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

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I like to call this meeting to order. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Mrs. Chiquini? >> Yeah. >> Mrs. Dalia is not here. Mr. Gethard? >> Here. >> Mr. Little? >> Here. >> Mrs. Morocco? >> Here. >> Mrs. Simmons is not here. Mrs. Malone?

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>> Here. >> Mrs. Zavarro is not here. Mrs. Space? >> Here. >> We have a quorum. Thank you. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of the

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act, the Sussex Wantage Regional School District Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof posted in the school building and notice of said meeting sent to the New Jersey Herald and the Star-Ledger. >> The Sussex Wantage Regional School District is a responsive, caring,

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child-centered community. Our mission is to educate each individual to become a confident, competent, lifelong learner and productive, responsible citizen by providing challenging opportunities in a safe environment through partnership of family, school, and community. >> Thank you, Mrs. Malone. At this time, we move on to the report of the

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Superintendent of Schools. >> Thank you. Not much too much to report out. I don't just want to thank everyone who was associated with the extended school year program, the summer step up program, where it was well attended. We appreciate everyone's effort. Um over the next month, summer cleaning will be enhanced with kids in the building. Kind

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of makes it difficult sometimes. Um so, now the custodial and maintenance staff will be working towards uh getting the school buildings open for September. Thank you. That's all. >> Thank you, Mr. Bott. [clears throat] This time, we move on to audience remarks. Members of the audience are invited to make brief comments about

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items on this agenda and matters of interest to the district. Seeing none, we'll move on to the board secretary certification. >> Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-16.10C3, I certify that as of June 30th, 2026, no

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line item account has encumbrances and expenditures which in total exceed the line item appropriation and in violation of N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-16.10A. >> Thank you, Ms. Stryker. We'll move on to the approval of board minutes for May 7th, 2026 regular and

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executive session. Can I get a motion? >> I'll move. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Ms. Morocco? >> Yes. Uh abstaining. >> Abstaining.

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>> Mr. Chiquini? >> Abstaining. >> Mr. Gashion? >> Abstaining. >> Ms. Malone? >> Yes. >> Ms. Hayes? Yes. >> I think that the minutes were approved, but I'm going to confirm that.

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Um because it's a tie and um so we'll leave it that I'm unsure and I'm going to confirm [clears throat] with Francis cuz I've never had that happen before. >> Thank you, um Ms. Stryker. >> So if they're not approved, I'll put

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them on next month's agenda. Otherwise, if I don't do that, then it's all good. >> Um we do not need to go into executive session. We'll move on to the presentation of agenda items. >> Thank you. Under personnel, I would move on to 14.

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>> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Um Roll call. >> Oh, any discussion? Sorry. Roll call. >> Mr. Gashow? >> Yes.

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>> Mrs. Chikinny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Ms. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Balone? >> Abstaining from number 14, Stephanie Rager and Stephanie Short. Yes to the rest. >> Mrs. >> Space. Yes. >> Motion carries.

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>> Under policy, I'd like to move items 1 through 5. >> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Ms. Morocco?

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>> Yes. >> Mr. Gashow? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Chikinny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Balone? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Space. Yes. Motion carries. >> Under finance, I'd like to remove items 1 through 24, pulling item number six.

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Mrs. Demolakis came across a alternative training program that's much more cost effective. >> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion?

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Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Chikinny? >> Yes. >> Ms. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gashow? >> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Uh abstaining from number four. Yes to the rest. >> Mrs. Balone? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Space? >> Yes. >> Motion carries.

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>> Under curriculum, I'd like to move item number one, pulling the second trip for I believe a modification in date from the dentist. >> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion?

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Roll call, please. Mr. Gershon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Chiquini? >> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Malone? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Space? >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> I'm referring to the agenda under personnel to move items 1 through 6.

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>> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Motion. Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Mr. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gershon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Chiquini?

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>> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Malone? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Space? >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Under finance, I'd like to move items 1 through 3. >> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second?

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Thank you. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Mr. Gershon? >> Yes. >> Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Chiquini? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Malone? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Space? >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Under curriculum, I'd like to move item number 1.

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>> Can I get a motion? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Mr. Little? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gershon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Chiquini? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morocco? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Malone? >> Yes.

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>> Mrs. Space? >> Yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you. Um at this time, we'll move on to unfinished business. Does anyone have any unfinished business they'd like to discuss? >> [snorts] >> Seeing none. >> Um

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I know we're starting a new school year. Um the Chromebooks for kids for the younger kids. Um obviously that there wasn't much done with that in the short amount of time. Um

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Had Did the curriculum stay the same for >> like first through fifth graders? >> Yeah, I mean aside from like normal routine curriculum updates, I think you're referring to um trying to minimize the use of technology, right? So, we had uh discussions with our

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curriculum director and our technology director about trying to phase that in over, you know, probably a 2-year approach just because so many of your you know, right or wrong, whether you agree with it or not, throughout the past 10 years so much has been shifted to technology that a lot of your

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textbook materials and a lot of those things were already in commitments or having to renew commitments uh to do that. So, looking at it over the next 2 years, maybe 3 years, that's when you phase that out. So, now you're having preliminary conversations about how to do that best without being detrimental to everybody. >> Right.

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Mhm. Any other unfinished business? >> Just to update everybody, um Mrs. Simmons had talked about the um you know, when we take down the trees, the uh artwork on the the stump side. I had a uh conversation with the artist that I mentioned uh before, and she

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hasn't got back to me yet, so I'm going to follow up with another phone call if she's still interested in potentially coming out to look at Sure. >> And now, aren't we removing the stump and like grinding it, or would they be able >> Yeah, so So, that's part of the package, and then

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like if this person were to come out and say we really want to do that, then we'd probably leave one over by like the playground area. >> And that would be kind of a costly thing. Or >> Yeah, so that's so um

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you may recall we got the funding with the grant or one of the grants we had at the front of Sussex Middle School with the basketball court and all that. Um so, we wrote that up, we got that again for Wantage School. That's if we did that, we would take a portion of that to do that. You know, obviously, if it's not so extreme, then

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you know. >> But now, it's not one of the stumps where the roots were >> with the sidewalk heaving? >> the >> No, it would probably you probably look at if you're looking at Wanage Elementary School, the trees with the roots that are you know, trees have

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roots I'm sorry, but um I don't want to speak. >> [laughter] >> But um Yeah, the sidewalk heaving. It's over to the left along Wanage School Road. The trees where you potentially make one of them or more the the artwork would be

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over to the right in front of the fourth grade wing where kids play kickball. >> Now, does do the sidewalks have to be repaired? >> I think inevitably it's not like an emergent thing. It's been like that you know, shortly after they installed them.

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Maybe 15 years ago, maybe 10 years ago they started to crack relatively quick. >> So, the stump grinding they can they get rid of some of the roots? >> Yeah, I think you know, just on my rudimentary understanding what I've seen with stump grinding and things like

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that, they kind of do a perimeter around the trunk, you know, I don't know if it's 2 ft, 3 ft. Um you know, if we talk to the gentleman, can you can you go a little further? You know, I would think it would depend how deep that is affecting that piece of sidewalk. Um

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you know, there's probably if I remember correctly like maybe two slabs. And and it's it's interesting cuz they're not really used they're walking past, but they're not really used um to any great extent for you know, students don't come up that way. So.

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You know, we we do what we can with the stump grinding. Great point. >> Any update on the trail behind CEL? >> Yeah, Mr. Petrosky said that called what I think we put the price in the the rundown and we just have to finalize like do we definitively want that done

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in preparation for September? >> Is that like for tree removal or to actually clear out the trail? >> That was just clearing out the trail. He doesn't need He's not even getting involved with the treats. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um I forget the figure off the top of my head. >> So, no trees need to come down then? Cuz weren't we kind of like

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>> He he after you get the brush and all of that cleared out, I think that was a a few thousand dollars. Um we have a tree person come out. You know, he he recommended that. >> Any like feelers to the teachers to see if they'd actually use it? Since I know they don't go outside.

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>> Yeah, I mean I think I think, you know, it's hard to take their pulse like over the summer prior to that. You definitely had some people say they would. You have some people who say it's, you know, "It's not really my thing." Um I I think they're optimistic about you know, you folks just approved the overall enhancement of pre-K funding.

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Uh the pre-K playground area in the So, in the back of the building um where kind of the two wings meet, that's where we'll put a bunch of stuff for like outdoor classroom type thing. So, I think >> So, now that you approved the advanced

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it a little bit, it it'll probably come down to like the lead time of the items, the manufacturing of them. Um which can take up, you know, I probably have a better pulse on that in a week or so. >> Put that in the rundown. >> Um in an optimistic look, maybe start early

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in the school year. That portion of it, like we could presumably start without impacting to any great extent operations. If we choose to say, "Hey, listen, there's another component of it where we put more playground apparatuses in the front of Warren School for pre-K." Um that would involve, you know, they'd

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have to shut down that portion of the playground to do the work. So, we would have to decide like do we want to impact that? Do we want to wait until spring or the following summer? If we want to get it done sooner rather than later, then we try to work around that. >> Do you have a plan of what it's going to look like for the playground area? >> Yeah, I think we had that in uh

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>> We have images in the rundown. >> It's not. Put some images tomorrow. Uh just to refresh everyone's memory. It's um We also walked the property with some of our pre-K people, and um our pre-K coach and the the company who provides those things and the ideas they

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had. And um More swings was was like the hot button item. They wanted more swings. Um there there's these other like look like kind of little train connecting pieces um that they said are very popular with the kids. Um and then

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in the back um kind of like swing single person swing but but larger ones and um some seats and uh shade shade tree type thing. Um but I'll put those pictures out there again just so you can see them.

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>> Wooden benches, are we getting rid of these too? >> Yeah, we can excavate those out. Over time what's happened What do you mean with the planters in the middle on the on the big playground? Yeah, so those were built by somebody in connection to a fundraising for that. So we've been very conscious about, you know, trying to look presentable damage, but as it as

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different ones have been falling, you know, in disrepair over time we excavate them out. >> Yeah, they look like they're in bad shape. >> Yeah, we you know, over time you try to be sensitive to like, hey, people volunteered or helped pitch in to do that. Um we we've done that. Um we replaced

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wood over time. We've done that deck over sometimes that you know, paint like material. Um but over the long term I I don't see us like rebuilding them. So There's a slide also at our our school just through maintenance is is has a has a crack in the bottom

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really. So we we anticipate replacing that slide. You may see it out there decommissioned right now. >> That's the old one. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, and that was I think that was approved at the June meeting. So but >> We'll be time. >> Are there unfinished business?

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Any new business? >> Uh actually the backpack transitional kindergarten, any more talk about that? >> Yeah, you know, kudos to Ms. Gomez, Ms. Moss, Hedden, and Ms. Wagner. They tried their very best to get everybody on board,

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meaning parents on board, but we just didn't have the numbers. You know, I think it was up to eight. You really want almost double that, otherwise the other classes swell, you know, in size. >> So, how does that work? Like if If a kid should be held behind, are we

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doing that? Are we recommending it? Especially if they're young. >> Yeah, that those decisions are always made in concert with parents. >> Okay. >> Yeah, but generally speaking just in my experience, like very few parents are supportive of doing that.

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>> Anything else? You sure? Okay. I think you guys are good. >> Seeing none, we move to audience remarks. Members of the audience are invited to make brief comments about items on this agenda and matters of interest to the district.

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Seeing none, we do need to go into executive session for approximately 30 minutes. No action will be taken. Can I get a resolution? >> Whereas, pursuing to NJSA 10:4-12b, the Sussex Wantage Regional Board of

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Education may exclude the public from that portion of a public meeting at which the board discusses any of the matters described at NJSA 10:4-12b1-9. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Sussex Wantage Regional Board of Education shall enter into closed

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session to discuss personnel and legal matters. Now, therefore, be it further resolved by the Sussex Wantage Regional Board of Education that pursuant to NJSA 10:4-13b, the time when and the circumstances under which the discussion conducted in

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closed session can be disclosed to the public is when the need for confidentiality no longer exists. >> Thank you, Mr. Ryder. Can I get a motion? >> Motion. >> Thank you. A second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor say I. >> I.

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>> Any opposed? >> I. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> We are back in public session. Can I get a motion of adjournment? >> I'll motion. >> Thank you. A second?

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>> I'll second. >> [laughter] >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any nays? Have a good night. >> Thank you.