--------- Uh we've already done our statement of adequate notice in executive session that prevails for this meeting as well. This meeting will come to order. Um Mr. Would you please call the role again? >> Excuse me. Mr. Brady >> here. >> Mr. D >> here. >> Mrs. Dan >> here.
>> Mrs. Gilman >> here. >> Mr. McGover >> here. >> Mr. Schneider here. M Stevens >> here. >> Mr. Terico McCarthy >> here. All right. President's report. I do not have anything for up here. I'll save my
comments for downstairs. Superintendent report. Mrs. Wel. >> Thank you very much. I have a few announcements up here and then we have some recognition this evening downstairs. So, uh, here we are at our last week of summer, our last August
board meeting. You know what that means? We welcome back our Spartans next week and we're very excited to do so. All of the students schedules and teachers are out. Everything was accessible through the Genesis parent portal. Hopefully, everyone is has already logged in and
taking a look at who they have for teachers this year. And bus passes were also emailed out yesterday. Uh they were sent from a transfinder uh email address. That's our transportation company. So, if you did
not receive that email, parents, you can contact your school's main office and they can assist you there. And we are hopeful that by the end of the week that information will also be updated in the Genesis parent portal. Um, and I do just want to point out I'm going to uh talk
about some upcoming events, but I do just want to make sure everyone is aware that there was a mistake on our calendar. We had inadvertently scheduled a back to school night at the intermediate school for September 22nd. Once we realized that date is uh the at
sundown rashana begins we did reschedule that night and the tois back to school night now for all grades is September 25th. That has been updated on our calendar and Mr. Amato has already communicated that out to the parents of tois. But I did just want to let anyone
else know who may have seen that that error that it has been corrected. Okay. So, next week we start Tuesday and Wednesday. We welcome back our faculty and we have two wonderful PD days planned. We also on the third have a number of orientations. We have our
OTEES preschool orientation, WAMASA preschool orientation, Wayside Kindergarten, OTEES kindergarten, and WASA kindergarten. And what did I miss? Wayside preschool orientation. So, all of our preschool and kindergarten
orientations are on September 3rd. Our uh freshman orientation at the high school is also on September 3rd. And then on the fourth, we welcome back our students. So, first day of school for all students is next Thursday, September 4th. Short week next week, fourth and
the 5th, >> but a full day. >> But a full day. Full day. Thursday, September 4th. And and Friday, September 5th. on Friday, September 5th. This is an announcement for all parents of seniors. The senior parent college application workshop video will be
released and that'll be available Friday, September 5th. So, look for that. Um, in addition, we open up with all our athletics. If the students were here, they would tell you that we have our opening game this Thursday night on uh in our Spartan Stadium and all of our
other athletic uh programs kickoff next week. We have had a number of scrimmages happening this week on our field. It's been wonderful to see all the teams out there in their red their uniforms representing our school district so proudly. So it has it has already been a great week feeling like things are back
in session. So we're excited for next week and I like I said I'll have more recognition when we move downstairs to our voting meeting. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Mrs. W. Mr. School Business Administrator's report. Thank you Mr. President. Um, I just like to thank all
our maintenance and custodial staff. Uh, they've been hard at work these past weeks getting our buildings ready for our opening. Uh, several projects that we've had scheduled for the summer have been completed, including our, uh, toes bleachers, brand new bleachers there,
uh, and a new gym floor, fifth grade gym floor at tois. Uh and then we still have some uh projects that are in our final stages, including the uh six new bathrooms we're doing at the elementaryaries for our prek classrooms uh and the final stages of lights and
sound equipment at the high school auditorium. So staff is working very hard uh to get all these projects completed so that uh the buildings are ready for our students and staff when we return next week. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Rings. appreciate you. Public comment. The board of education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. Public comment is not a question and answer session.
Specific questions can be directed to the administration. The superintendent's contact information is downstairs on the podium and also on our district website. And we encourage you to contact her with any questions that you may have. Public participation shall be governed by the following rules. Each statement made by
a participant shall be no more shall be limited to five minutes in duration. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard. The presiding officer may request any person to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable
decor. Would anyone from the public like to discuss or comment anything on anything at this time? Uh, we do have one commenter. >> Oh, two. Wonderful.
>> Our New Jersey. Sorry, I'm a little bit um out of sorts trying to read my emails cuz before I came here, I was trying to check on the ecort status of the lawsuit um that the district is facing about the wrongful termination. I was just trying
to see online, you know, what the latest is on that for one of the employees that was wrongfully fired and is now suing the district. So, I guess I'll have to do that after this meeting just to check in. Um, I feel like commenting about the facilities use form or facilities usage
um process once again. So, tonight you guys are going to be wording or voting on this is what I just read. Check this out. 186 days for basketball times two at two schools and we're only paying $300.
I'm sure some of you with NBAs on the board can, you know, do the math. That's 80 cents a day for whatever basketball program that is. 17 days for AYF cheer program, 55 days that you're approving
tonight allegedly for um Ocean United Soccer. I pay dues there. Our dues went from like $1,500 to $2,100 I believe this year and we're getting a break. It should be like $2,500 because they're moving to an academy type um way of of
of training. Um and you're giving them 55 days for $150. When I've said in the past this is pennies on the dollar, I'm not exaggerating. Um you're also giving seven days to
lacrosse I can't believe you're giving all these days to all these youth organizations that have to pay money, some of which have to pay thousands of dollars to participate, and you are giving pennies on the dollar to these youth
organizations, some of which I'm not quite sure are twothirds based um participants in the township of ocean. I firmly believe that if you did some digging, you might see that not everybody who participates is from our town. Um but we have an organization
that is free give wanting to give free football um to local kids not just from this town but other towns and you can't even give them four days. Four days. You cannot give a free youth football um club four
days and you're giving 300 and something to basketball for $300. I think that's kind of shameful and embarrassing, arbitrary, capriccious, and quite honestly, it's discriminatory.
That's more of a comment, but I I guess the question is, how on earth are you still only charging $150? And how on earth are you not giving another youth organization um due process and the ability to have four days of fields? So, I guess those
were two questions in there. Um questions I'll say to the end. Um I was kind of proud to see the HIV reports in there showed zero number TWS in the self-reporting for OTEES and Wayside. I think that's great.
Um I also took a screenshot around 400 p.m. of both agendas. There were no uh minutes posted publicly. So for you know the five people that might be watching right now or the people like me who actually come to meetings there was no
ability to access your minutes in order to possibly have questions at 4:16 and I'm happy to show you there was no hyperlink. I say this almost every time and then you guys are always like yeah it's on it was on there. Nope. I time timeshotted it or whatever it's
called at around 4:15. There were no minutes and I checked it earlier in the day. There were also no minutes. Um, I think that might be it for right now. Um, I guess my final question is why are we transporting Lock Arbor kids?
I have nothing against uh the towns that we send and all that um against those kids rather, but this is a town that costs us what? Millions of dollars by seceding out of our district and now we're going to be um busing some kids.
I don't know if if somebody sued our district for millions of dollars and pulled out and now they want $6,000 worth of busing, I feel like you guys should say no thank you. All right, that's it for now. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hayes.
Do we have any other comments from the public? >> Hello, my name is Casey Zimmer. first and the vice president and treasure of the Ocean Township Dolphins Pop Warner nonprofit organization here in town. I stand here tonight not just as a parent, but as a member of this
community who cares deeply about our children and the opportunities they are given. What I cannot understand and what I am here directly to ask is why the board is going so hard against something so positive, so beneficial, and so free for the children of Ocean Township. We
requested four dates for use of the high school field. Four dates. And yet even those reasonable requests have been denied. Why? What is the harm in granting our children access to a field that belongs to this township to the very families who pay taxes to support
it? Denying these kids that opportunity is not just unfair, it sends the wrong message. This program is great. Free a free opportunity for our youth. We are offering families in Ocean Township another option.
one that encourages teamwork, discipline, community pride, and healthy activity. These are not just numbers on a roster. They are our sons, our daughters, our neighbors children. There are kids who simply want the chance to play the sport they love in the town that they live in. We have had
to fight for every step. And even months later, we are still fighting. I have to ask why. If this district and this board claims to be for the children, then why are the actions so often against the adults who are volunteering their time, energy, and
passion to create something good for those very children? To make matters worse, my family has been banned from attending the varsity football games, not because of anything proven, but because of lack of communication from your staff. When we
finally fought hard enough after five long months of being ignored and trying to get a meeting, we were belittled and accused of things that are simply not true. And now, instead of being resolved, this unfair treatment is being held over our heads. And not only just our heads, our entire
organization. We were never given due process for this decision. And we were never given a fair opportunity to defend ourselves against these accusations being held over us. That is not just unfair, it is unjust. And even today, the lack of
communication continues. Emails to Mrs. Weldon are going unanswered for days. My phone calls are not returned. There has been no urgency shown for either our family or for our organization. Now, I am being told she has to wait to hear back from someone who has nothing to do
with an issue in question. and she has has still not reached out to the contact I provided who could give her the information she claims she needs to approve our four measly home games. I also want to question why policy number 9160 public attendance at school
events is being applied to this ban as this should have been done by the board not Mrs. Weldon and the policy that is against us even though we have never had an issue at any school events, especially at football game, but instead are the Spartans loudest, biggest fans for all of your
students. If this policy is being stretched and misused to silence us or to bar us from supporting our children, then that is deeply troubling and flatout wrong. Frankly, I believe Mrs. Welden has too much on her plate to be left in charge of approving these dates and these
matters, especially if she's not going to respond in a timely fashion or return. >> Mrs. Zimmer, I will just remind you I ask that you conduct yourself with appropriate decorum. I cannot infringe upon your First Amendment right, but I do ask you conduct yourself with appropriate decorum and do not address the administration in such a way with a
personal matter. >> Okay, >> let's continue. The reality is this ban is punishing children more than it's punishing adults. And let me be clear, I will not go away until I am allowed to attend my attend my son's football games at home as I am the one recording for their
recruiting purposes and have never missed a game since ages five and seven when they started playing football. We are not here to cause division or stir conflict or oppose anyone. We are here as community members who are trying to make a difference. We are here to provide another option for families who
believe in Pop Warner, who want something positive for their children, and who are willing to put in that hard work to make it happen. So, I stand before you tonight asking that the board stop going against the very people who are stepping up to do the work. We need support, not resistance. We need
collaboration, not opposition. And above all, our children need adults who are willing to put politics, pride, personal feelings aside in order to do what is right for them. This is this is about the kids, nothing more and nothing less. And it is time that this board starts
acting like it. Tonight, I am asking this board to reverse the unfair ban placed on my family and to grant the Ocean Township Dolph Dolphins Popcorn Organization the four field dates we requested in March. That is fair, just, and the right thing to do for our
children, our families, and the community that built and paid for these fields. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Zimmer. >> Do we have anyone else from the public who would like to comment on anything at this time? >> We do.
>> How you doing? My name is Lil from Oakurst. How you doing? Um, I stand before you. >> Sorry. >> Do you have a last name, sir? I apologize. I cannot see you. >> Oh, you can't see me? Yes, I do. My last name is Gaudius. >> Thank you.
>> You're welcome. Um, so I stand before you guys tonight to ask you to reverse the um the ban from us watching our children play football in Ocean Township. Um, we can't believe that this band is even standing. We've, like Miss
Zimmer stated, we've never caused a problem at a football game in our life. We've only been removed from AYF from somebody on your board at this time. That's the only time we've ever been removed from anything in our whole entire life. I have a 23-year-old son who still plays football. I've ne I'm
still friends with every single coach along the way from his path from he was four years old to now. The only time we've ever any ever been removed from anything in our lifetime was from Amy McGovern and that's it. And we're just really truly tired of >> Mr. Gius I will remind you to conduct
yourself with appropriate decorum at this meeting. Please >> okay not address personal issues or matters in public comment. This is a time for public comment and I just I cannot infringe upon your first amendment rights. However, I ask that you conduct yourself with appropriate decorum during my meeting.
>> Absolutely. Absolutely I am. Um so I've only been removed by one person in my whole life is Amy McGovern and as the only person that ever removed me from anywhere of anything of any sort of anything in my life and that is the very person on your board telling us right now that we cannot do something. That is
the >> only person >> sir. I will ask again respectfully. Do you please conduct yourself with appropriate decorum during this meeting? Do you stop addressing individual members of this board in this way? And you stop bringing up a personal matter. I cannot infringe upon your first
amendment right. I would like you to be able to make your comment as needed, but I just ask that you conduct yourself with appropriate decor. >> Absolutely. I'm sorry for saying any names. Um same same thing. I'm I'm speaking without saying that person's name. Um, we're just tired of being bullied. You know, we're we're very nice
people. We we respect everyone. We have a lot of great families in our organization. Um, this is nothing personal. Like, this organization is not personal against AYF. It is not personal. This, we did not start this to hurt AYF. So, we want everyone to
understand that there's a lot of kids that cannot play football in this town. They're my son's friends. They can't afford football in this town. It's too expensive. It's one of the most expensive towns in Mammoth County for football. So, we started something that they can afford. And we just we just
want you guys to understand that this is for the kids. We're not we don't make nothing. We don't get nothing out of this. This is all for the kids of your town that you're denying. And now, now, so now the newest thing is I'm I'm being told I'm banned from going
to my own organization's games because a parent took a swing at me. That's what Miss Weldon um that's what somebody on your board told me recently that I am not allowed to attend or go to games because another parent took a swing at me and is banned for one year from Pop Warner. They are banned from Pop Warner.
But I'm being banned for being swung at. I we I just I can't understand it. I can't wrap my head around it. Neither can anyone from my organization. Anyone from Pop Warner and anyone else can not wrap their head around it. It's just not fair. It's unjust and it's
just quite frankly, it's just out of line. It's just like if somebody's calling you and just saying, um, you know, Mr. Such and such at your board, uh, punched me, you don't just go to jail for that. You have to have proof. You have to say, I'm going to prove this
by reasonable doubt that you did what you did. And again, we don't have that for the band for the high school as well. Same thing. We don't have that ban as well. You have no proof of anything you guys said in there. you just said it and did it. We would like to know where your proof
is and what type of proof do you have to ban us. That's what we want to know. Like >> and how Yeah. And that's another thing is we want to know why our dates are not on the agenda. If Miss Weldon physically told me and Miss Zimmer, the vice president, I will have your dates by
Friday. She said, I will have your dates by Friday. Did she not? So what happened? We want to know what happened from even from Friday to Sunday because Sunday she's telling me we can't have it because I got almost got struck
inside of my gate where the coaches and the staff are allowed not the parents. We just want to know why is Miss Welding trying uh searching so hard for something that's just not there that's not true. We would like our dates. We would like to be able to give our
parents these dates. Our pop warers asking for the dates. Everyone's asking for the dates and we're still here. Miss Weldon told us last week, "I will have the dates by Friday." How come we didn't get them? >> Mr. Gordius, I did interrupt you a couple of times, so you have a couple
more seconds here. I would like to give you the opportunity to wrap up your comments. >> Yeah, that's that's all that's all I got to say is we want to know why you're not giving us the dates. That's that's that's it. We would love to go attend our children's football games. We never missed a game. We've never been a problem at a game. We've never missed a
game. This is personal and we're just tired of it. It's personal and we're tired of it. We We would just like to be treated like any other family. You know what I mean? And that's all we you know, that's all I have to say tonight. I hope somebody on
that board could sit back and listen and see what's going on and do the right thing. That's all I can ask. Thank you for your comments, Mr. Vius. >> Do we have any other members from the public would like to comment on anything at this time?
>> All right. Was that a >> Well, my son wanted to, but they're at football practice, so they couldn't make it. >> Okay. >> You don't have any more public commenters? >> No other public commenters. Thank you. Yep. Yeah. So, uh, M Mrs. Conway, do we
have anyone in the queue who would like to comment on anything at this time? >> Yes, Mr. President. We have Keith Chapman. Please go ahead, Keith Chapman. >> Um, good evening. Um, I uh was wondering
if there will be crossing guards during the uh freshman orientation. Um, I know my daughter uh crosses uh and I know the orientation what scheduled during the afternoon or something during an odd hour of the school day. Um, I do
know my my daughter may be crossing the street. I'm sure there's other students that will be crossing in various locations throughout our town and we all know how busy um are some of our main stretches and areas are especially around the school area. Um, second
building usage. Over the summer, I uh was in the middle school um during one of my son's um basketball clinics or whatever and noticed how the uh there's gum. There was gum all over the floors throughout the building. Um gum in the
um in our foot in our uh gymnasium. Gum, you know, just it it was disgusting. The floors were sticky and all. Um and it wasn't from the kids uh that were playing basketball there. I don't know who exactly from, but I know we rent out our buildings throughout the summers. Um
there's trash outside the um buildings um just scattered around, you know, kids toys or whatever. And again, I realize that we rent out our buildings and we should be renting out our buildings, but I hope that we are within our rental agreements making sure that we are
accounting for this and that people that when they rent out our buildings, especially those that don't use them year round, are making sure that that we that are held accountable because we are in them and we do see them. Republic and our buildings are aging and yes, there's
always uh um stuff that breaks down or whatever, but yeah, I think this was excessive and I really think it needs to be addressed, especially coming into next year um and realizing our buildings are aging and that they need to be respected. So, thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chapman. Mrs. Conway, do we have anyone else in the queue who would like to comment on anything at this time? >> No, Mr. President, there are no further commenters. >> Very well. Thank you, Mrs. Conway. Presentation minutes, Mr. D.
>> Yes. Um, thank you, Mr. McCarthy. Uh, item 7.1, presentation of minutes from the executive session of August 12th. Comments, questions, >> comments, questions on presentation minutes. >> Very well.
>> Personnel, Mr. McGover, >> uh, we will move it downstairs. >> Thank you. financial management and resource services. This is an >> um discussion for >> Oh, I'm sorry. 97. >> Any any comments or questions on anything for 91 through 97.
>> It's very nice that the Cedar Village is donating backpacks to our very >> Thank you, Steve. Great. >> Wonderful positive comment. Mr. things. You had a few comments that you want to make. >> Uh yes. So, um I wanted to point out a
typo in item 9.5 on our ESSA funding. Our title one number listed on our any paper copies was 351,000. The correction was made on our electronic copies 516. The total did not
change, but we did correct that um in the docs and what's posted online. so that corrections can make. That's all I have. >> Thank you. Appreciate that. >> I just have one question. Go ahead.
>> Um, is the solar the solar about what it usually is? I feel like it is from looking at it, but I'm just asking. >> Uh, so last year, uh, based on timing, we were able to, uh, approve a full year of solar reimbursements. This year, the
timing was off. company that handles this for us actually operates with May as their year end. >> Uh so at the last meeting last month we approved through May and then there was that last June piece. So that's why it's on this one for that one.
>> And combined were they similar to the barrier? >> Yes. Okay. Yes. >> Any other questions or discussion for 91 and 97? Okay. Instruction, education, student activities. Mr. Dolan. Yes. Thank you,
Mr. McCarthy. Discussion are items 101 and 10 two. >> Just to give a little context, every year the schools have to rate themselves. It's called the school self assessment for determining grades, mid
grades. So you have there what each school safety and school climate team worked on collaboratively to score themselves and you have the five schools there. We have to submit that to the state each year annually. And 10.2 is uh
the department of education has expanded evaluation opportunities for highly effective teachers and that recently came out. You may have seen that in the news. So in order for us to offer these alternate opportunities to our faculty, the board first must review and approve
the alternate activities and then once if that is successful this evening, Dr. Morgan's will we'll work with the other administrators to to roll this out and develop our practices here in district.
>> Is this a statewide initiative? >> Yes, it's an opportunity made available through the DOE or alternates to the current evaluation line
only available to highly effective. >> Any other questions on 101 to 102? >> I just had another comment that all of the HIV um the self assessment scores are all very positive as well. So clearly all the principles are working
towards creating a culture that's inclusive for our students. >> You were very one quick question and I don't know if it's better for you Dr. Morgan for the um evaluations is that for tenured and
non-tenured teachers just for >> that's what I just thank you. >> You're welcome. >> All right. any old business relating members of the board. >> Just a reminder, uh the back to school
day chart went out, make sure you look it over because we one day was changed. >> So, I was going to discuss on my presence report, but this is my time anyway. Uh yes. So please if you have uh if you have nights that you can attend,
we we will uh limit it depending on the on the school size potentially and how many volunteers we have or I may have to call if we do not have enough volunteers and say can you please jump in. So please just fill in your all availability and uh I'll plug and play as uh as we can for in the past practice
has been two two to three members depending on the size of the event or the numbers of events for school. So we'll see from there. All right. Other old business from any members of the board. >> All right. Any new business from any members of the board? Mrs. McGovern.
>> Um I just wanted to point out um that our community Oh, I probably start crying. Sorry. I'm a crier because I'm feeling person. But um our community lost a icon really um in Jim Simmonelli. So, I'm not sure how many of you know him, but um he was majority of his time in our district was spent as a coach. Um
a football coach, a track coach, um a shot put coach, a discus coach, um always volunteer, um and he was a lifelong educator in Long Branch. He was a building principal over there and he raised a lot of um students and and
helped a lot of students along the way. The the the posts on everywhere about him are incredible. He was also a captain um for Long Branch Beach. So, he happened to also have a lot of our students there that were guards under him for many years. So, I just wanted to um let
everybody know and thank um him for all of his time here in Ocean. And to one of his daughters actually is a staff member. So, to the Dario Sylvioski and Simonelli family, our hearts are with you. And um it's really kind of fitting that our football game on Thursday
actually opens up against Long Branch. So, it's an ocean long branch game. I said to his daughter, his first game in heaven will be looking down on his two schools that he loved so much. So, I just wanted to bring that to the board's attention in the community's attention. Um there is, you know, services this
week if you um look it up. He's um at Damian Damiano is the funeral home holding it. I mean, in charge of it, it's actually going to be at the Long Branch, the old Long Branch High School. So, um I just wanted to bring that to everyone's attention. >> Thank you, Any other new business from any members
of the board? None. May I have a motion to adjourn? >> Second. >> Thank you. Part: 2
This meeting will come to order. Please join me for a 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. Thank you. We have a lot of recognitions tonight which I know many of us are extremely excited about. Um, a couple of things I'd like to touch on. First of all, I would like to take the time to invite all of the members of the public
to participate in Big Red Fridays. I think that it should not just be a school event, but a town event. So, on Fridays, we ask that you wear your red, that you show your pride in being a part of Big Red Country. As a member of this town, as a former uh student of this district, I think that it's an important
thing for us to show that solidarity. It's a great way to show school spirit and excitement for what is coming this school year. Uh I would like to wish everyone good luck this school year. I think that is this is an extremely exciting time for our district. As I've said throughout the summer, our summers
are bookended by two wonderful events, a graduation and then the beginning of a new year. It's a wonderful cycle that we have in this district and I look forward to starting this new school year. I think it's a very exciting time for our staff and our students. I'm sure that some of our moms and dads are excited
for their kids to get back. Uh and so I I know that I personally am looking forward to it as well. Um so with that, good luck to everyone that we have. Uh one event that we had this week that I think was very exciting was our new teacher orientation. Uh, and while that
was a much smaller crowd this year, unfortunately, due to issues outside of our control, uh, it was still a wonderful crowd and Dr. Morgan did a wonderful job setting up that event for us and bringing in our new staff that we have here. And it was a it's a great way to usher in the school year with the new
staff that is joining us. uh and and we have a a fully staffed certified staff now, which I think is a is a highlight to this district that we are prepared, we are ready, and we're we're set to begin this school year, and it's an exciting time for us all. And that's all I have.
Thank you, Mr. McCarthy. With that, we'll go to you, Miss the Superintendent Report, please. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. It's so wonderful to see so many of you, and I am so happy to be able to recognize some of our achievements from last school year. We're still It was such an outstanding school year that we spent
all summer continuing to recognize our Spartans. Um I did make some announcements in our work session, but just as a reminder, we are we are back. This is our last summer board meeting and next week we welcome back our faculty on September 2nd and we welcome
back all students on September 4th. The schools are ready. The principles and their teams have been working very hard to prepare our schools to open our doors and welcome our Spartans back and we are very excited to have them return. Um,
you will see lots of different uh letters coming out from your principles as well as bus passes went out. Schedules are available. If you need help with anything at all, please contact your school's main office. If there is certain information that you are missing or you're not certain of,
your school's main office should be your main point of contact and then they can direct you to where to go for the right information if they can't get it for you. Okay. So, before we welcome everybody back, let's let's take a
moment to applaud our Ocean Township High School Spartan players for winning a myriad of awards late last school year um in June. And I'd like to bring up Principal Kazuba and any supervisors here. Okay. Well, she's being awarded so
I'll have her wait a minute. Well, actually, Mrs. Worthwine, would you like to join Mrs. Kazuba? You are an awardee yourself, but maybe you'd like to congratulate the students as they come up as well. Come on up, Mrs. Worthwine. Okay, so as you can see, we have a
number of people. Some I think are online, some are here in person, and some unfortunately could just not be here this evening. So, I am going to recognize everybody. If you hear your name, please come forward. Before I start calling names, I just want to give the the public and the board of education just a an overview of these
awards that our students won. So, there were three different awards events and our students won awards at all three events. So from Rising Stars Paper Mill, which awarded top musicals in the state of New Jersey, we won a student achievement award, head of marketing and
graphic design scenic artists, both for Little Shop of Horrors. for the Count Bassy Awards known as the Bassy Awards in Redbank which recognized pop musicals in the county. We were recognized for outstanding company in a drama, outstanding direction of a play,
outstanding featured ensemble group, and we had Bassy Scholarship winners. And for the Foxy Awards put on by Monontlair, which recognizes top plays in the state of New Jersey, we won outstanding performance by an actor in a historical drama, outstanding
performance by an actress in a historical drama, an outstanding acting ensemble in a historical drama. This is unbelievable and outstanding. So for all who were involved, congratulations. This
is such a tribute to your hard work and such a proud feather in our cap as a school district. We are just so proud to for all this recognition. Okay. So now let's focus on you. As I call your name, please come forward. Amore Alons,
Alexandra Bean, Zachary Berg, Jao Bronquino, Maya Brzniaak, Jenna Canela, Ava Cardwell, Juliana Kohl's, Michael Green, Natalie Green, Jada
Dawson. Okay, congratulations, Jada. please come on up and then and if you could stay up because we're gonna take some photos. Okay. Um Jiren Duza, Katherine Daison,
David Ferda, Harmony Green, Drummer Hansen, Avery Harper, Kendall Hernandez, Cani Higgins, Kirk, Leah Israel,
Israeli, Benjamin Jack, Jacobson, Gochi Gimenez Gonzalez, Antonio Martinez, Addison McKeen, Ala McKeen, Sophia Montavo,
Ellie Pannis, Venus Pereira, Peligine, Nicholas Riddner, Rex Roatti, Alexander Rosahel, Gutierrez, Tessa Rousel, Kate Saba,
Anetti Sevilis, Samantha Sheridan, Maya Stein, William Souo, Grace Vargas, Addison Worthwine, Margaret White,
Rowan Wilson, Euan Young, Mrs. Chelsea Gower, Mr. Teddy Kernazanne, Mr. Jack Andress, and Mr. Giovani who also could not be here this evening but I did speak to all of them and and they wish that they
could be here. We want to Oh, and two more. I have Bead Daison and Corey Pennix. Okay. Congratulations Spartans. Outstanding. And for those watching online, we congratulate you as well. And hopefully
if you're not here or not watching, you can watch this at a later time and know how proud we are of you as well. Okay, students, we'd like to take a few pictures of you over here in front of the uh backdrop. And parents, if you'd like to come up, please, and take a photo as well, feel free to do so.
Yep. Come on up. Squeeze in there. Very nice. Go ahead, Miss Worvon. You're in there. You're in there. Don't slip out. Congratulations again.
this evening. Okay, that concludes my report this evening. Thank you, Miss W. Summer nights are fleeting. You do not have to remain if you were here to be recognized, but you are more than welcome to remain should you decide to. Uh, but if you did decide you would like
to leave, now would be the time. like a good night virt. I don't know. I don't know what I see in your future. Thank you, Mr. Hastings. our school business administrator's report. Mr. Street. Uh, thank you, Mr. President. I have nothing to add from upstairs report. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Hastings. Public comment on any item. The board of education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. Public
comment is not a question and answer session. Specific questions can be directed to the administration. The superintendent's contact information is available by the by the microphone and also on the district website. We encourage you to contact her with any questions that you may have. Public
participation shall be governed by the following rules. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to 5 minutes in duration. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have had an opportunity to
speak. The presiding officer may request that any person leave the meeting if they are not observing reasonable decorum. Would anyone from the public like to comment on any item at this time? Alex Hayes Oak. I wasn't planning
I wasn't planning on speaking at this uh hour. Um but I have a couple of comments. Um, I didn't say anything at the last meeting or two or three. Um, but it's probably been three or four now that I've asked several questions in in these meetings. Probably been mostly Miss Well done, Mr. Hastings. Maybe it's
been to a couple board members. I forget. Um, but and I just checked my phone. I have not received any phone calls or emails with the answers back that I have asked cuz I know you guys, you know, refused to to comment back. So, that used to be a thing. Miss Welvin
would call me and be like, "Here's the answers to your 72 questions you just asked last night or whatever." Um, so if that's changed, can we know? Um, but I guess so my question is like when do we get the answers to the questions posed here in public session? That would be
good to know. Um, I really can't believe what I what I heard earlier tonight, what I witnessed in that first public comment session. Um, I think it's just yet another lesson in Ocean Township of there are different rules for different people. You all know
what I'm talking about. Um, it's very rich and hypocritical beyond measure in my opinion. For the board president to say to parents that they weren't acting with decorum, they were reading a statement. They were
civil. As you mentioned, they were exercising their First Amendment right. Your rules are about profanity, vulgarity, people being critical of you is not not being of a decorum mindset.
As you all know, in October 2024, people spoke for what 9 minutes each. Highly critical of me. Nobody interrupted with let's be the quorum. Now, they're also highly critical of other schoolboard members. many times. Nobody says
you guys, I'm going to interrupt you if you're not acting with decorum. You are paid public employees. Some of you here, Mr. Hastings and Miss Welden, um, and you even just said, Mr. McCarthy, questions are to be directed
to administration. That is exactly what parents were doing. They were directing questions and comments, criticisms. Sometimes there's happy comments, too. You should also be able to take
criticism. That's what you're here for. You are publicly elected people. Your board members, you sign on to a life in the public. If anybody says, "Mr. So and so, I think you're a horrible school board member. Mr. So and so, I think you're a horrible school
board president. so and so, I'd like you to leave because you uh have something to do with my case or whatever. We have very right to say that and you should not be censoring cuz that's what you're attempting to do. It's disguised a little bit as like
Trumpian speech that you're trying to silence people for having an opinion like saying it's not of decorum. You're publicly elected officials. It comes with the territory to be criticized.
Nobody's not being with the quorum. That's it. Thank you, Miss Stace, for your comments. Do we have any other members of the public who would like to comment on anything at this time? Casey Zimmer, Oakhurst. Welcome, Mr. Zimmer. Welcome. Thank you. I just wanted to
reiterate basically what I spoke of on the 700 p.m. meeting and just remind everybody that I was told that our organization was going to be on the agenda today and I noticed that it is not. So, we're a little confused as to why it's not. And, you know, we just
want to reiterate that it's only four dates. We only need four dates. There's not going to be any issues. We're going to make sure that it's spotless. It's going to look better than it did before we got there. Um, these kids are going to have a great game. It's going to be a great season. all positivity, you know,
but again, I wanted to reiterate that this ban from the I think it's five or six home games that I'm not going to be allowed to attend for whatever reason. Um, is very unfair, not only to me as their mother, but to
my children who want their mom in the sidelines cheering them on and, you know, their biggest fan since they were born. I just can't understand why you guys are not allowing it. I've never done
anything at a event. I've never done anything except cheered been positive to every single one of your If you have a child in sports, I bet you I was the loudest one in the room cheering them on. And that goes for
every child on your fields. Basketball, baseball, soccer. I've never really attended soccer, but football, we're huge, huge. When we bleed and and sleep and eat and breathe football, I mean it. We are probably the biggest football
fans in Ocean Township. That's why we started a football program. And to be banned is senseless. It's not fair. There was never a reason for the ban. that 9160 policy you were using for
the ban I believe was supposed to be used from the board, not just the superintendent. Um, so I want, you know, I want an explanation as to how that happened. Um, and I just really want you guys to reconsider this ban. It's a
handful of days. I'm not asking to be inside your buildings. I'm not asking to be on the field. I'm asking I would be on the oasis. I would stay on the fence line closest to Dao at this point to watch my kid Jordan Gaudius, the starting quarterback, perform at his
games this year. So, please make the right decision for my boys. Two kids on the team. Thank you, Mrs. Zimmer. Do we have any other members of the
public would like to comment on anything at this time? Gotius oers. Welcome, Mr. Gius. Thank you. Thank you. Um, sorry about the the decor, whatever that was that happened up there. I wasn't trying to, you know, I'm just telling the truth of what happened in my life. You know what
I mean? So, I wasn't trying to put blast on anybody that's on your board. I'm just telling you, I never been removed from anything in my whole entire life except for Ocean AF football ran by somebody on your board. Very easy to see, people. Very, very easy to see. Not
hard. Everyone should not blind eye and turn their back head sideways. Everyone should be looking at me and saying, "Wow, children from your district are involved here." Like, how could you do that to kids? Like, even these two little kids that are not allowed to the game anymore. How
could you tell those two little kids you're not allowed at the game because of a false statement? A false statement. Ask for appropriate order during the meeting. You were the one making the comment. You You have five minutes to do so. What do I have? What do I have? Yes. You have four more minutes.
Four more minutes. Thank you. Um of a false statement that no one saw. No one saw this push from the back. My girls never pushed. Any I got in the board with you guys upstairs and I told you I one thing I cannot do is lie. Do I have a little bit of a blunt problem where I
speak a little bluntly? Yes, I do. Am I my tone a little different than yours? Maybe a little bit. But I'm telling you, I do not lie. My girl never pushed anyone in this room. Anyone. So that's why my wife is standing there
looking so depressed, feeling like somebody really just lied on me. Somebody in this room sitting in this room right now lied on somebody else to get six people removed from football games where the starting quarterback
wants his mother there more than any human being alive. I would be banned to let her back. I would say ban me from the games and let my wife go to the games. She did not push Miss Gazuba. I'm sorry everyone. I look I have to look you are audience.
She didn't push anyone. Yes, you have a first amendment right to say whatever you want. Thank you very much. This is a publicly recorded session. Absolutely. That being said, I ask I implore you, please let us refrain from personal matters during this meeting. I ask a personal matter is the
I will not conduct an argument or discussion with you. Absolutely. I am going to yield your time back to you. I ask that we just continue this as a public comment session about issues with the board and policy and we refrain from discussing public matters. Your time is back to you.
Okay. All right. That public matter though is the reason that six people can't go to a and I need to clarify for the record. I misspoke a personal matter. I apologize. That was not the right term. Public matters are a matter of subject that you were allowed to say here. Any public matter you would like to discuss, you can. Private matters. I ask that you
don't. I misspoke. I apologize. Please continue. Okay. All right. Where was I now? back to my children sitting behind you right here that cannot attend a football game where the starting quarterback who beat the other quarterback is going to attend
this game. He wants his mother, he wants his father, he wants his little brothers who look up to him to watch him do what he does best. We would say he's one of the better players on the team. If you play that position, if anyone knows football, you know that's one of the toughest positions to play, you know,
and it's a it's a tough spot. You know, you earn that spot, you know. You don't just walk in and go, "Hey, here's a football. Go play quarterback." No. He's got shunned out a quarterback through AYF football his whole entire life. There was another quarterback that played the the spot who didn't deserve
it. Never. And that's just the truth. I mean, everyone in the whole town knows it. It's still riding, though. We're going from AY youth football, everyone. And we're taking it to high school now. You understand? That is just unbelievable. Like I I don't know a single town in the universe that does
this. This is the first town I've ever seen do this and I mean it. Football has a quote and it's called earn your burn. Earn your burn. Don't have it handed to you and say here you go son. I'll give it to you. No. We say earn your burn son. That's all I have to say. We did
nothing wrong to be banned. Zero. We did nothing wrong. An argument with if Mr. King's chair wasn't in front of the doorway that day, we would have never bumped into it. We would have never I would have never had to go like this around anybody and it would have never been a problem. So the way Mr. King was sitting in that
chair that day caused this whole entire problem and I'm just going to let you know that's just the truth of the matter. I I tried to walk out of that meeting. Somebody talked about my child. Just a reminder, we are back on a personal matter. I just asked that we Okay. Well, somebody I'll just say somebody talked about my child in a meeting and I didn't like it. I took
offense to it. So I tried to get out of that room. I was blocked into a situation. That's it. That's all I had to say. They're banning a mom saying she pushed somebody when she never did. Never pushed anybody. She never bumped anybody. It never happened. It just
simply never happened. So, that's all I have to say tonight. Um, as far as the four dates though, um, I would like just, you know, an answer back whenever you guys can for Miss Welding or anybody that why we're saying we're giving the dates and then we're just going on vacation and then we're
coming back and we're not emailing back and we're just like a cat and mouse game. Like the president of my league said he played cat and mouse with Miss Welding tonight. He was like, I tried calling her three times. It's like she's the most hardest person to get in touch with I've ever met. And I said, exactly what kind of what we're going through.
same things. When she does get back to us, it's like, "Okay, I got to go and I'm I'm sorry, Mr. Cody. I'm sorry. I got I got to go. I got to go." And everything's like, "Okay, so we we just want to be heard. We want to be heard for real so it doesn't have to get to the next level. We're standing before you hoping it doesn't get to the next level." That's
it. That's my last words I would say to you guys. My son earned his spot. And at this time, I'll ask you to wrap your comments up. Okay? My son earned his spot. He earned his burn. And now we want to earn our burn. You know what I mean? Same thing. Thank you, Mr. Bodies.
Thank you. Thank you, board. Thank you all. Do we have any other members from the public who would like to comment on anything at this time? My comments are completely different from my earlier comments in the previous ones. So that's why according to your rules you stated earlier,
I can still come back up again. Alex Hayes Oak, I just want to remind you all, I think I said it earlier, 380 dates that you're approving for one of the basketball programs. 380 dates
and you can't do four, two, four, three, four. It's not a good look. It looks like you don't want a free kids program in your town. It's not a good headline. and the Ocean Township denies Pop Warner a free kids
program for four dates. I will leave you with my final comment. Um, body language is often everything. You can read some studies on like, you know, people who feel guilty or
don't face things look down when they're being spoken to. And even when I was being assailed for what was it 45 minutes years ago, I looked in the faces of people making lielists and slanderous lies. I looked
at their faces and the fact that two or more of your board members look down. Just speaks a lot of volumes. Speaks volumes rather. Thank you, Mrs. Hayes. Do you have any other members of the public who would like to comment on any item at this time?
Okay, Mrs. Conway, do we have anyone in the queue would like to comment on any item at this time? No, President McCarthy, there are no commenters. Thank you very much, Mr. Dalton. Motion to approve item 5.1 minutes from executive session of last meeting. Do I have a second? Second.
Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hes, would you please call the RO? Thank you, Mr. President. This is 5.1. Mr. Brady, yes. Mr. Dalton, yes. Mrs. Dam, stay. Uh, Mrs. Gilman,
yes. Uh, Mrs. McGovern, yes. Mr. Schneider, yes. Miss Stevens, abstain. Mrs. Tyler Rico, Mr. McCarthy, yes. Motion carries.
Personnel, Mrs. McGovern, uh, move to approve items 6.1 through 6.7. Can I have a second? Second. Thank you. Mr. Hayes, would you please call the role? 613 through 667. Mr. Brady, yes. Mr. Tolton, yes.
Mrs. Dam, yes. Mrs. Gilman, yes. Mr. McGovern, yes. Uh, Mr. Schneider, yes. Miss Stevens, yes. M. McCarthy, yes. Motion's carry. Financial management and resource services. Miss Stamp.
Move to approve items 7.1 through 714. Do I have a second? I do. Thank you. So, item 71 through 14. Mr. Brady. Yes. Mr. Dton. Yes. Mrs. Dam. Yes. Mrs. Gilman.
Uh, yes. And I want to uh reiterate what was said upstairs that uh Cedar Village was very kind in donating those 70 backpacks. Thank you, Mr. McGovern. Yes. Mr. Schneider. Yes. Miss Stevens, yes. Uh, Mr. McCarthy,
yes. Adams carry. Thank you. Instruction, education, and student activities, Mr. Dolan. Thank you, Mr. McCarthy. Motion to approve items 8.1 through 8.4. Second. Thank you, Mr. Nes. This is 81 through 84. Mr. Brady,
yes. Mr. Dalton, yes. Mrs. Dam, yes. Mrs. Gilman, yes. Mrs. McGovern, yes. Mr. Schneider, yes. Miss Stevens, yes. M. McCarthy. Yes. Carrie, old business. Do I have any old business
from any members of the board? New business. Do I have any new business from any members of the board? M. McGovern. Um, I just wanted to thank I know you did upstairs, um, all of our personnel, especially our grounds and maintenance over the last couple of weeks who are working tirelessly to get our buildings and grounds up and
running, but also to all of you, especially most of you, actually all of you that are sitting in the back and the rest of you online that worked all summer. I know that you know people uh you know say that that becoming a teacher you know some people say it's because of your summers off and and you
all are no summers off to you anymore but um you did a lot of work over the summer not only with each other but also with other faculty that you had to bring in throughout the summer. So to all of our faculty that stepped through the doors when um they were it was their time off I just wanted to say thank you
for getting our schools ready for the exciting school year that we have to come. So, thank you all for your hard work. Thank you, Mr. McGovern. Any other new business from any members of the board? I just had a quick comment, President McCarthy, in our community magazine, the August edition, there was a really nice
article um entitled Building the Support System: Tips for Helping Kids Thrive Mentally in the New School Year. And it was written by uh two of our staff members, oh I'm sorry, one of them was a Middletown staff member, Cole Callahan and Allison Connelly. Um and it was a really nice article um you know geared
towards teachers and parents and how they can support students. So anybody we all got this in the mail. So thank you Mrs. Stevenson. Any other new business from any members of the board? Mrs. Kilman. I just wanted to also congratulate the
staff from Little Shop of Horrors. I had the pleasure of seeing that uh drama and the scenery, the graphics, the singing, everything was incredible. And I don't think we've ever won this many awards. So it really is a feather in our cap as you said and I don't think we have
either standing to my record recollection. Yeah. Please take that back to them if they if they're home already. That was a wonderful show and they deserved all of the awards they got and it was for both Little Shop of Horrors and their fall drama Menol. So they won both awards for both events,
both show performances. Thank you. Any other new business from any members of the board? Very well. May I have a motion to adjourn? Motion. Second. Second. This meeting is adjourned.