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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=gxE29Qksh0o

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Ms. Bryan? >> Here. >> Ms. D'Alessandro? Ms. De Freese? Mr. Cohn? Mr. Sim? >> Here. >> And President Langley? >> Here. >> We have a quorum. >> Thank you. All right, we're going to move into closed session. Can I have a

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motion to move into closed? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> All right, thank you. We'll be back at 7:30. >> Mhm. >> I'll Google it. >> All right, we are back in session. Can I get a motion? >> Can I get a motion? >> I'll make a motion and a second.

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>> To come out and to go back in? >> Just to go back in. >> All right, can I get a motion to go back in? Yeah. >> So moved. >> Yeah, you got a second. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Uh all right, let's all rise for the flag salute.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I don't remember. >> Do you mind doing the mission statement?

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Sure. >> in here? >> Uh yes. It's somewhere. >> Second page. >> Yep. >> It's smaller. The River Edge School District is a partnership of students, parents, staff, and community members. We are dedicated

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to providing a supportive environment in which all students can reach their maximum academic potential while developing as responsible citizens to respect individuality. >> Thank you. Open public meetings notice. Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings

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Act, notice of this meeting, its date, time, and place have been delivered to the post office, municipal building, and the record and posted on the district's website at least 48 hours prior to the time of this meeting. Thanks. Uh seeing as how there are no public comments and no superintendent

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report. Move on to board secretary report. >> Yep. Thank you, President Langley. Uh good evening, board members and the community. I have a few updates to share tonight regarding business operations, financial reviews, grant funding, and ongoing capital projects.

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Uh the first item relates to vendor rate comparison, um relating to our onboarding medical costs. So, this was just to follow up with Mrs. Sims' recommendation at last board meeting to look into New Bridge Medical Center, those rates,

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uh which we did. After reviewing uh and comparing it to our current provider that we approved relating to CityMD, uh we found that CityMD remains significantly more cost-effective for our district relating to the two testing that we

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utilize CityMD for, which is our physical and our TB testing. Uh relating to our financial review as of June 30th, 2026, uh projected sur- estimated surplus uh less uh fund balance that we had to

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utilize this past year, uh will leave an excess surplus roughly of about 1.2 million at the end of the year. Historically, our district applies of that 1.2 million about 500,000 dollars to use for subsequent budgets to

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help mitigate tax impact for the local residents. Uh once our final audit is completed, we'll present the final figures to our finance committee, and we'll determine um what amounts we, you know, is recommended to transfer into our capital reserve and maintenance reserves.

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Uh next item is health benefit cost update from the School Employees Health Benefits Program. The rate they had a rate-setting meeting on July 16th. Initial rate increase recommendations range from 31.6%

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to 45.1% with a blended rate of 34.4% Fortunately, our our 26-27 budget was built around a 38% blended rate. The plan actuary Aon highlighted several

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industry-wide cost drivers affecting these rates. Some of the cost drivers relate to increased uses of outpatient and professional services, rising provider costs, high-cost specialty medicines, I including GLP-1,

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prescription spending remains one of the primary cost drivers nationwide. As far as grant updates, I one of the grants that I'm happy to kind of report on relating to our prior year funding, which is

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fiscal year 26 extraordinary aid, which is related to our special education cost, the district has been awarded $614,218. Which has exceeded our budget projection by 484,000. The significant amount of extraordinary

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aid received is a direct result of of Dr. Jaffey, our director of special services, and his team successfully successfully identifying and submitting qualified costs. The resolution to accept this award is on tonight's agenda as H11.

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As far as current year grants, we have two federal grant awards. ESEA grants, which is our titles 1, title 1, 2, 3, and 4. Those basically totaling about 50 a little over 55,000,

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which also has exceeded our budgeted expectations by just under 11,000. There's a resolution to accept this award and and approve the submission of the application on tonight's agenda as H12. Uh, the next federal grant is IDEA

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grant. This is a grant used for special ed costs. Uh, there's two parts of that grant. There's a basic which, uh, we've been awarded for the public share, 211,000, which that has exceeded our budget

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expectation by 57,000, and our preschool portion of that IDEA grant, which is, uh, we were awarded about 18,000, which exceeded our budget by 4,000. And there's a resolution to accept this award and submit the application,

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uh, on tonight's agenda as H13. As far as some local donations, uh, there's a a local donation we're still working with, uh, relating to our Cherry Hill PTO. Uh, it relates to a potential, uh,

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renovation to the outdoor basketball hoop / court, uh, and administration and and with the vendor, uh, as well as the PTO, we're we're, uh, working with evaluating the site. Uh, the next local grant is relating to the Roosevelt PTO donation, and there's

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a pending donation relating to updating the blacktop area. Uh, currently the PTO, along with our buildings and grounds supervisor and the vendor, are finalizing the the design relating to line markings for games at the Roosevelt school. Uh, lastly is our capital maintenance

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projects update. So, I would like to just give an update on the two current projects. Uh, the gym floor and bleacher replacement, the asbestos abatement has been completed safely and without any issues. Uh, all old materials have been removed, and the vendor has completed leveling

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the subfloor and installing the new flooring. Uh, the project remains fully on schedule. Uh, the other project is the six classroom flooring replacement. This project was completed on budget. Um

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with a a $10,000 uh saving um with uh the contingency allowance that was built in not needed. And there's a resolution on tonight's agenda which is 86 to approve the reduction in that contract by this allowance that's not needed by $10,000. And that concludes my report for

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tonight. >> Thank you. Any questions, comments? >> I'm going to just thank you to Dr. Rafferty and his team. >> Yeah. >> It's a huge win. >> All right. Uh president's report, I only want to mention that we have three seats

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coming up at the end of this year. And uh two of them uh have applications filed, so we will have a third open one that we will need to in the absence of a viable writing candidate, uh we'll need to interview for starting January of next year. So, anybody out

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there is looking for it's you know, coming in that way is a is a good way to do it in some ways. You could try it out for a year and see if you like it, right? Um so, we'll uh more to come on that. >> four? Oh, Josh is not coming back? >> Yeah. >> Okay.

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>> Yeah. So, um Wes is going to stay. PJ submitted, so um yeah, we will have the other seat. So, if anybody knows anybody looking for it, it'd be good to start thinking about it now. Um all right, committees.

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Uh finance and facilities, let me pull up the notes. I think most of this was covered >> Right. >> Let me just see if every health benefits surplus grant, this is everything. I think you mentioned all this stuff already.

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Um uh in regards to the referendum, so kind of a rough timeline we went over. You know, just by December of this year we're going to try to finalize, you know, the scope of the referendum which we've kind of done already. Um

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April of '27, the architect would have to submit the project details to Department of Ed. And then somewhere between April and August, the state review will review it and come back to us and say if it's approved. Um October 14th of 2027 is the deadline

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to file public questions for December special election, that's the way we want to go. So we'd be looking at a special election December of '27 for the referendum. >> When is a letter going out to the community letting them know that we're doing this? >> Uh well, we have to finalize how we're going to communicate that. I think

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usually we wait for the state to approve it first or not. >> Well, I mean I think currently we're trying to finalize the projects. >> Yeah. >> And the referendum, you know, what >> we have a I think the list is pretty much done. So I think we'll I'll follow up with Dr. Bernice on how you know, there was discussion about

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you know, typically school districts will hire a consultant to help with messaging. So it would probably be once we make that decision if we're going to do that or not. We'll put that in the agenda for the next uh finance committee meeting. So as soon as it would probably be

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within the next couple months, I would imagine. >> And I and I have um today I received the debt analysis with the different options and the ways we could >> yeah. We were trying to figure out a way to sort of >> To yeah. >> Keep the taxes steady. >> Correct.

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>> Uh that's it for finance and facilities. I have notes from curriculum and instruction which also met on July 21st. Um Summer Academy was a great success. Uh my kids

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one of my kids went there. They liked it. Um it's expanded quite a bit. Uh so enrollment is up for the summer academy, which is great. Um, we talked about field trips. Uh, those will be submitted by 8:15, it says here. So, we'll sort of know ahead

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of time what field trips are going to be on the calendar. Uh, we talked about summer curriculum work. You have the internet devices policy, which is on on the agenda tonight. Um, and we talked a little bit about just tech in general. I think Dr. Bernice is going to might get together some kind of

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presentation to the public about tech and how it relates to students. Um, and then we talked about pre-opening communication, you know, letters going out from the principals saying, "Hey, you know, school's about to start." Um, and that kind of thing. That's about it for curriculum and

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instruction. I don't have any notes from personnel. >> Personnel is the same day, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, same day we met and uh, uh, main thing was uh, hiring for the uh, coming school year. Everything, every position has been filled, includes pool keeper

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that uh, we had a issue with that the position. Uh, so, that's a good thing. Um, and then there was a one uh, title change for the uh, uh, Hope School that under Region 5. So, I

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concerned about whether the position that conflict with the position in the this district because all the employee under Region 5 uh, our employee, the Brea Olinda School District's employee. So, if you have a somebody there with

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the same position here, there is a uh, >> Oh, seniority. >> Well, yes, seniority. I mean, probably one position is eliminated and there will be a that mean the conflict with the person who somebody has to be bumped out of the other. So,

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uh, and the Dr. Bodie said that uh that position shouldn't be that concerned of. So, that's a clear and also that's a mindful of what we are here is also hiring uh employees over there. >> Which is on tonight's agenda.

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On the personnel. Yeah. Approve in that job description. It's number nine on the personnel. >> Great. >> Any questions comments about committees? >> No. >> All right. Moving on to items to be

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acted upon. I have a motion for D3, please. D3? >> Yes. >> Moved. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. Ms. Brown?

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>> Abstain. >> Ms. Bryant? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias? >> Yes. >> Mr. Sim? >> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on D3.

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>> Thanks. Can I have a motion for item E4, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryant? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias?

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>> Yes. >> Mr. Sim? >> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on E4. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion for F3, please? >> Move to approve F3 as stated. >> Second. >> Any discussion?

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>> Um I just had a question about the virtual instruction plan that we're looking at. Is Is So, is that I looked it over. It's pretty much Are there Were there any major revisions from what was in place? It looked like it was pretty

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>> As far as I know, this is the same, right? >> I believe to my knowledge, I believe. >> Yeah. There's no major changes >> major changes. Okay. Thank you. >> But if you want, I'll circle back with >> Yeah, we can >> Dr. Bernier said >> I was just curious, yeah. It looked like it was all pretty standard, but >> Yeah. >> I just check.

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>> Okay. Okay, roll call, please. Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryan? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias? >> Yes. >> Mr. Sim? >> Yes. >> President Langley? >> Yes.

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>> Motion carries on F3. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion for G3, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryan? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias?

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>> Yes. >> Mr. Sim? >> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on G3. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion for H19, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Wait. >> No, I think it's Miguel. >> I'm sorry.

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>> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh any discussion on these? Roll call, please. Ms. Brown? >> Yep. >> Ms. Bryan? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias? >> Yes. >> Mr. Sim?

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>> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on H19. >> Can I have a motion for I11, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please.

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Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryan? >> Yes. >> Mr. Frias? >> Yes. >> Mr. Sim? >> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on I-11. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion for J-3, please?

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>> So moved. >> Second. Any discussion? >> Question, yeah, that the contract um out of this district E S I contract. So, we become a sending and receiving district. >> Both at the same time. >> Mhm.

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>> So, explain how this works out. >> How long is >> This is us uh So, what happens is uh with Region 5, since they created that Hope Stone Academy, it's almost like an inter um and this is based on how it's got to be

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reported. Um we report it as an expense in our budget as generally tuition. And then uh Region 5, Hope Stone Academy, will report it as revenue um in that fund, uh which is an enterprise fund. So, they'll bring in in the revenue, we show it on the expense

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side through the budget. Um and that student, in essence, is attending that that program. Um because of the way that Region 5 is set up, it's set up as an enterprise fund, not as a special ed program within our general fund budget. >> Mhm. So, it's a separate fund.

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>> And that was that was how it was um I guess uh approved then and constructed. >> It's it's kind of confusing uh cuz uh you know, you are sending district and also receiving district at the same time and then you have contract. So, uh uh I

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mean, that's kind of confusing me. I mean, cuz uh we haven't seen this before. >> Correct. >> Is this the first time that we've >> Well, it's uh it started in uh I think the first year was 2024-2025, which this student um attended, I want to say, towards the end

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of 2024-2025. 2025-2026 was the full year. This is the second year in this program. Yeah, and it's just it's just the way that the program set up. Typically, um because Region 5 is an enterprise fund, that the fund is is separated out of our budget, even though it's on our

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financials, um it's not like the other special ed programs like MD, which we wouldn't send. They would just be in district, you know, attending that program. There's no expense or revenue. >> that. But, the contract, so you are signing the contract and you're

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receiving district and you're sending district at the same time, same person. >> Yeah. That is weird, but there's accounting-wise and the >> Right, and that's why we we presented to the board. It's it's approved by the board. It it's reviewed, you know, um

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>> Do we actually cut a check? >> We actually cut a check and we pay bills. It's on our bills list. >> Wow. >> Um Region 5 is, you know, there's checks being cut to Region 5. We're getting invoice from Region 5. >> Okay. >> Um >> They're still a part of us, but we still >> Correct, and it's and it's I mean, it's it's part of, you know, the audit is,

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you know, compliance. >> I understand the operating portion of it, but the contract uh this this contract has to be signed by the uh president of the board. Who is uh sending district president and also receiving district uh president?

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>> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, correct. Yeah, it's I understand it's the same person. >> All right, but so operationally >> I mean, I can follow up, you know, with the auditors to see if there's anything they recommend. I mean, this was something that I guess it occurred during the end of

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24-25, but I'll circle back internally. >> The double check it. >> You know, I'm just thinking, you know, I don't know who else would sign it. Like >> There there isn't anybody else. >> Yeah, I mean, we wouldn't have another member district sign it. Um they don't have the authority. Um

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It's going to be the same person internally. I mean, obviously it gets approved by the board. That's the second layer, but I don't know. Yeah, I don't know if there's a way around it. Just because of the way the program's set up. Which is unique. It's it's it's set up kind of part of that Region 5. Um >> Yeah, I don't necessarily have an issue

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with it. I just if if it's even if it's really necessary. I guess it would I guess it would be. >> But it's similar to I mean I'm just thinking in the past with Region 5. I mean um same thing with our expenses like those purchase orders um get approved by me from Region 5 and I'm paying the bill

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and it it happened previously number of years when Region 5 was set up. We didn't have a tuition contract, but it it occurred during, you know, um you know, approving purchase orders, invoices. And they were signed by you know, um the the BA uh purchasing

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agent signs the invoice that's being billed to us and I'm signing the PO at the same time to pay it. Like >> Yeah. >> I mean we submit the bills to us to get approved. But I'll double check if there's if there's any issues. >> Yeah, I don't really have an issue with

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approving it, but we can I mean if you want to >> Do you want to figure out Do you want to leave it? >> No, no, no. >> No, we're okay. >> All right. We can just look at it. It is it is a little bit weird, but I get it. I mean there's no way around it, so you know. >> Yeah, I'll ask to see what they recommend. They might just say it's the

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way it's set up. As long as you're getting it board approved that the you know, the full board is reviewing it. It's transparent. Correct. And this it goes through the superintendent council so as far as review the the tuition rates are getting reviewed. We're not

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>> Yeah. Okay. Um okay, so roll call on J3 then. >> Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryant? >> Yes. >> Ms. Ms. DeFrias? >> Yes. >> Ms. Dessin?

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>> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on J3. >> Thank you. >> Can I have a motion for K12, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please.

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>> Ms. Brown? >> Yes. >> Ms. Bryan? >> Yes. >> Ms. DeFrias? >> Yes. >> Ms. DeSim? >> Yes. >> And President Langley? >> Yes. >> Motion carries on K12. Thank you. Any old or new business?

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No. Seeing as how there are no public comments, um can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Thank you. All right, we'll be back on What is it? August >> 20 um 20

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24th? >> Oh my god. >> 26th. >> 26th? >> August