and all school buildings. Please join me in a flag salute. The pledge of >> allegiance. Okay. I never know. um on our our next presentation on the retirement recognition. I guess it's happy news for some and sad
news for others, right? Uh but uh Dr. um our retirement recognitions, >> right? >> Welcome everybody. Thank you all so much for coming. We're very excited to honor our retirees. I'm actually going to invite uh Mrs. Jamie Murphy who is our assistant superintendent for secondary
education and personnel to introduce our retirees and their speakers who are coming with them. >> Sure. So I we'll do one by one. >> Dr. Schwarz, >> please do. >> Okay. So we're we're going to begin with uh if I can invite Lucille Chigalini up.
Wow. >> Uh along with principal principal Stacy Wiznooki from BF Middle School, Benjamin Franklin Middle School. first. Okay. >> Good evening, members of the board of
education, Miss Tigini, and all of our supportive BF staff. Tonight we celebrate someone who is truly one of a kind. Our very own Lucille. Forever known to us as Mama Chicks.
We love her for so many reasons. For her incredible cooking, her warm hugs, and that unmistakable laugh and voice calling down the halls. You always know when Lucille is nearby. The sound of
Lucille's voice makes BF like home. From the moment I arrived three years ago, she welcomed me with wide open arms, and I hope she never lets go. Whether it's greeting everyone during morning coffee and conversation or sharing the most delicious spinach pie with me and my
family during the holidays, Lucille's presence brings comfort, warmth, and a sense of belonging. She is trul truly irreplaceable, and I feel incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside her.
We love her. I'm sorry. You if you ever need to know anything about Yankee baseball or Giants football, she has you covered and definitely has stats to back it up. The halls of BF resonate with resil with
her resilience, her strength, her courage, her kindness, and her compassion. Lucille is an unwavering support for every student who walks through our doors and for every colleague lucky enough to work beside her. She steps in wherever she's needed,
covering the office, answering phones, helping with grade level trips, running sports talk, trading cards, and cooking clubs, mentoring others, while always asking, "What can I do to help? Lucille's love for her family and
friends shines through in everything she does and that same love wraps itself around the entire school community. As an English teacher, Lucille runs a tight ship. I always love observing her classes. Uh the students fully understand the
task at hand. They're always on task. And Lucille does not mince words. She's a she's a tough cookie. I tell you, I'm scared when I go in there sometimes. But her classroom is extremely organized, respectful, and meaningful for her students and they love having her as a
teacher. Students leave her classroom as better human beings as I I do too. And we often have kids come back to BF and they always want to see Lucille. Lucille, thank you for your laughter, the tears, the strengths, and the heart you give to BM BFMS.
You make this place better simply by being you. You will be deeply missed, forever appreciated, and always loved. Congratulations on your retirement. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Keep it real short. Um, for those of you
that remember the names Paul Folk and Tony Benga, that's who hired me. Two, uh, very, very special people. And uh and then Tony Orsini who was the principal for the most of the time at BF. Um
Greg has been my support from the very beginning. My children went through the schools at BF uh Traval BF in the high school and it's been a privilege to live here for my kids to go to school here and to work for the Ridgewood schools.
Stacy the past three years. It's been great getting to know her and um you know my biggest objective all through the years I'm 30 years in the building was building relationships with students. I have two of my students right here and some
behind me and they do they come back to visit me and I even have children of students that I have now and I have to say if there's one thing that I feel is the most important above all and that's building relationships with your students. So I want to thank everybody
for tonight and um thank you very much. Lucille, Lucille and all the other retirees. If you stay around, we're going to do some pictures at our repeat board. So, uh, you know, with your family and then you'll have the pleasure of having
pictures with the board. So, at this time, we have three honores from Willard this evening. So, I'm going to first invite up Miss Caroline Hoffman, principal at Willard. And then Caroline, you're going to stay up here and then we'll begin with honoring uh
Linda Dioro. Oh, >> so Willard has a lot of speeches tonight. This is a big night for Willard. And I have to say all three retirees um came to my office at the same time to announce their news. and I didn't want
to let them in the door, but they said, you know, no, we need to talk to you. So, it is a big moment. Tonight, we honor Willard's beloved library media specialist, Linda Dioro. It is hard to imagine another individual so passionate
about reading than Linda Dioro. As the ever popular library media specialist at Willard School, Linda has fostered an environment at Willard where reading is loved, celebrated, and shared. The Willard Library is a place where all are
welcome, parents, students, staff, and visiting authors. And it is a place where we are greeted by one of the kindest and knowledgeable individuals. Linda's weekly lessons with her K5 students always begin with the perfect
book. Transforming her voice into the character she magically brings us all into a story. Sometimes even the parents who are supposed to be volunteering forget that they're supposed to be working and they are just caught up in the story right alongside the children.
In addition to her teaching, Linda takes pride in curating a library collection that excites our students and supports our teachers. This takes an incredible amount of time and research. For Linda, this means hearing the recommendations of her students, reading library
journals, and attending lots of author events, some well outside of New Jersey, which her husband Jim lovingly attends with her. Linda works tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire t tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tire tirelessly to connect students with books because she knows her students so
well and is in the know with the latest and greatest reads she has great success matching text to readers she cannot help but order the next book in a series for a student or locate a copy of a text at the public library
has worked with her department to bring incredible authors to Rididgewood she champions the Rididgewood public libraryies reading marathon on and even sat on the library board for the superintendent for years. Has chosen and organized our one school one book
program for the past was it 13 this year 13 years. Runs student book clubs and book fairs and author visits. Welcomes middle schoolers back to volunteer and even co-advises pickle ball.
With all this, Linda still shows up at every single school and staff event, often with Jim, to support team Willard. She really is allin. Linda, you have touched the lives of so many of our children and families. And truly, the
Willard Library will not be the same without you. You will be greatly missed. But please know that your mission of celebrating reading and children will be with us forever. We wish you all the best in your retirement. All right. So, I'm trying not to cry.
I'm going to see if I could get through. But what I would like to thank, um, there's three big groups I think that I need to thank. Um, one is my Willard family, my incredible Willard family who's always willing to take on a challenge and get excited about events
and um, support their children in the library. Um, it's huge and it's a great community to work in. Um, and I I know I'm truly going to miss those relationships um, with the staff, uh, with parents,
um, and of course the the children. Uh there's nothing to me more important than putting the right book in a kid's hand and watching their face when they come back the next week and say that was a great recommendation. Do you have more? So that's the best part. Um my
library family is amazing. It's a strong library team and I want to thank the Rididgewood public schools for supporting your school libraries. It's so important when other districts have not. Um and so I really thank you for
giving us the opportunity to meet to talk to um you know do there are summer reading list where we get to we learn because we've got how many people on the team to you know just um recommend books. Uh, and then my own family who
has a teacher family, they've all pitched in and cut bulletin board letters and, you know, worked with me on the weekends, helped me with the computer stuff and all of that. So, I really am very blessed um to be sitting here tonight and to just just so
thankful for everybody that's paved my way and and um allowed my journey to happen. So, thank you. Next, we're inviting up Lydia Neth McCoy in your purple. The purple. She's known for her purple. This evening, we honor
fourth grade teacher Lydia Nef. Not only has Lydia spent her professional career in Ridgewood, she attended Rididgewood public schools as a student and raised her own family here. She is Ridgwood true and true. As a veteran educator,
Lydia has a wealth of professional knowledge and over the years she has shared that knowledge with her colleagues and administrators. While embracing new programs and curriculum and intend and and attending countless professional development sessions, Lydia brings unique perspective with all that
she has experienced. Lydia is dedicated to supporting all aspects of her students. She works to meet their diverse academic needs in the classroom, even opening her doors before school to provide additional math support or to provide a place for
students to work on their creative writing. In her years, she has seen families through life-changing moments, always ready to provide the support a student needs. In a memory of a mother who passed while her child was in Lydia's class, Lydia and her students
planted the mother's favorite flowers, hydrangeas, in the fourth grade courtyard. This beautiful act and the care she continues to give this garden speaks to the kind of individual that Lydia is. Lydia has served as the musical director of Willard's Drama Club
for the past 20 years. Music is one of Lydia's passions and she shares this love with our fourth and fifth graders as they learn a new musical every year. She also navigates our sound system like no other. We have already let her know that we're going to be calling her next year because we're panicked of like how
we're going to do anything with the sound. uh system without her. Lydia, you have given so much to the children of Willard School. Thank you for your kindness, your compassion and dedication. You will be greatly missed and we wish you the very best in your
retirement. Oh my goodness. It's kind of hard to put 32 years into words, but um I feel deeply privileged to have spent the 32 years of my 37 years of teaching at Willard here in Ridgewood. The Willard
community really has been like a family. And I know for all three of us, it's a lot of mixed emotions that we step away from our teaching careers. And I will deeply miss the entire entire Willard community. I'm really appreciative to
all of my colleagues, a lot of whom are here tonight um over the years and to Caroline and Maryanne Williams for their creating an environment where we're encouraged to grow and support us day in and day out. My family moved to Rididgewood 1972 and
I have fond memories of all my teachers at Traval and BF and RHS. So many of those teachers are what motivated me to want to spend my life educating children. So, thank you to the board and all the administrators who keep our
district growing with the students best interests at heart. I look forward to cheering you all on from the sidelines as you meet the challenges of the future. Thank you. And if Alice Felon Heptic can please
join us. So here we have Marie Failen as we refer her to even though it's always been confusing right with all the different names but this is Marie. No it's okay. Marie Failen. She is retiring from over
40 years of teaching, 36 of which are here in Ridgewood. Correct. Okay. She has seen changes in grade level and very recently second to third. Second to third, which she happily did. She's seen changes in classrooms, curriculum,
programs, and technology. She has taught students with unique academic needs and social needs. And truly, none of this really phases her at all. Marie quietly takes in all the new and figures out how
to make it work. Perhaps this is because her early years of teaching were in a very different environment. She is proud to share that her first experience teaching was in Ireland where she had 40 kids in a class. She taught all subjects
with very few resources and did not have a prep. In fact, she took her kids to lunch and recess and had to supervise. Um, she managed a lot of different personalities, I'm sure, across those different grade levels. So, nothing was more challenging than that,
I would guess. Marie values a strong connection with her students and families, and that's really such a strength. Before the first day of school, students are invited to visit her classroom to ease any nerves. She's the only teacher that does that and just
wants to every single year. She is eager to share about herself, her proud she's proud of her Irish heritage and her love for her cats and antiques, and she loves to learn about her students, their interests, backgrounds, and strengths.
Marie partners with parents to best support her students. Whether they need enrichment, motivation, some structure and boundaries, or some extra TLC, Marie is all in and ready to assist in her
daily work. Marie closely Marie works closely with her our guidance counselor, our specialists, and related service providers. She recognizes the importance of communication and consistency. She takes the success of her students personally, their behavior in specials,
a class compliment from the a class compliment earned from the principal or mastering their math facts. Marie, on behalf of all of your students, families, and co-workers, I thank you for your commitment and passion to teaching. It is going to be so hard to
see you go, but your impact here at Willard will always remain. We wish you the very best. As Lydia and Linda said, I'm going to miss my Willard family. Um, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to work for the last 36 years with this family. Um,
I'm going to make a personal story. You're going to wonder how a girl from Dung Garvern County, Waterfordward, Ireland, ended up at spending 36 years in Woodick. So, here's this bit of a story attached to this. Um, I was teaching in the city and I was tired of driving over the bridge. So, I said, "Okay, I was living in Hackinack,
so I decided to try some schools in New Jersey." Uh, the director of personnel here at the time was Hank Magnelli and he had just taken a sabbatical to Ireland and he lived in the same small town my father grew up in. I won't call it a town because it was a village. I
even checked today. The population is 140. So he recognized the high school I went to, the college I went to, and he recognized schools that I was teaching in the city. So he went to the new principal of Willard whose name was Dr. George Leonati, and he gave him the
rest. He said, "Try that one out." And the rest is history. They've been 36 years. So So um I guess I impressed Dr. Libat Libanati enough to take a chance on somebody who's got an Irish accent. And I tell the the children every year,
you're learning how to deal with this multicultural society. And I teach them Irish words, too. First one, first one is cut, which means absolute silence. Again, thank you to Willard. Thank you to the board. Thank you to everybody. I
will miss my Ward family. Thank you very much. So, um, we'll have some pictures if you'd like and we'll just go in the order that you came. So, uh, Lucille, you want to come up with your family and have a picture with your family
>> and your BF family? Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. The BF family. This is a crew that came up from B. That's the night. Let's see. Linda, are you still here?
If Willard wants to make their way Did you guys um did you guys did you review these in I don't. >> That's okay. It's bittersweet, huh? I'm not sure where Mark went.
Yes. So, we're going to go uh to our our student representative report and um is it Grace and Eli who are reporting tonight? Great. Thank you, Grace. What? Next week, two weeks, you're on your way to Washington?
>> Yes. Um March 7th to March 14th. So, it's really coming up. I've been like doing so much like planning with my outfits, you know. Um but yeah, I'm really excited for it. Well, we're excited for you and remember, you're going to let us know how it all is, right? Because we want to live vicariously through you on that.
>> Yeah. Maybe. I'm not sure. Washington's a little bit of a >> interesting place these days. >> Yeah. I mean, the official agenda hasn't come out yet, but in the press release, they kind of mentioned like some of the individuals that we'll be meeting. So, I think we're definitely having our Senate
reception. Um, we're meeting a Supreme Court justice. I'm hoping. Oh, great. >> I'm hoping it's Miss Katanji Gran Jackson, but you know, I'll take anyone. Um, and then also we're going to the White House to meet the president. >> Wow. >> Interesting. >> Wow. Yeah. So amazing. Great. If you
have some pictures, we'd love to see them, too. So, >> yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Good evening, everyone. We get the privilege of following that up. Um, it's our teachers that make it happen. and I had Miss Chigalini in sixth grade and they're the ones that really make a
difference. So, we say thank you to all of them. Moving to the report, um in January, uh RAP stu RAP 10 students at the high school researched Hila cells and specifically how they're launched into space for research. They presented this to their classmates, even exploring
the moral questions around these specific cells, and then went outside to the front lawn and showed how the cells are loaded onto a spaceship with a little like fake model rock and how that's done in a sanitary way. Um, on the 30th was the RHS community uh
service fair. I had a chance to go. There were a lot of great organizations, everything from the Hermitage House to serving meals with Eva's Village. It's a great chance for RHS students to get out into the world to make a difference and to have a real impact. Um, as many of
you may know, February is career and technical education month. Throughout the month, the guidance department has hosted multiple organizations who share their exciting programs with high school students. On February 3rd, a student panel from tomorrow's teachers presented
at a high school HSA meeting on cell phones and social media. And I know principal advisory right now is discussing the cell phone policy at the high school. Uh moving on, the 18th was a roadmap to college application run by the Princeton review. It's a great
chance for 9th grade parents who are new to the process to get a timeline what it's going to look like, what they need to do when. It's really helpful. Uh the 12th was the second uh equity think tank at Rambo College with stu schools from
all over the county. I had a chance to go. We learned a lot. We had some great conversations and we are excited to bring that back to the district. Uh earlier this week, we had some we had a snow day and a couple of delayed openings, but things are getting back on
track. Um today, so following the uh National School Council Week earlier in February, scheduling is underway for next year. This year, it's a new initiative. every every high school student uh with the exception of seniors will meet with their counselor sometime
during the process. This is a today uh 10th graders were scheduled. I believe this is a great chance for students to have a real conversation about what their classes are like. It's a great initiative and I want to thank everyone at the high school who was a part of
making it happen. It's a step in the right direction. On March 7th is Super Science Saturday. We look forward to that as always. It's a great chance for students to be curious, to share their passions. Always
one of my favorites. On March 16th, the village will be hosting a job fair at the community center. It's a great chance for students 16 and older to find what they're going to do over the summer and find a good opportunity there. And in a similar vein, on the 18th, there
will be a college fair at Ramipo College run by the uh county director of guidance. There will be over 200 schools, and that's obviously a great opportunity for students looking to go into college. I'm going to turn it over to Grace.
So, now moving on to activities within the school. Starting off with clubs. On January 25th, the RHS Maroon Men and the Acappellas competed at the International Championship of High School Quarterfinals. Um, both teams placed second and we'll be moving on to the
semi-final competition, um, which is happening at the end of March. Seniors Walken Clark and Ava Fontis were recognized for their outstanding performances in the individual category. Um and then on February 3rd, 50 students from the RHS HOSA, which is sort of like
a medical competition club, um competed in the Northern Regional Conference. Specific highlights include, um those from students Logan, Caleb, and Katie, who all placed in the top three within their respective events and will be moving on to states um from April 11th
to 12th. Um, additionally, the eighth grade orchestra students from GW andBF visited RHS on the 6th of this month to learn more about our high school orchestra program. And then on the 9th, this is a bit of a biased inclusion as three of us are involved in the club,
but regarding mock trial, we placed on uh in the top 16. Um, and a specific highlight was a victory from the defense team led by me and Eli. Um, which is exciting. Yes. And we look forward to trying even harder next year. Um, moving on to the athletics. Once again, a
biased inclusion with the best sport in my opinion, swimming. Um, the girls last meet was at the beginning of this month, but unfortunately, but the boys, um, they had a successful season with a record of 9-2. They won the Big North meet for, I think, the 11th year in a
row. And then they also managed to win the sectional title for the first time in many, many years. um and even placed um were second seed in the state um with notable victories against schools like PCTI. Um additionally, the girls track and field team won their sectional
championship as well on the 11th with a highlight from junior Katherine Keading who took first in the 1000 meter event. Um the girls basketball team won their recent game against Bloomfield on the six with a current season record of
16-9. Um and they have a recent meet um they have an upcoming meet on the 28th against PCTI. So we wish them luck for that. Um next up we have the RHS ski team which had a successful season so far. Um at their first giant slom race
on the 9th both the women's varsity and JV team won first while the um varsity and JV men's team placed second. So go girls. Once again biased. Um, the VO boys ice hockey team has a current season record of 19 to4 with recent
victories against Paic Tech, um, West Milford, Ramapo, and most recently Summit. Um, and finishing off with the boys and girls wrestling teams, which have also had extremely successful seasons at the Lady Cards Invitational on the 14th. Junior Maya Kerov placed
third. And that same day was also the 35th annual BCCA freshman wrestling tournament um in which four different students placed as medalists. And then the last section is upcoming events. Tomorrow we have the first day of the Asian festival um in which they perform
during school periods. And then um on the 28th Saturday is the benefit performance where all proceeds will go towards supporting Doctors Without Borders. Um on the 3rd to the 6 um Tuesday to Thursday next week, we have the DECA state conference. Um and
hopefully, wish me luck on that. It'll be my last one, which is a little bittersweet. And then on this Sunday on the 8th, um there's the senior uh fashion show um in which the senior students, they go up on stage. It's um
all the proceeds go go towards um the graduation and it's just a fun event in which students can get involved and get together. Um additionally on the 5th there is an intramural flag football which Eli can elaborate more on. >> Yes. So unfortunately because so it was
we were scheduled to have that flag football event. I'm sure most of you heard outside. Unfortunately the snow won't melt by then. So, we're going to push it towards the spring, but we look forward to that. It's a great chance for students to get active. Um, I we'll have
the date probably early next week and we'll send it out. I just want to add that the girls ski team won states yesterday, so that's their back-to-back champion. So, it's very great for them. Do you guys have anything? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I have one question. Um do do
RHS students have access to any SAT preparation test like sample tests from guidance department or uh anywhere the regard high school students or um I know earlier in the year I think my
guidance counselor might have given it to me or I saw it or my mom got it emailed um the Princeton review was giving like free practice ACT and SAT and I think you could scan a QR code and sign up for it. So you got one free practice, >> right? That's what because you mentioned
Princeton Review. So are they giving those like is that information being um sent to the students that Princeton Review is giving that or you're just going out of out of school like >> no it got to be originally. >> So through this school Princeton Review is providing free SAT sample courses.
>> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Uh we will um we're going to have our audit report, but before we have that um we'll do uh comments from the public.
And I don't think we have any public out there. So um if there are any online. Okay. Not seeing any. Uh we're going to go to our presentation and we will have another public comment towards the end
of the meeting. >> Welcome. >> Good. >> So, uh tonight we're really happy to have with us uh from the district auditor Lurch Vincy and Higgins LLP. Uh we have one of our auditors, uh John John, help me with Shifo. All right,
John Schiffo is with us here. Uh you you're probably all familiar with Andrew Parente. John and Andrew work well to work do work hand in hand to support the district. Um, John's been doing a little bit more for us in the last couple the last year particularly and uh he's actually done some really nice
additional analyses which I'm not sure if we're going to be able to get into today, but certainly uh as board members you'll have access to to those documents and those additional analyses. So, John, thanks for your partnership and the work that you've done. Um, and uh we'll give you the floor at this point in time.
>> Wonderful. Uh, first I want to say thank you board members for having me this evening to walk through the audit report. Um, I'll go through it in any level of detail, but I'll just start with a summary as I go through. As I go, I'll indicate the page and then
I'll pause and then I'll go into the commentary. So this is a review for the district for the year ended June 30th, 2025 or the 2425 school year. Starting with page number one of the
report. This page is the opinion. Uh the most important part of this is the opinion is unmodified. It's the highest level of opinion that can be given in an audit. And what that is meaning is the financial statements are free of
material misstatements. So that is the highest level of opinion that can be achieved. >> I'm going to jump to page 75. I do want to highlight there is additional information in the front with the A schedules and the B schedules. uh
those are very accounting focused with different adjustments related to pensions and OPAD that don't always focus on the the district's financial health. So I'm focusing in on the general fund for the budgetary schedule to give an overview there.
So from a revenue perspective, the district budgeted $121 million for the 2425 budget. The district's actuals were $148.6 million. There are some adjustments in
there for on behalf and TPA that do account for about 27.9 million. From the expense side, the district budgeted $126 million. >> I I'm sorry. You could you um explain that because the public may not
understand that the state >> um provides um an inind they give a match to our prior. Yeah. >> Yes. So the the state of New Jersey provides a refund for the school for
certain things uh specifically pension and some of the FICA the eligible FICA taxes and the way that works in these schedules is it's recorded as a revenue in and it's also recorded as an expense.
So it has a a net no impact to the district as it relates to budgetary income, but it does help the district with cash outlay with this state funding that comes through. >> But but that should be part of the budgeted right. So we know that during
the when we are budgeting that will be coming as revenue. >> Um yes it does come as a revenue. >> So what was the difference that you mentioned that we had we budgeted for 122 but we received 142. So what was that delta?
>> One of the largest deltas between that is this on behalf and TPAF which makes up 27.9 million of it. If I were to adjust that out, >> what is that on behalf of the
>> Yes. So there are four categories. The state will fund the pension system, postretirement medical, long-term disability, and then a a small other
piece for premium. And then in addition, there is a refund related to social security payments that the district makes for eligible teachers. So all of these are predictable because we know our payroll, we know the staff count.
That should not have a $27 million delta from from budgeted versus actual. >> It's not known until the state releases some of these numbers. So the one piece that is knowable throughout the year for
the district is the TPATH. So the social security reimbursements, those have to be submitted to the state and then the district receives the refund in cash. The other numbers, I'll call them the on behalf,
they are released by the state after typically year end occurs because it becomes an allocation exercise for the state. And why it doesn't truly impact the district's financial health is the
way it's recorded from an accounting perspective based on the state template is the money comes in. show it shows as a revenue and it gets recorded as an expense. So it shows that expense so it comes out to a zero impact. Is that
helpful? >> Thank you. >> So going to page 75. I'm about halfway through the bottom and is the change in fund balance.
So the district budgeted $1.4 4 million of fund balance. The large majority of that was about 6.86.9 million associated with the capital reserves which was earmarked for those SDA grants.
At the end of this fiscal year, the district regenerated 5.9 million. So to say it directly, the district budgeted 11 and after all of the actuals fell out, the decrease in fund balance
is very much related to the capital reserve that was used. So if I think about it as a a household, you can see the district's progression of the capital reserve was as low as $2.7
million back in the 1819 school year. Before we entered this school year, it was $15.8 million. And the district used that money for the three SDA grants in the tune of about $7 million to fund
those those grants. So district saved and essentially utilized that money this year. That ultimately resulted in fund balance decreasing by approximately $7 million. So now it is $23.7
million. At the bottom of the page is a breakdown of the various categories of fund balance. >> John and John sorry that and that's is that because we had to budget the whole amount before we get reimbursement and
that way the delta is so high. >> Yes. So the the way it works and I'll I'll get into the capital projects. What the district did was it took an expense in the general fund and funded capital projects. So I'll show you capital projects where there's about $10
million of fund balance sitting there. So walking down the different pieces of fund balance excess surplus 2.7 excess surplus designated 2.7. That's in line with the
year-end resolution. I'm going to skip over capital reserve because the resolution read differently. Maintenance reserve is split between 1.4 million and then designated 1.7 million.
There was a deposit of $250,000 which was in line with the year-end resolution. Emergency Reserve has a total of 750,000 with 500,000 designated. Unemployment claims uh just increased
slightly due to interest up to 206,000. Year-end incumbrances, which are essentially commitments that the district made that run into the next school year of 1.6 million. And then unassigned fund balance, or set another way, free and clear is 2.6 million. But
more importantly, that was funded up to the statutory max of 2% with some of those adjustments. So the district went through the year end and deposited all the different monies into the account and ultimately deposited $615,000
into the capital reserve. In addition, there was about $400,000 of interest earning on the capital reserve account. Total year there was $23.7 million of fund balance. I'll pause there for any questions before I move beyond to the
capital projects. I'd like to bring you to page 88. At this point, this schedule wasn't as meaningful in the past years because there weren't these these capital projects that we had with the SDA grant. So, the top part of
the schedule is really focused on those grants. So, the total project amounts that were authorized was 11.4 4 million. Moving to the right, the district has spent to date or encumbered
$1.5 million and there's a remaining 9.97 million in the capital project fund. >> That's as of June last year, right? >> June 30th, 2025. Correct. >> Okay. Because a lot of that has been spent after that. >> Yes.
Um and and this money is the total project and there will be amount as the submissions occur that the district will get reimbursed from the state and this is already funded the district's port portion of the total share. So I just
wanted to highlight that schedule as you continue through the >> but the reimbursement will hit previous year budget. It's not going to be like a revenue and when it hits actual. Correct. >> Correct. In in this year, the way it's set up is it's a receivable. So, as the
district receives the money back, that'll get reduced out. No future revenue on it. And then there is detail by the different projects that are out there. Uh, specifically the Glenn and Ridge HVAC as well as the STEM lab. So, those
are in there as well as some capital projects. The last thing I'd like to point out is on page 95 and into 96. The district has total outstanding
principal debt as of 6:30 2025 of 28.58 million. I think the more important information is the district's statutory borrowing capacity. It's at $33 million, which
that just continues to increase over time. So, I do like to point that out as the district is sitting in in a good financial health position there. Lastly, I would like to go to the second to last page. As part of our audits, I'd like to
remind you that we provided an unmodified opinion. As part of us trying to provide value to the district, we do focus on different areas where we could find have findings or or recommendations. Uh at the highest
level, there is five recommendations. Um that is down two from the prior year of seven. There is only one repeat recommendation compared to last year. So just going through them, I'm going to talk about number one and number three
together. Really the root cause that occurred with number one and number three is this capital projects and SDA is new. It's new to the district. So really the the premise of these are tightening up the
processes associated with those SDA projects. And why are those important? When it comes to submitting the money, the SDA is very regimented from my experience. And at times there is some turnover at the SCA. So I've had districts that they had to submit
multiple times because of that turnover. So we were focused on tightening up that process as the district starts that resubmission. Number two, the B board secretary and treasurer reports being submitted to the board. From my understanding, there was
a personnel change and the board secretary reports and this and the treasurer reports just slowed down on their reporting to the board. So, it just missed a few of those deadlines, but that was made up by year end and one comprehensive report.
Number four, um it is a recommendation, but I do want to highlight the change from last year to this year as it relates to bids or public contracts. There was multiple bullet points last year on the bidding and procurement process.
This recommendation is, for lack of a better term, a lot of little things that added up and we see this at districts. The way our audit is set up is as a vendor is paid, sometimes their accumulated spend gets above the bid
threshold. And this was the scenario. There was not a single invoice above the bid threshold, but as it just continued with those emergency services, it added up to a larger number. So that's why it popped out in our audit that it wasn't
bid that way. And the last one is the student body activities. And this is a repeat, but I do want to point out that the district's uh financial team and administration focused on those prior seven and they went through the six
recommendations last year and this one is very far out in the organization and it's the various student activity accounts that are out there and this just relates to some old checks that just need to be written off. So the district did focus on those.
That's the end of my presentation. I I will pause for any questions that are out there. >> Does anyone have any questions? >> I a brief question about um I understand exactly what you're saying that a series
of invoices end up accumulating over the bid threshold. So then that raises you know that that pops up as you say, right? What is the recommendation for us to avoid that? Is there one? Because it seems unavoidable, frankly.
>> It does. So, what what I do um try to coach districts on in this example is having that contract approved early on in the process with a not to exceed, right? And that does cause its its own issues. I I would assume if
administration came and said, I want a not to exceed of 300,000, I think it would potentially cause some concern. So when those scenarios come up, sometimes they have a lower not to exceed and then the district will track it and go back
for another round to just make sure it is there. Yeah. But if there are the if that work uh qualifies for2xc type contract wouldn't we find those type of
contractors on the state approved vendor list anyway in the competitive bidding process which are already pre- bid. So if they're on the state vendor list, would that >> Yeah, the the the pre-approved contract list because generally either a project
is unique where somebody has to look at the requirements and we need to go out for a bid >> or if it's predetermined uh like a it can be predicted or it can be proceduralized or carved out then
those are already in the states pre-approved vendors and they are state has already negotiated in the cooperatives the price lists and all of that right so if we are getting into any not to exceed contracts at district level
then either we are creating a redundant list compared to that state cooperative or we are trying to do for a project that should have gone for a bid what would be the example where if a project can be done in that fashion and not to
exceed fashion, then why would we not find contractors on the state cooperative list for that? >> I I agree with your statement. I I think the simplest process would be to take a vendor on that state contractor list because that is the easiest way to avoid any public contracting. So, you're
thinking about exactly how I would think about it in that sense. it does add a completely additional element of difficulty if they're not part of that process because it's very hard to go back in time and go get those. So using those state vendors or those local
co-ops make it that much easier. Thank you. >> Thank you, John. Um, you know, ever each year we do have that same finding about the activity funds or the school funds and I there's been efforts made and but
staff turnover in offices or other responsibilities. I'm sure other districts uh must have similar issues. Have you found a solution?
I've been uh working with the district and I I think there is a pretty simple solution where with the information that's already there just create a resolution and and cancel the checks, right? Um with some due diligence prior
to that, but there are checks very small from 2010. So I I I think and these are not big dollar values. I I think it is as simple as we'll get the district will pull the list together, pass a resolution, and then it's just the accounting of getting
it updated in the system, which is easy enough. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Uh, thank you very much for your >> time tonight. Thank you. >> We appreciate your work. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, John. Appreciate you. >> Okay. Um so I think we will u move to um the superintendent report. >> Just a couple items here. Um for starters, I have just a kind of a a
unique item here. I was approached by uh some parents in our community who uh were concerned by some of our uh school safety data system reporting uh in that they were concerned that possibly in one of our presentations that we had not
included a specific incident at a school particularly Glenn's school that pertained to their child. They didn't see it in the data that we represented as part of our SSDS submission. So for those just as a refresher, SSDS refers to school safety data system. It's a
system that we have to report to the state regarding incidents involving violence, vandalism, substance abuse, HIV, things like that. Uh there was a documented incident. We did look into this concern and we did find that there was a documented incident going back to
201920 school year. So, this actually this data anomaly wasn't represented in our last SSDS presentation because the data that we presented to the board didn't go back that far. We only have been doing a 5-year look back, but it did impact the presentation that was given on October 14th, 2024. Uh, it's
minor, but it's substantive. Uh, and it certainly matters to the parents of the of the child for whom that event impacted. And so, as a matter of good faith, we looked into it. We did find that the student in student the SSDS system does not allow us to correct in
the state system. Uh once that window of reporting is closed, it's over and it appears that an event occurred on the uh the 1920 school year but then wasn't reported until uh the ne the next reporting year. And so as a result of that, we have a record of it in our we
we have record of the event but we do not but we cannot update the state's record. I bring this up because it brought to light the fact that we have been using the states data to drive our presentations. So when we are building out our presentations for you, showing our
historical data, we're we're not we're not that's not coming from a separate system that we have or a spreadsheet that we keep what we're doing is has the district's been aggregating the information each reporting period and then putting in the state system and then pulling from the state system to
populate our reports. So this is not a best practice. A much the proper practice is that we would have our own highfidelity system that is monitored and checked for accuracy and then our reporting to the state then becomes an exercise in validating our data. So I'm
calling this out because I want to pay respect to the family who was right in recognizing that their their child's incident wasn't represented on here. We also came to realize that the the the SSDS system does not allow for the entry
of dates that occur in the summer and for logical reasons like they're probably not interfering with what you might infer that you're not it's not interfering with school. The reality is that we have things going on in the summer. So the state may change this eventually, but again that's further
reason why we need to keep our own internal system that doesn't have the same field limitations that the state has. So, we've started a spreadsheet that is secure and is monitored by multiple people where we're going to we're going to continuously enter our data that's going to go into SSDS this
SSDS report and we've created a mechanism for flagging events that are not SSDS reportable because of just the nuances of the state but are actually um nevertheless incidents that actually do occur here. So that way when we give our
presentation to the public and give our presentation to you, we will report to you the totality of events, but we'll flag any events that come up that actually that won't go to the state. So if anyone is ever so interested that they're looking at our presentation data for the sake of understanding what's
happening here and then they comp cross reference that with the state, they would notice if we didn't put a little asterisk and a little clarification, they would notice that there's a discrepancy. So we're calling that out. We're building our own systems. So that way, like I said, we're we can we can validate it ourselves. And in the meantime, I've updated the October 14th,
2024 presentation and now it reads corrected as of February 26, 2026. And we're going to replace the old report with this report. Um I did we did realize there does need to be the the the data point that has changed which is an event of HIV that occurred at the
Glenn school does need to be we need to we need a way to indicate that there's going to it's going to it's not going to be reflected in SSDs because of the the way that it was reported out of cycle. So that was a long way to explain that basically we're we're trying to improve
the fidelity of our data keeping systems and to pay respect to the family whose incident was not observed or reported in this presentation. So again board does not vote to approve these presentations. It's something we give to you. So we're going to update it on the website. We'll send a copy to the board members. Um and if anyone has any questions I'm happy to
answer those. Uh and then my other topics are just uh superintendent coffee is going to be March 19th. So please put on your schedule. We've been having pretty consistently about 50 people. I want to thank Mr. Ross uh for giving the uh rep rep presentation uh at the last time. We
had a really robust conversation uh very good discussions. We we brought great questions out of the last board meeting. Uh we address we addressed some other questions. I've since met with uh Mr. Ross. We've compared our notes. I think we did a nice job both inventorying of all those questions and concerns and they're going to continue. They're
continuing to be addressed and incorporated in our conversations and presentations as we educate our community and roll out the program. Mr. Ros, is there any anything additional that you wanted to share about that? >> Thank you, Dr. Schwarz. Just that our presentations regarding rep at the
building levels are ongoing. So, um those are those are taking place during HSA meetings. So, I just want to thank uh the HSAs for making time and space for us during those jam-packed agendas. And so, tomorrow morning we're at Somerville. So, uh, our road tour continues.
>> Great. Great. Thank you very much. Um, and then, you know, the the the primary we have so much going on right now. Um, obviously we've had school we've had snow closures and um, I do want to do want to express my apologies to everybody for the late call the other day when we had a delayed opening on
Wednesday. Um, you I've never sometimes weather changes weather reports really swing. I try to not change course. I try to call it like I try to stay very consistent but uh you know sometimes freak things do change in the weather. So appreciate everybody's patience. We do try to let people know well in
advance. We will continue to try to let people know well in advance. Um but I know a few few people reached out with a little bit of frustration. You know and I do want to say part of the challenge is you know if we make a call the night before to give everybody all that extra time there are circumstances where again the weather changes dramatically
overnight. We wake up and there is nothing happening. I've been that guy before who's like, "Let's give everybody advanced notice." And we wake up and there's nothing. And all and then my inbox just goes nuts with people like, "What were you thinking? You couldn't wait till the morning." So that's that's
a little bit of my life in uh in this season. Yeah. >> So as much as everybody loves snow and I am a skier, I am ready for there to be no more snowfall. Thank you all very much. >> Done with this winter. >> Yeah. But um but I would say you know the big thing in the background with all of us and I want to thank our board members uh and our budget team and all
of our administrators here uh is just with budget focus right now. We're just spending a lot of time on budget um and just looking to close our budget gap here. Um we're looking forward to giving uh given official notice that we think that we've reached a point of closure on the gap. We will have to have
conversations with our board members and and committees in the coming weeks uh as we talk about um you know what measures we're most comfortable with using in terms of closing the gap. We're going to try to come up with as many efficiencies that are as painless as possible, but we are absorbing a lot of hits uh on the
expense side of our budget right now uh that are hard. So we'll we'll be looking forward to getting clarity in the coming even coming days really. It's coming down to that wire. So, um, but I put on the, uh, I took the liberty of adding to the discussion portion of the agenda, the board meetings. I'm happy to bring
it up now because it certainly concerns my me and that is our budget. We did get news from the state. Um, we we didn't have any indic any prior indication that this was happening. So, we couldn't expect it. We had hoped that we would get an extension for the budget submission and adoption timeline. So, we
did get it, which is great. We had previously talked about having a meeting on March on March 9th when we assumed that we were going to get our figures today. We now know that we're not going to get our figures till March 12th. So, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me to try to give a presentation without the state figures on the 9th. I've done
that before in a prior district and it led to a lot of confusion because people come to a budget meeting, they expect to hear decisions and so if everything is, well, if this happens then we'll do this. That gets very confusing for folks. So, it seems to make the most sense to me and I think I I think I
shared this in an email is something I would just start conversation with and get your feedback on that if the board is remains interested which I think is a good sentiment and giving a presentation and then having some space and time for people to think about what's being presented in process then what I would
recommend is that we use the meeting that is currently that we cancel the ninth meeting and that we keep the 16th meeting but instead of having that be the adoption meeting we make that the presentation meeting. We'll have our figures for the 12th before and we're going to try to close our budget with a
couple different scenarios before that. So what we should have we should already have our if then scenarios in place. So then once we know what our figure is, we'll know which path we're going to go down. We'll talk vetted those with the board members and committee prior to that. And then uh we should have a solid
re we should clear information for the public and a clear proposal for how we're going to um support a budget that uh continues to progress the vision of 2030 and supporting all of our students while continuing to be as efficient as possible in our operations. And then I
would further recommend that we that we move the budget adoption vote for the uh to adopt that tentative budget to the following week, which would be the Monday the 23rd, which was going to be our regular meeting anyway. So, we're
already here. We were trying to keep this, you know, we're trying to free up space to have the regular meeting, but it's it certainly seems like that just makes sense to do them at the same time, especially considering that most of the discussion, the robust discussion, I think, will happen on the 16th and then
we'll just be following through with taking that feedback and incorporating it in the budget for the 23rd adoption. That then the actual deadline has been extended to the 27th. So that means that the budget, our budget team and Mr. Matthews's office
will then be able to have five days from but or four days from the budget adoption. They'll have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday to finish building it into the state software that then gets reviewed by the county superintendent. Mr. Matthews, did I leave anything out?
>> No, I think it's pretty pretty thorough. So, yes. So, the speech is on March the 10th. We get our numbers on March the 12th. We'll be officially balanced by March 13th. We'll have the presentation on the 16th and then we put the stuff into the software the week of the 17th and then actually on March 23rd they'll
have the advertised budget uh at the meeting on the 23rd with the presentation. I just >> um want to be clear that the expectation of the board will be that before the 16th board members will have an
opportunity either in committee or >> to >> understand the the parameters and and and what the options are even though we know that in those discussions it won't be finalized but it will give us all a
good um indication of what we should expect on the 16th. >> So, what I'll do is we'll block out the 10th, 11th, and 12th to have those committee meetings. Um, whatever time I'm I'm going to leave those three days just for board members, big blocks of time to have meetings, one-on-one or two
on one with the entire team, and and we'll we'll have that meeting in a presentation format where you'll see the different scenarios on how we came to balancing the budget um for 2627. >> Great. >> I'm give you guys big blocks of time.
So, I know you guys have schedules that are very hectic, but uh we'll those three days we'll figure out what five of you will come in for what amount of time and we'll have a thorough presentation on budget gap and then actually the actual budget for the 16th. >> That good. That's great because that
will lay the foundation then for the 16th and our discussion and any other questions that we have and move it move forward. Yeah. Okay. Is everybody good with that? So you said on the 10th >> before you get the numbers you'll have a meet 10th, 11th, 12th.
>> Yeah, we're going to Yeah, we're going to Yeah, we we're going to do a worst case scenario on the 10th, but by the 12th we'll have our numbers and um we're expecting be able to put stuff back into the budget at that point. No more decision regarding any reduction, but
actually being very very conservative. So anything that comes, you know, above what we're projecting as cuts right now in terms of state aid, we should be able to put things back in by the 12th hopefully. >> Yeah. But if you're if you're meeting with us 10th, 11 12th and then the
meeting is the 16th to present the budget. I mean, if there's feedback from the board members, will you have time to incorporate change? >> Yeah, because everything that's kind of going to be there for a uh a if then type thing is going to be out. spelled
out in terms of what those opportunities are going to be regarding uh expenditures or or revenues being recognized. Everything's going to be on out there regarding anything we're going to consider. And we've considered almost everything already meeting for like hours every single day if it's hard for
us to miss anything as far as an opportunity regarding a budget reduction or revenue recognition. I mean, we've covered already souped the nuts. Well, I I but I would also throw out there that I would recommend a finance committee meeting before we have those blocks in time. >> Uh yes. So, for instance,
>> so and I would recommend next week. >> You had said the third. >> Yeah, we were looking in the week. We were talking about early early in the week of the sec of uh really next week. We're talking about second and third time. >> So, you so we're meeting on Monday. Okay. And we're meeting tomorrow and we're meeting on Monday. You and I are meeting on Monday with budget team on
Monday doing a budget presentation on closing the gap based on different scenarios on on state aid. Right. So that's going to happen on March 2nd. You and I are meeting tomorrow. I think by March 2nd, we're going to have a lot of information regarding what are our
different paths to to a balanced budget. And and we've exhausted a whole lot a whole lot already. I don't see a whole lot coming brand new to us when we have our committee meeting. So we should schedule maybe a committee meeting with
>> third at 10. >> Okay. So >> I remember right Muhammad >> and that's fine. That'll be after we have our meeting with Mark. >> Yeah. And and my intention for that meeting is to give you a status update because we won't have our final numbers yet. But we will have a full assessment at that point of what our of what the
different measures of efficiency are and what potential revenue options are. So they're not going to be final decisions, but we can but I I I I'm going to need uh a representation of the board and the finance committee makes the most sense to me to really have a first round of
bouncing those ideas off and get your initial impressions. And if if it turns out to be pretty straightforward and doesn't seem that like there's much contribution or consternation uh around it, then maybe then the following week for the rest of the board members is fine. But if it's if there's if it seems
like we're going to have to make some hard decisions that are going to impact students and the community, we may want to add some meetings sooner to start having those conversations that if everyone's good with that then >> March 3rd at 10 to Okay, 10.
>> Yeah. So I have blocked out and a half hours for that meeting. >> Yeah, we're good. We'll be all right. >> Okay. Well, you know, I think that was the wish of the go of the board is to be able to to really sit down, understand and and what I look at is understand the
options. So, if this happens, >> this might be the the scenario. If this happens, this is the scenario to give us that broader look when we get that state aid, then you can button it up. Um here's here's where you are. So um thank
you. I know that um it's an extra layer, but I think it's important. >> So ju just for clarification sake, does anyone on the board object then to me can't to putting out a message to cancel the meeting on the 9th? >> 16th. Well, we would we would we would readvertise we'd advertise the
cancellation and then we'd readvertise that the 16th would be the presentation and discussion, >> right? >> And then the 23rd would be the adoption and regular meeting. >> Yes. Except that um the 16th becomes when we are instead of the 9th the 16th
be Yeah. Right. Yes. Yes. >> I'm sorry. >> Right. Right. >> Well, I think we'll be um they'll be busy. >> They'll be seeing you during the day. >> Okay. So, um so that's then the plan.
Everybody okay with that? >> Just to say one more thing. I'm sorry. So, the 10th is going to be finance committee meeting and you guys should be good for the rest of the week. Then we'll do the 11th and the 12th for the remaining three board members. >> No, the third. The third is >> the third. I'm sorry.
>> Third. All right. Yeah, the third. I'm sorry. Third. That's the finest meeting. Then we'll have another week or so to go through the scenarios. And we we kind of already have we're 90 95% there already. >> That's a regularly. >> So that would be the regular
Yeah. And by the 12th >> by the 12th they'll have you'll have the state aid figures and so that the um >> maybe there'll be some buttoning up of the >> a figures come in on the 12th like at 8 a.m.
So, we may or may not have saved on the 12th because we're supposed to be meeting another I mean, we'll have to be flexible, but I'm just, you know, >> I don't have the 12th on my calendar right now. >> There's a facilities meeting on the 12th, not finance.
>> Okay. Well, we don't have to we'll we'll figure it out. Look at all um the calendars and Lucy. >> I'm just I'm just meeting on a shared calendar. I don't have it on a shared calendar right now. I'm just not seeing it. >> So, we we we'll figure these out. Yeah. All right. Okay.
All right. Great. Is there anything else? >> I'm good. Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you. Um, so board committee reports. Um, and uh, we just we just talked a little bit about finance. >> Yes. >> But I I don't know if there's anything
else you wanted to report on. Um, okay. >> You want to report the budget update? >> Great. Yeah. Yeah. >> So on the finance committee um you had two meetings. One was 5th and one was
19th. What was the fifth special finance meeting? I could not access the minutes. So >> that was that budget update. The audit that was a special meeting to give you guys the same budget. That was the budget update.
>> So the audit wasn't the budget. So on the 5th Yeah. I had trouble accessing those as well. And I could show you they they actually did the same thing, but we met with the auditors and they went through all the findings that they drew today and that was all we did that day. >> Okay. And for the 19th uh meeting, the
finance minutes mentioned that um projects were reviewed by facilities for the next year's um budget. So when were they reviewed by facilities? because they are not in the facilities
meeting for 26. >> So that was it. They were discussed at facilities. There was some question about whether they were approved. Can you help me out with that, J? >> Sure. As far as I know, it was a discussion, but not not any kind of
formal approval. So, um I I thought that um I saw it on the finance, too, but I thought that was an they were >> I think it wasn't really approved approved. It there was no Yeah, there was it was in the in the large discussion of the 900 of the many things
that we need to do. I don't I'm not trying to >> right to Okay. >> It was things that we were thinking about trying to get done in this budget year, right, Mark? >> Yeah. Just be clear like the these are the projects these are the minimum amount of projects that we think we should focus on right now that the administration is recommending. >> Yes.
>> So So we're not interpreting them as approved by anybody. We're >> reviewed. It doesn't say approved. Everything's reviewed. >> Yes. So, but not in the facility meeting minutes. So, that's I wasn't sure when was it. >> Yeah. But it was it was part of that large review. >> Okay. So, on but you're saying the
projects themselves you can't see them >> in the or not on the facility. >> Okay. Well, we'll check that. Sorry. >> It's just not on the minutes, right? >> From the facilities, right? >> Facilities or uh finance. I mean, you're talking about finance, right? >> It's the capital but it's not in the He's He's asking why why isn't it
reflected in the facilities and it's not? >> Oh, right. No. Yeah. So but I had two questions on that. One is RHS tennis court. Um so tennis court I remember was redone couple of years ago. Uh so what is the usual life of the tennis court
and last time when it was done um we were told that between the district and the village we have an understanding of alternating renovation of RHS uh tennis courts. And we did question that like is it just a verbal understanding or is
that formalized and should it be formalized if there is an understanding because there is a tennis is a specific uh sport where village generates revenue so there's passes right so t so and then
if village generates revenue on district owned tennis courts I think that was the understanding that one every 3 years or four years either village will do it and then district will redo them. the last time we did that and then if we did not redo that understanding and if we are
not getting any of revenue share from those passes then should we go back to the village to do redo that and then also if it costs 500,000 what's the life of that is it 2 years 3 years for renovation how long should those renovations last >> so so I'm not a tennis court expert but
there is a periodic uh complete renovation that needs to occur um what we've done in the past is just a re reskinning resurfacing so that's the cheaper one of the two. The the there there's fundamental issues with them at this point. They need to be really
redone. So, we're we're acknowledging that as something that has to be a priority item with with respect to the village. That is very much on my radar that we have a shared use of that. Um I have a long list of things with the village. I have not brought this up yet with the village. I will be actually speaking with with uh Mr. Casmark. Uh
we're going to have a meeting tomorrow, but I'll I'll be reaching out to him directly about understanding the history of this as well. So I don't have an answer right now if you can give me >> right for for any other sport where anybody any uh community member can go and play that's a different thing but here that's a revenue generation that's why I think there was an understanding
for tennis courts and then um we have a project for GW lockers are we just replacing lockers here or is it renovation of the whole locker room >> I have a question because I read somewhere that it's a two-year project so is this amount for one year and then
next year will >> where did Yeah, >> Mr. Matthews can >> that that amount was I think $52,000 or $510,000. We initially talked about doing it over a two-year period, but we we moved it to just a one-year project. >> Oh, so this is >> that price the pricing. Yeah, the
pricing of 500,000 or 510 was for a one-year price for the GW lockers. >> Yeah, I know. >> To replace >> to replace Yes. >> Some of the lockers were replaced within the last five or six years. There were some lockers replaced within
the last 10 years, but I know it's more frequent, more recent than that. Are they being replaced? Is everything >> my understanding? Um, and I get I got the proposal from Nickerson and I talked to the uh the architects for it to replace all the lockers at GW. This was
on the original assessment and it was on the revised on the few revised uh assessments that were done by the architect. And um I remember meeting with um Mr. Bailey and vice principal like last year um and Mrs. Dr. Cardillo
I know I think that it's their 100th anniversary is coming up I think in 2026 2027 and um they were they they were in need of repair a replacement and I think if I don't know the exact number of students but if we have 5,000
students across 12 grades or 13 grades 400 per grade 200 per middle school per grade so 600 students probably at GW 500 000. So it's $500 per locker. >> That was the quote that we got. But
we're going to go out and and Nickerson is also a state contractor. We're going to go out there and do a competitive price, but that was the price that we got from the architect to use for budget purposes of $5,000. >> That another question. So if we are replacing something in in place, right,
do we need an architect for that? Like if we're replacing a furniture that's >> No. No. the the the AR. No, we don't. I've done lockers without an architect. An architect. No, we don't. We're not using the architect. I I contact Nichson myself directly and had them come and do a survey at GW. He came back to me and
that was his recommendation. >> Um, >> so we should go to at least three, four contractors because $500 a locker, a metal, a piece of metal. It just sounds >> facilities meeting tomorrow. So, could we maybe um just take a look at that
quote tomorrow and then we could vet it a little bit? >> Yeah, I have it. I have it updated January. Yes, I have a January updated price and um Yeah, I have a January updated price. >> We can just at least put eyes on it and then >> and then my last question on that. >> I'm just wondering if if that includes
the removal and disposal. >> It does. You know, you know, strip out. So I I'm not saying it's the good price or whatever, but it but this is just a proposal as we would do any right is but it doesn't necessarily mean that is the
cost because you have to bid it, right? >> So um no, you could use them because they're they're they're state contract vendor. You can use them, but you could also go out there and try to get a competitive price, too, but they're their prices are pretty pretty reliable in the industry throughout all school districts. They're they're they're like
kind of the the top of the line in terms of companies you would use for lockers. Uh Nickerson, >> I know we can use state contractors as per the regulations, but I'm requesting that we at least get three different state contractors coming.
>> Sure. >> Not just one. >> Sure. >> Just so long as we can get it done in the summer. just because of the size of the project. It it takes it should if they are state contractors, it should take not more than a week for somebody to come in and give us a price for a if they do lockers all the time or school
lockers, they shouldn't be able to give us a price. That should not be a big project for them to give us a price. >> I agree. >> Right. So, and and if we cannot get it done by by summer, we should have started it early. We cannot come at the last minute and say, "Hey, we need to do a $500,000 project and we only have one
vendor and you have to approve that because we don't have time to go to the other contractors. We should have started early." >> But I think it'll also help that um you know, when you say $500 a locker or whatever it is, when you explain exactly what goes into it, it makes a whole lot
more sense. And I think it's very good to go and take a look at the proposals and then have a conversation here. So I >> this actually started last year for the 2627 budget. >> I was the one who said the delay issued not so I wasn't >> No no no no. >> So then the other the last question on
that list of projects is >> can I just mention the lockers there's only a finite amount of spaceish to be able to replace locker for locker. Um and I will say looking at the numbers of enrollment GW has now exceeded BF. BF
always had more students than GW for many years. We now at GW, you know, many more students there. And with the housing projects, not the housing developments that have come in, the three different apartment buildings, I
don't know what impact those housing units have done. I do know there are many there are students from those buildings coming to GW and they all three of them all go to GW. So we are larger than BF substantially. I think
there's 630 students in sixth grade. I mean 237 students. So which is much more. I know there's trends and things move but I think there's a potential for more and more students and being in the building as a teacher there lockers
you know if one grade is larger you just need to have extra lockers. But I do know that in the third floor there was a whole bank that had to be replaced. They've been repainted and repaired. You can see they're multiple colors underneath. >> That's fine. So if you're adding more if
>> they're new, >> right? So if you're adding more, if we are redoing the locker room with the lockers. So that's the scope I'm trying to understand because it just say lockers. >> Locker room is new. >> Well, newer in comparison to the lockers
that have been there forever. Okay. And the last question I had was u when we approved last year's capital projects, we agreed that we are approving one elementary schools uh gym uh for air conditioning and I had
questioned that why did we pick one and I was told that we have a plan to do all elementary schools and they all will be treated equally one every year. So I would expect to see one elementary school this year. Yeah, we have Travel earmarked for 26 27.
>> Not in this list. >> Yeah, but um we added it to our list probably Tuesday. So that the list is not updated, but we did we did add Travel. Uh I think it was Tuesday. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Yep.
>> Okay. Um and then um I'll just do the I'll go I'll come and do facilities last a policy. policy has today under the consent items there have a consent on properties of
playground facilities and school property. It's been revised. The um main thing that has been done there, it has not been updated in 11 years and some of the equipment that people use on the
school have changed. So to prohibit certain items. We have to add things such as ebikes and and you know um scooters and other kind of equipment because they were delineated in this policy. But we also added um
talking about temperature related use restrictions to identify that now 10 years later we do worry about temperature on the fields and that that determining whether appropriate to use
the facilities is up to the user >> to decide if it's a good a good thing to use or not. Um, okay. I think just clarify, but it has been 11 years and that's our mission as well in this year board goals is to look at things such as
this and that to the updated things. So that's today. And then we also have a discussion item on homeschooling and equivalent education outside of the school. And that also had not been updated since 2012.
>> So there's 13 years and it primarily remains the same but a little bit um more specifically say if a child is educated elsewhere such as homeschooling or not in Richwood that they are not
allowed to attend after attend after school activities and things of that nature. So they've clarified a few um points that have been developed as a practice. So they are up for today and pretty much they're updating things that
are policies that have not the last. >> Great. Thank you. >> And then communications. Uh yeah, we a lot of stuff happening communication. So there's uh been a very large
district-wide effort around our logo and branding and Christine and team have been doing a great job. Been a lot of focus groups kind of developing different logos for each different school. Um so that is pretty much complete and will be rolled out uh kind of more widely pretty soon. And so the
idea is each elementary school will retain their own identity but still within a larger district-wide uh framework and logo. Um we also are building out the website uh continue to build out the different pages on the website and including curriculum and the
health site. Um counseling uh there is a pretty cool video that I believe I don't know if it's launched or about to be coming soon. So that was pretty pretty cool. We got a sneak peek into that. So stay tuned for that when it comes out.
And uh ADA guidelines and accessibility of the website continue to be a big focus. Uh chatbot and social media usage continues to increase. So some quick stats. Uh you know Facebook is now at 6,400 followers up up by 6300 from a
little over a year ago. Sorry since November. Instagram uh 5200 roughly up by 4,800 from November. Uh, Twitter is down a little bit, but that was a low number to start. Um, and a few others are increasing as well. So, a lot of
good activity and momentum on side. >> I'd just like to also add because I was very impressed. I know that Mr. Ross has worked with Mrs. Corlo about the curriculum. It's a f it's a parentfriendly curriculum and assessment guide on the
district website and it goes grade by grade. And I think that it's going to really clarify a lot of the statemandated um verbiage that sometimes a parent may not understand clearly and how we have
that curriculum in our school. So I really think that that's something I was very impressed when I saw that that new um platform or the new links for the district website about the um the curriculum. And I just think it's also
amazing that 12,000 people in h that date was from Jan end of January to February 17th for three weeks there are 12,000 views of the board of education e-news and there's only you know less
than 6,000 students so more you know so I there's a lot of people looking at our website all the time so I think that that's something that's people know it's a great resource and We want to say thank you to the leadership of Mrs. Corless for that as well.
Great. And then on facilities, Mary and I um spent a long facilities meeting uh on February 6th, but it we we we knew we were going to set the time aside because we wanted to carefully go through the uh
facilities assessment that happened in 2025 by our architects and engineers. So we really did go project by project. We we talked about um you know prior work that was done in the in the district. We questioned whether in fact it was time
to redo or had they known that we had done x y or z. So um it was a great meeting. We have a meeting tomorrow where the architects are to come back with a refined um list uh beginning to
prioritize some of those bigger projects, heating system, windows um and uh and and to and to begin to look at their estimated costs. And then we begin the subject of again fine-tuning more
conversation eventually getting to, you know, how do you fund, you know, the projects? What can we do with what we have in capital reserve? What are the projects we can um pick
away at, if you will? Some of the bigger ticket items uh will be harder, but um it's all part of a really good conversation and I think it was a great uh teamwork. Um a lot of thought went into that meeting. Yeah. So that's where
we are. Uh you you can see the um the big topics that we did on facilities. It's a it's a work in progress. >> Was there any discussion to hire any marketing agent for um
for how to sell any ideas to the residents? Any marketing or consultant to residents? Any consultant? Are are we planning to go to any consultant or marketing company um on how to package what we are trying
to do and get >> at this point we are we are just looking at prioritizing what projects refining costs and then next steps would be to what can we fund with our existing
monies over the next few years and how do we um move forward on other ones and then uh we haven't come to any decisions on that. It's just really been con conversations about prioritizing and refining. >> Thank you >> at this point.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Um thanks everybody. Uh a lot of good works going on uh in our committees. Uh consent items regular and routine. Should we discuss any uh liaison here or in the other business?
Big >> Oh, le liaison if you have something to report on >> now or in the other room. >> Sure. >> So, >> you'd like to. >> Okay. So I attended my first SESAC meeting as the board leazison and two points that came up uh were one was um
some residents have reported that we have bus stops at some places on county roads which are hightraic roads without sidewalks. So not all county roads, not everywhere we
have sidewalks in the town and some of the bus stops are designated where we have more than three, four, five students getting on a bus and in this sense I think they said seven students they saw waiting without sidewalk for a
bus stop. So um one of the request was to review our bus stops to make sure that um there are safe for students to wait uh for the buses. So that was one suggestion that came up and then
>> one I mean when in December they talked about that but part of the issue was the snow and again in January the snow pile up it doesn't allow some of them are are standing you know in nicer weather they're standing at the curb but they're
standing in grass because there's not a sidewalk but since there's not a sidewalk there's not the shoveling and you got and so that becomes I mean that does in and >> yes so they said that it was brought up before >> yeah that's what they said that it was
brought up before but it it becomes a bigger problem in snow >> but even without snow our students are waiting on somebody's lawn >> basically so we we should just look at it >> in my neighbor in my neighborhood that happens but there really isn't any
choice if there's no sidewalk there's no sidewalk >> okay >> you I don't know how open the neighbor neighbors and the village is going to be to say you have to add sidewalks. >> I don't have >> I know it's not great.
>> I don't have the solution. I'm just a leazison there from SESAC committee and I'm reporting what I heard. >> That's good. >> Right. So just just I'll I'll I'll ackn I I'll acknowledge I will in the context
of the fact that um moving bus stops and adding bus routes and everything can be very very challenging. But we actually are in the process of evaluating as I've shared before all of our bus routes to make sure that we're being as efficient as possible. So, uh, so we'll add that. I I will say um, you know, you're it's
not uncommon in many communities to have students on a side of a road. There's a definition for a for a for a hazardous route, an official definition for hazardous route that that that this may not trigger. But nevertheless, if we if if there's an if we know common sense
that that there's a just a an actually functionally difficult spot and there's an easy solution like moving it slightly. Of course, we're always going to take a common sense approach to that. Um that can become a slippery slope. We're dealing with that right now. We do get a lot of requests for stops
adjustments a lot. So, but we'll take that into consideration. Certainly, if there's a very real safety issue at night, the snow pilot thing is something that's also worth noting. >> Yeah. the snow actually made that worse. >> So that was one point that came up. Um the second one that came up was uh if
the SESAC committee needs to coordinate with schools for um adding something to curriculum or distributing flyers or bringing um specialists for any sort of
educational material. For example, there's a ebike new ebike law Right. So, and we have our students who um are on ebike and if they are getting some material u to circulate who's their leison on for that purpose
like it's not coming to me and then I'm forwarding. So, is there that direct coin point person for them for any of those flyers and educational uh part? >> Well, so that's a lot of different things. So depending on what they're thinking, I think if it has to do with
programming and curriculum, then Mr. Ross is a great point of contact. If it's about raising awareness about a community event, Miss Corass of course is a great point of contact. Um, and if it's more just about like safety education like special programs, then especially then than Mrs. Murphy or Dr.
Fenwick, but I would say to just to start simple, it sounds like more programming. >> No, you don't need to start with me. >> Mr. Mr. Ross would be a great place to start and then he can redirect. >> Okay. >> So, so I can provide Mr. Ross's contact and then you can distribute or redirect
reroute. Right. >> Yes. And in that they also wanted to know if they uh get some um yard signs or some signs in specific times. So which have they don't want it year round because other then there's no impact of
that. But just during c certain months if they want some specific messaging then can they put those yard signs on school property that which are directed to students for children for traffic safety those type of things. So who would they reach out to? >> I I would I would work with Miss Coralus
if we're talking about like any kind of campaign. >> Okay. >> So any anything that's like campaign oriented Miss Coral? Anything that's program oriented Mr. Ross >> or I I'll just give both of your names so they can send it to you both and then you can decide. Right. So that was their
question and the last one was um HSA. One of the members raised that pro that there used to be HSA leaison and more HSA activity in the morning uh drop offs and management of the red lines and like
different traffic management and they mentioned that that is slowly disappearing is and do we have safety captains on HSA teams and I said I don't know but I can probably connect you to somebody who may know so >> connect them in the federate >> so who should I connect them
>> uh So, who the president of Federated right now is Kelly Nakason, right? And I mean, it used to be that Federated had a um liaison to the citizen safety advisory committee. >> Yes. But yeah, there's >> probably not there's been um Yes. less
um it's it's just another meeting for the federated uh president and sometimes they do have a um liaison from federated to uh safety. But over the last couple years, I'd say that it's been infrequent
attendance. >> That's a less issue >> uh with it. Um certainly um some of the schools have more robust safety committees within their schools, but we can certainly um you know the
the new president uh or the new chair for uh safety can certainly talk to Kelly. Yeah. About that. >> So I'll just give the name and they can email. They don't need to like um I'm sure federated has a is is on the
um district website under HSAs. I don't know if there's a federated mailbox or if you need to go. >> Oh, right. >> And just for the record, for those who couldn't hear in the recording, Mrs. Corus just offered to make a connection for on their behalf with HSA.
>> So, but at elementary schools were there safety more safety committees and more active involvement in the morning that's not there now and can that be increased or in at least middle and high schools can do SRO's manage traffic in the morning or do they help because in some other schools where I go there school
resource officers help in the morning uh traffic? Yeah, they may. What's what's what's the spirit of the concern? The concern is that there's less there's less supervision of arrival, >> right? The drop offs traffic >> generally speaking, there's there's less less supervision,
>> right? >> And is it is it is it unique to the elementary schools or is it >> more on elementary schools? >> Car lines, >> cars cars coming up, cars making two lanes, double lane on on the main street, those type of things. The only place that I know that we have parent
volunteers actually helping with Caroline is Ridge. So it could be that this is a ridge concern. Yeah. But the uh but but but there but every school has some some system of drop off. So but it's unique to each school's geographic kind of setup. >> So uh so but so if the concern is
generally speaking about primar seems to be leaning towards arrival and dismissal at the elementarymentaries then that would be something that that Dr. Fenway could certainly follow up with. >> Yeah. because I I myself have seen double lines on the main street.
>> You know, I think it made worse this winter by narrower streets and buildup of snow, uh lack of parking in in some areas. So I mean it's um and I think we always have to put this um perspective
that it it's a 10 to 15 minute problem in the morning when everybody's trying to get their student. I' I've sat on Rididgewood Avenue and waited um not wanting to be waiting but happened to be
there and then at pickup it's another 10 to 50 because every day when I go by Ridge by 3:30 it's empty. So, you know it it's cumbersome. It it's but it's they're going so slow these cars that it
you know and that's what the police say that you know it's it's not so safety it's it's inconvenience >> I think for SESAC's concerns were definitely safety not not slowness not cumbersome SESAC was primarily concerned
about safety how these cars are approaching the school how these cars are crossing each other or or so It's just certain as a parent in in a variety of the schools is every single year you get the principal sending
something that says please don't do this this this this and this and that lasts for what five minutes and then invariably and and so I mean you can continue campaigns and whatever but that is individual individuals
>> but we certainly can bring it back to Absolutely. Yeah, to federated. >> I would just add to I would encourage them to reach out to their building principles because each each school is unique and has you know just a different uh you know physical plant and and approach. Some have parking lots, some
don't and so the principles are acutely aware of this and are really monitoring it closely. So if there are concerns I'm sure they would like to know about them. Just Oh sorry. >> So just last point on that Mr. Ross from SESAC perspective these are volunteers.
They're volunteering their time to listen to concerns from different community members and they are looking for a point of contact at school where they can relay their concern. Right. They don't they should not have to go to six elementary school principles and two
middle school principles and high school principal to report every problem. That's what I'm I'm asking. >> No, that I'm sorry. I think that's very fair. It's just that the nature of those specific problems will differ greatly depending on the the side of town, the building, etc. So I
perspective is that uh town problem or do we have a designated person in school district who would >> well I I don't know. Mike Ranki is is you know the ex the safety expert. I think he's a good person to loop in on this conversation and I think Dr. Dr. Fenwick as she oversees all the six elementary schools. But again, those
specific building principles have, you know, a vast fountain of knowledge in terms of the trends and and the things that they need and some schools have busing, some don't. >> I I I would als I also I have always held principles accountable for determining what the strategy is for car
lines. So, I would say that talking any concerns about a carline at a specific school, if they haven't engaged the principal, they should. if they feel like if they're still not feel if they feel still feel like it's not being addressed, then Dr. Feelick's the next person to speak with. And again, it is
it's something that I consistently press upon them. And it's a big I mean, you think about of all the things an elementary principal is responsible for, arrival and dismissal is arguably top five things they manage every day. And they have to be actively and
intimately involved in it. And I'll say I can't think of an example. every every every arrival and dismissal, our principles are out there actively engaged in arrival and dismissal. They're they're supposed to be. So, if people are concerned that it's not happening, they should reach out to
their principal and reach out to Dr. >> Just answering your question before about the school resource officer at the high school. I don't believe he participates in that, but I know he's outside walking around the building, so he's monitoring, but I don't believe he's directing traffic.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, any other leaison reports? >> Well, I mean, only if you have something. Yeah, I'm the new leazison on to the green Ridgewood and I'm very they're very very excited. They have a they have Earth Day
coming up um in April and they have a poster contest in the elementary schools and they always are thrilled about the high percentage of student participation and they're going to be spreading the posters and the storefronts that are all
around and I have seen them um looking at the e-news from all the elementarymentaries the poster requests are out there and I think they're I think it's going to be another successful year right So the green team and they're have lots of good ideas and we'll see what happens. Only had one
meeting but the posters they just love that the students and the schools are so you know they that the teachers and the schools encouraged participation. Great. And they like that they thanked us for their our support.
>> Anything else? >> All right. Um we'll go to consent items regular and routine. Attendance at conference. I move attendance at conference. Fizz plural. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. Administration. Would someone like to move administration? >> Administration. >> I have a second. Second. Mary Mary
>> is this No. What? Give me one second. So, is this same as what's on the discussion item for >> this is playground? >> That's no. Okay. Uh, yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. Okay. On curriculum and instruction, uh we uh there was changes to the field trip. Um on attachment B, you do have it at your board table, I believe. Right.
>> Yeah. I'm just going to report out there was a we updated the uh updated the attachment. There was a clerical error in the education center office, not with the well, not with the school. Um with regards to a trip that was left off the agenda. So, I'm just going to read it
in. It's scheduled for March 6th. It is for Willard School to visit the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey. It's 94th grade students. Um there is no cost to the district. >> Okay. So, with that um change um I move
curriculum instruction. I have a second. >> Second. I have a comment. Oh, sure. >> Okay. But it's still second at first, right? The only thing I would ask because I looked at this high school sports schedule. It's very nice and complete I suspect, but it's by date.
It's what happens on March 18th, April 15th. I would really like to see it sport by sport. So, if I have an interest in a sport, I'd like to see what's the tennis team doing, what's lacrosse doing. I know I can go to the
website, but it's click click click click click. It would be nice If we got this I I just I guess we have to approve that that students can play in all these games. >> Yeah. So So we don't we haven't been approving these in a little while. So years ago they were approved. I'm not
sure where the practice fell off and I've never caught it. We were just going through policy and we realized that we have a policy here that specifically says that the board of education is to approve the high school sports schedules. So that's what we're doing. We're correcting the record here. So we're asking you to approve the schedules. It does authorize the
principal to make modifications as needed. So it's not as though you approve the schedule, we have to keep making addition revisions, but the idea is that for insurance purposes and for travel, just like we approve field trips, you should approve the tentative schedule for each sports season. So the
goal of this is not to be like a master list. In fact, there will be changes. So I actually wouldn't recommend you use this list. This is just so that way you can see the amount of events where they're going and then you can approve them as consistent with policy and expectation and then they're officially
on the record as board approved for insurance purposes and then the principal still has the latitude to make adjustments as needed. >> I do think it's harder to get a grasp of where what the team's doing. How many games does baseball have versus this one and how many how many away games um what
are they having to do? I just think it'd be better if there is no real reason one way or the other to have it grouped by the sport rather than the calendar day. But just just >> presentation >> presentation just saying as a person that follows sports, I'd like
you know see what that team's doing. That's all. When are they playing IHA? Let me and I if I have it by calendar it's going through two months worth of time. But if I could just see lacrosse and then when they play someone, if I wanted to go there particularly to be
supportive because they're playing against the big rival, it's just easier. >> You don't find the website does that for you? >> It does, but yes, as is a post, but I guess it's not post it's not started yet. So, it's probably not posted yet,
but maybe it is because it's here. >> The the sports card, does it include no contact period for July, August? No, these are just compet these are just travel dates for competition. >> Do we know when will those dates be available? Yeah, that's I think it's already been announced.
>> It's already been announced, >> I believe. So, >> yes. >> Yeah, it's been announced. >> Not on the calendar. I'm looking at district calendar. It's not in the district calendar. >> It's August, >> right? But where is it on the website? not on the calendar page.
>> If you go to August, it probably is there. >> There's also on the >> Yeah, I believe it comes up on the district public calendar because it shows up in my shows up in my Google calendar. >> If you go to the I I you might know this, but if you go to the athletics page, right,
>> you can follow a team. >> Yes. Yes. >> And then and and populate it into your calendar and then it just pops up. I understand your point. >> Yes. It populates a calendar. I'm just saying if we're approving what a team is doing and who they're playing against. It's I just think that the idea is to
approve that that's who their potential people are. I just think it's good to see it by each sport so you get a picture of what that sport is doing and who are they playing. Are they playing competitive team? I don't know. I just think it's better by sport. Just being a
sports follower for I have a 44 year old kid. I've been watching sports for a long time. It's just easier. >> So, we can we can um adjust that for for the fall sports. >> Yeah, we'll see if there's a way they can just resto >> but they but for right now the spring sports
>> it's done are done. And what we're just trying to do is correct a practice that had fell off. Right now, we're just approving this all of the sports programs on the website are the specific team and what they're doing and we can
um take your suggestion and run with it in the fall. How about that? Okay. Thanks. Um >> Okay. >> So, I think we're ready to vote on the >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Mr. Donnie. >> Yes. >> Miss Sandy?
>> Yes. >> Men? Yes, >> Mmouth. >> Yes, >> Mr. Broen. >> Yes, >> I have affirmative. >> Okay. Human resources. Um I just um would like to move human resources, but
also make mention of a few more retirements. So, this is retirement time. Um usually January, February is um when some of our teachers think that um you know, it's time to make that decision. So, I'm sure in um future
board me meetings we will be able to wish Anne Brown, William Cahill, Patricia Rosenfeld, and Peggy uh Remis um good um well wishes for their
retirement each with you know amazing 25 21 35 23 19 years. Um, so it's interesting to me always to see how our teachers stay and and make a commitment to Rididgewood.
Ridgewood makes a commitment to them, but they make a commitment to our district. So, um, I just wanted to acknowledge those retirements, but we will see them at the board table. Um, so I move human resources. Would someone like to second be?
>> I just have to make two audles. Oh, or >> thank you. Do that. I apologize. So in IIA a the last and that's under appointments the last individual under support staff uh I just need to make a correction to
his last name. It should be Montacino Serta CR DA and we're going to correct the start date. um there was some late communication that um he won't he will not be able to start with us until March 19th
and then in addition who is here oh >> it's the new HVAC uh maintenance staff under Got it and then in section two under
change of assignments under administrative assistant. We'll be pulling that and we'll be placing that back on the March. This is the this is uh new language that was added to the contract in this round and there's some miscalculations and representation. So, we just need to to pull back for a
moment. I'm working with the REA to make sure that we represent um this compensation correctly in a new resolution in the March agenda. the the >> just the >> just the those just the block for administrative assistance. So we'll be removing that from this agenda.
>> Oh, >> I will see that we'll see those on March 16th. You think >> the next board maybe or the 23rd? >> I I'll you moved it, right? >> You did move. wasn't a second was
>> so I'll second it but I I I also have a question um which I wanted to ask at the very end um it's always the longest part of the agenda you guys work very well thank you um so I just in and um
section oh my Roman numerals 7Q right biq um so we talking about overtime okay so we've got three uh approvals for overtime time. >> Yeah. >> Um it's V IQ R and S. And I just um not
today because I don't expect you to have it today, but um and I understand that there are consistently extraordinary circumstances, but at some point um maybe in finance andor facilities, we can have a kind of a breakdown of what the actual overtime was for those first
two quarters. Um I understand recently with you know extreme cold and extreme snowfalls but I I I just don't remember what would have uh necessitated that maybe July, August, September and I do think as we are
>> approving a lot of well >> frequently approving overtime that we should at least be keeping track of exactly what it is that's creating those uh overtime necessities. So that's a that's a very good point. So we actually
are going to give you guys a weather impact analysis for January, February, and December because as you guys know that the weather conditions in January, February have driven up overtime cost as well of use of facilities. So we actually >> are prepared to give you a a quarterly
report based on >> actual spend and what's and what's driving the spend, what portion of the overtime is weather, what portion is normal over time. So we actually have that data. We're not finished with February. >> No, that's that's fine. And we don't need it right this second. I just think that we should have >> Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna we're
gonna bring this to you at at financing facilities. >> Fantastic. >> At your next >> Fantastic. >> Probably your your regular finance meeting, not the one next week. That's what >> whenever whenever we see each other. >> That's appropriate. Yeah. And and if we do the same thing for July, August, Sep, you know,
>> because we have an approval here from July 1st, right? So that's that's what I maybe I'm just too old and I don't remember what >> so this report actually is December through February we'll get it from state >> but since we're approving right I just we just need to always keep on top of it I think it's an important um
>> understood >> yeah thank you I and I I think at at this first year because we did have this change in how we are operating a little bit um that this plays into the budget conversations as well. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Great. Um, so I think we're ready to vote on uh human resources. >> Okay. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Miss Handy, Miss McCalli. Mr. McMood. >> Yes. >> M. Broen. >> Yes. >> I have affirmative.
>> Okay. Finance. Um, would someone like to move finance? >> Um, walk. >> Yeah, I'm going to do that. I that's part of the donations and I'll read them into the record. >> Oh, okay. Right. So, >> but you can't whoever is moving has to
move amend it. >> Just want to move finance. >> All right. You want me to move finance? Sure. >> Okay. I'll move finance and >> with with the with the change that Sheila's going to read in. Uh we just have an additional donation >> um that is included. So, and Sheila will
take care of it. >> I have a second. >> I'll second. >> I have a question. facility donations then um are to read into the record and we thank them. Dad's night organization for $10,891 a gift in kind of additional electrical
work and lighting for the B uh BF middle school auditorium. This is the lighting system that um I understand that we had accepted a donation for the lighting system and then as they evaluated what work needed to be done, it looked like there was some electrical work that
needed to happen. So, uh Dad's Knight has offered to cover that expense as well. RHS class of 2025, $6,500 to be used to purchase an ice machine. Ridge Home and School Association $18,000 a gift in kind of enrichment
programs at Ridge Elementary School such as One School, One Book, Space Historian, Beekeeper, and more. Image Art Studio for $595.38 to be used to enhance the Red Rise and
Reach programs at Glenn School. Traval Home and School Association, $1,790, a gift in kind for Traval of a field trip to the Buer Challenger and Science Center. Uh Travel Home and School
Association for $1,100 gift in kind for Traval of a field trip for the fourth and fifth grade to the New York Filmonic. Uh um the Ridgewood Education Foundation $4,125 to be used to pay for services and
supplies for Super Science Saturday. Travel Home and School Association $26.50 for gift and kind of en of of enrollment in the scripts national spelling bee for TVL Travel Elementary School. Again,
Travel Home and School Association $1,295. A gift in kind of for of an experience with Adventure Science Heroes Assembly. Ridgewood High School student activity
fund $815.72 to be used to reimburse the district for the cost of the bus transportation to and from the airport for spring training. Anonymous $3,000 to be used to enhance
the Ridgewood Public Schools. Uh, and finally, Rididgewood High School Baseball Scholarship Committee, $8157.72 to be used to pay for the DNM bus to the airport for spring training in Florida. And I think we'd all like to
go with them on spring training. Uh, if this weather doesn't get better, they need extra chaperons. So I have a question on um finance number five which is approval of disposal of assets.
Um some of these chairs and tables are listed as sitting in the boiler rooms in two schools. So do we have an adjacent storage room with those boiler rooms or are the boiler rooms being used as
storage rooms and is it safe? It's a combination of of of both. >> Baller room is a com has storage space like there >> really uh it's unsafe how some of the rooms are being used right now. Um
there's let me just go to the >> there are two schools where we have 33 or 40 desks and chairs in B room. >> Yeah, we're trying to you know clean things up. Uh what's
>> And one of them mentions several chairs and tables at the door for custodial door. So do we do we need proper storage spaces? This has been a topic of concern for
mine a little bit. We've had uh we don't have a lot of storage throughout the district. It depends on the school, you know, like Somerville, for example, actually has a lot of storage. Many other schools do not. So, certain spaces there is storage and it's fine. Um, but
we have had issues where we have we are storing things where we shouldn't be storing things, >> right? Especially if it's desks and chairs, they don't just appear, they are probably replaced. So, if you have 40 desks and chairs, there are probably new ones were purchased to replace those.
And then that should be as part of that purchase process that I can't speak for every spot around the district, but we do, you know, if if a classroom is going to be repurposed and we their desks are perfectly fine, we will store them before we dispose them. If they're non-functioning, we do go through the
disposal process. So, we're required to do we've actually had several disposals on here at desk and shares. >> So, that's where my question is that if they are being replaced and they are not good, some of them are being disclosed. Can that disposal disposal
resolution be part of purchase resolution that purchase and res disposal at the same time when >> I I I wouldn't necessarily tie them together because you know we want to be we want to make the most out of the equipment that we have and so you know classroom functions change from time to
time so having a set if if a if a set of desks is we might get new furniture in because there's a shuffling of rooms and we have a specific type of furniture, but generally speaking, we're going to always raid what we have first, and if it's non-functioning, we're just going to get rid of it. So, there may very
well come a time where we have new furniture coming in and we'll simultaneously have old furniture going out. But I wouldn't expect as a board member to see there's a one for one. But I will say though, just to be clear, there's been we've we've we've made a lot we've made some progress here
because we've had some issues with seeing a lot of just to the topic of storage and boiler rooms that those are not meant to be in some spaces. They're designed to have storage in them also like there's lots of space. >> Yeah, that's what my question was that maybe they have they are designed at
dual purpose or >> some some are but a lot of them are not. But we we've because we don't have a lot of storage in the district, we have a we h there has been a tendency to just stick things places. So we are trying to actively get rid of those things. And and to to help answer your question, Mr.
Donnie, we are trying to let our mechanical spaces be more mechanical spaces more than storage spaces where we're starting to try to add painting to floors and clear them out so they're truly mechanical spaces, not storage spaces. So they've been kind of been used more as storage. more than they
should have been. But that that process does take time. But we we have asked them to clear out these spaces and start to paint them so they look more like mechanical space instead of storage rooms. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like a working space instead of just like a creepy basement, >> right? Yeah.
>> So removing that broken window effect. >> Yes. Yes. >> Exactly. Perfect. >> Thank you. >> Also, I know from being a teacher in the building, class size pops and they save the desks and they break. they go to their storage space, but I also know they don't dispose every month. They
wait, you have a critical mass of items to dispose of. So, if a teacher changes the configuration or they had some new furniture, they wait to a certain time, maybe every three months, but I know it's not every week, they just can't throw all the chairs out for the dumpster. They have to accumulate it.
And that's why it seems a lot I >> and then as long as they are safe and I I think they're already on top of that. So, it was a redundant question for me. >> Great. All right. Can we have a vote then on finance? >> Okay. Um, Mr. Donnie,
>> I am I'm going to vote no on finance number nine. Um, and yes on everything else. >> All right, Miss Handy. >> Yes. M >> Yes. Mr. Froggen.
>> Yes. And just um there was a correction as you all know on nine with the contracted vendors to provide services. What was attached to the agenda that we may have gotten we got had um the wrong list. We've corrected it. You have it at
your at your um seats now. All right. Um resolutions and motions not included in consent agenda. Um, Mary, I think you might have a resolution. Um, yeah. >> Um, I'm gonna read
um >> that is D maybe. >> I'm sorry. >> Oh, I was just um You want me to just >> Oh, you could make it D, but I thought you might as well do it now. >> D. So, okay. You want to go in sequence A, B, C, and then D? >> Well, I don't need to read them all in, do I?
>> Sorry. Okay. So, I'm going to read in an additional um resolution to be voted on uh and it would be D in the agenda and it is um actually my approval of the decision of the superintendent pursuant
to NJSA 18A 37-5. >> Yeah, I think we should change the title to I'm sorry that should modification >> uh approval. >> Yeah, I know. I thought it was I thought because you >> just take a look at that. >> You know when I made that I I thought it
would be approval because you're making recommending. >> Okay. Okay. So you may >> Okay. I stand corrected. I apologize. The title is approval of the modification of the decision of the
superintendent pursuant to NJSA 18Am 37-15B6E. Whereas the district received a report of an incident of harassment, intimidation, and bullying, otherwise known as HIV. Whereas the district investigated the report pursuant to
district policy and NJSA1837-15B6 and determined that an incident of HIV had not occurred. Whereas the parents of the student involved requested a hearing before the board pursuant to NJSA 18A37-15B6D. Whereas at its meeting on February 26th,
2026, the board heard from the parents and whereas after considering the positions of the parents and the evidence presented by district administration, the board has determined to modify the finding of HIV pursuant to the
recommendation of the superintendent. Now therefore be it resolved that the Rididgewood Board of Education pursuant to NJSA18A37-15B6E hereby modifies the superintendent's decision from December 8th, 2025 in the
HIV case 299445 RHS113202. And so with that addition, I are we going to do I'm going to move just this or all just move that. I'm going to move this resolution into the record. Do I
have a second? >> Okay. Roll call. Mr. Donnie. >> Yes. >> Miss Handy. >> Yes. >> Mel, >> yes. >> Sloo, abstain. >> Abstain. Right. And Miss Broen, >> abstain. Reaffirmative abstensions.
Thank you. Okay. So, uh now um we will go to um A, B and C. Do you want to take them separately or are you comfortable moving all three? >> We can move all three. >> Okay. So, I move uh resolutions motions
not included in consent agenda A, B, and C. May I have a second? >> I second it. >> Okay. Uh motions AB and I'm sorry resolutions A, B, and C. >> Yes. >> Moved by Miss Broen, second by Miss
Andy. Roll call. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Mandy, >> yes. >> Mr. McCalli, >> yes. >> M. Mcmood, >> yes. M. Broen. >> Yes. >> Five. Affirmative. >> Approval of bills. >> So, unfortunately, I did not have a
chance to approve bills. It was a busy few days. So, my apologies. Uh, I did not have a chance to get to it. Okay. So, we have a couple of options which I don't think would be a good one to wait until the next meeting since our next
meeting is until the 19th of March. We could approve them based upon um your review um hopefully within the next few days. Is that a possibility? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Um >> it's not that I believe.
>> So uh okay. So I um I would move uh the bills based upon that. Um Muhammad will review them in the next few days. We did get a chance to look at u I not all the details but certainly the bill list.
>> Can I have a second posted in the share drive? >> Bill list. >> The bill list was we received it on um I want to say we have snow day m two seconds. >> Yeah, >> I'm conf a little confused.
>> Second. >> I'll second. It's been moved and seconded. >> Roll call. Donnie. >> Uh, Miss Handy, >> yes. >> Miss McCalli, >> yes. >> M. McMode, >> yes.
>> Miss Roie, >> yes. >> Or for >> Thank you. >> Stitch. >> Okay. just let us know that that's done. Thank you. Uh board member announcements. I think the students really gave us the announcements of uh Asian Fest and Super Science Saturday
and lots of good things happening in the district. Any announcements? Nope. Okay. Um uh discussion items uh revision of um and this is just as a
discussion obviously of homeschooling. Were there any questions? That was a policy that was updated. Um Mary Lou um reported out on it. >> Yeah. So just based on what I saw, we're just changing a couple of words to say we will not provide
uh services for homeschool kids. What's reason for that >> that we want the extracurricular >> sports for home school? >> I I think that thinking Dr. Schwarz, correct me if I'm wrong. We were concerned that the students were not
students known to us and to be responsible for people participating in activities under our supervision without knowing the students was a concern of liability. >> Well, well, for for starters, we already
this is already a prohibition, but it's in the regulations and not in the the specific policy. So, it came to our attention because the concern was if this is our position, a parent who's trying to make a decision or understand
our policies on homeschooling wouldn't necessarily read the athletic participation. Actually, actually, I think it's the athletic participation policy. They wouldn't they wouldn't necessarily read those policies together. So, it seemed it was brought to our attention, I think Miss McCall, you raised this to our attention that it would seem because she was getting a
question about it from a constituent that it would seem more fair to make make it clear in the in the homeschool policy as well that if you're choosing to elect to use that legal option you have for homeschooling that you won't you won't be able to access those
extracurricular activities at the school. had I I had a question about it and there was some confusion. Um but the policy that we had on the books simply said that but it didn't actually say what the decision was and then I think
and then I kind of cycled off policy but the conversation in policy as I understand it was that it was the decision you know the administrators that it was probably you best serve the kids if you don't have kids that you don't know coming in after school.
>> Yeah. But do we tightening up the language is >> because is is the state law that we do not need to or that we should not >> that we do not need to. >> Right. So why are we why are we making it more restrictive than the state law? That's my concern. >> And that's that's really a question
Jamie and the administrator >> there's concerns if we're the state it's not it's not more restrictive. It's the state The state leaves it to us to decide. I do not recommend that we provide services to students who are not enrolled students as our school because
we have many obligations to the students that are ours. We act in local parents with those students. Um students who are homeschooled by definition are not enrolled in our school. We would also then have a lot of difficulty with things like consequences and discipline if we had any issues where we would need
to exclude a student. there's no provisions for students who are not our students. Um ac how would academic requirements, attendance requirements that we would hold our students to would be very hard to have a student who's a homeschooled student who wouldn't have to comply with any of those requirements
that our students do and still be able to participate. But I I worry that that could open us up to a lawsuit because I mean if the legally people have a right to home and legally if you don't if you are homeschooled you don't have to complete
the graduation requirements as an example of the high school you can just do GED and go to college that way then now you if you are a doiciled resident and you are paying the taxes is there a legal >> there a legal u >> so the law is very clear we're under no
obligation to accommodate them for extracurriculars. The New Jersey law on homeschooling is really interesting because there's really no requirements to homeschool in New Jersey. You just basically have to declare to the school that you're homeschooling because otherwise it looks like you're not sending your kid to school, but no one
checks your curriculum. No one no one there's no attendance requirements. There's literally no requirements uh for there's no formal requirements. So, uh other than just declaring that. So, if you if we're if you if we can certainly dig a little deeper on that and if you want to forward questions and concerns
directly to policy committee too, we'll certainly hear them out. Um, I just I've had a I've I've I've wrapped my head around this a few times already. Fun fact, I was actually homeschooled for a long period of time myself. Um and uh and and the world that we live in now, maybe years ago, that
could have been conceived of, but the world we live in today with HIV investigations and uh qualification requirements and also I mean the intense competitive culture in a lot of our programs. Um there there's there's a lot
there's a lot of places where I can see problems that I don't necessarily see solutions. If there's an interest in trying to trying to make that happen, I'm happy to engage an exercise to try to figure >> because I I I if we think of a scenario where a family is homeschooling their
fourth grader or whatever, took them out of school, they're homeschooling for a special special requirements. Um, and now you're saying they can't participate in an afterchool science club or science competition that we are saying now
absolutely not. that I that doesn't sit very well with me, especially if the law doesn't say that because you can solve all the liability issues by a waiver and sign up just like we all signed up for tons of extracurricular activities at the barn for arts or here or there or
soccer or basketball or whatever you sign appropriate paperwork and liability and all of that code of conduct. So I I that's my feeling. I I don't know that we need to be more restrictive. So when this policy came, I was just reading and I was asking some around that what other schools do and one of the comments that
I heard was that Tim Tbo was uh homeschooled and he played in his high school team. >> Yeah. Who was >> some people? >> So there are homeschooled sports people who are successful. But Dr. Sure. I
wasn't sure that this policy was ready to be put for board discussion because I had some questions when we were >> this is discussion. So >> right so but usually when we put for discussion then next is first reading and second reading. So before during when it was presented to the policy
committee, I had one question about AP exam and other um so what happens to AP and there was one more activity I think I had question about that if we are restricting do we allow our homeschool students to take AP exams or not and
that how will because we cannot just limit some activities and allow some activities right so AP was one of the questions that I had >> hence hence the slippery slope that I'm concerned about. I'm concerned that that opens up the legal concern. So, so I
just we would if you if the board is interested in opening up school services for homeschool students, we we need to do a lot of work to be clear so that we don't end up in a lawsuit where we're saying yes to this and no to that. That
that that to me seems that seems particularly parallel. >> Open it up. I'm just saying I don't know. I don't know why we need to completely close it down. Like why not just leave the policy out of this >> because it it is closed in the policy. It's just not memorialized in both
places. All this is doing is memorializing what's already in another policy that >> is that is that other policy just sports or is it all activities? >> I I'll I'll have to go and check that again. I don't recall like I want to say it's in athletics but I think it's a
statement about extracurriculars. Well we we'll check that and get back to you. >> Right. And if it's athletics, then why would we just limit athletics and not AP and not others, right? So why would >> And if you're going to do APs, why would why we not do extracurricular clubs? And if you do extracurricular clubs, why would you do? >> So that's why it's important to look at
the the current revelation that what is what it is and if we are closing them? Because again, think of it as a if a family chooses to homeschool for a certain reason and they live in Ridgewood, they're paying Ridgewood taxes and now we are they have no other avenue for any sort of you know activi
social activities, sports, extracurriculars, unless they very much organize like a co-op of some sort. It's very hard to do that individual basis now you limit them joining. I understand all the legal liabilities and all that but again waiverss and code of com
>> and how big that problem is in Richmond. people actually go for home homeschooling in >> well yeah the so so I had the exact same response that you did when I first heard it right and um I would be interested in
more discussion on it because and I don't know that we can do it here tonight but I know that you know like Miss Murphy had a lot of um concerns and and not even legal liability but just concerns about the ability to care for
those kids when they they're under our um our supervision. Thank you very much because I'm losing my words now. You know, uh like uh even if it's not just an after school chess club or something, but like a a dance or something, right? And so I
was kind of I could see I could see the reasons why. Okay. I can also see why if you're paying taxes and graduate or you just have to homeschool your child because of some reason that it's it's feels sad and unfortunate, right, that they
can't participate. So, I think that more of a conversation would be useful. Um, there were some else saying I forgot it probably better. So, >> so I keep contin um take a look again if we haven't
already um had some our attorney opineing on this um and then you know are there other schools that have opened it up and and and what are the pitfalls or the positives of opening up so maybe there's some homework that can um better
enlighten the this discussion >> and I don't know I Even with our with our own kids, I don't know that we're having no issues either, right? >> You know, I I don't I don't know >> about that. I mean, you know, >> I'm sorry. I don't understand that comment. You're saying I mean, we have
issues with our kids, but that's the point is all kids we have. >> Why are you Why are you assuming we will have more issues with homeschooling? >> No, I'm saying that students who are they're not our students. >> But what does our students >> students who are enrolled in Ridgewood public schools? >> But they are district. >> No, a serious question. Do does the
board want to pursue opening up programs for homeschool students? >> I think it's I think it's Pandora's box. So >> I mean that's a whole other discussion. I'm not even opening that. I'm just I'm cons I'm just commenting on the more restrictive wording we're adding into. >> It's not more restrictive. It's clarifying that it's clarifying
language. If you if you we don't have to do this at all. We could we could we could take this completely off the table and just stick with exactly what we have and nothing changes. This is just this was a recommendation based on a conversation for clarifying things >> based on some questions that it came
from a very specific >> you know series of questions and incident and the problem was that um you know the school and the administrators were taking a position right and and they're like but this is what your policy says and I took a look at the
policy and it was so it just it was useless it was it was it was not well written I mean that was my professional I'm thinking, right? So, I went to Mark and I was like, if this is what you want to do, we at least need to be clear. So,
the idea, I think, was clarity, not so much a change, right? And if there's going to be a discussion, like I said, I I don't have a problem with that. Um, but there's a quite a lot that goes into it. >> Can STS may tell us how many schools in
New Jersey um allow and how many? >> But they should they should have a number of how many regulation. We have regulation that states the same thing. We were thinking that this would help parents find it in
one place thinking that policy said one thing and not realizing a regulation has as much weight to a decision and they didn't see that because they weren't coordinated to both speak the same language. So we knew that was the polic
we had it in regulations. We were just trying to streamline it so a parent didn't have to go here, here, here to find out because we had found we needed to coordinate regulations and policy. >> Yeah. And and I just want to be clear because you're asking me my thoughts and
your victim. My policy is the board's purview, right? Our job is to see your policies out. So, if the board has an interest in making a like a policy shift or a policy change or moving policy direction, if you ask me what I think, I'm going to be candid with you about
what I think at that moment. But, you know, if if any direction you want to go in as a board, we're going to be we're going to find a way to make it work and, you know, live a liability and how many students are homeschooled. >> We there's no there's no record of that. >> It doesn't matter.
>> I mean, we have we have we have we have people I shouldn't say there's no record of that. We have people who Mrs. Papa Michael has some some indication of that based on people who declare that to us. But we but we're also not like actively there is no like reporting system for
the amount of homesooled people. So it's not if if we have a reasonably believe that a child is being is being uneducated like not educated at all. We have an obligation to make sure that they are it's not truency. >> But there's no like the state doesn't have us report it. we when we do our state enrollment reports or anything like that, there's no tracking of
homeschooled kids. They're completely like off the grid when it comes to the state. >> So, can you revisit it a policy and like maybe have more of a conversation and then bring it back here and try again >> one way or the other because maybe we need to discuss >> but a board but a board being a policy are board members thinking this is too
restrictive. Hey, I gotta be honest with you. Initially, that was my thought. However, when I But then I listen to the administrator. So, I would be more than happy to have another conversation about it and then we can say we put it to bed one way or the other. And by the way, it's a vote, right? So,
>> and I I just wanted to know whether we'll whether it will restrict our homeschool students to take AP in our high school or not. If it does, then I'll vote. >> Well, and I'm going to ask this question, which is AP is curriculum, right? And I have no idea whether or not
curric an AP exam is actually an extracurricular and whether a homeschooled kid has has the right to an AP because they haven't taken the AP course arguably. So I think I it may or may not be relevant to the discussion but clearly there's enough interest to
have a nice policy meeting. >> If I'm asking a clarification before taking a vote I need a clarification whether it will that be applicable or not. >> Right. taking a vote right now. Further discussion a little bit more thought
going into >> just so you know like my personal position is like I don't want to be more restrictive than the state law. Whatever the state law is >> state law says a district can decide. >> Every district can make their own decision. >> Yeah. So if it's up to every district I wouldn't want to be more restricted
because I usually parents homeschool for a certain reason. It's not like I don't want to educate my kids and I want them to be savages, right? there's usually a certain reason and so I think we have a duty to help every child regardless right and if they're here they're paying
taxes and if there is a way to have these programs available without incurring additional liability or harm or whatever to the district and to the teachers and all of that then we should if there's an easy way right I mean just like tons of other organizations provide services sports teams arts club
architecture clubs and this and that people sign up they sign waiverss they sign point of conduct they participate Okay. Um, and again, it's just I I don't see a big difference in controlling our students versus not our students. >> And they pay activity fee. >> And they pay activity fee.
>> And they pay an activity fee. >> Okay. Well, let's let's uh let's spend a little more time in the committee meeting and then see what you come back out with and then we can continue that discussion. um policy revision on the
this is the agreement of the athletic fields in facility policy with the village of Rididgewood. So this is a joint uh policy um and Dr. I have a question before we >> presented to the fields committee
>> right so I have a question before the board discusses this is it what's the purpose of this in the discussion item is it being presented as a policy where it will have a discussion first reading second reading is it being
presented here >> it's it's an it's an update and actually we're further behind than where I thought we'd be because we had to cancel some of our working meetings to go through feedback It's a discussion and then we would I think it's not it's not that the village is voting. It's not complete yet.
>> No, it's not complete. That's what I'm saying. So, so the draft that you have is is is we had hope I had had this on here as a top topic for conversation because we had work sessions scheduled for the last two weeks to consider the feedback that we got from the groups
that we've sent them to and they got cancelled because of the snow. So, we've moved our our session to tomorrow. Okay. >> So, this as it is right now, this will not this is not something I'm going to give to you to vote on in your next meeting. Uh there's going to be some
changes. There's going to be some updates to it. Then we'll redistribute it. Then it will go on for discussion >> because there was no link here. So, that's why I was just >> uh it should be should be in your attachments or something. It was it was something for you for you guys to look at as an initial draft,
>> right? But if something is going on a public agenda as a discussion item, Yeah, that's why it's not attached. We actually had it attached. I told them to remove it because that's not the final draft. I don't want the public I don't want the public to get confused with a version that is going to change.
>> Okay. So, it will come back. I know the village hopefully the village was looking to move this along, but maybe they are delayed too by this. >> Yeah, I think we're all delayed. Sorry. There has been no nothing on the table
since 2018 or 2019 that that's when the last >> yeah last >> it was signed by board of ed for a year expired. >> Yeah. So it's it can wait for two more weeks. >> Okay. So special public meeting we
already discussed that earlier. um acceptance of minutes uh January 29th, executive session one which was before the meeting, executive session two which was after the public meeting and of course the public meetings. Um I w would
recuse myself and so I won't move but recuse myself from executive session one which I was absent or uh part of it. Okay, I I will move um you want me to
move them all since I can. >> Okay. So, I'm going to move acceptance of minutes executive session 1 and two January 29th and the regular public meeting. >> May I have a second on? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I
>> just with my recusal on on the executive session one rich. >> Okay. Um other business >> so I have one more item for um facilities committee to discuss at your
next meeting. Um and these are basically follow-ups that I've been following up for a while and uh I just want facilities committee to continue to follow up. So one is um what is our plan for uh solar panels when they uh the
current solar panels uh come to that the agreements come to the end we I think some of them will come for renewal in 2627 budget year or if I'm correct and if we don't have that plan as part of
this budget then it will be a surprise later on and we had enough time to work on it or at least to identify by what should we be doing? We've been talking about that for almost 18 months now that it will come to an end like those agreements will come to an end. And the
billing whether we have resolved the solar billing the whether we are being built correctly or not. So that's second part of the solar and the third one is um and this one I'm forgetting if it was
any action was taken or not but there was one resident who came to a board meeting two years ago and reported that stage at in for little theater needs to be looked at and um right so I I
requested a review of that stage at couple facilities committee meetings. I don't know if it was looked at or not. So what so just a a confirmation at the board meeting that yes we heard that and if that stage needs any fixing um
because it can be a safety issue and if that needs to be done then maybe it can be part of the uh projects. >> It was mentioned at one point but yeah definitely I have it on my >> right okay >> I remember that concept. >> Thank you.
Okay. I guess the u now that you're with the minutes didn't I don't know if many any minutes were generated but um we did meet with DCO uh was that just last week without the snow um about the solar
panels and um g got they had looked at the contract and due dates and also what the financing would be and uh what's the advant advantage of um
of taking off the panels early then it becomes our responsibility versus letting the panels um stay until the end which is um >> June I don't have that dates with me but
June and October 2027 I think are are are the dates >> um so it was a preliminary meeting with some questions that we had to get they needed to get back to us about. No decisions were made. It was reallyformational. I don't know. Would
you have any um more insight? >> I if we we didn't generate minutes from that meeting, we should so the administration can do. >> So, so it was just it was a report out from the company DCO, the consultants that we've asked to come and evaluate the contract that we currently have. Um,
and then to evaluate, you know, what our what their what what the terra is on the hook for and what, you know, really what our options are and even what our energy usage has been and charges have been. So, uh, their recommendation is that we go to bond council specifically to
figure out what our obligation is to the lease. The lease language is confusing. So, do you have a copy of that? If you're interested, we can send that to you. >> Okay. Yeah. So, so if I just want to understand the role of the consultants if these consultants come and recommend
us for replacing our current solar panels, are they going is there going to be a Chinese wall between them being a consultant and the companies that they are recommending? >> They they don't they don't work directly with companies. They give us full disclosure. They don't they don't work directly with any companies. They're
>> independent. But they will they'll just tell us the approach and then we will go out for bidding. Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> They're they're they're evaluating the contract and they're evaluating they evaluated all of our energy usage and all of our energy costs. They went
through all of our all of our past bills and all of the records that Vera had and they gave us a good analysis. Those we should share those documents with the rest of the board. So, those should be in the minutes and you can you you'll see what their analysis. It'll make more sense. They're but they're they're
operating independently. We will we will then go. They're not they're not recommending any companies to us. >> Okay. And >> that was last Friday. Now we have the snow. >> So was it not part of the facilities committee meeting or >> No. >> No. We there was what happened was there
was a separate call where Rich and and Mark and that you know people that work here were going to handle it. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's right. And I Yeah. >> It was clear that it would it would be useful to facilities members to sit in on that. So it wasn't a formal facilities meeting.
>> Yeah, that's right. And it was it was a meeting that I was supposed to be at and we realized that it would be better to just have you guys there >> and it was really helpful because and and just sab so you so you understand there was no the only discussion about moving forward with solar panels or
specifically anything new um was the fact that as currently the law in the United States is that um the tax credits that make solar power um affordable or financially attractive are going to
expire, right? And >> July 4th, you have to move. You have to make a decision before July 4th. >> In order to take advantage, it has to be installed and turned on by the 31st of December in 2027. And that is before our
contracts expire. So, it doesn't help us, right? and and there's questions about what we need to uh I think we got clarif December 31st 27th. >> Yeah. Like October and there's no way that you could get those things off, get
a new roof because they're all on roofs that are in terrible condition and then get a new one up and running before >> December 31st. So, so the idea was the way I looked at it, and I know I'm I'm the new the new person on the block here, is that I got a sense of what they're doing for us now, what they're
not doing for us now, what may happen, and what our contractual responsibilities are going to be as these things as our contracts come to a natural end. And I got clarification from the contract and from Rich's conversation with the vendor that um
when the time comes to remove them at the natural expiration of the contract that the vendor does it at their cost. >> Yes. So one option we have which you may consider with with the consultants or with the contractors is
can we negotiate a lower per unit pricing beyond that uh contract date because for them they have an expense to remove it >> right beyond expiration >> beyond expiration they will have to come and remove them which is an expense but we will say okay you don't come and
remove this year remove it next year for the for the buildings where they are generating power. Some buildings they are not generating power properly. For that we have to go after them because we had a minimum contract uh amounts right. So we have to go after them for those buildings.
>> But uh yeah there's a clause in all. >> There's a difference between what we're paying there the whole analysis that once you take a look at the contract and the the uh thing that we got the >> Okay. So they did that analysis because >> they did and that's going to that's going to answer I think a lot of your
questions. Um, and then we have a decision to make. But the other thing we need to consider is let's assume that it's a great it's in great condition, right? The roofs underneath some of these are not in great condition. So you can maybe get a I don't know, but we
have to consider the fact that is the roof going to be able to sustain and keep things from leaking while the solar panels continue because I'm telling you it's not great. >> The roofs of some of the buildings Wasn't there also concern that you know
after 15 years you don't you you shouldn't be um renewing and having the same uh that it may not be useful? I mean oh absolutely >> squad for technology is much better. >> But you're but you're right. I mean the impression I got was we need to sit and
wait for a little while and get the rest of our ducks in order and see what's happening. >> Okay. >> Like that that was and and it was useful because now it's I understand why. Right. And I think when you look at that analysis So we we are paying them per year, right? So we are paying them per year.
So if they are recommending this year that we did the analysis and you just sit and wait until December 2027, do we have are they going to be doing anything from now until December 2027? >> The the consultants. >> Oh,
okay. But for this year's whatever we are paying are they going to come and recommend to us what should our approach be to install new solar or they are just reviewing this current billing and telling us not to do anything now what's their scope
>> I think I think you have to look at the the work that they did they did a full report there's a lot of analysis I think if you start there and then you then then let us know what your additional questions are I know you're very exp exper experienced with this. >> So I I the other question is what's their contract? What's their scope? That's what I asked at the last
>> the consultants >> consultant scope >> the consultants >> consultant scope that's what I asked at when we were voting for these consultants that what is the scope of hiring these consultants for DCO right then I can look at the report and see whether they did what was there in their scope or not.
>> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Great. Any other other business? Uh comments from the public. >> Oh, no one there. Didn't >> Oh, nobody's there. Okay.
>> Be watching on YouTube. Uh on Yeah, you >> the Olympics are over, >> but nobody's officially there to speak. They could just scream at their television and we maybe can't hear them, open the window. >> At least our student representative is
here. Usually that's >> that doesn't happen. Uh seeing no one's hands raised or anyone at the microphone, I will uh close public comment and make a motion uh to adjourn this meeting.
>> All in favor? >> I. >> Great. So we are back