He is here. I here. Please join me in a flag salute and pledge of allegiance. I aliance nation indivisible justice for all
pursuant to the requirements of the open public meetings act. Advanced notice has been given to the star ledger for the village of Ridgewood. In addition, notices were posted in the office of the board secretary and in all
school buildings. I'd like to welcome everyone here tonight. Um and um she is is Amelia Kelly here tonight? She's our stu the student who res pardon
me. Okay. Um should we then hold this presentation and see if she might come to the next meeting? So why don't we do that? Um it's a lovely uh recognition uh for her being um honored as an unsung
hero uh for the Bergen County from the Bergen County School Boards Association. Um so we will hold that and we'll do that on April 20th when we meet next. Um would you uh Dr. Mr. Schwarz, would you
like to just quickly do a little update on the budget because I I know some people are here for the budget, but many are here for retirements and we're going to get to that in just a few minutes. >> Sure. Welcome everybody. Uh it is definitely a joyful night for those who are here to celebrate our retirees.
Bittersweet, but of course joyful for those passing into retirement and joyful to celebrate their contributions to Rididgewood Public School. So for all of you who are here, thank you so much for taking your time as we celebrate our retirees. We'll get to those. We'll get to that that celebratory tone in a minute. Uh first, I just have to strike
a more somber tone as we talk about the budget. We've talked quite a bit about the challenges that the district is facing financially. Uh we're not alone. This is uh we're part of a a trend that is nationwide, but especially statewide right now with uh with with difficult
budgets and uh health care costs that are rising at incredible rates. So, um, I'm not going to rehash all of our budget conversations, but I want to just drive home a couple of points. First of all, many folks have been sending us messages and emails to board members, myself, and other members of the administrative team. And thank you for
everyone for reaching out. Miss Corless, our public information officer, is gathering all of those responses and is uh keeping track of them all to make sure that we provide acknowledgements and responses as appropriate. But we are reading through them all. We also had a superintendent coffee in addition to our board meetings and we had a lot of folks
come out and share. So the board can't meet in between those meetings but they because of open public meetings act. So they cannot come together and discuss these matters but for meetings like this. So we'll certainly talk about some of those topics here today. But I do want to be clear that last Wednesday
held an executive session. There was public comment on that day as well. Some folks came and shared public comment and the purpose of that meeting was to discuss personnel. not any specific personnel but rather to discuss uh the um what potential impacts of budget
tightening and position consolidation might consist of. Uh whereas I cannot make clear commitments on many of the positions that we're discussing and many of the efficiencies that we have to consider because there is much more of this year to go and much more planning
for next year to go. So I cannot give total clarity at this point in time, but there were some things that the public brought forth that we did discuss and the board did consider and did make we did uh there are a few a few positions that we decided that we were going to make sure that we preserved and
prioritized for next year. While I can't discuss all of them, one of those positions was being discussed publicly. Um and I actually brought up the position as an example and that was middle school media specialist position. Uh we have uh we have uh we have Miss Brown retiring tonight and and she's
done an incredible job at GW and uh and we're we she's left a great example of what a media specialist can do. We've always believed in the role of media specialists but you know when we have to figure out how to consolidate positions we have to look across all areas. So, we
did discuss that as a board and I I think I'm comfortable saying here that we have decided that we're going to keep both middle school media specialist positions in place for next year and and I'll certainly welcome that applause and uh and we certainly but I
do and I want to be very clear that when we started our board conversations with tax levy increase of 3.75. And that was a part of the board's uh decision to become more comfortable with raising a tax levy increase that we're going to discuss tonight, which is 4.0, which is
historically high for Ridgewood. And I know it's of great concern to myself and the board members when we think about the the burden on the taxpayers. So, um I just wanted to just if I could just make couple other uh um acknowledgements.
We I can't give clear information on positions and thus far, you know, I've heard a lot of folks say um talk about we've kind of heard it all. We've heard people concerned about tax living increases. We've heard people talk concerned about class sizes. Um we've talked about busing. Um we've and now
we're off we're talking tonight about um what to charge for subscription busing because we can no longer provide courtesy busing. We've talked about support positions. We've talked about administrative positions. So, uh, I've heard specifically, I just want to acknowledge there's been some concerns raised recently about administrator
roles and why are we not considering administrator roles. And I just want to be clear, we're considering all roles. So, um, so I don't want to give allow any kind of perception that that uh that there's any group that is, you know, too sacred to be touched. If we're going to consolidate, we really have to consolidate across the board. What we
are trying to do is find opportunities to be strategic and methodical in how we fold positions so that way we're not losing any of our existing uh excellent staff that we value so much. So this is going to take time. The budget is not
going to be resolved this year in this budget. We know that we have issues uh structural issues with the budget and trends that are not favoring us like declining state aid that we'll have to deal with further next year. So I just want to be very clear that this is not a
oneanddone conversation. There are no quick fixes. So we so many of these strategic moves we're going to make, they're not just going to be made right here at this table. We have a final budget meeting and we also have to finalize our planning for next year. So, it's going to be an ongoing process of
re-evaluating every position that we refill and all the and every decision that we make about how we structure the district. But again, I commit to you that we want to be methodical about that process. I know the board feels the same way. We don't want to make rash decisions or knee-jerk decisions. Every move has to be thought out in terms of
what it's how it's going to impact the students and how it's going to impact our staff's ability to meet the students needs. So, thank you for the time on that. I appreciate I'm sorry for the long aside, but I wanted to start the meeting with just that bit of information and uh and just let everybody know that um that we'll be having plenty more robust discussion
later in the meeting about that. >> And Dr. Schwarz, could you be um specific as to our our really our goal and and responsibility tonight because this is our uh um preliminary budget. >> Yes. So to
>> that's going to the county to look at uh for um you know efficiencies to review it. We we set the tax rates. We are looking at our um our revenues and our expenses. But
within the expense lines there may be some changes as as things continue to re evaluate and our final budget isn't until May 4th. Right. >> Exactly. And and to be clear again to to just say it another way, our job tonight
is to basically set the numbers. We the state requires us to do that early. So, and often we have to set the numbers before we've made the final decisions about next year. So, it puts us in a tight spot. And if it seems like it's all happening very quickly, it's because it kind of it sort of has to happen that
way. So, we always try to be as far ahead of things as possible, but again, we we nevertheless want to be methodical. Oh, I think we have Ameilia here. Ameilia, nice to see you, Ameilia. We'll be right with you. Okay, thanks for coming. So, it certainly is. Um, so
yes. So, so tonight really there there's a lot of room uh for decision- making moving forward in terms of the specifics of positions, but in terms of the numbers, they do have to be struck tonight. >> Thank you for that. So, I see that Amelia Kelly is here tonight. Good. Um,
let's see. What would would you like to um maybe come to the table here because I have a resolution to read if you if I could. So tonight we're honoring Amelia Kelly
as a uh 2026 Bergen County Unsung hero. Whereas the Bergen County School Boards Association in collaboration with the New Jersey School Boards Association recognizes unsung heroes from each high
school in Bergen County to celebrate those whose characters and impact define the heart of our schools. And whereas the Unsung Hero Award honors students who make outstanding contributions to their schools and communities, but are
often overlooked by traditional recognition programs. Students who have modeled good citizenship, a spirit of quiet strength, and a profile in purpose that inspires others. And whereas these unsung heroes may have organized
community programs, selflessly supported their peers, or achieved significant academic success while overcoming difficult personal challenges, disabilities, or language barriers. And whereas Amelia Kelly has overcome
seemingly insurmountable obstacles to reach her full potential, serving both the school community and the community at large as a beacon of resilience and integrity. And whereas on
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026, Amelia Kelly was formally recognized for these achievements at the 2026 Bergen County Unsung Hero Awards ceremony held at the Henry P. Beckton Regional High School.
Now therefore, be it resolved that the Ridgwood Board of Education officially recognizes Amelia Kelly as an unsung hero of Bergen County and the Ridgewood School District. And be it further resolved that this resolution is
presented to Amelia Kelly as a sincere token of the Rididgewood Board of Education's congratulations and best wishes for continued success as she continues to lead by example. So congratulations at the end.
All right. Um, Dr. Schwarz, we have um our retirement recommendations. >> At this time, I would like to invite Assistant Superintendent Jamie Murphy to introduce our retirees from George Washington Middle School.
>> Okay. Okay. So, it's my honor tonight to start off the introductions with Ann Brown, George Washington Middle School's library media specialist. And of course, Mr. Bailey, princip. Okay, we have two Hall of Famers
tonight, GW, that we're going to be honoring. So, uh, it's a special night and thank you to the whole school for showing up. That's what that's what GW does. So, Derek Jeter, the Beatles, Ridgewood Public Schools, Steve Jobs,
Ritz Carlton, Michael Phelps, MercedesBenz, and Anne Brown. Excellence, the highest quality and standards and respect possible in their p respective fields. Whenever Anne Brown's name comes up throughout the
district, you will hear some version of the following used to describe her. She's amazing. Anne Brown is the goat greatest of all time. Thank God for Anne Brown. What are we ever going to do without Anne Brown? I can't do GW without Brand Anne Brown. I would not
have survived my first year as an English teacher at GW without Anne Brown. Anne started at GW in the fall of 2001 after answering an ad for a media specialist position in the New York Times. Before then, Anne worked at
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. We're so lucky that you found Ridgewood. Miss Abigail Greenberg describes Anne best. Anne is like a duck swimming across a pond. While she makes it look easy gliding along the surface,
underneath she is paddling fiercely in the water. She is the mastermind behind so many initiatives and tasks that make our school run. Anne works around the clock to support our students and staff. She makes GW a wonderful place to learn,
teach, and grow. We are certainly lucky to have had her at GW and her impact on our school will continue to be felt long after she retires. Anne Brown was awarded the Ashby Award in 2015. This is the highest
award Rididgewood public schools can bestow on a staff member and was also rewarded awarded the teacher of the year at GW in 2010. Key word being teacher there. At the middle school level, teaching is an integral part of the job
of a media specialist. At a time when the reading levels are declining across the nation for students, we have been so fortunate to have you as our media specialist at GWM. You dedicate so much of your time to helping students learn how to navigate the library, develop
strong research skills, and discover a love for reading. From organizing book fairs and author visits to leading the book book talks club and the reading marathon, you continually find creative ways to inspire students and our staff pick up books.
As Anne Brown has taught me, reading is a habit and what you emphasize and reinforce, students will respond. The library and media specialists support healthy reading habits. Without a person who is dedicated to that library, these habits will over time fade away. And
Brown, we will miss you dearly at GW next fall. Thank you for your dedication, your commitment, and leadership this past quarter century to the Rididgewood Public Schools community. You are certainly leaving it better than you found it. Congratulations and a job well done.
Good evening everyone. I guess this is really happening. Uh uh thank you Dave for for your very kind words. Um I wanted to use this opportunity to thank some people too who have truly impacted my time at GW.
First, I want to thank my husband who's sitting here behind me, Ken, who is my rock and my best friend and the person I rely most on in the world. I run all my ideas by him, whether he likes it or not. Uh, over the past 25 years, I have
worked to build the library media program at GW that supports students, teachers, and administrators. It has truly been my life's work. My career as a media specialist though is not been successful just on my efforts alone.
I've been supported and uplifted with the cooperation and collaboration with those around me. So, thank you Dave and all the principles and administrators that I have worked for um for being so supportive of the media center, allowing
me to bring the best authors to GW, run literacy initiatives, fund our resources, and just generally really support and understand the value of the media center. And to GW's HSA, who over the years have also showed their support
both financially and with great parent volunteers that help things running smoothly. I couldn't do it without them. Next to the staff of GW, which is really the most amazing staff ever. Thank you all for being here. The library media center is nothing if people don't use
it. So, thank you to all the teachers over the years who at GW who bring their classes to the library and collaborate with me and have trusted me enough to hand their classes over to me for a time to teach their kids how to research. Of
course, I want to thank the students, right? They're what we're all here for. The media center can be a busy place. I feel like it's become a part of the culture of the school, a place where students feel like they're comfort, they can be comfortable going. Students are
in and out all day long. Sometimes they're coming with a class to research, sometimes to get a book, sometimes to read or study, um, work on a group project, sometimes they just come in to charge their Chromebook or print something out to decorate a friend's
locker for, do their community service. Sometimes they just find come to find a quiet place. Going to the media center gives middle schoolers the opportunity during their rigidly scheduled day. Every minute of their day is scheduled
to have a little bit of flexibility and develop some academic independence. I also want to thank my fellow library media specialists. There are only nine of us in the whole district, one in each building. And sometimes that can feel like a vulnerable position, especially
when it seems like people don't really understand what we actually do. Are they just reading all day? Well, no. We are teaching. We are managing resources, print and digital collections. We're recommending books. We're deciding what to resources to get
next. Um, we're managing facilities. Sometimes we are presenting professional development to teachers, negotiating with authors for the author visits, running state testing, and managing the automation system. But mostly we're helping students and teachers and administrators every day and doing a
million different things kind of behind the scenes in the background that people don't know about but but are essential to keeping the M media center operational. Media specialists require special training and special certification. When you go to library school, they tell you
what an ideal media center should be. Then they tell you reality. A lot of school media centers are underst staffed. unfunded and underutilized. They're getting rid of the books. They're slashing budgets and they're cutting back the media specialists. I
feel like I have had the dream job at GW, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I've had to build the media center program here. The media center is a place that should serve every student and teacher in the building. Our literary literacy initiatives go beyond
what can be accomplished in just the classroom alone and can touch students in ways that we can't even predict sometimes. It is my hope that the GW media center on all my media centers continue to flourish. Thank you for recognizing Dr. Schwarz um
that and preserving this position as you said in your opening. I truly appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. The media center I feel like it's my baby. like I built that media center when it was built in 2012. I literally put every
book on the shelf in that media center. So, thank you. Um, and thank you for the honor of serving Rididgewood Public Schools for the last 25 years. So, I I'll say this for Christine when we're done with every with all honoring all the retirees tonight. If everyone
could just stick around so we can get pictures before we move on to the next parts of the meeting. So, don't go anywhere. But next, it's additionally my honor to invite up also from George Washington Middle School, Jen Mankey, art teacher.
Another legend here. So, tonight we celebrate the career of longtime George Washington Middle School art teacher, Mrs. Jen Mankey. After starting her career in her hometown of Bergenfield, in 1997, she interviewed with former GW principal
George Neville. During the interview, they talked about her experience, her philosophy on education and of course, basketball. Mrs. Mankey is a former college basketball player at Mansfield University. She was hired and 29 years
later, the rest is history. She has taught, inspired, and touched the lives of more than 6,000 middle school students through the arts. Mr. Mullen did that math. We think that's we think that's accurate. If you walk the halls of GW, Mrs. Mankey's artistic visions
and student work is visible around every turn. From the cafeteria, eighth grade canvas murals, ceiling tiles throughout the building, hanging banners, the Anthony Albergate Memorial, and the rock path on the front lawn, Jen has helped transform our building and grounds into
spaces that reflect creativity and community. Your very own masterpiece. Some reflections from her colleagues at GW. Jen puts her all in everything that she does. She is incredibly thoughtful and meticulous about her artwork and
holds herself and her students to a standard that pushes them to be the best artists they can be, all while having fun and having a positive experience. She is known for completing schoolwork at all hours of the night to ensure all of her students received feedback on
their art. Jen is thorough, thoughtful, and driven. Her stories, sarcasm, and humor are something her colleagues greatly appreciate, especially on difficult or stressful days. She has left a visible mark on GW that makes her
impact here indelible. Her empathy and commitment has also left a lasting impression on the people she worked with. In short, she is an inspiration. She's also a very big personality and has kept it fun all these years. some
highlights through the years that her colleagues recall. Might embarrass you a little. All right, these are some quotes. Jen absolutely killed it as Janet Jackson during a staff performance for the kids. >> Including even crawling across the stage
in Janet Jackson style. At a retirement party, Jen grabbed the microphone from the DJ and started belting out Paradise by the dashboard light by Meatloaf. She had the entire room smiling, singing, and dancing along with her. One of the desk uh best days one of our staff
members uh remembers is when you taught everyone tie-dyed class after school for the entire staff. You brought everyone together. And last year, the famous picture with the Ridgewood firefighters after you set the alarms off by burning your popcorn,
something we'll never forget. Personally, I want to thank you for all your encouragement and your support. support you have given me and for bringing our idea our ideas to life. Exhibit A the tree last year. So we had an idea to
create a tree with students. Um staff members had this idea the leaves represent what we can see in people and the roots are what we may not see that others are carrying with them. So we said Mrs. Mankey, can you make a tree? And she made this unbelievable
tree that we we didn't want to ever take down. It was up for about six months, but any idea that's brought to Jen, she takes it in and she just comes up with an extraordinary um way of bringing it to light in a better way than anyone could imagine. And that's just just a beautiful
example. right now. Uh, her latest project is the doors that enter GW at 7:30 in the morning. Our our first children that arrive come through a set of doors that, let's just say, was outdated, very
yellow, and just wasn't a great look. And it was the first thing our kids walked into every morning. So, right now, Jen and her students are completing a project uh that's going to make that space beautiful. So these kids as they open those doors into our school are greeted by that uh that beautiful mural
and on it Jen's quote is magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that you can make anything happen. Mrs. Mankey's former student Alex Albert. He's a class of 2012. Uh Forbes recently described him as a phenomenon.
Um he's an accomplished artist who works with the biggest name brands all over the world. You have to look him up. He's amazing. He stopped by our school this fall to see and visit one person, his middle school art teacher, Mrs. Mankey. He spent the entire afternoon at our
school with Jen and her kids. Alex recently told me, "Mrs. Mankey had a profound impact on me at a really formative time in my life. She was one of the first people who truly saw me as an artist and made me feel like creativity mattered. That belief gave me
confidence early on and it's something that has stayed with me ever since. The fact that Mrs. Mankey kept my artwork on display at the school for all these years has always meant so much to me. Mrs. Mankey is the kind of teacher you never forget and I am so grateful for
the role she's played in my life. I think she Alex speaks for all of your students. Jen Jen, we are so proud of you. Look behind you. We are all here for you. Your GW and Ridgwood family is here for you and your family at this time because you have always been here
for all of us. Thank you for leaving GW better than you found it and congratulations on your retirement and a job well done. I need a minute. Thank you, Mr. Bailey, for those beautiful words.
Thank you everyone for showing up. Family, friends, students, my awesome students are here, current students, former students. So, I'm g try to get through this. All right.
Tonight, I get a few minutes to look back on my teaching journey, which led me from Bergenfield to Rididgewood and ultimately to tonight, spanning just shy of 34 years as an educator. It was early summer 1997 when I decided to take a chance on a middle
school art opening that I found for GW Middle School. Even though I had tenure where I was, I wanted to roll the dice. I had one interview with then principal George Neville and a whole new chapter began. If it is difficult to visualize just how
long ago that was, I brought some visual aids. This was my very first grade book from my first year at GW. So, if anybody knows, let's see, uh, Leo Dio, tell him he got an A. Um but yes,
so 199798 and this is how we rolled paper pens. So that gives you a little visual about how long ago that was. Even though it seems like forever ago, it did not take long to realize that
this village is an incredibly special place. Our school buildings are filled with the most giving, creative, and resilient staff and leaders and of course students. This September began my 29th year
teaching visual art at GW and working with the amazing students of our village. Along the way, I've had the privilege of teaching some of the most gifted artists, some of whom are like Alex right now making a big name for
themselves in the New York City art scene and far beyond. And it's also been my gift to teach some of my students with the greatest academic struggles. This is often where I see the greatest,
most undeniable need for arts education. So very often, the arts are where students who struggle with the simplest of academic tasks take flight and excel in a way that can only be described as awe inspiring.
The arts are their highlight reel. It's their safe space. My students often reflect on their art projects using an online art gallery called Art Sonia. There they can not only display a photo of their finished work, but they get to
explain their creative process. And I stole a quote from one of my students who was talking about their pretty difficult origami paper sculpture that we do in the eighth grade. And this artist said, "This process took me a while, but during the long journey, I
had fun. I grew as an artist since before the project, I didn't even know how to make any origami at all. And by the end, I was a pro." I always looked at origami as something very hard to do, and now it just comes
naturally. And that quote, my friends, is from a student who was known to greatly struggle and need extra help in almost all of their academic classes. To read what they to read that they called themselves a pro at a pretty
challenging task warms my heart beyond measure. I cherish that for so long I've been able uh I've been in a position to nurture the creative right side of the brain in a world that very often places the highest importance on standardized test
scores or rankings in some article. This is the part of the whole child that I hope we never fail to nurture. If there is any question about the enormous impact of the arts, I invite all of you to attend this Wednesday
evening's youth art month K to2 district-wide art show or even attend any number of concerts or dramatic performances highlighted throughout our village schools. Your heart will thank you. During my tenure here, I've been
fortunate to be guided by some of the very best principles, supervisors, superintendent, board members, union leaders, HSA members, lead teachers, my amazing peers, whether it's a tight bond of your very
first lunch bunch, who surprised me and showed up tonight, or your art department besties, or your ride or die classroom neighbors. The colleagues that we make in Rididgewood are the lifeline to thriving in this turbulent career that we all bravely
chose. I consider myself truly blessed to have a current principal like Dave who reminds us and our students to leave it better than we found it every day. Leave it better than you found it. What a great motto, not just for school, but really for life.
As I look back on my decades at GW, I can confidently say that no matter where you look throughout the three floors, in our gyms, in our hallways, the stairwells, outside on our lawn, you can see artwork there. You can see it there
because I and my artists were there. Wall murals, ceiling tiles, wall tiles, you name it. We conceptualized it. We drew it. We glazed it, we painted it, and we placed it. You can clearly see the creative touches everywhere you
look. We are for sure leaving GW better than we found it. And I feel that I can confidently look back at a beautiful, colorful legacy that I could not be more proud of. And I thank you all for supporting that journey. And although my
personal next chapter is not exactly my previously planned exit to my teaching career, I know that I'm facing this battle with the very best support system. my incredible husband, Michael, my two sons, Jake and Eric, their significant
others, my mom, dad, sister, brother, all of my in-laws, my larger loving family circle, my amazing friends, and of course, my GW and Rididgewood family. I feel the love and support from all of you, and I will
use it as my guiding light forward. Thank you. and prek teachers um who tonight we're representing a collective 52 years of opening minds and touching hearts.
It is my sincere honor to begin with Peggy Reckles. Good evening everybody. Ready? I'll give this. It is truly an honor to be here tonight and celebrate somebody who's meant so much to the Travel School community.
Mrs. Peggy Rakimus. For 19 years, Mrs. Rakimus has been a dedicated member of team Tral. And her journey is one that speaks volumes about her character. She began as a paraprofessional already showing the care, commitment and work work ethic
that would later define her teaching career. From there she grew into an incredible educator teaching third and fifth grades and leaving a lasting impact at every step along the way. Her colleagues consistently describe her as
hardworking, collaborative, and the ultimate team player. I can definitely attest to that. It could not be truer. Her entire team made the transition from third grade up to fifth grade a few years ago. And Mrs.
Rakimus didn't just adapt. She led. She was a steady, positive force, helping others navigate change with confidence and grace. When the world turned upside down during CO, she powered through with resilience, creativity, and unwavering
dedication to her students. Originally trained as an art teacher, fun fact, Mrs. Rakimus has a gift for making everything beautiful, but not just in the way that we typically think. Her classroom is always warm, welcoming, and
thoughtfully decorated for every season. She celebrates birthdays, fills her room with color and joy, and creates space that feels special. But more importantly, she makes learning beautiful. She turns math into something accessible
and engaging. When I was asking your students for their comments, so many of them mentioned math in particular. I know. Thought you thought that she chooses books that spark curiosity
and connection. She creates lessons that stick with students long after they leave her classroom. If you really want to understand Miss Femis, you need only to listen to her students. They'll tell you she's patient, kind,
she makes sure everyone understands before moving on. She lets them work together, learn from each other, and feel like they really belong. They'll tell you that she makes them feel safe, supported, and cared for, not just as students, as people. They'll also tell
you that she's funny. She's a lot of fun. She gives out compliments freely. She notices the little things. And most importantly, they'll tell you that her classroom is not just a classroom. It's a family. That is Mrs. Rakimus's legacy.
She's the kind of teacher that students remember years later. Not just for what she taught, but for how she makes them feel seen, supported, capable, and loved. Miss Rakeis, thank you for your 19 years
of dedication to the students and families at Trell. Thank you for your leadership, your creativity, your resilience, and your heart. You've made an immeasurable difference in the lives of so many, and your impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
Congratulations on your retirement. It's so welld deserved. We will miss you, and we are so excited for all that lies ahead of you. Once a Travel Tiger, always a Traval Tiger. Congratulations. >> I don't have a speech. Um, I just want
to say thank you Lauren for those beautiful words and thank you to Brian Rose who was also my principal for a few years through co and um, thank you to my family and students. Violet is one of them and
parents, one of them is here also. So, it's been a privilege and an honor to work here and um, I enjoyed every minute. Um, it's really bittersweet, but I'm looking forward to traveling and doing other things. So, I really
appreciate it. Thank you so much. The next retiree, Patricia Rosenfeld. We're so excited to be here tonight and to honor you, Pat and Jen. Um, I have a story about the two of them at the end of this. Um, Pat, you've been a true
gift for lifting others. Each day whenever we pass you in the hallway or worked alongside you in the classroom, you've made people feel seen, valued with your kindness and genuine warmth. You're always ready to lend a hand,
share ideas, materials, advice with generosity that never goes unnoticed. Your presence makes even the busiest days feel a little bit lighter. And it will not be the same without hearing
your signature hi-ho hi ho as you lead your class down the hallway in a simple moment that brings so many smiles to mo so many faces. Pat, we wish you the best best in this next chapter as you spend time with your daughter and
granddaughter and you will be deeply missed and the impact that you have made will stay with us forever. Congratulations. I also don't have anything prepared, but as I tell my students, short and sweet. Um, yes, I do march down the hall
singing hi-ho hi ho to my preschoolers and we have fun and we enjoy it. My career at Rididgewood was 24 years. Um, but I was 16 years at a special school before that. So, it's going to be 40 years in June. Um, and I've loved many
of those moments, but um, appreciate everything that we've learned here. The Red Program has a reputation that precedes itself. Jen Gellman and I will tell you, we've had parents move in from across the world because the RED program was something they wanted to be part of.
And for that I'm very grateful. Um I want to thank everyone who's helped to make this journey a positive situation, especially my daughter. Um many days have gone home and we've uh figured out how to make a good solution for something that might be a little bit
more challenging. Um special ed definitely has changed in the last 40 years, but children are still the same and um Ridgewood is definitely a great place for them. So thank you so much And lastly, but certainly not leastly,
Jen Gellman. Jen is the perfect example of how creativity can truly change a child's experience in the classroom. She has a gift for making every student feel valued, confident, creating a space where they
are free to be themselves and discover a genuine love of learning. Everything she touches, her lessons, crafts, special activities, thoughtful gifts for families, even the teacher breakfast was done with such care and an
attention, making each moment feel meaningful and special. And through it all, her sense of humor brought light and joy to even the busiest days. Jen, you have made a lasting impact on
many lives, and this is something truly special. As you begin the next chapter, we wish you nothing but happiness as you welcome your soontobe born grandchildren and embrace all the travels and adventures ahead. You will be deeply
missed. Teaching is is has been my second career. Actually, I had a whole career before teaching. I started off as a pair professional in Pat Rosenfeld's class. And thanks to her, uh, I became a teacher. She said, "You have a knack for
this. You enjoy being with children. Why don't you go for your teaching certificate?" So that's how I ended up there. I have to thank Pat first because other than my husband, I've probably been married to her the most.
I think we set the record for co-teers. We were co-teers for 15 years in the same classroom until I I finally branched out and uh grew up, I guess. Anyway, I would like to thank all the people I've worked with through the years, particularly my colleagues who
are here behind me. um they have been supportive. They have um helped solve problems. Uh they have been sounding boards and and I truly appreciate that. I have to thank my
family as well. Uh the nights that they listen to what I have to say. Uh certainly they enjoyed my stories. Preschoolers come with great amount of stories. Um, I also want to thank most of all the children, and this is where I'll get
emotional. Preschoolers are often thought that it's all play. Um, but I have come to learn and appreciate just what goes into childhood. Um, there is a lot that happens on the preschool level that sets
the stage, I think, for what's going to come next in their lives. um a love of learning, a feeling of independence, um just what will come to be. And I think children now are facing more and more difficult challenges as we deal
with their whole technology and the digital world. But in the end, what I've learned is that children are just children. They want to have fun. They want to learn. They want to grow. Um, and I've been very very lucky because every day I go into that classroom and I
get to channel my inner child. So, as much as I teach them, they have taught me. And if there's anything that I've learned year after year in a turbulent world is that children represent hope. And I am blessed that I get to witness
that firsthand. Thank you. fun fact. I said, "You stole my fun fact." She stole my fun fact, so I'm going to let it be. >> Congratulations. Let's give it up one last time all together for all of our
retirees. So, so may I ask if it's okay, can we bring up, we'd like to get a series of photos. So, we want to start if it's okay with all the retirees together with the board of education and then we'll go by schools and we'll get nice pictures and then if retirees, if you want pictures with your family as well, we're
happy to do that also. We'll try to do it over here with the Ridgewood sign. So, can we start with all of our retirees coming up to the Ridgewood sign, please? Okay, this might be a big ask, but we usually have everybody from each school. So, GW, do you want to try to crowd around up here?
Anybody from GW who wants to be a part of a photo, please come on up. Can the Can the family members of Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Mankey, please come on up. Can we invite our Glenn School friends
up now? Glenn's Oh, I'm My apologies. I messed up. Sorry, Treval. We already We already invited Travel, so we'll do Travel first. Sorry, guys. Okay, now we'll invite up our Glen School friends.
All right. Um I think that we'll um move on with a meeting if we could. Thank you everyone. I think we better please tell Mike. >> You want me to
>> Well, he he's next. >> Oh, students are next. >> Yes. I'm sorry. He's president. I'm sorry. I was reading that different. Okay. Um, thank you very much everyone. We're going to have our um, student
report now and then we'll go to public comment. So, um, are you are you ready? Yeah. Thank you everyone. >> Is it on? Okay, perfect. Um, so starting with the week of February 27th, Miss
Lauro's adapted health students teamed up to categorize their favorite foods and explore the importance of a balanced diet. On March 3rd, the award-winning author Candace Fleming visited Rididgewood High School, engaging students in both a large group
presentation in the Little Theater and also a hands-on writing workshop. She visited all the schools from March 2nd to 11th and we just wanted to say thank you to the RHS HSA and all the HSAs for helping um us fund that and also to the
librarians to help organize it. On March 6th, the RHS Maroon Award recipients were honored. And this award is for students who work hard towards extraordinary positive changes in behavior and grades, committing a random act of kindness without expecting any
recognition and or doing the right thing when nobody was looking. The same week, Alexa Dachchi, a defense attorney, visited the career pathways in medicine CPM class to explore the intersection of healthc care and the law. She walks
students through landmark legal cases that have shaped modern medicine practice. Students in honors chemistry explored nanotechnology. Inspired by nature's designs, they fabricated their own nanotechnologybased
solar cells using blackberry juice, transforming sunlight into electricity. Those solar cells were on display at Super Science Saturday on March 7th. students in forensic learned how to take fingerprints and the Ridgewood Police Department actually came in and helped
with the fingerprinting. Also to note, the police department um presented the fingerprints at super science Saturday. In physics CP, students brought electricity to life by using both series and parallel circuits and they use makey Makey boards to turn their circuits into
instruments. Dr. Dr. Jason Simon, director of precision medicine at Regeneron, visited the students of Miss Joseph's genetics and biotechnology class. He explained his work in the field and described his
pathway of education, his experience and career, and also his research. On March 8th was the senior fashion show at Legacy Castle. I saw a lot of pictures and it looked fun. On March 11th was the RHS orchestra concert at 7:30. Also on
the 11th was the Ridgewood Public Schools um district-wide orchestra concert at George Washington Middle School and that brought together 539 students from fifth grade through 12th grade for a night of music and collaboration. There were five
conductors and every instrument played together in harmony. On March 18th was the Ramapo College Fair with 200 plus schools present. Um and then March 16th through 18th was the junior state testing. So freshman, sophomores, and
seniors had delayed start time. Um with first period beginning at 11:45 on Monday and Tuesday and 10:30 on Wednesday. The students were assessed on grades 10 ELA standards and algebra 1 and geometry standards for mathematics.
And lastly, we had no school Friday, March 20th for E. And now Ara will do sports and clubs. Thank you, Violet. Um, starting with clubs, on February 5th, five Rididgewood High School students displayed their work at William Patterson University Art State
Exhibit, which is an art competition and exhibition that brings together artwork from high school students across New Jersey to present their talent in a university gallery setting. On the 12th, the Rididgewood Arts Foundation honored its scholarship recip uh recipients, Maryanne Wright, Brooke Caneritz, Anders
Rian, and Kia Song. These students, all of which are seniors, were recognized for their outstanding talent and leadership in the visual and performing arts. On the 27th, Asian Festival had a celebration of cultures through performances that students watched in the campus center. On the 28th, they
hosted their benefit show, raising money for Doctors Without Borders. Throughout the month of February, Project Interact made Valentine's Day cards for patients at the Valley Hospital. Members of the club also participated in the food drive at Stop and Shop and sorted and
collected items at RHS on the 28th. Moving to March. On March 2nd, our RHS Latin Sir Tommen competed at Princeton University and two Rididgewood teams advanced to the semi-finals. From the 3rd to the 5th was the DECA state competition.
135 RHS students competed in Atlantic City and they had an exceptional performance with 63 total state finalists and ICDC qualifiers. Those who qualified for ICDC will compete in Atlanta in April. On the 4th was the district jazz showcase. It was an
opportunity for each of the middle schools who have their own jazz bands to collaborate and perform with the two jazz groups in the high school. On March 5th, there was a Maroon and White recital and art exhibit. Maroon and White has become a pillar of the tradition of highlighting outstanding
talent in the visual and performing arts at Rididgewood High School. On the 7th was Super Science Saturday. Applied engineering showed off their amazing inventions while Green Club members presented hydroponics having lots of productive discussions with the visiting public. On March 9th, Unified Sports
Club members participated in a unified young readers activity. They read the book Same Same but different Different and had group discussions that helped them learn more about each other and build friendships. On the 13th, RHS High Times, our school newspaper, launched their winter edition articles, which are
available to read on rhsimes.com. On the 19th, the RHS World Support Alliance, hosted Volleyball for a cause at GW. Funds were raised to support kids in Uganda and provide children with life-saving surgery. Also, six RHS students were selected to feature their
art at the Bergen County Youth Art Month exhibit, which is on the 25th, day after tomorrow. The event celebrates the creativity of students from across the count county. Also starting on the 25th is the New Players production of Annie. They're also doing flash versions of the
show that have the same great songs, but are condensed to 50 minutes, and they're not yet sold out, so check that out if you're interested. On a separate note, RHS recently received a donation in funding from a parent that will be used to install technology in the Little Theater to promote inclusivity for those
with hearing impairments. Moving on to athletics now. On February 1st, sophomores Hunter Wiom and Riley Lubman and juniors Katherine Keading and Mave Scheler competed as a 4x800 relay team at the prestigious Milrose Games. Another 4x800 girls relay
team finished fourth place at the state meet of champions in March, while Katherine Keading broke a school and Bergen County record in the 3200 meter with a third place finish. On March 1st, Rididgewood crew won four golds and had the fastest overall boys team title at
the 2026 Hadenhammer competition. On March 21st, they also hosted a Rowathon event in Vaness Square. That event helped raise over $30,000 in donations for Rididgewood crew. On March 2nd, Rididgewood girls swimmer Josie Marino
placed second in the state with a new team record in the 500 free. Also on March 2nd, Rididgewood girls wrestler Maya Keto also placed second at the NJIAA District 2 tournament. On March 7th, the cheer team became state champions for
the first time in program history. They also won the national thriller on Miller competition on February 29th. On March 5th, varsity girls alpine ski team won the state championship for the second year in a row. Five of the varsity women also qualified for the race of
champions, ranking them among the top 30 high school racers in New Jersey. Ava Dobin and Soul Ter have also been selected to represent New Jersey on the Allstate New Jersey ski team at the Eastern Regional Championships in New Hampshire. an event featuring 250 of the
top high school racers from 13 states across the East. Winter sports came to an end, but certainly one worth celebrating as boys hockey had another amazing season, winning their second consecutive sectional championship and making it to the public state final at the Credential Center. There was a
really high student body turnout at the state final. So much so that spring sports were pushed back to later that night to allow all of the students who wanted to attend to go and support their friends. More on winter sports, six of the basketball girls were recognized with all county and all league awards.
And Rididgewood girls basketball also won the county sportsmanship award. Lastly, on March 9th, the spring athletic season officially started. And starting this year, boys volleyball um is starting and they're going to have a JV team. They're practicing at GW. And in future years, the goal is to
eventually garner enough interest so that we can create a varsity boys volleyball team. That concludes the report. Thank you guys. Um, Grace, you're here tonight. Um, did you want to just say a little bit about your experience in Washington or were you
going to save that for our next meeting? >> Um, yeah, I could do it this morning. So, um, yes, as you know, um, two weeks ago I was in DC for the United States Senate Youth Program, and as I've told everyone, it was an incredible life-changing experience. Um, I think my
favorite part of it in addition to the people that I met, the 103 other delegates from across the country and the world, but also my favorite part was just speaking um or just asking questions to the speakers. We um got to talk to Supreme Court um Justice Katanji
Brown Jackson, which is a favorite amongst all of us. I personally got to ask questions um to the under secretary of state Sarah Rogers um Senator Katie Britt from Alabama um and then also our senators Andy Kim
and Booker Corey Booker who I'll both I'll be meeting um next month actually when I'm in DC trying to get nice to get me to let me skip school for that. Um and then yeah um besides that there were also um a lot of um amazing speakers. We
had a former NASA administrator. We had Rachel Scott who was the White House correspondent for ABC. And we even had the ambassador from Thailand who I'll also be meeting in DC next month. So it's incredible how not only I was able to interact with um the students and
speakers but also take it further from just the one week that the program was in. And I think the biggest takeaways I had are first off, the future for our country is very bright. We have a lot of dedicated um members of youth who are willing to put in the time and the
effort and just willing to simply care. Um and then additionally, I think also this kind of gets diluted a lot in the news, but behind the impressive titles of these individuals, they're all just people. And I think sometimes we forget that. And so it's just two reminders that I had and two of the main
takeaways. So, it was an incredible experience and I'm so grateful for the staff at Ridgewood, Mr. Nyas, and my guidance counselor, Miss Lauria, as well as my teacher, Miss Kurt, who all supported me throughout this process and allowed me to take part in it. >> Well, congratulations. I'm glad it was a
great great experience for you. Yeah. And you represented Richwood. Well, thank you. >> Um, I'll I'll now move to uh public comment. Now um tonight we have a public comment now uh for sort of the general
um bud uh questions on the agenda. We will also have a public comment after the budget presentation and then of course we'll end the meeting with a public comment. So um depending upon what you wanted to talk about um
you can judge from which comment period you'd like to speak. If you come to the microphone, please uh give your name and your municipality where you live. And also um please limit your comments to uh
no more than four minutes. We'll start here in the room um and then we will go from here to uh those who are remote and joining us. All right, welcome. >> U my name is Michelle Ang and I am a resident of Ridgewood
>> and I'm Linda Dioro. also a resident of Ridgewood. >> Yeah. And she's also the 2023 Ashby Award winner as well who's retiring. Um we came prepared to um to speak of the consolidation of the media uh specialists at the middle school, but
instead we're going to say thank you from the comments that you made at the very beginning um about that there will be one media special at each of the schools. So thank you for that. Yes, we really appreciate the um just the acknowledgement and the advoc advocacy
of the positions um because without one in each building the media centers would be shut down, kids would not be able to get books, teachers would not be able to get resources um and it would just change the entire program. And one of the things I think that's important
too is that we have spent a lot of time, those of us who have been here a thousand years. Um, talking between the elementary and the middle school and the middle school and the high school about what skills uh, students need to come
have at the end of fifth grade to go up to middle school and then master those skills so that high school um, becomes, you know, um, a great digital and technology and book source and all of the things that we strive for in the
library. So, we really from the bottom of our heart, we appreciate the just the time that you put in to make that decision. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Good evening. Um, my name is Dana Thalenos. I'm a Rididgewood resident uh
and mom of three boys. Um, in addition to public comments, I also do have uh copies of that that I'd like to present to the board afterwards. Uh I'm also the chair of the Ridgewood Infant Toddler Development uh parent teacher group representing many families here and on Zoom tonight. Uh we are here with public comments and while I'm not looking to
rehash previous meetings, uh we do want to make sure there's accuracy and a voice for the ITDC recognized and considered in many of the discussions happening. We'd like to highlight three particular areas of critical need in discussion. First, important program differences between ITDC and Glenn School. Second, financial impacts to the
district budget. And third, core public responsibility. First, ITDC and Glen School are considerably different programs. Last week's meeting represented that ITDC and Glen School had similar hours and that families would not notice differences should the programs be merged. That is incorrect and such a statement is a
disservice to the constituents. ITDC opens at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 6:30 p.m. with core curriculum running between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This allows working parents to successfully enable care for their children and meet their own work requirements. ITDC does not require any supplemental care with
Alphabest. Children remain in classrooms with their same 15 to 20 classmates and teachers throughout the entirety of the day. Lensful requires operates between 8:45 and 2:30m requiring separate coordination with alphabets for additional needs. This means a different group of adults are responsible for a
large group of young children in a nonstructured mixed open play environment for potentially six hours a day. ITDC is a full program whereas Glen School full 12 month program whereas Glen School is a 10-month program. That is a completely different dynamic for a
working family. Let's say that all are part of ITDC as sunset. We've heard your intentions are to find a place for all students. And taking that at face value, we ask what that will do to the studentto staff ratio, which is one of the selling points for reach families. Reach families also deserve that intel.
Also, is Alphabus prepared to considerably take on many more students? These are critical questions that deserve answers both for ITDC and Glen school families. While I am here advocating for ITDC, I am not speaking out against the Glen School, but equating the programs is simply not
accurate. Second, the true and valuable financial contributions of ITDC continue to be a topic that is broadly misunderstood. ITDC has a history of driving significant revenue to the district. In the past four years, ITDC has driven over $1.5 million in profit
for the district. It was noted in today's agenda that there is a vote for reallocation of over $571,000 of ITDC tuition dollars for blind school maintenance. And our question here is could those dollars be reallocated towards expansion or relocation. The revenue model is fundamentally different
between these two schools. Monthly tuition for ITDC ranges from $1,800 per month to $2,200 per month per child. Monthly tuition for the Glenn School is closer to $750 per month. Alphabet tuition does not go towards the district. Our our question is simply to
just make sure that we are running the numbers together as a district. Eliminating the threes and fours classes and sunsetting the infants greatly will reduce a family's consideration to enroll in the toddlers and twos programs. And it is safe to assume that that is a precursor to ultimately ending that program ultimately reducing
district revenue. Understanding the aforementioned district and transportation costs are key drivers for this plan and we understand that. Are those present- day costs or are those estimated costs? Ultimately, these programs serve different different needs and we understand that. But both programs are a benefit to the community.
Lastly, there is a core public responsibility that is lost when decisions are rushed. As I've stated, we do not believe this is an or decision. Both schools are valuable to this community. It's been said that alternative locations were reviewed for ITDC, but none were sufficient. All public notes were void of those
specifics and we respectfully ask public clarification on that topic as ITDC representatives were not included in any formal discussions on those locations as evidenced by the parents here and the parents on Zoom. We just ask that we be included and the staff be included in those topic in those discussions. For
the educators and supporters of IT or staff of ITDC, they are Ridgwood public school staff. They learned of this information by parents at dropoff last Tuesday and Wednesday. They are owed more. They are owed a plan. The 2026 school year starts in less than six months. Most of your constituents have
choices. Choices on where they send their kids to school, among others. We are here tonight because we have a choice. A choice to be informed, a choice to be involved, and the next choice is yours. We believe transparency is the right choice. We hope that any decision around the future of ITC is not a fatal complaint. And that the timing
of any decision will not be forced. There are not easy answers here. This is not an easy issue and they deserve to be more than a few bullet points and a PowerPoint presentation and rushed within a month of meetings. But to be clear, the lack of collaboration and clarity to date regarding a change to a
significant board of education program is extremely unfair and troubling to the families that you were elected to serve. We believe in the value of both the ITDC and the Glenn School, and our ask is for a more thoughtful, comprehensive, and transparent review. We welcome your considered responses to our questions,
and we thank you for your time. Good evening. My name is Dora Patel. I'm coming here to you today as a parent and also as a technology professional. Um, I want to be clear about something from the start. Um, I do oppose some things that are happening in our classrooms today, but not for the reason that you
might expect. Um, I think that today's retirees are just a glowing example of things that we should be um, investing more in and things and I'm going to highlight things that we should be divesting from. I'm not opposed to technology um, in education. I am opposed to edtech and those are not the
same thing. Technology education is teaching children how to think computationally. It is complex programming languages, mathematical logic, systems design, and kind of rigorous foundational knowledge that produces engineers, architects, and problem solvers. EdTE is something else
entirely. EdTE is open browsers, flashy apps, and Google Classroom. It's teaching children how to use platforms, platforms that will be unrecognizable, if they exist at all, by the time today's sixth graders enter college. Do not take my word for it. Look at the
every platform that you use today. Think about what it looked like 5 years ago. The interfaces, the workflows, the tools, they've completely transformed. Now project that same rate of change forward another 10 years with AI. The Chromebook skills that we are
prioritizing today are training children for a world that will simply not exist in a few years. Meanwhile, the underlying mathematical and computational principles that actually power technology, those never go out of date and they never go out of style. Teaching ch a child to navigate Google
is not technology education. It is a platform familiarity. Platforms are specifically designed to become ever more simple and intuitive over time. We are not giving our children a competitive skill. We are giving them a disposable one at the expense of
attention, depth, and the kind of learning that no app can replicate. Let me start with something that should concern every parent in this room and every parent that's listening. We have two middle schools in this district, and they operate with varying Chromebook policies and usage levels. When I approached some administrators to
request grade level usage data, basic information about how much screen time my child is logging on in school issued devices, I was met with reluctance. This reluctance is not acceptable. I work in an industry where engagement analytics, usage dashboards, access controls, they
are a standard practice. I have more visibility into how employees use technology at work than I do how my own child uses a schoolisssued device. That is not a technology problem. That is a transparency problem and needs to be corrected. There is no consistent policy
governing Chromebook use across grade levels in this district. The absence of framework falls hardest on students who already struggle, particularly those with clinically diagnosed attention and distractability challenges. Expecting a child with ADHD or related diagnosis to self-regulate tab use during classwork
with an occasional goardian intervention by a teacher is just not possible. And that teacher also has to teach a lesson. Let's not forget at home without any tools to regulate this is is an unreasonable expectation. I too have to work. My work doesn't stop until 5:30, 6
p.m. sometime. It is developmentally inappropriate for most adolesccents and for some it's genuinely harmful. Parents across this community are telling me that assignments which should take 20 or 30 minutes are consuming two hours or more because of ondevice distraction. This is not a parenting
failure. This is a policy failure. And let me speak to the technology itself because this is where my professional background is directly relevant. The district uses tools like Gadville and Lightseed for content filtering, and I appreciate that, but I want to be direct with this board. We cannot effectively
manage the volume of new domains created every single day that may expose children to harmful content. We cannot reliably block VPN clients and proxy websites that render those filtering tools useless. When YouTube restrictions were implemented earlier this year,
students had working workarounds within hours. We have smart kids. I am not criticizing the students. I'm telling you that the tools that we have cannot keep pace with the problem and we are operating under a false sense of security. Goldardian helps teachers monitor tabs during class and I believe
teachers use it in good faith and we know that our teachers try very very hard but it ends at the classroom door and it's not available to parents at home. The gap between school and home is exactly where unsupervised unmonitored
Chromebook use does the most damage. I also want to um address >> I would just I would just ask you we I know that I I let the other speaker go and I apologize for that. If if you could just um if you have comments and you can share them with us your written
comments that would be great. Um if you could just summarize or wrap up a little bit. >> Sure. >> Thanks. Thank you. >> I understand. My requests to the board are specific and they are urgent. Establish a clear and consistent grade
level Chromebook usage policy across all district schools and make it publicly available to parents. Publish student level usage and engagement data so that parents can be informed, not kept in the dark. Commission an honest, independent assessment of the filtering tools currently used and their actual
effectiveness, including VPN and proxy circumvention. develop a formal non-punitive opt out pathway for families whose children have documented medical or clinical reasons to limit exposure. They just can't do it. They're too distracted. Require that any future
technology expansion be accompanied by outcome data before and not after deployment. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Other comments from Okay, I'm going to go to remote. Thank you. Emily, you're on with the board.
>> Good evening. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Wonderful. Thank you so much. Um, my name is Emily Cafkart. I'm a Ridgewood resident. Um, I just want to thank the board um and Dr. Schwarz and everyone involved in this budget process. Again, I know I'm sure your heads are spinning with everything you've been working on
the past couple weeks and the community really does appreciate it. Um, I'm just here again tonight to advocate in support of the special program offic's recommendation that the district add a fourth classroom and a fourth teacher to the Rididge Ridge Rise program in order
to lower that uh those class sizes. Um, I'm sure some of you are probably sick of hearing me talk about this issue, but it's just too important not to to get back to. Um, I do respect, you know, the financial pressures going on this year, um, and the board's efforts to be methodical and thoughtful about how
these decisions impact the students and the taxpayers. Um, but this issue with the ridge class sizes, um, it really goes to a for a core function of the district. Um, you know, it's not something an ancillary. It really goes to the receipt of education. um uh
you know adequate staffing at the Ridge program goes to whether our autistic and special needs kids can actually access their education. Um if these rooms are too crowded and the numbers are too high, these kids aren't receiving the education that the district agreed to provide. Um and I know that you all
understand that. I understand there's a lot of support um for this measure in the room. I just again need to um bring up the community support again just so it it is at the at the top of your priority list. Um and another thing of course to remember is that these services are for a vulnerable
population. Um these kids who are not always able to express what is wrong or why learning is hard. Um for teachers the scope of whose workload is so broad and encompasses so much more than just teaching, reading, writing and arithmetic. and also for burnedout
parents who are trusting the district and their teachers and just don't always have capacity to come to things like this to advocate for their kids. Um, while we know that I'm the squeaky wheel here on this issue, there are handfuls of other rise parents behind me on this issue who just, you know, don't have the
the time or ability to add this to their to-do list because they're already juggling so much um more than they had expected with their child. Um, so again, I know that this is a there's a lot going on, a lot going into this this process, but I just want to reiterate our community's um desire to add a
fourth teacher and a fourth classroom to the Ridge Rise program again to lower those class sizes. Um, thank you all very much for your consideration. >> Thank you, Carrie. You're on with the board. I had to unmute myself. Thank you, Miss
Broen. Um, I was in the room earlier tonight uh with my little daughter. Um, I didn't have child care, so I I was there and I was hopeful I could make my comments in person, but um I didn't realize there were so many wonderful retirement tributes and speeches. So, I
want to say thank you to all of those educators who have really done great work within the district. Um, I'm here tonight to tell you uh that I am fully in support of the infant toddler development center and the program continuation.
And as background in 2020, I founded the ITDC parent teacher or with a number of new and very sleepdeprived parents. We did it in the midst of COVID. It was really formed as a bridge to the school, but also at a time when mischaracterization of the program
financials led to its near shutdown. And our children have moved on from the program. They've since graduated into Rididgewood's elementary schools. But on behalf of this founding group, I feel the need to speak up. And what seems obvious to all of us in public forums
over the last few weeks is that the board's interest in reducing ITDC is is not about the program's financial performance. I mean, it is more than financially healthy. But what we're here to say is the following. We don't
believe that the full consequences of the decision have been modeled out. And I'm not just talking financials. I'm talking holistically. And ITDC is a program that you all know has served this community for over 40 years. And to change it in ways that
cannot be undone, we really think that the full picture of consequences must be understood. So there's four things that I'd like the board to know. Number one, ITDC is not interchangeable with other programs. Danaos, I believe we're about
to say a lot of the same things, but families will not simply move into reach. They'll find preschool and child care elsewhere and they will not come back. Second, continuity is why families choose ITDC. The moment you remove the
threes and the fours or the infant room, you don't just have a smaller program. You have a program that working families can no longer rely on. And number three, over the last three years, and this is financial, ITDC generated over $4.5
million in revenue with over $1 million in net contribution to the district. I know you know that. But that revenue doesn't gradually decline when families leave. It it stops. And then fourth, ITDC has been a cornerstone of this community for four
decades. So that kind of trust and that kind of program, it deserves a full and honest accounting before a decision is made. We know RPS needs more space in the Glen School. It needs more classrooms, but we
don't understand the logic. Has anyone put together a sideby-side analysis? The savings from IND district special ed on one side, the revenue the district loses when ITDC families leave on the other side. We haven't seen that analysis presented. And that can drive this
decision. Not half of the decision, but all of it. And where does the district actually net when you account for both? Second, the families that I'm just here to say they won't make a simple switch. They will leave. There's an assumption running through this undercurrent of the discussion that families will find their
way into reach or another district offering. And I can tell you as a parent who made that very calculation, it's not how early child care ed education works. We've talked about the timing. We've talked about the differences in the curriculum. A family with an infant,
they have no path to reach. There's no reach class for a young baby. So, if IGDC is gone or significantly reduced, that family does not stay in Rididgewood's ecosystem. They find a provider that serves their working family to take their child and they
build that relationship with that provider. They don't do it with our district. So, the district doesn't just lose their tuition, it loses that family. and ITDC because it is such a continuous program and I see so many of our staff and teachers in the room. Staff and
teachers that my daughter recognized when I came home and had to tune in to Zoom. She saw your faces on video and she knows all of them and she remembers them. So a family that enrolls a baby and that child that moves through each class, infant, toddler, twos, threes,
fours, they grow up in the same building, the same peer group, the same teaching philosophy, the same sense of place and space. It's a safe home for them >> and parents don't have to react with their child. >> Could just um
>> send us your if you'd like to send us your written comments and if you could just begin to summarize that would be great. >> Absolutely. You can see how passionate I am about this this program, Miss Rogan. Um, >> yeah. I think the point that I'd like to
make is that it's 40 years of community and to make a decision about the program in two or three meetings, it's just it doesn't it doesn't do justice to the program and the families and the alumni and the teachers and the staff. And so
we're asking for a full assessment, a model, a model of what ITDC produces and an exploration very similar to other previous comments, but I just will echo them. Whether there is a configuration that serves both goals and protect this
teaching staff. I think this might be the most important. Uncertainty causes departures. Our teachers deserve more. >> Thank you, Miss Broen. I'll I'll send my comments in full. >> I'd appreciate that. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next. Um, Bonita, uh, you're on with a
board. >> Hi, good evening. Can you hear me? >> Yes. Great. Um, first of all, I just want to acknowledge, thank you so much for the continued patience that this board and Dr. you've handled a multitude of my emails and questions. I continue
to appreciate this dialogue that we have. Um, I'd like to thank us asking these questions. Um, it's going to land our students, which is the key focus here, in a much better place than where we first started. I do want to reflect this in public record. It is just
concerning that items such as busing and the consolidation of the media specialists were only reconsidered after we had raises as part of the public conversations. These are errors that should have never been on the table to begin with given their direct impact on the students. And I think Mr. Bailey
said it very well. The key word is teacher, right? And a teacher is not just somebody in a course subject. Now, some of the members of the board said stated that the impact would not be significant because these changes may not impact core classes. And I like to
challenge that. I don't think library is not insignificant because it's not labeled as a core subject. I would argue is actually foundation to all of the subjects to all of our students learning as a whole. So I think this is really where we want to ask the right questions, right? Should we be adding
another administrative role or should we be ensuring that the class sizes remain untouched and that we retain valuable educators such as Miss Brown? So, I think common theme tonight that I've been hearing is we're just simply asking for greater clarity and transparency
about how the decisions are being made and clear understanding of how these decisions have a direct impact on our students in our community. >> Thank you. >> I can't see that. Hi. Um,
>> I'm sorry I couldn't see your name. >> That's okay. My name is Yes. My name is Laya Taha. I'm a Ridgewood resident. Um, and I'm the mom of a child in the Ridge Rise program. Um, and I want to thank Emily for her comments earlier about um,
adding a teacher and a classroom to the program. Um, and I totally agree. Um, you know, it's a it's a serious uh, you know, concern for myself and I know many of the other parents of of kids in the program. Um, you know, the strain that
the class size is putting on the staff, on the students, um, on the related services providers who push into the classroom, um, I know has been a real challenge for everyone this year. And, you know, p personally, I've seen the
impact on my child. Um, and so I I really would strongly encourage the board to consider um, you know, to adding a fourth teacher and a fourth classroom because like like Emily said, um, you know, these are some of the most vulnerable kids in our district. They
cannot often advocate for themselves. Um, and so, you know, their needs uh, and facilitating their learning um, should really be a priority. And I I think without adding a fourth teacher, you know, I I don't see how the program continues to do that um, in in the way
that they deserve. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Seeing no other hands, um I'll close public comment at this time. Uh Dr. Schwarz, I'm I'm sure some of this you'll you'll be talking about with the budget. I don't know if you want to make any comments now or if we'll move to our
presentations. Up to you. >> I could just have a couple minutes. I'd appreciate that. just out of respect for the folks who are here. You might not want to stay for the whole meeting. Um or you might, it's up to you, but I want to just speak to a few folks. So, uh Miss Zang and Miss Dioro, thanks so much for coming. Um
media specialists, teachers, um everyone who works in the district. The difficulty of this decision is that we're not talking about people who we don't think highly of. We're talking about really difficult challenges to figure out where we can make up the
money that we need to make up. And I I don't like being oriented around money per se, but uh but we do the math has to work. So, uh that's where we end up in these difficult situations. So, I know it's hard, but um I would just want to assert that there's no agenda or no um
there's no animosity in any decisions that are made. I also want to clarify that when we that some of this stuff is coming up feels a little last minute, doesn't mean that it's been sudden conversations. Some things have been a little more last minute. We've been talking about busing quite a bit and subscription busing. We're going to talk about that tonight. That's something
that has emerged more recently as a potential strategy for for cost savings, which is an unfortunate thing for families who are losing courtesy busing in our decision here. But with respect to um to the to other positions, we've been pondering for months and in some
cases for years looking at programs and looking at their viability. So, I just want to start uh we've heard a bunch of comments from uh related to ITDC and I believe we have some of our staff here today and I just want to say you know we I think very highly of the work that you do. I have to say I've been here for
coming up on three years now and I hear nothing virtually nothing but positive things and really only positive things when you consider the fact that there's no program in the world that doesn't occasionally have a concern that rises here or there. You do an amazing job with our kids. We value you tremendously. I I I cast no shade on
your work at all. I I think you're I think you're doing great work and our hope is that whatever our transition is that many of you would be able to stay on in whatever our configuration is. Um I'm not I can't get into the numbers here, but it does come down to math. It's not a philosophical decision. So, I
just want to acknowledge all of you as as contributors and and members of our school community. I know sometimes these things come up a little bit last minute. Um, and I would love for for for there not to be surprised when we have these conversations, but they but when we conceptualize the moves that we make,
often some of the things that we think about don't even come to fruition. And getting people unnecessarily concerned is not helpful. We're are we I know it feels sudden, but we are actually having this conversation fairly early. As I mentioned earlier, this is the tentative budget process. Many school districts do
not get into the specifics of what they intend to do when they set their numbers. I think it's important that we talk about the potential implications of what we do. So, tonight the V board is voting specifically um on a spec on a on a specific budget and we have to work
out as an administration exactly how that's going to play out. So, we'll be in touch with everyone with the ITDC program and families and community members regarding what our final determinations have to be. But I want you to all know that you're heard and you're valued and in no way uh are you
dismissed. So, thank you for your time. Thank you for your commitment. I just want to acknowledge a few other comments here. We had um Miss Patel came and spoke about concerns about screen time. I share many of those concerns. I would not go so far as to say that all
technology is bad for kids to use. There's a lot of technology that's very efficient and can do more than than uh than we can do without it. However, that said, when it comes to actual experiential learning, uh, to the extent that kids can learn outside of a Chromebook or a screen, I think it's
really important that we that we that we take that opportunity year to year, we work with the admin team to kind of set goals and to think about how to reflect and do better in the following year. And actually I big we haven't talked about too much because we've been immersed in budget right now but we have talked about um the
limitations of um of what we can do in this kind of modern age of technology and screens. uh we were at before the law was passed on handwriting. Uh I was actually asked to weigh in and I was supportive. I actually asked the team, we all decided that we felt like that was something really important and and I
do I do I do anticipate a more of a backs to back to basics approach across I think across education in general, but certainly here in Rididgewood public schools in so far as uh how what that will look like, limitations on screen time, things like that. We we have to work those things out because I don't want to tie teachers hands. Some
teachers use technology very well with kids, but certainly the concept of kids just being kind on a regular basis just being free on their browsers when it's not absolutely necessary is is quite problematic. So we'll we're going to be doing a lot of reflection with our with our faculty and with our administrators
and setting up uh some clear setting up a clear belief structure around the appropriate place of technology in the classroom. We also had uh some questions about the uh the ridge rise program. Um I had did indicate our last meeting that that was something that we were really interested in moving forward with. Um after our
meeting it was brought I I I was able to recall the con where that fit in the budget and that we decided that since we were our focus was having to consolidate positions that we would not just unilaterally add any new positions. So what we've done is we've identified some
positions that we would still like to establish but we have to establish those positions through efficiencies. So we're not we because we don't want to create any impressions uh that we are um going to be cutting in this area and adding in this area. Um we're trying to do that as little as possible. The only place that
that we have to do that and this unfortunately is part of the equation with the ITDC is we have to expand our program offerings. I I mean I I believe we we we really have to expand our program offerings for some of our prek students with disabilities and that's
really a primary driver. So there will be a need to add some positions there. But even that there are there we're trying to we're trying to um have a netneutral impact or a net positive impact financially. So I don't have any answers for a commit. I can't
make commitments right now but over the course of the next few weeks um we are going to be finalizing uh reviewing all these positions and by the final budget on May 4th we'll have a lot more clarity. And then just in terms of general feedback uh Mr. Shimiki raised just
raised some general cons interest in in greater clarity. We certainly want to continue to provide that clarity and we will continue to to be transparent as we as we discuss these topics. This is really the opening up of these topics and we'll be talking more uh over the next couple months. Thank you for that
opportunity, Mrs. Broen. >> We'll now go to presentations. um our student safety data systems report >> as we invite up Mr. Penza. Mr. Penza, I want to start by thanking you. Uh this is a uh this is a function that has to be done in the district and it really
works best when one of our assistant principles or school principles uh plays a role in helping to uh to organize the data. It's a report we have to give to the state of New Jersey. It uh we have to classify certain events that happen with kids. Uh this is a this system has
gone through various iterations. It used to be called the violence vandalism and substance abuse report. Uh now it's the school safety data system. So it's a report we have to do. We have to report the results publicly and uh so rather than laying this entirely on one person because it's for all the schools. We've
been rotating the responsibilities around. Mr. Penda raised his hand this time around. Thank you very much Mr. Penza. uh you're doing a great job with it and I I I know it's been a bit informative and we promise we'll pass the torch again uh before too long so you don't you don't have you don't you don't get left holding it for too too
long. But thank you for doing it and uh we look forward to to hearing your presentation. >> Thank you so much for the opportunity. Uh just want to say a quick congratulations to all the retirees and a thank you to the high school students for that presentation. It's really uh always super interesting to hear what
you have to say and what's going on at Rididgewood High School. So thank you for that as well. Um so the student safety data system there are two periods that we report throughout the school year. Um this would be for period one for the 2526 school year.
So some of the data that I'll be reporting on is incomplete because the second portion will come in June when we um I'll show you as we get there. So the the New Jersey DOE student safety data
system collects data on incidents that occur in schools and it helps identify trends and implement safety measures. And um the New Jersey public school districts, everyone is required to participate in
this charter schools and um some private schools that are legally required to do that. use the SSDS report um to report incidents of violence, vandalism, weapons, substance offenses, and HIVs.
Also, we include um alleged HIVs in here too. And we disagregate that data a little bit for you. Uh restraint, seclusion, and other incidents may also be reported here. And then also HIV trainings and programs all in the SSDs
report. and that's reported by each individual school added to the the state report. So, as I mentioned, period 1 is September to December. So, it's September 1st to December 31st. So,
that's the portion of the SSDS that I'm reporting on tonight. Um the data is submitted um by by January 31st. So you have that window from January 1st to January 31st to submit that data and the data is then
reported here at the board of education meetings following the submission and it's an ongoing submission um process. So as more incidents occur you can add those but that would be so starting in January 1st that would be reported um
from the January to June period too. So you can see the the data collection would go of course from January 1st to June 30th. Again that data is submitted to the NJDOE through the SSDS reporting system. And
then again after that second period of submission there will be another board um board of education report. So there there's no in um there's no information for 2526 yet because we haven't reached the end of the year but
in our June July presentation we'll have the numbers for this year. So you can see the upward trend and then it's coming down in 2024 2025 and that's for the total SSDS incidents in prior school years. And then we'll break this down a
little bit more so everyone can see what's creating that number. I'm going to give everyone just a a moment to take a peek if you're color blind like I am. Makes it a little more a little bit more challenging. So you can see it peaks in 2324 comes
down a bit and then this is just for the period 1 trend analysis. So this would be 2021 period 1 2022 23 period 1. So it's comparing apples to apples in that sense. If you don't see the blue line, it's
across the bottom and it's it's been a flat number of flat zero. We'll see that in a piraph later. So by school, the schools report out their incidents. Um you can see Orchard Haw and BF have
had one incident in the first reporting period. GW with two reported incidents and Ridgwood High School if it's hard to see that's 11 incidents by school just for this period. one for 2526 and those are broken down into HIV
confirmed with 11 substance abuse that would be one incident vandalism three incidences and violence is one. And so with the Rididgewood High School
enrollment at 1,689 students, we have a total of 11 incidences of violence, vandalism, substance, weapons, and HIV confirmed. HIV alleged
is not included in the 11 total instances. And we go to BF with one confirmed HIV in the period one. Again, Benjamin Franklin Middle School's
enrollment is 615 students as of last week. George Washington Middle School, two incidents confirmed HIV and one HIV alleged. So the alleged again does not
count toward the total incidents and this is for period one. So from September to the end of December. And this again is the apples to apples comparison yearbyyear
violence across the top. And you can you can see the trend a bit here. Just give you a minute to take a peek at those numbers. And some key takeaways, the confirmed HIV numbers for 2526 reporting period
one again from September to December 31st are higher than the last two years, but they're in the general ballpark. Substance numbers are at their lowest since 2017. Violence is down from the past two
years. Weapons has remained at zero since 2017. That was the inception of the SSDS reporting. And our district will continue to monitor incidents through the reporting period too. And again, we'll contribute
to the report that we present in July or August. And the district will continue to implement HIV trainings, safety trainings, positive school culture. And there will be a report on the final
results and that's anticipated in the late summer or early fall. So that will be for period 2, but we'll be able to add the period one information to that as well. Thank you so much Mr. Penza. Board members, you have any questions for Mr.
Penza? >> Well, thank you. >> Thanks so much everyone. >> Thank you >> and thanks for sticking around for a start a little later. Appreciate that. Okay, our second presentation is the
tenative 2627 budget review. Um, Dr. Schwarz and Mr. Matthews for the folks who are here. We do have some homemade sourdough bread. If you want to come and have a piece, feel free. It's very good.
You say, are you joking about like the the glare of light off my bald spot? Is that what you're all right? We're going to go ahead and get started. It looks like uh everyone can see the presentation here. So, if you tuned in with us last week for the presentation, uh there not a lot has
changed. There's been a little bit of clarification of language. So, I'm just going to review review everything with a little bit more brevity. Um, certainly welcome conversation from my uh fellow members of the board. So, we of course memorialize our board members. Thank you all for your time and energy.
We appreciate you very much. And for those who don't know, board members are volunteers. So, thank you all for your public service. Our objectives are to provide context for the budget and to provide a proposed 2627 budget for adoption. So, that's different than last time. It was for discussion. Tonight is for adoption.
there's a resolution to adopt uh the tentative budget. Uh we're going to detail our costsaving strategies designed to limit our reliance on the local tax levy and then we're going to clarify the remaining steps. So we'll start with uh with some background and then we'll get into the
budget. So everyone so if you're not familiar we have a vision 2030 that guides our way. We have many ambitious goals with respect to building out a balanced culture and climate. articulating what we want for our students via the journey of a graduate
and of course programs pathways and proficiencies is an area where we want to continually improve our offerings for students and then of course we want to engage our community members tonight uh we're focused really on all of those but we're particularly focused on engagement and then our third pillar which is
infrastructure facilities and finance that finance being an important part of this and our need to to make sure that we are efficient we have a variety of uh information about the district. Uh, you know, the the the tradition of excellence is alive and well. If you're interested in learning more about that, I recommend
that you look at um our state of the schools address where we break into these numbers more, but these are just some highlight highlights. Right now, we uh this this budget is supporting some great progress. We've implemented uh the the Ridgewood Enrichment Program,
which is a gifted and talented program this year, but it is an enrichment for all program as well. We're expanding uh our six to8 science next year. We're we're rolling out a new literacy program in K5LA that is aligns with the science of reading. We're focusing on our
transitions as that's been a point of focus between the elementary schools, the middle schools, and the middle schools and the high schools. And of course, we are looking to reorganize our um our our approach to students as a system of support where we track student progress and make sure that we are
intervening when we see evidence that students are not thriving and meeting their meeting our goals for them. We also have a variety of efforts within special programs. We've been talking the reason we highlight that here is that uh special programs have been a point of focus for us as a district for quite
some time and over the last few years particularly under the leadership of Dr. Fenwick and recently with Mrs. Pone our new director of special education our special programs uh working with our CPAD group um and parents and our child study teams we have really made some
strong progress in building relationships and adding transparency. If you're not familiar with the work that we've been doing in that space, we have a new state of the schools for special education that we deliver in November. Dr. Fenwick has really pioneered that. Uh we had a presentation recently this last December. So I
recommend that you take a look. But we're doing a lot of work around family partnerships. um really re-evaluating our practices, collecting data so we can see collecting data on on parent satisfaction uh through the IEP process, looking for opportunities to improve,
better coordinating our efforts between curriculum and special programs, um finding increased opportunities for inclusive practices within our schools, and then providing excellent professional development opportunities and helping our teachers engage in the process of setting our direction.
Of course, we have uh you hear of every week from our students who talk all about the great accolades of our students. So, we wanted to memorialize a few of them here. So, some of these are from um from the prior year because that's a complete year. Um but you can see we have all kinds of recognitions,
sectional championships, uh state champions, our marching bands. Remember, if you remember, they were uh they were they were national champions last year. Uh we also have uh a variety of accolades for our uh for our students. um in our extracurriculars of course as
well. So getting to our budget overview uh we uh we presented this slide last time. This hasn't changed. This is the intention of this slide is to just show how our funds basically get split up. Uh we have uh we have lion share goes to
our instructional programs and our employee compensation and benefits. Um there's many different ways to to to sort these, but these these buckets basically aligned to how the budget is structured. So these numbers can be tracked.
The primary driver this year round is health benefits. There are other drivers, but this is something that's really quite significant. Um you can see that our our health our health premiums, health insurance premiums were fairly stable for a variety of years. uh but as of about 23 24 uh they started an upward
trend and then 24 25 the current year and then projected for 2627 they've really taken quite the spike. The 2425 numbers are audited. This is what we actually paid and then this is what we expect to pay in 2526 and 2627 we are adding we're we're
hoping that we do not have another worst case scenario with a steep rise uh like we saw this year. We are budgeting in case in the second half of the year we do experience one. We have a 10% increase on our numbers, but that those numbers are based on actual enrollments. Uh my hope is I'm going to talk about
how I'm concerned in this budget process about the fact that we are cutting this budget very very close and in a worst case scenario with some of the some of the predictions that we're making and some of the things that we're betting on. Uh I'm very hopeful that they all work out the way that we hope that they will. But I am concerned that a
combination of us not making hitting the revenue targets that we want, the tuition targets that we want. Um, and then if the costs come in beyond what we expect, we could find ourselves in a situation where our budget is very tight, if not breaking even or possibly even if a perfect storm occurs, falling
a little short of breaking even, which would potentially put us in a circumstance where we would not be able to populate all of our fund balances and that would create further strain on future budgets. I do want to be clear, we're not, and I don't want to name school districts, but you've probably heard school districts in the news who
are actually in default and can't make payroll. We're not talking about that type of worst case scenario, but a worst case scenario in which we're just perpetually tighter and tighter. I'd like I'd really like us to be making progress towards not being so critically tight. But that said, um this is going
to be a multi-year process in getting to a place of new found stability. >> Yes, >> go back to that slide. There's an icon right over the first two numbers of >> Yeah. And so people just can't see what that number is.
>> It's just that one. It's I think >> Oh, yeah. You Yeah, you can't see that, can you? >> It's It's 19,98840. >> Say it one more time. >> It's 19 million 98840. >> 98. It was just You couldn't see the And I don't support. Okay. Thank you.
>> There. Yeah. Sorry. downloaded this plugin. I never use it. See if I can just turn it off here. >> That might be the only place with some issues. >> Still not letting me get rid of it. There we go. I got rid of it.
should. Okay. So, that's a that's that's close to a $6 million increase over four year over uh two years, excuse me. Um that's a that's that's staggering. And that's that's the driver why we're in that's why we're having all these
difficult conversations right now. This is a uh this this is intended to be something that can be tracked to budget documents and the user-friendly budget. It's not necessarily designed for analysis. It's designed for transparency. Um, I know we had some questions about things like instruction.
Why were instruction costs going up so much? Why was instruction cost on the more detailed budget the board members received a little bit different? Just the way that the budget lines are set up and the way that they roll up our out of district tuition for students whom we really can't educate here are included in that number. We have seen an increase
in that number just due to some uh placements uh for students that we really don't have any control over. We have to get them in programs that they need. We've had some particularly expensive placements recently. that is driving some uh that that is an additional driver in the budget. Um generally speaking, we have we're seeing
a general increase in school support administration. But I want to be clear that this is these numbers that are reducing here they're taking into account uh many of our anticipated efficiencies. So uh we have to pass this budget. I have to recommend this budget to you based on a projection of where I
think that we're going to land. Um and so there is a lot this budget is structured very differently than prior budgets. As I said before, we used a zerobased accounting system, a budgeting system, which mean that every account had to have some sort of a factual basis. Uh which then is which is great
for making sure you're getting the most out of your budget. Budgets that are built that way have a tendency to not produce anywhere near as much surplus. And then sometimes people forget to budget things and then we find ourselves midyear without the funding for that thing that that people might have wanted. So that's one of the reasons why there's there's change from
year-over-year. So on the one side we have the expenses and that you can see on this side. Then we also have our re our uh our revenues. So often we think about a budget the concerns that people have are are we are we putting money towards funding this
thing? But the other side of it are the revenues that we generate and uh we have three primary revenues. We have our uh the p the first and biggest revenue source that we have in our community is the tax levy represents over 80% of our
of our of our uh of our revenues and it is um and it is the only thing that the board has control over. They have limited control. They're allowed under current laws to increase the tax up to 2%. But when there are certain costs that are out of the board's control, they then gain the ability to apply
certain waiverss through the state. So the board right now is is able to operate with a waiver uh to for health insurance which effectively empowers the board to take the additional costs of all these of all the health insurance increases and effectively raise the tax
levy to pay for those things which effectively passes that cost on to the taxpayer. Now this board and and I as well are very concerned about that and we want to do everything we can to avoid burdening the taxpayer. That said, um there is only so much that we can
absorb. So you can see here uh the tax levy up top. We also have state revenues. Uh you can see this number has gone down somewhat. We do a little discretion uh with respect to something called extraordinary aid that we budget for at the end of the year. But that number is a number that we've budgeted
pretty ambitiously on already. Uh and our state figures, our state aid categorically we get something called categorical state aid. incomes based on transportation needs and special education needs as well as a few other smaller items that's gone down. So in addition every all the all the expenses
of operating the district going up we have our state revenues going down. Um Mr. Matthews you I think you answered a question on other local sources. Did you want to provide any commentary on that just to clarify what's in this line here? There's a few different things.
Can you turn your microphone on please Mr. Matthews? >> So you have rents and royalties u you have uh tuition from individuals through different programs like say the reach program you have tuition from like receiving students from other uh
educational associations. You have a number for the before and afterare program. Last year we uh had a guarantee of 152 and we didn't go up on RP yet, but we're we're asking for in our our new RP for $300,000 in in revenue from
um before and afterare program. So those are some of the items that are getting the local um sources of revenue. >> So sh I think that number is different from last presentation. Earlier it was 600 something difference. Now it's 77,000.
So maybe some things are relocated. Um but on the on the on the IT the alphabet program I had a question last time that did we receive revenue sharing something there are we
receiving any revenue sharing first you think the the local source changed >> yeah so is mentioning that in local source so 152 was a minimum but we also had revenue sharings on top of the
minimum. So they've been sharing their revenue with us for the last three years. >> So that so that roll up was a different roll up on another report. So that roll up that number was 616. But the items in that particular report that you saw had
um rents and royalties at the time. You had bank interest. You had community school number in here and um you had transportation fees from individuals regarding um sorry you had for epicare 150 you had rental royalties you had
bank interest community school was reduced by $419,000 497 and that's that that made up a different set of numbers than what's in that group right there. That's another roll up of bigger numbers than was on the report that had the 619
uh 497. >> Right. Oh, so so for alphabets or before and after if we are only getting 150 which is the minimum commitment then we need to audit and look at last 2 three
years that why are we not getting the revenue share because 152 or 150 was the minimum right we had revenue share on top of the minimum so the the way the contract um read that I read last week after we had made a
comment about the 150 was 152 was a guarantee for the contract. It wasn't a profit sharing was a revenue guarantee of that number which we received over the last couple years. So we had looked at doing something different regarding
important of the care program and the decision was to kind of stay with the uh the outsourcing of the services but to uh put in the uh in the rubric that we would require more money as a guarantee to have them take over the responsibility of the program. But we
looked at doing something internally. So that's why the number went from 150 to $300,000. Did I answer the question? >> What I understood and I don't remember what the alphabet alphabet contract says, but I thought what Sarra was
saying was for guaranteed 152, but the contract also provides for an additional amount of profit sharing over and that that's your question, right? So my question is is that first of all, is that the case? And second of all, if it isn't for getting the money,
>> I would I would have to double check the piece about the uh that popping sherry. >> Okay. >> I can double check. I >> say for sure that we got the 152 over the last >> we got the two. The question is whether we're entitled. Okay. Right. >> I I don't remember. Okay. Thank you.
>> So that was one. Then the other was uh what would be the difference between so when we are doing moving from IPDC to Glenn I think that's where you're accounting more in the fusion 605,000. Some of that
is coming for the prek or um the blend fusion $600,000 but then we'll be losing the rent that ID pays to us. So how much is the actual data there between what will be losing from ITDC from rent versus how much are
we accounting more from Glen from what's the data there so the ITDC program over the last couple years we haven't contributed any money from their from them to us this is the first the last time there was a big transaction was in 2020 20 was over the
pandemic. We uh we had to pay them 500,000 $500,000 in change. So since I've been here for the last two years, all we're doing is charging ITDC is for health benefits and FICA and then we have this expense of $541,000 that we're
taking from them this year regarding one-time expenses. But over the last couple years, there's been no money from ITDC to the general fund. They >> right, not to the general fund, but we to charge them rent. >> Uh yes, but I mean there's been no
precise expenses that they incur. Health benefits, rent, FICA, those are those are the only things that we've uh right charged them over the last couple years. >> So in my year and a half, >> right? So health benefit, FICA, they go in their P&L, right? So when we
calculate that $540,000 that you're accounting for as available that's after whatever tuition we receive whatever we pay to the teacher whatever we pay for health benefit after that whatever is remaining we pay rent to the school and
then the profits are sitting in that in that um the fund right so um last year so so the rent will be gone now when we take take away those classrooms that rent will be gone. So what is the delta
between what we are budgeting from that extra tuition versus radio's rent? I don't I can't give you that number exactly right now. We did do that analysis. The and the the ITDC rent that was charged to bring money to the
general fund was reduced in this budget capture here. the the main the main cost drivers related to the need for Glenn school rooms are that we have up to four students uh in uh that if we did not make any changes we have up to up to
four students that would need to uh that are preschool students that would need to be placed out of district rather costly placements so then >> these are homeing classroom right >> correct >> so what's the ratio of uh general ed versus special ed
>> Dr. You believe you have that number right? >> What's the ratio in these classrooms for general ed and special ed? >> So it has to remain uh under 50% of special ed to gened has to be has to be a smaller portion. >> So if you're so if you're bringing four
students then we would probably need one classroom because I think we can go up to 18 students there >> in these classrooms. >> Special ed? No, it's it's capped at a lower number 12 students I think. So the these rise program or or no what
is reach? So these reach classrooms are 12 students. >> No reach reach classes or integrated classrooms. You're asking about the self-contained program. >> No, I'm asking about the co-ingleled or integrated program because these students will be brought back to the um co-ingleled or integrated program.
Right. >> But I want each is so so so >> students are going where because of >> Yeah. Yeah, but if we identified that we need three classrooms, then we must have identified that need. >> Well, I want to be clear, we're at the tentative budget process. So, our
concern is up to three classrooms. So, we have still finalization to do. We still have still go through IP processes. So, it's kind of the challenge of being where we are. So, the the current model is not designed to get to true a true 50/50 the needs of the
students generally. that's not that's not an optimal not necessarily an optimal learning environment. So I believe we're more typically at like like we we would have three students with IEPs and then the rest would be general education students. That's more as closer to the model that we've been using with success. So that is that that
is closer to where we would be but again we have to go through IP processes or it's not entirely it's not guaranteed that all the students would be here. It also could be potentially other students that emerge preschoolers. So this isn't this is imprecise. This is our projection at this time. But the point
is that between the tuition for general education students and the offsets related to students happen to be out of district and then the potential additionally for us to be able to provide a occasionally a seat or two to other students, other district students
who need a special special education placement. It's a it's a significant it it shifts the calculus. >> I'm looking I don't know if this is helpful trying to help. Um I'm looking at you know one of the
budget summaries that we were provided and I understand these numbers but at one point the analysis that you did taking into account the fact our obligation to um provide a place for a couple preschoolers and you know span reach uh
that you were looking at a net savings right of just under 300. I don't know whether or not that includes the rent but I thought the rent was accounted for something else. I mean because I thought that was the heart of what I know that sarab asked a
lot in one question but I thought that was the heart of part of your question was what's the what's the delta like what what are we saving or losing in maintenance change correct >> right so there are two parts of this question right one is district's
obligations to bring these students in district and provide the integrated classrooms and have enough capacity for the reach programs and service to the student right that's one part the second is the our budget process and during the budget process
I'm trying to reconcile or trying to understand what right now so four five years ago Mr. Matthews mentioned that district had to pay but before that it was run differently the tuition money was different the the tuition that was
being charged was different and all of that was changed after multi-year uh deficits were there and then the pieces that we are collecting from parents that was increased and more efficiencies were introduced right so right now we have this they are
generating profit for us so when they are generating profit from us now if we are replacing three classroom there and if each of these classrooms can go up to 18 to 20 students and 50% are special ed there do we have that many students in
the pipeline to actually need three classrooms. And what is the revenue impact there or budget that? Because we'll be charging less money, probably 50% of the tuition compared to $1,900 or $2,000
and less number of students per class and we will not be taking rent. So what is from budget perspective? What is the budget impact when we are considering all other options on the budget? Right. So, so I just want to be clear like I'm not going to just state numbers here that are based on basic projections, but
it is a it is a noteworthy difference of how much different it is if if things play out the way that we believe that they would. But I want to be very clear as I said before about my concerns about bets in this budget like we're there are certain projections that we have like
there it's nothing nothing nothing is a guarantee but in the total play of increasing Glenn school tuition having keeping students in district potentially receiving some in district students if that bet plays out which is a likely
scenario that that would play out we we there would significant savings within each classroom. If that vet does not play out and we don't have students who are interested and we don't have students back in district and we don't get additional tuition, but we add three teachers, then no, we're not necessarily
in a better situation. And that's my point is that this this this proposal is built on projections that over the next several weeks, really months, but really next next several weeks, especially the final budget, we have to vet. So this meeting and this conversation and the
and these these these conversations of discomfort, these are not can't express this thoroughly enough. This is not a meeting of final decisions. This is a meeting of us being clear about all the different things that we're talking about. So your point is well made. I I'm
not and that's why I don't want to argue with you because I don't want to throw out a number here because that projection these projections may not play out. And I said before like a perfect storm. We set up all these scenarios that theoretically should work out. We're being very entrepreneurial with how we're thinking about things,
but there's a chance that it might not. And to your point, I think your point is we currently have a profitable model. So why are we going to mess with a profitable model? And that's a valid point. And that's my point again in saying uh in expressing my like I have no there's no um some of our speakers
said this before. There's no there's no there's no like financial concern about ITDC. There's no program concern about ITDC, but we definitively have some significant program and and financial concerns related to our obligation to
educate some preschool disabled students, and we're struggling to accomplish that right now. That's really the driver. I >> my concern is that do we really need to lose the revenue from three classrooms at this time rather than just one? >> No. And it's not clear. That's not
entirely clear right now. So because you mentioned three classrooms and that's problematic for the con continuity of the program. >> Well, I'm I'm being transparent about what I'm budgeting against and what the projection that we're currently working with. >> Right. >> Right. So that's what I'm just saying like I but that's but again in the same
way that we're having conversations about types of positions that we may be consolidating and this is we I'm trying to do a sufficient amount of due diligence and expressing what we're building this financial picture off of but there's still room to work within
this financial picture. I guess I was thinking that since we don't know, we don't know how many students we might attract. We don't know how many students would have an IEP that we would have to make a space for. We have projections
but not concrete. Is it wise to give up rent on an extra classroom so early? because I know with the concerns being a working parent myself for people to make decisions on what
they're going to do with their child next year if they're hearing three classrooms where which ones may they be whatever it's it may I guess I didn't I just don't know why we need three classrooms which it appears to be
smaller numbers of potential students right away. Maybe it would be worse to only do two and then next year take one back, take another one back. But I don't know if three right away is what I don't know because you're concerned about
losing rent and we thinking it's too positive. That's all. >> Agreed. And we're going to continue to do analysis on this. But but but the budget we're budgeted for up to three classrooms, but I want to be clear. If the if if the seats don't fill like we
think that they would, then we're not better off doing three classrooms. We might be better off doing one or two classrooms. And that's and that's the point of just I'm just giving you clarity around how this budget was structured. >> Classrooms is still a significant number of IEP students and new students to come
into reach to fill that classroom. I think you said the numbers are 12, not 18 to 20. Didn't you say they're closer to 12? age. >> Is your microphone outside? >> Class can go to a higher number. The
inclusion class can go to a higher number. >> Correct. Okay. >> Yeah, I remember it from the presentation when it was these were established. I think 2017 or 16 somewhere around that time. Um the numbers that were shown at the
presentation were 18 to 20 per month. All right. And then um for the alphabest uh Mr. Matthews we have a commitment of 12% revenue share. 1212% revenue share
no with minimum guarantee of 150. Yeah. So I'm looking at it's on page 32 of their contract. So, so we just need to make sure that we are auditing their revenue and make sure that we are getting the revenue share
from them. And and on this slide, Dr. Shaw's last one is this capital reserve. Um we are showing 25 26 adjusted as 1.773 million. Um this included a Willard
boiler project that never happened. So did we replace that project with something else or does that money go back to capital reserve and then we are taking it out again this year? >> That that money that money goes back to uh capital reserve that will go back no to replace it.
>> Right. So it that will go back to capital. Yes sir. Okay. >> Thank you. Because now we are not showing original we are showing adjusted. So that should have come down, right? Capital 1.7. >> I I mean for budgeting purposes, you
have to keep it there until the final audit is done. So they go to the final audit and see what's been expended in terms of capital reserve. We had 1.773 last year. They'll see what projects are going through and what's not going through and then they'll add it back
into the fund balance or the recapitulation of u reserves for 26 27. It'll fall out. Thank you. >> Yeah, I just want to circle back to um infant toddler and um you know, we have a number of parents who are listening
tonight and and parents that are here. So, it will be important um for Dr. Fenwick and you Dr. Schwarz to make sure that they're not in limbo as much as we can. They do need the information and
need to understand what the plan is and they need time if if it is if we are closing three of classrooms. The parents need time to make sure that
they can uh find places for their children if they do not want to stay or cannot stay at the um infant toddler and when I say cannot I mean m maybe they are not interested in being part of the
reach program if that is the offering. So, you know, we really do have a responsibility to do that. Um, and you know, within the next couple of weeks, that has to be the focus.
Thank you. So moving on just with our revenue in the general fund. Um fund balance numbers are uh these are this is a balance that we generate that we cannot put into um we've generated in prior
years and forwarded to future years. This is some of the money that I was referring to that if we don't populate all of our fund balances we break even. we would cut into this which would mean less revenue in a future year. Capital reserve we just referenced we are prioritizing a few capital projects which are critical that that will be on
another slide. We are drawing from maintenance reserve and emergency reserve. We talked before about the fact that we have future problems we have to solve right now. We continue to draw on our maintenance reserve uh in our in our emergency reserve to help fund effectively our facilities. And that's a
problemat that's problematic process because we're building this budget to be a very very lean budget. And if this budget does not produce additional surplus beyond its obligations to meet its fund balances, then we will not
repopulate maintenance reserve. We will not be able to draw on that again in a future year. And effectively two years from now we would find ourselves in a circumstance or next year when we do our budget we would find ourselves in I guess really the year after when we build our budget we would find ourselves
in a uh in a further tighter space. So that's something we have to we have to bear in mind that we are still drawing on reserves to fund our facilities. And then we have this there's been some confusion and I've gotten some questions on prior year incumbrances. So we did fact check our these prior year
incumbrances. Um I reference the fact that sometimes prior year incumbrances go unspent and they do they can fall into fall in as a revenue but in this particular case on these these are all obligated funds. So basically one school year ends at June 30th, we have to
consider that the end of a school year of a of a budget year. And then we if we still owe money on things like tuition or on utilities or some purchases that we that were supposed to be made in that year that maybe we haven't fully uh we haven't haven't made good on all of our bills yet. That money gets goes into
just carries over as a revenue into the next budget, but we still have to pay those bills on the old budget. So effectively this money is already spent. Mr. Mr. Matthews, do you remember what we said was the actual draw down on this money actually paying off our 2425 obligations? >> As of this afternoon, we've uh spent
down $1.5 million and change of the $1.6 million. I think what's remaining is a dust collector from the high school has has not been paid paid up yet. >> And that's but and all of those though are 2425 purchases carried over 25 expenses, right? >> So they weren't 25 26 correct topics.
Yeah. So short the question there was not what would be 26 27 uh the question was treating that as zero um may not be correct because that number is never
zero. So maybe a three-year average or fiveyear average whatever number we can come up with that when we are making budget assumptions because that is never zero. We never pay all expenses at the end of the year. There are always pending invoices that go after June
30th. So that number is never zero. It's always uh if we use a three-year average or a 5year average, some sort of number or even a 30% less than that, but not really has to be zero. And our auditor actually expressly told us it has to be
zero because this is for the 2627 budget. Meaning that we that we cannot we cannot we cannot budget against obligations from the prior year. Meaning that when we set up the 2526 budget, it
had to be zero because we couldn't budget against obligations that we weren't weren't aware of in the prior year. Literally the the the word from the auditor was that would be an immediate audit finding because that's money that money is already obligated. You can't you can't budget that as a revenue.
So that's a technicality. But what is happening because of that is we have to find revenue somewhere else and then somewhere else line number one. >> No, no, we don't. That does that has nothing to do with our tax levy. This is just this is just a it's just accounting at the bottom line. Meaning our auditor
just requires us to account for the fact that we had to carry over these prior year incumbrances because we still have to pay. We talk about the 2425 budget 2526 budget but in our actual bank account we have to pay the bills the same. So that just covers the cost of the 24 25 bills that we haven't paid as
a revenue. So our expense side ultimately ends up matching that. >> But we are matching on the incumbences. >> It's getting it's getting matched. Yeah. And I I specifically asked about that because I was concerned like does that sit separately in our budget and that it doesn't. That's why we have to count
that as a revenue in the budget because we have to pay it out with our normal bills. Guys, you've made a noble effort to hang out. Thank you so much. You are definitely more than welcome to go. Thanks for coming out, guys. >> If we have severe flooding and we have
field issues and things like that, that's not that would have to come out of emergency reserve. >> If we have >> if we have expenses due to flooding
and or what we've had in the past, >> we've short. >> Yeah, we've we increased our insurance for that. We have a $50,000 deductible. Yes. >> Nor lay the money out first. No. Carrier doesn't pay the vendor.
>> We So, >> I'm gonna I don't want I don't want to misspeak here, but typ but but but but but but typ but no, we would we would have to we would have to I can say we would commit the money up front because we have to get the vendor here and we don't have time for processing. We have
to do the cleanup immediately. So yes, we have to make payment that that that's >> so I would just make one point that if these expenses $1.6 million were on included on the expense side of the spreadsheet also on the previous slide
then expenses would not be just 2.2% higher. They would be much more higher. You have 2% 2.7% is just >> to your point. >> Say that again. >> So if that 1.6 6 million was also included on the expense side then the
change would not be just 2.21%. The delta >> no but it is look at the total operating budget. The total operating budget's the same for 2526 year. >> Yeah. But where is that 1.6 million here? >> It's it's buried in it's buried in all
these lines because we had to pay them through our normal accounts. There's not a separate there's not the the there's not a separate partitioned budget just for 2425 or 2425. We have to close 2425 so it can be audited. So it does have to be paid out of 2526
which is why it has to come in as a revenue because it's matched by expenses in 2526. That's why these numbers match and that's why that this number has nothing to do with our tax levy for this budget in this this budget year that's
coming up. Dr. Short, a point of clarification for uh Miss Handy Emergency Reserve. >> Um if we do have flooding emergency reserve is a draw down from the health benefit increase. So it's it's it's nothing to do with a flood. So the
emergency of $50,000 is part of the draw down to uh get to the net number of $19 million that we have for the U health benefit costs. >> You would normally probably take the $50,000 out of your maintenance for
blood cleanup. Yeah. You know, I mean, you would find it in your in your line, but we emergency reserve is is security and and health is is is actually what you are putting in reserve >> for in the current budget for health benefit
>> off of the off of the gross number. But to be but to be but to be clear, as I said before, if all of our if some of the the gamles that we take with some of these revenue generation strategies, multiple of them fall short of what we think they're going to come and we have a flood towards the end of
the year, >> it might be a real tight squeeze to come up with the amount of money to run cleanup. >> And and just an example maybe of an incumbrance might be um at times For instance, last summer
uh in last in this year's budget, okay, we were we have um the air conditioning, but we didn't do that last summer. We're we have it um you're getting your
uh bids now for that, right? >> Yep. >> And we'll probably do the work >> this summer. >> This summer. We're most likely we won't be doing it by June 30th. We will do it after and that becomes an incumbrance on this
year's >> I'm 25 26 capital reserve. Yes. >> Right. >> I'm sure that is part of >> I'm just trying to give an example of what an incumbrance might be. >> Yeah. But I don't I don't think >> capital would be I think >> because then you'll have a whole rigid
horse HWAC with this five or six the horse project is 256 budget. >> Yeah. But I I don't think incumbence I think incumbence has to be general funds like basically you owe uh P to paper paper supplies or things like that. This
is all general funds. Capital reserve is general fund. >> Yeah. But that that's why we have a capital reserve and outline item. >> Yeah. We have to we have to do the same thing we're doing right now with GDS regarding the uh the Glenn project and the ridge project. We have to encumber
all those funds. We didn't come with those funds. $6.8 million and we didn't spend it all and we have we got less money back. So we got more money back to do the windows. So we have to definitely go through the save the permit process to >> Yeah. But I'm just saying I don't think accounting wise it hits that prior year
incumbrance number. I think it hits the capital reserve. >> We'll have to fact check that. I don't I don't know that that's true because because these are these are capital reserve withdrawals and that's why >> that 1.6 six number. >> I think No, no. This these here 177. This is our
>> those are I'm talking about the one six number. >> Yeah, but what I'm saying is >> that's different. Yes, >> that's different. >> Yeah, that's different. Yes. Sorry. >> If if if we didn't spend it'll be prior year 2526. It' be it'll be prior year of 2627.
>> Yeah. The question is in 2627 are we going to have a prior year incumbrance amount that covers the cost of the hall's construction? >> If we do not spend we do not >> if we don't pay up front and all the
bills out of out of u this summer then it'll be considered a prior year incumbrance. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. So it becomes a prior year incumbrance that gets spent in the following year.
>> I we'll confirm this with the auditor. I'm going to have we we didn't we ask him to write something up on this for us? >> Not on the question that Sheila Broen asks. Not not not your question is a little bit different. >> Yes. >> We'll have the auditor cl
a formal statement for us so that way it's just objective for everybody. Just I'm sorry the prior year that you see the incumbences for 2425. Yeah. So next year if we don't finish the capital project for for halls it'll be a 25 26
prior year conference we're going to be in the next next fiscal year that that >> Yeah. Yeah. We just we'll just have the auditor document it for us. All right.
transfer from other funds is some of the um the ITDC balance that we're using to um fund repairs at Glen School and uh to uh take care of assist with some one-time costs for curricular materials.
>> Yes. Can you in like two or three sentences or less just explain because we have gotten some questions about that um withdrawal from the IDTC fund and just explain how it's an enterprise fund and what the rules are regarding the use of
the monies generated by IDTC are different from other >> operations. Thank you for that. So, so the ITDC operates as something called enterprise fund. An enterprise fund has specific rules around how uh it is allowed to operate and it does not part of our
general fund. It's it's designed to be a self- sustaining fund. Um there are some limitations on its use. Generally speaking, we've been talking with uh we've been talking with the county office of education and our auditors and they've been they they're they do allow
us to use it somewhat flexibly as long as it's being used towards one-time purchases or capital improvements. But the idea is that whether we've uh our our our food service is also an enterprise fund. Uh if we do decide to run our own before and afterare that may
be functioning as an enterprise fund, ITD certainly functions as an enterprise fund. So the idea is, as I said, it's a self-sustaining fund that it operates outside of outside of uh the normal uh rules and operations of the general fund. But that means that if we're going
to use any of those funds, we then have to uh do a transfer from that fund into the general fund. And it has to be specifically, as I said, since they are one-time funds, meaning they're they're profits from prior years generated within the ITDC, they then have to go
they they they really should only be used for one-time purchases. Was that was that help? Was that clear enough? >> I I think Yeah, because I I think that there were some questions as to why we were using it for a one-time purchase
versus maybe to extend or >> I don't, you know, fund enough space, right? >> I'll find those. I I think it's important to explain what the rationale is. >> Yeah. Yeah. And to be to to be clear, the ITDC uh again, I don't want to we'll we'll we'll do I just I just don't want to say numbers and be wrong here, but
but but there we we've been tracking the the ability of the ITDC to generate revenue for a while, for a little while. And that part of that was because for a little while it wasn't profitable. The board actually put money into it to to sustain it for a little bit. Um it has been sustainable and profitable
recently. Um but uh but but well it it has it it has been profitable. The extent to which it is that profit compares to the rel related cost to other programs is what the question is and the cost of and right
now the program operates and generates a profit because we charge we charge a nominal well we charge a rent that's significant enough that that it contributes to the general fund. It's not necessarily it's not necessarily enough money for us
to build out from to to to give an put an addition on the Glen School or to to secure a space um that would be compatible. So that's where that's where there are concerns about um
how to how to divide the space at Glenn arise >> on that enterprise fund point. Um, can you remind me did we ever sign up for the pilot program? >> So, there had been So, so the backstory
on this is that under New Jersey um education code and regulation, there's really no not there's there doesn't exist any language that empowers a public school to be able to operate uh a day a daycare with with infants and
toddlers. So, um, some years ago there was some concern about whether or not we were actually able to operate the ITDC. There was some consternation from the state. Um, our legal counsel, this was right before I got here, our legal counsel was able to work with the
Department of Education and, uh, secured a a documentation in the form of a letter that gave us a waiver to continue to operate ITDC. But the context in which they were giving us that waiver was that there was the state was planning some sort of
pilot program whereby schools like us that were operating an infant and toddler program would be able to kind of demonstrate the efficacy and potentially then encourage the department of education to then expand its uh its oversight into infant and toddler care.
Currently uh the DOE does not oversee that. I believe it's health and human services. Maybe that does I that does the uh infant toddler the health department. So so but that pilot has seemed that the idea of that pilot has seemed to just disappear. So, we're
operating an infant and toddler program on a letter that gives us a waiver that >> So, I was looking um on on school uh and it said there was a new pilot program that was proposed in 2025. But if we did not join that pilot
program, can we really use that fund towards curriculum? because that pilot program did allow transferring to general fund but if we are still in enterprise fund then that's
questionable. >> Share with me what you have I'm happy to take a look. Um any more any more questions or concerns on revenue here? >> Okay. Uh capital projects. We already referenced these. Um trying to chip away around the district at some of the
issues that we have. These are some of our more egregious places. And again, I know tennis courts seem like might not seem like they're that this picture doesn't really illustrate just how problematic the courts are, but they're almost unplayable. I can actually just clarify. I was
talking to ARV about this earlier. It rained uh overnight into this morning and they were supposed to have tennis after school, but I believe that was canceled because the rain would seep into the courts and so there'll be I think how he described it was soggy for
a period of time because of that rain. So that's my understanding of the level of interference that the current courts have. >> Yeah. Thanks for that illustration. Yeah, like dead spots, right? The boil like won't basically bounce. Yeah,
we show this tax levy trend to show a history of uh of of the tax tax levy restraint that the board has shown. Um you can see that again this is this is up against CPI which is an index basically an inflationary index. You can see that over the as inflation has gone up significantly consistently
year-over-year the board has stayed at 2%. We also generated this slide to give an illustration of what the board has had the ability to do but has um has made an effort to not pass these costs on to the taxpayer.
And even at 4% the board is still exercising restraint and not going all the way up to 4.52% this year. uh with a 4% increase, the estimated yearly impact would be $527
and a monthly impact of about 40 $44. I did get confirmation from the village that the village portion uh would also would would be 398% which wouldn't be 8% but it would be a number in addition to the 527 and it was
uh I believe the number was $195 for the average home. So bear in mind that this impact for the for the taxpayer uh would be something to the tune of $720 for a home that's assessed at $715,000.
>> So I believe their 3.98% is based on um each home not the same as 4% that you are showing. That is 4.03% 3% or 4.3%
for them and when you divide it with increase base level because the overall assessment yes >> for the ridge would decrease so the impact becomes 3.98 so impact of this 4% would be
>> slightly less uh >> yeah and again this is this is um we'll do a a more concrete analysis in the final budget that will show the actual impact this isn't that's why we say estimated ated yearly impact because to Mr. Donny's point, you have to do a much
more complicated calculation that spans the the tax years over the school years uh and then also takes in accounts ratables and how much ratables draw. So it it it's it's never actually that amount. That's why that's why we focus on estimate.
I updated this slide. had extracurriculars on there, but we are planning on uh on reducing some uh working with the school administration to reduce some stipens for extracurriculars that are either minimally functioning or or really not not serving many students. So, we're
working on that. We'll see how that goes, but we're not touching our athletic programs or our academic programs, courses, or languages. We are aiming to expand our special programs for pre-K students especially. And then we're looking at uh continuing to grow our science and literacy programs.
I should say advance our science and literacy programs. This is more or less the same that I said before. I think an important detail and we have to talk about this in a minute is courtesy busing and the fact that uh we had said we would eliminate some courtesy busing and I want to be clear that that wasn't
the right expression. We're eliminating all busing that's really a courtesy. Hazardous route busing, including routes that we determine hazardous, will still be maintained, but there are many routes that are not clearly deemed hazardous and those are the those are the routes that we will
not be continuing with. We are uh identifying all those we've really miss. Johanna has already done a really nice job of identifying those routes. So now we're organizing communications to be clear about uh about what the transition is. We have to talk tonight
about a um a resolution that I'm bringing to you at minimum for discussion to talk about what the number that we would have to hit to be able to offer subscription busing and offset the costs of what we would have paid uh if we had continued to provide that
courtesy. Uh that's important because we need to give people a number to so that they can decide whether or not they actually want to subscribe or not. and it it will will need to be a fairly high number. We've talked a lot about the consolidation of positions. That's going to be an ongoing process. I'm not going to have a lot of concrete information
here tonight. We already talked about Glenn School Services. Be clear, you know, that's we still have to do our work there uh to figure out the extent to which it makes sense to expand our Glen School programs at the expense of ITDC. And then we've talked about the other
elements as well. We talked last time about some additional cost-saving measures. Um I met with the administrative team today to go over this presentation uh and also to talk with them as a whole group for the first time about you know what the implications of this budget are. And I
made it very clear that we need to work as a team across the board to really try to control costs as best we possibly can. And I also made it very clear as well as I alluded to earlier that you know when we are looking and
we need to be consolidating in a way that is thoughtful and careful. It doesn't cause significant disruption but we need to be consolidating and that consolidation is not limited only to instructional positions or support positions. It includes administrative positions, central office positions just
across the board. So we discussed that and then as I said the impacted groups um some ITDC enrolles may lose service some staff members may be impacted by consolidations and the families receiving courtesy busing will certainly lose that service that will be disruptive to them as well.
Yes, >> there's one more uh point that was discussed u online last last two three days based on um scanning of our like online documents probably um there was a post about legal
reserves so can you clarify I think legal reserves are uh that unspecified reserve which 2.6 6 million we maintain every year and then we roll it over every year and the 2022 or during ho
time the state changed that that we can go up to 4% instead of 2%. So it did went up to four 4 million or 4.5 million and then it came back to 2 2%. So that is that unspecified reserve that rolls over that's somewhere in I think some
document is classified as legal reserve. So there was discussion that do we have are we maintaining a were we maintaining a reserve just to pay our legal bills or were there any litigations? Yeah. But that is that unspecified reserve whatever. >> Yeah. So so so thank you for that. And Mr. Matthews I'm going to ask you to
fact check me on the terminology we're using for each of these. But to be clear a legal reserve is like an emergency reserve or a or a or a maintenance reserve or a capital reserve. It's a designated reserve account that you might put in there to have money if you have settlements or legal bills that are
extraordinary. I don't believe we have anything populated. I don't I don't believe we have a legal reserve set up. Do we, Mr. Matthews? But do we have anything in it? >> No, that's not right for legal reserve. I think it's that unspecified is that's
not >> I'm not Again, just to be clear, I've worked with several different districts and lots of different business administrators and different auditors and and I've heard terms used interchangeably for these amounts. If it's 5.4 4 million. That aligns alarmingly closely with the fund balance
numbers that we talked about that were 2.7 and 2.7 that roll year-over-year. Thically just we keep regenerating and throwing to a future budget year and it creates it actually creates a problem because it's money that we didn't deposit into
our capital reserve that we could have abused and it creates a revenue that we draw on for future budgets. So, I've been saying for a while I would like to in our in our reserve process, I would like to stop throwing money into future years and put it in capital reserves, but I want us to budget thoughtfully to
make sure that we know that there's going to be a contraction in our generated revenues through that process. I'm wondering if the terms are being confused like I think that's legally allowable reserve perhaps that's >> well and and the and the and the 2% that you mentioned before that's different
that's a that is a if I remember correctly that is unassigned fund balance correct so there is a legally allowed unassigned fund balance of 2% that was allowed to go up to 4% >> I think I think that number that was being discussed was that because
>> it it's consistent that 2.6 six or 2% range and in to 2021 it went up to 5 million. >> Yes. >> And that went up because we were allowed to go up. >> We were allowed to it was a way it was a way to soak up some of that money that was throwing. >> The confusion there was that that chart
whoever posted that chart it showed that at 2025 it came down to zero. So the confusion was how did it come down to zero if it's supposed to be at 2.6%. >> Yeah. I know we c we carry a 2% in our unassigned fund balance and basically
that is like a that is >> that is a real emergency >> that is a real emergency fund and you got to get permission to access it but it's one of those funds that the state does allow you to keep. You don't have to keep it. >> They do allow you to keep it and that's the kind of thing where we have an
emergency cleanup and we're out of money. >> It's not for any legal bills or any pending litigations. No, >> it's just a legally allowed minimum reserve that we just keeping it. Get it >> for real rainy day. >> Yes,
>> you can hear it. Could be a literal rainy day. >> Going. >> So, as I said, these are our takeaways. We did do the math on all the allowable overages. Um, and if the board the board has the ability with and I'm say not saying this to suggest that we should
use it. I'm saying it to point out the fact that the extent to which the board is working diligently to make sure that we are uh not passing these wild expenses on to the taxpayer. That said, a lot of these allowable overages on the tax levy will be also be available for
consideration in a future year. So as we are going through this budget process and we are making this budget very tight, we are finding efficiencies to work within this 4% increase next year. Um if we you know things we don't make prog the progress that we aim to make,
we'll need to need to take another look at those allowable overages again next year. And if health insurance costs go up, we'll have a new allocation potentially new waiver that we could use. >> Can you just clarify the difference between this number and the one on the previous slide, 7.07 07 versus 4.52
as the max allowable. So this slide here, so this slide, this describes, I'm sorry, I didn't do this. I did I should have gone through this more methodically. I apologize. This describes the total available tax
levy that we can raise based on our base 2% plus a health insurance waiver that covers this whole amount. Okay. The way that I should have explained this, the way that um the cap works is that if the board does not use all of its total
allowance to go above the tax levy, then the state software tracks the money that it didn't use and the board is allowed to draw on that money for up to three years. So that's why we have this back to three years. The board still has available unused waiverss called bank
cap for two for 2526. Yep. for 2425 and 2324. So if you add these up, this is like 60,000, this is like 50, I'm sorry, 600,000, this is like 500,000, this is like 1.5. When we
add up all those numbers, it becomes the equivalent of 7% total. They could draw on all these things right now this year. That would increase taxes much, much much more for the taxpayer. >> But then
then that would be used up. I mean, if we had a big thing the following year, we would have >> you'd only have your available waiver, >> no permissions to go high again. >> But but but for whatever that year's waiver happened to be. >> Yeah.
>> So again, while the vast majority of programs and services will remain unchanged, some groups will be impacted by austerity measures. I just want to be clear just in closing that, you know, this is we're in a new era. I sent an email to staff um over the weekend just
to acknowledge that and I appreciate I bounced it off a lot of off some a lot of people in this room. So, thank you for that people people who who are part of our school district uh part of our our our um our employees and uh and I just talked about how like we're entering in a new era here. This is this
is not you know this is not an era of being able to have a lot of flexibility. This is an era of things tightening. We look around the world and it's not looking great for economies. It's not looking great for um for health insurance. And to be clear, this budget
still has some holes with respect to us drawing on reserves to even fund our general fund. So, we have more work to do. We have to work together. I think the district's financial position has been strong, sufficiently strong. and we've been having that we're starting this conversation soon enough that we
that that we can we can we can do this in a way that will be less painful than it would have to be otherwise. We do have to work together. We have to communicate. You know, we appreciate everybody's voices. We appreciate everybody's partnership and uh and uh this will be a multi-year process
getting to a place where we uh where we are rebalanced. Just one more question on the health insurance part. It recently joined a litigation with respect to PDN. There was something on the block today
that school joins other schools. So do we expect any money from that? >> Mr. Matthews, do you know did we do we did we opt into any class action regarding PBMs? class class action litigation.
So that if if that money comes in or if there is a big change in PBM at the legislation level then hopefully that will make it 10 of premium sector but this includes prescription we'll
find out yeah I mean yes it does include our our plans and our costs do in do include rising prescription costs Sorry, excuse me. >> Um the governor mentioned this in her in her speech um that they were going to be
doing um work on that. Yeah, this is the prescription benefit. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Are there any other questions from
the board at this time? Okay. So, as promised, uh we're opening up for public comment. Um I would ask um again if you're coming to the microphone or going to speak
remotely your name your municipality and please do try your hardest to keep um your comments to I know we've been long but we would ask that you keep your comments to no more than four minutes. Thank you.
Is there anyone who'd like to comment who's sitting here tonight? Okay, we have a comment from is that Ann. >> Hi, how are you? >> You're on with the board. >> Hi, my name is Ann Bonner and I'm a Rididgewood resident.
>> Could you just speak up a little bit? >> Sorry. My name is Annne Bonner and I'm a Rididgewood resident and my concern is um the cutting of the courtesy busing and I'm curious if my neighborhood is one of the ones that is
going to be cut um where on the route the bus that goes down Oak Street. My other questions um if it is going to a sub a subscription service, how much is it going to cost? Um, I researched
this today and the price varies a lot across New Jersey from a very minimal amount um that would just be an inconvenience to a large very large sum that I have not budgeted for or anticipated. Um, I'm curious if it's going to be a
set cost or if it's going to be based on how many people use the service. Um, and I'm also curious that if if the budget passes in November, if we could bring back the free courtesy busing. Um, I'm also wondering if um I know you guys
mentioned doing um checking for safety. Um, like I said last week, we have we are half a half hour walk away from Ridge School. Um, so that's two hour if with little children. If you walk the little children, that's two hours of
your day that you've spent walking. And um there aren't any crossing guards on our side of town. And there are three busy streets to cross um because you have to go under both sides of the railroad track. And um Franklin Avenue is a busy street as well. Um so I wanted
to see if you're anticipating hiring um between two and three additional crossing guards and if that's something you look into for the safety um concerns. Um thank you. Thank you. We will um take all the public comments and then um Dr. Schwarz
will answer what he can and or get back to you. Um is there another There is Stuart. Is that No, Stephen. Sorry, I I'm I'm looking at the screen sideways. Stephen, you're on with the board.
>> Hello. This is Stephen Bergman. I'm a Ridgewood president. Can you guys hear me? Yes. >> All right. Um, so I'd like to, you know, have the board and and the superintendent look into a couple different options, right? As, you know, you continue to talk about tightening
costs, right? It sounds like we might need to take more drastic um even more drastic type action, right? some of these actions, you know, potentially could be um, you know, the the the possibility of, you know, looking in
terms of merging some services or I guess non I'd say non uh core educational services with the municipality. Um, there could be potential, you know, savings there that should be looked into. And
so I think that's one thing. I think the healthcare, right? I know that, you know, from what I've looked into that the the healthc care contracts, right, and the collective bargaining is quite is quite a few years away, but to be honest, I, you know, there's been other districts, I think, like Feralon, that
have looked at other, you know, means of of funding, um, and have had some success in the past. So, I think we need to start early with that, even though the next one might not be up for till 2027, um, is my understanding for the collective bargaining agreement. Um, and
then the other I think those are really two of the the main items I wanted to to bring up because I think it seems sounds like from the direction that we're heading, right? If we don't want to cut IDC and other things, right, in the future, we're going to have to take some more uh drastic actions. So, one of the
things I'd like, you know, for some action on is in terms of looking into, you know, potential, you know, study if there's cost savings with the with combining with the municipality at all for non-core services, um, and if any
costs can be saved there. >> Thank you. Okay, seeing no other um comments, we'll close public comment at this time. Um we certainly can speak to the health
insurance. Um and we did we did um move out of our the state plan and into Etna uh starting January 1st which also avoidance if you will of about a
million4 oh million five. Um so that was one thing that we already have done. Um, and Dr. Schwarz, would you like to um say
>> Dr. Schwarz, would you like to >> Yeah, we uh thank you for the comments. Um >> uh Mrs. Bonner, I'm not going to be able to give you an answer on your specific residence, Mrs. honor, but we are going to you we have identified uh the homes
that are in this area that would receive courtesy busing that would not be eligible anymore. So, we will be in touch with you shortly. We are going to talk about potential costs tonight. Um so, you're welcome to listen to that conversation. We welcome your feedback. Um I want to manage your expectations.
Uh we did look at rates across the state and um it seems as though some of those rates are dependent upon whether school districts have their own fleet and their own buses or whether they're filling additional seats where there's already a lot of transportation. Uh we would have
to be offsetting rather expensive uh contracted routes. So our numbers are going to be higher than what we see in a lot of other places. So that's what we need to discuss tonight. Um, ultimately I do envision uh making plans to
purchase buses and finding places that we can we can house them and hiring drivers because just I just think that's a it's a right it's the right thing to do in the long term and the cost of contracted routes have become so exorbitant. So we'll talk about all that
tonight. And then uh for regarding uh Mr. Bergman um as as um Mr. Broen mentioned, we've already had really a lot of success working with our local associations in changing our health care um and saving significant funds already.
So, we're grateful for that. Um and then uh as far as shared services are concerned, we've explored a variety of them from waste management to um uh >> grounds >> to yeah to grounds to and and we do share we do a lot of sharing with respect to our athletic fields. We're actually talking about a policy here
tonight for sharing services, but we're always open to suggestions if anyone has any ideas for something we could explore. Um, happy to hear it. So, thank you so much, >> Mark. If I can just add that currently we have in place school resource officers with the village >> and that's right. That is a sharing from
the village for our vehicles. >> That's true. >> Some of our deals with the uh transportation, those are shared service as well. >> That's right. Those are in place already. >> Great. Thank you. Okay. Um, so we'll, um,
did you have any more you wanted to say? Superintendent report. I >> I think I've probably said enough. So, all right. Um, I just would just say, uh, just generally in the report, um, our coffee is going to be a little out of cycle this time around. It's going to fall after the board meeting. So, just keep that on your calendars. It's on the
district website. Um, I believe it's 26. Am I getting that right, Mrs. Corlo? 26. April 26th. the 20 23rd. She's checking me here. We'll confirm that number. Um but in the meantime, um
yeah, please keep coming out to the coffees. We had a really robust conversation last week. Um yeah, the meeting, our board meeting is on the 20th. My coffee is on the 23rd of April. We had a very robust conversation. I really mean it. I mean, I I really I know sometimes the conversations aren't
always comfortable. people have their concerns, but I would just so much rather hear those concerns and have the ability to talk directly to people than to, you know, to to, you know, to just just wait through email. So, to the extent that people can, you know, can make the time to be a part of that coffee, I it really means a lot to me
and I really take we we really take all those comments seriously and we do we do strive to get back to folks. So, thank you all for that and um >> yeah, it's good. Thanks so much. >> Great. Okay, we'll go to uh board committee reports. Finance. I don't know if
there's anything more on finance that u you'd like to report upon. Uh we're actually our most of our meeting is about finance. Is there anything you want to add? >> Yes.
But basically >> is your microphone. >> Yes, it would. Thanks. >> On the agenda tonight is just a resolution um approving offering u a company legacy that will then offer um
employee whole life disability long-term care insurance to our employees at no cost to the district. So in order for that to happen, we have to do a resolution conversation. >> Right. That was the only right >> and I noticed the importance of making sure that they know they have options. Our our staff know know they have
options. I I noticed that was part of that. So >> did you have anything to add? >> If anyone wanted more information, I'd be happy to add to that. >> I didn't need any more. Yeah,
>> I'd just mention a very key piece of this whole uh legacy benefits is that the contributed life insurance, you lose it when you when you leave the district, >> right? >> And you retire. And it's portable. So after you leave the district and you retire, you can pay for these same services after you leave the district.
So right now, CLI is like three and a half times your salary and if you retire, you lose it. Now you can actually keep the same benefit after you leave the district. So it's a great benefit to to the staff and it's a good retention tool as well. And they and
there'll be presentations to the staff and and so they'll understand what their options are and advantages, disadvantages or whatever. >> Absolutely. Once it's approval, we already have meetings in place um over the next two weeks to schedule times for
um representatives from Legacy to meet with every school and make themselves available to share information. And essentially, as Mr. Matthew said active employees and tathers have three and a half times their current salary if something should happen to them while
they're still in active service. Upon retirement there are options to continue to purchase in but the options the state offer are very expensive. Most people opt out of that. Sometimes they have other programs. With this there won't be physicals required for this plan I
believe is part of the benefit. Um and again it is portable. So g If you retire, the plan stays with you. You continue to pay into it. You go to another district, plan stays with you, continue to play into it. And then the long-term care is the same thing. So again, that's not an option that most
schools offer. So again, these are all optional benefits that employees can choose to opt into and you know, it's just another perk that you can you can um decide to to choose to have if that's something you're interested in purchasing addition of anything you get
through the Great. Thank you. >> So on the finance agenda, we have a out of district uh placement. Um were you provided any X8 uh chart or comparison
for that or any X8 component that we may anticipated extra the X8 from this direct finance? No. Okay. Just I'm going to just comment in
general with XADE. We've done a whole evaluation of our process with XADE here. So those who aren't familiar after we have paid for students in out of district placements, the board of education can submit for additional aid from the state to cover
the cost of having students out of district. So, um, we are we've done a lot of work in being able to and to identify that there has been more X8 that we've been leaving on the table that we could be getting back. So, we did a whole training with the team to
make sure that we're calculating out our X8 appropriately so that way we can know exactly that we're getting the most out of it. I'm going to pull up the document right now to see if we did have an estimate on X8 with that student. So I just for clarification if anybody thinks
that I'm against out of district placements and I sometimes vote no today again I'll be voting no because I don't have backup document that I asked for. I asked for X8 that and my goal is that are we actually submitting for the X8 and are we sharpening our pencils and
submitting for every dollar that we can get. So whether we are presented with that possible X8 with every out of this replacement or not that if that document is not there in my backup folder I vote no. >> So >> so that's why I'm asking for finance
committee that if it's not provided to you then again I'll be voting no on that. So it's not that I'm against that placement or that education it's more a procedural technical thing. >> So the application gets submitted in
May. Uh we actually met with uh the auditor and some extraordinary aid people, the county BA and I sat down and went through our application from last year. We saw some things in there that we were a little concerned about and we
met with them like two times, maybe three times. Our application um isn't wasn't the most uh it it wasn't with the all the right information. We've identified a lot of the information that needs to go into
the application to make it uh meet the needs of the uh the budgeted number of $3 million. Actually, the BA the county BA's wards were our number is good. We need to improve our application process. We went through the training. We identified some of the gaps in those
numbers and we feel very confident that that $3 million can be exceeded uh in the current current year's budget. It's it's it's an in it's it's internal. We've identified it and we very confident in our number going forward.
>> Right. So, so if we have that process established now, then every time we receive a a vote that we have to vote for an out of district placement, I think it's prudent to provide us a backup document that says from this X
amount that you're spending hopefully X minus whatever dollar amount will come back as X8. So that'sformational for us when we are voting. We should have that information at the time of vote. >> So
I I'm not going to I'm not going to give you my opinion on whether I think we need it at the time of vote. As you probably know, I probably argue with you, but I just want to be clear when we go back to to finance that your request is that every time we get a recommendation to place a student out of
district, you want with that request for approval, you want an estimated XA uh number. Correct. Is that that's what I just want to know what you're asking for and then we can bring it back to finance and have a conversation about whether or not >> we can provide that for you. But I just
want to know what the ask is. >> Yes. That that asks that what is our anticipated X8 for that >> at the same time that we are making a request and send the child out. Okay. >> Yes. And more importantly when uh in the
scenarios when an equal um equal facility or equal accommodation exist at an X aid qualifying facility and we are choosing or we are agreeing to place that child in a facility that
does not qualify for XA. At that time we should have a three or four liner backup that why are we placing in that facility and have we considered an equally good X8 qualifying facility because not every facility would qualify for X8 right so
sometimes we do place our students in facilities that do not qualify X8 that's the time when it that backup is more important just a oneliner or two liner that yes we have looked at um similar facilities that will qualify for X8 and
here is a reason why we will not qualify. So just that due diligence so that way we are sure that we have offered to the child that option and why would that not work for this student and that's why we are spending this this much money. So just a oneliner explanation at the time of
>> but we do understand that you may request an amount from extraordinary aid but will be it is a separate line on the state budget and they funded it flat this year from uh they well the
recommendation is flat funding and um it is really being paid at maybe 58 to 56% right of of your request. So you I agree that we should make the request and make
it as thorough as we can. It doesn't guarantee us that you're going to get that money. So that's the that is the pitfall of extraordinary aid. Remember they are I think they're supposed to fund it at about 75%
and they they have fallen short on that year after year after year. And there's specific um regulations around what will qualify whether it's an indistrict placement and it is a a highost in
district placement whether it's a um a other another public school placement versus a private school placement. So it there's a lot going into that. So there's no guarantee just just to know that it doesn't always look like we're
going to get that kind of revenue. And I'll just add I think we were doing that briefly. I'm not sure why we don't have Right. For a little bit we were No, but I I think I think it's fine to say I mean because we're when we're comparing it's it's fine to say >> whether or not it's eligible for X aid
and to have some sort of an estimate or what what what a range would be of possible reimbursement. I I'm not sure why we we're typically having letters. I'm not sure why this the letter that explained all that did come through here. So we'll we'll pass that pass. No, it's certainly it's certainly good practice.
>> Okay. Um is that all on finance then? Okay. Uh facilities. Um I Mary I was just going to run down some of the things in facilities. First of all um when those that big snowstorm happened
um this um in February I guess it was um pardon me. Oh there too. Yeah. But we were um have an opportunity to apply for FEMA money with the municipality. So we have put in our request and
documentation I think to the tune of uh $219,153 which is the overtime staffing. It's the salt. It's all the things that needed to happen uh uh to get our schools open um during those
snowfalls. So um thank you to the village. Who knows whether we will actually see that FEMA money. Um and FEMA if we do FEMA money is often delayed. So if they do give us we are
approved for it. We are waiting on the federal government and I know on a few occasions we have waited at over a year or more for that FEMA money. You're shaking your head. You probably had more experience with that than I have. >> Yeah, I got hurricane saving money after
about seven years. >> Okay. Right. So, it's not But again, we're trying to take advantage um of anything that that is open to us. Um Glenn and Ridge School, the HVAC work, which we also received some state
funding to help fund that is going along well. Um and our window project should be starting at the Glen School. Is it starting today? I thought it was the 23rd, but it could be the 24th. But in any case, I think
this week it begins. Um, and that is a window replacement. Um, much needed. Um, remember Glennon and and Ridge are uh sister schools, both built in 1959. state-of-the-art uh HBA systems, which
probably were not state-of-the-art the day after they were put in in 1959. Uh so, but we've gotten a a a good use of them and certainly uh window replacements for both uh Ridge and Glenn. As I said, we did receive some
state uh rod grants for the for that uh those projects. um our t we talked about the the uh tennis courts um already and um
I think that was that was it um were there other was there anything else >> thing it um we had a I thought a really good discussion just about the overtime >> um not related to the snowstorm but the I'm going to say almost like standard overtime and um you know Mr. Mr.
Matthews and his staff is working on um strategies to eliminate some of the more predictable overtime. Um and we also asked for some more information so that we can very clearly keep track of what we're spending in overtime and also just
do the comparison analysis because we've changed things up a little bit with our facilities this year in terms of hiring more people and it's been uh really great in many ways, but we want to, you know, budget's top of mind, right? So we need to just make sure that we are in fact realizing we've seen savings
already but that we're realizing savings in addition to having increased quality. Um and kudos to the team because you know for example >> they had they have completed over 500 500 work orders that have been sitting around some for
>> a decade I think some of them literally. So um a lot of good work's been done. >> Yeah. And then on curriculum, um >> I have a couple of questions on facilities. So um you mentioned Mr. Matthews that FEMA money can sometimes
take uh several years. So we did submit for FEMA reimbursements a few years ago. There was flood um at high school and some other schools were also flooded about I think four years ago. There was a major flood where multiple schools had
flood. So maybe unless it's already tracked in your audit reports and we may have to check whether we received that money from village or not. >> So >> from four years ago. >> Yeah. About about four years ago. >> IDA. >> IDA. Yeah.
>> So >> So we >> we can get you can get back to us. >> So you can you can just just as you not >> because you are not here. So we may have to check whether we we received that money. Mhm. And um
and the uh Glenn and Rich, have we submitted the reimbursement for the monies spent so far? >> No, not yet. It's it's it's it's on it should be happening short. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Is that all? Okay. Um and curriculum was pretty it was a pretty short meeting. Uh we we reviewed some of the what was happening with the gifted and talented program. Um Mr. Ross has been
uh doing his road show if I might at our elementary and middle schools about the um Ridgewood in uh enrichment program. And also um there was discussion about uh the budget and funding for the
requests for um ELA for uh K through five and the science um for middle school and you could I don't know is the board aware of those two really important projects that are in the
budget for our schools and maybe you know like a little mini >> Sure. Absolutely very very succinct. I hope uh >> the K5 ELA program is called bookworms. It is researchbacked. It is explicit in
its instruction. Uh it will be about three 45minute units in reading, writing and word study similar to what we have right now. Uh we have uh vetted the the program. We've seen it in action in Lindhurst, New Jersey, Bedford, New York. uh we have um and burgeoning
partnerships with those districts as well which has really been great. So we're very excited about the efficacy of the of this program. Um open si ed is for grade six uh next year uh and then we'll be phasing that in over three years grades six, seven, and eight. Um so that will be our new middle school science program. U I don't if anybody
has any questions about that because I do have two other plugs I wanted to give. Um, one is just a thank you to our principles, our uh, Ridgwood enrichment program teachers and our HSAs KH for hosting us on that road show. It's been really great. We've had great conversation discussion. So, I just wanted to say thank you to anybody who's
in the audience and anybody who's listening tonight. And then second, we have a a big time uh, Ridgewood enrichment program opportunity coming up which is April 20th at Willard at 3:30. We have our academic bowl and that's open to all students in grades three, four, and five. And I repeat, it's an
enrichment for all opportunities. So, so open for uh uh teams from all of the elementary schools to come together, answer questions in a quiz bowl style, meet other kids, and it promises to be a lot of fun, and we're very excited about that. >> And that's um through David Madden's uh
program. Yes. Who was >> a graduate of Bridgwood High School and has been a huge um advocate for quizbull and and doing more of it. He was the quizbull champ when he I remember when he was in at the high school and has
moved on. So >> been doing our geography and history and science the last couple years. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh consent items regular and routine. Um attendance at conferences. I think we had a couple of
maybe some changes on that. >> That's all right. I have a couple of updates. >> Great. Okay. So, on the attendance at conferences, we're just going to table the AP reading request here. Just needed a little more information. Um, I'm not not no immediate concerns, but we just need uh need to move that to the next
meeting. So, I'm just going to withdraw my recommendation for the AP reading in Tampa, Florida. And then Mrs. uh Dr. Oats Santos withdrew her request for the uh conference in Nebraska. So that is
I'm withdrawing that recommendation as well. >> Okay. So would someone like to move those with and um understanding uh Dr. Schwarz's recommendations? >> I'll move. >> I have a second.
I'll second it. Uh roll call. >> It's been moved and seconded. Roll call. Mr. Donnie. >> Yes. >> Miss Handy. >> Yes. Maui, >> yes. >> Mr. McMoo, >> yes. >> M. Roen, >> yes.
>> Affirmative. >> Um, on a cons uh administration, I move administration with just the request um that and I'm sure you'll do it, but the revision to our district calendar, if it
is so approved tonight, um, we need to make sure we send notices out. I know that you would do it in the highlights, but um maybe also there's another way to blast that out because everybody may open the highlights but not read all the way through it. So um that said, and we
are the second reading and adoption of a revised policy uh that just has to do with playgrounds and athletic fields around the schools. >> It is not the um shared athletic one. Um so I move that. Does someone want a
second? Okay, moved and seconded. Roll call. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Miss Sandy, >> yes. >> Maui, >> yes. >> Mr. McMood, >> yes. >> Miss Broen, >> yes. >> Affirmative.
>> Curriculum instruction, the field trips, um, we're approving and, uh, summer academy programs and, um, would you like to move it? >> Move it. I'll second.
>> Move and seconded. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Miss Sandy, >> yes. >> Miss McCalli, >> yes. >> Move. Yes. M. Broen. >> Yes. >> Affirmative. >> Okay. Human resources. Um,
I move human resources. Would someone like to second it? >> Thank you. Move and seconded. >> There is a lot of movement. >> Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Mandy, >> yes. >> Mi
move. >> Yes. >> Mr. Affirmative. >> Did you say yes? >> I have not said anything yet. >> You did. >> And I say yes. >> You said yes. >> Yeah. Now I do. >> I thought you >> I'm sorry.
>> Okay. Um on finance, would someone like to move finance? >> Would you read donations? >> You want to read donations? >> Yes, I'm going to read donations, but I'm going to we if you move it and second it, I'll go into the donations.
Yeah. >> Would you like to move it, sir? >> No, I I'm not voting on one of them, so I can't. >> Oh, okay. >> Finance. >> Thank you. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Okay. Just for the record, I'd like to um read the uh donations and
of course thank all the um generous donors. Laura Graasso for $2,199, a gift in kind of an elliptical spirit x5895 machine for George Washington Middle
School. Uh Ridgewood High School's girls lacrosse, $1,37460 to be used to pay for the replacement of uniforms. Dad's night, $10,891, a gift in kind of electrical work and
lighting for the BF auditorium. So that should finish up the the uh um the donations for that work to to um get done. Um, Rididgewood High School boys lacrosse, $3,295 to be used to pay for the cost of a
charter bus for spring training in Delaware. Somerville Home and School Association, $7,900 to be used to purchase classroom items such as rugs, flexible seings, headphones for Somerville Elementary
School. Abington Track Club um track and field the DBA Ridgewood Track and Field Association $348.74 cents to be used to pay for a charter bus traveling to Tom's River for group
champs for the Ridgewood High School winter track team. an anonymous donation of a thousand dollars to be used to offset the cost of the GW Middle School 8th grade bank field trip to Dornney
Park. Nicole Hyde $150 a gift in kind of yoga mats for mindfulness practices in the classroom. Ridgewood Education Foundation $850 8,500 gift in kind for the painted mural for
the Pizudo Legacy Project at Rididgewood High School. Graduation Pro uh project graduation 2025, a $2,500 gift in kind for the resurfacing of the dumpster, the brick wall by the
dumpster. I think that is in preparation of the mural painting for the Pizudo Legacy Project and the Deca Club for $279.99. A gift in kind for easels to be used by the Deca Club at Ridgewood High School.
We thank them for their generosity. Um I think we've seconded moved it. Um I just was wondering uh Dr. Schwarz again short. Would you like to say anything about the sustainable Jersey grant and
the climate change uh grants that that um we have on the agenda tonight? >> Sure. Just that we have a we have a sustainability committee in the district uh that works with um our grant writer as well, Honor Fryberg, and we look at
several different options for grants. We have our students, we have our students at the high school uh the leader under Mr. lose leadership who joined that committee as well. And these grants are a couple of um projects uh related to uh that that they are recommending that we
proceed with. Um so we're we're happy to to recommend them. I believe it's a we have a composting grant and we've explored a few. There was some others that didn't necessarily work out, but these are two that that were forwarded by the committee.
Yep. So, one one is a composting project with our AP environmental science students. Um, we're going to volunteer as compost champions to mentor younger students in composting. We have some really cool work going on in the elementary schools in actually separating out food waste uh to reduce uh the overall load on food and to
promote composting. Um and then we have uh a field trip to Stoke State Forest with a total cost of $2,000. Um last was last year was free so we didn't expect the expense. Uh so we are we have to
amend our grant to be able to cover that cost. >> Great. Thank you. Um, so are we ready to vote? >> Roll call. >> Okay, >> Mr. Donnie. >> So, I'm a yes except E5. So, I'm a no on
E5 and yes for everything else. >> Okay, Miss Handy, >> yes. >> Miss McCalli, >> yes. >> Miss McMoo, >> yes. >> Miss Broen, >> yes. So you have five affirmative and a
note for E5. >> Okay. Resolutions and motions not included in consent agendas. And we have um two uh I and J. We have got two
resolutions that are not um on the agenda, but we're at your seats tonight. >> May I introduce those? Is that all right? >> Yeah, sure. So can we go individual? >> I'd like to go individual for not including >> we could we can s do you want to do
individual on all of them? >> Yeah. Okay. Yes we can do that. >> So uh so there's two. Uh the first is a um and actually Miss Corus do you have a copy of this? Is this on the website? We're able to share this for anybody who wants to see them. >> Yeah. >> Great. So the addendum is available for
folks who are watching from home who want to view. So there are two uh one is the approval to authorize uh transportation for peoples on a subscription basis. Uh this we need to discuss uh if we approve then I can proceed and say that this is the rate.
Um but whether we approve it or not I'm going to need to start opening up people to sign up for subscription busing and it has to be an an expected rate. Um, but either way, I need a rate to be able to start um collecting uh interest from
folks for subscription busing. For some reason, if that uh if that interest is low, then we'll need to cancel some of our routes as soon as possible so that we're not uh having to pay for routes that we're not going to be able to fill via subscription busing. So, uh so I
want to talk about that. That's one. The other one is more straightforward. uh we realized as we were fact-checking our document that when we use it's been so it's been a while since anyone here has used uh the the waiver for healthcare. So we do need a separate resolution as
part of our budget resolutions that explicitly authorizes the uh the proposed use of that waiver. So this the second one is more straightforward um but the first one requires some discussion. >> Okay. Would you like to disc need to
introduce them now or do you want to >> I think when we get to them we'll we'll do it and we'll go um item by item. So the um we're going to do approval adoption of the 2627
proposed preliminary budget for submission to the executive uh county superintendent of schools. Okay. Do I um do I have a motion to put that forward? For what?
>> For a approval of the adoption of the 2627 proposed preliminary budget for submission to the executive county superintendent of schools. Remember this is a preliminary budget. Our final budget is uh will be voted on on May
4th. by statute. We have to provide we have to send our budget to the county for them to review looking at efficiency standards, right? Making sure that everything you've you've done all your software. We have to get approval from
the county then to move forward further discussion finalize the budget on May 4th. So that's where we are right now. >> Correct. So, would somebody like to move that? >> I'll move it. >> Thank you. Second it.
>> Second. >> Okay. >> Been moved in. Second. Quest. Any questions? >> Do we have any questions on it other than what we've discussed tonight knowing that this is just the preliminary budget. We're setting a a tax rate. We're putting in what our expenses are and what our revenues are.
Okay. >> All right. >> Mr. Donnie. So um we since we made the initial presentation last week, we received a lot of emails about um in a position or suggestion of against our plans for
consolidation of positions and everything. So I just want to make sure that I clarify that I am in 100% support of that plan that Dr. Schwarz has presented for positions and reduction of expenses, long-term structural changes
that are needed to balance the budget for long-term health of the budget, but I'm not yet ready to support it 100%. So, I'm going to abstain for now. So, I'm not abstaining because of those emails. Um, I support Dr. Schwarz's
position on long-term fixes in the district that we need to do that. But I have more other open questions. >> Miss Thank you. >> Yes, >> Miss McCall.
>> Yes, >> Mr. McMoo. >> Yes, M. Broen. >> Yes. And our work begins. Continues. Doesn't begin. It continues. Okay. Thank you. B. approval um authorization to withdraw
from capital reserve for other capital projects. Remember our capital reserves can only be used for capital projects. And each time when you go to provide your budget, you must provide the list
of of uh capital projects that you plan to do with the money that we are taking out of our capital. um our capital reserve. So these are the uh the as noted in your presentation.
So um I'd like to move uh B. I'll second it and go ahead and vote. >> Roll call. Mr. Donnie, >> no. >> Miss Handy, >> yes.
>> Miss McCalli, >> yes. >> Miss McMove, >> yes. >> Miss Broen, >> yes. or affirmative one. No. >> C. Authorization to withdraw from the maintenance reserve for required maintenance activities.
Uh as is shown on our budget, uh this would be a withdrawal of $1.4 million. We've got about a million square foot of buildings. Um we are making real progress on preventative uh maintenance
projects. um from what I can see and I hear from uh principles um so um again um we can't sacrifice the buildings themselves to deteriorate. So
may I I'll move that I'll move I'm on facilities. >> I'll second. >> Okay. >> Okay. Move and seconded. Mr. Donnie, >> this is C, right? >> This is B. Yes, >> Miss Handy. >> Yes, >> Mr. McCalli.
>> Yes, >> Mr. McMood. >> Yes, >> Mr. Broen. >> Yes, >> five. Affirmative. >> D. Authorization to withdraw from emergency reserve for an increase in health uh benefit costs um as shown in
our budget presentation. Again, we have to do these um resolutions or these vote on these authorizations as this budget goes to the county. So, emergency reserves. May I have a um may I have a
motion? >> I move um that we um have a motion to withdraw the emergency reserve the health benefits class. >> Thank you. Second it. >> I'll second. >> Second. >> Take a vote. We'll call Mr. Donnie.
>> Yes. >> Miss Andy, >> yes. >> Maui, >> yes. >> Mr. McMove, >> yes. >> Miss Broen, >> yes. >> I have affirmative. >> E. Authorization to transfer net position from the infant toddler center
fund to the general fund as discussed. Would someone like to move that? Thank you. Second it. >> Second. >> Okay. Roll call, Mr. Donnie. So I'm going to abstain and I would like
to just add there as a note that um I'm fine with move the maintenance projects at Glen School part but I'm not sure that we can withdraw it for curriculum until as long as we are running it as an enterprise fund. So I'm going to abstain.
>> Miss Handy, >> yes. >> M >> mmoo. >> Yes. Mrogan. >> Yes. >> For affirmative one. No. One abstension. Sorry. >> F. We are going to change this authorization to establish the maximum
travel and related expenses. Uh reimbursement amount for 2627. I I did have some reservations about this. >> Yeah. And I'm comfortable revising my recommendation. So, uh, as it reads right now, Mr. uh, Mr. Matthews, if you
can just let the record reflect that I'm hereby, uh, revising my recommendation for, uh, 11F, uh, that the 2627 maximum travel expenditure amount will be $125,000.
>> Got it. So with that recommendation, um might I have a U motion? >> A second. >> Second. It's been moved and seconded. Roll call. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> Miss Handy, >> yes.
>> Mali, >> yes. >> Mcmood, >> yes. >> Mr. Broen, >> yes. >> I have affirmative. Uh G, adoption of the 2627 maximum expenditures for professional services as listed. Um I think you were maybe
going to check on the school physician. Uh that has been flat. Um it >> Oh, yeah. You know, I'm sorry. I'm going to withdraw the school physician. >> Okay. We just need to check on that. >> Yeah. So, I'm just going to I'll Mr. Matthews, please let the record reflect that I'm withdrawing my recommendation for the school physician salary. That's
not a re That's not a not withdrawing a recommendation for renewal. Just we're going to table that recommendation. We'll bring it back in April. >> Received. >> Were there any questions? I think our questions may have gotten answered already on this.
>> Yeah. >> Um I move >> Oh, may may not just for some conversation I think Mr. Donnie was talking about online about the overall cost of our legal services. This represents our total legal allocation here, the $35,000. Um no that's his professional service
that's just legal professional service that does not include any um anticipated legal payments right that was the question judgments yeah judgments or settlements so that was the question that did the district have those that many settlements or
legal expenses coming up so I think that unspecified val balance is what's legal >> no I understand that what I'm saying is that This represents our total allocation for legal matters. So when we talk about judge, we we have a we have
legal insurance as well. So when we when we're when we're dealing with potential legal judgments, you we it's typically through our insurance fund that those are managed. >> So this 305 includes our uh co-pays of up to $25,000 for any pending
litigations that we currently have. Does this 305 include any >> It's really the cost of their services. >> Cost their services. But that's a good question. Mr. Matthews, do you have an answer to that? I I don't want to guess. I'm going have to get back on it. Sorry.
I don't think that this would include that because >> I think this is their is there is there is there is there legal fees, but I want to be able to answer that question also. We should have some reserve somewhere for any open currently open litigation
up to $25,000 for that. Okay. Um we are currently voting on the services described except for we're just going to do a little more homework on the school position.
>> Okay. So, we're still Okay. Thank you. >> So, I think I moved that right. Maximum expenditures for professional services. Do I have a second? >> So, we're not we're excuse me, we're not voting for legal services, but everything else.
>> No, school physician is the only one. We're still taking it. >> I'll second it. >> You need You need a second. >> I did. >> Mr. Roll call, Mr. Donnie. Yes,
>> Miss Handy. >> Yes, >> Miss McCalli. >> Miss McMoo. >> Yes, >> Miss Froggen. >> Yes, >> I have affirmative. >> F. Uh, this is what we were talking about, legacy benefits group, um, that
was vetted and just discussed. Um, would someone from finance like to move that? >> Okay. Roll call. Mr. Donnie, >> yes. >> M. Handy? >> Yes. >> Mr. McCalli? >> Yes. >> M. Mcno? >> Yes. M. Broen? >> Yes.
>> I have affirmative. >> Okay. Now we're um we are at um I No. >> Yes. >> Yes. We are on eyes. Oops. >> Um, approval authorization to provide transportation for pupils on a
subscription basis. But why is that I when this is app? >> No, this is this and this should be actually 11 here. >> Oh, still it's extension. >> Okay. 11. But we're on it. >> I think it's okay.
>> Well, this is this is the problem with working in a doing everything in a word document. >> We are This is We know what we're doing. The addendum should read >> 11 XI Roman numerals resolution of
motions and then it should be >> I think G >> G should be approval. >> It's still H >> G Oh, you got it wrong. Two. >> Yeah, I got >> two F. There's two.
>> Okay, we got it. Oh god, it's 11:15. >> Okay, >> love these. >> All right, we got it wrong. Got it. >> Should be EFG H. Legacy benefits should be H. >> Okay,
>> then it should be then the addendum should be 11 I >> Okay, now we got that >> that we can count. Mhm. >> So, uh, the resolution reads, um, it's an it's a authorization to provide transportation for peoples on a
subscription basis. Basically saying that the board desires to offer transportation services to students within the remote limits and does not face hazardous walking conditions on a subscription basis. Uh, board of ed approves approves the implementation of subscription busing program under the
following conditions. So availability seats should be available on existing routes on a first come first- serve basis subject to seating capacity. We did include a statement that individuals that recently lost service due to a cessation of courtesy busing may be given priority. For fees, we took the
total number of the total cost of these additional routes and we identified total available seats that could be um that could be provided on those that that could be available for fee on those routes. And then recognizing that there
are going to be some hazardous routes and some needs-based routes that we have to provide. And so the recommendation is that we charge uh $1,500 and I know this says 95. We revised that. It's $1,550
per student. Um I want to be very clear that is an eyewatering amount of money especially for a family with multiple students um and being an unbudgeted expense. So, we are going to notify families uh
if if this is if this applies to them. Um and we're going to notify them of this cost and then we're going to open up the ability for folks to purchase this busing. Uh once um we're going to open it up really to everybody. So, anybody who's interested in this busing can submit for it. Um including people
who never had service. Um we would give priority of course to those who had recently lost service. But the challenge that we have are that we are and it sounds like a lot of money. It's because the costs of these routes are so expensive where the the um transportation costs have gone through
the roof. Some years ago, there was a series of um changes in regulation and law regarding uh what was expected of bus drivers. Made it incredibly hard to find routes. And as a result of made
incredibly hard to get a commercial driver's license to drive a school bus and as a result of that, the fees for bus drivers, the bus drivers themselves, their fees have gone up tremendously. So that's great for the bus drivers. you know, they're making a lot more money than they used to, but uh that's getting
passed on, of course, to the districts. So, as a district, if we had our own buses, so we had our own drivers, we would be able to do this more cheaply. But for now, we are relying on these contracted services. I think talking about a new period of austerity, as much as it is convenient to just be able to
bid our routes, I do think that we need to get very serious about figuring out a strategy for purchasing buses and running our own routes and having our own drivers. We we we have very limited uh in-house resources with that respect. I and I believe we need to expand. I
don't know where the buses are going to go. I don't know um you know who the drivers are going to be, but we need to figure that out. um for the time being, for the sake of this budget, the number on the on the um if we price it too low, then we're just going to be at a loss
and we're basically putting a hole in our budget with where we've with where we've uh budgeted um the revenues to offset the costs. Um so I think I don't really think we have much choice but to put that number out there and work with it. If we just if we don't get interest, then we'll have to cancel we'll have to
try to cancel those uh the remaining routes uh that we won't need. Um, oh, sorry. >> I I had a question. I don't know that you can answer it tonight, but you said 15 $1,500, whatever it is, per student.
So, there's no wiggle room if you have three children being, you know, three of your own children. You know, there's no family rates or I mean, I is that something we might be able to explore with the bus companies or is really per seat on the bus? If we filled every single seat on the bus and we had no
hazardous routes and we had no students who qualified additionally for uh for for for service via a bus, then we would then the we'd have to charge at least 1,400 I believe it was $25 per student
to break even. We know that we're going to need some hazardous routes and some emergencies. So we're estimating it up to about$,550. If we wanted to provide a discount, we'd have to increase our base cost >> and then and then offer discounts for
those below it. So, it'd have to be like $1,700 to start, but then for each additional child, we could shave a couple hundred off. That's the only way to make that work. >> Well, thank you though for at least taking time to explain. Thanks. doing this. Um I know you know um
probably a week ago we talked about you know putting us on a second question establishing this as a um subscription. We would not be doing that. >> No. But what we could do is we could on
a second question we could we could promote we could have a second question that enables us to basically set up our that alloc that increases the tax levy to provide a certain amount of subscription busing at a much lower cost. >> So for example to buy our own buses >> yeah we could buy our own buses pay our
own drivers and then we could set a much more affordable amount of subscription busing >> which would take a while to do that. So that needs further discussion and and and sort of beating up a little bit uh if that's if that's where we're going to
go. But um at this point with what we know and the services that we know we can offer for next year through our uh contracted bus services. this is the rate and and you know um I
think we in service to people that you'll be families you'll be talking to we probably need to move ahead and establish this as the rate because our next meeting isn't until April 20th which is is really short more short
shorter notice. So um is there any um more discussion on this one? >> Um oh similar question to Miss Malli. Has there been discussion or thought about providing maybe waiverss or subsidies for families with financial
needs? I know that would again drive up the cost but maybe that could help the families who would hurt the most. has >> when when I when I referenced like we need to leave some money aside for needs-based routes, that's part of that.
>> So, yeah, that's a good question. So, Dr. Shaw, I'm I'm in favor of the subscription busing and I think the pricing is correct because it comes out to be about $4.30 per trip. Um because
it's 180 days. um when you divide that by two twice basically, right? So 360. So it's $4.30 per trip. So I'm good with that, but I'm not comfortable in on voting on a
walk-in resolution that was just uploaded on the website. So once you ask that is it on the website, then it was uploaded as an addendum or just around that time. So parents have not seen it. They have not absorbed this 1595 pricing. So there's no opportunity for
any public comment before we are voting. So even with the public comments unless there is some new information that comes in at this point I'm comfortable in in voting for that like in principle but not as a walk-in resolution. This should have been
this should have gone out on Friday or at least uh as soon as you found out as soon as you printed it, it should have gone out as an addendum and email blast should have gone out that there is an addendum. I just I'm just not comfortable with these type of walking addendums.
So, and so I understand that we need to vote on that, but we need to vote on that before the budget. So, budget is May 4. So, what if we vote on this in April? So, so this was as fast as we could get this together with everything else that we were doing. So, so there's
two options. You can vote on it and authorize it now and then it's the official rate or I can open up requests for subscription busing and honor those applications, but I will state that it is an expected cost of this amount later
to be approved by the board. >> Yeah. So we can do a straw vote but for actual vote can we do that in April. So by by that time it's just from my perspective if we have other four votes then it's fine. I'm just not comfortable in walk-in
resolution for where it's impacting 1595 per when I looked at the total cost for all busing. It's a lot of different um lines. It's $5 million for all the busing that we have budgeted. 5 million
>> I think it's 79 >> 790 that's a lot the bus routes are very very expensive when we talked about this I was doing some mental math and was thinking this is the amount that's going to have to be I think it's the math is
the math whether I you do want let people know how much it's going to cost but they don't have to to give them discussion I don't know I guess that's a good thing don't mean to be dictatorial, but I don't think it's going to change much with discussion
either. You have to have it, it has to pay for itself because busing is expensive. My children were in school here 40 years ago when the busing was made um to be contracted out. It used to be privatized and that changed and then
the custodians changed back in the early 80s. But I I think that's the cost is the cost. didn't as much as I hate to see that much money each direction it may be just the cost and this could be just delaying it but as long as you
could publicize it and say we still are going to vote on it and this is what we anticipate it to be because I can't see us subsidizing it >> there's no money to subsidize it >> so if if you where Dr. shorts were saying that the drivers are expensive.
So I just said okay what if it's a $300 a driver for a route 180 days 52 students that's38 so just the bus driver if you are paying $300 a day then that's more than $1,000 when you add the cost of the bus cost of
the gasoline cost of maintenance all of that right so so it is expensive >> for the bid because the bid reflects that we don't >> yeah so it is expensive so I'm not I'm not suggesting that it's it's a higher amount or um it's $4.30 per trip. So,
I'm okay with that and I'm just in principle not okay with walk-in resolution of that that sort. I appreciate what you're saying and um I think I think this entire evening has been about extraordinary circumstances
and to to me I think there's great benefit to a level of certainty for the administrators so they know what their charge is to see if we can get this done for the parents to know whether or not this is something they can um purchase
or not. And so, um, I think in ordinary times I I agree with what you're saying. I have no objection to what you're saying about about people having adequate notice. However, in this particular situation, we um I just think
we have to do it and move on and then um hopefully it works as best as it can. It's it's an unfortunate situation all around in my personal opinion. So, so I would I would like it just to move forward so that the
charge is clear, the expectations are clear, and we continue to to to get it done. >> I like Eli's idea. I know in many ways they use free and reduced lunch. they have other criteria to judge when a
family has financial concerns or you know so I think that that would if there's a way you know for people to apply whatever criteria is standard in these circumstances that might help multiple fam and multiple children in
the family and things like that could be considered >> is there state money for that obviously wouldn't know now >> courtesy busing it's not hazardous busing I think that might be because I know you know many people as
we know they drive their kids to school every day we have the back line the backups polluting the air as they as they idle >> it's a very good question actually when we talk about categorical state aid one of the categories is transportation so if you talk to somebody down in Trenton
they would tell you we do give you money for transportation Um I I just want to say one other thing as we move forward with this which is I think that the point that um one of Ms. Ms. Bonner said in addition to everything else. Um it would it's
worthwhile for us to investigate some kind of increased safety for walking for those who either um who can't avail themselves prescription busing. I don't know what that looks like. Um but I do think that we can't forget that um there
are probably some improvements we can work in partnership with the village. You know crossing guards are something to kind of um ease ease the walking situation from some of these places that we're you know where busing just isn't available. So I just don't want to forget that as we move forward.
>> Right. >> Did you did you want have anything? Okay. So, um I'm hearing we'll move forward with um uh motion to authorize uh to provide transportation for pupils
on a subscription basis. I move. Would somebody like to second? >> And can I just make sure that just confirm that before the vote goes up that Mr. Matthews, you have the record reflecting and board members, you have the record reflecting that I amended the
price from 1595 to$,550. >> Great. >> No. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> And finally J. approval authorization to
use the adjustment for increase of health care costs. That's that's what we've been talking about. Um the ability to go above the 2% using the healthc care waiver. I move.
Anybody like to second? I'll sec I'll second it. >> Yes. So although this is also a walk-in we have discussed this number at least twice before it as it was presented last week it was presented at the coffee and it was presented again today. So on this
one I'm guess >> yes >> yes >> yes >> yes okay approval of bills. Mary you you were the >> Yep. I reviewed the bills this month.
Um, and so I move uh approval of bills. >> A second. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Board member announcements. I don't have anything. Okay. uh discussion items. This is the agreement of the athletic fields and facility policy uh which we um jointly
approve and work through for um with the village of Ridgewood. Um and thank you to Dr. Schwares and I know um Mayor McCalli was uh on that committee. I'm
pretty sure Marylu you spent time on it too and I'm not sure if it was in as you've been on policy sab if it's been a part of your discussion in in policy too. So a lot of work has gone into
that. Um I know that it went out in November um to your sports groups and to that into the fields committee. Um I think you got some responses. They were integrated into this. So, this is uh where we are.
>> We we we've gone we've gone back and forth several times. It's on here as a discussion item because we didn't weren't able to hold a policy meeting this last month and before we bring it forward to the level that it would be moving to a first reading, I'd like our policy committee to review it. So, the I believe the village is moving forward
with it as is. Um we >> approved it. >> Yeah, I think they might have already approved it, but it does require both of us to approve. So, uh so I I mean I I've been through this document many many many times. they could recite it aloud. >> So, uh, so but I mean kudos to the team in order to put it together and at this
point it's I think I don't think there's much controversy left. I think we worked out all the points and we generally have broad agreement. Uh, there's been a complete revision to the structure of the of the of the committee that governs it. There's been a reclassification of of uh of the status of groups,
clarifications. Uh, there's been a lot of clarifications and it's the whole thing has been reorganized to be more user friendly. So, please do get a please do take a look at it when you get a chance. It is a bit of a long read, but uh and then if you have any concerns, flip it to the policy committee. We'll review anything and if we flag anything, we'll if we're good,
then we'll move it forward for a vote for a for a first reading. If not, we'll keep it a discussion. >> I did look through it. It looks good to me. But >> I have a question on the field usage. Um I haven't looked at every page of this
policy. I looked at the basic structure where we talked about um the village representation versus or village council representation versus board of representation and having equal seat for village and Mr. Matthews. So those parts
look good to me. >> I haven't read the details but there was a question that came up a couple of days ago about the fees that we charged and where do we account that I think that also came up at your coffee. Um so we I understand we have a school sponsored
event. So those are our events. They are they are part of what we do, right? That's that's our part of a kind of curriculum. Then we have um coaches that do training or they uh take classes or they run their camps. Those we run
through community school and we charge per student through community school just like any other um community school program. But then we have some clubs or some um adult clubs also where they are also advertised for Rididgewood or
non-ridwood residents and there is a fee schedule published for that. So is that fee schedule part of this policy? What is establishing that fee schedule and then how are we making sure that we are actually collecting those fees and where
can we find accounting for that? So we we didn't want to create overlap between this policy and the field usage policy. Okay. >> So this policy does not call for does not enumerate the actual fees. It's our field usage policy that enumerates that and then same thing for collection
because that's purely related to the board. So that that's how that's where we would have that conversation. So you want to you want to bring that up in policy? >> No, I I would bring up in policy if we are changing it. Right. So right now it's a call question of what is the
current status of that of fees. So where can because right now it's a budget time people are looking at our revenues and people are asking questions and that was a question that was raised during coffee that what is that fee schedule and are
we actually charging it and residents who are looking at our budget how can they confirm that those fees are actually being collected. So how can they make sure that what line item should they look at in all the user-friendly budget or any published
documents to ensure that we are charging that and it matches the published master library schedules? >> Yeah, Mr. Matthews, do you have information on that miscellaneous revenue? I think >> so. most likely that would come up in rent or royalties or miscellaneous revenue. But I could give you an accounting of what's been collected
because there's billable stuff that we do for um our facilities and there's non-billable stuff depending on the category of of the group. So we do have a record of monies that been that has been collected billable and collected and and and still in pursuit of
collections. >> So how can residents get that information or is that not available? we can provide a report and tell you like >> so if somebody reaches out to the you you can provide that. >> Sure. >> Okay. Yeah, that was I think that was the question that was raised at the
coffee because uh there are some parents who are looking at the master library schedule that how what is our utilization and where it's marked as busy and whether we are actually collecting the that fee or not. So,
>> I will say one of the things that I've learned through this process is that our fields are primarily and heavily used in season. They're all by the recognized groups that don't have fees. We'd see the fees most commonly in the summer.
>> Yeah. Whenever. So, I don't know that exact schedule, but that was I think the question at coffee. >> Yeah. that are we collecting it and how can they find out? >> Okay, >> thank you.
>> Okay, acceptance of minutes. Um we have uh February 26 executive session, February 26 regular and March 18th special public meeting. Um and um I only
uh attended part of the executive session on the 26th. So I'm going to abstain from that. Would somebody like to move those minutes? You you have to abstain from the 26, too. You were late or
Yeah, you were executive session. >> Yeah. Well, for all of them. Can you move all of the meeting minutes? So I can move them all. >> Yes, because you were there. >> Yes, I was there. I was virtually for the 18th, so that counts. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. Um I move the acceptance
of minutes as listened. Thank you. Can uh Mary, can you can those okay? >> Yeah. So, all in favor, I understanding that I am abstaining from executive session on the 26th and I believe you
too. Uh, and so would Mr. Ma Mr. Muhammad Mr. Muhammad. >> Okay. Um, it's getting late. Um, other business. Okay. Um, I will open up for comments from the public if anyone is still um
there with us. And we will have to go into a very short executive session after this u meeting for purpose of personnel. All right. Um so there was no other business. Okay.
Uh, comments from the public. Okay, not seeing anyone, I'm going to close public comment and um I'll make a motion to go into executive session. And I just have to read the little thing. I hereby move that the board go into executive session pursuant to
NJSA10 col4-12 to discuss matters pertaining to personnel. The minutes of this closed session will be released when the need for confidentiality long no longer exists. Mary, you gave a second. Okay, great. All in favor?
>> I I All right, we're back. >> You want to clarify the action will not be taken at >> Oh, action will not be taken and we will not be coming back into public session. Um, and I think that's it. Uh, our next meeting is Monday, April the 20th.