Yes. >> All right. Great. Good evening everybody. Uh it is Thursday, wow, August 17th. It is 9:45 p.m. We will now start the 2025 2027 term for the citywide Council on Special
Education. So, welcome everybody and thank you for for coming. First, uh welcome to our new members. Um looking forward to partnering with all of you. Uh we're going to start the meeting off with the interpretation team introducing themselves and their service. Interpretation, if you can please
introduce yourself. >> Hi Nancy Hernandez. I'm sorry, Alex. Nancy Hernandez, Spanish interpreter. >> Good evening. This is Alex. Uh following message will be in Spanish. symbol.
This concludes the Spanish intro. Thank you so much, Spanish interpreters. Really appreciate your service. Rose, can we please have roll call? >> Yes. Good evening, everyone. Uh Francesca Barrerio, she's probably on
her way in. Dr. Sai is on her way in. Heather Dailyaly, she come in yet? >> Not yet. Rose. >> Okay. Mark Gonzalez, >> present remotely. Darlene Martinez
Rang Maggie Sanchez >> here. >> Susan Wong, she's the one stuck on the train, correct? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And Irene >> here. >> Thank you. Of course, we don't have a
quorumman present, but >> no no quorum, but we'll we'll definitely get started. Um, first thing I want to do is do introductions and as our new members come in, Rose, please flag um, so we can we can get their introductions. Um,
I will I will quickly start off with with the introduction myself and then pass it off to our other members in the room. My name is Mark Gonzalez. I was prior co-president of citywide council. Um, thus I am acting president until our
annual meeting on August 7th. Um I am a district 3 parent in upper well called Lincoln Center uh Manhattan. I have two kids with IEPs. One who's in an ICT classroom in middle school. One who attends an 853 which is a nonpublic high
school paid for by the city and state. um it is an approved high school and it's because his um version of autism the DOE is not able to appropriately uh handle. Um that being said um he both my
kids are doing well in in their various settings with quite a bit of support from the DOE for both kids. Um, and that being said, you know, I'm here because I know how challenging it can be to be a parent um with a student with a
disability. I know how challenging it is to to go through the system um having had to go through what I called World War II um about 12 years ago um with our our cse and then find an appropriate 853
school for my my older one and then dealing with my younger one in and the various services he needed and and received and then did not receive at times. Okay. >> Um, Spanish interpreter, could you please mute your your ma your line, the
non- Spanish line? >> Thank you. Um, and so I I know how challenging it can be when you don't get services. I know how it is dealing with busing. It can be an adventure where a bus route that should take an hour can be a 4-hour bus route. And I also know
how it is when you don't know where to start. And I was in that position where I did not know how where to start with my older son. and I was blessed and lucky enough to get support from from others and it's my way of now giving back to to other community members who need that extra support. So, that's why
I'm here. Um, I'll kick it off to the the room. Uh, whoever wants to uh introduce themselves next, please. Thank you. >> Irene, did you want to introduce yourself? Um she want me to introduce myself first.
>> Okay, great. Thank you. >> So my name is Yingen Yong. Uh I am I'm part of two kid in the public school in district 20. Um so one of my girl have the IEP service uh the speech delay. So
this is my first time uh in the CCSE and I'm um I'm I've been working in the health industry for many years in the hospital and the uh independent physician association. So um we and my
wife have done three years PDA president in the school. So um we have longtime advocate for our kid and the other kid in the community. So yeah this is this is me. Thank you. Welcome.
>> Also, speak into the mic and speak up because we have interpreters who need to hear you. So, you go next, Irene. No, you start speaking. They'll pick up. Hi, everyone. Um, this is Jasine. Uh, you can also call me Irene. I am um the
new uh member here and uh I'm very uh grateful to have the opportunity uh to be part of the team. Um as a immigrant mother with two kids that um was diagnosis with both ADHD and autism um
we have been go through a lot of things um from the I from CBSE, IEP, CSSE. So it make me feels like um especially for those uh family that due to language barrier it's very difficult for them to
find the correct service or the way support. Uh that's why um I'm here today and I try to um I try to uh help the others uh families or uh fans that was also suffering in this situation and um
I'm willing to learn and um to lend a helping hand to all the other family. Thank you. >> Thank you and welcome. >> Maggie, you're up. Hello everyone. My name is Maggie Sanchez. Um, I have a child with autism.
He uh is in high school and he's also in an 853 state approved nonpublic school. And yeah, I mean, he's he's doing well. This is my second term on the CCSC. Um, and I was reelected and so I'm happy
to be back. Uh I was the previous um recording secretary for the council. So yeah um welcome welcome you members and thank you everyone that >> Thank you Maggie. Welcome again. Um Rose
when other members come in can you please give give a heads up and then we'll get them to introduce themselves where we're where appropriate. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um, next, uh, Anthony, are you are you back in the room or is Anthony still
downstairs? >> Yes, there. >> Okay. Um, Anthony, you want to introduce yourself? Uh, please. >> Sure. Um, good evening everybody. My name is Anthony Aguilar. I'm your face liaison. Um, I support the council and
Rose in any way I can. Um, when you have questions or any support, I'm your guy. Thank you, Anthony. And Rose, can you take the mic, please, and introduce yourself? Uh, the lovely Rose, person who keeps us in line and makes things
happen. Rose. >> Hi. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I'm the administrative assistant for the CCSE. I just celebrated or not celebrated but I just finished 10 years with the uh with the council
>> and I'm looking forward to working with the 2025 2027 council and meeting the new members as well. Thank you >> Rose. 10 years is a celebration. We're we're honored to have you and lucky to have you as our AA. So thank you Rose
deepest uh appreciations. Um we do have the office of special education which is part of dial um here today. Uh thank you Dial members both in person and online. Suzanne, you want to um kick off and and
and pass it to your team members please. >> I very much do Mark and uh thank you so much and thank you for joining us from the West Coast. And um I'm just genuinely excited and uh happy to be here tonight to meet and welcome the new
members um and to see our returning members. Uh and we prepared a a brief really kind of general just overview of a little bit of our office and who we are. Um and then uh we'll just jump in
with some information around that. Um so my name is Suzanne Sanchez. I am the chief of special education for New York City public schools. I am a public school graduate myself from K to 12. I grew up in Queens. Um my son is a
graduate of Marorrow High School last school year. Um and I have worked by and large my entire career one way or another uh in New York City public schools and there is nowhere that I would rather be. and students with
disabilities are at the forefront of my brain, my heart, my colleagues who are going to introduce themselves every single day. We value the work and we very much value partnership and uh you said Irene, happy to be part of the
team. We absolutely view this as a team. Uh we may not always agree on every single thing, but we all are here for the same reason. is to to support our students and families in every possible way that we can.
So, I'm just going to quickly do an overview of our division, which is a relatively new division. We're about a year old, the division of inclusive and accessible learning, otherwise known as dial. We are led by Deputy Chancellor Christina Fod and Chief of Dial John
Hammer. Both of whom have had some really long days and nights uh this week and last week, but they will certainly I expect be with us in in September. Um Brenda, Dr. Brenda Garcia who is the chief of multilingual learners uh who's
uh not here tonight but our office dial includes the special education team and the office of multilingual learners. Um so Dr. Garcia is is a is a wonderful part of our team. Also joined tonight by our chief of school support and district
75 Andy Corso. um also by our senior executive director on the committees of special education which manage and lead our cse as well as our CPSC's Jessica Wallenstein. And uh I am seated next to uh the chief
of staff for the special education office, Miss Joanna Charles. Uh also here with us tonight, our executive director of operations for our office of related services. So, all of our OTP speech needs, uh, Shaa Gibson, our
director of speech services, uh, and much more than that. Melanie Leong is here with us tonight. Uh, senior executive director of specialized programs, that's Nest, Ames, Horizon, and Path and ACEs is Michelle Metsler.
Uh and our director of family support who for CCSE members is really your direct point of contact is Johanna Rodriguez who uh as off this week celebrating her birthday. Uh and uh we'll be back with you all uh next week
or I believe and be happy to be here with you. Um I did want to give um I did want to ensure that we also know we have some members online with us. So, Colleen Warren, who's our director of assist of technology, uh hopefully you know, and if not, you
will learn more that New York City public schools is committed to integrating assist of technology for children with disabilities. And Colleen and her co-director David, who couldn't be here tonight, lead this work in support of thousands of students, preK
through 12, public school, charter, and non-public school. They are our technology heroes across the board. I did just super quickly want to give an opportunity for Jessica Wallenstein to introduce herself as well as Andy Corso
before we jump into our uh agenda. >> Jess, you want to start? >> Sure. Um sorry not to be there in person, but so happy to see all of you and and meet some some new folks this evening. Um, as Suzanne said, I oversee
the committees on special education and you know, I heard that that we have uh parent members on the council um who've gone through the CSC's and please know that my goal is to make that process much smoother um for families to come
and um very glad to hear that that your children are now in good settings, but I know how hard it was to get there and that is a focus of of dials and of mine. So really looking forward to partner partnering with with you all as we continue to improve the cse. Thank you.
>> Thanks Jessica. Um my name is Andy Corso pronouns she her. I'm so glad to be here tonight. Wonderful to meet new members. Wonderful to welcome back previous members and and just so grateful to be in partnership with you um and to problem solve together on behalf of children and families. um and very um
proud to be um a primary support for district 75 um and eager to partner to partner with you on that in particular as well as all support for our schools. Um glad to be here tonight. The other one press the other one. Hi everybody. I'm Shauna Gibson. I am the
uh executive director of operations for the office of related services and I'm joined also in addition to Melanie by Ida Peele who is our director of strategy. Um I always get it wrong and I'm the one who named it strategic implementation. Uh I'm I'm delighted to
be here. Many of you might know me from my prior life where I was chief of staff for the family and community empowerment office during the pandemic and uh my heart really really belongs to this council because I was the personal liaison to the citywide council for
special education for a good number of years. So this is my favorite council in the entire city with good reason. So it's nice to be with you guys tonight. Thank you, Shaa. And Mark Ida uh Peele is the person who's going to help us
redo the independent registry. So, uh we'll we'll make sure you guys connect. Uh Michelle, do you would you like to introduce yourself? >> Sure. Hi everyone. Um I am coming from you coming to you from a little vacation. So, uh I am the senior
executive director of specialized instruction and uh specialized programs. Many of you have we've interacted around specialized programs. Um I'm very excited to be here tonight um and to continue to work in partnership with you
to ensure that students have access to these high quality specialized programs close to their home. Thank you. Thanks, Michelle. And that is emblematic of uh Michelle Netzer and her team that she's calling in from vacation. Uh I see
Mark nodding. Uh yep, that that's how we roll over here. So, um Colleen Warren, would you like to introduce yourself? >> Sure, Miss Sanchez. Hi, everyone. Good a uh good evening. Uh my name is Colleen Warren. I am one of the directors for
the central assist of technology team. Uh I am uh here to support you. Um we are here to always promote uh access um to technology, assist of technology,
educational technology as well as um AAC for all our students. Uh I look forward to continuing our partnership um and meeting uh the new members and also working with you. So and uh Suzanne
mentioned David Kuroka is the other assistant technology director. Um and um we have a small team but it is the largest team in the country but uh we all work very closely with everyone to support all the students. So uh thank
you. >> Hi everyone. My name is Melanie Leang. I'm the director of speech services in the city. Um so it's very nice to meet you. Um similar to Suzanne, I've spent most of my life working and supporting in uh DOE schools. I'm also a public school graduate and I started in um
district 20. So uh that was my home school. Um so nice to meet you. Uh and I know that uh we have a lot of work to do together to support related services and speech services in schools.
Hi. Before we get into the presentation, I would like for one of the interpreters to speak into the Zoom line to um tell us the information for our Spanish speakers to dial in again. Thank you. >> Hi. Uh, this is Nancy.
identific for numero symbol numero. Gracias. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you everyone. So I want to start off here by just uh grounding us a bit
in what our commitment and vision is in dial for four in 10 New York City students who e speak another language or have a disability uh in New York City public schools or every student experiences rightful presence and
thrives in inclusive and interdependent schools and programs close to home equipped with tools for success for adulthood leading to the elimination of historic and systemic disproportionate outcomes. That's a lot. Um and um I wish
it said uh what it means I think to me and hopefully to many of you is that every single student whether they have a disability or not deserves to walk into any school in New York City public schools and be clo be welcomed with
highquality instruction, an inclusive mindset where people not only welcome but they value the differences that make each of us so unique and that we and segregating, marginalizing or putting our students with disabilities uh in the
corner and they don't get the same level of academics. They don't get the social opportunities and they're not embedded into their schools. That is what we are undoing. Many of much of that has been undone and there is much work to do but that is really our force and our driving
vision uh in in the division of inclusive and accessible learning. dial. We are comprised of four offices. The special education office, our multilingual learners office, committees on special education led by Jessica
Wstein, and school support and district 75 led by Andy Corso. And from the special education perspective, uh CS's district 75 and the special education office, we work as one. Uh we don't
really see any difference in our work. Uh, I will jump in to support Andy and Jessica with anything as they will uh with me and my direct team. Melanie technically supports uh all speech services and all related services in New
York City regardless uh of what setting the student in is in. Uh and Michelle Netzer often lends her expertise to other folks throughout New York City public schools. So, we are four offices. We are really one unit.
We have believed deeply in uh Chancellor Aas Ramos's vision of empowering and connecting with families. Engaging with parent leaders is something that is very important uh to us to our work to our beliefs and obviously this council and
our CEC's uh are one main way in which we stay connected uh with families. I believe also Irene mentioned um it's very difficult being a parent of a child with a disability and navigating through
this very massive system and and all that comes with it. Uh we work to support families navigating special education. Um we have supports for our schools in districts uh for classes
sorry kindergarten through 12. We also work with our preschools uh in building up their supports for children with disabilities. We support charter nonpublic, private and religious schools as well in partnership with our cse. I do want to
mention very quickly that for our preschool students, uh, thanks to a lot of advocacy from some folks in this committee, uh, Jessica's work, a city council, uh, we have been funded for a pretty significant increase in our
special education service delivery. So, OT, PT, speech, see it, which are teachers. Uh and we're really really excited about moving forward to deliver more and timely special education services to our youngest students.
Want you all to know here and this is this is key. Uh we are a mighty band of of staff here who believe and work very hard. uh but we we do not have the manpower one by one to solve and address
200,000 potential uh concerns which we hope there are not. But so we encourage you all and our families to utilize the special education mailbox uh special education atschools.gov of that goes
directly to Johanna Rodriguez. Um, and she shares the information each day with it could be myself, Melanie, Shona, Andy, Michelle, Colleen, and other folks across the city and we work to address
those issues. One of the reasons that it's so important that concerns or questions go through that inbox is it allows us to see trends. It allows us to see is there a specific district or school that we want to provide
additional support to? Is there a topic area like summer busing that's coming up that we want to address? And we track all of that through the inbox. So, please share that email with families that come your way and know that we track it and look at it and respond
every single day. I'm going to turn this portion over to uh my colleague Andy Corso to talk about all the happenings in special education this summer. So, the slide got very small. Um so, I'm going to I'm going to scoot a little bit closer. Um and then we're going to uh
we're going to take a look from there. Yeah. Yes. Still so I got old eyes. Uh so I I want to just first say woo summer a lot of good things happen and it's really hard and I want to just
acknowledge and I want to just give special appreciation Yan you you've um been able to lift up um especially some transportation issues for us to address. Thank you so much for your advocacy and support on that. Um there's a lot of good things happening and we have to do better. And so I'm going to share a
little bit about what's happening and then um certainly want to partner with you on things that continue to be challenging so we can make summer better and better for our families. So what happens during the summer? A lot happens during the summer. Um we have related services. So for students with 12 months
IEPs for speech OTP, all of them receive their related services. I just got a message saying, "Andy, you are talking too fast for interpretation." Thank you, Joanna. I'm going to try again.
Um, one of the amazing things in addition to those individual speech, OT, and PT sessions is the opportunity to have seed sites over the summer. And if you are a member of the council and have not yet been on a SE at a seed site, I strongly recommend let's have a visit
there together. Um it's an extraordinary experience where young people are able to have integrated related services across OT um and speech and PT. Um want to also notice a big piece of
our work is evaluations. So our school psychologists are very busy doing over 2,000 evaluations and 2,600 IEP meetings. And this is critical work to make sure that students get their services at the beginning of the year and ready for a strong start. Many of
you are familiar with extended school year. This is our program for students who have 12-month IEPs for special class. We have 4,500 students enrolled, a thousand more students than last year. Um so continues to see a lot of growth. 30 sites across the city. Um and we do
specific intervention work um at ESY particularly around literacy. We also have 1,200 of our youngest learners um pre preschool students in extended school year as well. Finally, in district 75, all of our students have
12-month IEPs. So, district 75 actually closes down one school year and opens up another school year the very next week. Um and because um the it's it's very exciting. um and uh and and do some phenomenal phenomenal programs. Our
autism program students also participate in summer um for Nest and Horizon um we have almost 2,000 students from K to 8 um across over a 100 summer schools and for Ames um we have 140 students
across seven different sites. What are some challenges over the summer? And I just want I want to name some and I want to think about how we problem solve together. Busing is absolutely a challenge we continue to face year-over-year with summer. And I just
want to acknowledge and name how very very disruptive and frustrating that is for families when they do not have predictable transportation from the very first day of summer programming. This year about 90% of students had busing
within one week and we have still had a steady small group of students that we have struggled um to find the right route for or the right place for and that's something that's critically important. Welcome. We're so glad you're here.
No, it's for you. It's for you. H there's a lot going on. So um one of the things that um that I want to share is that um and this is a challenge we can problem solve together
for busing. Every single student for the summer has to be rerouted. So these are all brand new routes just for our summer program. Um which is part of what causes some of our challenge. The other thing that we um really grapple with over the summer
is kindergarten IEP placement. KIP. We love an acronym. Um and so we want to make sure that all of our kindergarteners know where they're going to school um for the following year. So that's a major focus area and then we continue to to make sure that happens
and make sure that all of our um both young and older students who are joining our specialized programs know where they are going to school. Um I want to share a couple fun facts. Um one of our ESY um sites is going bowling next week. Um which is very exciting. Um another one
had a water slide. um um for today. It was the right day for that. Um let's put let's put it out there for good planning. Uh and one of our district 75 sites has um each site has a different u musical um as their theme for the summer. So, one was the Michael Jackson
site. Uh and um they're doing all activities related to that. And then we had a drumming circle for our after school for district 75. Um, I walked out of the first day of ESY and one young girl ran over to her mom and said and her mom said, "How was your day?" And
she said, "It was great. I made three friends." And uh, so it is there there's work to be done here. Work for us to do together and good things are happening. Um, so want to want to share all of that. Okay. Is that everything? Office of
Special Education. >> Yes, we we we covered uh >> you covered a lot. Mark. >> Thank you. And and want to say thank you to the entire Office of Special Education team. You you have a 13th month job. um probably 14 months how
much you pack in um to your your days. Uh really appreciate you all coming in person online um on you know however you came vacation non vacation really appreciate all the work you do. You're all tireless. I mean I know I I know
Michelle for going back 10 years. Suzanne I met I don't know what three and a half years ago at a uh Saturday academy program and I've met so many of the other uh office of special education people throughout the years as well and and really appreciate all you do for our
community. All you do for our kids and families. You you have a a small staff and you do a giant amount for nearly 300,000 kids in this city with with IEPs or IESPs and it is truly appreciated. So thank you.
Thank you, Mark, and thank you to uh thank you to the council for allowing us some time uh with you all this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you. Like to acknowledge we have another council member here. Um would you like to introduce yourself to the community? >> This Hello, Mark. How are you? Can you
see me? Oh my goodness. >> I can see you. Oh my goodness. This is >> that green outfit. I mean, how can I not? I mean, I squeeze in here a little bit more. Thank you so much. Listen, it's such an honor to be here with all of you. I'm sorry I didn't get to hug everybody, but
um it is just so exciting. So, I it's really it's thrilling. So, thank you so much for everything and we really are looking forward to two amazing years together. It's going to be awesome. So, thank you. Thank you, Mark. We miss you.
And shout out to Heather and everyone. And I see John Syracuse on there. So, this is wonderful. Thank you. Did I not say anything? Sorry. My name is Susie Wong Benjamin. Oh, sorry about that. Okay. I'm Susie Wong Benjamin and I actually belong to the P596X school.
Both of my sons attend. It's an awesome school and uh they both have autism. They're 10 and one's about to turn seven years old next week. So, we're going to do an iFly experience and a sky zone experience with the trampoline. I don't know if you guys have all been there
before, but it's great for the kids because they have so much energy to to, you know, expel and everything. So, it's just wonderful. Um, so I'm actually part of the SLT team and I'm a co-chair on there and so I really wanted to be a
part of uh making a difference in our community citywide. So this is very very exciting. So uh thank you. And also I have a fitness background. So, I'm really looking forward to us bringing families, the
children together, the community together to do physical in-person events that will really be thrilling. And yeah, because I think we, you know, what comes with um mental health and wellness, physical fitness, like all of these
things contribute to how we raise our kids and how things how they're impacted by our energy. So, I think that's really important for us to take notice that everything we're pouring into our children, we have to also make sure we're taking care of ourselves as
parents. So, we're doing a phenomenal job that can go around, you know, not just citywide, but that could go around worldwide. Look at that. We're Pitbull now. So, yes. So, I'm excited to be here. Thank you. Um, and I'm looking forward to the adventure. Thank you so
much and sorry to be so late. Welcome and thank you. All right, we are now on to our public comment section for the calendar meeting. So, we'll open it up to public comment. If you have a comment, please limit it to three
minutes. Um, if there's anyone in person, please let Rose know. If you're online, please raise your virtual hand. >> Amanda, I see your hand. Please go ahead. >> Uh, hi everyone. My name is Amanda Pittz. I'm on CEC23.
Um, and I just wanted to ask what the time frame was or strategy is to bring down the evaluation times for assisted technology. Um, I just went back through my notes. I requested the evaluation on March 25th. Uh, and I'm getting it next
week. So, it's four weeks or four months for that and I'm only getting it because I'm here over the summer. Um, but every there's a couple of other kids in from my school and from my district that have had weight times of four to six months. Um, which is not acceptable. So, I just
wanted to know what the the strategy was for bringing that down. >> Thank you uh for asking that question, Amanda. And you said CC23. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, yeah, you're right. Like that that is not acceptable. Uh and
there are a few reasons this past school year why there was such a backlog and a delay. One of them being that the vendors who supply our assisted technology devices have had their own what they call supply chain delays and
so we have not been able to get the equipment as quickly as we normally would have. There was also a pause in one of our contracts with Apple that also caused a delay and uh we are working to increase the size of our
assisted technology team and Colleen Warren who is on if if uh is going to reach out to you if it's possible for you to put your name and uh in the chat and um or contact information and then we can look through uh the children in district 23 who are awaiting
uh and see how we can move those forwards because we are clearing a backlog from last school year and really appreciate you raising this and we are offering and conducting assisted technology evaluations this summer because we know about the backlog and we
know how important this is. >> Okay, thank you Amanda. Thank you for the question. I apologize that you're taking nearly four months. I mean, federal law is very clear. It needs to be done within 60 days. It's not a uh, you know, like it to be done. It's
required by federal law. So, we'll continue working with Office of Special Education on that. I understand there's backlogs and and contracts that doesn't matter to the federal government and we need to do better as a as a organization as a whole. Our kids deserve better and
and I appreciate Colleen and everything their team does. I appreciate Suzanne everything your team does, but we definitely need to get those backlogs done and get back to be in compliance with federal law. It's important to our kids, but thank you. >> Um, any other public comment, please.
>> We have someone in office here and in the conference room from here. >> Okay. And then, uh, we have online Camille after that. So, um, in person, please public comment. >> Sure. Hi, good evening everybody. My name is Kelly Bear. I'm a new member of the citywide council on high schools and
I just came to meet all of you and say hi and invite all the high school families to come to our meetings if you're so moved. We meet on the second Wednesday here in this very room at 6 p.m. Um and just to highlight something I think you know which is that we have an empty seat on our council right now
waiting for you all to appoint someone. So we're really excited um to see who that will be and hopefully welcome them at our next meeting on the 13th of August. Kelly, thank you very much. Uh really appreciate you coming and uh really love
to have a partnership with CCHS. We do have the vacancy on our agenda for the business meeting after the calendar meeting adjourns. Um that being said, our bylaws require us to have a special meeting to interview the candidates. We have two at this point and vote at our
next regularly scheduled meeting which is listed for August 21st. So, we will not unfortunately have someone in place for your August uh meeting, but we are certainly hoping for the September meeting. Really appreciate you. >> Thank you. That's good to know. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And thank you for your service to our high schoolers. >> Next, we have up Camille. Uh Camille is a member of the panel for education policy, otherwise known as PEP, otherwise known as the official New York uh city school board. Um Camille,
please. Good evening everyone. Thank you so much, President Gonzalez. Um, I just wanted to congratulate all of our newest members and our returning members. I just, um, am so proud of the
work you all are doing for our students every day. I wanted to let you know that our next PEP meeting is actually next week on Wednesday night, and of course, you're all welcome to attend. Um, I I wanted to just speak to one of the
contracts on mental health prevention and intervention services. It's a1,700,000 contract. Um, I think everybody could get behind that. Uh, we know that our children need more uh mental health
support. And I also wanted to let you know that we're going to be voting on the new uh cell phone policy for the DOE that has to be submitted to the state on August 1st. And so we'll be voting on
that in this next meeting. And uh anybody is uh able to offer public comments in writing at any time during the the year month. um in between meetings, don't feel like you have to
come to the meeting to only speak. You could share your feedback all of the time. And uh Mark, if you don't mind, I'm going to drop a few links and things in the chat. And uh please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need
anything at all. Um although I am the Brooklyn Burough President appointee, I've worked citywide for many many years and am very familiar with a lot of the um issues that families are facing. So do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you
so much and congratulations again. >> Thank you Camille. And just so you know, she may represent Brooklyn, but she represents all the nearly 900,000 uh kids and their families in this city. And we are greatly uh grateful for Camille and all the work she and her her
other 24 members of the pep do to support our schools. So Camille, thank you and drop away in in the chat. Really appreciate it. Thank you. Any other public comment? I do not see anything else. So um at
this point that is the end of our calendar mean agenda. Is there a motion to adjourn the calendar mean? There's a motion just you can just say I have a motion to adjurnn. Rose, I I can't hear anyone. If there's a motion to adjourn,
>> that's why. Okay. Sorry. There wasn't a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> Okay. Is there a second? >> My apologies. >> No, you're good. Is there a second? There was a second. >> Great. All right. All in favor of adjourning the calendar meeting, remember the business meeting means coming up. Motion. All in favor of
adjouring the calendar meeting say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Abstensions. All right. I don't hear any opposed abstensions. So we are adjourned for the calendar meeting. Um we will now move on to the business meeting.
All right. So for the business meeting, uh Rose will get started. Um, this is the business uh meeting for the citywide council of special education. It is Thursday, July 17th now at 9 I'm sorry, time is it? I'm sorry. Uh, 7:30 p.m. So,
apologies. Trying to convert and doing a bad job. Um, we will get started um with roll call. Rose, can you please do roll call for the business meeting? >> I'm here. Just let me give um Special Education a minute to leave.
>> Yep. Thank you. Office of Special Education. Really appreciate it. And then Rose, it sounds like there may be some more people in the waiting room. Can you please double check? >> No, there's no one there. >> No. Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay, second roll call.
Francesca Barrierial, she's not here. Dr. Sai, Heather Daly, Darling Martinez. Wrong. Maggie Sanchez >> here.
>> Susie Wong Benjamin Irene >> and I am virtually present but since we are not at quorum I will be given an unexcused absence for both the calendar and business. >> We are at quorum one. >> We are at quorum. We have six in in person. >> No no no three. Wait wait wait.
>> We have to have six in person. for us. >> Yes, I'm sorry. >> Yeah, we're not at quorum, correct? >> Rose, do we have six in person? >> No. >> Yeah. So, we're we're not at quorum. So, >> no. >> What that means is we will not be able
to vote on anything. We can certainly um talk about some stuff, but we will not be able to have any votes as per the business meeting. Um but we can certainly talk about some issues. We just cannot conduct official votes on business. Um so let's start with
interpretation. Interpreters, could you please introduce your service um for this portion of the meeting? >> Hi, I'm Nancy Hernandez, Spanish interpreter. Um, Nancy, Alex, could you please put in the chat the information with the the
call-in line so they have that information? >> That would be very helpful. >> Is that what you wanted? I'm sorry. You want Yeah, if you could read it off again. Thank you, Nancy. >> No problem. numerocas.
>> You want me to repeat it again? >> Nope. That is perfect. Thank you so much. >> No problem. >> All right. So, since we are not at quorum, we're not going to be able to do any official votes. Um, I will say, uh, Tamara has a question. Will the meeting dates be posted? They will be as soon as
we have them. We were going to be voting on the dates for the upcoming term. Tonight, we will not be able to. That being said, we default back to our bylaws. Um, so our next meeting will be on August 7th. That will be the annual meeting. August 24th will be the
calendar and business meeting. I will be calling this special meeting for August 7th to um interview candidates for our CCHS. and we'll talk about that in a moment, but just want to put that out there for everybody. Um, so the first
new business we were going to discuss is a CCHS representative. Um, so one of the roles CCSE has. >> Yes, Mark, please. >> I'm just a little confused. You kind of went fast. You said on August 7th, you it is our annual meeting.
>> Oh, so now you're here. I'm sorry. I totally missed you being here. I apologize. >> I made it. So, I just I just heard you say it's our annual meeting, but you're going to also call for a special meeting for the CCHS representative in >> Yeah. So, we're um So, snag me one
second, Rose. Do we have six in person at this point? >> No, I'm seeing those. We have five in person. >> Five in person. >> Okay. So, we're still not quum. Okay. I'm sorry. tonight. Um, so Dr. Kenton,
you know, yes. So there our bylaws require us to hold our annual meeting on the first Thursday, which happens to be August 7th. So that's our annual meeting. Our bylaws on page 18 for um a
talk about when we have to interview new candidates, we are required by bylaws to set up a special meeting. Um so we have two options. We could hold the special meeting prior to the calendar meeting on the 21st or we could have the special
meeting I think would make the most sense just do it right after the annual meeting and make it a special meeting then. >> So >> So we request the meeting and have the meeting the same day. Is that what you're stating? >> Can you repeat? I apologize. I did not hear.
>> I said you're going to request the meeting and have the meeting the same day. I'm I'm saying that I would like to call a special meeting for August 7th, which right after our annual meeting to interview the candidates as per our
bylaws. Our bylaws state that we on page 18 state that we have to do interviews as a special meeting. Um and so we have and so instead of doing it all in one day, my belief was just to split it up because that's a lot of to do three separate meetings I think
is is tough. we struggle with doing two meetings um with calendar and business to add a third special meeting on the 21st I think would be tough. So my position would be to hold the special meeting right after the annual meeting and
interview the candidates for the CCHS position which we as a CCSE have one member we get to appoint. >> I I just had a question because I just think it's such short notice. is the summertime. CCH
CCHS is a very challenging council >> and often times for us we get one or two persons or sometime we get a group of candidates but I just think the summertime people are kind of checked out and I know the application just went
out not too long ago for CCHS our representative and I just don't know I know we want to get through the process but I just don't know if rushing it that quickly will be beneficial not only to us but to whoever
um may want to apply because the window I know we only have to have a certain window but we have known with the history of this particular seat it is one that is very challenging to keep someone in and to find someone so I don't know what the rule is around us um
allowing it to be open and then maybe in September pick the um just to give other people opportunity to apply cuz that that has always been our challenge in the past. That's just my suggestion as we're having a conversation.
>> Yep. Now we have two candidates that um submitted applications that face forwarded us to us thus far. Um one of the applications they the face did not send the entire application. They were missing the candidate statement. So we certainly need that before we move
forward. If we think we need more time, what we could do is just do all on the 21st of August. That would give well more than a month for people to apply. Um, we've already given a few weeks already and to the 7th would basically have given a more than a full month to
apply. If we think we need to wait till the 21st and just, you know, for additional another month worth of time for applicants, certainly we can. Dr. Kenton is 100% correct. um when she and I'm paraphrasing her statement of it's a challenging role to fill and to keep
filled. Um CCHS historically has been a group that has been let's say focused not necessarily on students with disabilities focused more on accelerated learning and accelerated learners solely. That being
said it's it's a new group of members in CCHS. Um, we had the one of the CCHS members, uh, Dr. Kanton, come by and introduce herself. I'm not sure if you were there at that time. I know they they spoke to Anthony and Rose before the meeting
started. Um, I'll call it a nice olive branch and really appreciate them coming um, and introducing themselves. I think, you know, if we've got a month, month and a half um, to for an application, I think that's a lot of time, but Rosie, see you got your hand up. Yes, I can
send out another um announcement about it. Again, >> I just think we should just given the state we are in as a society right now and the culture. I think for that upcoming person, they I think we should
I I would like to see more of a variety and not just be forced to pick from one or two persons. That's just my s suggestion. um given the history of our seat on that council.
>> Yep. So, Rose, uh I think you're you're you're you're right. Let's let's get it sent out again um tomorrow if we can. Um it'll be the second time going out to our our universe. Yes. >> And if we can get also I believe it's posted on the website, but if we can get
make sure it's posted on the website. Um if you need help with that, please holler. But I think uh again putting it out there another time would be beneficial. Um because Dr. Can's right, we want to make sure we have the best candidates that we can we can choose from as a council. So let's let's look at
>> quick question. I'm so sorry. >> Absolutely. No, don't apologize. >> Relating to that discussion. Yep. >> Okay. Is this a position that's actually been vacant for some time now? Because I thought it was. >> Yes. So the answer is yes. >> Okay. The position has been vacant for a
while and it hasn't been fulfilled. I don't know exactly how long the vacancy has lasted so far. >> So, so it's it's a little more complex. So, it's vacant because the new term started July 1. Um, so so that but if
you go back, it's been vacant for about what four or five months prior um when the representative we had in place um resigned um for you know it's Dr. Kenton hit it with in her description. Does she she
know it? >> I I've been on the council for several terms and it's a very hard position to fill because that council tends not to be I mean Mark was very nice in his um rendition of them but it can be a very
um combative, aggressive and insensitive space to not only children of color but also children with special with developmental variations. I don't call it special needs. I call it developmental variation. And so historically we sometime will feel the
position but the abuse whether it be verbal um or just emotional that candidates that we've chosen to put in that position has gone through often times they resign. And unfortunately, the way our system is designed, even
though face is there to very much support us, they do not necessarily step in to um combat or um buffer some of the way that meeting plays out. My suggestion to you is their meeting
should be on their website. You can look at the past once historically, but we have struggled for at least the two and a half terms I've been here or prior to that to put a person in that seat that is respected and gives voice to children
with special needs who are in high school. It is just not something that has happened historically. And I can I can go on the record saying that for at least the last 10 years. Um that seat has had it fluctuations of up and down, but historically in the
last few terms, these particularly this last one and the one before that, it had became much more toxic. >> Um agreed 100%. >> Yes. The the um just we didn't have a a
face liaison representative here in the room, right? Oh, all right. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. All right. So, I I guess we can still try to get that guidance, I guess, in order to help to or are you kind of
losing faith >> the guidance thing? I'm just I'm I just think in terms of having two candidates, it's not a lot to select from. When you're looking at people who may have the tenacity and ability to withstand
some of what will happen and so I'm just saying I think it's also summer. People are checked out. Parents are not necessarily connected. Elections have passed. So in people's mind things are over. So people have kind of moved on.
And I'm I'm just saying as a council to uh make it a much more fair and a much more um equitable situation to give ourselves a little more time to see if there are other parents. Usually parents will kind of come back to the table in late August as they get ready for
school. Um and so if we put it out, we may get more parents to apply so that we can then have a bigger pool to look at the candidates um as we share with them historically what they're facing, right? And I just think it our objective is to
fill the seat and not have to keep replacing the person. Um and so I think in terms of having um just a space to give more time, what are we in a rush for? the term just started and so FACE has done what it does and you know they are there to support us but historically
if you look at the position for us it has not been one that has been safe the person's always resigned. We have not gotten a person to sit in that seat the entire term and most of the time when they come back to us, even if you look at our minutes, they will say because of
the toxivity, because of the verbal abuse, because of the social emotional abuse that they've experienced, they can't endure that. And so, um, some of what happens in those spaces I personally believe are systematic, right? And I don't know that face does a
great job at what they do, but I don't know that they have the ability to do a lot more because the way the law is written, the way the city, so it's a lot of other complicated factors that make that what it is as an in council. So I was just suggesting more time, but if
not, if y'all want to go ahead and with those two persons, you're welcome to do so. That was my suggestion. >> Okay, >> Rose, let's do this. Let's let's make sure we send out the application every two weeks. So, if you could send it out,
let's say uh tomorrow the 18th and then let's switch to like the Monday the 28th and then the 11th. I'm sorry. Um yeah, and then the 11th of August. That gives enough time for for applicants to to get
the information to, you know, to to face and for face to get it to us. And then we have our >> Oh, sorry to interrupt you, Mark. Um, face actually they're about to speak. >> Yep. Anthony, >> in regard to this Thank you, Susie.
>> I just wanted to um say yes to you three dates. Um maybe one thing we should also do is try to reach out to the high school president's councils for each burrow um to get more awareness of the position uh to hopefully get more candidates.
>> I I think also we may have to go like a step beyond that. If if it's been five months of vacancy, it's a it says a lot already. Um, and I I'm thinking timewise because of course, you know, as the new
term begins, and I guess we want to be in compliance with the bylaws and have people in position, which is important, but um, no matter how great that candidate is, they need support. So, if there's verbal abuse, if there's things
going on, it must be addressed. It must be dealt with. And I think that means that I I don't know if that means is maybe us as as members maybe we need to get involved or step in or to other than
just witness or hear of and then it just continues and then you lose great people. >> I can just say this. I don't think it's necessarily that we as a council doesn't get involved. There are a lot of pieces. What I would suggest to the new members is to really spend some time looking at
their previous um meetings, familiarizing yourself with our meetings so you can understand the nuances of how these things work because I don't we go to the meetings. We do support them. It's a little more
it's a little more complicated than that. So I would just suggest for new people coming in to really um familiarize yourself with it. so you can have a better understanding. Some of us have institutional knowledge because we've just been here for a while, but I'm just thinking in terms of giving us
more of a variety of candidate just it's a summertime, you know, we're all kind of on vacation. Mark, you're not here, you're somewhere else, right? So, just thinking of parents across New York City. Um maybe just my suggestion was just giving ourselves a little more time
to get more people so we can at least do our due diligence as a council as we always try to do to pick the person that can be most effective. Um because that person has to function between us and there. And so um that was a suggestion
but it's it's a lot more complicated. I just advise you guys to get more and we're always here to support you. If you want more information, we don't mind sharing, but I do think it's important that you look. The information is public. You can see for yourself that because we're actually looking
through the website. We're looking for those links. We're not necessarily finding those links, but we are in search of it because we were just speaking about that earlier that we would like to see some of that stuff. And if you have it and if you can share it with us directly, that would be good,
too. But we're not seeing it directly on the website. >> Yeah. CCHS website, they they did some changes it looks like in over the summer cuz like their next meeting wasn't listed. I mean, we heard what it was um you know, earlier tonight when uh
Kelly came by and said it's the second Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. August what it 13th, but it's not listed on their website at all. So, they they've clearly got their website in in flux. And and with that, I just want because I just wanted for the record, I just wanted to
be clear, especially when you do have like new members that we are very eager to get involved and be a part of things. And I just want to make sure that it's just stated on the record. It's stuff that we've already begun to look into, but we haven't found that information.
Um, so that's just something I just wanted to make clear with everyone. Um, the other thing is I know that when we adjourned the calendar meeting that I I guess we lost a few of the guests in the room. I don't know if those are people that we're expecting to handle some of
the >> other items in the Okay, >> just >> no no that's the the typical process Susie is for the whoever the presenters are to stay for the calendar business meeting is is meant for the council
members of CCSC. So it's not open to public comment unless we invite someone from the public to comment. it's meant more as a meeting for us to discuss issues and conduct our our business and so it's it's slightly different. So they
typically clear out um for that portion unless we need them there for a reason that we do have Anthony from DOE here to represent >> Yep. please. >> Um, so in terms of the our our end on our end from the website,
we have the council has different committees, right? And one of them is the communications committee which is in charge of, you know, updating the website and putting the links and all of that. um in conjunction with Rose. That's
something that um the communications co-chair has been working on. Uh and then the only ones that I saw the the the the recording not posted were I think the last couple meetings and that's something that we're actively
working on in the committee. So for new members if you wanna after the animo e meeting you know you guys can join the committee the public can join different committees you can make create committees um and then report back to the whole council
um to target those things that you guys are seeing that is you know we need help with the reality is that over the at least for the for the first term that I've been part of um and in that first term I was the ate public advocate
appointee. Um, so this year I got uh I got elected, but from what I've seen is that there's been a lot of turnover sometimes with the councils and this has not been the the only council that has had that issue because of the because you know
sometimes people just come in, they get elected and then they they leave and so we have a vacancy and so that leaves the rest of the council with a lot of the weight of the responsibility of you know doing these these things um having you
know targeting with the committees or with with you know whatever whatever issues or or resolutions or whatever. So I just want to put that out there. I think that uh in terms of the CCHS, the last member that we have that we had on,
she tried very hard to stay on that council and um she was a a person with a disability and a person that needed interpretation services and was basically discriminated against time and time again. Not, you know, not
accommodated, not not supported. And so that's just something to be aware of and just um I mean I was there supporting her. We were there supporting her and it wasn't enough. And as co-presidents they are our council is limited into
going to another council and kind of like you know intervene if you will. That's something that face has to kind of target or or or you know is is take the lead on. Um, and it's something that we've brought off time and time again to
face um, and to the public in general about about these issues. Um, we're hoping that it's resolved. Um, but yeah, we, you know, we've had um, we've we've had like we've reviewed applications and sometimes um,
we don't have enough votes to elect a candidate. So then even if we concede the candidates doesn't really mean that we're going to have the enough votes to select a candidate um from the vac for the vacancy >> because the quorum needs to be established as well right
>> the quorum has been established but also >> I mean it's it there are sometimes that yes there the quorum hasn't like right now but but um even with quorum sometimes there's no there's no agreement on on the the candidate is
>> you have to have six people to agree on one person. And so even if you have a council of if people abstain, if people disagree, you can have a qualified candidate that doesn't get on because you can't get six people to agree. So that's one of the reasons why I'm saying
by having more candidates, it gives people a much more wider range to look at in deciding who they want to choose. if you got two people and I don't like the person and this person likes the person. So, we're just at a stalemate. And so, I'm just trying to think of a
way that we can be proactive and still be able to um get someone that we can support. I mean, I think a lot of it is just how people come on councils and how we stay on. And um fortunate for this council
there is some institutional knowledge with members who have been here who can kind of help new members get um accustomed to what we do and how we move. But I think it's just that council is just how it functions within our council. I personally think can be
challenging because children with special needs are throughout high school, right? And having someone and having their ver their voice and need spoken at council meetings are important. Um, but like she said, I can't go to CC CHS and demand that they
respect or do or run their council in a particular way. It's just not. And even though FACE has the power to support, let's be clear, FACE by law does not control CEC's or CCSC's. They they they just don't they don't have the
ability to make us do all they can do is say the law says you're supposed to do these certain things. Um, so it challenging at times, but I think for the most part, you know, having variety or having more people, I think it makes it better for us to think about who we
pick and who we That was just my thoughts. But if people have different thoughts, that's welcome, too. >> Yeah. Just so everyone's aware, face was heavily heavily involved um with the CCHS representative that we had was
heavily was working quite a bit with the CCHS working with our representative, but as Dr. Canton stated, they have federal law, state law they have to deal with as well, and they are prohibited from doing a lot of things. Um the
chancellor found that out as well. Um but you know, that's how it is. So let's let's move on for now. Um >> hi M I have a question. >> Yes, please go ahead. >> So uh we keep talking about the wrong the wrong recency for the CCHS uh candidate and I just wonder in what
method we reach out to our potential candidate or in in other let me put another way. So how can they know that we are looking for the candidate any material or any friars? So, Rose has sent out um the notice of a
vacancy um a couple times now. Um she will continue three more times as we discussed. If you guys have if council members have ideas, Anthony mentioned the the uh CCHS president counsels
for the five burrows. So, we'll make sure we get that information to the president's councils for the five high school bureaus. I believe they're already on the DRO list, but if not, uh, Rose will at least certainly send out a separate email to them. Um, because they are pretty influential as well. Uh, and
if anyone's got any ideas, please let Rose know. Let let let our group know of how else we can articulate to the community if this position is out there and how important it is. it. So, can we just have um some material or
frier that um just some material that send them from the AA from Rose and um let us create a fryer or something like that so that we can spread out to the community. We can reach out to and then just let more people know that we have
um available se for them and to speak out for themsel. >> What you got to also remember the person has to have a kid that's in high school, right? So there's some criterias, right? So we do send it out to the public. We send it out to organizations. We send it out within DOE. I I I do know it goes to
a lot of places, but remember there are certain criteria the person has to meet. The child has to have an IEP and they has to be in high school. So there are a few things, but I do know we have information. We had worked on that a few that we sent out so people know exactly what the position is and how they
comply. But if you know people, if you know people who are in high school and their kid may have an IEP, um, you know, encourage your friends to apply, that's what we do, too. A lot of times it's word of mouth that really works and is really helpful in getting people to be a part of what we're doing.
>> Thank you. Um, correct me if I'm wrong. I just want to uh clarify that. So the requirement for the HH um s uh that will be the senior student, high school student with IEP No, it has to be a child that's in high
school. So, I have to be a parent with a kid in high school and the child has an IEP to apply. So, they don't have to be a senior. They could be a freshman. They could be a junior, sophomore, whatever. But the requirement is the kid needs to be in high school. And the parent needs
the child needs to have an IEP of some kind. >> Irene, what you're describing, sorry, really quick. Go ahead. Rose, you can send so they'll know. >> Yeah. So, I think we just like um that
lady um M um M uh yeah I um so she just mentioned that we just new to the group and we had um not too much idea about uh how to run this um how to run this um institution. So um just like this
meeting uh we know that we are going to attend to this meeting and we know that some um some of the people from the DOE or special education they will attend to the meeting but frankly I don't know that uh we have the proper zoom meeting link that we can send out to the other
people and encourage them to speak out for themsel in this meeting. So I just want to just light the candidate we are looking for a candidate and we are open a meeting today. So, can we get a frier or material from um from our authors to
just send to our um email so that we can spread out to the community then to let them know we are looking for someone and we have a meeting today so that you can join our meeting and join our group. We so the we h um the CCSE our council has
a list serve and uh we email blast uh I I I received I received the CCSC meetings and I um received the notices. So I've seen Rose sent has sent out the flyer she created like similar to like
this meeting um she created a flyer and saying that there's a vacancy for CCHS. Is that is that what you mean? >> Sorry. It's been um blasted out through email. >> Okay. I think we should probably take a look at that flyer to see how it's
generating that interest. Um a flyer can do many things and sometimes it has to look a certain way. >> Sorry, I didn't hear what you said. >> So, uh just really quickly on that. Yes. So, are you guys on the are you guys on
the CCSC um emailing list? Are you guys receiving the emails for for our council? >> Um I I >> What email subject you're talking about? >> CCSE. So, questions, but I think that a lot of
this is inhouse keeping that we need to do. Um, and I think maybe Mark after we close the meeting, we can spend a few minutes and give them what they need to be successful. >> Yep. So, all right. So, just so everyone's aware, Rose did the last time Rose sent out the uh vacancy
announcement was on 620. That being said, I think there's some good comments that have come out that we got to make sure we we've got everyone on the distribution list for CCSC that needs to be. We've got to figure out how we can easily add more people. Um, there is a flyer. That being said, Rose is going to
send out the flyer again um three times before the next meeting scheduled on before the next calendar meeting scheduled in August 21st. And uh we'll work with Rose on scene if and and everybody please feel free to contact Rose if you got ideas on how we can do
the flyer differently. When we're done with this meeting, I will send out the mean the flyer that she had on 620 so everyone can see what the flyer was. So I will email that. Um, let's move on. So, Irene, you brought up the student member. Um, there is a student member
that is appointed by the designate of the chancellor. It is a high school senior with an IEP. At this point, the office of special educ well at the last time I spoke to office of special education about this was about a week ago. They had not
received any applicants at that time for the student representative. It's a non- voting position. It lasts one year till June 30th. Um, but no one had applied at the point. Um, the other two positions that are voting are appointees of the
public advocate. So, we are at nine members right now. We will get to 11 u when the public advocate appoints their two members and then we will have a 12th non- voting student member. But again, the public advocate positions are still not appointed and we're still waiting
for applicants for these student members. So, if you know of a high school senior with an IEP and I would definitely encourage them to apply, they can get information from special education at schools.nyc.gov. Um, they can send it. Otherwise, it is listed on the DE's website and I will
find that and email that to everybody as well. Um, that link so everyone's got that. And so if you know of a high school senior, please get that to them. Um, we were going to talk about member concerns. So I think, you know, let's let's we can certainly talk about that. We can't make any decisions obviously on
any of this stuff that we we're talking about today because we're not at quorum, but we can certainly discuss these things. So there was a member concern about summer school buses and parah uh par educator support. Um, who would like
to talk about that subject? >> Hi. Yes. Mark. Um, so this is Yingen. Um we all know that the summer rising program just start um July 2nd but it brought to my attend attention that uh last Thursday a parent just came to me
and told me that his son um in the elementary school with autism in D75 and he didn't have the school bus service for summarizing and he did not have the parah even though he had the para and
the and the school bus in IP service but he just didn't have it. And then I reached out to Mark and Mark is really helpful. He is really helpful. Really really helpful. And then he just uh gather everyone from the OPT and the
special education department and try to figure out uh what happened to those kid without um the school bus for summarizing or even for the par even for the par missing in the summering program. So we all know that um the
autism kid they they require the parent to take care of them. So that parent just told me that every day when the kid just came home from school with Bruce because he has no power and it's about safety. It's not just about the trip or
anything else. We we cannot guarantee for safety when the kid in the school. So I think it's really concerning and it really need to be addressed immediately. And also it take two hours for all for for the autism kid to commute from home
to the school and with no air condition. So the air conditional part I will just leave it to Susi to um address it because he had the um similar topic but just imagine that two hours in summertime for all this um kid with no
air conditioner and then it take two hours single trip and then I reach out to the OPT office and the special education and then they um finally solve the problem. They give him the the the
school bus with AC. But however, the mom just come to me today and told me that they living in Brooklyn and the summer school in Brooklyn and the homeschool in Brooklyn, but they just the school bus just carrying the kid travel from Brooklyn to
Manhattan and then cost the same thing two hours community time. >> Yeah. I mean, I I think you're bringing up something that we'll talk about when we get to, you know, topics and priorities. Um, but we certainly need to bring OPT back in. Um, it seems like in
Sai and Maggie, you you both know, it seems like every year we have OPT challenges and we bring in OPT. We we last term we filed a we were part of the office of civil rights uh complaint against the the OPT that went to the
federal government and then was passed to the state government. Um you know so we this is an ongoing problem. We heard uh that only 90% of the kids have gotten routing within the first week. It should have been 100 before the first you know
week before summer rising started not a week after. We're at 90%. It's It's inexcusable and I don't honestly remember it being this bad, but you know that could just be my memory stating it just it seems really bad. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Because honestly the program begin on um July 2nd and the DOE and the OPT they have enough time they have enough time to learn that how many kit they applying to the summerizing program and how many driver available and bus available in the summer program right
and they accept the application from the kid but they are not going they are not able to honor it when it just came through. So I received about um 15 parents 15 parents with their um school account number and they gave me and um
send it to the OPT office and one of the parent in her class. There are more than 20 kids in the class but only her to submit the request um through me. So we all know that 15 parent behind 15 parent there's a lot more other than that and
the most common problem is just the parents keep going to the home school and asking about uh what happened to to to the school bus and what can they do and then they send to the OPT from the home school and they reach out to the OBT they send back to from the OB to the
home school and just um it's just going back and forward and I I And they keep saying that oh you you miss something from from your home school or you miss something from OPT you're not on the
list but um okay just like just like for example one parent so before the summering program he asked the homeschool about the school bus for the summer time and then the home school told her that oh we are going to uh we are going to spout out the information
on the first day of the school in the summer school so you can ask them in the summer school um someone from OPT will reach out to you uh before the summerrising install on July 2nd and then he wait until the July 2nd and then he asked her there's no school bus of course there are no school bus and then
he went to the summer school and asked about the same question where's the school bus and the summer school told her that you have to ask the home school you don't receive anything from your home school you are not on the list and then it's a lot it's the same case apply
to a lot of parent um for this instance and Then he go back to ask the homeschool and the homeschool told him that we are now closed. So we are not able to um to do anything for the kid. And then he she she reached out to me
and asked the OPT and O and the OP and manager from OPT just uh reply me that oh so this is uh eligible to uh for the for for the bus and she he she need to go back to um to work out with the with
the home school and then when she went back to the home school the home school coordinate told her that you are not eligible and then it's just so confusing confusing. It's really confusing. I Yeah, it's it's a confusing process. And
we'll we'll talk more offline about that single case um because I want I want to find out more about why they're not eligible for busing. There's certain things, but that to me the overriding issue is the DOE, as you said, they knew the kids, they knew what buses they
needed to route. They knew who should have been on the routes and they're not doing their job. 90%'s not good enough. It needs to be 100%. It should have been done a week beforehand, not the parents had time to prepare and know what time the pickups were going to be just like they are supposed to do for the regular
school years. It's not complicated. It's not the first year they've had summer rising. So, it's really inexcusable that these problems are going on. We'll continue talking about this and I think when we get to any topic, OPT needs to be on there. Um, Seth get
>> please. I see on this list you have several things relating to busing air conditioning. I see tickets created for OPT. Um is it possible that this his issues
along with those issues can kind of be uh compilated together and when we discuss bringing them in to answer those issues we can kind of talk about that. I'm I'm just thinking in terms of time and trying to get to some of the other
things on the agenda. >> Yeah. Let's let's so well I think the other ones are are all related uh for the most part. Dr. Kenton to your point. I think the the next ones will go quick and then we can talk about the the uh four and five topics after because your
point it's I think that articulate really the big issue. >> Um >> Sure. Are are we going to invite OPT here for the Is that what it is? >> I I think when we we're going to get to the uh council parties and mean topics in just a moment, I think that's something that we should talk about is
is having OPT come because these five points A through E really are OPT related and I think we need to discuss them. There's also, you know, within here there's also some state law, city law we need to deal with and and and possibly
federal law. Um, but I think a lot of it it's all really tied to OPT and summer rising and even regular school year, >> but there are some law changes that would have to happen for some of these things to to be in place.
>> I I mean I understand if it gets um tabled until August. I know that the summer is going to be the kids are still burning up on that bus. Yeah. But >> no, I I I mean Susie, you had a comment about uh about AC, right? Am I correct?
>> Oh, I'm sorry, Mark. Could you repeat that because she was speaking, I didn't hear. >> I apologize. My apologies. Um I I think you had a comment earlier about um air conditioning and busing. Is that correct? >> Correct. Because it it states that it's
mandatory to have on the IEP for a child's IEP in order for air conditioning to be available on the bus. And of course, for humanity's sake, I think everyone, if you think about traveling on the MTA, you need to have air conditioning. Adults leave the
trains and buses if there's no AC. So, if you have a child and that child of especially special needs, nonverbal, we definitely need to do something other than making it a mandatory issue of it being available on the IEP before
providing that service. And that's going to be where we're going to need to get state and city law involved because it becomes autist if a parent knows then they can get a service. If the parent doesn't know, it's tough to get a service if you don't know about it. And it's part of its
educating consumers, which are the parents, but but ultimately, like you said, if there's a non-verbal kid, they're not going to be able to articulate um easily um to the to the parah or a bus driver matron that they're overheating and but it's a state
law issue and a couple of these are. So, it's not tableabling. It's just making sure we're we're aligning with what we need to do moving forward. And I think I'm hearing loud and clear from everybody. We need to get OPT in the room to talk about issues and not just a
presentation because OPT would love to spend 30 minutes of a 45minut block just presenting stuff they always present. We've got to make sure we're able to articulate what's happening to the community and offer up suggestions and and and figure out how to move forward.
But anyone else want to talk about this the member concerns or have we hit it and we can move on? >> Yes. You know what? Because we don't have a busing committee right now currently, right? That's something we'd have to put together. >> I believe >> we do. We do.
>> We do. We We certainly can I we have a busing committee. Heather has kind of been the queen of busing the last few terms u with other members involved. Dr. Kenton, Maggie have all been involved as well. I mean, I think it's safe to say every member gets involved in busing in
some form, >> but we have committees. >> Yep. >> I I have a silly question. So, can we just call another meeting next Monday or so? And just for the OPT, >> Mark, can I just make a suggestion for their personal
>> Go ahead, Dr. Kent. But for their personal issues with individual families, I think we should have them do what we all do, which is contact face and face will assist us with those individual family situations where you
can get those things fixed in real time. Some of the issues on this paper are really state and federal issues that have to be changed that your Congress senators or um individuals who you've elected have to work on which that
season is kind of passed, right? But what I think is important is also introducing them tonight to the fact that as we sit here and think about topics, we realize transportation is always an issue we bring up and we always that's why we have a committee and Heather does a lot of the work
around galvanizing to get some change and traction and the issues you face we face around air conditioning. um just paras on the bus, kids getting those tickets when parents put the tickets in, making sure that those tickets are addressed and answered. And so I think
sharing that information will be helpful, but if you have immediate situations, um I know face is here, maybe afterwards you can give them that family and they're very good at kind of making the bridge and the connections to meet those needs for those things. But
in terms of the broader issues around transportation, I think as we move along the council year, we will have opportunities where those committees you can get the information. And if you go on our website, some of the information is there around the stuff we did around
transportation and busing. But some of the issues I see on this paper are really uh laws that face us. we we really have to do more advocacy at our elected officials level um to better answer those issues. But the individual
families you have I believe faith I'm just trying to move the meeting along. It's 8:20. We usually out of here at a certain time and there are a bunch of things we need to address. I was just going to say that it's not really individual families or individual people because it is like a a citywide issue.
But but I mean in terms of like what I was mentioning with the IEPs, the the AC, we're talking about the DOE's one minute rule, like those are some specific things that are impacting people and not just on an individual basis and I know that with face there
are limitations. So we just have to be realistic about what is going to um really be resolved between now and then. This is the summer. We are in the thick of it in the heat and I think things do need to be done and things are going to
take time to change over time but I think that's the point of these meetings. At the same time um we do have newly elected officials um and people that are actually um wanting to make that change because of course they want to be good assembly
men and women that are serving for um their burrows for the community. So I think that we definitely shouldn't underestimate the the power of the ask >> and I agree that we need to move on the meeting but I think we have to talk to
the OPT and get another meeting for them before the summarizing is over. >> Yeah. I mean I think bringing some I don't know if we're going to be realistic be able to have a special meeting with OPT. I think we can certainly have discussions as we've been
having ongoing with OPT. Um, you know, I think Sai is right. It's it's it's it's a state, it's elected officials. I mean, it's it's federal, it's state, it's local. I think that's part of what we need to have in our next coming up in a couple of minutes is talking about those priorities and topics that are
important. And I think we're also going to talk about legislative breakfast we need to have or legislative lunch, whatever we want to have. I think we need to do it this term um multiple times. I think it's important to get the federal representatives, the state and and city representatives here because we
need some laws changed um both for busing and for so many other things. But I think that let's let's talk about that ongoing. Um like if we want to have a special meeting with OPT, we can create a special meeting for OPT. I think we're probably going to be more effective honestly is just having
individual call conversations not in a meeting format though because otherwise they're going to be because if it's in the if it's in a meeting they're going to be a little more >> I'll call it PC and not necessarily
dealing with the issues. Rose, you got your hand up. Please go ahead. I >> think Anthony wanted to say something from face. >> Yeah. Um, so something maybe we should talk about the next business meeting are the committees and see who wants to volunteer for other committees. I think also what we should do is have a
timekeeper to keep us on schedule when it comes to your agenda because topics are going way over. Um, and there is a permit and you don't have much time. Um, and when it comes to public comment and things of that nature that timekeepers
should be there to make sure that we're sticking to time. The elections I think are taking place in August though, right Mark? When when >> August 7th is the meetings um for the annual meeting for elections of officers. Then the 21st we would then figure out the committees. Typically
that's how we've done it in the past >> and that's as Dr. Kton said >> it's coming. >> Yeah, it's coming. >> All right. So let's move on to the calendar review and meeting schedule. We can't vote on it tonight, but we've got the meet the dates down. Please review
them. At the next meeting, we will vote on them. Um, but you know, at this point, we stick at our bylaws. The 7th is the annual meeting. The 21st is the business and calendar meeting at this point. Um, but for the September onward,
we'll we'll vote because there are some changes that would happen that would be different than the typical third Thursday of the month at 6:30. And that is because there's dates uh throughout the year where there's conflicting with um parent teacher conferences or back to
school nights and we just want to make those changes officially in the schedule. So we'll talk about that. Um I think before we we talk about um meeting topics, we should really go on to I'll call it the council parties and meeting topics. you know that for individual
means we usually have a meeting topic that we have presenters come in and we have a discussions but really it comes down to what are our what are our priorities and I want to really open it up to to all of you is what do you see as the priorities that we want to be
focused on at least for the first year of the term at this moment things are going to change during the school year new things will pop up but what do we want to try to work on i.e bringing in DOE people or community members or other experts to to come and discuss pertinent
topics for our students. I I I hear OPT, but what else is on our council members minds? So, I'm going to stop, let you all talk and then I'll I'll chip in some if if necessary that I have opening the floor.
Topics mean topics and priorities for the council. Um, Mark, I think we ended our last term with the preschool um topic and and I think we should
continue that. I we um we really need um to hear more from families. We need more participation um from the folks uh that are in charge of our preschoolers. I insist on early
intervention if there's any way that we can, you know, loop in those folks or or even like the transition more of like a a further look at the transition between early intervention and uh preschool and what they're seeing there. But yeah, you
know, just just a thought of of what I'm thinking of a topic for for the future. >> I also think with that the new universal 2K Right. I need I I think
DOE needs to really help us understand what is that going to look like in the context of all the other issues you see happening in preschool. Um I know the mayor announced it. It's coming and um and so we know how those new rollouts
can be. And so maybe as we continue from our last conversation in June, maybe having more detail when that roll out is happening because from my understanding is coming up in the um upcoming school year. What
does that mean? How does that function within the already birth to five system? Um and so I would agree with Maggie and at some point bringing that back to the table. It may not necessarily be at the very beginning, but also getting more
information on that. Um, and what does that mean for our youngest learners? Um, another thing for me is I really would like for us to get I know that we asked at some point for data on
the new Ames, Nest, and Horizon programs that have been spread throughout the city and um struggling districts or districts that have been predominantly left out of those programs. And I know that it has been now a year since those programs have started in different
districts. I can just think of my own where we had nine programs come out, but from hearing from my parents in that community, they're not necessarily putting their kids in the program because they lack support, they lack other things. So maybe getting a update
on how those programs are coming along, those new programs. Um, and I know that they're supposed to be adding some new ones that they said. Um, and just seeing how that roll out is happening. um I think would be important at some
point as having them come back uh to give us and also if they're going to still give us the data that we I know that Carolyn had asked for some data to um if we can just make sure we follow up with that even though she's not with us on the council but I want to make sure that we keep that at the forefront
because parents we did have a lot of people had questions about that. >> Piggy back uh to piggyback on that um Dr. tonight also um ACE the ACE ASUS program and my god I can't remember the
other the other program the as you mentioned as but um Ames and there was another see >> yeah um also D75 inclusion Um I think that a lot of folks don't know about D75
inclusion program. Um that's also that could be uh also one of the topics. But yeah, all the the specialized programs um if we can have them come in. But yeah, that's also another topic. But specifically ASUS program. >> Um yes, I agree. Um I really like to um
discuss about the um special programs such as the ASD program uh horizon less um ang um because I know a lot of uh family uh uh student double IEP they already struggle on um they watch class setting
that they'll be able to go in and I know that not all school have the ASD program or the end of C program so I really agree that we have to bring this on the table and we can discuss uh more about it. >> What other topics?
>> Um I I remember them saying that they were I don't know if they were going into phase two of the literacy initiative. Um remember one of the concerns was around >> the kids who didn't fit those first few
initiatives. Um I know that there wasn't a lot of information because remember we have brought out the conversation that they kind of relanguaged um instead of it being focused around dyslexia it was kind of relanguaged to
um learning disabilities or literacy variations of some sort. And so we kept saying that um there should be some some specific um work around kids with dyslexia. And I know that they said that they were
moving to the the second phase or maybe it's a third phase. I'm not sure. But making sure that we follow up at some point during the year with the literacy stuff to see how is that working out for those kids in the upper grades um as they had expand to middle school and
high school. Um and not just doing the assessment part but also now actually getting services those children who have dyslexia or some type of reading variation.
Um, so I I I I really would like to keep that on the agenda and not get that lost. Um, and as we think about um the election, it being an election year,
mayoral control, uh, at some point as a council, we need to bring that back to the table to have some conversations, whether we do it with our parents or we do it, um, as a topic to bring people in. But I think our parents need to become much more educated and aware
about what that means and how it affects um their children and particularly children with special needs as you have one person making all the decisions about our children's education and as we think about that as this upcoming year comes um making sure that we create
space for parents and community to have discussion about that. So I would like that to be something that we think about too. >> Yes. And beside the last I also um think about for those uh student who diagnoses
with ADHD because I feel like student who was uh was diagnosed with ADHD the IEP service or support is much have much limited to other um learning disability. So I will also like to bring up to see is there anything that we can help or
support for um the ADHD student? What other topics or or what other what other issues or topics are coming to the forefront for you for you? I know these are not all of them. We certainly had a long discussion on OPT and and and we
all brought that up. What else? I I mean I read your candidate statements. There was a lot more uh listed in the candidate statements that we talked about tonight. If not, I can I can chip in with with a few other topics I I have thought of, but I want to make sure we we get
everyone else first. >> The topic of suspension, I have a parent in the audience. She wants to bring that back to the table. I think that would be good. We haven't had that up for a while. and discipline and how we discipline children with IEP or variations. Um she was also talking
about I guess in special programs. So that would be that would be a new uh part that we haven't really explored um how in these special programs like Horizon or NES or or other special school selected schools, how is
discipline allocated to children with an IEP or variations? um and looking at the suspension level. Maybe we can pull data or do survey around that and then have them come in. Also thinking about restorative practices. I know a lot of
them have adopted restorative practices. Um so I think having some more information shared from DOE how those programs are going and um a followup would be good. Another topic as I'm
thinking they have the new black studies that is coming within the system. I would love to know how that's going to be implic implemented across the city. Um those are just topics I'm thinking
about. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything else? in conversation with a parent leader um talking about the transition to region. So the the pathway to high
school to a high school diploma um Mark um do do you know do you have any updates on on that process at all? >> Yeah. So what Maggie's talking about is the pathways to uh graduation are changing. Um the New York State regions
met earlier this week uh Tuesday. Um they voted um to continue moving forward with the pathways. There is a longer term planning. It looks like 2627 school year. Um they will figure out which cohort is going to start with the
new pathways. That being said, 2627 the state is now requiring financial literacy um for everybody. They are also I'm trying to look at my notes. There's a second thing that they're mandating at state level um and that's climate
education will be mandatory in the 2627 year for all students in the state. So financial literacy and climate um education um that was also part of the state regents. The pathways to a graduate um basically says they're going
to get rid of the diploma structure um that is in place now. Right now there's a region's diploma, a local diploma. they're going to make it a single diploma. There'll be certifications or extra things can be added to your a student's diploma based on how they
perform. Um, but everyone's going to have the same diploma, which is a big deal. Um, because right now there's a stigma attached to a local diploma, which IEP students are are able to get if they cannot achieve the regions diploma levels. Um but we're going to have one and um you know I was in a
meeting with uh the state department of education um um head and uh she was very articulate. She has been really pushing this for over a decade. She actually wrote a paper about it um in graduate
school about uh graduation pathways and and so this is a a lawn um focus for the head of the state education department. And so it's encouraging. Basically, it's going to change the p the way completely. You will not be required to
pass five regions to graduate with a diploma. Um there'll be alternate ways. There's six different ways students will be measured. It's not just on tests anymore. It's on I'll call it complete ability of a student. And so it it it's
an exciting change and there'll be more coming, but they did announce it on Tuesday. um the the next steps. So that was actually one of my topics to talk about dur at some point during the year. State has not finalized everything. No. >> Mark, uh in terms of the measurements,
do you see them so far as being equitable or are they just being applied for uh catered to for um neurotypical students? Well, I think it's actually going to be more favorable to neurodeiverse students to be honest. Um
because it's going to put them on a level foundation for everybody. It gives everybody an opportunity to to show their skills in different ways. It may be testing, it may be um how you work in
the community. There's there's six different paths and it gives a lot of flexibility to neurodeiverse and neurotypical students and and and basically it opens it up for all students to have to show off their best in their own way and and it's a very
encouraging sign. Um so I'll get some information everybody on that as well. Um so everyone can could get a couple of links. Um but it's very exciting. Um really exciting. Um I think class size
law is also a very big deal that we need to discuss because it's going to impact our kids. Um you know in many ways um I think we've seen over Go ahead. I think also because we have new members, maybe
having information on fair student funding just to give people context and help them understand how that functions within the system of class um small class sizes and other programs and how
funds are allocated um just to give them some >> context and resource um as we think about C4E funding or we think about other things. So, I I just think that might be something. I don't know that we have to do it in the context of a meeting, but but it's something I think
our new members could benefit from. >> Yeah, DOE is going to be doing briefings in August and September for everybody. Um, and we'll give additional information. If that's not in there, we'll make sure we we supplement um so everyone has that that it's good call
outs on C4E and fair student funding. C4 is contracts for excellence and and both of those are part of how schools and our students ultimately get funded by the city and the state. Um, >> do you have the Mark? Do you have the
dates for for those briefings or just >> they're working up the info and before they can give dates, they got to figure out what they're what what info they're going to present. So, I do not have that yet, but they they have assured me they're working on it and we'll we'll get get the info to us um before, you
know, before too much longer. But, you know, it's it's one of those as Johanna was on vacation, the people are fluctuating in and out of vacation during the summer. But they they they promised in August and September to have briefings for the council to to get everybody up up to speed and and within
knowledge of what's going on in office of special education and DOE in general and and certainly we can help supplement with with the members returning members we can help supplement as well if necessary. Um I also had related services. I think we had big problems
with related services over the last few decades. Um I think we need to continue pushing that. Um power assisted technology after school um are are other topics I think which are critical. And I'm talking after
school right now where kids are being discriminated against if they're taking busing because they're not having after school or they're not having busing. It's an eitheror and we we it's again it gets into state law. We need changed on that believe it or not. But those were
some of the other things I also wrote down stuff like uh CTE which is for high schoolers and future ready NYC um IB schools that we need to make sure that those schools are all providing services for our kids with disabilities um because it's not happening across the
board and and so again it's it's it's about this this fairness of equity which is not happening for students. The other thing that list is a cell phone. Um Camille brought that up earlier. Um they're voting on it next week. Um but we need to continue
being focused and making sure our students are not being discriminated against um when they need cell phones in the classroom because there are carveouts for students with disabilities as necessary and I want to make sure DOE is doing her job. It's in the language DOE has it's in the state law language
but the implementation at school level can vary greatly. I I think assistant technology again at some point but may you know however that that may be important for us to bring back to the table. I know that
they're doing some great things in it, but I think also some schools um especially at the middle school and high school level um where children need that is not always supported. Any other topics or are we ready to move on to next part of our agenda?
>> Ready. >> Okay. Next, we have a budget review. Rose, please. >> So, while Rose is getting online, she has a proposed uh budget that she sent out to us and is in your green folder. >> No, it's in the blue folder.
>> Oh, sorry. Blue folder. Apologies. >> We can review it, but we can't vote on it. >> We can't. Yeah, we can't vote on it, but we might as well just review it briefly. >> Maybe we can make the suggestion that people review it so at the next meeting we can vote. Maybe Rose, you can give some information on how we move funds
and things around because they're new. They may not understand. >> Um what we do and how that how we work as a council to allocate the funds. Just give them the basic. >> Yeah. Every year we basically have the same dollar, you know, the same um
allocated funds. We have memory reimbursement, which is our largest, as you can see, is $19,800 that we we um put aside for memory reimbursement, and we only get $25,000. So, you can see, but other than that, um
we have the P card, which is the credit card that's really used for emergency um um situations. Meeting expenses, we have food every month. aa travel. Sometimes I take the Uber home to take all of this stuff back with
me tonight. I may do that and general supplies what I have to have for the office or folders or if any member needs something that's part of the supplies that I can purchase, it will go within this here. And that's a purchase or the request.
That's our website. Yes, that's our website. That's part of where is that? Yeah. We don't have email. We don't have email. Who knows? We don't have constant contact. >> We could consider it. >> We We usually have our own personal
email. So, we usually people make up an email with Gmail and we have a Gmail account. >> No, you're talking about for a distribution list to our our network of people. Is that what you're talking about? Oh, you can create your own. No, no. Well, that's a different thing. And
Mark, I discussed that with you a while a couple of weeks ago. It's too much money that we cannot do that. We can't. Right. Right. >> So, the suggestion was everyone create their own Gmail account that has CCSE in it. >> But sure, give them an example of your
your email address with CCSE so they can create something. >> Yeah. So just like uh mine is maggie ccse.nycgmail.com and I just use that for for council business. And another part two of um general
supplies was the laptop and data repair. We don't need that this year because I already have the laptop. So those are the allocated funds that we have um each year. >> Rose the number it's showing 24,000 not 25. Did they cut? >> No, because you have something left and
I don't know where we're going to put it. >> Okay. >> Told me you wanted training. It could >> training. >> But once you give me all of the information, we could put it in there. >> Okay. >> Since we can't vote on it tonight anyway, >> we can't vote. Yep. >> I I think we I recommend that if it's
possible. I know face does a training on Robert rules of order but I think it's important that we have a group of new members a large amount of members having meetings run and flow because part of
our problem as a council we're here late and we always run over and so because we we generally have both of our meetings on one day most of the time I think it's really important, not only having a timekeeper, but having
people understand when we're allowed to speak, when we're not allowed to speak. Um, you know, the different parts of the floor. Some people may already know those things, but I think it's important that we train
um new members so that we can have much more uh quality efficient meetings and we get to get the work done so that we're not kind of forced out of here. I know that has been some of our challenges in the past that because our
meetings go so long and we usually dedicate a lot of time to the public and giving um workshops at the beginning of our meeting to get the business part done. I think it's important that we have training on that. Um I know face
does something but I feel like members need a little more support. >> Okay, I'm going to play timekeeping right now and I want to get through my part right here. >> Yep. We got we got 15 more minutes to go. We got >> Typically your meetings last until what
time? What is the average end time for your meetings? >> 9:30, 10 o'clock. And we're trying not to do that tonight. >> Yeah, we're trying to get done at 9:00. That's what mean scheduled for. And we're on target for about 9:00. >> And that's with a timekeeper. And it's
still 9:30, 10 o'clock >> because of public comment can run long. Some of the main topics have have run in the past, but again, we're we're right about on time. We're maybe five minutes late, but we started 15 minutes late because of members having problems getting in. So, Rose, can you go over
member reimbursement next topic? >> Yeah. Okay. Yes. I'm actually going to read my presentation to you. Everyone, please bring out the green folder. There's going to be a sample of a completed reimbursement form. Just to let you know that our budget has
been approved, but once we vote on the allocated funds, I can submit that to the SGO and he will plug in the information that we give him so we can start, you know, member reimbursements next month. So, and now for the maximum
for each member is $125. Co-presidents, they get $200. That's the maximum. And eligible items include um child care, workshops or conferences, subscriptions, business, um public transportation, car service, taxi,
parking, those items. It's not on that thing. I'm just reading my presentation here. There is a rollover process. So, if you don't use the whole 125 in one month, whatever's left can roll over to the next month. For instance, if you only use 75, 50 will roll over to the
next month. And um the next like for instance in July if you use 75 50 rolls over to August and your beginning balance in August will be 175. Again another one if you only use 100 in August the 75 will roll over to
September and your beginning balance in September will be $200. So there is no roll over from June to July. If you don't use whatever you're going to use for the year, we lose that. It goes back to the DOE. So, if you want to make sure to use up all of your funds throughout
the year, do that. But once June comes and anything left in in your buck, your bucket is is is lost. So, now we're going to >> and the hard copies are turned into you. >> Yes. Yes.
Now, starting with this 225 and 2026 year is going to be a new um submission process. This will make it easier for the members to get reimbursed on time and um on a monthly basis and to keep up
with our budget. So in your folders again is a sample. Please take it out. Let's start with page number two which will be the membership log. I mean the um expense log. The top part of that is going to be your
name. Right now that's a sample. your name, um your if you're doing child care, your childare providers information. And what I'm going to do, I'm going to ask everyone to send me that information because I'm going to bring this to you next month or every month completely
filled out. The only thing you're going to do is review it to make sure everything is complete and sign it. I'm not you're not you're not going to be responsible for filling out that information. you're just going to let me know what you're re um get requesting in
reimbursement. If it's going to be child care, you let me know how much the child care is going to be and I'll plug that in. I'm just trying to make I'm just trying to make it easier. Actually, I'm trying to make it easier for you as well as myself. So, um you see the next line which will
be the um reason for the child care, the date which would be whatever meeting this today's meeting. This is a sample how much that you're paying the child care provider again CCSE business calendar meeting and
once you plug in and you plug in the 125 if you're going to use the whole entire 125 for child care just plug it in it populates at the bottom and then you'll have to sign this here with a highlighted orange everyone's got a highlighted one okay
so any questions on the um expense log um about Metro cards and >> the next part. >> It's the next part. >> And that's the next part. >> So any questions on the expense log? >> Yeah. Do you need to put in the information of the individual that is
watching the child or you're just >> I just need their name. The information you see the same information that's there. You'll plug in that information provider. Okay. Again, this is all a sample app. Can't give any real names out. >> No, no, no. That's fine. >> Now, the first page, the member
reimbursement form. Let's take a look at that. The top part, you're going to fill in CCSE for council, the month, July, whatever month in the year 2000, and your name
where my name is position member. I need your complete address. I'm going to ask again everyone to email me that information because I'm going to plug all of this in for you when you come back next month. All you have to do is approve it and sign it.
Wait. Now you complete it, you know, telephone number, email address, and all of that. Now, the next line, which is the activity line, is going to be CCSC. I'm going to fill that out as well. the date of the meeting, the dollar, the dollar amount is what
you're going to pull from the child care on page the um expense log. You're going to pull that. You're going to plug that in right there. If you're going to do internet service, which is I'm going I'm sorry, I have to go back to the um expense log. If you're
going to do internet service, you would have to fill out that second part at the bottom there. You would provide the um the month, the name of the cell phone or um carrier, the type of service is sell or website
or internet rather, and the dollar amount over there. Now, the maximum for internet internet um service is $75. That's part of your 125. So, if you want to use both child care and internet, you can do that. It just have to add up to
125. And the maximum for again for internet is $75. So you could do $75 for internet, $50 for child care. >> And you just do you also include a copy of the re? >> No, we don't need the receipt because the maximum you just plug in the
information optimum and all of that and $75. We don't need receipts for that. Okay. Now going back to the first page. Now there are other items that you are eligible for there. You will have to
provide the backup documentation to me. The receipts, bank, yes, bank statements. If you use your own credit card and um debit card or anything, you'll have to have the bank statement, the receipt. You can
read that and black out anything that doesn't pertain to CCSE. So we don't need to see that. only the transaction that took place that that you worked for or did something for CCSC. That's it. >> Now, once you plug in the dollar amounts, they're going to populate down
here where it says total amount requested 125. And then once you review all of that and confirm it, then you'll sign it yourself and date it. And then everyone's going to be assigned an approver once we have our elections
next month. You're going to be assigned an approver. Your approvers, if you're not an officer, are going to be, if you're not a co-president, going to be the co-president. If you're a co-president, your approver is going to be whoever the treasurer is. So, you'll have the the approver
signature, whether it is the president or treasurer, and they'll date it as well. The dollar amount, I'll just fill in this dollar amount down here, or the or or the approver can fill in the dollar amount from here. And again, I'm going to have everyone
email me the address and everything and I'll populate this in for you. And then when we come back next month, which will be your July um Yes. All right. So now for each month, you'll receive two folders from any
questions on this here part here. I knew people already know this information, but it's just something different that you're going to be sending me. Oh, I can get your information. It's the same person, right? Okay. You too. You know, you don't do child care though, right? All right. So, you'll have to send me because I don't have childare
information for your reimbursement. >> Oh, sorry, Miss Rose. >> Yes. No. Miss No. >> Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Go ahead. >> I just have a silly question. So, why we need to reimburse the the data internet cost? >> So, what do you mean we need to
reimburse the internet cost or the data cost? >> I'm sorry. Repeat that. Oh, he was he was asking um the reimbursement of the internet and um and the data I guess cell phone and stuff. So I think he was just surprised.
>> They started that during the pandemic because everyone was using their computers at home and the phone and whatnot. So they but they kept it on because when we come to our hybrid meetings people also she's using her phone right now. Um some other he would have been using his computer here.
Heather uses her computer here. So, if you come to a meeting and you bring your device, you'll be using um internet service, so you can get reimbured for that. You could have done that tonight. >> It's not too late. >> It's not too late. Okay.
>> By the way, you said that there was going to be some changes coming up. Does that mean >> Well, the change is really for for uh returning members. This is all new for y'all. So, >> Oh, okay. I see. All right. Cuz I was like, is this just available online or that we don't change the members? I mean
for the returning members, but you're gonna start this off. >> Okay. >> Right. Everything is a physical hard copy. >> Yes. >> I'm going to provide like I said in Excel sheets. >> No, you don't have to do that. You don't have to. I'm going to be doing that for you. Okay. Now, each month you will
receive two folders. The blue meeting folder and the green reimbursement folder. The blue fold is for you to keep. The green folder is for you to give back to me. That's mine. I take it with me. I'm not leaving it with you. So once you, you know, review the
reimbursement and have sign it and have your approver sign it, then you just give it back to me and then I'll submit it at the beginning of the next month. We'll be working a month behind. So when we come back in August, you'll be approving your July um reimbursements
and I'll just submit that the next week. >> Yes. Yes. >> August. >> August 7th. That's when we're having our annual meeting. Any other questions? I mean, we can talk about this offline again if you do have questions, but but you do have to but you can take that
sample with you. Just turn the folder back over to me. Any other qu any questions rather? >> Yeah. Um if there's um other meetings that members attend to like let's say the PEP or other council
meeting, >> right? they attend something like that. Um backup documentation would be a flyer or the invitation that you attended something and um representing CCSC. But please remember your monthly maximum
annual uh reimbursement is 125. So you can't go past that. Only if you roll over that you can use more than 125. But and then um yeah, that's it. If you use more than more 125, you can only do that in a rollover.
Can't hear you, Mark. >> We can't hear you, Mark. >> Still can't hear him. Why? >> We can't hear you. >> And he's not unmuted. He's unmuted. >> He's unmuted. >> Yeah. You might have to get reimbured for that.
>> Yeah. Can you hear me now? I'm sorry about that. >> Yes. Yeah. So, the other thing is if you go to a different meeting, you do have to have a copy of the signin sheet. So, often using like a camera phone or or getting a photo copy, you do need that to be in reimbured. So, if you go into
the mean, that's fine if it's for official CCSE um representation, but you do have to have a copy of the signin sheet according to DOE policy. >> Okay. >> So, thank you. Now, also if you drive and use your car,
you can get reimbured for a mileage. Just have to provide the Map Quest um information. If you are being reimbured for public transportation, all you have to do is plug in the $5.80. We don't need proof that you do that, you know, that you um took the train or anything. Now, the
proof of do the proof of attending our CCS meetings, I have all of that information. So the signin sheet that you sign in, that's my proof of attendance for you as well as the agenda. So you don't have to worry about that backup documentation. I will provide that each month. But if again if
you attend something on your own, you have to provide me with that information. >> Picture of their assignment. >> No, no, no. That's so I have all of that information so you don't have to worry about that. >> Any other questions? >> No.
>> No. >> Well, thank you. Right now this evening the how many members are missing? I know there was just we needed >> Well, we used to have 11 members and we're still waiting for the uh public advocate appointees that haven't come through yet. >> And we had two members,
>> actually three members because Heather is uh on vacation as well. She's been excused. Yes. And we have Francesca and Darlene who didn't come tonight. Didn't hear anything from them either. But well, other than that, we usually have n 11 members, 12 with our student member
that we won't get until sometime in January, December, January. So, somebody brought that, you know, student member information up, but we don't really see them until December or January. So, >> yeah, I was just concerned about the
quorum. That's all like just >> and I don't know we didn't go through that yet but >> is here you know >> right right >> yeah I think we'll be at quorum in August >> we'll be at quorum heather and Mark will
be back in us too >> yeah I I don't think we'll have a problem in August and going forward hopefully not >> it's vacation time people are away for the Yeah. >> All right. >> Please.
>> I was going to say something about vacation >> in September. End of September. October. Two weeks. Let you know in advance. Two weeks. Doesn't it doesn't interfere with any of the meetings though. But two weeks unless you change. But that's it. I'm done. Thank you so much for
listening. Rose needs you for Ola quickly. Office of language access. Amen. >> Say, what' you say, Mark? >> We need you to discuss the Office of Language Access, otherwise known as OLA.
>> Forgot about that. >> And then we'll be able to adjourn. >> Well, she had a question. That's actually for me because once you submit them, I'll just check off that you submitted for July and August. Don't keep track of what's missing. Yeah, that's for me. >> Yes. Yes. Uhuh. But you'll be turning
those green folders back over to me. You can take that sample. >> Yes. Uh yeah, I'll staple that. Um I don't really have much to say about office um office of Ola, the office of language access and they provide the um
interpretation services for family facing um events. And again, I can only speak to what OLA offers the um education councils. I can't speak to anything else here. And for interpretation services um for us currently we only request Spanish
because most of our attendees um speak um speak Spanish and we only have them virtually. We can't have them both virtually and in person. So we utilize them virtually. So people will have to dial in to the number that was provided for them tonight.
>> Mandarin. I know that was something that had been mentioned. Oh, because we used to have a Mandarin member and I was the only person who utilized our Mandarin interpretation. But if you but if you plan to invite someone who needs a Mandarin, you need to let me know as soon as possible because there is a
deadline or 7-day um advance business day, not seven days, business days notice that we have to give Ola to um get that interpretation support >> and guest Oh, sorry. Guests can be invited. What are you saying? >> Yes. Well, please do invite someone. But
if they need a language, you have to let me know way in advance. >> In-person guests. I mean, >> well, they would have to if they need interpretation, they would have to bring their own device because we don't have them internally. We have them online. >> But the guests, you have to we would have to put something forth seven days
in advance or Okay. Not just bringing anyone in. >> No, no, no. >> Gotcha. >> So, how about the um manner translation for the public? Just like tonight if we have the meeting and they have our zoom link so they need to click in and
to be the audience. So do they have mandarin service? >> Yes they do. They have Mandarin but again it's the same process. We have to let them know seven business days in advance of our meeting. >> So Rose, let's let's plan on having Mandarin at all the upcoming meetings at
this time. And then can we also get all of our flyers translated into Mandarin going forward? >> Yes. Yes. But also when we send out our notices, people have to sign up and usually if they sign up, Rose, if they register, >> we tried to do that as they would have
they they need to let us know we need to get our meeting notice out there. So when you do the when you sit down and go through the topics, if we can go get the topics at least up to December, you know, set set up in the next meeting, then I can create a flyer and
send it to translation to have them, you know, translate it for us. So, what I was going to say is if you have people who speak a different language, when when Rose sends out the notice for our meetings, which usually goes out early enough, maybe you can tell those persons to make sure they register so that we'll
have an idea that they need the interpretation services so that if they do want to be online, whether in person or online, that we'll know in advance because it's not just Mandarin and Spanish, it's people who speak other languages, too. But if you have
individuals that you know you want to invite to our meetings or you feel that they can benefit from what we do, just making sure that they register when they get the notice online so that she can then get a count to know. >> And unfortunately um we're limited to
three, but if you know if we really need some, they will work with us. >> Do we have the is it a reoccurring Zoom link? So the Zoom link that was emailed is it going to be the same all the time throughout the year? >> You have to register each time. You have to register in person each time. >> No, I mean that link that you actually
>> No, no. You have to register. It's going to be a different link each time. I have to set up >> and you'll email it to all of us, right? As you >> Yeah, you guys will be on the list the next time. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you, Rose, for that. Um, any other new issues to bring up or
are we ready to adjourn the meeting? >> Well, I guess Go ahead, Susie. >> Okay. All right. I think I just have to say this before we end the meeting, before we adjourn, I because I I think
it just has to be addressed. Um when we had and it's just going back to the the vacancies, we have the two candidates. I thought it was good news that we have two candidates knowing that we had a fivemonth vacancy. So I think when we
have those two candidates and knowing that in the past five months we haven't had any interest or anything generated and you it's already been confirmed and I think you already confirmed as well at the end of the table that notices have
been sent out information is going out. So you've done your part you're doing everything that you possibly can do to put the word out there. If the interest is then only two candidates coming back, whether waiting a month from now,
another eight weeks from now, whatever the case is, I think that we have to really seriously use that pool of people that are interested because if it's only two people that are interested, then it's only two people. If we don't have five people interested in the past five
months and it's still zero, then we just have to deal with the pool of people that are interested and and deal with that moving forward. But because there was all of this information that was um brought on about the history, I think that it's just important that we're
giving those candidates a chance. Just whether we have one candidate, six candidates, or five, whoever we get, we interview. That's the law. That's the rule. That's what we do. My stating what I said was just trying to give us more options cuz it's summer. If you
understand how councils work, how parents move across the city doing July and August, people are down. It's just the nature of how things happen. So my suggestion was not that we don't take those two persons in consideration. They
will be in consideration, but I just was saying to give more of a pool. That was it. So, it wasn't that we weren't going to take them into consideration. Whoever applies, we consider been a five month. That's all I was saying.
>> All right. Thank you everybody. We have a motion to adjourn tonight. >> I motion to adjourn the meeting. >> There a second. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> So nice. So I second it. I'm sorry.
>> Yep. All in favor of adjourning. I >> opposed abstensions. All right, we are adjourned at 9:12 p.m. Thank you everybody. Appreciate all your service tonight. Thank you. And and throughout the days. Thank you. Good night.
>> Good night. Thank you very much. >> Have a good evening, interpretation. Thank you for your help tonight. Appreciate it. >> Interpretation team. >> Bye, Alex. Thank you. >> Have a good weekend, everyone. >> You as well. Thank you.