So, we apologize. Can we all rise for the flag salute, please? Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the following means. Annual notice was sent to the record newspaper, township clerk, and posted in the lobby of the town hall and the board office
setting forthcoming schedule work meetings and public meetings of the board. >> Like to make a quick announcement. The terms of the school trustees Dominic Bate, Anna Pasamano, and Peter Petranzio will expire. Thus, three seats all for
three years will be filled at the Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 general election. uh the further uh the rest of the announcement is located in the agenda on the second page uh for to be able to apply for the positions. Thank you.
>> Roll call. Mr. Abate here. >> Mr. Guso. Miss Pasamano. Mr. Pasano. Mr. Petranio >> here, >> Miss Russo >> here, >> Dr. Scardino, >> Dr. Tuma, and Mr. Valvano. >> You have quum, sir.
>> Can I get a motion to approve our minutes from uh meeting number three, February 26th? >> Call Mr. Mr. G Russo, Miss Pasamano, >> Mr. Pasamano, >> Mr. Petranzia,
>> four, >> Miss Russo, >> Dr. Scardino, >> Dr. Tuma, >> and Mr. Vavano. >> Motion carries. >> Okay, this is our second favorite part of the meeting. Uh, our student rep report from from Mr. Brennan.
>> Thank you very much. Um, looks like our biggest audience today from all the board meetings. There's many good things going on in LHS uh this time of the year. The Student Government Association met on March 4th. The Lynhurst High School Student March Madness basketball
game has been planned and is scheduled for March 28th, this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Students from each grade have volunteered and will play each other. Certain LHS students will also referee the game. College visits are still in
full swing. Florida Institute of Technology is holding a college visit on April 2nd. Stony Brook University is holding a college visit on April 14th. Information about college visits where they are everything is available on the Navian Student Tool website. The March
issue of the Lhurst High School newspaper, The Lighthouse, was published earlier this month. I have seemed to forgot the copies of it at my house. I apologize. Um, LHS students from the mock trial club are here tonight to receive their awards for reaching the quarterfinal round in its Bergen County
competition. I believe I talked about that last month. Scheduling for the 2026 2027 school year at Lynhurst High School has closed. Students can no longer request courses from the student portal. However, special changes can be made
with counselors and students can drop certain classes until early next school year. The LHS Future Business Leaders of America chapter attended the 2026 New Jersey State Conference from March 8th to 11th. There were 19 preliminary round
finalists and eight state finalists. The state finalists are juniors Nicholas Rizzo Mcgalli, Christina Mazeski, Alan Frizz, Taylor Pagio, Nicole Marik, sophomores Sebastian Lupinsky, and I Nicholas Brennan. All are set to attend
the FBLA National Conference in San Antonio, Texas this June. The Lynhurst High School junior class took the newly formatted NJGPA test all of last week from March 16th to 20th. The test is an adaptive type assessment and was
introduced to the district at the beginning of the school year. LHS sports are as lively as ever. The Lhurst High School winter sports season has a LHS basketball boys basketball team advanced through the round of states and
then won their quarterfinal and semi-final state group championships in late February. The team then won their state sectional championship game against Madison High School on March 6th in a dramatic ending, marking the first time since 1982
that Lynhurst High School basketball has won a state sectional championship. The game ended in a stark win with senior Johnny Chiname scoring a buzzerbeating three-point shot from nearly half court to break the tie against Madison. And I
just want to say I this it was crazy. I I was I was on the I was on the uh I was in the bleachers. I was watching. It was an insane moment. It's going to go down in Lynhurst history for a very long while. Um the team advanced to but unfortunately lost the state semi-final
game against Ramsay High School on uh March 11th. The LHS girls basketball team advanced to the first round of their state group championships, but they did not advance further. The LHS winter cheer team competed in their state cheer competition on March 7th to
end their season. Senior girl wrestler Itano Lozano advanced to the quarterfinal round of the high school girls wrestling state championships for LHS, but she did not advance further. Senior Senior Nate Boyd advanced to the
quarterfinal round of the high school boys wrestling region championships for LHS, but he did not advance beyond that. The Paramis Mawa Lynhurst joint hockey team lost its state semi-final championship game to KJS United. And I
mistakenly said last uh report that this season was over, but I did not know that she advanced. Senior thrower Nicolina Akono competed in the Nike Indoor National Championship for the LHS Winter Track and Field Team to finish off the
season. The spring sports season began earlier this month. LHS spring sports include outdoor track and field, baseball, softball, girls flag football, lacro lacrosse, and boys volleyball. Our performing arts department is ramping
up. The Lynhurst High School spring concert is taking place on April 1st. The Lynhurst Middle School concert is set for late May. The Tri Music Honor Society induction and recital was held on March 17th. LHS students from the All State Choir
and Band, the region, the NJ region jazz band, and middle school students from the NJ region choir are here tonight to receive their awards for successfully auditioning for the ensembles and the Lynhurst Middle School is performing its production of The Wizard of Oz in late
April. Thank you. That's all I have for tonight. >> Thank you so much, Nick. Always appreciate that. Of course, our state monitor, Mr. Demikov, the legend, the >> I have reviewed the financial report for the month ending February 2026 and
support tonight's resolution that certifies that there are sufficient funds available based on the February financials to meet the district's financial obligations for the remainder of the 2025 2026 school year. The administration has completed their work
on developing the preliminary 2026 2027 school budget that is on the agenda for approval by the board tonight. I have also reviewed and discussed the resolutions on tonight's agenda with Mr. Dorso and support his recommendations to
the board that they approve all of the resolutions on tonight's agenda. That concludes my report for this evening. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Deov. uh at usually the time I usually have a report. I don't have a report but I just wanted to share that it's always nice to
see the auditorium full particularly with parents but especially with the students uh it's always quick to talk about things that we don't do right but when when we when we connect as a community and see all the things that we are doing right with some great leadership uh and teachers it's just
amazing. So thank you all for being here. Now I'm going to pass the meeting over to our superintendent Mr. Dorsa. >> Thank you Dr. Scardino. Um, as Dr. Scardino mentioned, for us to to recognize and celebrate our students and then our staff members that that lead our students, it is always the highlight
um of our meeting. So, I just want to welcome all of you and thank you for coming. Um, I just have a few things to review before um we call everyone up for their awards and um thank you Nick for your report. Um, I really want to hire Nick and put him on retainer because at this point um he really I don't really
need to give much of a report after that. So, um, but but I did want to mention one thing, um, and that is our budget. Mr. Demikov mentioned it, um, a moment ago about, uh, the board tonight submitting our 26 27 budget to the
Buring County uh, office. And so, one of the reasons why we ran a little bit over tonight is because, um, we did have a healthy conversation during work session um, as a full board um, about the submission of that budget. And, you know, this district um, I'm sure if you've, you know, um, watched the news
or read, you know, read anything on NJ.com that there's districts throughout the state facing a really serious um budget shortfall in many cases and it this has been a challenging bud budget season as we look to you know create the budget for next year. So um I just want
to thank the board um you know for their work and their time because um it has been like I said a challenging um one of the biggest things driving up um everyone's budget throughout the state is healthcare. There's been a lot of articles out and um information about um the state healthcare plan which this
district is in and we saw premium increases into um the mid30s you know 30% 34% I think it was for this year and so you know that presents you know significant challenges um you know to our budget and so um we basically the
way that the process works is tonight the board is just conditionally approving the budget to submit to the county the county office then reviews our budget Once we get approval from the county, we can then make it public. So, at the April 28th board meeting, um
James and I, the um the business um administrator, will give a free pres a full presentation on the budget outlining um exactly what the 26 27 budget entails and um the programs will be adding um and expanding and any other capital improvements that are um
included in that budget. So, um I'm going to be sending out communication um to everyone um about that via email to remind them. And um I do encourage you to come because it is important to hear um about how we constructed the budget and what it exactly entails because of
course the budget supports all the programs and all, you know, everything that we do for our students. And so um without that budget, right, we don't have the programs and um the money to support the wonderful things that are happening. So um thank you to the board. Um, again, I'll be sending an email full
budget presentation April 28th. And at this time, I'd like to start by calling um Miss Elena Wise and Mr. Lang up, Mr. Brian Lang to give some choir awards. Okay. I think you know how to use a mic, right? Yeah. Yeah.
>> I know. >> All right. Uh I'm here to talk about our NJSMA intermediate choir members who just had their concert at Clifton High School this past Sunday, and I heard it was phenomenal. Our students are sitting
in the front right now. Um, I will say that when auditions happened back in February, we've been taking a long time, several years to reach precoid audition numbers. Last year was the first year that we met those numbers. This year, we
exceeded those numbers with several hundred other middle schoolers auditioning for these groups. So, getting accepted is a very, very big deal. So when I call your name, please come up and accept your award. Victoria Demco.
Yeah. NJSMA Intermediate Mixed Choir. Congratulations. Maya Maldonado, Intermediate Mixed Choir. Uh, Annabelle Sinabri, she's not here tonight, but she qualified as well.
Gilliana, intermediate mixed choir, Emma Moer, Intermediate Treble Choir, and Island Saheen Intermediate Treble Choir.
I was lucky enough to actually be at rehearsal on Friday and I got to hear both groups perform and they were absolutely phenomenal. So, congratulations ladies. >> Okay. And um I'm so glad Mr. Lang is here tonight to have the intermediate uh choir because as I always speak of our
accolades up at the high school, it doesn't just start at the high school, it starts at the middle school. So, I want to thank Mr. Mr. Lang for all the hard work he does at the middle school in order to ensure not only your success but also our high school success. So thank you Mr. Lang. So, um I'm here, uh last time I was
here, we were doing some Bergen County level, um honors choir, which I was very proud of. And tonight, um I think I spoke a little bit last time about these go in different levels as well. And we have all state choir, um and also some
instrumental, um things that we do. Uh again, we're against all of the best singers and all the best instrumentalists in the state when we go into these auditions. So to it used to be years ago that if you qualified one person it was like a really big deal and the fact that we've been qualifying
again I thank Mr. Lang for starting that ball rolling in the middle school but um the fact that we multiple people uh in here is just makes me very proud. So I'm going to start off with our all state um mixed choir uh tenor Joseph Romeo.
I'm gonna have them You stay up here too. Stay up there. Uh also uh for all state mixed choir uh tenor Joseph Brennan uh soprano Alexis Dumbowski in our All State Treble Choir.
Oh yes, she's here. and soprano Mariah Allen, All State Treble Choir. On the instrumental level, uh we have one student receiving two certificates. Um very proud. Uh I we call him he's
junior but considered a senior this year because of his um fantastic work that he's done musically and will be graduating this year and going to music school next year. We have for all state jazz combo as well as region jazz band
our pianist George Sheekch. I just want to get a picture of them but congratulations to you guys. Thank you and congratulations to our students. At this time, I'd like to call up Miss Gina Deaggio, who's going to present
some award awards um for our mock trial. All right. First, I just would like to thank the board for supporting an academic team um in our town. I grew up in Lynhurst. Sports were always huge here. Um I think we all know that. Um,
and now our fine arts department has grown so much from when I went here. But academic teams were not something we really had either. And now we have academic competition. We have FBLA winning all kinds of awards. And and the mockt trial team is the third one. Um,
and I'm sorry, I know you don't, but um, you may not know this, but it's not like uh athletic sports where you're in certain leagues and and against teams of the same maybe caliber. It's just all of Bergen County. It goes by county. And it's not just public schools. It's also
private schools. So, the kinds of um schools that we are up against in this competition are the ones that have immense budgets. Um they have students whose parents are all lawyers. They have this as a class in high school. So, to
see my students go against these teams where they have all the preparation in the world and also those students in those schools, this is their activity. this is what they're focusing on. Our students, as you know, are in multiple activities. So many of them, they were also in the musical and they're on
sports, basketball, etc. So, the fact that they stood there against these schools, uh we were sixth in the county and made it to corner finals, which we only did one other time, I was just so proud to be there with them. Yes. And it has nothing to do with me because
I don't know about law. I know about public speaking. We do have uh two great volunteer attorneys who volunteer their time with the team. They aren't here today, but uh Ken Porro and James Chevlin, and they both worked with them. They we we spent Saturdays, Sundays together, lunchtimes together, um
getting them ready to compete. The other thing is students sometimes show up thinking it's a club like the other clubs. Like they're just going to show up at lunchtime, eat their lunch, I'll tell them something, and they leave. No, this is they're preparing a case. So this is a lot of independent time on
their part putting it together. So I just wanted to say how proud of them I am and also how excited I am that uh you are interested in an academic team as well. Okay. >> All right. First we have senior Dan Daniel Bajelav.
He was an attorney on the mock child team. And we have a sophomore Emily Casala. She was also an attorney. And because some students had the musical and couldn't miss towards the end, she also when the other team went,
she also played a witness on the other team. Oh, wait. Don't sit down. Come back because we're going to do a picture. Gosh. And then we have sophomore Sebastian Leinsky. And
okay. And then we have Leila Lundome. Sebastian was an attorney. Leila was an attorney as well. So these were the four attorneys. They had the the hard this is this isn't they have to know all the witnesses. um roles. All right. Then we have Angelie
Rivera, Star Witness. And next we have Missel Chucha. Miss was a witness as well. And we have Capri Del Regeno who was also a witness. And we have Maryanne Bbal.
Miam Igbal was also a witness. And we have Lily Paplowski. She was also a witness. And we have George Duran, another witness. And we have Julian Guerrero, another
witness. Benjamin Dea Cruz, also a witness. And we have Ali Olivia Bautista. Olivia couldn't make it here tonight, so I will be accepting on her behalf. Lucy Caparelli.
No, Lucy. But yes, she was there. She's also on our team. Julie Cara. Julie was a courtroom artist. So, this was a new category they just added maybe two years ago. Yeah, that is cool. And Joelle Habishi,
another attorney. I mean, another witness. Thank you. And that's it. Is there anybody else here from trial who I didn't call? Okay, just checking. So, thank you. Now, don't go anywhere. Let me take your picture. Maybe you want to pull. Yeah. Let's
slide in a little bit. We come to the front. Two like Yeah. two rows there. Very good. Congratulations to our students and their families and
thank you so much for coming. As Dr. Cardino said, this is always, you know, the highlight of our meeting. And so at this time, our families are and students are certainly welcome to stay, but I always like to just mention um we're going to move on to board business. If there was a time where you wanted to
transition to leave, now would now would be the time before we proceed. Exciting stuff. So Okay, thank you again. Congratulations everyone. A special congratulations to Lexi.
She missed it. Okay. Um the next we're going to have public to be heard on agenda items only. We have a very special and uh wonderful guest to come up and do that. Mr. Stella. >> Okay. We You're on the list. Just want
to make sure you got you covered. Thank you. Board discussion and formal business agenda. Anyone? Okay. Great. Thank you. Uh as we move forward, finance, Mr. Petronio.
>> Pursuant to the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, the committee on finance recommends the following resolutions be moved forward for a roll call vote. I make a motion to move forward finance resolutions 1 through 16 to be adopted. >> Second. >> Second, Mr. Abate.
>> Roll call. Mr. Abate. >> Mr. Guso. I'm voting no on 7 8 9 10 11 and yes on arrest >> Miss Pam. >> Okay, thank you Mr. Pasamano. I would not feel
the county miss Dr. Scardino, >> Dr. too much. In relation to items seven, eight, nine, 10, and 11 on this agenda, I have a statement I'd like to make
before I Everything else is yes with the exception of seven 8 nine 10. I haven't made that decision yet. This is not and I understand that this is to send it to county. This is not an easy vote and it is not
one I take lightly. I've been on this board less than three months. I believe deeply in the mission of our schools and in our obligation to provide every student in this district with the opportunities they deserve. At the same time, I have an equally
serious responsibility to the taxpayers who entrust us with their resources. It is clear that our district is funded at a level below that of comparable neighboring communities. That reality should concern all of us
and it demands a thoughtful long-term response. But I do not believe the right course is to continue asking our residents to shoulder increasing tax burdens without first addressing the underlying
structure that has led us here. Last year, the board approved a budget that raised taxes. Before this board does so, we owe the public something more. A clear, coordinated plan developed in
partnership with the township to ensure that our schools receive their fair share in a way that is sustainable and transparent. When North Arlington funds their district at 55% and Elmwood Park funds
theirs at 54%, how can we look at our district's 49% funding and not see a problem there? Good governance requires not only that we meet today's needs, but that we do so with a strategy for tomorrow. Until that work is done, until
there is a shared commitment between the township and this district to resolve this imbalance. Right now, I cannot vote one way or the other. For these reasons, I abstain on 789 101.
Mr. Valvano. >> Well, I'd like to vote yes for everything except the 78 9 10 11. Um, I don't have a speech prepared like Billy, but uh I just think that we do need to really consider the uh 1.2 million that
I keep bringing up. Um I I this is the hardest decision I've made on the board. I've been here what four years now. This is I know we were just sending it to the county, but this is an incredibly hard decision. Uh on the one hand, I understand everything uh that we've been saying as board here, but on the other hand, it is unfair to put the burden on
the taxpayers. I I I can't vote one way or another on this one. I'd have to abstain on this one, too. I'm sorry. Uh that leaves uh seven >> an abstain >> based on the vote that leaves that 7
through 11 have failed. Uh the rest have passed. I have reviewed the various resolutions related to the submission of the district's 2026 2027 preliminary budget and find that finance resolution 7 8 9
10 and 11 all comply with the requirements set forth by the department of education and with the deadline for the submission of all department of education's budgets to March 27th, 2026. and by the authority
granted to a state monitor in 18A col7A-55 section B I hereby overturn the actions taken by the board this evening and approve finance resolution 78910
and 11 all 2026 2027 preliminary budget resolutions and approve their submission to the county office for review and approval by the submission deadline Thank you, Mr. Demikov. Policies, rules, and regulations. Mr.
Vano. Oh, sorry. And Miss Pasado, education and curriculum. My apologies. Roll call. Mr. Bate, Mr. Garuso, Miss Pasamano, Mr. Pamo,
>> Mr. Petranio, >> Miss Russo, >> Dr. Dr. Tuma >> four >> and Mr. Valvano >> four >> motion carries >> Mr. Policy
>> pursuant to the recommendations of the superintendent of schools the committee on policies and rules and regulations recommends the following resolutions be moved forward to a roll call vote. I make a motion to move forward policies and rules and regulations one through three to be adopted.
Mr. Bate second roll call. Mr. Abate, Mr. G. Russo, Miss Pamano, Mr. Pasamano, Mr. Petranzio, >> four, >> M. Russo, >> Dr. Scardino, Dr. Tuma, >> and Mr. Valvano.
>> Four. Second. >> Roll call. Mr. Bate, >> Mr. G. Russo, Miss Pasamano, Mr. Pasamano, >> Mr. Petranzio. >> Four. >> Miss Russo, >> Dr. Scardino, Dr. Tuma
>> and Mr. Valvano >> four. But I would just like to make a quick comment that uh it's going to be very sad to see uh Dr. Dunn. He's retiring this year and he was my biology honors teacher, one of one of the you know, one of my favorite teachers and um
I think we're really going to miss him. So, but uh yes. Thank you, Mr. Van. Carry business. Any new business? Publicly heard on non-aggenda items. Miss Stella You you meshed it together. We
appreciate that. Yeah. Well, we appreciate your input. Thank you so much. >> We know. We know. >> I have a motion to Second. All in favor?