Regular meeting of the Pitman Board of Education was posted at Pro Hall. A copy thereof delivered to all Pitman schools to be posted and posted on the district's website. Further notice was posted and filed as as required by law. The board would meet in close session at 6:30 p.m. and then amended to reflect a
6 p.m. start type start time at the Pitman High School Media Center. The president shall entertain any objections with supporting reasons to the conduct of this meeting on the grounds that it violates the open public public meeting act. Can't get it out today.
Seeing none. All right. Good evening and welcome to this evening's meeting. Um please join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. Please join me in the state of pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Mr. Stra, will you please call? >> Yeah. Mrs. Bolton >> here. >> Mrs. Frell, Mr. Gman, >> present. >> Mrs. Mr. Higono >> here.
>> Mrs. Miller >> here. >> Mrs. Capalardo >> here. >> Mrs. Pope >> here. >> We have quorum. >> Thank you. >> This now bring us to our first public comment. The Pitman um public school board 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. This is the first of two public comments that we will have tonight. The first public hearing is on agenda items only. This is a public comment, not a dialogue between the board and the public. You will have three minutes to speak. In accordance with board policy number 0167, we ask that you state your name, group affiliation of applicable, and
municipality of residents. To be recognized to speak, please come stand to the podium located to my right and speak clearly into the microphone so the folks at home can hear you. Okay, seeing none, that will take us to correspondence. Do we have any correspondence? >> We do. We did receive a letter from Mr.
physicero in town just thanking the board uh the administration for his family's experience and his his children um commending them for just doing a great uh great job. So you all have a copy of this. >> Very good. You all see that? >> Great. Thank you.
Okay, that's going to take us to the approval of our meeting minutes. I will now move to accept a motion for the minutes of the Pitman Board of Education as held on the dates listed below are approved as presented and reading dispens with. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Firstman.
>> All in favor? I. >> Any objections? I >> I guess I need to abstain because I wasn't here. >> Yes. and >> meeting there. >> All right. Uh I'm gonna go ahead and
we're going to go a little out of order. I I'll turn it over to um Dr. Preston and then the girls and then I'll let you I'll go. >> Sure. I'm pleased to report that there were no HIPS um for the previous month. Um you'll see there that the HIP self- assessment grades um as required under
New Jersey statute. Um, I need to present the results of our district's HIV, self- assessment, harassment, intimidation, and bullying for the past school year. This process is mandated by the state to ensure that all districts are implementing effective policies, practices, and supports to prevent and
respond to incidences of bullying. The grades you will see reflect how well we are meeting those standards across areas such as reporting, investigation, training, and school climate. While these scores provide a snapshot of our compliance and efforts, they also help guide our ongoing work to strengthen a safe and supportive environment for all
students. Uh at Pitman Junior Senior High School, the high school, we have a direct tie with the character traits of the month and students of the month. Students are encouraged to embody that trait in order to qualify for student of the month. Uh we have u uh reported very
high metrics in um in um areas such as investigation, training, and school climate. I know Mr. long comes and uh presents to all the administrators. Um so I I very much appreciated that. Um I do want to share in inside of this report too just because it's kind of
tangential to it, but uh Pitman Junior Senior High School is named um and I see Miss Stewart out there uh named uh by Character.org their character plus program which is uh which is related to the National Schools of Character. They received a promising practice for their
practice of character every day building a culture through visible values. Um, so I want to report that and each school actually received a promising practice. Uh, that's a lot a lot has to do with our work with Citrus, um, our character program where we're kind of building
momentum right now into into really kind of getting that schoolwide. Uh, the total the HIPP grade was 67 out of 78 for the junior senior high school high scores. uh PES highlighting the monthly character virtue, goodness for all messages and common language of the citrus program have provided the schools
with an anchor to focus on positive behaviors. Adopting a district-wide character program has led the less office referrals and reduced the hib invest reduced hib investigations. In addition, counselors are teaching preventative lessons around character virtue around the character virtue of
the munch month, excuse me, which is helping shape expected behavior. The elementary school, as I just said, was named uh a promising practice school uh for their program called Pitman Small Town, Big Heart. And for those who don't know, heart is our acronym for with all
of our val for all of our virtues uh and values um at our at our school throughout the district. Uh their hip grade was 68 out of 78. Uh Memorial School reciting the pause pledge incorporated with the virtue of the month reminds students daily of the expectations of good character. Having
uh school counselors out during recess allows for immediate problem solving conversations and modeling. Additionally, social workers and counselors have provided families with resources resources which has helped with the homeschool connection surrounding behavior and socialization. Their hip grade was a 78 out of 78. Um
and the they also were named a promising practice called strength through spheres. We'll be posting that. These were just uh named I believe the junior senior high school we just got yesterday or Monday. Um and uh these other ones were the day before as well. So we'll be posting that and uh celebrating that
achievement of each of those schools. So congratulations. Um so that's the HIP report. Two other things I just wanted to to brief the board on. I just uh yet just yesterday, maybe the day before, uh don't quote me on it. I received a um correspondence from Creative Pitman, members of Creative Pitman and the
Burrow Council. Um they're they're trying to plan the 250th anniversary of our country celebration for the ahead of the July 4th parade. I don't know if you know this, but it's called the semi quincentennial celebration for quarter millennial celebration. Kind of cool. Uh I guess
our country is still young. >> Uh 250. And so their thought was we had some discussion on this with the mural outside of Davis Field, what that theme would be. They they're posing a question and you pro you might have heard this at at Burough Council. What does freedom mean to you? Um, and so I'll be taking
this to uh if if it's okay with you, taking it to our art teachers. I know it's short order. They they realize that too. But if we can try to get something done, something sketched out potentially ahead of that July 4th celebration, I think it would be actually a really nice sort of patriotic mural for that Davis
Field right there, which is just kind of plain now. Now, if Mark Morris is listening out there, I haven't I didn't get a chance to call him before this meeting. I I know he was in he was CCD on that email. Um, I know he wants it cleaned a certain way prior to putting art, you know, artwork on it. Um, and
certainly we would defer to to our experts in the in the art uh department here as well. >> So, I'll send you that information as as that progresses too. Um, that concludes my report. >> Okay. I'll turn it over.
>> Um, at the end of last month, the senior class had their senior trip from April 27th to May 1st. Um, they enjoyed an eventful 5 days at the Disney parks and Universal. Students also showed their appreciation for teachers this month for teacher appreciation week where NHS gave
um the staff candy filled cups and student council did voting on teacher superlatives. The school had a lot of testing this month, including NJSLA and AP testing. During this, the junior, senior, and high students started a prom spirit week, which was a new addition
this year. The dress up days included initial day, where you dress as something as the same initial as your first name. A Hawaiian day, don't dress for the occasion, which is where you wear something like fancy or something that doesn't fit the environment. Um,
denim versus flannel. Wednesdays we wear pink and pajama day. Um it was a spirit week competition between the teachers and the students following prom on May 14th. Um the students versus teachers basketball game happened on May 12th and
the junior high had their spring luau dance on Friday the 8th. Um on the 12th the band hosted an instrumental spring concert for both junior and senior high in the high school auditorium. um for Pitman Elementary School. They wrapped up state testing um this year
was adaptive and on a new platform which was Cambium um is if that's how you pronounce it. The teachers worked hard to learn the new ins and outs of the platform and students showed grit and perseverance. Uh they also kicked off the color run on
May 1st. It was a huge success with hundreds of families participating. Um upcoming events is the art show on the 26th and 27th. The walls of the school will be filled with colorful artwork from students in second through
6th grade. The spring band um concert will be on the 27th and 28th and the concerts are both held in the PHS auditorium at 700 p.m. At Memorial, students and staff kicked off things with an amazing teacher and staff
appreciation week. The outpouring of gratitude for the hard work their teachers support staff gave was very appreciated. Uh, Memorial thanks the board of education for the treats and the HSA and Kubat Construction for the awesome lunches. Their ABC countdown to
summer has been fun. B for bubble day was a favorite so far and they look forward to O for outside games and W, which is water ice. Um, they had fun field trips to the Edelman Fossil Park, Storybook Land, and the Delaware Children's Museum. Um, there is still
the butterfly celebration, field day, and many class picnics. Um, and they will con conclude the school year with their first grade clap out as they wish their first graders the best of luck at PEES. >> Thank you, girls. >> So, you're going to stay with us all
summer, right? Just keep doing reports. >> I'm going nowhere. >> Do you guys have meetings in the summer? >> We do. >> We do, but you don't have to. >> Okay. >> Well, yeah. >> I'll be at RCSJ. So, >> so you can come on over and just keep reading reports. Did you have fun prop? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. your favorite song that they played.
>> Oh, >> I don't. >> You don't remember? >> I just danced to whatever was on. >> You just jumped up and down. >> I loved it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So, I do have a little bit of a longer president's report, but I will try to make it as quick as possible. >> Um, it's May. All right. May 7th was the
Gloucester County School Board Association meeting. Um, thanks for everyone who was able to attend. Mrs. Feral and Mrs. Pot were recognized. They're certified board members. Um, so in order to become a certified board member, you have to have 28 credits in the board member academy. And the areas of training that are covered in the
board member board member academy are governance, student achievement, policy, finance, advocacy, and special education and communication. um attend the annual workshops, attend regional or statewide professional development, and since we
uh are required by statute to participate in the NJSBA and pay our dues, I think our board does a really nice job of taking advantage of some of those opportunities for training that are inclusive in the uh the dues that we pay. So, congratulations to Mrs. Pote and Mrs. Frell for all of your effort.
On May 8th, I just wanted to thank we delivered pretzels to the three respective buildings on behalf of the board of education. So, thank you all for chipping in. They came from the Amish market. They smell delicious. I don't even eat soft pretzels, but they Oh, were they? They smelled really good all the way there. I'm like, maybe I do
like soft pretzels. >> So, thank you all for chipping in. >> The Midwest. >> The soft pretzels. Yeah, I didn't grow up on them. Yeah, I didn't grow up on them. Yeah, they didn't have them in Ohio. I'm sure they did really, but they didn't have them in a shopping cart at a parade. I know that. That was eye opening. When I moved here from Ohio, I
was like, >> that is a person in a shopping cart. I'm getting off topic, but that was very enlightening to a girl from Ohio. >> All right. Uh May 11th are we had students that shadowed Burough Council, uh the mayor and the administrator. So, we always want to thank them for their
partnership with the school district for youth week. May 13th, the board of education was appreciative of the invitation to attend the fifth grade pasta dinner. I guess it's the second annual pasta dinner. We had excellent servers. Um, so I just want to thank PES
for inviting us. This is a new tradition, I guess, second year, right? >> Yeah. >> And I thought it was really great and the students were >> It was really >> adorable and eager and the food was delicious, too. >> Um, a little bit of a longer update on May 14th. It was the Senate Education uh
Department of Education budget hearing. I wasn't able to attend. It had moved from the 12th where it was originally scheduled. It conflicted with prom. So, this amateur cosmetologist who had to run a hair salon in her dining room could not be in both places at once. But, um, I just wanted to share out some
of the communication that I have shared with some of our legislators as it kind of reflects upon some of these topics so that the boards looped in. We had sent an email following up on our meeting with Senator Buchelli's office on April 29th and one of the topics that Dr. Preston and I had touched on in our
meeting with Dr. Preston was the cost of out of district placements and the transportation costs as well. So in our communication to Senator Berselli, we highlighted three examples of um really high per pupil transportation costs that districts in Gloucester County have have
faced in this school year so that he could have those in front of him in advance of his budgetary hearing. We also shared that communication with Kelly Hinkle, who is Manhattan Township Board of Education President who runs the Fair Funding Collective, and she shared that with uh Legislative District
6, Assembly Majority Leader, um Greenwald's office, because we had had a meeting with him as well with Mr. Summer Hayes, one of his legislative staff members to kind of continue to draw attention to those topics. So, I wanted to also thank Dr. Preston for reaching
out to his colleagues. he was able to get some additional information and sample contracts from an area a number of area school districts um and we were able to highlight them and we have similar routes and so I'm just going to touch upon and share a couple examples but I'm actually going to share um transportation contracts that reflect
single pupil populations in other districts because very sensitive to wanting to make sure that Pitman students aren't identified because the routes are specific and we're such a small community that um I think it's you we have very similar ones so for example in a neighboring district, there's a
contract for $157,779. That's simply the transportation. That does not include a 101 aid, any extraordinary services, medical services, does not include their tuition, does not include the contract for their extended school year services. Um, and so that's just one example of a
a a cost that we really have difficulty mitigating through any of the other types of solutions that we routinely can utilize. We also talked about um how many contracts exceed six figures in transportation. We talked we touched upon with county vento students our
homeless students population and while those unique routes can sometimes work in partnership with other area districts. It is difficult to get those contracts below six figures. >> You mean seven the high you're talking about the 800. Never mind the the right daily. No,
you're right. It's it's May and I >> was I thought you were talking about the per day. >> Oh per day. Yes, >> they approached. >> Yes. And we >> I think so one of the sample districts from a um so we also talked about the tuition rates at the private special education schools and how they've grown
since the induction of SFRA. So for example um the DOE approves the tenative tuition rate on an annual basis for private special education schools. This year Somerset has a school that's $182,000 a year. Again that's not inclusive of a student who may also need
a 101 aid in that district. any medical services, any additional services that are not supplied within the school, does not include their extended school year tuition. And then the Department of Education after the year has been completed can come back to the district and ask for additional funds. So, it's only a tenative rate. So, after the
year, we're often given an adjustment. We pay for those expenses during the school year. Um, typically on a monthly basis depending on the contract. Is that accurate? Okay. >> And so, uh, we don't receive aid for those services from the state until after the school year. So, this is one of those things that we've had to use
local funds, our community's property tax dollars to supplant the cost of those that were previously covered by things like state aid. So, as we see a decrease in extraordinary special education aid and as we see a decrease in our equalization aid, we need additional
local funds to cover the costs of some of those services. Um, so this year in fiscal year 27's budget budget, governor's budget address, they have flat funded extraordinary special education aid at a $420 million again. And the state is estimating that it'll
be $999 million in extraordinary special education services that are delivered by local education agencies that are um eligible for that reimbursement. So this year we were at about a 50% reimbursement rate. Next year we're anticipating a 42% reimbursement rate.
And so we talked we wanted to highlight some of those details while we're you know we're always kind of advocating on behalf of our district and Gloucester County as a whole and other districts you know that are in a similar position to make sure that our legislators are aware of some of the nuances of that. We talked about the federal passrough rate
um semi which is a type of funding source that in other states uh they see a lot of in New Jersey we see very little of it. In our district, we don't meet the 40 student waiver, >> right? >> So, we would have to waiver in to be able to even apply, right? >> No, we we do participate because we have
a certain number of students, but yeah, the reimbursement is very small, >> right? So, the state keeps 50% of the money that the federal government gives us for semifunding before they then pass it back to us that we receive pennies on the dollar for. And the same goes for McKenna Vento funding. So, the state
estimates there's 17,000 students that'll be um eligible for Mc Mckenny Vento status. This federal government gives us $2.4 million. They actually give us more. That's the state. That's what the state allocates to us on a three-year competitive grant cycle by region. There's four regions. So, you're
talking, you know, an incredibly small amount when you can have single day contracts for mechano students that are in excess of $1,000 a day. So, these were all some of the things that we kind of wanted to touch upon. Um, we sent an email yesterday to Senator Gopal's
office uh in support of Senate Bill uh 2620 and the counterpart Assembly Bill 1197. This would increase the state's financial responsibility to pay for students that are eligible for transportation bento. I see you on it. That's right. >> Okay. And uh the Treasury receipts were
due in yesterday's budget address. Um and they while they were trending a little higher, the governor then came out later in a press conference and indicated that they did not anticipate increased spending. So despite those April receipts coming in a little better than we had hoped, uh on May 6, so that's my long blurb and I included some
of the things from the finance committee meeting u the NJSBA school finance committee meeting that I had last evening in this just to keep it all on topic so that everyone's eyes could glaze over while I talk just once during this. On May 16th, Mr. Gman attended our
NJSBA delegate assembly. Mr. Gman, how was that? How was the bacon? >> Bacon was good. >> It was riveting. Riveting. Um there were six resolutions on the docket this year that the I'll just touch on couple of them. The biggest one was they again
like I stated what what the delegate assembly is is we change our charter for what we want the NJSBA to advocate to our legislators for to try to affect make law. So, the biggest one this year was uh ranked uh rank choice voting on a
ballot. Like in Pitman, we have two board of ed seats every year up for election. Most years there's only two names on it, but uh if there were five names on the ballot, our ballot says vote for two. So, you get to vote for the two people
you want to win the seat. Rank choice voting would be you rank the five names on the ballot who you want to see win, who you want to see second, third, fourth, and fifth. Then it's like baseball sai young and MVP voting where you rank you get points for each category and it'll be a conglomerate
winner versus popular election. >> And some districts already do this. I was reading that another district just moves in that direction. >> They they were saying New Jersey charter says that the district has the right to how they want their ballot to post, not the state. The state can't mandate how your ballot should read. It's the
district votes for how they want their bout to read. That was a long time debating that one. Uh it narrowly failed. Uh NJSBA wanted it to pass. It lost 41 51 to 49% of the vote. >> Okay. >> So that didn't pass.
>> What were you? >> We voted no. >> Anyway, >> uh I won't touch on resolution two. It was It had nothing to do with anything that's not in the charter. It was an ICE thing and it was just political grandstanding in a in a non-political
arena. There's nothing they wanted to change on the charter that's not already in the wording. They just wanted the opportunity to stand up and speak their opinion on it. It passed, but the language is already there presently. So, we voted to pass resolution to add language that we already have to repeat
the language that's already in there. Resolution three was uh payment and low of taxes. Uh they want school boards to have say to county, local governments that when they want to
give these pilot programs to developers and whatnot. We want to be able to have a say on on the committee. And I know April's already talked about this with our Sony project, our Sony property. >> Yeah. >> So, we we want to advocate that passed. That was that was literally 107 votes to
three votes for no. >> If I could just add on, >> who would vote no for that? The worst school board members of all time. >> Well, it depends. You have to remember that there's also county affiliated and regional boards that would have a trickier hand getting, you know, a piece of that pie. So,
>> they're they're feeling, well, here's the other reality. So, in pilot agreements currently, the value of the pilot doesn't count towards your equalization. So, it's it's largely uh wealth that's hidden in the formula and certain municipalities, it assists them greatly. Asbury Park, Jersey City,
Jersey City, I think had $400 million pilot program that is not in their equalization aid calculation. So, out of 124 districts that have pilot agreements, there's more that have them, but that's $76 million of lost revenue for a school district in just one year. >> So, it's advantageous to certain districts to not get a piece of that
because they'll lose sight. So, those so excited now. And I bet I'd listen, >> but not this guy. No. What? Pardon? I made the face. Oh, >> that was pretty much all the excitement stuff for the day. Uh,
>> yeah, the bacon was good, but yes, it was six hours of my lunch and I will never >> solid Saturday. It's on an all day Saturday. Um, I do want to thank you for going. I also want to let everyone know that Mr. Gman has indicated that this is probably his second to last meeting. He
tried last year if you recall to do the same thing and we were like >> I was volunttoled by April that I had to stay. >> I would never. So >> it's well they want to move it to once a year and make it a 8 to five day. As if we're not getting there already over the
four years I've been on it. We're pretty much used to be out of there by noon. Now we're getting out of there like 1:30. >> So I just want to put that on folks radar that Mr. Gman has agreed to finish the year as our NJSBA delegate um assembly representative, but that is something that Mrs. Fair is shaking her
head. She's >> She's like, you're making eye contact. I don't like it. Um >> better every time. I ain't going to lie to you. The breakfast is amazing. >> The breakfast is amazing. >> And for a community college, the coffee is fantastic. >> Coffee is really good. I like the coffee, too.
>> All right, that's going to take us to May 18th. I want to thank Mrs. Papalardo for attending the academic excellence dinner. I really appreciate that you were able to fill in. I'm sure it's always a fun night. >> That was nice. Yeah. >> Good. We're coming up on recognition night. Um it's going to be June 3rd.
>> 3rd. Thank you. So, this year we've done away from making it a formal board of education meeting. I thought that that was always like kind of wonky that we had to get up there and start a meeting and then we'd recognize all the kids. So this year we have moved the board members will still all be in attendance and do all the things that we previously
did minus the weird speech in the beginning of opening meetings and all that jazz from up on the podium. But we will have the students and staff that are recognized in the uh following month's meeting. So it's memorialize the meeting minutes just as a resolution item. Right. That's where we have it. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Uh yes, >> that's totally fine. >> Yeah. So I think that's >> I just thought it was a tradition so that's fine. I really I don't know. Stacey's our longest tenure board member. So, >> in my opinion, >> yeah, pardon. >> It's an awards night. It's not
>> No, you don't staring at people. >> The requirement is whenever it's whenever we're discussing board business or acting upon board business. That's just a ceremony, >> right? Just like graduation. Right. Right. Exactly. Right. So, you you definitely don't have to do that. >> Yeah. So, I'm I'm glad we can just make
sure that it's memorialized that way and still recognize everyone. Um the CSA review process is under is um undergoing. Dr. Preston started his self-ealuation. He has to Okay, perfect. So he has to complete that. Um and then the board can complete their uh their
evaluation. We're on a tight time crunch this year. We I think it's the second year in a row unfortunately that we've been in this position where we've really kind of not left oursel enough time um to work because we know that everybody's schedules are so hectic in June. So after everyone completes their evaluation, I wanted to open up a
discussion item about having um an ad hoc committee do the final run through before we present it to Dr. Preston. So everyone will still everyone but Mrs. Hyiona who's conflicted will still complete their self evaluation. >> His evaluation, >> he does his first, then we all go in and
do ours and then typically we could sit together in a work session and co-mingle it into one completed document where we take everyone's pieces. Wait, is did we already start the self? That's >> the self evaluation is different. >> I'll be done by Friday.
We're evaluating you. >> Yes, we have to do that every year. It has to be by statute recognizing like we should really be doing that. We should have had a work session before this month's meeting >> where we would be like going through it, but we are so jammed up at the end of this year. >> I have to finish mine. I I'll have it
done by the end of the week so you can work on Memorial Day. >> But is the I want to open a discussion item. >> Thank you so much. Is the board comfortable with an ad hoc committee, Mrs. Papario? It would probably mean Miss Papardio and I and another non-conlicted member in co comingling all of your individual evaluations into one document.
>> Yes. >> Yes. We did that last year that >> we did do it this year. >> Yes. >> But pardon. Can I come? >> You You're welcome to come. Yes. >> Yes. Is a act of volunteerism. Yes. >> Has been sketchy. >> He I know we should we could start a process where you evaluate the board
solicitor. >> Okay. everything. >> So, uh, so yeah. So, if you guys are all comfortable with that, >> but what I am going to ask is that we try to get our individual evaluations done by May 30th. So, Dr. I know. Seriously, Bolton said
that. >> Yeah. So, >> well, well, good thing it's going to rain this weekend. >> It is. It's going to be really It's going to be like 55 on Saturday. So, you're not you're not going to make it. >> Does that sound good? >> Okay. All right. >> And Sounds good to me.
>> Oh yeah. The other thing I just want to let you know um Sweetsboro Woolwitch president stop Mr. Pavardo and I you have to save as you go. Keep saving any of your comments. Even if you want to open up a Google doc next to it and just copy and paste your docs into it because
multiple times their entire evaluation that they had worked on the save button. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't you just had to I had to keep adding >> Yeah. >> in order to save it. But then you still you have to repaste all the goals. So, >> right, >> it's better if you just do it in one
shot. >> It is, but I guess if you It's not Yeah, it's not saving the progress and people are going back. >> I was going to call in JSBA. >> It's really tough and it's visually very difficult to Yeah. So, it is tough. >> You just lost me with Google Docs and copying a paper.
>> No, as I said it, I was like, what we're going to do is >> pencil copy. >> Yeah. You're going to take a piece of paper and you're going to write down everything you want to type and then that way if it gets lost, you're not mad. Okay. >> I always make a photo copy before I hand it in. >> Okay, that's great. Take a picture with your phone. I like that. I love like a
blurry picture with your phone screen. >> That would be great. >> Deletes it every night. Yeah. Anyway, so >> yeah, good point. Yeah, >> you'll send once you're done. >> Once he's finished. Yep. And I'll >> April will send an email saying we can we now have access to >> and I Yeah. And I can see where you're
at in the evaluation, each and every one of you. So, how far along you are? >> Don't worry. I'm sure I know who's coming in last. Like, I know who I'm calling on the 30th. You're like, "Hey, >> 29th at 11:59, >> right?" I think it was last year. Yeah.
Okay. All right. That's going to bring us to finance and facilities. And I will turn it over to who's our chair? I have Mrs. Pope because we were absent this week. It's you, Mrs. Bolton. I shouldn't have changed the name in here. There we go. Thank you. >> All right. Here we go. The Finance and Facility Committee met on Wednesday, May
12th at 3:30. The meeting lasted about an hour. In attendance were Dr. Preston, Mr. Dstratus, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Pot, and myself. Uh, we talked about the items on the agenda tonight. Um, I think I have this in here, but 1 to six are regular bill paying, closing
out the month of April. A most of the items on the agenda tonight are like repeater renewing, you know, the payroll schedule, reappointing the physician, designating a newspaper, uh a lot of just renewal
things this month. So, um in the future though, newspapers will be phasing out to self. Um and a lot of stuff will be moving online. So, um, on our website and then the state website will actually have links if you want to see any of the
school budgets. Uh, they will be on their websites and things like that. So, now we will be moving. What month does that start, Chris? >> We have a legal notice website for our for our own uh documents. >> So, like that was our last official listing in the actual news. >> The only thing that we're publishing now
is the link to come find our our website. >> Okay. Okay. Um, so yes, referendum projects uh are also moving forward. I love the updates that we get every week. Uh, bi-weekly updates. It's always fun to
look them over. Uh, things are moving along. And of course, we will make sure we have Davis Field ready for our graduates, uh, which will be next month. So, with that, I did not check to see if the numbers have changed. Um, I will make a
motion to approve items 1 through 23 as written. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Okay, seeing none, Mr. Dra, please vote. >> Mrs. Bolton, >> yes. >> Mrs. Ferrell,
>> yes. >> Mr. Gman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Higono, >> yes. >> Mrs. Papalardo, >> yes. >> Mrs. P, >> yes. >> Mrs. Miller, >> yes. Mr. >> Carries, >> thank you. Okay, that's going to take us to curriculum instruction. I will turn it over to our comm.
>> So, the curriculum and instruction committee met on March 13th. Uh, in attendance were Mrs. Miller, Mr. Gman, Dr. Preston, Mr. Cultiano, and myself. The committee largely discussed the status of interviewing and hiring for
various open positions. and the administration is very pleased with the number and the quality of the candidates who have applied to join the district. We have several new teachers and a new systems administrator on the agenda for approval tonight and interviews for our
other open positions are continuing. Um, a couple other items people might notice. Max Boza is being promoted to director of technology and April Fury is getting a revised title. Uh, but her
duties will remain the same. Uh, the rest of the items on the agenda are normal business setting up and staffing for summer programs as we approach the end of the school year. So with that I move to adopt items 1 through 31.
>> Okay. May I have a second? >> Second gross move. But if I may just to correct for the minutes may she misspoke and said >> May 12th. >> Oh yeah. >> Thanks Dave. >> Uh any discussion? >> If I can just add on to Miss CB said uh
Max is with us tonight. So just want to congratulate Max on uh technology. Thank you. >> Um really again easy decision and you know I know board members you have worked with him um just it's like if I'm
if I have a technology problem I don't even have to say it. He has telepathy he's just there. He fixes it. Um and it's really not just that. He just he's he's a true Pitman guy. I mean he you wear hats here. You wear a lot of hats here and he's thankful to do it. Um, and
you know, I think that's what just embodies, you know, our best employees is that I think I bothered him on uh, where were we last week? we were out at something and I bothered him because I was like you got you got to put you got to put messages out for this and he did he he got the messaging out and then he helped with social media and he's
constantly doing the backend work he's been doing for apty to get this this ball rolling that really doesn't fall under his purview helping uh Miss Romer our communications director who's who's in her own right excellent just he's just the ultimate collaborator to be able to promote him to this level I'm
speaking to our old director of technology kind of Mr. Calabiano passed the torch. >> He passed the torch and he said, you know, he's he's a guy that could pass the torch. So, I'd be remissuh to not to to not thank u Mr. Wagner who uh when I first got here, they they kind of came
to me with this idea that that you could have co-supervisors as uh you know, essentially technologists and it worked really well. Um and but we we always said that one of them's going to move on and um you know, this is why we did this. This is why we did that is because
uh we we knew we didn't we couldn't lose both of them. Um and so we're just we're just so thrilled to have uh Max be our director of technology and uh our tech department's in good hands. I know Joe George could second that over there too as well. So thanks Joe. Um so welcome. Yes, go ahead.
>> Yeah, I just wanted to double down on what Dr. Preston said. I mean there's very few people that are as passionate about a school district as Max is about Pitman. And there there are so many things that he takes care of and handles behind the scenes that no one knows that are getting done and they get done and
you know I just want to just commend him on that and it's welld deserved and I'm happy to see this on the agenda and and happy and proud of Max. >> Thank you. >> It's definitely a strength in the district that we felt really shined when we did superintendent interviews a couple years ago. They were really
impressed with our tech department. It was a draw to them. So, >> I'd like to take the credit as the director of tech. >> I'm sorry. I apologize. You weren't here yet. >> Unfortunately, I can't think of any >> Max. Max and John. >> Yeah, I was going to say Max was >> and yeah, great team. That's great.
>> Any further discussion? >> Okay, speaking. Mr. Stra, please call the vote. >> Mrs. Bolton, >> yes. >> Mrs. Ferrell, >> yes. >> Mr. Gman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Higono, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pepardo, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pope, >> yes. >> Mrs. Miller, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Okay. Okay. It's going to take us to
communication and policy. Who's reading it? Mrs. Ferrell or Miss Mr. Ferrell. Perfect. >> Perfect. >> You want I can do it if you want. >> No, I mean I just have >> Yeah, that's great. That's great. >> You guys met on May 12th. I was not in in attendance. Um but the only item on tonight's agenda is the approval of the
board of ed policies and bylaws. >> Um so I move to adopt item one as written. >> Okay. >> I don't if you guys want to talk about >> You want me to read public statement >> some other >> Did we talk about anything else? Yeah,
>> we just we just talked about >> Yeah, I think everything >> things that might be coming down the pike, but we haven't gotten updates on yet. Matter of fact, that Strauss estimate update I had that I said I had that night was just commissioner rulings. It had nothing to do with new policy or updates in policy. >> I have a question. It's Wait, hold on.
I'll put it new. Go ahead. Okay. Um the communication and policy committee met on Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. In attendance were Dr. Preston, Mr. Calpiano, Mrs. O and myself. There is only one policy up for adoption tonight is to it is to
adopt our current policy and bylaws for the 2026 2027 school year. We also discussed the process involved in posting coaching and extra extracurricular positions. Dr. Preston has sent out email to all staff
explaining how the process will work. Lastly, we had a discussion about making sure we communicate to all the community around Wall School about Washington Township's lease agreement. We want all residents to know that there will be people coming and going from the building throughout the summer. And we also want to make sure they know that
students will be in the building come September. >> I forgot we since we didn't have policy, we did we focus on the communication communication policy. >> Got it. No, that's great. That's wonderful. >> Thanks. >> Okay, perfect. >> Okay. Um,
>> with that, make a motion to approve item one as listed. >> First, >> okay, >> and I'll second. >> Then she'll second. Okay. And any further discussion? >> Okay. Seeing none, Mr. Datus, please call the vote. >> Mrs. Bolton, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pharaoh, >> yes. >> Mr. Gman, >> yes.
>> Mr. Siono, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pavalardo, >> yes. >> Mrs. P, >> yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Okay, this is going to bring us to our second public comment. Please state your name, municipality, residence, and group affiliation if applicable and limit your comments to three minutes. Do you recognize speak? Please stand at the
podium located to my right. >> Hi, my name is Louis Sto. I live in Pitman Wild. My daughter goes to the school here. She's a freshman. It's recently been brought to my attention that there is no repercussions for her being late. They said they take away the privileges,
but she still goes to band. She still will participate in something on Thursday night. And um I don't know how to enforce this. I punish her at home sometimes, but for her to be able to be late every single day to school and there's nothing done about that, it's
wild. I spoke to somebody in the office. I forget the name of the person. Um but I just wanted to know. I I might be in the wrong spot. Maybe you guys don't make the rules for the school, but to me that seems to not be preparing her for real life. I
can't be late every day to work, right? I can't be I guess I could have been late here tonight, but uh there's a lot of things that like that. That's just basic stuff, being on time. I'm out the door at 5:00. I can't do anything to get her here. I can only tell her, but that's it.
So, that's what I got. Yeah, I certainly I could be happy to I'd be happy to talk talk with you about that, look into that and reach back out to you. >> Um, if you want to hang out after, too. Just give me your your contact information. I'll give you a call. >> Definitely. >> Yeah. >> We'll take a brief recess because we have to go back and do executive
session, so you should >> But you're definitely in the right spot. We can't talk about any students publicly, but you're in the right spot and we're aware and we appreciate you bring it to our attention. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Is anyone else for public comment? Okay. Okay, seeing none. Is there any
old business? Any new business? Okay, I will now move to return to executive session um to discuss personnel matter and a legal matter. Correct. Yes. Are we taking action?
>> We are not taking action when we return. >> We're not taking action. >> Okay. And we will not take action when we return. >> Okay. I have a motion to go into executive session. Please move. You >> have a second. >> Second. Bton. All in favor? I. We're going to move across the hall to the
room, but let's take a five minute recess before we get started. Across the hall, please. Approximately 30 minutes.