Now you got me pulling up. >> All right. Well, good evening everyone. I'd like to call this meeting to order. This is the North Brunswick Township Board of Education regular public meeting. Today is Wednesday, June 3rd. Could we all please rise for the flag salute?
>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Carter >> here. >> Mr. Cedada >> here.
>> Miss James >> here. >> Mr. Lori. >> Dr. Patel >> here. >> Mr. Singh. Miss Singha >> here. >> Miss Toth >> here. >> Mr. Wen. >> We have a quorum. >> Thank you. The New Jersey Open Public
Meetings Law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the open public meetings law, the public notice of this meeting, which included
the time, date, and location, was distributed by 300 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026 in the following manner. Posted on the bulletin board, reserved for announcements in the board office, 25 Lynwood Place, North Brunswick.
Mailed to the Home News Tribune, Star Ledger, NJ.com, and the clerk of the township of North Brunswick, and delivered to the nine dulyeleed board members. And beginning March of this year, all future board meeting notices shall be published on the board's
official website, www.nbtschools.org, org and be made available through the New Jersey Secretary of State's official website in lie of publication in a newspaper in accordance with PL 2025C2. Well, good evening everyone. It's good
to see everyone this evening. We are here for our June public regular public meeting. Uh we are rolling down to the end of the school year where we have lots of great events at all of our buildings coming up. We have um awards
nights that have been happening, spring concerts, uh end of year events at our elementary schools. We have um our class night for the eighth graders uh later this month. And then of course we have graduation coming up um in just a short
few weeks which is very exciting. So um I just want to welcome everyone this evening. Uh we have a pretty straightforward agenda. Um I'll turn it over to Dr. Zakowski at this time. I know we don't have any presentations but um Dr. Zakowski, would you like to, you
know, say anything to open the meeting? >> Uh I just I would like to echo your words that we have so many events happening. We do have millions of viewers and looking forward to the reports of our students as they near the end of a fantastic journey through our school district. So, Madam President, no
official presentations, but I'll wait for the administrative report. >> Excellent. Okay, great. Thanks, everyone. Appreciate everyone being here. Um, so at this time, we'll jump to our meeting minutes. Mr. Carter, would you take item six? >> Uh, yes. I'd like to make a motion to
approve the following board minutes. Regular meeting minutes May 6th, 2026. Executive minutes May 6, 2026. And conference meeting minutes May 27th, 2026. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Any opposed?
>> The motion passes. >> Thank you. >> All right. We'll uh jump to item seven. Assuming we have no communications, we can move on to our reports this evening. And I'll turn it over to you, Dr. Zakowski, for your administrative
report. All right, thank you very much. Uh, I can't begin to thank and congratulate our boys track team, our entire track program. Second to none. Literally second to none as we finished the team rankings of number one in public schools in the state of New
Jersey. But our boys track teams specifically were the GMC champs, central group se group four sectional champs, state champs, group four overall state champs, ranked number one in public schools in the state of New
Jersey. Coach Grimes received the GMC coach of the year, the division coach of the year, and we're waiting to hear about the state coach of the year, which on the 17th we'll hear, and there's more to come. >> Awesome. >> Because track is unique. It's team sports, um, team events where you score
points, but our athletes are competing individually now in the meet of champions. And I've been getting updates because it's going on as we speak. So, more to come because I know I'll announce that we have we're having a special meeting to honor all of our spring athletes. uh we did our winter
athletes, but we so many wonderful awards that we wanted to give their spring athletes their due and their honor and their and we could present to them. So, we're having a special meeting, but I'll get back to that in a minute. I do want to some great news uh continuing great news speaking of
running uh with sincere gratitude to our entire school community for helping make our empowerment through running club season at Lynwood um a tremendous success. Through the generosity and support of our staff, families, and community members, we raised over $1,000
to cover transportation race admission costs for our girls on the run team. Thanks to these efforts, 37 girls were able to participate. Girls on the run on uh 5K on Sunday, an experience that celebrated their hard work, perseverance, confidence, and
personal growth throughout the season. This accomplishment represents much more than a fundraising goal. It reflects the power of our school community coming together to support the opportunities to help our students build self-esteem, healthy habits, lifelong memories. Seeing all 37 girls finish across the
finish line was an inspiring reminder that we can what can be achieved when we work together on behalf of our students. So congratulations to the girls on the run running club started I think more than it's got to be about eight years now and so they self-funded. Thank you
to the community for donating and and supporting the girls on the run club. Uh, we also had this past Sunday, the continued I think it was the 10th year. >> Yes, >> 10th year. I I looked over Miss Sali because I want to give her a shout out,
but um, Miss Sali, pronounce for me because I don't want to uh, sure change. What's the official name? Help me out with this. >> That's Agra Sea Kendra. That's the >> Agre Seva Kendra. North Township Science Symposium. So, we had our science symposium grades 3 through 12 this
Sunday at the high school. It was an outstanding representation of our young scientists being challenged, working together u and uh discovering and showcasing their creative team projects. The event offered a platform to learn,
explore, discover the fantastic world, the fascinating world of science around us. Miss Sali was part of the original committee to help bring this to the district and um she had a chance to speak at the uh u event representing the
board and also the founding committee of this wonderful symposium and also I just want to give a shout out because Mr. Carter was there with his family because his daughter >> I think her team came in second place. Still wonderful um >> opportunity great to see um you know
families out there supporting their children in this uh the world of science and it was a a great evening a great afternoon. So, uh, speaking of great afternoons, um, we're very excited that we'll have a panel discussion coming up. Um, tomorrow 7:00,
we have guests from, uh, Galveston, Texas. We're having, um, Mr. Zalinsky, myself as the history teachers, um, to represent the school district. We're going to have a couple students for student perspective. And we're going to
focus on um what Junth had the impact of Junth the awareness of Junth and kind of prelude to our Junth celebration here in the community on Sunday June 14th. Um so it'll be celebration of Herman Road
Lynwood School be a rain site. Um we're happy to uh open up our doors. There'll be afternoon of a cultural experience uh and bringing the community together in really a celebration or an awareness of uh a particular day that's been going
on for more than a hundred years at Texas. But it does it is a national holiday because of the impact of what the meaning of Junth was. As we know the Civil War ended in April. heroes were continue to fight in June up until June
till they got word. There was no social media uh word took a long time, communication took a long time and so the fight for freedom continued long after it was the war was over. More to come, but that panel discussion will be tomorrow. It's a joint venture with the mayor's office, superintendent's office,
and also we're bringing in uh our our guests from Texas. So u I think it's gonna be live stream. So, we'll send out there should have been a blast came out today in uh Nixl, if you get the Nixl blast, the community blast, we put a blast out, the mayor's office put a
blast out. I do want to say good luck to our seniors at their prom. It's this Friday. I don't want to jinx our wonderful high school, but I have to tell you the senior class this year, you know, we've had some rocky roads at the
high school in past years. This year was, I think, because the leadership of the senior class. I'm very, very impressed how well things went this year. The school spirit, the accomplishments, the mature behavior. When you have a
senior class to lead the way that way as a former high school principal, it means the world. And I just I told Mr. Neller, we just whatever we have to do to finish so strong and and really harness the power of the senior class, just a couple more weeks. But I do want to say we have
two wonderful seniors who mopped up yesterday, the scholarships uh you know yesterday and congratulations and that but also please I know you bring your reports back this board and and the superintendent's office. We're just so impressed with not only your
accomplishments but the mature leadership that you've displayed in everything you do even giving your reports here. We're just um so proud of everyone and it it's a with a mixed feeling that we say, you know, graduation's coming because we know we
will have to say goodbye and and getting ready for another class. But Mia and uh Grayson, thank you. Please pass that on. Um but and have a wonderful time at the prom. We certainly know um you will. There also is a special board uh board
meeting June 17th. We want to honor our spring athletes. Um, so what I was talking about is the meat of champions. So as individuals, you could qualify and you know, I don't want to steal the thunder, but I'm getting texts cuz it's they're competing as we go. Um, just
give you a little taste. There's so many, but we just had a student uh, a young lady K Waldron number two in New Jersey in high jump for the year. We have the fastest, you know how they always say the winner of the 100 meter
race in Olympics is considered the fastest human on the planet. We have the fastest student in New Jersey cuz Jamal Wil will malty just won the 100 meter and the 200 meter fastest time in New Jersey and he was a he missed by a 10 a
hundth of a second of being the all-time record fastest um win. Uh we also have a child uh child student Tyler Ogaro. He puts 610 number two in New Jersey. Um so
it's just is going on. We have uh Anniah Hall uh number three in New Jersey in the high jump. I told you about this person that plays second. So, North Brun High School in the state of New Jersey has a second and third best um
height for their high jump and the number one runner for the 100 meter and the 200 meter. Amazing amazing story with the coaches done building this community of um support with families and the students. You're going to see them. But we have wonderful all spring
athletes. But this is a rare level never seen before at our school district since the inception of North Rosen Township High School 1974. So that's a long time. Doesn't seem so long when you're my age. 74 seems like yesterday, but uh no it's
a great great honor. So and then we have that. So that June 17th why we had to have a special meeting was not just for our track team for all our wonderful athletes. Yesterday uh I felt bad because Venuda Rama Krishan received an award and I
mispronounced her name terribly. I couldn't see as well but she wasn't in a program. I I received an email from my colleagues the North Brun I mean the Middle Sex County Superintendent Association uh selected her as a top scholarship
winner. We're going to a an event um to honor her. Obviously, as superintendent, I'm invited. It's my organization that selected her. I wasn't on the selection committee, but I'm very proud that she was selected and and the event is going to be held at Beastro in one of their
halls. Uh what do you call there? So, it's going to be a wonderful night. It's a student scholarship dinner. And um but just understand what I received from the uh head of the scholarship committee. Uh we had uh nearly 50 applicants from
over 15 districts in the county and it was based on three criteria. Leadership in school and community organizations, academic rig rigor based on transcripts and grades and the quality and presentation of a video submission. Now you there's no surprise if you've been following what's going on with our
students. We have well-rounded students. So they just not just getting great grades, they can create make video presentations and certainly we challenge them all to be part of this wonderful community. So there was no doubt I knew we had a winner. Uh she submitted and
won. she'll get this scholarship and um we certainly want to honor her and she wasn't at last night's scholarship dinner I mean awards program because she was busy competing something in one of her dances and so very busy as you all
all know um so congratulations to Venuda um and then I do want to end saying that uh we won't be meeting as a board till June 17th and although although June 6th this Saturday is we like to call a DDay, Operation Overlord.
It's also a special time. I want to wish our board vice president a happy birthday in in advance because we will not see you on that Saturday. So, happy birthday, Madame Vice President. And Madam President, that concludes my report for today. >> Yes. Thank you so much. Uh so much to be
excited for coming up on our June 17th agenda for our special meeting. It'll be great to honor all of our students. Um, Coach Grimes has really done wonders with that program. Um, he was here when I was in high school, um, back in the
early 2010s and, um, what he's done with the program has been amazing. And so to see students that are hitting top numbers in, you know, the state is so wonderful. So, we look forward to celebrating them in a couple of weeks. Um, all right. At this time, we'll jump
to our students. Good evening. As Dr. Zakowski said, you two did a great job last night at senior awards. It was nice to see your name in the program multiple times. So, congratulations to both of you. >> Thank you very much. Um, to start our
report, on Friday, May 8th, the South Asian Cultural Association held their annual innovation show. It's a very large event with months of preparation attended by a very large crowd. The students did a great job and all of their hard work from throughout the year really showed. On Friday, May 15th, our
junior class held their meet at midnight junior prom at the Pines Manor in Edison. It was a beautiful evening for everyone who attended. And on Tuesday, May 26th, our SGO executive board and new class officers held their leadership training conference. They participated in activities to learn how to work
better together, as well as plan events for the next year. We are very excited to see the continuing of traditional MBTHs events as well as some new ones that students have brainstormed. Um on May 28th, SGO hosted their annual spring spring blood drive and student students
donated 91 units of blood which helped over 275 people. And then on May 29th, SGO hosted class Olympics and it was a close contest but the seniors with the help of the freshman won. >> Very nice. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
Okay, committee reports. We have some filling in this evening. So, uh, we'll start with, how about Mr. Carter? We could start with you. Business operations. No filling in necessary. You're taking it for yourself. So, I appreciate that. >> Sure thing. Thank you. Uh, the business
operations committee met on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026. Uh, we received status updates related to referendum upgrades, uh, transformer updates at the high school, food service updates, and the FY26 and 27 budget. On the agenda this
evening, you'll find uh policy items 1A bylaw 0162, 0162.1, 6112, 6115.01, 6115.02, 6311, and 8561. That concludes my
report. >> Thank you. Uh, human resources, Dr. Patel filling in for Mr. Lori. >> Yes. Thanks, Madam President. Yep. Filling in for Mr. Lori. Uh the human resources committee relations committee met on Tuesday, May 26 to discuss various personnel topics. For those on
tonight's agenda who are retiring or resigning, the board thanks them for their service and wishes them well. Dr. Sakowski and Miss Kea updated the committee on the progress of the search of the new Lynwood instructional dean for the 2026 2027 school. As Nicole Jacowski, current Lynwood dean, will be
the new Parson's director of elementary instruction. There are new staff being hired for the current school year as well as for the new school year on tonight's agenda. We welcome all to our district and we look forward to having you work with us here in North Brunswick. We also reviewed all the upcoming positions for our summer
programs such as ESY, summer academy, summer institute, and credit recovery. Those appointed teaching or support roles are are on tonight's agenda as well. As of our committee meeting, any remaining vacancies continue to be posted and can be found on the district
website social media pages and posted in each of our buildings for any open teaching positions. Alternate route shown. Are you okay? >> Yes, I'm okay. I went through it. Thank you for asking. >> You're welcome. Candidates are both encouraged to apply. We also discuss these vacancies along with current
leaves of absences and how those positions may be filled. The last remaining job fair was facilitated by Mrs. Kia, Miss Moral's, and Dr. Rich on May 14th, and there are several potential candidates to fill our vacancies for the new school year. Lastly, the committee had their first reading of the three revised policies.
These include 12 number 1230 superintendent's duties, 1642 earned sick leave, and 1643 family leave. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you. Um, Vice President James, I know you're filling in for Mr. when so
the education report please. >> Absolutely. So the education committee met on Wednesday, May 20th. Mrs. Chang provided us with an update on the NJSLA assessment. Uh as of May 20th, main testing for all students were were completed. Moving on to makeup testing.
The results timeline is currently unknown. Dr. Johnson also provided an update on the Envisions mathematics program for grades K through four. The program is going into the final year of the existing contract. There is a newer version that is going to be available. So the team will be reviewing the new
version and comparing it with the current. Uh expecting to request for a renewal for the annual year of 2728. Uh for 2026 Revolution New Jersey History happened here. Expo there were four students that were recognized at Ruckers University on May 28th, 2026
uh for their submitted projects. We also discussed New Jersey uh Department of Education mandate for cursive handwriting that is to be implemented for the 2627 school year for grades 3 through 5. It's still unclear on what ex uh implementation will look like.
However, there is ongoing conversations and discussions as to implementation amongst the administration and the team is working to determine that. We are looking at a September 2026 start. There was also an update on the ELA task force regarding grades five, my view, and
grades six through eight, my perspectives. The final meeting was held in May with teachers and administration of Lynwood and NBTMS. They reported out results of the pilot program and aligned in moving forward with the curriculum. This was the culmination of the team
effort starting from last August. And that concludes the education committee report. >> Thank you. All right, I think that wraps up our committee reports uh for the evening and our reports in general. So, can I please have a motion um to approve them?
>> Sure. I move to approve the administrative student and committee reports. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Anyone opposed? >> The reports pass. Thank you. Uh at this time, we will take board member questions regarding the agenda for this
evening. I know that um the board met um although I was not there, I appreciate Madame VP uh filling in for me on May 27th. Um but do we have any questions on the agenda for this evening? Any changes
uh or updates are in bold? Um but at this time, if any board members have questions or comment, this is now the time. Okay, seeing none, at this time we will have a public session on agenda items only. If anyone from the public would like to come up and address the board,
this is now the time to speak on agenda items only. We ask that you just state your name and you'll be given three minutes. >> Can I speak? I feel like I won't need the mic. Uh, we just ask that you use the mic because
it's recorded onto um the live stream that we have going. >> That sounds great. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Will this be on agenda item? >> Sorry. >> Is it on an agenda item? >> Uh, has to do with uh we're a nonp educational nonprofit. >> So, will there be a portion of the meeting at the end of any item? This is
just agenda item. >> Yes. So, you'll be able to have just another >> Yeah, that's okay. >> Thank you so much. It'll just be another moment. You'll hear the queue. Thank you. All right. So, seeing none from the public on agenda items only at this
time, can we please have a motion to close the public portion of the meeting? >> So, moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. >> Anyone opposed? This part of the meeting is closed. >> Thank you. Uh Dr. Patel, would you take item 13, consent agenda?
>> Sure. I'd like to make a motion to approve the following consent agenda items. Personnel 1 and two, curriculum 1 and two, miscellaneous finance items 1 through 4, policy and transportation 1 and two. >> Okay, I'm going to take roll call. Mr. Carter, >> yes.
>> Miss Sepa, >> yes. >> Miss James, >> yes. >> Dr. Patel, >> yes. >> Miss Singha, >> yes. >> Miss Toad, >> yes. >> Okay, all the motions pass. >> Thank you. All right, at this time we could jump over to page
20. And at this time, we will have a public session on any matter. If anyone from the public would like to come up and address the board, this is now the time. We just ask that you state your name into the microphone, speak into the microphone, and you'll be given uh 3 minutes.
>> Okay. Um, can you hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Uh, hi, my name is Sean Kim. I am the co-founder and CEO of an education nonprofit. Uh, we're actually local to North Brunswick. So, I live in North Brunswick and our education nonprofit is also based out of here. Um, and I've
already connected with Rosa Hawk. Um, I think where uh Dr. Zakowski and I think she's in the process of setting up maybe a meeting later on, but just wanted to come here and introduce myself. Uh, my name is Sean Kim as I said and um, yeah, I started a education nonprofit called
Praise P R A I S. And we're an education nonprofit that focuses on supporting administrators and students by empowering schools to create more equitable communities using a process called design thinking. And essentially the problem that we're focused on
supporting schools for is that um students of color experience many uh barriers and barriers to their academic success and also their sense of comfort, their sense of belonging at school. And um often times this results in lower academic attainment rates, lower
graduation rates, and also higher disciplinary rates, right? Um and this is a problem that we've seen across all different schools across this. Um but administrators aren't given the adequate time and resources or the even guidance to be able to address that. And so
that's what we're focused on doing. Um we're really focused on working with schools not to implement one sort of product or one sort of solution but guide the school through a process uh which is called the design thinking process where we really focus on being able to work with students and co-create
with students to be able to understand exactly where their barriers where they are experiencing barriers and then work with the um different stakeholders um school personnel school leaders and also students to co-create different initiatives to support them effectively.
Um, I'm committed to this because uh I grew up in Jersey in North Jersey, but um I experienced a lot of those barriers myself growing up as a low-inccome Asian-American student and I was on free and reduced lunch and um yeah, didn't really feel comfortable in school. Didn't feel um academically supported.
But um in college is where I found a lot of healing and support and found a community that embraced me for who I was. And that really um had an immense impact on on my experience, right? And so um yeah, that led me to want to do a year-long research project when I was at
the University of Pennsylvania to learn more about why students, minority students in particular, experience these barriers. And what I realized is that um when schools take the right approach, they can really help support them effectively and create support systems
that are effective and sustainable. Right? There are a lot of times where schools will implement solutions and then it's here one year but gone the next year. And we're we're really focused on a process to really help schools and administrators through that process where um we also involve
students in that. So, uh, just wanted to share a little bit about our organization. Um, yeah, we're we're looking for and connecting to see if there are opportunities to partner with local districts and obviously I feel a special connection to North Brunswick since we're based here. Um, yeah, and if
you have any other questions, I'm happy to answer after the meeting. >> Thank you so much for coming out. >> Yeah, Mr. Kim, uh, uh, is it Mr. Kim? >> Yeah. So, Miss Hawk did mention uh she's uh not available this couple days for
conference and she told me when she got back, she mentioned that uh we would set something up. So, looking forward to continuing that. We we'll set up a meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate it. I just wanted to come and introduce myself. So, >> thank you so much. >> Yeah. Thanks for the time. >> We appreciate that and we appreciate your time as well and we look forward to
hearing next steps from Dr. Zakowski potentially. >> Yeah. and our millions of viewers. So, maybe small here, but we got millions of >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Thank you so much and good luck to you as well.
>> All right. Anyone else? Seeing and hearing none, can we please have a motion to close the public portion of the meeting? >> So, move. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. >> Anyone opposed? >> This part of the meeting is closed. >> All right. at this time. Is there
anything else? We do not have a closed session this evening. >> Is everybody okay with that? I mean, we don't have Who's that person? >> Seems like it, which is a good sign, I guess I should say. Yep. Um, but no, I appreciate everyone being here. Short
June meeting, but we have a long one coming up. Um, very much excited though to honor all of our students and our athletes. So, thank you every everyone tonight. Miss Kea, thank you for filling in for Miss Hawk as board secretary. We
appreciate it. Um, so at this time we will uh adjourn. Who wants to take it? >> So moved. What did I second? >> All in favor? >> I. Anyone opposed? >> We are adjourned. Thank you.