WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=1Yk1Xp8YopQ

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: 1Yk1Xp8YopQ):
- 00:00:01: Meeting Call to Order and Flag Salute
- 00:01:28: Recognition of Teacher and ESPs of the Year
- 00:02:15: Remembering Miss Barbara Amler Naples and Moment of Silence
- 00:04:05: Retirement Congratulations, Student Tragedy, Green Solidarity Day
- 00:06:19: Announcements: Graduation Dates and Military Community Support
- 00:07:44: High School SGA Updates and Student Government Report
- 00:09:09: Introduction of Teacher and ESPs of the Year
- 00:10:22: High School Teacher of the Year: Heather Staples Introduction
- 00:12:40: High School Teacher of the Year: Heather Staples Speech
- 00:19:41: High School ESP of the Year: Rachel Kelly Introduction
- 00:21:37: High School ESP of the Year: Rachel Kelly Speech
- 00:25:25: Middle School Teacher of the Year: Melissa Wagner Introduction
- 00:26:40: Middle School Teacher of the Year: Melissa Wagner Speech
- 00:29:02: Middle School ESP of the Year: Jen Hordick Introduction
- 00:30:03: Middle School ESP of the Year: Jen Hordick Speech
- 00:31:21: Manchester Elementary Teacher of the Year: Britney Bar Introduction
- 00:33:20: Manchester Elementary Teacher of the Year: Britney Bar Speech
- 00:35:23: Manchester Elementary ESP of the Year: Susanna Miter Introduction
- 00:36:17: Manchester Elementary ESP of the Year: Susanna Miter Speech
- 00:37:53: Ridgeway Elementary Teacher of the Year: Danielle Fredo Introduction
- 00:40:02: Ridgeway Elementary Teacher of the Year: Danielle Fredo Speech
- 00:42:22: Ridgeway Elementary ESP of the Year: Amanda Goodstein Introduction
- 00:43:11: Ridgeway Elementary ESP of the Year: Amanda Goodstein Speech
- 00:46:23: Whiting Elementary Teacher of the Year: Natalie Barriier Introduction
- 00:49:49: Whiting Elementary Teacher of the Year: Natalie Barriier Speech
- 00:54:51: Whiting Elementary ESP of the Year: April Introduction
- 00:57:08: Whiting Elementary ESP of the Year: April Speech
- 00:59:49: Regional Day School Teacher of the Year: Maria Brucata Introduction
- 01:00:39: Regional Day School Teacher of the Year: Maria Brucata Speech
- 01:03:26: Regional Day School ESP of the Year: Alicia Scorano Introduction
- 01:04:24: Regional Day School ESP of the Year: Alicia Scorano Speech
- 01:07:23: Superintendent's Closing Remarks and Photo Opportunity
- 01:12:07: Administrator's Report: School Health Benefit Insurance Costs
- 01:15:07: Public Comment for Agenda Items Only
- 01:15:30: Section One: Letter A, Numbers One to Three
- 01:16:55: Section Two: Administrative Numbers One to Six
- 01:17:32: Section Two: Resolution to Approve Hip Investigation 12
- 01:18:20: Personnel Numbers One to Four and 1 Through 31
- 01:18:56: Student Personnel Number Number One
- 01:19:18: A Special Services Number One
- 01:19:50: Section Three, Letter A. Five
- 01:20:08: Open Public Comment: Dan Staples, MTEA President


Part: 1

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No, I don't like [laughter] to We're going to Mrs. Survey >> here. >> Mr. Gman >> here. >> Mrs. Atson >> here. >> Mrs. Beltran >> here. >> Mr. Min, >> Mr. Poss here,

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>> Mr. Keller here, >> Mr. Wler >> here. Can you please join us for the flag salute? United States of America to the for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for

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all. >> Hi everyone. Good evening. Uh tonight we're here to honor our teachers and ESPs of the year. at the April Ocean County School Boards meeting. I got to watch our Ocean County teacher of the year who works at B High School. Her name was Jackie Castellano and she

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shared something in her presentation I just wanted to share tonight real quick. She said something that was just so inspiring. She had said that students are volunteers in our classroom and she shared that while students may have to be in school every day um everything

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else that they do for us is their choice. From participating engaging, trusting, trying, connecting, learning. These are things that happen when students feel safe, when they feel seen, when they feel a sense of belonging, and when they feel connection. So, as we're going to celebrate all these wonderful

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people today, all these educators, I think that idea really reflects what we all do and what you all do and what you bring to your jobs every day and you create environments where students want to show up, engage, and grow. All right, Miss Pad, time for your word.

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>> Thank you. Good evening everyone and welcome. Although it's so wonderful to see all of you tonight and I know it's a joyful occasion, I do need to speak with you um this evening and share some news. Some of you may have heard that it is

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with great sadness that we speak about the passing of Miss Barbara Amler Naples. Barbara was a teacher in my building when I was the principal of elementary school. She proudly served in our district for over 20 years. I can tell

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you firsthand she took tremendous pride in being part of the Manchester family. She viewed her students and her co-workers not simply as colleagues and children she taught but as an extension of her family. Her kindness, her

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dedication, and her commitment to students and families have been felt for many, many years. So, I'm going to ask you to please Barbara and her family in your thoughts. And at this time, I ask you to please join me in a moment of

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silence in honor of Miss Barbara Naples, who had a lasting legacy here in Manchester Township School District. I will tell you that no one celebrated more than Barbara. So, we are going to celebrate our teachers and our ESPs of

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the year this evening. But before I hand it over to our military ambassador, I do want to recognize and talk about a couple things on the agenda. You will see this evening on the agenda. We are wishing the best to a teacher here at

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the high school. Miss Jennifer Ans was a teacher here at the high school for 19 years. So, we wish her all the We congratulate her on her retirement. [applause] [applause] As many of you have probably heard,

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[clears throat] yesterday Township School District tragically lost a student who was struck on the way to school. Our hearts are with the students, the families, the friends, the classmates, the staff, and

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the entire brick community. I'm going to ask as a district that you wear green, which is the color of brick in honor of them and that student. So, tomorrow we will be going green in Manchester in solidarity and support for

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our Manchester Township family, showing love and kindness and of the township school district. If you don't have go and buy some you can get something on Amazon delivered to your home this evening. Um but quite honestly

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the reason we are doing that is to let them know that we are united. We stand with them and that unfortunately we know how tragic this is. I did ask um the counselors and also the child study team to make sure that we talk to our

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students about slowing down. being in that moment, understanding that, you know, we're all in a haste. We're all rushing, but getting to work or getting to your location safely is what is most important. So, I'm going to

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tell you as superintendent of schools, please slow down. Let's make sure that we are getting and showing up for the people that we love and we care about. And certainly, I'm going to ask you to please [snorts] in your thoughts and certainly if you

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pray to do that as well. I also would ask you to please put on your calendars some of these. Um I believe I'm done with the snow. I don't see any snow in the forecast although it has been so hot. We just never know. Um although

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some cold weather is coming. Um we have to change our graduation date. So, please mark on your calendar that Friday um that Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:30, we will have our middle school graduation and then it will be followed by our high

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school graduation at 6:30. And we're hoping for good weather. In addition to that, I believe our regional day school graduation is on June 5th at 10 a.m. All are welcome. Am I correct, Miss Lisa? >> Okay. Thank you so much. I'm going to turn it over at this point to Senior

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Master Sergeant Good evening. Uh first I want to thank the uh board and the school district for all the uh support to the military uh community and the students that attend uh Manchester Township Elementary. Um so we had the um senior recognition

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ceremony on May 1st. Uh I believe eight or nine students attended where it was an amazing event where they got their uh they got a purple rope that they get to wear during graduation military child um because military children go through a lot more than um

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children that are not in the mil or not military connected uh with their parents being away. Um and then tomorrow is the last reading buddies for MTBS and for the district here. So again, thank everyone for their support. Thanks. >> Thank you so much. Next, we have a

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report from our state government representative Catherine Okay. Good evening everyone. As mentioned, I am Katherine Sel, the president of the SGA executive board at Manchester Township High School. Um,

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I'm here today to provide the board with some information regarding uh some important updates from the high school. The class of 2027 held their junior prom on May 1st. They're looking at hosting fundraisers at prom and looking at prom ideas for next year's prom. The

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sophomores have been busy fundraising. They have a few Mother's Day flowers. Um they have a few fundraisers with Mother's Day flowers, buncakes, and Five Guys. The freshman class continued talking Tuesdays after school and hosted a Burger 25 night. And the senior class

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is anticipating prom next Thursday, May 28th. Starting June, the senior events such as Lucky Leos and Park Day will be held along with the elementary walks and the final stretch to graduation. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for allowing me to represent the MTHS

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student government. I'm truly honored to be here with all of you and to have the opportunity to fill you in on everything our student government has been working so hard on. Thank you and have a good night. >> Thank you so much. [applause] Finally, is going to give the teacher of the year

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and educational support services professionals the video presentation. So this evening I'm honored to celebrate and recognize the 2526 teacher of the year and educational service professionals of the year. These

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exceptional educators were chosen by their colleagues for their hard work and their dedication. They live out our district motto which is excellence by example. It takes a village to educate our students and we are so pleased to have these professionals in our

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district. What we say here is greatness does not fly under the radar here in Manchester. So, please help me congratulate all of the recipients. [applause] I'm going to ask Mr. George to come up and he is going to introduce the teacher

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and the educational service professional of the year from the high school. >> Thank you, Mrs. Petrosa. If I could have Heather Staples come up as the Manchester Township High School teacher of the year. Heather. [applause] [applause] >> So, I say in here that Heather is

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enjoying her 27th year at the high school and her second teacher of the year award. And when I say enjoy, I say that because if you see Heather walking around the building, she's walking very fast and she might be going to a Socratic seminar with her AP students or

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she might be taking her tomorrow's teachers uh to the elementary schools as part of junior achievement. She's extremely proud of the fact that her impact in the district also includes her former students who are now teachers in the districts, Harris in the district. She started the tomorrow's teacher

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program 15 years ago. Um, and it is now kind of like the one of the hallmark programs in the state when it comes to tomorrow's teachers and and giving kids an opportunity to see what this wonderful profession is all about. Um,

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she is just one of those bright lights that meets all of her kids where they are. She challenges them all. She supports them all. She has such a deep respect and and a great relationship with all of her kids. She also does our National Honor Society. And in my first

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two weeks in the building, I was like, who are all these kids who are looking to do relay for life and senior to senior events, they accumulate hundreds, if not thousands of hours of community service under the guidance and leadership of Mrs. Staples. And she's been recognized by the Ark of Ocean

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County as a result of it. It truly is a wonder to watch what she does in the building, how she leads these kids, and actually is kind of the uh she's on the side just giving these kids the opportunity and they make the most of all of it. So, it is a real honor to to

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recognize her tonight. She is and she is a true Hawk family as as all alumni of Manchester Township High School. Her husband Dan and son DJ is here and he's going to be graduating in a few weeks. So, Heather, congratulations and thank you for all you do. [applause]

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[applause] >> Thank you so much everyone. Um, [sighs and gasps] so I mentioned um just a couple of words. So last night we were here not for an event that I was putting on. It was a nice change of pace. Um but

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to actually come out and see our spring choir concert and for anyone who joined them last night um you may have recognized their theme was growth. And acknowledging that I have six seniors that are in the choir program that are

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graduating. I first of all have known them and worked with them so closely for the past four years. So to hear that theme of growth and to see how amazing they were on the stage yesterday, I'm not going to lie, it brought me to tears a couple of times, which if you know me,

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you you know that's pretty easy. Um so of course the theme and the sentiment represents so much as it varies at every age and stage in life. And with this homage and the genuine tears, because there were tears um that came with it, I

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couldn't help but reflect on the foundations of growth in my own classroom. Um not only in our classroom, but in our community, which I've been very blessed with working with and meeting with some

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amazing community members, programs, organizations, and in working with my students again, especially in ed in NHS have seen where their passions lie and have been able to kind of foster that

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and provide them some support. So, if they like to do environmental things, we're going to find a place for that. If we're doing animal shelter drives, we're going to find a place for that. And so much of that came with the growth of the program and in turn the the growth of

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these students because they are absolutely amazing. Um similarly I had to mention that for growth in my teacher cadet program. So just yesterday as we attended our breakfast

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um we were watching we see all these names and faces and it was lovely and lo and behold one of my former students from one of my first years we were just playing with the idea future educators. She was recognized last night or

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yesterday morning for um as one of the teachers of the year in Lakewood. And she works in an elementary classroom working with um the autistic population. And when I tell you it was amazing and if you're teaching, you understand the

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level of under the like how quick time goes. She looked at me and she said, "I think you were pregnant when I had you as a teacher." And I went, "Okay, that's fair." and she goes, "I think it was your daughter." To give you an idea, my daughter just turned 23. She just

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graduated from college. And I start mentioning my son and she's going, "Oh, no, it was definitely your daughter." So um out in the world and she is when I say only one of dozens of former students who are working in classrooms

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showcasing their own classrooms sharing stories about some amazing things with their own students. It's just it's mindboggling for me to think of because clearly I've only been here for like five years. Um, despite that,

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um, I do have to acknowledge that 13 years ago I was not standing here, but I believe at Ridgeways >> um, library um, recognized as teacher of

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the year. And um, I really only allowed this honor this time because I acknowledge that I've changed a lot as a teacher. A lot has changed in our profession. Um the roles and the hats that I play have changed pretty

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drastically since I worked on this um 13 years ago. I mentioned my my daughter at that time was in elementary school. Heleno was she was like my shadow at every event. She watched us put proms together. She watched us blow up

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balloons and carry them out to the car. And when I tell you that when she was faced with high school pre- pandemic, um she came to me immediately and told me that I had to be her class advisor. She would accept no one else. I had to be

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her class adviser. She had lived her whole life seeing it from the sidelines and there was no one else who could do this job. So I got to do that during the pandemic which was phenomenal. Um likewise, um my son has toddled through

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these hallways. He has raced circles around this auditorium while we were running Mr. Manchester practices and talent show practices. And I was just telling some of the students passed out in at least one tent as a toddler um at

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Relay for Life because he was there then. Um, so my kids and my family definitely grew up in these halls. Um, the main reason aside from me again changing hats and roles that I accepted this time around was um because I

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couldn't help but think of some of my colleagues and my former colleagues who always came back to it's what's for the kids. It's what's best for the kids and it's what's best for your programs. And initially I I heard screaming at me. Um

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Jill Oone and Jill Oone looking at me when she accepted her second um nomination for teacher of the year and her saying it's not about me. We're wing people. We're in the sidelines. That's what we do. It's about those kids and that program because they deserve to be

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spotlighted and everyone needs to know how great they are. So I knew if I said no, she would haunt me in many ways. Um similarly, thank you so much for acknowledging um Jen Onspok for her retirement in her closing department

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meeting today. She resurfaced some of those words from um the late Tara Gardner and Lisa Vet who recently um retired and it came right back to the same wording. Just keep doing what's best for those kids and everything else

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will work out. And um I truly appreciate this honor and the recognition, but at the end of the day, you can ask anyone. It's it's for the kids that are in our classroom, in our halls, and coming up. Um that's what really matters to us. So,

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thank you so much, guys. [applause] [applause] Okay, at this time I would like to call up Mrs. Rachel Kelly as the Manchester Township High School ESP of the year. Mrs. Kelly, [applause] so now Mrs. Kelly is a currently a guidance counselor at the high school, but she also has the rare distinction.

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She's been in the district for 10 years, but she has already been recognized as the teacher of the year as a math teacher. Um, and now is being recognized for her amazing work in in the guidance department. And I think one of the things that we quickly learned about Miss Kelly when she was a when I was

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talking to her, I said, you know, we were just talking about how she got to where she is in guidance and she said, you know, I was a math major. I was an alternate route math teacher, but I love the problem solving aspect of what I do as a guidance counselor. And she has the ability of knowing what it's like to be

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a teacher and to and to the challenges and the wonderful celebrations that come from that. And so she has this ability to work with everybody in the building, which is truly phenomenal. She has spearheaded some really important things at the high school. She brought dual enrollment in Stockton University to the high school. She's been running our SAT

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school day here at uh which is Saturday in June. She's brought a number of different programs. She was an SGA adviser. She was a coach in the district. She's worn so many hats and really allows her to advocate for our kids, work with our kids, and support them and really support all of our staff

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as well. So, we really want to take the opportunity to thank her for that. She is joined here today. Um her husband Kyle is here and her sons Logan and Lucas. Congratulations. >> [applause] [applause] >> Good evening everyone. Um, Heather is a

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tough act to follow. She has a resume a mile long. I'm here, you know, just 10 years. I have my little shadow Logan. Lucas is over there. He's waiting. Um, and thank you so much for the kind words. Congratulations to everybody. Um,

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and like Mr. George said, I did come in as a math teacher. Um I actually today is my 13th I I got my masters in counseling 13 years ago today which is crazy. Um it might have been 14 years in 2013. What's the math? I'm I'm not

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mathing these days. I'm like problem solving with these kids on a real life level and I am living my dream. So I really I have found a home at Manchester. And once I, you know, I I found my footing and got involved and

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started doing the things that I I did and do, I fell in love. Like I'm I'm here for the long haul. And I just want to say thank you. Um thank you to the board. Thank you to administration, everyone who believed in me. Um because it's actually tough to find a counseling

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job these days. I was just said I'm the president of the Ocean County School Counselors Association. Thanks to Shannon Finlow. If anyone knows Miss Finlow, it happened over a glass of rosé. I'm gonna be honest. And I got the job. So that was a couple years ago and

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this is my first year and I was just at a meeting um High Point University. I'm going to applaud them. They hosted a great dinner. Um they it's a great university in North Carolina. Our our presenter was amazing. So I just came from that. Um went through hail to get

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here and um the storm was crazy. There was hail. I know it's crazy. Yeah, he just got rained, but we got hail. Um, so it was it's just been one thing after the other and I find that I'm doing so much more than I could in the classroom.

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Um, life, you know, we have big kids in this building and there's big problems. So, I'm just really happy that I could be there to connect with our kids. And, you know, some of your kids, I'm sure, are going to come up through the ranks and I hope to meet them one day and just continue that connection and and just

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know that we have they have support and they have people in this building. Um, especially knowing like they're dealing with so many things and um you know, as a math teacher again, like I do find it crazy that there's so many different ways to solve problems and you know, you

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can you can an equation, but like just even a a real life thing that there's so many different ways we can attack it and it depends on the kid and it depends on the parent and the the the you know background and whatnot. So again, I am so proud to be here. Um I do, you know,

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I'm very I just I kind of speechless. I don't want to say I'm speechless because Mr. Drew said I had minutes to speak and I was like I'll give you 30 seconds and I probably over already went over my minute but um thank you all so much. Um, I really hope to continue this. Um, and

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you know, I I really thank my sons, Logan and Lucas. They know mommy's the doer. I'm always doing something and it's it's just is who I am. And my husband, Kyle, I can't thank him enough because he's very patient with me. He knows that, you know, whatever Rachie wants, Rachie gets. But I got to I'm

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working hard. So, um, I love you guys. Um, thank you to Manchester. I thank you again and congratulations. [applause] >> So, I'm going to say that yesterday was quite incredible and I too got to experience what Miss Staples experienced, which was that same student

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had me in eighth grade. And that is really very powerful because you know that it's coming full circle and you see your influence. So um thank you for bringing it up Miss Staples. Um I started my career here in the middle

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school. So it is my honor to bring up Mr. Giaonia who is going to speak about his teacher of the year. [applause] At this time I'd like to call up Mrs. Melissa Wagner, who is the MTMS teacher of the year. [applause]

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We are proud to nominate Mrs. Wagner as our teacher of the year. She's a 28-year veteran of the district. Uh she is uh passionate about what she does. She has a dedication and professionalism that is second to none. What's more, she goes above and beyond to assist her students

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and is a solid contributor to our school community. Whether it involves collaborating with a colleague, assisting with a spirit event or fundraiser, or even serving as an assistant coach for our track team, Mrs. Wagner is always up for the challenge. As you can see, she is an integral member of our team and one who is truly

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deserving of this recognition. Congratulations. [applause] >> Good evening, everyone. I'm so honored um to be and humbled to be recognized as the Manchester Township Middle School teacher of the year. I would like to sincerely thank the board

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uh superintendent Diane Pedrosza, principal Anthony Gioona, and vice principal Marine Mlaughlin for this meaningful recession and continued support throughout my career. For the

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past 28 years, Manchester Township Middle School has been much more than a workplace to me. It has been a second home filled with lasting memories, meaningful relationships, and experience that have shaped me into the person I am today. To my family, thank you for your

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constant love, support, patience, and encouragement. Your understanding and belief in me allowed me to dedicate myself to my students and this profession that I care so deeply about. To my past and present colleagues and

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administrators, thank you for your hard work and dedication to our students. It truly is a privilege to work alongside such outstanding educators and staff members who continuously give so much of themselves to support our students and

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community. I have learned so much from each of you throughout the years and your support and guidance have helped me shape have helped shape me into the educator I am today. And finally and most importantly to my students. The appreciation and

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connections I share with my students are what continue to inspire and motivate me as an educator. Watching you learn, grow, persevere, and gain confidence is the most rewarding part of my job. and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a

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small part of your journey. Thank you all again for this incredible honor and requisition. I truly appreciate it and feel very fortunate to be part of the Manchester Township School community. [applause] >> I'd now like to call up Mrs. Jen

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Hordick, our ESP of the year from Manchester Township Middle School. [applause] We are proud to nominate Mrs. Hordic for this distinction. To say that she is an outstanding member of the CST is truly an understatement. For starters, she is dedicated to her craft, passionate about

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what she does, and serves as the consmate advocate for her students. Furthermore, she also makes a point of attending professional development whenever she can to improve her craft, serves as a also serves as a co-coordinator of her and RS team. However, perhaps her most meaningful

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contribution is the positive effect that she has on the lives of her pupils both now and in the future. With this in mind, it is an honor to nominate her for this distinction. [applause] >> Good evening everyone. I do not like So bear with me. Um I just want to

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sincerely thank the board and um all of the administrators that administrators touched my life since starting here. Um I'm on my third year being in Manchester um as a learning consultant. I am a teacher first. I've been a teacher for a special ed teacher for over 20 years. Um

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that is my passion. Um and I'm blessed to work with the team of people that I have around me every single day. Um, so receiving this acknowledgement is truly meaningful to me and I'm deeply grateful for your support and all of your encouragement. I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my

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colleagues at the middle school. Their dedication, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to our students inspire me every day. It is a true privilege to work alongside such passionate educators who consistently go above and beyond to create a supportive and positive environment for our students to learn

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and to grow. I especially want to thank Moren and Anthony um whose leadership and encouragement make a lasting impact not only on our staff but also on the students and families that we serve daily. Their support allows us to continue doing this important work with

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confidence and purpose. So this um this recognition is not mine alone. It reflects the collective effort of this group community that believes in supporting students, encouraging growth, and making a difference each and every day. It's an incredible honor and I'm truly appreciated and humbled by this

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recognition. Great schools are built not by one person but by people who choose every day to make a difference together and I feel that is definitely Manchester. So, thank you for this [applause] principal of MCES. Miss Healey. [applause] >> I'd like to ask Mrs. Britney Bar to join

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me up at the podium. TES [applause] is Um, I am pleased to have Miss Britney Varga as teacher of the year. She is in her ninth year. She has made an extraordinary impact as not only a grade two teacher and an INRS coordinator, but a discovery club coordinator and our

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jump start coordinator. Oh, and by the way, she's also our tier three interventionist. Her passion for education and unwavering dedication to her students is is truly remarkable. She is trusted, valued, resourced for her

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colleagues, her students, and her family alike. She is always willing, willing to lend a helping hand and share her expertise. She goes above and beyond for others. Her positive spirit, collaborative nature, and impeccable dedication make her a true example of excellence in

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education. And it is such an honor that her brand new baby daughter, her brand new baby, whose baby's nephew, >> brand new nephew, and her whole is here to enjoy this. So, congratulations. [applause] >> Thank you everybody. Uh, good evening. Before I begin, I would like to thank

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the board of education, Mrs. Pedrosa, Mrs. Healey, and Mr. Johnson for this incredible award. I also don't like speaking in public, so just um standing here today, I'm deeply honored and humbled to be named teacher of the year. When I stepped into the classroom, I never imagined a

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recognition like this. I simply wanted to make a difference and pursue a dream I always had. Teaching to me has never been about having the perfect lessons or the answers to everything. It's about showing up every day with patience, curiosity, and a willingness to grow

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alongside my students. I've learned that education is not just about the content. That's probably my daughter. She's having a separation. It's not content, but the connection you build with your students and colleagues. It's about the moments when a student

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believes in their own ability, the small breakthroughs that don't, sorry, that don't show up on test, and the environment you build to allow students to feel safe and supported. This award doesn't belong to me alone. It belongs to all the teachers I've had growing up who instill a love of learning in me. My

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family who taught me to never give up and follow my dreams, and my colleagues in principles who inspire, challenge, and remind me that great teaching is never Thank you for this incredible honor. I don't see this award as a finish line. I see it as a responsibility to keep improving, learning, listening, and

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showing up for my students and colleagues with the same passion and purpose that brought me into this production. Thank you. [applause] [crying] And now we would love to bring up Miss Susanna Miner, our ESP of the year. [applause] [applause]

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It is my pleasure to bring up Miss Susanna Miter. Miss serves on our kindergarten team and as you can see from the smile on her face is able to use her humor in many situations that would make a lot of people run. Uh Mrs. Miter is a true team player. She um is

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able to work with a variety of children offering them a calm space when they need it. She is dedicated and committed to our school community. We greatly appreciate appreciate her and enjoy um truly admire the way she is able to

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create a positive learning environment for many of our students who are having a really challenging time. So with that I thank you. [applause] >> Good evening everyone. I love public speaking. So,

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um I'm truly honored and grateful to be recognized as Manchester Elementary's ESP of the year. Receiving this award means so much to me and I want to sincerely thank the board of education um for this incredible recogn recognition. I would also like to thank

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Superintendent Miss Prosa and my wonderful principal Mrs. Healey and my wonderful vice principal Mrs. Johnson. Um, I would especially like to thank my co-orker Carrie Collins. Working aside

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alongside her these last two years have been such a rewarding experience. The classes we shared were definitely challenging at times, but were always filled with so much fun, laughter, and teamwork, and so many unforgettable moments. Thank you so much for being such an amazing teacher, teammate, and

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friend. Most importantly, I want to say how much I truly value my job. I genuinely love what I do, and I love coming to work every single day. These kids amaze me every day with their big personalities, their growth in reading and writing, and their joy and laughter that they bring into the classroom. Even

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on the toughest days, they can still make me smile, usually with a completely random comment that makes absolutely no sense at all. But being able to watch them grow, learn, and gain confidence is something that I would never take for granted. Lastly, I would like to thank my mother, my father, who are my biggest

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supporters and my number one fans. This award is incred incredibly meaningful to me as it reflects the teamwork and care that makes our school such a special place. I am proud to be part of this community and I am thankful to work alongside so many dedicated and caring people. Thank you again for this honor.

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[applause] I'd like to introduce the principal of Ridgeway School, Miss Tifa. [applause] At this time, I'd like to call Miss Fredo down, Miss Danielle Fredo from White Teacher. [applause] We are proud to celebrate Miss Fredo as

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our teacher of the year. An exceptional educator whose passion, skill, and dedication inspire students every day. Miss Fredo creates an engaging, supporting learning experiences, uses data and evidence-based strategies to meet diverse needs, and goes above and

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beyond to ensure every child can grow and succeed. One thing, although Miss Freda last year was not teacher of the year, I do want to point out one thing that we'll always be indebted for her last year. So, we had an LLD teacher um go out for uh

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maternity leave and we could not find an LLD teacher. It is extremely difficult teacher to find because they are some of our most vulnerable vulnerable population and we need to make sure we have the best and um I had approached

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Miss Fredo who stepped forward and handled the position with grace, with excellence, and really took our children to new levels with the rigor and the care. And so when I say goes above and beyond um to help every child grow and

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succeed, that is a perfect example of of her doing that. Um it does not just stop with this classroom. You know, from supporting our multilingual learners to leading intervention efforts and strengthening homeschool connections. Miss Fredo is a valued leader, collaborator, and advocate for our

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students. We are honored to recognize her as our outstanding impact of our school and teacher of the year. [applause] Thank you so much for this incredible honor. I would like to start by thanking the board of education, administration, and all of the incredible teachers in

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Manchester who have supported me and taught me along the way. I would like to thank our superintendent, Diane, who was also my very first principal and the person who hired me. Because of her, my 15-year journey at Ridgeway Elementary School began, and I

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will always be grateful for that opportunity. To my co-workers, thank you for your support, encouragement, friendship, and endless laughs throughout the year. You make coming to work every day so much more meaningful. And I truly would not be the teacher I am today without so many of you.

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Teaching has always been my passion, but my family will always be my greatest priority and my greatest purpose. Becoming a mom has made me a better educator for the children sitting in front of me each day, giving me a deeper sense of patience, compassion, and understanding. To my daughter Olivia,

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thank you for reminding me that growth takes time and hard work is always worth the effort. To my daughter Ree, thank you for reminding me that patience is truly a virtue and that anything can be accomplished with a little spunk and tenacity. To my son Marky, thank you for

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always reminding me to keep things fun and full of joy. And to my baby daughter, Gia, you are my reminder that life truly can become even more beautiful after any storm. Finally, to my husband, John, thank you for believing in me, lifting my confidence,

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setting the bar high, and always being my number one fan. I wouldn't be here standing I wouldn't be standing here without your love and support. Thank you again, and I'm truly honored. [applause] I'd like to call now Miss Amanda Goodstein.

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[applause] We are thrilled to celebrate Miss Goodstein as our ESP of the year and to honor the outstanding contributions she makes to our school community each day. As an exceptional school psychologist and valued child study team member, Miss Costine brings deep knowledge, professionalism, and compassion to her

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work with students, families, teachers, and administration. Her thoughtful insight, steadfast advocacy, and genuine care help children grow and thrive, while her ability to serve across two buildings reflects her extraordinary dedication and commitment.

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We are so proud to recognize Miss Goodstein for the difference she makes and are grateful for the excellence she brings to Richway and Whiting school communities every day. [applause] Thank you very much everyone. Um so I completed my internship in Manchester schools about 12 years ago. At the time

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I worked alongside some names you may know, Ronnie Anderson, Diane Proz, and our lasting team member, Allison Simone. I took my experience with the team and went elsewhere for a bit. When an opportunity arose for me to return to Manchester, I knew I had to at least

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apply. When I interviewed, a question that was asked is, "Why are you looking to leave your current district?" My answer then was, "I'm not looking to leave for any reason, but I always told myself if a position Manchester was available, I would apply because of the

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close-knit community feel that this district offers. Even as an intern, staff made efforts to know me, not just as an intern, but as a person. And you can't go many places and receive the same respect, kindness, and home type feeling that Manchester offers.

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This environment continued throughout the years, and I returned to Ridgeway and now Whiting Elementary School. So, thank you everyone for this recognition. However, as a child study team member, I am nothing without my team. So, I need to thank Josh Simpson, who managed a building in my absence during a

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maternity leave and made my transition back to work seamless. Scott Vinger, who continues to teach me ways to lead discussions with families and administration. Our RBT, Candace Bullion, who effortlessly keeps our building running. our INRS coordinators, reading

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specialists, basic skills staff, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, related service staff, special and general education teachers. Everyone's openness to collaborate and commitment to students is the driving force to make my job smoother.

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I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to our building administration for valuing child study team and decision-making processes. Your collaborative approach to include professional perspectives truly supports success and the wellbeing of the

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students. Thank you to Jill Moore, our special services director. And while she thinks she does not have a leadership style, has effortlessly modeled ways to empower and support her staff. Thank you to my husband for supporting my career. So much so that he will not

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let me be a stay-at-home mom. And thank you everyone for the recognition. I look forward to continuing building a community with you all. Thank you. [applause] So, this next one's a little tough because I'm introducing my dear friend

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and my colleague for many, many years who will be retiring this year. So, please give a nice round of applause for the principal of Whiting Elementary School, Mrs. Swim. [applause] >> [applause] >> like

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and good evening everyone. >> I'd like to first love you guys too. >> I'd like to first uh acknowledge and congratulate all of the recipients. They were just outstanding people. I also want to make a note that a lot of them

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are Manchester graduates. They're products of this amazing community, including myself. So, this is my last one. It's a little emotional, but I'm happy. It's two people that I highly regard. Would Natalie Bar please come to the

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[applause] It is truly an honor to stand before you tonight to recognize an educator whose dedication, compassion, and commitment to children have made a lasting impact on our school community. When Natalie Barriier first joined the Manchester Township School District 19 years ago,

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it became clear that we were welcoming someone very special to our teaching family. Natalie started her career at Ridgeway, but I was fortunate enough to have her join Whiting and she became a second grade teacher and currently serves as a third grade teacher. Her

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patience, warmth, and natural connection with students is evident in all that she does. Whether it's her beach themed classroom, her glow day, or her rigorous instruction, her career has been defined by excellence and a deep commitment to our students. As a proud graduate of

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Manchester Township Schools, her pride in her community is evident in everything that she does. Throughout her career, she has embodied the district model of excellence by example. and she not only is an exceptional educator but a trusted colleague, a mentor to to our

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student teachers and an advocate for our children. She challenges them to grow academically while nurturing their confidence, their independence, and their character. And her classroom is more than just a place of learning. It is calm, joyful, and it's a place where

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our students feel safe, supported, and loved. Natalie approaches her teaching with heart and one of her qualities that I most admire is her ability to create a true family classroom. And you can see all her family here, all the barrier.

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Shout out to the barrier. Her students take ownership of their learning in her classroom. They demonstrate responsibility and they celebrate one another's successes because she has carefully built a culture rooted in respect, positivity,

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and belonging. From classroom leadership opportunities to meaningful traditions like her end of the year red carpet celebration, she creates experience that our students and families remember to years for years to come. And I won't miss getting all the letters over the summer requesting you. But I do love you

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for that. But I won't miss that part. All the letters, especially when you have two sections. This year, I got lucky. We had one. So, everybody got it. As principal, there are certain teachers who consistently exemplify everything that we hope education can and should

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be. And tonight's honore is certainly one of those individuals. It is my privilege and honor to recognize Natalie Bar's teacher. [applause] Good evening everyone. I want to start off by thanking the board of education, our superintendent, Mrs. Pedrosa, who

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was also my principal at Bridgeway School, uh, and my current principal, uh, Miss Swift. I am truly honored and incredibly grateful to be chosen by my colleagues as teacher of the year, to be recognized by the people I work with alongside every day, people I respect,

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learned from and admire means more than I can fully express. This year marks my 19th year in education. When I look back, it's amazing to see the journey come full circle. I began my career right here in this district as a long-term lead replacement in third grade. And now years later, I find

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myself back in third grade once again. In between, I spent 10 wonderful years in kindergarten, five years in second grade, and now finishing my fourth year in third grade. each experience shaping me into the educator that I am today. What makes this recognition even more special is that I'm a proud Manchester

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Township alumni. I've attended kindergarten through 12th grade here in this amazing district. It's incredibly meaningful to now give back to the same community that has given so much to me along this journey. I have been very fortunate to work with so many incredible educators who have supported,

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guided, and inspired me. I would not be standing here without all of them. When I first started at Ridgeway School, I had the privilege of working alongside an amazing group of women. Tracy Kieran, Robin Palmer, Nina Henning, and Debbie Bunola. They took me under their wing

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and met with me almost every day and generously shared their time, resources, and wisdom. They made my first year not only manageable, but truly special. Years later, when I came back to Roim to Whiting School, I had the honor of working with Tracy Pieran again. She

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became my go-to person, always willing to help me, always willing to share, and always supported me, both me and my students. Even after she retired, she returned as a long-term Leaf sub. And I uh got to work with her as my grade level partner in third grade.

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That was truly special, Tracy. In addition, Robin changed roles and now works at YUM school two days a week. we met and discuss ideas, lessons for the classroom. Um, or we just meet to have lunch and catch up on a personal level. Over the years, she's encouraged me and inspired me to do more fun and creative

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things in my classroom. For example, she is the one um that really promoted two really big events that I do in my classroom, Glow Day and Red Carpet Day. These events are so fun and engaging for the students, but most importantly, these are the kinds of events that the students will always remember. These

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experiences have really meant so much to me and truly brought my journey full circle. Teaching is not something we do alone. It's built on collaboration, mentorship, and relationships. I'm so thankful for all of the colleagues that have shared ideas with, offered support, and even made me better, not just as a

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teacher, but as a person. I've made lifelong friends through the years. Some here today in the crowd supporting me and the recognition with me that I received today. Um, Liz, uh, Tracy, Robin, and Jackie, thank you so much for coming. In addition to my friends and

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colleagues, I would like to thank all of my family for their continued support, coming in strong today. Um, especially my husband, James, so supportive. Everything that I do in my career, my three beautiful daughters, Brooke, Haley, and Maddie. Thank you so much for

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supporting me. Next, I would like to give a special thank you to Miss Swift. It's your last one. You can stand up here with me. >> She welcomed me with open arms into Ridgeway School nine years ago. I just wanted to sincerely thank you for your constant support, professionalism, and

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guidance throughout the years. Your leadership has always made me feel encouraged, respected, and valued both as a teacher and as a person. I truly appreciate the word the way you lead with kindness, patience, and understanding. I'm grateful for all the opportunities and encouragement that you

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have given me throughout the course of my career. Thank you for always believing in me and being such a positive influence in our school community. I'm going to miss you very much. And finally, most importantly, I want to thank my students and their families, and they're the heart of everything that we do. They reminded us

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every day why we chose this profession and why we continue to love it after all these years. I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful and to be a part of this district and this community. Thank you. [applause] We were trying for no tears, Matt, but you kind of made it hard. Mrs. Pedrosa

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already makes it hard, but she's usually kind of weepy, too. So, it's my honor to again recognize a Manchester Township graduate. This individual has compassion and dedication that has

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made a profound impact on our school community. I'd like to call April to the podium. [applause] Mrs. [applause] or as she is affectionately known by her students, Miss April has made a remarkable effect on our

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students through her ability to connect with them. Throughout her career in Manchester, she has worked with students in preschool, kindergarten, self-contained classrooms, and our specialized programs for autism and LD. And most recently, she's become a

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teachers assistant in our preschool program. But no matter the child, no matter the challenge, she is someone that we can always count on. She brings creativity to her learning with the students. She develops engaging activities for them and uses her

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experience across multiple age groups and educational settings to ensure that our students feel supported and successful. She's helped to create an environment where students feel valued and capable of succeeding. And beyond the classroom, Miss April is committed

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to building relationships with families. But what many may or may not realize that Miss April's passion for supporting individuals with disabilities is not only professional, it is deeply personal. As the caregiver and advocate for her adult child with disabilities,

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she brings extraordinary empathy, understanding, and strength into every interaction that she has with our students and families. She gives generously to our school and community through volunteer work, summer ESY program, and her church community service as well. She exemplifies what it

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means to lead through service. Her commitment to helping others is evident in every role that she's taken. Miss April, your kindness, resilience, and dedication inspired us all. And on behalf of Bunny Elementary, thank you for all the lives that you've touched and the difference that you've made. Our

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ESP of the year, Miss April. [applause] Good evening. I would like to thank the board of education, our superintendent, Mrs. Pedrosa, and my special principal, Mrs. Smith, who I'm going to dearly miss. I am truly honored and grateful to accept this

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educational services professional of the year award to be recognized in this way by my whiting school family. It means more to me than I can fully express. Thank you so much. For the past 11 years, I have had the privilege of

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growing with within the district. Starting with being a substitute teacher for a year, spending four years in special education as a PA professional, four years as one as a one-on-one professional, and the last two and a half years as a

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teacher's assistant in preschool. Each role has shaped me, taught me patience, strengthened my compassion, and reminded me every day why I chose this path. What I love most about my work are the people. I truly love working with our

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students, their curiosity, their resilience, and the joy they bring into our classroom every single day. I'm equally grateful for the families who trust us with their children and partner with us in their growth. And to all my

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wonderful co-workers, your support, teamwork, and dedication inspires me constantly. I could not do this without you all. This award is not just mine. It belongs to all of us. show up each and every day with care, commitment, and heart. Thank you for seeing me,

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supporting me, and allowing me to be a part of something so meaningful. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this community, and I look forward to continuing this journey together. And last, but not least, I would like to thank my family for always supporting

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me. Thank you so much. [applause] >> [snorts] >> And I'd like to bring up at this time our beautiful and special school, the home of the Penguins, Principal Miss Lisa Mallis. [applause] Good evening. Thank you, Mrs. Pedrosa.

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It is with tremendous Penguin pride that I introduce our teacher of the year, Mrs. Maria Brucata. [applause] [applause] Miss Maria has been a member of our faculty and RDS family for nine years as our preschool disabilities teacher. She

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is a master teacher leader amongst the faculty and truly an exceptional person. This is her second year selected as our regional day school teacher of the year. And it is my honor to introduce Miss Maria. [applause] very nerve-wracking.

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Thank you. I'm truly honored to be standing up here for the second time. I'm incredibly thankful and feel so blessed to be recognized for doing what I truly love to do. Thank you to Miss Pedrosa and Miss Lisa for being two strong, smart, and beautiful role models

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who I'm incredibly proud to work for. Thank you fold for your constant support since we started the preschool program at RDS. I am thankful for my supportive family who is here tonight obviously uh who understands my passion and commitment for my students whether they

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are picking up something I found in the marketplace for the playground or grabbing random ingredients for an ADL activity that probably won't go as well as I wanted to or simply asking if one of my students said any new words today. Their support means everything to me. My

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daughter even started substitute teaching at our school and I'm so thankful that I get to be there at the beginning of her career and make memories teaching alongside of her. This experience has been such an unexpected gift. It really has. I can't thank you

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guys enough for that. I am very thankful for my students who I truly love. I honestly thank God every single day when I'm driving by the Navy Chapel. Every day I say my prayers and I Thank God for choosing me to be a part of their journey. Lastly, I would like to ask my

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Paris and Miss Haley, past and present Paris, to come up here and stand next to me, even if they don't want to. Um, so please come up. I see you. I know you're there. Please [applause] come up

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because I know with 100% certainty I would not be standing here without them. Every day they give 110% no less to all of our students. They love them. They nurture them. They cheer them on and are deeply invested in helping every single

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student reach their full potential. These ladies right here are the reason we have such a unique, nurturing, supportive, and positive program. One that I'm so incredibly proud to be a part of. We all truly love what we do. We all love and respect each other,

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which is so rare. Um, and we all want what's best for every student. And I know I am truly blessed, thankful, and grateful. And I thank you all. Thank you. [applause] >> [applause] [cheering] >> We got a hug. [laughter]

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>> And our ESP of the year, Miss Alicia Scorano. [applause and cheering] So, we met Miss Ally when she was a college student. She came to our building as an intern for one of her field work opportunities. She is an occupational therapy and has been

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applauded with us for two years. When she came in for her interview, I was like, "Your heart." She truly is an exceptional person, cares deeply for our children and always advocates for them. gives our students confidence and helps them with self-regulation. She was very

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instrumental in expanding our occupational therapy room this year, building a sensory space, sensory wall. Uh it is a beautiful space for our students and I cannot thank you enough for all your efforts for that. So our ESP of the year, Miss Alice. [applause] [cheering]

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[applause] >> Hi everyone. Um so as Missa already said, I first started as a level two fieldwork OT student back in the fall of 2021. I truly enjoyed my experience and I knew from that moment that this school was special and I knew I would love to come back if I had the chance. Luckily,

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that chance came two years ago from what started as a coverage position turn into part-time and what is now a full-time position for which I am so grateful for. It is truly a full circle moment and it's a blessing to say that I truly love what I get to do every day. This school year has been one of the best. We

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embarked on a journey to move our OT room as well as creating and developing our new sensory space. This project took a great amount of collaboration with other related services such as physical therapists and speech therapists, Miss Lisa, of course, administration, the custodial team, as well as a grant from

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the MTEF for what was once a vision has come to fruition in the matter of the school year. I'm so glad we were able to create a safe space for students to take a muchneeded break. They have been able to enjoy a multiensory experience to assist improving their regulation in order to increase their educational

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success. I'm proud that I was able to lead our team with this adventure this year and provide our students with more opportunities within their school environment each day. I also have always valued being a part of a community and making a difference, even if it is on a smaller scale. By creating connections within the community and different

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organizations, we can provide even more opportunities and experiences for our students. Not too long ago, a volunteer opportunity that I attended with RDS and Miss Lisa turned into a new career advancement. I'm proud to share that because of attending this volunteer event, I am now working with an adaptive

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fitness company and debuting an addition to their program to teach dance fitness classes for individuals with special needs. [applause] I'm excited to share my love of dance and OT in this new experience to create a fun and therapeutic atmosphere for all participants. This just goes to show

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that it is important to put yourself out there and say yes to new opportunities within the school and within our community. You never know what could happen and one of your dreams like mine may just come true. I want to say a special thank you to Miss Lisa, the board and Miss Pedrosa for this

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extraordinary honor. I want to thank my mom for supporting me from the very beginning, long before I was an OT as she truly helped to shape me into the person I am today. I also want to thank my husband who has been my rock and best friend for over 10 years now and one of my biggest supporters. I also have to

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thank my dog Harvey, my friends, family, and my co-workers for all of their love and support. I feel extremely grateful to have been awarded this honor and I hope to continue to make my students regional day and this district proud each year to come. Thank you. [applause]

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So, my heart is incredibly full and I feel such joy being the superintendent of this beautiful district. If anything resonated tonight, I hope you get the sense of pride and the excellence that has set the benchmark

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with these wonderful educators and how we in Manchester are family. So, I'd like to give all of you a wonderful round of applause. [applause] And yes, Micado, we're going to take a picture. So, I'm going to ask all the teachers and the ESPs to please come up

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before you leave. And we're going to have Miss Sylvestri organize a photo for us. Is that correct? >> Okay, we're figuring that out. I also just want to let you know we recently celebrated teacher of the year. We should be celebrating teachers each and

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every day, but today is a very special day. It's my understanding that it was bus driver appreciation. Please give them a round of applause. [applause] They are truly the people that meet and set the tone for the day for the children as they come to school and they

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wish them well as they go home. So, um, thank you to our bus drivers, thank you to our bus aids, thank you to our transportation department, and do we have a location? Do you need me to sing a song? >> Okay, go ahead. You show them where you want to go.

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>> We're teachers. We listen. We're all educators. Here we go. >> Okay. Keep applauding. Yes. Applause. [applause] It comes flat. You know what? I think some of the flowers might pop out.

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[laughter] >> She was like Oh my god. I failed. Yes, Maria. What do you know? Hi. How's it going? big upill.

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Good night everybody. Get home safely. I have to thank you Nice to meet you. So bless you really. [laughter] >> Nice to meet you. Thank you very much. Mr. Lson, do you have a report just administrator?

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>> Yes. Just one quick item. Um, there is a resolution on the agenda that I'm asking the board to approve tonight. It was put out by New Jersey school boards. Essentially, what this resolution is asking is asking for our state to take a good look at our our school health

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benefit insurance uh and and find some ways to provide relief to school districts. Um, you know, as I talked about last month, you know, a 34% increase on is, you know, a tremendous it's tremendous and it's a huge burden on the school district to find ways to to

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support that cost. So, this resolution is essentially asking our legislators, our politicians in training to take a look at the school health benefit program and find ways to uh reduce costs being passed on school districts. That's that's my report.

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>> Okay. Thank you. >> Right now, we have public comment for agenda items only. An wants to speak. >> Do any board members have reports? >> Do we have any old business or correspondence? >> No business and no correspondence.

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>> Okay, great. Okay, so we're going to do section one, letter A, numbers one to three. A B C D E >> A through F motion. >> Any discussion?

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>> Okay. Can we get a roll call? >> This is survey. Minerson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mr. Min. Miss Keller >> and I have to abstain from a number

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>> and yes to everything else. >> Did you have to read something in this part? >> I'm going to read something in the next. >> Okay. All right. Okay. Section two, administrative numbers 1 to six.

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So what I'm going to ask the board is we're going to vote on numbers one through six first and then we I will read in a number seven which will have a separate >> Okay. >> Any discussion call >> Mr. S?

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>> Yes. >> Mrs. Atinson >> yes >> Mrs. Beltry >> yes >> Mr. Murker >> Mr. from one and yes to the rest >> and Mrs. W. >> Yes.

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>> Okay. So the resolution this is this will be resolution speed number seven. Uh this is uh some resolution is going to be resolution to approve hip investigation 12 as affirmed. So if you are voting yes

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to this, you are upholding the decision of the hip investigation. Okay. Uh Mrs. Sur, >> yes. >> Mrs. Atinson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Belain, >> Mr. Mkin,

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>> Mr. Pots, >> Mr. Keller, >> yes. >> Mrs. W. >> No. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Personnel numbers one to four.

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>> You're going one through. >> Oh, we doing personel one to four and then >> numbers one through >> 1 through 31. >> 1 through 31. >> Motion. >> Any discussion?

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>> Okay. Can we do a roll call? >> Mr. Mr. >> Yes. >> Miss Atinson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Belchure. >> Yes. >> Mr. Min. >> Yes. >> Mr. Poss. >> Yes. >> Mr. Keller. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Wingler. >> Yes.

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>> Okay. Student personnel number number one. >> Any discussion? >> Okay. Roll call. >> Mr. S. M. At >> Yes. Mrs. Bel. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mkin, >> yes. >> Mr. Pots, >> yes.

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>> Mr. Keller, >> yes. >> And Mr. >> Yes. A special services number one. >> Any discussion? Roll call. >> Mrs. Suran. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Atinson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Belure. >> Yes.

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>> Mr. Burkett. >> Mr. Pos. >> Yes. >> Mr. Keller. >> Yes. >> Mrs. W. >> Yes. >> Section three, letter A. Five. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any discussion?

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>> Roll call. >> Mrs. Ser. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Atinson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Beltran. >> Yes. >> Mr. Murphy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Poss. >> Yes. >> Mr. Keller. >> Yes. >> And Mrs. >> Yes.

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>> At this time, the floor is open for public comment. Does anybody want to come to microphone? Okay. So, the floor is now open to members of the public. The board of education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues. The board requests that each statement be made by a participant and limited to three

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minutes as cited in policy 0167. Um, I guess please let us know your name before you speak. Mr. All right, >> Dan Staples, Manchester Township Education Association President. Uh, a great night tonight. Congratulations to

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all the teachers of the year and service professionals of the year. Um, I also want to take a moment to thank the board of education, the administration, and everybody that's been a part of the labor management collaborative. We had a great excellence in education dinner last uh about two weeks ago, right? The

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days are all kind of blurry. Um but the amount of planning and preparation that went into that and the collaborative nature, the work and the training that we all attended before we got involved in that and the way we were able to implement and execute with the help of everybody was absolutely amazing and it

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was an incredible very moving night. So uh I am on a roller coaster of emotion. Uh, and I sent to Miss Madrosen this morning when I was looking up the school district Facebook page as I often do, Meta AI came up with a definition of our

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school district. Um, and it gives a little AI overview. So, I just wanted to tell everybody, how am I doing on time? Am I okay? Um, so when [clears throat] I look it up, it says, "Manchester Township School District is celebrating excellence in education with recent achievements,

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including undefeated seasons for the middle school boys and girls track and field teams and a district-wide art show. The district's labor management collaborative also honored educators and staff with excellence in education awards. With a strong commitment to community, this district recently celebrated 50 years of Hawk Pride at

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Manchester Township High School. And then it goes on to say it's a public school district in Ocean County, pre-K12, yada yada yada. Craig will love this. The district has a student teacher ratio of 9.9 to1 and employees, write this down, 293.9 faculty members, which is actually the

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number of teachers because we have about 600 employees, but from a budgetary standpoint, wouldn't that be beautiful? Um, for the first paragraph, I just want to show like um and thank you to Dena and everybody that does all this, but our district does a fantastic job of putting the best foot forward. uh and we saw that on display at the excellence

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and ed dinner and we saw that on display at the 50th anniversary celebration and we saw that on display here tonight. So we have a lot to be proud of as a school district and I wanted to acknowledge that. Uh and I also want to acknowledge all of our education support professionals. We also gave out awards for our parent professional of the year,

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teacher assistant of the year, transportation member of the year, custodial member of the year, teacher assistant of the year. Um and a lot of times people forget in the classroom uh they don't know the title. they don't know a par profofessional. They just say that's my teacher. Um because of all the great work that they do. So I want to

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acknowledge all of our support staff as well. Um so that's it. I just wanted to come up here and hear myself talk. But uh our district's pretty freaking awesome and I just wanted to shout that out. So thank you. [clears throat] Three minutes. >> Thank you. [applause] >> All right. At this time, do we vote? >> All in favor?

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>> All right. Thank you. Good night.