Good evening everyone. We're going to resume our uh meeting for this evening. Um we're going to start off with uh the flag salute and pledge of allegiance. Please rise. >> 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. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by mailing copies of said notice to the record, filing copies of said notice with the municipal clerks of Hillsdale, Mont Vale, Rivervale, and
Wilcliffe Lake, and publishing said notice in the record on July 2nd, 2025. We're going to move to um student recognition. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um, resolution of
appreciation for Stephanie Young, Pasc Hills High School student board represented representative. Whereas Stephanie Young was selected by her classmates to be the Pasc Hills High School student representative to the Pasc Valley Regional High School
District Board of Education. And whereas Stephanie provided input from a student's point of view to the board of education and whereas Stephanie has completed her term as student representative to the board of education. Now therefore be it resolved
that the board of education wishes Stephanie Young continued success in her education and her pursuit of other activities. Congratulations You should go
up with her. Go. Okay. Resolution of appreciation for Maline Woo, Pasc Valley High School student board representative. Whereas Meline Woo was selected by her classmates to be the Pasc Valley High School
student representative to the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education. And whereas Matteline provided input from a student's point of view to the board of education and whereas Maline has completed her term as student representative to the board of
education. Now therefore, be it resolved that the board of education wishes Maline Woo continued success in her education and her pursuit of other activities. Congratulations. You're welcome.
Thank you ladies. We really appreciate you. Yeah. Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award where whereas you have to go back. Maline Woo, a junior at Pasc Valley High
School is the recipient of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award. This award recognizes high school juniors who exhibit exceptional performance and potential in the areas of academics,
athletics, community services, good citizenship, and leadership. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School High School District Board of Education recognize and commend Meline for her outstanding
achievement. Perfect attendance. Whereas the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognizes the importance of consistent attendance in fostering a successful educational environment. Now therefore, be it
resolved that the board of education formally congratulates seniors Luke Bonor and Alexis Gardner of Pasc Hills High School and Angelina Graham of Pasc Valley High School for achieving perfect
attendance throughout their four years of high school. Be it further resolved that Luke, Alexis, and Angelina's dedication, commitment, and perseverance serve as exemplary models for their peers and
future students. Congratulations. First team all county. Whereas the following students were selected to the first team all Bergen County. Suren Makishian, tennis, Pasc Valley High
School. Jenna Reinhardt, lacrosse, Pasc Valley High School. Kalina Dumbowski, softball, Pasc Valley High School. Alexandra Siller, softball, Pasc Valley High School.
Is anyone here? Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend these students for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations, Big North National League coach of the
year. Unfortunately, he's not able to attend. Whereas Miss Lauren Bassik, VA Pasc Valley High School head girls softball coach has been named the Big North National League coach of the year. Now
therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend Ms. Basic for her outstanding achievement. Congratulations. Track and field group two state
achievements. Whereas the following student from Pasc Hills High School accomplished the following achievements in track and field. Group two state champion school record in discus.
Rihanna Kiran. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend Rihanna and their coaches for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations.
The North Jersey male athlete of the week, May 29, 2026, boys track and field. Whereas Marcus Koshi, a senior at Pasc Valley High School, has been named the North Jersey
male athlete of the week for May 29, 2026. Marcus earned this recognition after winning the 1,600 meters at the Lou Lenzelto Bergen meet of champions with a personal best time of four 41697.
One of the top 50 times in Bergen County history and third alltime in Pasc Valley history. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend Marcus for his outstanding achievement.
Congratulations. Garden State Cyber Security Contest. Whereas the following students who formed the team, Control Alt Defeaters, love that name, from Pasc Hills High School, took first place at the Garden
State Cyber Security Contest finals at the College of New Jersey on May 27th. Evan Epstein, Aira, Air Jatar, Max Clinchic, Andrew Bishar,
Advisor J. All Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend these students and their adviser for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations.
2026 10day film challenge winner best film nationally. Whereas the following students from the Pasc Valley High School who are in the advanced video production class won best film nationally for their film Collateral.
The 10-day film challenge is a fast-paced nationwide competition where students write, direct, and edit a three to four minute short film in just 10 days based on a surprise prompt revealed
on day one. Out of 80 schools from 10 states and over 200 film submissions, Pasc Valley's Collateral took the top honor. This marks the second year in a row Mr. Sherman students have won this award.
John Degrushio, Anastasia Cavaleno, Jacob Martinez, Jack Najardian, Ca Caleb Pacer, Matteline Walter. Now therefore, be it resolved that the
Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognizes and comp commends these students for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations again. The 2026 Crystal Pillar Award winner short form. Whereas the following
students from the Pasc Valley High School, Ty Gaspirino and Ryan Giggliotti, who also produced PVTV, Pasc Valley's award-winning high school magazine program, won the 2026 Crystal
Pillar Award for Outstanding Short Form for their 2025 10day film National Champion short film, The Scholarship Score. This award is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Emmy chapter of the Academy
of Television Arts and Sciences, which is composed of five states: New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School
District Board of Education recognizes and commends Ty Gasperino and Ryan Giggliotti for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations. Okay. 2026 Crystal Pillar Award winner long form. Where is the following
student from Pasc Valley High School? Anastasia Cavaleno who is currently in Mr. Sherman's advanced video production class won the 2026 Crystal Pillar Award for outstanding long form project for
her dramatic documentary, What War Took from Us, her harrowing account of fleeing Ukraine when the war with Russia began back in 2022. This award is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Emmy chapter of the Academy
of Tele Television Arts and Sciences, which is composed of five states: New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education
recognizes and commends Anastasia Cavaleno for her outstanding achievement. Congratulations, 2026 MSU Foxy Awards Outstanding Established Production of a Musical. Whereas Pasc Valley and Pasc Hills
theater students earned major honors at the 2026 Monontlair State University Foxy Awards for their joint production of Legally Blonde the musical winning outstanding established production of a musical.
Pasc Hill senior Camila Ambrocho of Montville was also recognized with the outstanding featured ensemble actress award for her portrayal of Brooke Windham. Whereas this outstanding production was
made possible through the dedication of the student cast, crew, musicians, and designers along with the leadership of PV Theater co-directors Tom Luper and Mariel Lur and PV Theater choreographer
Kelsey Mcgrael. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education recognize and commend the students and staff involved for their outstanding achievement and statewide recognition. Congratulations.
Is that it? I think we're done, right? Okay. Before we move on to routine matters, if anybody would like to now leave, we'd like you to stay, but you are welcome to leave. Have a great night. Thank you and
congratulations to all our students. Good. Okay, we are moving on to routine matters. Um, board president report. I don't have much to report other than it's the end of the year and I have a senior. So, um, it's very, very busy.
It's very exciting. Um, graduation is June 17th, um, for Pasc Hills and Pascal. Um, congratulations to our seniors. Um, looking forward to a wonderful
celebration of all of our wonderful students and have a wonderful summer. Interim superintendence report. Dirk Phillips. >> Thank you. Uh, this is our last board
meeting of the school year. So, just be aware of that. and we have some routine business that has to happen for the start of next school year which officially starts July 1st for uh those of us who go 12 months. Um I first want to congratulate the students who are
recognized tonight. Uh your successes have a positive impact throughout the entire school community. Um tonight there's a resolution to recognize the retirees. I want to thank each and every one of them for their contributions, dedication, and for being a
differencemaker. I'm going to recognize one in particular since he is new to that list and that is principal Tim Wan. Um, Principal Wand started teaching in at uh Pasak Valley in 2004. He became an
administrator in 2012. In 2020, he was named principal at Hills. Uh, I've only worked with him for a a little over a year, but it was obvious from the start that he set the tone for this building. And by tone, I mean a welcoming
environment, respect for all, pride in the school, staff, and students. He epitomizes putting students first. I want to wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors. I'd like to extend my congratulations to
the graduates and their families. I know this is a a busy but very rewarding time of year. It is hard to believe that less than 10 days, it will be graduation night. I look forward to addressing the graduates one last time on the 17th.
U the district in both schools uh ran a pilot for the Belltobell cell phone band. Uh we appreciate all the feedback we received about the experience. We're expecting further guidance from the Department of Education before the end of the month. We know this will be a
change for for many our our students, our parents, our administration, and our staff. and we're going to do our best to be thorough and communicate any and all changes regarding cell phone use during the school day. Uh the senior awards ceremony happened
last uh week uh last Thursday and it was a very successful evening. Congratulations to all the award winners which were approximately between the two school 200 students. I want to thank uh the administration and uh the counseling departments for putting the bet together
and I want to thank their donors for their generosity. Uh I want to give an update on the Hills principal search. We currently have 36 applicants. Uh applications are due this Friday. Next week we'll begin first
round interviews. We have representation from various groups within the school community involved in those interviews. Our goal is to have a recommendation to the board of education at our next meeting, which is July 15th. We are adjusting our board procedures,
which some of you might have noticed tonight. Uh an executive session will be scheduled at 7:00 before each meeting. Our public sessions are still scheduled for 7:30. The change will eliminate the need for the exe uh the board to go into executive session after the start of
public session, which uh is a little considerate to all our attendees in the audience. Our next board meeting, as I mentioned, is July 15th, which happens to be a Wednesday, which is something a little bit different. And lastly, I want to wish everyone a restful and enjoyable
summer. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Phillips. Um, moving on to Mr. Stanis, who will be presenting the New Jersey School Board Association. >> Okay. I attended on May 28th along with Mr. Wheel, Miss Pollinger, Miss
Graciano, and Mr. Mousini. Um, the Bergen County Spring Celebration and annual recognition meeting, and it was El and it was El at Elmwood Park High School. So, there you go. Um, it was I teach at Elwood Park.
That's why I'm saying it that way. Anyway, it was a wonderful evening celebrating the incredible work done in our local school districts and honoring the deep dedication of our schoolboard leaders. That evening was very special for Pasc Hills because it recognized Dr.
Malia for um being uh the Bergen County Teacher of the Year. Uh Dr. discussed the importance of education and policies implemented at the system level must be effectively translated into classroom practice. She emphasized
that teaching involves making responsive decisions in real time quite difficult. Uh she highlighted the uh need for systems that support focus thinking and persistence in students.
Uh she also stressed the importance of relationships and rigor in creating environments that foster student growth and success. Her focus on the importance of education and creating optimal classrooms conditions was inspirational
and motivational. And I would encourage anybody to uh go to the Bergen County School Board's website. They have the video there of her uh speech. And I also want to give a special thank you to the students, staff, and administration of
Elwood Park Memorial High School and the school district for their exceptional hospitality. The dinner was great. The students musical performances were outstanding. It was a great night. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Senis. Um, you u move on to the policy report. >> Whoa. Okay. quite a lot of policies were discussed. Um I have a full list of several pages
but I'll go if you don't mind I'll go to the decisions that we reached there. Uh so uh there was a decision made about guidance counseling. We chose to have the language conducted entirely by teaching staff members certified as a
school counselor. So we had to choose between two different uh wordings there. Uh as far as high school graduation, we chose to stick with our current policy regarding the seal of biiteracy and how we do that. our current policy the
district pays for the assessment and also the costs on uh insignia on the diploma and um yeah if you want to if anybody wants to take a look at the other committee report I don't know do you
want me to get into more of the other things um that that's about it curriculum content there was some language changes uh there were more detail detailed and defined and existing policies.
Um, yeah, like I said, it was quite an extensive list. Oh, also the notice to the about the board meetings. So, they're not going to be posted in any newspaper. They're going to be posted on our district website. So, that's a different
requirement. Now, um, yeah, that that that's about most of the things. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> We're going to move on to student reports. Stephanie Young um is not here, but Isabelle Medner will be taking her
place. Thank you. >> Good evening. So, for my to begin with my classroom item number one, Mr. Scurbo's AP Art History and AP World History classes visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 22nd to celebrate the comp the compet the completion, I'm
sorry, of their AP exams. Students had the opportunity to view many works featured in the AP art history curriculum while also exploring artifacts and artworks from cultures and historical periods from around the world. The visit concluded with special
ex exhibitions including the Raphael collection and the costume institute exhibit following the annual Met Gala. The field trip provided students with a unique chance to experience firsthand the heart the art and the history that they have studied throughout the year. And for classroom item number two,
students in Senora Rodriguez Spanish 1 class participated in a digital story showcase in the auditorium on June 8th. Working in small groups, students worked, animated, and narrated original stories entirely in Spanish, applying language skills they've developed
throughout the year. The project highlighted both their creativity and growing confidence in communicating in a second language. And and for classroom item number three, Chinese 2 and Chinese 3 students from post from both Pasc Valley and Pasc Hills continued their
pen pal partnership with Yangming High School in Taiwan. This month, students exchanged snack boxes and participated in small group video conferences, allowing them to share cultural experiences and practice their language skills. The program has fostered
meaningful international connections and generated excitement for potential travel opportunities in the 202627 school year. And for my first co-curricular item, the Asian Culture Club in the Bookish Broncos also visited the New York Public Library in Korea
Town on May 28th, 2026. At the NYPL, the students were guided by librarians into the art of declaration exhibit that honored the 250th anniversary of America, but also private study room with a curated collection honoring Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.
After these tours in the NYPL, students walked to Korea Town where they enjoyed various authentic dishes, Korean beauty, and other cultural experience. For my second co-curricular item, on May 7th, Project Patterson and Becca's Closet partnered up to host a prom dress and suit giveaway at the Great Falls Youth
Center in Patterson. Our students had the opportunity to help Patterson students find perfect prom outfits, and it was an incredible experience for everyone involved. Both clubs are so appreciative of the continued support we received from the Pascals community. Your generosity helps us make events
like this possible, and we are grateful for the opportunity to give back and support others in such a meaningful way. And for my third co-curricular item, at the 2026 graduation concert, the choir, concert band, and jazz band all performed after a long year of performances with the help of Miss Elen
and Mr. Door, they successfully performed as a group, beautifully sang numerous songs, and shared one last performance at Pascal Kills together. To celebrate their hard work and dedication to the music department, students went to Six Flags last Friday, June 5th, 2026. And for my athletic items, my
first one, the go the girls golf team coached by Billy Allen concluded a successful season with a 9-6 record in the Big Northeast League. Led by seniors Brooke and Talline, their team demonstrated strong leadership, consistency, and determination throughout the spring. Their efforts
helped guide the Broncos to an impressive season and set the strong foundation for a future of the program. For my second athletic item, the 2026 spring season has come to an incredible end. The boys tennis team made it to the state sectional finals after a 15-5
season in the Big North Patriot League. After being named the number two seed in the state tournament, they opened their round on Friday, May 22nd, dominating with a 5-0 victory over 15 seed Waldwick with every Hills player winning in straight sets. The team showcased its depth and deter its depth and
determination throughout the match, and they continue to carry this as the rest of their season progressed. And for my last athletic item, the girls softball team advanced to the second round of the state tournament, finishing with a season of 12 to 14 to1 record under the
leadership of coach Ali Mendy. Competing in the Big North Patriot League, the Broncos showcased resilience and determination throughout the season. Seniors Belle Seganthaler and Allison Cohen played key roles in making in the team su success providing leadership and
strong performances on both on and off the field. And for my joke of the day, what's the most popular summer exercise? Running out of sunscreen. >> That concludes my report for the board of education for June 2026.
>> Thank you, Isabelle. Um, moving on to Pasc Valley High School's student report. Maline Woo. >> This is Valley student report. Starting with classroom items. Classroom item number one is the history department under the leadership of Dr. Jerome began
a program called the ballet forum on June 2nd. The forum invited Dr. Jenna Russo to address the AP world students and speak about her work in international peacekeeping with the UN and the International Peace Institute. PB looks forward to making this a long-standing tradition and of inviting
experts in to speak with students. Classroom item number two is congratulations to the following seniors who received Italian honors national honor society chords. These students earned this honor by maintaining their GPA for four consecutive years and actively promoting and preserving the
Italian language and culture. The recipients are key Cordelano, Alexander Celler, Sophie Schmooer, and Amanda Vargis. In addition, the following recipients earned the National Italian National Honor Society and a $50 scholarship from the Katchcha Institute
at Montlair State University for achieving the top five averages in their Italian studies this year. Angelina Graham, Braden Ottomani, Abigail Comr, Jolie Coplin, and Julia Kolax. Classroom item number three is the Spanish National Honor Society created spring
flowers from pipe cleaners with positive messages in Spanish and English. Community members can visit Los Lorettto in Hillsdale to pick up some positivity and share it around town. Moving on to co-curricular items. Co-curricular item number one is the history club continues
to explore ways of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The club recently hosted Todd Brazade, local historian and author who spoke with the students at the site of the Baylor Massacre about the events that occurred there during the American Revolution. The American Legion also joined this
event. In addition, the history club hosted its annual Memorial Day program um attended by many teachers, students, and American Legion members honoring the PB students who died in service to our country. Co-curricular edit number two is the following Pasak Valley High School choir students were accepted to
the NJ American Coral Directors Association Mixed Honors Choir. Um Adriana Brown, Alexis Burchchell, Bella Diamedi, Ian Mershed, Kayla Nvice, Michaela Cabrera, and Satie Hong. These students will rehearse and perform on Ruckers University's campus in August
and will represent our district on a state level. Congratulations. On May 29th, vocal ensembles participated in the Bergen County Teen Arts Festival held on the campus of Bergen Community College. Congratulations to all our PV vocal ensembles as they earned high
praise from the festival festival's adjudicators on their excellent performances. On June 2nd, Pasak Valley High School senior music seniors presented a senior recital. This event included solos, duets, small group performances, and full ensemble numbers.
Lastly, on June 5th, Pasco Valley High School choirs successfully participated in the Trills and Thrills Music Festival at Tom River High School. Um, both the chamber choir and the mix choir earned superior ratings for their outstanding performances. U moving on to athletic items. Athletic item number one is
congratulations to all our spring athletes on a remarkable season. Many of our PV teams had a historic spring season. Um it was a season for the PV record books and congrats to all the athletes, coaches, and teams. Um for my fun fact, the final competitions of this year's Valley Cup occurred on Friday,
May 22nd at our Valley Cup assembly. The uh the events included a performance from the band, a relay ending with a hockey sack circle, a dance group competition, wig snatch, and a floor hockey tournament. It was a wonderful culminating ballet cup assembly for the entire school. Congratulations to the
class of 2026 for being this year's Ballet Cup winners. Um and for my joke, uh why do teachers wear sunglasses on the last day of school? Because their students are so bright. >> I love that. >> This concludes my report. Okay, moving on to agenda item number
six. Um, these are the minutes. Resolve that the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education at the recommendation of the interimm superintendent approve the following minutes from May 18th. Um,
can I have a motion, please? Thank you. >> Second, Kirk can um have roll call, please. Miss Calderon, I'm >> going to abstain from the here. >> Miss Guzman. >> Mrs. Wong.
>> Yes. I watched the video. >> Miss Mrs. Martin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stenis. >> Yes. >> Mr. Weaver. >> Uh, yes. Regular. I watched the video.
Abstain executive, >> Miss Stephins. Yes. >> Okay. Uh, moving on to comments from the public. Citizens are invited to make comments regarding agenda items and are limited to three minutes according to the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education policy
number 0167. Persons wishing to speak must upon being recognized rise, sign in, state their name, town of residence, and which agenda item they are referencing. Are there any comments from the public
at this time? You have to come up to the podium. Is it agenda item? Okay, moving on to policy. There are seven consent agenda items. May I have a motion, please? >> So move.
>> Second. >> Any discussion? Miss Kirk, may I have a roll call, please? >> Miss Calderon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Wong? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Martin? >> Yes.
>> Mr. Stenis? Yes, >> Mr. Weaver. >> Abstain five. Yes to everything else. >> Miss Stephens. >> Yes. >> Human resources. There are 28 consent agenda items with
regard to resignation. Oh, I'm sorry. Oops. Thank you. There are education. There are four consent agenda items. We have a motion, please.
>> Second. >> Any discussion? Miss Kirk, can we have a um roll call, please? >> Miss Calderon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Wong? Yes. >> Mrs. Martin?
>> Yes. >> Mr. Stenis? >> Yes. Mr. Weieber. >> Yes. >> Miss Stephins. >> Yes. Human resources. There are 28 consent agenda items. Um
number two under resignations, we're going to emit C. And I have a motion, please. >> So move. >> Second. Any discussion?
Okay, Miss Kirk, may we have a roll call, please? >> Miss Calderon, >> yes. >> Mrs. Wong, >> yes. >> Mrs. Martin, >> yes. >> Mr. Senis, >> yes. >> Mr. Weaver. Miss Stephins.
>> Yes. Moving on to finance. There are 31 consent agenda items. Um, can we have a motion, please? Second.
Any discussion? >> Okay. >> Miss Kirk, may we have a roll call, please? >> Miss Calderon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Wong? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Martin? >> Yes. >> Mr. Senis? >> Yes. >> Mr. Weaver?
>> Yes. >> Miss Stephins? >> Yes. Okay. Any old business or any new business? >> So, I don't have any new business, per se. Did you want to go first?
>> I I do, but go ahead first. >> Okay. So, um it's not new business, but I just wanted to do a quick shout out to my son's teachers, um Charles Calderon. I just put a little something together. It's it's uh it's a bittersweet moment
for my husband and I. Um as Charles graduates this year, my husband and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you not just for the past four years, but everything that his teachers poured into him along the way. Um you know, thank you for caring, for helping, for guiding him, for not giving up even on the days
when, let's be honest, uh he, you know, probably took some willpower. Um thank you for seeing his possibilities and for believing in him sometimes before he believed in himself. Um, that kind of teaching leaves a mark that lasts far longer than any school year and far
longer than uh the homework excuses which I'm sure that they heard every single day. Um, this moment is bittersweet for us as Charles is our fourth son graduating from Hills. Uh, we've been part of this school community for 24 years. Um, we're fairly certain
we've personally funded a wing in this building through fundraisers spirit. We're in last minute poster board runs at 9:00 p.m. Uh, this graduation marks uh end of an era and we're not entirely sure what we're going to do with ourselves now that we're not memorizing the school calendar by heart so we can take our vacations. Um, it's been quite
the ride and while we'll miss it, we're ready as Charles as is Charles to step into his next phase. We carry your kindness, your patience, and your dedication with us as we go. So, thank you. Thank you. Um, I just also wanted to uh
do a shout out and um my neighbor and I were very excited to see that the Bro Squad and other music department uh members actually did a show at the library in Hillsdale and it was outstanding. So, I just wanted to thank
them for reaching out to the community and um sharing their talent with all of us. >> Thank you. Um, I too would like to give a shout out. Um, I was really honored and um, I
felt really um, just overwhelmed um, because two students from Pasc Valley, I'm calling you out, Anna Stern and Sophia Cutner, um, members of the they Mr. Jasper's
honors public policy class asked me to come and um listen to their public policy um presentation for their final project. I was blown away. I was blown away. I
was very interested. Um I um I worked from home and I went in. They were magnificent. um they presented themselves professionally. I mean this is college level. There's no doubt in my mind. I am
a college professor. Um and college level for sure. Um they put together the presentation. They were on point. They the questions that I had, they had ready and answered. They put in the time, the effort. They
love the topic. And the topic was regarding um the uh the ban of books. And they anticipated they did everything um an attorney
loves um and loves seeing and their energy, their passion um was fabulous. So shout out to the our students. You are magnificent. And shout out to our schools. They are
wonderful and thank you Mr. Jasper for everything you've done for these kids. Um I also want to give another shout out to um Mr. Wheeland. Um this very very very hard for me um
because he I've known Mr. Wheeland since um a memorial um memorial school when I met him on the kinder kinder path. Um and um he is a wonderful principal as many of us know. Um he is like family.
He's a tremendous leader. Um he is the heart of this school. We are going to miss him and they're very very big shoes to fill. Um and I'm going to leave it at that because I'm going to get upset. So um Mr. Wheelen, thank you. Um we wish
you all the best. I wish you all the best um um for your next chapter. So, thank you. Um any other new business? Okay. Comments from the public. Citizens
are invited to make comments and are limited to three minutes. According to the Pasc Valley Regional High School District Board of Education policy number 0167, persons wishing to speak must upon being recognized rise, sign in, state their
name and town of residence. Hello, my name is Sharon Kenicho. I lived in Hillsdale for 50 years. Long time. My children, my grandchildren, they all went to Pasak Valley. Uh you may know me. I've worked in the
school district for 37 years. I started as a hall monitor, cafeteria, a custodian. My last six years have been the buildings and grounds coordinator over at Valley. I know you're doing what you're doing, but I just wanted to let you know maybe what a lot of the
custodians do in their jobs. It'll be very fast. Um, snow, they come in at 4:00 in the morning while you were all in bed or on a call half a day or something and we have to come in in the bed snow and
they're there at 4:00 in the morning to clean out. so you can get school going. They're in at 4:00 in the morning for voting to set up for the voting machines at the high school. They come in at 5:00 to set up for the blood drive at the
high school. We had a county basketball game a couple years ago and it was raining and all of a sudden at halftime it decided to leak in the middle of the gym floor. My custodians took it in hand and went and got the lift. They fixed the floor.
County was happy because they had no place to put their games. Kids get sick in the classroom. They have to clean up blood and other stuff. It's not fun thing, but they do it. They have to go kill the bees that are in the room when the kids complain.
Set up the board of education meeting when we have it. Set up for graduation. That takes two days at Pasak Valley. There's 1,200 chairs. There's music rides. Well, the whole bunch of stuff that has to be brought out and brought
back in. So, we're there till late. They also drive school buses in after school and during the day. They clean the cafeteria, the gym when the students are done eating lunch. And in the summer, they clean the whole
school when painting to do cleaning windows and anything else that's done. And there's probably many more things that I could say, but I I I just wish you would think about it again because they are really great and they love what
they're doing. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Rob Ortiz. Uh 564 Roosevelt River. Uh, I've been a resident in Rivervale for 17 years. I have three children. One's a ninth grader at Paskeak Valley. One's a seventh grade boy going into eighth
grade. Um, and one's a fifth grade girl. He'll be at Halddram next year. Uh, my son at Pasc Valley is a three sport athlete. So, my family regularly attends events at the high school spectators. Um, go to the school, play, all that sort of stuff. Um, additionally, I run the Pasc Valley youth wrestling
practices two nights a week in the building. Uh my younger children participate in recreational basketball and flag football at the school and uh also attend baseball and softball clinics on school grounds. So we're at PV all the time. Um I've also spent the
last 70 uh excuse me, not 75, 25 years teaching history and uh coaching multiple sports at Northern Valley Regional High School in Altapan. Um I'm sure you've heard all the arguments so far about why outsourcing the custodial staff is a bad idea. uh
very likely going to lower the quality of maintenance of the indoor facilities and the athletic fields. Uh which by the way are the fundamental and lasting impressions that most visitors and prospective families get of the school when they first show up. I know it's the first thing my wife and most my friends
say when we go to a game. Talk about what the field is like. Talk about what the building's like. Uh almost certainly there are going to be increased concerns about student and visitor safety uh um with the potentially diminished vetting process
that might come with outsourcing and uh definitely a diminishment of school community culture. Uh as a parent and a youth coach in the building, uh I think I speak for many of my friends when I say I'd be concerned about having my daughter just go out in the hallway, go to the bathroom with people around
that I'm not sure have been vetted properly. uh letting kids leave practice from the gym and go to the bathroom for bathroom breaks, get a glass, you know, I wouldn't I would be more concerned than the familiar faces that I'm used to seeing, you know, in the hallway that I become friendly with. Uh and I can tell
you, you know, I'm not a big fan of buzzwords, but in, you know, the educational lexicon that we use, uh I think you consider the custodians as some of our most important stakeholders in the community. I know the guys that and women that I work with at Altapan.
Um I'm friends with them. I have their cell phone numbers. I talk with them regularly. They care more about the success and the appearance and um whatever's going on in the school than almost everybody else who works there. They take great pride in it. Uh
the um uh woman who just spoke talked about how early they're up in the morning. Uh I think you're going to have find trouble finding outsource people who are willing to put in the same kind of extra effort that's necessary. there is so much more that goes on besides just what is the traditional kind of work where as a coach or a teacher I say
hey you know here's an issue gets done because we're friends and we work together and we know each other um you know they're more important to the success of our extracurriculars and athletic programs than just about anybody besides the coaches and the athletes themselves includes any
administrator in the building uh and I would say if you sever those community st connections between the custodian staff in the school, it's going to suffer. Just very quickly, I have a lot of people who ask me what I think about the school district and I'm proud to report to them that in my short
experience so far, I think the Pasc Valley School District is superior to the Northern Valley School District in a number of respects. But I can tell you also that if you outsource the custodial staff, it's going to be the first thing that people hear from me when they ask my opinion about it. Thank you. Thanks very much.
Good evening. My name is Lori Morurell. I'm the president of the Montail Education Association right on down the street. And I'm also a member of BCEA and I'm a delegate to NJA. So, I'm well aware of what's going on, the challenges
that you all are facing financially. And I'll tell you right from the get, I would not want to be y'all because you have got to make some tough decisions. But I'm begging you, please reconsider this decision with the custodians. We
have outsourced and yep, I'm going to say I'm sorry, but they really are there at 4:30 in the morning and they are setting up those chairs. But you know what you just said about Mr. Wheeling that he was family.
The outsourced custodians are not our family. They're not. The people that are our employees are our family. And as family, we take care of each other. When we need something extra, they are there.
The outsource people will not be there for you. And I can tell you that from experience. Please, I'm begging you, please try to come up with another way to save money in these challenging financial times.
Thank you. Thank you. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Kaitlyn Mafy and I'm a social studies teacher at Pasc Hills High School. We started off this school year with our superintendent during our opening meeting talking about how clean our buildings were compared to
other districts that he's worked in. And he specifically praised our custodial staff for the work that they did over the summer. A recognition that was welld deserved. I've been fortunate to call this district my home for the past 20 years. So I can speak for how they do
things in other districts. But what I can say is that whenever I talk to colleagues who have worked elsewhere, they consistently tell me the same thing that our custodial staff is exceptional. When something breaks, it gets fixed. When teachers need supplies, they get
them. When help is needed setting up for an event, the custodial staff is always there. They get things done and they get things done quickly. This is just who our custodial staff is. Our buildings are better because of the work that they do every day. What makes our custodial
staff truly special is they're not just employees. They are part of our school community. They care about the buildings they're in. They know our students. They care about our students. And they contribute to the positive culture that makes this district a great place to be.
Privatizing our custodial staff may seem like a solution on paper, but it would come at a significant cost to our school community. Some things cannot be measured in dollars and cents, and the dedication, relationships, and institutional knowledge of our custodial
staff are among them. Please do not privatize our custodial staff. I believe it will create more problems than it solves, and our school community will ultimately pay the price. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi, I'm uh Debbie Horn. I teach social
studies here at Pasak Hills. Um I'm a Bloomfield resident and I drove back and forth to Bloomfield today to speak to you. Um I've been here for 26 years and what I've learned um are the values of our school district and I think our
community and they were echoed by many of you tonight. We value educational excellence. We also value community and loyalty. Um, Miss Calderon, when you spoke about your I I taught TJ years ago, you know, we know families who've been here for a long time. I just found
out today that I taught one of my students aunts. No parents yet. Um, I always think of my hallway as the street and the people who are next to me as my neighbors. So, Patricia Sulers is across the street. Jane, Jane is my next door
neighbor. Um, Miss Gardbashio is all the way down the street. Um, and I think that speaks to the way we think of each other in our community. Um, the other thing is like people stay like I've been here for 26 years. If people leave, it's usually for a promotion somewhere. Um,
and our custodians are part of that. And I think that when we speak of our values as a community, and I do consider myself a member of your community or of this community, those values of loyalty and caring about people and being there for people, that's who we are. And
privatizing would just go against and challenge that value and make me reconsider if that was really one of the values that we stood for. And I don't think that's true. um people stay here and they have that level level of loyalty and we don't have much turnover
because we treat them well, right? Um you know, Bobby who is in the cafeteria chose to become a custodian because it was a better position. I always knew when I could hear Jim Ward's music, it was time to go home because I was staying too late. Um people go above and
beyond because they know they're appreciated. and you've heard so many other examples and I just want to encourage you to choose something other than privatization. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Uh my name is Nick Skerbo. This is my ninth year teaching at Pasc
Hills. Um I live in Mawa. Um, and during my time at at Pasc Hills, I've also uh coached multiple sports here. Um, Woody Hayes, who's in the College Football Hall of Fame, titled his autobiography, you win with people. Um, because Hayes understood that any successful
organization is built on the human relationships and the human care that comes from the way people treat each other in a community. Um, I believe that one of the reasons that Pasak Hills and Pasak Valley High School are successful is because from the moment that their students enter the building, they're
enveloped by a community that knows how to treat each other. Um, the first people they see in the morning and some of the last people they see in the evening are our custodial staff who demonstrate through their actions towards the building and through their actions towards the students that the community matters to them. They model on
a daily basis how our students should act in the community. that helps our students become the people that they are. Um, that level of care would cease to exist with an outsourced group because you are no longer dealing with people. You were
dealing with a company. You're no longer dealing with people who are part of your community because you've chosen to cast the people who are in it aside. Um, I know that I felt welcomed when I came here in my first year teaching as an outsider because of the way people treated me and many of them were our
custodial staff. I'm grateful for all they've done for me, for our community, for our students, for our building. Um, and I know that our community would be significantly lesser without them. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments from the public?
We thank you and appreciate all your comments. Moving on to um an adjournment. Um motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> We are ajourned. Good evening.