a caring community where individuality is celebrated and failure is viewed simply as a stepping stone to
success. In her own words, academic success is key, but instilling in children that they can be great at whatever they set their minds to is the pathway to their present and future all-around success. Mrs. King, on behalf of your colleagues,
your students, and the families whose lives you have changed and continue to change for the better. Congratulations. We are so incredibly proud to call you the Fortit River Schools Teacher of the Year. At this time, I'm happy to introduce Dr.
Brewer. >> All right. Good evening, everybody. And guess what I'm going to do? I'm going to congratulate everybody. Great job. Um, Mr. King said it best. What's awesome on a night like this is where you see how everybody is just interconnected. Like you can look about on that board and
everybody's got a connection in this room. Some of you taught my kids, Mr. Brown, I'm very sorry for what they put you through. Um, one used to be a former student. Um, you know, Sarah, I'm gonna I'm going to take credit for making sure that you stayed with us long long ago. Uh it's
it's just it's just great when when all this happens. Miss Barker, thank you for two wonderful children that you put through Lenoka and make our scores look good. Um and we come down to Mrs. Rataco. Mrs. Rataco is our teacher of the year.
She would please join us down here. While she makes her way, I'd also like to recognize her husband, Mike and Eva, who are here with her. Her son, Jacob, and her parents were extremely extremely proud. Could not be here, but we do have a Lenoka legend in
the house. I'd like to honor Miss Barbara Julian who's here tonight. All right. So, for Mrs. Rataco, what can I say? Um, she grew up Tom's River. She lives in Tom's River, but I'll tell you what, she is rooted deep in Lacy. She's
been here 29 29 years now. Um, and I don't think there's anything at the elementary level she hasn't been involved in, whether it was Mari night, now Steam night, literacy night, uh, summer reading kickoff, you name it, she's done it. I can't do it justice to
explain everything she's done. Matter of fact, just tonight was the drama club. Oh, she's the adviser of the drama club. They had their dress rehearsal tonight. She ran back to Tom's River, got herself all gussied up, came down here, and when I said to her like, "Listen, if
you got to move it or you want to skip out early," she says, "No, I can't. My kids need me there. The show's next week." To me, that's dedication that does not show up on a test score. So, that's the type of teacher we want. You go into her classroom, you see it. It's the holistic approach. They they become
a family. They're her students for 180 days, but there is a special connection that goes beyond that afterwards. And you can truly see it. And and Jod shared a a really funny story that some people might take offense to this, but one of her students called her grandma. Yeah.
>> And she took it as a term of endearment that if they call me grandma, they must feel so comfortable like being at home. They're calling me somebody they care that much about. So that's what she instills in her classroom and it's just really really incredible to see in Jod's
classroom. She welcomes mistakes. We want mistakes because mistakes are where you grow. You don't grow when you're comfortable. And she says it's okay because we're going to make mistakes and we're going to develop a work ethic and we're going to push through it. So with with that um I
say given the quality of the candidates that are at Loka Harbor and across the district but specifically at Lenoka in the pool that were there this year it is a great honor to award Mrs. Rataco and I acknowledge her as our teacher of the
year. At this time, I would like to bring down Miss Jody Donn. >> Thank you, Mr. Brewer. Um, I want to say congratulations to all of our Lacy teachers of the year. This is probably one of my most favorite nights that we
get to celebrate and honor all of you for your hard work and dedication. But tonight, I have the privilege to represent Mil Pond. It is with great pride that I want to introduce our teacher of the year, Mrs. Sarah Silva.
So, Mrs. Silva is accompanied tonight by her husband Chris, her son Christopher, her daughter Shay, and her mom and dad Mr. and Mrs. Baxter. Thank you so much for coming. So, we thank you, Chris, Christopher,
and Shay for being that home support because we know so often that teaching is hard. So, when mom comes home and she has her bag of things to do and spreads it all out all over, and I know placing
stickers on things are not probably your most favorite, but helping out really does do mom a bit of good. So, her pathway to educating our youngest learners was actually a grand adventure.
It began while Chris was on active duty. Thank you so much for your service, by the way. It started at OC, transitioned to Boise State, and then finished at St. Joseph's University as she completed her student teaching in Germany. How exciting was
that? Only to start again upon her return to the states back to New Jersey where she then went to earn her master's degree in special education at Ruckers University, which thank goodness because that landed you and Lacy.
Mrs. Silva joined the Lacy family in 2019 starting at Lenoka Harbor School and then it happened. It was just three years ago that she packed up her classroom at Lenoka and took a leap of faith joining me at Mil Pond to take on
the challenge of building something new as part of our kindergarten team. From the very beginning, she became an essential part of creating something truly special. Her perseverance and unwavering determination to provide her
students with the very best kindergarten experience have led her to this moment tonight. Throughout this time at Mil Pond, she has been a cornerstone of our team, helping to build not just a program, but a true sense of community.
And I mean that with my heart. As one of our data coaches, her collaborative spirit and willingness to work alongside others have been the driving force behind many of our most successful initiatives. So, I have lots to say that I can gush
about Sarah, but one of the things that I like to do is share some of the things that your colleagues have said about you. So, Sarah makes every day engaging. She has amazing conversations with her students. She's the child whisperer.
She always puts forth a ton of effort in all she does. Boundless energy. Sarah is amazing. Her toolbox is huge and she's always willing to share. Her positivity is contagious and that's why her kids
love her so much. So it is this dedication, this passion and commitment that make her so deserving of this recognition. I have been truly fortunate to have Mrs. Silva on my team and I am extremely proud to
have her here with us tonight to represent Milond as teacher of the year. Congratul And I do believe almost I do believe we have Mr. Zalinsky, our acting superintendent, who will uh move on to our district teacher of the year.
>> That's probably a good good district teacher of the year. So So the reason we have seven this year is that Jess Schaper, you're coming up. You're our next one. Come on up, Jess. Right. I've been working with Jess a long time. We've done a lot of things. I was a
lowly district supervisor when we started working together. So, uh, we have seven because Jess Schaefer is shared between three different buildings. So, the principles were fighting over her to be their their teacher of the year. So, I said we're going to make a seventh this year and then I'll do the presentation. So really
a distinct honor for you, right? And I will read about you. Okay. It's my honor to recognize Jessica Schaefer as teacher of the year. An educator whose impact extends far beyond the classroom. Miss Schaefer creates an environment where students feel supported, confident, and willing to take on challenges even in
subjects that may not come easily. As a fifth grade accelerated mathematics teacher, she has helped build a program that emphasizes deep understanding, real world application, and student ownership. The classroom is a place where students collaborate, think critically, and grow in both skill and
confidence. Notably, Miss Schaefer works across all three elementary schools in the district, extending her reach and ensuring that students and staff in each building benefit from her experience, consistency, and commitment to excellence. With a background in special education, she is strongly committed to
meeting the needs of all learners. She helps students recognize their strengths and believe in themselves, often in ways that extend well beyond academics. She uses data thoughtfully to guide instruction and empowers students to set goals and take ownership of their progress. At the same time, she fosters
a classroom culture grounded in strong relationships, high expectations, and a genuine sense of belonging. Her leadership reaches across the district. In her roles as data coach, club adviser, and professional development leader, she supports both students and colleagues. She has also contributed to
broader educational initiatives, sharing her expertise to strengthen teaching and learning beyond our schools. But above all, she instills confidence in her students. While not every student may may leave loving math, they leave believing in themselves because of Miss Shaver. And that is a lasting impact. It
truly is. I've seen it. I've been in your classroom. I know it's true. It's with great pride that we recognize her as this year's teacher of the year. Congratulations. Okay. And you're here with your fiance and your mom and dad. Thank you for sharing. and that is the end of my report.
>> That's it. >> Thank you so much. >> Okay. >> Take five. Yeah. Take a five minute break. >> Yeah, sure. >> We'll take a five minute break. Anybody who needs to go for homework or have to prepare their classes for tomorrow, now is your chance. We'll take a five-minute
break and we can stretch the lights. We are now opening public comment portion of this meeting in accordance to the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act. This is an opportunity for members of the public to make comments to the board. Please note that this period is reserved for comments only. The board
will not be responding to questions or engaging in dialogue. The board's role of this policy the board's role is a policymaking body. Operational and administration ma administrative matters should be addressed through appropriate chain of command beginning with the staff member or administration most
directly involved. All speakers are expected to present their remarks in a respectful civil manner. Rude or harassment will not be permitted. Please understand that defamatory remarks may create personal liability for the speaker and potential legal exposure for the board. In addition to protect the
privacy of rights of students and employees, the board will not entertain discussion regarding specific student or students or personnel matters. We thank you for your cooperation and helping us helping us maintain orderly and respectful meeting. An audience member
wishing to make a comment will raise his or her hand and when called upon state their name, address or affiliation and intention to make a statement. Comments will be addressed to the board president. Comments will be limited to six minutes. No person persons shall speak more than once. This portion of
the meeting is for public comments only and there will be no questions answered. The purpose of this board meeting is to perform our business in public. Everyone is entitled to a public comment. If there's a question for the board, there's an established chain of command. Would anybody like to have a public comment tonight? Miss Nap,
>> take your time. >> Hi, my name is Karen Nap. I live at 563 Llac Drive in Loka Harbor. I have been a Lacy resident for 32 years along with being a full-time district employee for 26 years. I am also the parent of my two boys, Lex and Steven Nap, who went
through the district. As a parent, I was involved in the youth wrestling program, the high school wrestling program, booster club, PTA, and much more. Professionally, I started the my career in 2000 as a kindergarten par professional at Cedar Creek. I was there for 20 years. When the district got rid
of kindergarten powers, I was then transferred to Mil Pond into the fifth grade LLD class. I spent four years there. During that time in 2020, I'm proud to say that I was awarded staff member of the month. Then the district moved kindergarten into Milton, fifth
grade into elementary. At at that time, I was transferred over to Forkid River, continuing to work in the LLD setting. In total, this gives me 26 years working in a classroom as a full-time PAR professional. I am here tonight to ask you to reconsider letting go of the
full-time Paris. Looking back over the years, I never thought I would wind up working in the school district since I did not like school back in the day. Throughout my four years of high school, I attended vocational school for cosmetology. This gave me the opportunity to get out of
school for a portion of the day. This is why I understand these ch children with special needs so well. I am a power professional that understands where they are coming from. I assist the teacher I work with and I watch these children excel on a daily basis. They have smiles
on their faces, a sense of pride, and their confidence soarses when they achieve something that they thought they couldn't. The children are always our number one priority. I put my heart and soul into each and every student each and every day. I have seen a lot of changes in the district from a parents
point of view and an employees point of view. No matter what school I was in, I was I always stepped up to the challenge and embraced the change. Even though I knew I could go to another district and make more money, I stayed in Lacy because this is where my family's roots
are. And as Lacy School District's motto says, it's a tradition of pride, a tradition of excellence. There are 25 full-time powers left in the district. Some who are not eligible for retirement yet. They would like to continue putting in their time. It's
only fair that you allow this handful of full-time power professionals to continue working full-time capacity. We were told we are being eliminated because of our benefits because benefits are getting too expensive. It's not sustainable. However, hundred thou
$100,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the work we do every day. I wish you good luck trying to find employees with the same work ethic. I believe you can understand why I'm saying this after the scenarios that have happened in the district with par profofessionals who lack experience with
our most neediest of students. A few years ago, Vanessa Clark told the full-time PAR professionals that they would be losing their full-time employment status. The very next week, she held another meeting saying that they were restoring the full-time Paris. That one week was emotional torture for
many of us. I'm hoping I'm hopeful that you will be able to change your minds as Vanessa did. Getting a job in Lacy Township Schools was an absolute blessing. I love my job. I love the students. I love my co-workers. I love
coming to work every day. Yes, I love my job. Even though I have worked 26 years, I have the age and retire age to retire. I am not ready to go. I'm hopeful that you can find the funding somewhere else to restore full-time PAR professionals.
Thank you for your time and please re-evaluate keeping us full-time paras. Stealing a line from Mr. Brewer. The work paraprofessionals do will never show up on a test score. >> Thank you.
All right. My princer died right before this, so we're on the phone now. So, good evening. My name is Tatiana and I'm the student government president and I'm speaking today as a student representative. Before I begin, I want to say something that I think is important. Over the past two years, I've sat in these meetings and watched people who all care about this district tear
each other apart over issues that affect all of us. I think we need to remember that we are all on the same side here and we all want what's best for this community. I also want to be clear that I am not on not here on behalf of the board or the staff. I'm here as a student and that's exactly why I felt it was important to speak tonight. I've
been in this district since seventh grade and this school has been one of the only places in my life where I found consistency. At home, I help take care of five younger siblings, which takes a lot of responsibility and challenges. But school has always been a safe place, a place where I can focus, grow, and feel supported. Because of that, I want
to talk about what the students are actually feeling right now. First, we cannot afford to lose or weaken essential support systems, especially for students with IEPs and additional needs. I've seen firsthand how important these programs are. My four-year-old brother brother struggled with behavior
and speech and my mom has was hesitant to trust another school after my sister fell significantly behind her peers in our previous district. But here we saw real progress. His speech improved and he became confident and happy again. Programs like that don't just help academically, they change lives. Second,
I want to talk about teachers. Teachers are the most important part of this school. They are the reason many of us succeed and the reason many of us even want to come to school. I've had teachers who saw potential in me when even my own peers didn't. I've had coaches and staff members stay before and after school just to make sure I was okay. Not just academically, but also
personally. These aren't just just job responsibilities. That's care. That's commitment. Many of our teachers are not just educators. They are mentors, coaches, and role models. Some are balancing second jobs, families, and their own responsibilities. Yet, they show up every day and give everything
they have to us. They've taught me not just academic content, but life skills like how to prepare for college and understand my future. And students take notice to that. I can honestly stand up here and talk about the impact each one of my students has had on my life. But I don't think that sixminute timer would
allow that. We see teachers continuing to show up for us even while dealing with uncertainty, stress, working without contracts and working without contracts. That kind of environment doesn't just affect the teachers, it affects the students, too. While the people who support us feel undervalued, it impacts our entire learning
environment. Over the past few years, I've watched teachers and staff members leave, get cut, and feel like they're being pushed aside. But they still show up every day and give give us everything they can. From a student perspective, that is not something that should be treated as if it has no value. I
understand that budget cut decisions are difficult, but I ask that when those decisions are made, the board prioritizes what directly impacts the students, strong teachers, essential programs, and support systems that allow us to succeed. Whether it was the possibility of cutting sports last year or the continued loss of staff this
year, this reflects a systemic issue. I'm not here to say that these that there was an easy solution. I'm not naive. But I do believe students can be a part of one. If funding is a major issue, I think it would be meaningful for students alongside district leadership to go to Tron and advocate for our schools or even even consider a
schoolwide initiative encouraging parents and students to reach out to protect our schools. We are directly affected by these decisions and we want our voices to be heard. At the end of the day, we are not just numbers in a budget. We are students who rely on the system every day. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, thank you very much. Um, I
would like to I would first like to thank uh board president Claus for a nice words today and I'd also like to congratulate the incredible teachers and students on the recognitions tonight. So, dear board members, my name is Cooper and I currently serve as the senior class president at Lacy Township High School. As a student representative
for the Lacy Board of Education, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the ongoing conversations between Lacy faculty and yourselves. The Lacy Township School District has some of the most passionate, dedicated, and motivated individuals I have ever met in my life. They are the people that motivate discussions, energize full
potential, and inspire students every day. We have student We have teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students beyond what their job descriptions entail, and have shown a true commitment to a lazy community. I have seen it firsthand in the halls of the building. we are in right now. Students who may not have a support
system at home find comfort in teachers, paraprofessionals, security officers, custodians, guidance counselors, etc. Some someone last meeting said it best, teachers are so much more than educators. They are mentors, mental health professionals, therapists, friends, coaches, adviserss, counselors,
and so much more. What is currently being proposed in the current budget is a slap in the face to not just faculty members, but to students and families as well. We understand the costs have gone up, but that is not just specific for this district. The people sitting behind me have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and dreams to pursue. With an already
troubling budget and curriculum and educational costs, many teachers have to result to paying out of pocket for their own classroom supplies. These costs have gone up, too. How can students expect to thrive when their teachers cannot afford to provide an ideal educational experience? The students of Lacy Township stand in solidarity with their
faculty members in demanding a living pay to adjust with today's costs. Please, thank you. Please, when considering next year's budget, think beyond the numbers. Think about the people you are impacting, the lessons you are weakening, and the community you represent. Thank you.
>> Hi, good evening. My name is Dan Toner and I'm a conservative commentator advocating for a stronger New Jersey. First off, I couldn't start out without saying a big congratulations to Mrs. Rataku. I don't know if she's still here or not. And of course, our great Mrs. Barker from the middle school. Uh having
had both of these teachers, I am in incredibly proud of them both and uh they are doing a phenomenal job and uh definitely keep up the great work, guys. With that said, I stand before you tonight on a mission to bring hope, unity, and change to an issue our
community has faced for far too long. When I attended last month's meeting, I stood in the back of this room listening to our teachers, taxpayers, and of course, our hardworking parrot professionals. And as I listened, I began to see a frightening reality and
one none of us should ignore. a divide between our hardworking teachers that so desperately deserve their increases and a and frustrated taxpayers unable to afford higher taxes to fund those increases. As a community, we must look above the four walls of this building
and look no further than 50 mi northwest in the halls of our state capital. The facts are simple. If our state gave our district and many others alike the funding we rightfully need, our district and many others will once again prosper.
But in times of struggle, we are gifted with a choice. A choice to give up and take with what we have or a choice to stand up and stand our ground. Which is why tonight I am proud to announce that in coordination with my friend Rihanna Mendes, we will be hosting a Save Our
Schools rally at Veterans Park Saturday, May 2nd. because it is time to stand our ground and we're not going to take it any longer. I will be a G That's right. That's right. I will be a guest speaker highlighting my recent efforts for fighting for our
community, taxpayers, and especially all of our education workers. Keep putting the pressure on the majority party in our state legislature and our governor that we demand change. Email and call your elected representative. join us at our rally. And uh as an advocate for
change, I won't stop until every teacher gets their fair share and all taxpayers are given the tax relief that they deserve with the affordability crisis our state legislature has created. Thank you. God bless you and let's rally on May 2nd. Let's do it.
Good evening. My name is Trish Mooney and I'm the health secretary at Mil Pond. I stand before you today not just as an employee, but as someone as someone on the front lines of the student care every single day. I'm not speaking to you as a line item in a
budget. I'm speaking to you as the person who is there when a child walks into the health office scared, sick, or hurt, and sometimes not even knowing why. I'm the one helping manage the constant flow of students so the nurses can focus
on care. In just one month, 1300 students came through our office. 1300, not numbers on a page. children who needed help, attention, and reassurance. The level of care does not happen
without full-time support. Health secretaries are not optional. We are an essential. We are essential to the safe and effective operation of our schools. Without us, nurses simply cannot manage the volume and complexity of what comes through the door. What concerns me most
is that these decisions are being made on paper without fully recognizing what they look like in real life. Because in real life, there is no pause button. There is no backup when we we are short staffed. There are just more students,
more needs, and fewer people to help them. And I want to give you a clear picture of what that decision really means. Cutting a full-time health secretary is like move removing a seat belt from a car to save money. On paper, everything still works. The car still
moves. But the moment something goes wrong, the protection that was quietly keeping people safe is gone. And that's when the cost becomes real. We are that layer of protection. It's not just the students who rely on us. It's their parents. Every day, parents
send their children into our schools trusting that if something happens, if their child gets sick, gets hurt, has an emergency, there is a system in place to care for them quickly, safely, and compassionately. We are part of that trust. When you
reduce the people who were there to respond, you are not just cutting a position. You are weakening the trust between families and this district. We already stretch ourselves beyond what's expected. We stay late. We come in early. We spend our own money on
supplies when budgets fall short. We do it because we care deeply about these kids and this community. And now we're being asked to do even more with less time, less support, and no increase in pay. I need you to understand what that
feels like. It feels like the work we do doesn't matter. It feels like the people who show up every single day for these students are being overlooked. And the hardest part is this. It doesn't just affect us. It affects the students.
Because when there are aren't enough adults to meet their needs safely, safety in is compromised, care is delayed, and the quality of support they receive changes. These cuts may look reasonable on paper, but in reality, they place a greater burden on already
overextended staff, lower morale, and create an environment where fewer people are expected to do more with less. And over time, that doesn't just strain a system, it breaks it. These decisions may solve a short-term financial problem, but they create a
long-term cost, losing experienced, dedicated people who know these students, who know this community, and who are often the first line of care when something goes wrong. And once those people are gone, once that trust is broken, it's not something you can
easily rebuild. So tonight, I'm asking you to think about more than a budget. Think about the parents who send their child to school expecting they will be safe. Think about the moment that child walks into the health office needing help. Imagine it's your child.
Ask yourselves with fewer people there. Are you confident we can give them the care they deserve? Because if the answer is no, then this is not just a financial decision. It's a decision about the level of care and safety you are willing to accept for every child in this
district. and that is a responsibility none of us should take lightly. Please don't let the cost of this decision be something our students and their families are forced to pay for later. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead, Mike. Good evening. Michael Ryan, president of
the LTA. Before I get started tonight, I just want to congratulate our teachers of the year. I am truly honored to work with such phenomenal people and colleagues over the years. And even though I might be older than some of them and they're younger than me, a lot of them do teach you new things and when you come in and that collegial and
collaborative um working together is just really truly phenomenal. We have some great staff tonight. So I just wanted to congratulate them once again. Tonight I want to get started. Um you've heard some people come up here and talk about proposal of cuts to our full-time
PAR professionals and our health aids. I stand before you tonight to speak against the proposed cuts to full-time PAR professionals and health aids in our schools. These positions are not extras. They are essential members of our educational team who help our students
succeed every single day. Cutting full-time staff and replacing them with part-time positions are reducing benefits sends the wrong message. These dedicated employees give their time, energy, and compassion to our children. They deserve stability, fair wages, and
medical benefits. Many of them stay in these jobs not because they're easy, but because they care deeply about the students they serve. When we cut par profofessionals and our health aids, we're not just cutting jobs. We are cutting the support system for our
vulnerable students. We're increasing stress on our teachers, risking student safety, and weakening the quality of education in our district. What may look like numbers on a spreadsheet represents real people, real families that are out
here and real lives that will be deeply harmed by these decisions. For many of them, this means a lost income, loss of health benefits, lost security, and the painful possibility of being forced to leave careers they have devoted
themselves to for many years. Tonight, I ask you to consider the devastating human cost of these proposed cuts. Reducing full-time positions to lower salaries and taking away benefits is not just a financial inconvenience. It is lifealtering. Many employees rely on
their health insurance to take care of themselves and their families. Many rely on a stable income to pay mortgages, rent, utilities, and living expenses. Taking that away creates fear and uncertainty for workers who have already dedicated themselves to helping this
district succeed. After years of committed service, many will have no choice but to leave and seek employment elsewhere simply to survive. Imagine the heartbreak of being forced out. Not because of dedicate lack of dedication,
not because of poor performance, but because the salary and benefits are no longer enough to sustain a life. I'm asking you all one final time to reconsider this devastating professional, financial, and personal blow you're about to implement in the
name of solving the budget crisis. I urge you to remember that the cost of this solution will be borne by the very people who have faithfully supported this district and students every single day. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you.
>> Is there someone in the back? Okay, you can go. >> Yeah, sure. Hi, my name is Christine Pine for I live at 418 Chestnut Drive, Lenoka Harbor. I have been a teacher in Lacy Township
for 29 years. My two children went to school here and I have always felt very proud to be part of such a wonderful community that truly valued education. In the past, our administration and the board of education have shown support
and respect for all of their employees. I'm just going to take a minute. Can I ask all Lacy employees to please stand to be recognized? >> Thank you. Today I stand here with my colleagues trying to convince our board that we
deserve to be treated with respect and valued for the professionals that we are. What other professionals having earned a master's degree are told that they are worth a 0% raise? Most people in that scenario would look for a new
job. Lacy School District employees should not have to continuous continuously plead their case and justify their worth to their employer. We continue to work hard and go above and beyond in our job daily and yet we
are told we are worth a 0% salary increase. That is showing no respect for what we do. As a special education teacher, I have worked with children with all types of disabilities, and I have been told by every one of those families how much I truly appreciated.
They recognize the work I put into planning daily for their child and the differences I have made in their lives. They are grateful for my level of expertise in teaching their child, specifically with individualized instruction. But most of all, they
respect me as a professional. I matter to every child that I have worked with and I share each and every victory that they have earned. Why is it that I matter so little to you? I do not feel respected when I am working without a
contract for eight months and there seems to be no settlement in sight. That feels like blatant disrespect. Every year this job gets harder and harder. And it is not just a job. It is a calling. Not everyone can be a teacher
or work with children, but those of us who do must wear several hats daily. We are instructors, counselors, nurses, mentors, cheerleaders, and heart healers. We are entrusted with the most important job of delivering knowledge,
motivating young learners, and modeling how to be better, kinder, and smarter humans. We share literature, teach manners, open minds and imaginations. We teach social skills, life skills, and foster independence. We are passionate
about what we do and the students we work with. Our students are our first priority every day. But we are also tired. Most of us working two jobs to pay our bills and yet still supplementing all of the materials that
our district can't afford. We provide supplies, lunches, snacks, books, and clothes when needed. Whatever we need to make our classrooms more efficient, we buy. We provide many resources for our students that our district is lacking.
We communicate with parents after school hours and take our work home with us each night. We do it because our students need that from us. We hope that the least you can do is acknowledge how important we are to this community and school district and do
what needs to be done to settle this contract fairly and respectfully. In the past, students were able to request a certain teacher to give them their degree at graduation because of the impact that teacher had on them. I remember a student I worked with in
kindergarten through 2 grade. 10 years later, that student requested that I give him his diploma on graduation day because I was the first person who believed in him in kindergarten. I am not sharing this in hopes of being
thanked today, but I do think we deserve to be given a fair contract in return. We are simply asking for a contract that would enable us to keep up with the increasing cost of living and support our families and ourselves. We need this to continue to serve our students.
without having to work second jobs to barely get by. Respectfully, it is the right thing to do, and we deserve to be compensated for our continued professionalism, commitment, and service, especially while working with no contract since September. Think about
what is at stake here, most importantly, the future of our children. We continue to lose good teachers who leave this district for other jobs after waiting for things to get better. Looking forward, new teachers will not want to work in a district who undervalues their
employees. I invite you members of the board to come and observe a day in my kindergarten classroom if you think a 0% raise is what I deserve. Spend some time with a bus driver, secretary, or custodian and see how hard we work every
day with a smile on our face and pride in our heart. It is insulting that the board of education does not respect us and recognize that we are worth more than a 0% raise. You, the people who should support us and acknowledge our
hard work, continue to minimize our worth. I am the voice of many of my colleagues who are here to say enough is enough. Now is the time to do the right thing and place priority on what matters most in this town, our children. These
children will soon grow up and some may return to Lacy one day, maybe to work and raise a family. They will be adults in our community and the more we invest now in their education, the more successful they will become. My
colleagues and I will suffer and our students will suffer as a result if this contract is not settled fairly. This township depends on the employees of the school district to carry out our responsibilities which we continue to do. They expect you, the board, to do
the same. Thank you for listening. Uh, Miss Pine, uh, Mr. Zalinsky will address your comments um in a few minutes if you just make sure you stay. if you don't mind. Okay, thank you. Okay, anybody else? Regina. Regina Desenza, Sunset Drive, Sunrise
Beach. Um, I see again tonight the bills and claims report has gone the way of the wind after more than possibly 27 years. Would anyone explain why? And I did send an email this afternoon. Miss Claus's board president, this is something that you should know because it's associated with the preparation of
the monthly agenda which you are supposed to oversee as one of your additional duties. I will not make an appointment to discuss this issue privately as you emailed me to do because this topic is of interest to everyone, not just me. This is a major change in the presentation of the
monthly billing agenda and it should be explained in public in my opinion. Was the report changed for brevity to save paper? Is it a simple reason, a new law or rule or did someone just decide to change it and make it the check register? I really prefer the bills and
claims report to be published with the agenda. My next topic, I don't expect an answer. You know, you just look at each other, right? That's all we ever get. We don't get any direct answers. I made an open request to the township of Lacy a few weeks ago after receiving
their invite to the community leader forum to be held on April 22nd at the Charles Smith Hall on Lacy Road. I wanted to see who else was invited and I got the list. Quite a few people were invited from the school district. The board president and vice president were
on the list, but I don't think the other board members even knew about this meeting. Mayor Kennes and others are hosting this meeting to present possible plans for a YMCA to be built in Lacy. While I'm all for additional recreation for children in this town, I feel the only thing a
YMCA can offer us is an indoor pool. The main question is how will this new venture be paid for? Last year, the township proposed what's known as a P3 project. A third party comes in, builds and owns the new structures, and the township pays rent for their new
buildings for approximately 30 years like a mortgage. My question is, is this a feasible venture for the Lacy taxpayers? So, will the people that received invitations please come to this meeting next Wednesday at 4:30 because I want to hear what other people will
think of the proposals of how this new YMCA venture will be paid for. My personal opinion, I'm going to hold back until after the April 22nd meeting. And for the public's knowledge, I did review the check registers that are on the agenda. We've paid out well over a half
a million in soft costs towards the new $28 million referendum. Setrino Architects got $68,749 on one invoice, $353,773 on another invoice, 2250 on another, and
the fourth invoice I saw was $141,120. That's for roofs, I believe. and Willins Goldman and Spitzer, the bond council, $76,513 to help us borrow the $28 million. Thank you. >> Would anybody else go ahead up at the
top? >> Just uh Mr. Senza, the um board is well aware of that meeting about the Y. It's invite only. >> I know. >> Okay. It's invite only. >> I'm just asking everybody to come and show. >> Correct. But it's invite only. >> Good evening. Debbie Chenique,
Manchester Avenue, um employee of the district. Um, I want to talk to the board and um, since you're preparing to take away the health insurance of um, paraprofessionals and health aids, I
want to talk about health. Um, but I want to talk about my health. I have a chronic condition. Um, I take preventative medication. Um, I'm 57 years old. Um, I know a lot of other health aids and
paraprofessionals are probably in the same position I am. Um, we need our healthcare. Um, I personally, um, carried the healthc care for my entire family. Um, I worked over nine years part-time here.
Um, no contract, no benefits because part-time paras aren't eligible for benefits. and I stayed. Most people don't. Um, if you look at how many par professionals are employed in the district right now, part-time, it's probably a really high
number. Um, and that's because good pars are always needed. Um, the work is essential. And if you look at the turnover, I'm going to probably guess that for every 10 part-time people hired, maybe one or two
end up staying and and you know, keeping on in the district. And that shows me that the the job's not for everyone. Uh the ones who stay, the 10 or 20% are your key employees. These are the people that you need to
nurture because they have the heart and the makeup to understand a child, to challenge a child, and to help a child succeed. By the time a full-time position opened for me, I'd already been a class aid and a one-on-one to some very special
students. Students who are now young adults living happy and fulfilling lives. I still follow their milestones. When a parent or a teacher says, "My kids," it's not just a figure of speech. We spend nearly a third of our waking
lives with these children. Think about that and then ask yourself, who do you want doing this job? A revolving door of staff who stays a few months and then moves on or a dedicated experienced paraprofessionals who show
up every day for their s for their kids. And there's something nobody tells you when you take this job. There's no training period, no onboarding, limited orientation. When I was starting out, I learned by watching the women who came before me in the classroom, in the
moment, and in the thick of it, on the job, and in the trenches. This was the training. Which means when you lose an experienced parah, you don't just lose a warm body, you lose years of knowledge that nobody ever wrote down.
Some of these women saw the writing on the wall and retired fully compensated for their years of hard work. Some of them are probably sitting here tonight wondering how they're going to pay their mortgage, their medicines, and their healthcare. They did the work that no one wanted to
call important. They showed up for your children when it wasn't glamorous and it didn't pay well and nobody said thank you. Before you vote, I want you to picture the faces of the children who needed us. Then picture the people in this room who showed up for them year
after year. We didn't do it for the money, but we did do it expecting basic dignity in return. That's all we're asking for tonight. Thank you. >> Would anybody else like to have a public
comment? No. Okay. Okay, I'm going to close the floor of public comment. I'm now going to uh jump to superintendent comment. We're going to switch order a little bit. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Um thank you. So, I just want to acknowledge the realities that we're facing as a district. Thank you everybody who spoke tonight. I always
appreciate that as a social studies teacher. Um public discourse is very important. Um developing a balanced budget this year required a number of very difficult decisions as they have in the previous eight or nine seasons. One of those decisions includes reducing
full-time par profofessionals and health aid positions. We fully understand the impact this has particularly when it comes to the benefits and we're not taking that lightly. Please know that these decisions were made only after very careful consideration and we do remain committed to maintaining meaningful roles for our par
professionals. They are essential to supporting our students every day. We know that and our health aids. I also want to be clear because the commentary came up tonight too that we continue to negotiate in good faith with the Lacy Township Education Association. You know, the we've put forward a legitimate offer that aligns with
settlements that were reached with our non-aligned staff and our child study team, both of whom accepted their agreements. It's important to recognize that health benefits come at a significant cost to the district. Currently, in the current budget cycle, the district has increased the benefits
budget by approximately $3.5 million over the last year toward employee health benefits. And those costs continue to rise and it represents roughly a 5% raise, which is comparable to a salary increase and overall financial impact. Even with this
substantial increase in benefit costs, the district has still included a salary increase. It's an offer to the LTEA. 2% for this year and 3.5% for next year with no change in benefits and no change to contract language with the consideration of contract give backs to
the LTEA. Okay. Very clear on that. Anybody wants to talk to me about that? We're at a point now in our negotiations. You can talk to me about that if you want to. We continue to talk with open lines communication. Mike and I talk frequently. I know the other players talk frequently and remain hopeful that
we can come to a fair and reasonable solution moving forward. We're incredibly proud of our students and staff and with deep respect for our teachers and the challenges they navigate every day. You heard about some of them today. Nobody was lying to you. Okay, we remain focused and continuing to move our district forward. Okay, so
that's my comment of the day. Thank you very much. >> So, it's my understanding now that we're in fact finding >> um they they register for factf finding. It takes time. We can always settle in between now and factf finding. There's still work to be done. We all recognize it. >> And that could take six to eight months. >> It can take a long time.
>> Okay. So, I just encourage everyone to keep talking. That's the best way to get this resolved. Um, you know, every week just keep talking to the negotiating parties. Okay. All right. We're now going to move on to board committee reports and we're going to start with um let's start with uh Mr. Bell with
curriculum, please. >> All right. We had our board meeting uh April 14th at 4M. Uh it was myself uh Dr. Pory, Mr. Zalinski, Mrs. Amos, Mrs.
Kovski, and Mrs. Mallaloy. Um curriculum we've discussed uh replace Compass with the YMCA of the Jersey Shore Counseling and Social Services. Mr. Mr. Zalinsky described the proposal for the YMCA to offer additional
counseling services for the district. Uh we discussed Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mr. Zalinsky described the renewal of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for the middle uh school. CUSAC status update. Uh Mr. Zolinsky shared that the
district has now satisfied at least 80% of the weight in indicators in each of the five areas of the New Jersey Cusacks review process and the district has been designated as a high performing
uh NJ math league. Miss Mallaloy described how our team uh performed in the New Jersey Math League this year. Our team placed first in our region. Our region is composed of schools in four counties, Ocean, Atlantic, Burlington, and Gloucester.
Austin Cook placed first among students in the region. He received an official invite to the annual international summer math camp. Juan Cabrera placed second among the students in the region.
Invat uh training. Miss Amos spoke to our continued uh training that helps our teachers de develop skills to better their mathematics instructions. Also, Magnolia training. Miss Amos described our work with Magnolia
Consultants that helps our teachers implement uh the tiered system of supports. Mental health and wellness fair May 4th at 5:00 pm. Mr. Zolinsky highlighted this mental health and wellness fair that will take place this year at the
high school on May 4th beginning at 5:00 p.m. out of state competition, uh, Sea Perch Internationals, College Park, Maryland. Friday, May 29th, uh, Sunday, May 31st. Miss
Mallaloy highlighted our sea perch competition team that qualified to travel to College Park, Maryland for this year's international competition. special education. Uh Miss Kovsky shared the beginning of our dynamic learning
map testing that has begun in all of our buildings. Uh technology in Novamat uh coordination and online class prep uh NJ GPA and A requirements and
submissions. Prep for PSAT and SAT on 416. Elementary Chromebook planning for 2627 set up extended support. NJ Sledge submission data review underway. The technology department shared with the
committee their ongoing work coordinating all of the electronic testing to include the state testing as well as PSAT and SAT testing that will take place over the next couple of months. Additionally, the technology department is preparing the extended
support for our older Chromebooks and is continuing to stay on top of all the state submissions. Personnel job description 6 through 12 supervisor of instruction. The committee was presented and updated job
description that was needed with the addition of sixth grade in the middle at the middle school. PDM stipens, a facility manager, human resources manager, transportation coordinator. The committee was informed with the addition of PDM stipens for the facilit
facilities managers and the transportation managers, behavior technician and BCBA. The committee was briefed on the proposal to add uh BCBA and several behavioral technicians. This proposal
would possibly eliminate an outside contractor and be no additional cost to the district. LTEA negotiations factf finding letter uh received from Perk. Mr. Zalinsky informed the committee that
the contract negotiation with LTE has moved to factf finding. Referendum update. Mr. Zalinsky shared a referendum update with the committee. The bids for the high school roof and Cedar Creek roof have been put out. Uh we anticipate an award at the May 12th
meeting. Solar update. We received one bid for a solar field behind the Mil Pond School. Superintendent search update. The finance committee is leading the search and have met uh this week to decide on the first round of interviews.
The child study team uh contract is close uh to being settled and should be ratified at May meeting. Next meeting will be scheduled for May 5th. uh 2026 at 4 pm. >> Okay. Thank you. And we'll do Mr. Hurling with policy, please.
>> Thank you. Uh good evening. Uh we had our policy meeting uh 100 p.m. on April 15th. Uh it was myself, President Claus, Carrie Opitz, and Mr. Zalinsky. Uh under the policies, Mr. Zalinsky shared the update
policy and regulation for public complaints. This was rewritten to eliminate the library materials language and to update the timeline when there is an official complaint. This will be placed on the May agenda for a first read. Under co-curricular, Mr. Zillinsky shared uh the fall coaches jobs have
been posted for the 2627 school year. Um for the uh LTASA and child studies team contract negotiations contract is awaiting ratification by the membership and should be ready for full board approval at the May board uh board of education meeting. Uh under other all
the the same agenda items from Mr. Bell, the committee was presented with updated job descriptions that was needed uh with the addition of sixth grade and middle school. The committee was informed with the addition per DM stipens for facility managers. Uh the committee was briefed on the proposal to add a BCBA and
several behavioral technicians um possibly limiting outside contractor and no additional cost to the district. Mr. Mr. Zillinsky shared the referendum update with the committee and the bids for a high school roof and Cedar Creek roof have been put out. We anticipate an award at the May 12th meeting.
Same solar update. One bid for the solar field behind Mil Pond and the finance committee is leading search and have met this week to decide the first round of interviews. Our next meeting is scheduled for May 6th at 100 p.m. >> Okay. >> Thank you for >> Thank you. And Vice President Goen,
would you like to do finance? >> Sure. Um, so finance committee, we met on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 at 3:30. Uh, in attendance, it was me, uh, President Clauss, Brandon Hurley, and Connie
Stewart. Um, terms of facilities, nothing to report. Uh, finance, we talked about new checking accounts for capital and maintenance reserved and discussed the need for the board to approve two new accounts. We talked about the new Arbiter sports program for um sports officials and the need to add Chase Bank
as an approved financial institution. We had a discussion about the budget for 26 uh 27 which was submitted on 32626. Um RFP for audit services. We received two RFPs for audit services. Um the committee suggested the appointment of
Holman Freenia and Allison. Um RFP for solar field. Uh we talked about the um RFP that was posted on April or the RFP would be posted on April 14th. This was prior to it being posted. Um this is prior to responses being due that we met. Um so we talked about that. The
corrective action plan. Um we're required to submit a corrective action plan for the special ed education Medicare initiative. Um and that's going to be for board approval. And we talked about the -ate for Comcast quote. Um food service. We discussed the forms that need to be prepared to be sent to
the Department of Agriculture by April 10th, 2026, which I believe was done. Um, human resources curriculum, there's nothing. Human resources, we talked about PEDDM stipens for facilities manager, human resources manager, transportation coordinator, uh, to add
those to contracts for next year. Nothing on security, technology, transportation, superintendent search. We reviewed the timeline for the ongoing superintendent search. Um, in terms of the referendum, we talked about the RFQ for construction management services,
which is due April 24th, 2026, and that's posted to the website. Um, and we talked about donations received. Uh, that meeting was adjourned at 5:30. And, um, then we had a second meeting on
April 15th, yesterday. Um, we had a meeting with the township committee. Our liaison meeting uh, president at that meeting was Mr. Zolinsky, Miss Clauss, uh Mr. Hurley, and myself. Uh from the township, it was business administrator Laorray, uh council, uh committee member
Laray, committee member McDonald, and assistant, uh BA George Resitar. Um and we uh discussed the primarily the budget um and just gave the township an update on our budget process of where we were. That meeting lasted from 2:00 to 3 and
then uh 3 to 4 the finance committee met with our consultant who's running the superintendent search ton uh Gio Lanella and went through the resumes of the candidates and that meeting adjourned at 4:00. >> Okay, thank you. All right, now we're going to move on to board member comments and we will start with Mr.
Hurley if you have a comment. >> All right, out the gate. Cool. Uh so first congrats to the seniors of the the month and our unsung hero and all the teachers that were selected for teacher of the year. That's amazing and uh we truly appreciate all the work you do for our students every day. Uh they can't go
unspoken. I realize a lot of you are here tonight because of the decisions that we intend on making and it has a very real impact and there's no way any of us up here can minimize that. Um as for me tonight this decision is more personal I think because my son benefits from a one to one pair. Um, and I have
seen firsthand his amazing growth when the right person is in that seat. Um, the amount of gratitude I have for the pair of professionals is you can't really put words to it. Uh but when presented with competing priorities of
ensuring that our district remains solvent and eliminating positions that affect our most vulnerable learners, I felt it was my responsibility to make sure to pause and ask, you know, all the right questions before getting to this point. So questions like is there any
other way? Um have we exhausted every opportunity within our means and time frame? Can we ensure that every IEP is met without any gaps? Will additional staff be hired or brought if we're needed? Will there be continuity for the
students who rely on consistency to succeed? Will there be a place for those paras whose positions are eliminated? Uh because I think it's most important to acknowledge something honestly is that while services will remain intact and
delivered, how they deliver matter most. especially for the students who take time to build trust and stability with the adults that are supporting them. So, if those questions were not met with clear and confident answers, I would not even consider supporting this. I know much of what I said focuses on the
students, but not none of that minimizes the impact on the staff. And almost every conversation that I've had via email or in person um has always started with how it affects a child and then very quickly turns to how it affects the staff. So in my opinion, both of those
matter. So I had to ask myself how to prioritize with every option when every option comes with consequences. And entering this role, I knew there would be difficult decisions, but my responsibility is to ensure those decisions are not made lightly and that we ask all the right questions prior to
getting to this point. So with that, I just want to say I truly appreciate everything that the Paris do for this district. Um, and you all mean a lot, especially to my family. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Okay, Mr. Armato. >> Uh, thank you. Uh, first, let's start with what a night in recognition for our teachers and students here tonight. It was pretty wild to watch. Um, and I've never done this before as a
two-term board president, but I'll do it tonight uh to address the Paris, the teachers, the administrators, everybody that works at this district. No one minimizes your effort to what you do to this school. And when I look out and I see some of the teachers that have
taught my my kids, um, and I'm very grateful because my kids are striving in the real world. in the real striving in the real world because they attended school here. Um, one of the things I learned when I became a parent and my
kids started going to school was one of the teachers here said to me, "Get involved." And I did and I got involved and I spoke to the teachers and I asked, "What can I do at home to help my son with this or help my daughter with that?" So, I'm very proud to say that I have
three children that graduated from this school and doing real good in the real world. Um, if you think that Mr. Zalinski and Connie sit here and they say, "Okay, let's cut this and cut this with a smile on their face." They don't.
They're given they're given a pocketbook of money from the state of Trenton and they got to try to make it work. They got to try to make it work. and it's agonizing. Um it's I'm I'm sure for him it's probably long sleepless nights. Um knowing how involved he is in in in this
district. Um but the decisions have to be made and and I think it was Dan Toner who said that we got to bring the fight to Trenton. Um we all we all cherish the work that you do. Um if there's an a if there's a a football game, we're there.
If there's a basketball game, we're there. If there's a a play, whatever it is, we're there. We try to support any way we can and I know our board president is highly visible. Um you can find her everywhere. Uh it doesn't matter if she likes the
sport or not, she's there. Um if there's a play going on, she's there. So it's it's it's we're in a tough position here and no one's apologizing for the role that we took. We knew it. We took the role knowingly that one day this could
happen in our in our tenure as board president I mean uh board members but at the end of the day we got to do what's right for the entire district and maintain the district for the kids to make sure that they have a room to go to with a teacher to teach them and
resources for at their disposal so they can continue getting the same benefits my kids got when they went to school here. So, as I look up and I see this, I see a lot of eyes rolling and a lot of looking up in the uh air thinking that this is this is not from the heart, but
it is. Um and and I look at some of our leaders here uh principles who know and I if you ask them, they probably back me that them being principles of the schools that my kids attended are probably one of the big reasons why my kids are doing
really well today. And I'll never take that away from Lacy Township. I'll never take that away from the district. I'll never take it away from the teachers that that that taught my kids. So, aside from the fact if I if if I don't win the lottery this weekend, I got to just keep
fighting Trenton and hoping that we can get to this resolution one day. But, um we do cherish you. We do appreciate you and and thank you for what you at least did for my family. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Bell. I would just like to reiterate that uh
we do value what you do. Um I cannot speak as these two gentlemen did. My boys did not go through the district. Um but I do not devalue uh how you've impacted um the students who help me at Home Depot
or uh Taco Bell or wherever. Um and I know it's a community and uh I don't want you to feel undervalued. Um, I wish we could pay the teachers more. I've said that from the beginning. Um, but as was mentioned tonight, you know,
we have to look at the paper. Uh, we got to look at the numbers. And, uh, it it's not an easy thing. Um, and I I don't want you to think that we come all from places where it is easy. Uh, I'll just give you a little background on myself.
I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. My dream was to be a dairy farmer. uh and found out in ' 94 that my dad was getting paid the same for milk in 1994 that he was getting paid in 1972,
>> but everything else had gone up. So, we feel the pain. Um I had to give up my dream and move on. Uh and I hope that you don't have to do that. Uh but understand we we've walked through it. We know what the pain is. uh we we see
uh the prices going up. Um we're we're not trying to push teachers out. We're not trying to hurt the district. Um we do value the students and we know in order to value the students, we have to value the teachers. Um and we'll do everything we can to uh
keep that moving ahead. And again, I do thank everybody that comes and speaks at the podium. Um to me, communication is one of the greatest things a community can have. And uh if somebody's sitting there thinking something and not
saying it, um it doesn't come into uh play. And so thank you for coming and speaking. Even the young folks uh that come up and speak. >> Okay. Thank you. Miss Opus, do you have a comment today? >> No comment. >> Okay. Uh Dr. Forny, do you have a comment?
>> Um I do. Um I want to thank everybody who came up and spoke today, especially the health aids and the paras. Um and then there were additional people who have also been emailing us throughout the past month. Um so I thank you for sharing your stories and sharing a little bit about um your experience
working in the district and what our decision today or how our decision today uh not only impacts you but your students and your family. Um I just want to assure everybody and echo Brandon um and S and Dan that we are working hard,
right? Like we're we're asking questions. we're not just being presented with um recommendations and then saying yes, right? So, we have had many conversations around is there anything else that we can do to address some of the budget issues that we have
for next year. Um we're going to continue to have some of those conversations over the next month before we approve the final budget. Um but I guess that's all I have is that we are we're here. We're working and we're we're dedicated to doing what we can.
>> Thank you. Uh Vice President Gohen. >> Sure. Um so since since uh Mr. Bell brought up where he grew up, I'm going to I'm going to follow up and tell um a little bit about where I grew up. So I grew up in Vermont. Um and my mom was a teacher. Uh and she taught she was a
teacher for 35 years. She taught fifth grade. Um, so you know, I certainly because I I lived through it and and I saw what she did and I know what you all do every single day. Um, she was my teacher when I was in fifth grade and um
I know how, you know, rewarding through her I understand how rewarding it can be. Um, and I also know how difficult it can be because, um, you know, what you're doing, you know, taking however many kids now you have in a class, 30, 35 kids. That is to me that's one of the
hardest jobs you can do. Um, my dream, you know, Dan's dream was to be a uh, dairy farmer. My dream growing up was to play for the Boston Red Sox. That didn't work out for me. Um, instead I went to law school. Um, I now, you know, I work on, um, redevelopment projects all over
the state, real estate projects all over the state, and I talk to, um, you know, municipal attorneys and, uh, planners and mayors in towns across the state and unlike what it has been in years past
here, um, where this has been sort of a lacy township issue, what we've been dealing with in terms of our budget, uh, we were we were and Mr. Zalinsky, I think, will will echo this that we were one of the first towns that really um you know, was experiencing what was happening with the cuts in Trenton. Now,
it's starting to hit other towns and um it's not just it's not just in Ocean County, it's not just in um in Mammoth County, it's uh Burlington County, Salem, it's up north, it's Hunton County, they're they're all they're all dealing with it. Sussex, Warren, there's
towns all over the state that are feeling it. Um, and so I really appreciate what Mr. Toner is doing, um, you know, what you organize because it's now becoming a statewide issue and I think that it's something that's raising to a level where, um, you know, the folks in Trenton are going to have to
start paying attention to it. And so I appreciate the the the kind of effort that you're making because that that's what's going to ultimately get something to change. Um, you know, and we and we as a board need to continue making every effort. And believe me, we we have and and the board members know we've been,
you know, I I've been reaching out and using my connections to the extent that I can to make sure that we're having access to the people that are making these kinds of decisions. And we're going to keep fighting over the next several months and and you know, I'm I'm on the board for the next two years. Um, and you know, we're going to keep trying
to work through so that we can solve some of these issues. But I I I want everybody to know here that I certainly do appreciate what you're doing and we're doing the very best we can to make it work. So, thank you. >> Thank you. And I I I mean, as you can see, we're all uh tormented by these decisions that um are coming up. Um
we've been through this every year. It's been five years for me. Um teachers laid off, increased classroom sizes. It just doesn't seem to get any better. Now, we're getting hit with the insurance, which is really why all this is happening this year. Um, but again, it's we still have a little bit of time. Um,
but I just want to give you guys some dates that are coming up. Um, most of these are open to the public. April 28th, uh, we have a budget workshop, um, at 6 PM in the media center. May 5th, we have a special meeting. That's our public hearing, um, and adoption at 6
p.m. May 12th is our regular board meeting, so we're changing it from Thursday to Tuesday. So, if anybody wants to join us then, um we're having our third coffee and conversation on May 13th at 5:00 p.m. at the Mil Pond School. We had five attendees last uh
month, which was good. The first one was only one, so it's improving. Um and that's just an open conversation. If you want to talk about something, just come and bring your ideas and thoughts and we'll just talk. Um that's led by Mr. Zalinski. Uh May 28th is a big night. We have
scholarship night for our seniors. Last year we gave uh the community donated $440,000 to this uh the seniors. So it's a big night for them. Hopefully you guys will come out and support them. June 2nd is our special meeting for board training. We at 5:00 p.m. roles and
responsibilities which is also open to the public. You guys are welcome to join us. Um we have an awards night that night at 6 p.m. at the high school. And always please check the uh calendar for changes, times uh and location. Um, I'm
also shadowing uh one of our full-time paras uh Mrs. Knap uh next Monday at 11 o'clock and I'm looking forward to that, Karen. Thank you for the invite. Um, so I'll be at school for a couple hours and really get a good feel um on what it's like to be a full-time Paris. So, I'm
hoping to to see it all. So, thank you for the invitation. >> Um, and I just want to congratulate all the teachers of the year and all the students who were recognized tonight. Um, the school year is wrapping up quickly. Graduation's coming. So, um, a lot of things going on and we just hope
everybody attends all of our events. Okay, now we're just going to move on to new business. You ready? >> Okay, let's start with A1 meeting minutes. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second.
>> Uh, any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opus, >> yes. >> Mr. Hurley, >> yes. >> Dr. Forny, >> yes. >> Mr. Amato, >> I have to abstain. Thank you, Mr. Bell. >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Claus.
>> Yes. A2. List of bills. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Amato? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bell? >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen? >> Yes.
>> Miss Clouse? >> Yes. A3 to four transfers and S1701. Can I have a motion, please? Motion >> second. >> Discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Hurley, >> yes.
>> Dr. Forny, >> yes. >> Mr. Amato, >> yes. >> Mr. Bell, >> yes. >> Mr. Goen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Claus, >> yes. Um, A5 to A13, uh, finance and facilities. >> I'm going to remove administratively, I'm going to remove number nine. So,
we're not going to vote on the, um, solar contract tonight. >> Okay. >> So, nine is >> Can I have a motion, please? Motion >> second. >> Discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz, >> yes, but no on number 10.
>> Thank you, Mr. Hurley. >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny. >> Uh, yes, but abstaining on number 10. >> Oh, did I call you over the I'm sorry. >> What? Yeah, it's okay. >> Um, Mr. Motto, >> yes. >> Mr. Bell, >> yes. >> Mr. Goen, >> yes.
>> Mr. Claus, >> yes. Yes. And I have to abstain on number nine, page five. >> Uh, number seven. >> Oh, number seven was pulled. >> Oh, number seven. There we go. Okay. Uh, 814 to 15 other. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion.
>> Second. >> Uh, discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Armato? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bell? >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Claus? >> Yes. Uh A16 policy and regulations. Can
I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Uh discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roato? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bell? >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen? >> Uh, yes. On 18, I have to abstain from
A17. >> We didn't get there. We're >> not there yet. >> Oh, sorry. >> Next one. >> Oh, yes. >> Thank you. >> Well, now you know. >> Yes. A17 and 18 hibs. Can I have a motion, please? Motion second. Roll >> uh discussion. Roll call, please.
>> Mrs. Opitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Hurley, >> yes. >> Dr. Forny, >> yes. >> Mr. Amato, >> um, do I have to abstain from the March one? >> Yeah, the second one. >> Okay. So, I abstain on 18 and I'm okay with 17. >> Correct.
>> Mr. Bell. >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen. >> Same thing. >> You're opposite. >> On 18. >> You abstain on 17. Ain on 17, >> right? Okay, we'll get this right. Uh, I'm abstaining on 17 and yes on 18. >> And Mrs. Styles?
>> Yes. Uh, page 8 to nine donations. And we'd like to thank everybody on behalf of the board. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I just want to highlight the Viking Yacht Company giving us 38 sheets of mahogany plywood. >> Beautiful.
>> Worth about $8,000. >> Uh, roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? Yes, >> Dr. Forny. >> Yes, >> Mr. Amato. >> Yes, >> Mr. Bell. >> Yes, >> Mr. Goen. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Claus. >> Yes. Uh, professional days and workshop and travel, page 9 C. Can I have a
motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> I have three recus on that one. >> Dr. Forny, >> yes. >> Mr. Amato, >> yes.
>> Mr. Bell, >> yes. >> Mr. Goen. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Claus. >> Yes. Um D. Certificated personnel D1 through 10. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Amato? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bell? >> Yes. >> Mr. Goen? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Claus? >> Yes. Page 12 to 16. E. Non-certificated personnel E1 through E9. Can I have a
motion, please? Motion >> second. >> Discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Hurley, >> yes. >> Dr. Forny, >> uh, yes. But I'm standing on four.
>> Mr. Amato, >> yes. >> Mr. Bell, >> yes. >> Mr. Goen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Claus, >> yes. And we do have a walk-on tonight. >> Yeah. Okay. We do. >> We do. >> Yes. I have a walk-on resolution for the board's consideration. Uh this is in support in in short it's in support of
um uh uh Mr. Siki's bill A4860. Uh I do have to read it. It's a motion to approve the following resolution. This is in support of a Assembly Bill 4860 the fairness for school districts and development restricted areas act. I've been talking with uh Assemblyman
Siki. Um this is a very specific bill. Um the Lacy Town School District located within the unique geographical region where we have the ability to generate local tax revenue through commercial and residential development is strict strictly limited by the mandates of state law. This bipartisan legislation
known as A4860 has been introduced to address this inequity by providing essential state aid to school districts whose ratable base their capacity to fund education through local property taxes is restricted by these environmental and state imposed protections. And state of New Jersey,
while rightfully protecting our natural landscapes, has historically failed to provide the corresponding financial support necessary to compensate our taxpayers and our schools for these lost opportunities. Lacy Township Board of Education maintains that the quality of a child's education should never be compromised by the geographical
boundaries in which they live. Nor should our local community bear a disproportionate tax burden due to state level land use decisions. And this board recognizes that the fiscal stability of our schools is a matter of fundamental fairness requiring a state level solution for a state created challenge.
And just as this board has a long-standing tradition of honoring those who dedicate their lives to our children, it holds a sacred duty to advocate for the resources and legislative fairness that allow our educators and students to thrive. So be resolved. Police Township Board of Education in the County of Ocean, New
Jersey does hereby formally endorse A4860 known as the Fairness for School Districts in development restricted areas act and that this board calls upon the New Jersey legislature to move this vital piece of legislation forward with all deliberate speed and respectfully
urges Governor Mikey Cheryl to sign said bill into law to ensure a legacy of educational excellence for the children of Lacy and that a certified copy of this resolution will be forwarded to state Presidentqari, Assembly Speaker Coglin, Governor Mcki Cheryl, and our local representatives, Senator Amato,
and Assembly Members Meer Rump, Suiki, Dunn, and Sweeney. Dun and Sweeney are the co-signers of this bill in the Highlands area. So, this bill would provide Lacy Township, if passed, would provide Lacy Township with $5 million every year because we protect the
Pelands. Okay, that's what it gets. There's about six districts down here and about 12 districts in the Highlands area that this bill would affect to varying degrees because we have so many kids. We would be one of the highest awards if this bill was to pass. I urge the board to pass this resolution tonight as well.
>> Okay. >> Right. >> Yep. Motion. I need a motion. >> Motion. Correct. >> Can I have a motion, please? Okay. Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Opitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hurley? >> Yes. >> Dr. Forny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Amato? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bell?
>> Yes. >> Mr. Goen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Clouse. >> Yes. Can I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I. Doom City.