They're on. >> Everything's called. >> Good evening. I would like to call this meeting to order. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. Miss Carbonel, >> present. Mr. Cohan, >> here. >> Mrs. Conte Maki.
>> Mrs. Here. >> Mr. >> President, >> Mrs. Beny, >> here. >> Mr. Nasta >> here. Santana >> here. >> Thank you. Um and just for the record, Miss Santana will be here tonight. Um
but she may be a little late. All right. Um board member who is doing >> Mr. McDow, please lead us into the flag salute of America. and to the stands
nationisible. >> Thank you, Mr. McDow. Um, will you also please read our mission statement? >> Certainly, Madam President. Our mission statement, empower and inspire every student every day. >> Thank you so much, Miss
All right, Miss will you please read the Open Public Meetings Act statement? >> Yes. In accordance with the provision of the New Jersey Open Public Meeting Act, the Township of Union of Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having date,
time, and place thereof, published in the Star Ledger and Union County local sources posted in the administrative building of 2369 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey, filed with the township clerks, and mailed to all persons if any who have requested said notice. The
board of education offers members of the public an opportunity to address issues regarding items on the agenda or on any issue. Individuals need to identify themselves by name and address. Public comments are limited to three minutes. Issues raised by members of the public may or may not be responded to by the
board. All comments will be considered and a response will be forthcoming if and when appropriate. Board asked all members of the public to be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Comments regarding students and employees of the war will not be responded to by the board. President,
>> thank you so much, Miss The board will now go into executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues and action will be taken. May I have a motion to move into executive session? >> So move. >> Second. Any discussion? This motion has been properly moved by
Miss Scott Hayden and seconded by Miss Nancy Mani. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Miss Conte Maki. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Faria. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDow. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Veni. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nasta. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden. >> Yes.
>> Miss Carbonel. >> Yes. Thank you so much. >> I only see two presentations. Just Good evening everyone. Thank you so much for being here tonight. May I have a motion to move back into our public regular meeting?
>> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you. May I have a roll call, please, Miss Capiello? I apologize. This motion has been properly moved by Miss Scott Hayden and seconded by Mr. McDow. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan, >> yes.
>> Mrs. Conte Mack, >> yes. >> Mrs. Faria, >> yes. >> Mr. McDow, >> yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nasta. >> Oh, sorry. >> Uh, Miss Santana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden, >> yes. >> Miss Carbonel,
>> yes. Approval of the minutes. May I have a motion to approve the following minutes? So moved. >> Second. This motion has been properly moved by Miss Mani, seconded by Mr. Cohan. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello.
>> Mr. Cohan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Conte Mackey, >> yes. >> Mrs. Faria, >> yes. >> Mr. McDow, >> yes. >> Mrs. Beni, >> yes. >> Miss Santana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden, >> yes. >> Miss Carbonel, >> yes. Next we will have our
communications section that is reflected on operations and personnel agendas. Good evening everyone. I would like to take a moment to thank you all for being here tonight. As we begin the public comment portion of this meeting, I want
to remind everyone that we do value your input and appreciate your time and effort in sharing your thoughts and concerns. We ask that all comments be respectful and constructive as we aim to foster a productive dialogue that benefits our
community and the work we are here to do. Each speaker will be given three minutes to address the board. Please remember that while we are eager to hear your perspectives, we are unable to engage in any discussion during this
portion of the meeting. However, your comments will be carefully considered by the board and if necessary followed up on. With that said, I invite the first speaker to approach. Isn't that interesting? Happy holidays
to everyone. Oh, nice attendance report. >> Thank you, Madam President. Welcome everyone. So, we're going to start off with uh just some uh acknowledgements. Uh as you
see, I've been putting up there their enrollment just so you can see where we're at with that as well. But um as we do throughout our district, we have many uh staff members that do excellent um do a lot for our community and I would just
like to highlight a couple of them uh tonight. So, first I want to call up um Corey Baker and Lauren Conn so uh Corey and Lauren work a lot together.
>> Yes. >> So, it doesn't uh uh surprise me that great things are happening. If you guys want to come out here. >> Um but they uh they have been recognized um in in several ways throughout the state. Miss Kante could talk about a
little more in her presentation. Um, but just so you see there, uh, you know, I can't I want to say one thing. I could say a bunch of things of everything you guys do, but one thing that always will stick with me and I shared it and, uh, I shared it actually
anytime I get an opportunity. Um, is the impact you're making not just on special ed kids. I have had people tell me that our students at Union High School are benefiting from the programs you're putting together in the high school and
that they have will would have never uh gotten to know some of our students. And you talk about breaking down barriers and walls, you guys are doing it in in in our in our schools. So, I mean, I could go on about all the other things that you're getting nominated for, and I
know Miss Ki is gonna have it in her slide uh presentation as well, but thank you for all the fundraising you do for the Special Olympics. You guys do a lot with that. Lauren, um you know, like I've said a couple years ago, um
you have an energy to keep bringing more. >> Um I'm thankful. I appreciate it. uh and it is really great for our students and uh just uh I wanted to acknowledge your efforts and what you guys are doing and
you know keep up the great work. >> So does the board uh want to say anything? So I just want to give two certificates again. I wish I could do more but um Lauren, do you want to just share a couple of the programs
>> that you've uh been the new one this year? >> Yeah. So then um where you want to go in the future maybe? >> Oh, I want to go everywhere in the future. >> So one of our new we have a couple new school enterprises right now. We have the farmer's laundry service. That's one
of our new ones. So we will be providing laundry service for staff and any students. So one thing I noticed some student for attendance sometimes they don't come to school because they don't have clean clothes. It's something so simple as that. So if we can provide a
service that our students will learn and provide a service that will get our students to school more is something that is really important. So my goal is not just for my students in my classes but for to reach everybody at the high school all the students at the high
school. So um when we open these new school enterprises we use our unified members our partners to partner with our class students. So now we're building meaningful friendships and relationships between everybody in school. So now we're bringing everybody together and breaking down those barriers.
>> Yep. So we have the laundry um farmer's laundry. We um we >> Yeah, you go. So we have the print shop. So we actually have a DTF printer, a Glow Forge machine, we have a sublimation printer. We have we can make
anything from t-shirts to ornaments to lasering on wood. And so these skills, these are what we're seeing out in our community. So I go around all of New Jersey, Corey, we do a bunch of research. We see what places of businesses are opening for our young
adults with disabilities. And then we take those ideas and bring them back to our high school to create these school enterprises. So we train them. We just actually, one of my former students parents just reached out. Um, our student had a love for the library and I
just got his acceptance letter to college. He moved to Texas and he was formally accepted into college and he will become a librarian. It's like and that's why these are so important to me because we get to see success stories
like that. >> Yeah. Does anyone have any questions? >> Certainly. >> And then I know Miss Nunes isn't here. Do you want to take a picture? >> Do you want to do the picture first or questions? Colleagues, any questions, comments?
>> I just have a comment. Um, I've been to the cafe. I've been to uh Play Unified at the at the high school. You guys are amazing. You do so much for our students. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. I also have uh we're trying to figure
out so we we used to go we used to have meetings at the high school and uh maybe this was one of your classrooms where there were little snacks and different things. >> We don't remember much but we do remember that. >> Um and I believe during my tenure with
the board one of the things I believe it was Lowe's that donated. >> Yes. So, I go around and get as many donations as I possibly can. Um, so we just build those partnerships with these businesses because those businesses
really do have a lot of programs. We have a new program with Walgreens. They have an entire inclusion. So, our 18 to 21 program will begin working there to build the skills. So, my goal is to build as many partnerships and relationships with companies large and
small. So, you know, it just opens doors for all of us, not just I mean staff, students, anybody. It can open opportunities for us. >> And Lauren, that was Lowe's here in Union. >> It was. Yes. >> And Walgreens here in Union. >> Yep. Right across from Bernett.
>> The only thing I would suggest is um I'm I'm always very grateful when organizations and community stores contribute to what we're trying to do here for kids. >> Yes. Um, these meetings are held once a
month and they're televised. Dr. Venquista, if you ever come up with the list, um, I will not be president come January, but I will be a member and I know the new president would welcome that and so would the rest of us and giving them a shout out. >> Oh, absolutely.
>> Because they deserve that. >> So, we try to do shout outs through social our social media also. So, they get a shout out there also. so I can compile a list and always have it running for when we have new places. >> And I do last but not least just want to
say thank you so much for making the activity so engaging but also a learning experience for the children or the young adults >> um that are going out into the real world. This this is life skills 101, right? >> It is. >> So, thank you so much to both of you and
it's a pleasure having you tonight. >> Thank you. Oh, fantastic. >> Thank you so much, Miss Antana. Sorry. >> Um, uh, what I wanted to say is a lot of times the role of a board member, um, we're here for countless hours.
Sometimes it's, uh, tireless and you sit here and uh, you want to remember your why. coming in today, seeing um our children like um Julia Laberty, uh great
faces, families back there, uh employees, hearing the everything that you are all my why, and I thank you for this. You're uplifting. I hope I'm serving you all the same exact way that you're serving us. And uh thank you over and over
again. Thank you. >> So, I just want to say thank you to the both of you. I I can hands on Julian is now 21. Um and you both have been a part of his life. Um you don't give up on our students with disabilities. Um you see
them through the lens that often takes a challenge for the community, for society to look at them as individuals who deserve a quality life and who are skies the limit. And I appreciate everything you do for them. I appreciate your commitment. I know that especially Miss
Col, she does not care. Um, she will park in front of central office when she has an idea, but it shows the passion and commitment that is needed um for our babies. And so, thank you so much. As a mom, I thank you. Um, as a parent, I thank you. As a community member, I
thank you. As a board member, thank you. We all thank you. Um, and we appreciate what you do. And more importantly, special services. um just coming together, it makes a difference to those of us who live it 24/7 to know that we have caring individuals who truly care
about our our babies and more important we feel safe enough knowing that they're in your hands. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you guys. >> Thank you again. Check. Check. Is this on?
>> Hello. >> We on. Check. One. Two. One ticket. One, two. Check. One, two. One, two. The other person on this uh slide is the uh gentleman that we've been
collaborating more uh Nick Bedello who is the pastor for Livingware Church. Um you guys uh were were very kind and donated uh to the church's cause of turkeys and other things in our district. And uh he couldn't be where
tonight but a little Thank you so much uh from Living Word Church uh to all of you. Uh thank you uh to uh Dr. Benquista, thank you to the board of education. Thank you to Union High School. Uh all the students, uh all of uh the principles and administration,
faculty, everybody. Thank you so much for your partnership during Thanksgiving and even the early Christmas season for all the um residents and the people we were able to serve in in a really difficult time. Uh together uh we were able to serve uh well over 400 families
uh just in the month. We were able to hand out uh over 300 plus turkeys uh hundred of which was uh you know raised up and collected by the high school uh and so many bags of food. Uh it's over about 2500 pounds uh of food and just
just so much was distributed. Thank you for playing such a big part. We are honored um at the church to be a part of this community and to continue to impact each family and individual that comes through. I want to invite any of you, you know, as we get into the new year. Uh we just had our our our December um
uh pantry distribution, but in in January, the second Tuesday, uh and in February, the second Tuesday, any second Tuesday of the month, you're welcome to join us over at Living Word Church uh to see this food distribution um and to see just what the Lord is doing uh in our
town and and the the heart of generosity and care. So, thank you so much. We're we're we thank you for partnering and uh we look forward to doing more in the future. God bless and thank you so much to everyone again. So again, I just want to thank the board. Uh, you know, you you voiced
something that, you know, our community has a lot of needs. Sometimes people don't think that, but we not just living word church, we partnered with a lot of different churches in our community. Uh, each elementary school, I think, or all our schools picked uh one of the
pantries to partner with. So, I I I don't have an exact number, but I can't imagine how many families in in our community we impacted. And it coming from the board, it makes me proud to uh share some of this back with you guys
because again, when you partner and um and and support each other, great things could happen. So, thank you guys. >> Thank you so much. And thank you to Living Word Church and Mr. Bado. So, as you guys know, Miss uh uh
Isabella Kuskosa is back in her position. >> She's excited, right? But um again, we were very thankful that she came into Livingston and did a great job, but um you won't know it unless you
>> Thank you for stepping in and leading us with heart. We very truly appreciate all you've done. >> Thank you. >> Love you. Isabella, we want to thank you so much for coming in in the past three months, taking on a role unexpectedly,
and you made our building thrive. We are going to miss you so much. Thanks for everything you did for us, everything you got for us. You're the best. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Isabelle, for all that you did. You guided our school with a heart that never hid. We love you.
>> We love you, Isabella. What can we say, Isabella? You were like a breath of fresh air that came into our office. Um, it was great working with you. We wish you nothing but the best. Please don't be a stranger. You're always welcomed here at Livingston School
>> and thank you for everything that you got us. You will always have a home here with us. >> We love you. >> We love you, >> Isabella. Thank you so much uh for moving us forward in the short time you're here. And thank you for fostering such a positive environment. and we all
want to wish you the best of luck. One, two, >> three, >> Isabella, we just wanted to say thank you so much for coming into our school and making it such a warm environment for our students and making our spaces so comfortable, not only for us, but
especially for the the students here at Livingston. We really appreciate it. >> And so, a lot of the things you hear about Isabella, she just didn't come in there and keep the ship moving. She she I know that we have an updated library. We changed some offices, gave space. So
again, I just thank you for all your hard work. Go on and and it's several minutes. Keep watching it. I'll send you it so you could keep it. But it really shows in in the heart and kindness that people mention it. It you know, it's it's in you. And I thank you. We're
lucky to have you. And I just wanted to give you a little certificate again of appreciation. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Anyone? >> No, thank you all that then. Thank you, Livingston. This the last few months
really was so me memorable and I really appreciate everybody and I learned a lot and you impacted a lot. >> You welcomed me right from the beginning and um you know I'll always be grateful and uh that is such an incredible dynamic group of educators at that
school and um you know I'm very was very lucky to be there. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you for this. Miss Composa, I I do want you to stand for a minute because I know some of my colleagues will want to say something. We did take an opportunity to recognize
your contribution to the district. I believe it was last month, but I am so happy that you're being recognized formally tonight. >> Thank you. um some people and one of one of the most the saddest things that has happened um in education is that they
see this as a job and and this is truly a vocation and and I am so happy that tonight we are recognizing someone that does see this as a vocation and that everything that we asked for you are there with no questions, no hesitation.
and you're willing to just do the job because you know it's going to benefit our district, our staff, and our students. Thank you so much for the work that you put in. It is recognized. It is admired and is we're just really humbly grateful to have you as part of our
team. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for saying >> and another exciting part. Anyone else? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Let's continue. Thank you. Thank you. >> Um, >> no picture.
>> You want to You want to grab a picture real quick? >> We'll do a picture real quick. Trying to keep it moving, but how about we just stand? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Right there. >> Let's do it. >> Okay. >> Here. Come over here. >> You got to block anybody Mr. Taylor a little bit. Come in the middle.
>> Can you get everyone? You better do a good job. >> All right. So then you want everybody to keep coming. >> All right. That's actually good. Okay, there's one.
>> Thank you again, Isabella. >> So, the next great thing is when uh you know the state uh talked about student liaison, we have a wonderful student liaison joining us this month, Julia LDY. Uh I'm going to hand the mic over. Here's the clicker. So, you go right.
And it's so exciting to hear what the student voice says. >> Hi everyone. My name is Julia Lowry and I'm a senior at Uni High School. Um, a little bit about me is I'm involved in a bunch of different clubs. Um, including all-in where we coordinate different
activities such as the appreciation station and positive affirmations. We post them up around the school to boost school morale and overall mental health. um, Club Unified, um, where gened students are paired with special ed
students and they socialize and learn from each other. I'm also part of the National Honor Society, which recognizes students for their standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character, um, not just their academic achievements. And we go to different
events around the community and help in any way we can. I'm also one of the captains of the UHS swim team for the 2025 2026 season. >> Wow. Okay. >> Starting off strong, um Connecticut Farms Elementary School partnered with
the Connecticut Farms Church food pantry and the Township of Union Food Pantry to participate in a food drive. All donations went to the Township of Union Pantry to help feed people in need. Hannah Caldwell Elementary School also held their annual schoolwide food drive. They collected so much food and all the
donations got delivered to the Connecticut Farms Church pantry to help support the community. Moving on, Club Unified during the month of November, Club Unified collected coloring books and crayons for both children and adults to donate to Holiday
Express. Miss Conn's class along with a few members of Club Unified then went on to volunteer at Holiday Express. They packed bags with crayons and coloring books to pass out to people. this holiday season. On November 14th, students in the teach
tomorrow's teachers program along with 15 other Tomorrow's Teachers programs in New Jersey went to Kane University for the Empowering Teaching Conference. This conference focused on student centered learning. Moving on, the community has partnered
with Living Word Church in Union, New Jersey to collect turkeys to bring happiness to people's plates for Thanksgiving. UHS had 68 turkey donations along with so much food. Students at UHS were able to receive two community service hours for every one turkey they donated and
five community service hours for every two turkeys they donated. And the board of education also donated or eight turkeys. Now getting into the fun stuff. On November 21st, six seniors and four juniors competed in Mr. UHS. Each
contestant had to come up with come prepared with a talent to showcase in order to have the fans vote for who their favorite contestant was. The um contestants were also able to vote for the most friendly and pleasant contestant to work with. There were four
other judges, all staff members of UHS alongside the fans who were able to vote for the official Mr. UHS for the 2025 2026 school year. UHS had their a night in New York City themed homecoming dance on December 5th. There was a DJ, pizza and Chick-fil-A, a
hot dog stand, a caricature artist, multiple different photo ops, and two different photo booths. The students had the best time. Also on December 5th, Club Unifi took a trip to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. They had the best
time exploring all the different animal exhibits with their partner. The day was filled with fun smiles, teamwork, and special memories. Now, getting into attendance. The Kami the sixth graders at Kwami Middle School
had excellent attendance of 97.8% during the month of November. They continued to show up and dedicate themselves to their schoolwork. On December 9th, 103 senior students at UHS were inducted into the National
Honor Society. This society recognizes four specific pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. I'm It's an honor for me to be a member of this society. Now, getting into sports, um the winter
sports have just only started, but what I can tell you is that 105 students tried out for the boys back basketball team and 60 made it. 30 girls tried out for the girls basketball team and 28 girls made it.
For winter cheer, 29 students tried out and everyone made it. For bowling, 19 students tried out and 10 made it. For wrestling, there was 92 students and 92 made it. For swimming, there was 49 and
49 made the team. For winter track, there was 116 students and 80 made the team. And then for winter esports, 22 students tried out and 22 students made the team. Moving on to the middle school winter
sports, um tryyous are still ongoing, so there's no official roster as of right now, but 84 boys tried out for the boys basketball team, 80 girls tried out for the girls basketball team, 42 students tried out for the cheer team,
and 25 students tried out for the wrestling team. There was a huge increase in the number of girls trying out for the basketball team between the 2425 season to the 2526 season. In 2024, only about 27 girls tried out. While for
the 2025 season, there was an influx of 80 girls trying out for the basketball team. There was one team last year and they had split it into two teams now so that everyone gets a chance to perform. Um, moving on to Ouie Ignon. He was an allconerence first team along with
Jordan Brady and Jir Hall. He got a full ride scholarship to Temple University in Philadelphia which was worth about $35,840. um only un he's the only Union County D1 football scholarship athlete >> and he's got over a 3.5 GPA and is
graduating high school in January so he'll be able to go train with Temple University in the spring. Moving on to the girls allconerence. First team was Isabella Aruna and Courtney Lamadoo. Second team was Emily Fyian and Maya Fillian. And the
honorable mentions were Michaela Acidio and Briana Squa. For girls volleyball all conference first team was Alexis Felina with honorable mentions of Neva Mendes and Isabella Moto Fuentes. For all county
third team Alexis Bolino. Last but not least, the boys soccer allconerence and all county. The first team was Sebastian Yoso Roas and the second team was Jonathan Alano. That's it. >> Thank you, Julia. Board have any
questions, comments? Miss Scott Hayden um has something. She's whispering in my ear. I'm going to put her on the spot. And then Mr. McDow. >> So I was asking madam president to ask her normal question which is what are you inspired to do after high school.
>> So thank you. So after high school I am looking at colleges. I'm undecided my career path as of right now but I'm looking at either like business management or marketing. So those are my interests as of right now. >> Very nice. Very nice.
>> Thank you >> Mr. McDonald. and then Mr. Cohen, I believe. >> Very nice job. Thank you very much. Uh, when you first introduced yourself, >> uh, I thought you were a teacher. But,
>> um, Mr. UHS, who won? >> So, for the official Mr. UHS, um, Lennox won the like official Mr. UHS. And for Mr. So, the one that the contestants
voted for was Gavin Bumont. And then for the fan favorite was Jonathan Cordova. >> There you go. >> Very nice. >> Mr. McDow, I mean Mr. Cohan. I apologize. >> Thank you, Julia. I just was going to ask the same question that Miss Scott Hayden asked. So, just want to
congratulate you and good luck. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. And Julia, so we know you have a very impressive resume, but tell us a couple things about yourself that outside of school.
Just a couple of things about what you like outside of school and also I would like to know what what's your wish list in terms of what schools you're looking at. >> So for my wish list, as of right now, I've only visited three schools um so far. There's still more to come, but I'm
really liking Maris University. >> Um, that's one of my tops right now. And Fairley Dickinson as well. >> Um, as like interest outside of school, >> I like like reading. I'm very much a
reader. Um, I like just like being outside honestly. Like I just like nature and everything. >> Oh, that's lovely. >> Yeah, that's about it. >> That's awesome. And I I want to give you last but not least um phenomenal presentation, very thorough and I love
the way you pronounce those hard names. Um that is a skill that even some of some of us adults miss. But one of the clubs that you're in all in I just thought what you said was beautiful. Um simply because
particularly right now um in our climate um in our society starting the day with something positive and almost rewiring the brain um there's a beautiful quote that says be careful
with your thoughts because they become words be careful with your words because they become action something along those lines and I think you are helping make sure that the culture in our school remains positive and optimistic. So, thank you to you. You're already
assuming leadership roles in a number of dimensions and we're very, very certain that you're going to be very successful. So, thank you for being with us tonight to you and your family. Nice job. >> Thank you for having me, >> Madam President. Quick picture or
>> of course. >> Come on. This one everybody goes to the front >> and then it's a small certificate that >> and then uh if you guys want to come we'll take a board picture and then family >> and they don't move easily. No, mom. Mom.
>> Dad could come on this side. >> Dad, can I be next to her? >> You see her all the time. Good. >> I got it. >> Yeah, it's good. >> This is a tough photograph.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you guys. >> Hi. Congratulations. Happy holiday. >> Thank you. How you guys doing? Okay. >> Good. >> And as we're transitioning,
>> that is not easy for one of our students to do and Julia did such a wonderful job. >> So, next up, we have two presentations tonight. First up, uh, is Miss Ki. Uh, they're going to talk about, um, special services and, um,
you know, uh, share all the wonderful things going on there. So, here's your, uh, thing. >> Well, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> And this is going to be, uh, very difficult now following Julia because that was a great presentation. So, now I
have my work cut out for me. Thanks. >> And also, I put a lot of pressure on Miss Ki because she had a lot to share. So, there's a lot up there that everyone could go through at their leisure, but she's gonna speed through a lot of it and really hit in on some of the the the big things. >> Thank you so much.
>> They know that I really like to talk about the department. So, uh I had to, you know, trim it down some, but uh feel free anytime to ask me questions, so I'll try to uh do it justice. All right.
So, good evening everyone. And and for those who don't know me, I'm Kim Ki. from the director of special services. Uh, and so here we go. Now, I'll give you a little overview of the department 2526. >> Oh, big one. Sorry, I got to go the
other way. All right. Okay. So, now I'm going to talk a little bit just a very general overview on our staff and programs. Um, tonight besides myself, I have Stephanie Buthorne and Joseph Sugling for uh supervisors. We're
going to welcome a third supervisor uh in January. Uh our office team consists of an accountant who works with our business office. We have 12 month secretaries and a 10-month secretary. Uh we have a host of child study team
and related service providers who are uh at the buildings, the various school buildings where they're located. uh special education teachers uh who uh instruct in the programs over there on the right side of the screen.
Support staff. We have terrific power professionals and behavior technicians. And there's a list of our programs in district. I won't go through all of them, but they're from general education classes to more special class programs
that are self-contained, out of district programs, and as needed, home instruction. All right. So, what does it look like? What do our programs look like by building? So, there we have uh every building has resource programs.
Almost every elementary with the exclusion of Jefferson has preschool disabilities and almost every school now in the district has autism programs. So if you look at Battle Hill, uh they mostly have the mild to moderate
learning or language disabilities. There's Connecticut Farms, they've uh really taken on a lot of autism programs there. Uh Franklin now has programs Hannah, who uh they have varied
programs. I'm just giving you a little bit of a look how it's broken down. Livingston, Washington, Jefferson, Bernett, Kowami,
um and then of course Union Senior High School. You could see that there. Now, let's talk about students. So here's we get into where we get into the meat and potatoes of the data. So if you
look right now we have about 1,413 students and we have an asterk there because right now it's December. So as you know we're going to be going on through June. So as referrals come in
that number is going to increase. Okay. Now, it's about a 20 oh a little over 24% increase since the 2021 school year. So, you're looking at if you look at 2021, you have 1,137
students and look where we are now. Okay, you can see how the graph goes and take a look where that peak is. And you know, I was talking about it with uh Dr. Benquista a little bit earlier today. And if you look at it, it's almost where
COVID right after that, you kind of see that peak. I don't know. I don't know causation, but it certainly looks like something to be said for that, right? Okay, let's uh talk about classification
rates. We hear about that all the time. And you see I have 2023 and 2024 school year. The reason I have that is because we want to compare apples to apples. And if you want to look at the state
classification rate, they're always a kind of like a year behind with their data. So you look and you could see uh at the that point we were 16.62% 62% under the state average pretty good 19.3%.
Right now, as of December 10th, our rate was 18.2, but I can't tell you how we were doing with the state because it's not yet released. Okay, so that gives you a little information. There's our students by classification
category, how it's broken down. Uh the largest category, no surprise, specific learning disability. Uh the next one is other health impairment. Uh followed by communication impairment and then following that is preschool
child with disability. And this uh presentation is going to be posted. So if anybody wants to refer to it, go into it a little bit deeper. I did include some data on there so that you can refer to it. All right. So, what about referrals? You have from July 1st
to 1210, which is our school year starts in July 1st. Our referrals are 144 at this point. Um, we're not through the school year. You can see how they're broken down, how they're referred. Parent referrals lead even over district
and early intervention. And for those of you who don't know, early intervention is uh birth. They service birth through 3 years old. They come to us at 3 years old. So that's who refers to us. Okay. So look at those referral rates. I'd
like to give a little history. Uh pretty consistent uh in the 300s. If you look at the total parent referrals outpaced district referrals and early intervention, well that has to do with the birth to three. You see a little bit
of that up upswing around COVID, but you know it's it's fel fallen back down. You can see the peak in the graph. All right. Referral process. So who can refer? Well, parents, guardians, the school
districts, instructional staff, administrators, other personnel like counselors. Okay. state and community agencies, which would be the Department of Education and agencies that are involved with child welfare.
And this is basically what we post out there uh when we want to let people know how to refer and they can do that by uh writing to the principal or to myself. And all requests must be signed. That's what we ask. So, how do we get that out
there? And we do have a childfind obligation. We do that through the media childf find processes. So for example, uh we team up with Mars Union Joiner Commission. Uh they post it out to local physician
offices, uh daycarees, shelters. We display it out in schools. Um Miss Buth Thorne posts it out there. Um we do non-public schools and that's not an exhaustive list. and obviously on our websites in the district and in the
buildings. Now, it's important to know that we're part of a continuum. So, when we refer, there's a lot of other things that have happened before it gets to the point
when someone asks for a child study team referral. And some of those are intervention and referral services, school counseling, a tiered system of supports, which I often talk about with teaching and learning and 504
and the CST are available and we do encourage and we always have that if they need to sit on any of these teams or services prior to referral, I'm always happy that they do that. So for
example, if um one of the concerns might be academic, you would want a learning disabilities teacher consultant to be part of the team to give expertise in that area. If it's speech, perhaps a speech language specialist.
Now, uh where we spend our money, right? We always hear about our money. So Mr. Sling did a beautiful pie chart here. Um and if you take a look you have the big blue is out of district tuitions
which which are over 60%. And then no surprise following you got contracted transportation services. What is that about almost 30%. Then you know you're falling down into
contract related services. It plummets to like 6%. that has to do with nursing services, vocational services, behavioral health services, all those related services that you contract with.
And then we go to extra pay expenditures, home instruction, which we do for both general ed, special education, ABA, applied behavior analysis. um also extracurricular powers that we
might need for students during extracurricular activities. And then you're down to that point 4% contracted CST evaluations. Those are evaluations that the district child study teams can't do. For example, neurological,
psychiatric, assist of technology. And now you can see the flattened pie. And it's over 21 million for out of district, over 9 million in
transportation services. And you see the color code, of course, it's tiny there, but um I think the purpose was just to show you uh where the majority goes of this expenditures. And then if anybody's interested,
there's all our uh budget lines. And there we are. Total number of placements at a district we're at about now and again we're not due done with the school year yet so that could change 176 over the last five years. Look at 2122
and then where we went back up again. Is that co I don't know is it because we've also went up by a lot of students. Think about it. When I first started in this department, 2008, somewhere around there, we're talking
about a little over a thousand students. And on that slide, we were about 1,400, maybe more. >> Miss Kiy, I promised that I wouldn't ask questions until the end, but this I'm not going to be able to. >> And I promised to be short. That didn't happen. So, >> I'm sure Miss Faria is probably wanting
to ask some questions, too. Um, because we're just >> Oh, there see you. Go ahead. I'm messing with you. Um the table that that you just showed us, I just want to >> want to go back. Hang on. Let me go back. Let me go back. >> Does that include legal?
>> No, that's different lines. So it doesn't include staff as Thanks, Jerry. So it doesn't include staff either. You have to remember staffing too is a big part of this. Legal goes under uh different line items. Uh so that's why
that's not in there. So our our special education program can be anywhere 50 to do we know off the back um what our budget is total including staff and legal.
>> Oh well this is about adds up to what like over 34 million and then you have your staff. What do you want to say? >> Yeah plus legal. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It has to be in the 40s or certainly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> My I want to hear from Miss Conte, Dr. Venoquist. >> I'm just messing with you. I'm messing with you. Um and I had See, he he took me out of my my zone. >> Yes.
>> Um before we move though, because we're talking budget, we're working on the budget. come you know currently actually >> right now >> what funding sources let's say we're looking at 40 something sorry Dr. because I'm going to need you. Um, close
to 50 perhaps when we include health benefits, salaries, legal, and these expenditures here. What funding sources do we normally or would a district normally um have >> um as revenue to be able to address
those expenditures? >> How to sustain? >> Yes, >> it's coming. It's coming in there >> see good questions. Yeah, that and it's not all of it, but yeah. Well, we'll talk a little bit more. So, next is going to be I got this expenditures. We did. Wait,
am I'm going the wrong way. I'm not good with the directions. There we go. Okay. Revenue. >> Very good. >> Okay. So, here we have the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act grant.
It varies yeartoear, but we're going to say approximately 2 million for this. Um, and we use the funds for added district tuitions. And then everything else is pretty much local funds except for there it is extraordinary aid.
So that has to do with excess costs, right? So they reimburse a portion for extraordinary expenses to districts. And I must say, Miss Krupa, I'm giving you a shout out wherever you are right now. The accountant that I discussed,
she does a lot of work on this to maximize and you're talking 3.8 million and she does an incredible job. She really does. So, and you have to qualify
for services. For example, it has to be um for example, uh the tuition, whether it's general ed or whether it's at a district, it has to be 40,000 or more for public. I'm trying to remember this uh so forgive me if I'm wrong a little
bit. and over 55,000 for private, but you have to qualify either with an extraordinary expense either through a personal aid, uh, extended school year services. So, there's a lot to it, but
you know, for now, I that's our revenue. >> Um, Dr. Benquista, what are you hearing in terms of um federal funding IDA? Because that was one of the funding lines that we thought was going to be
negatively impacted. I believe it was last year. What are you hearing now? >> So, so we did have our midyear budget uh review and actually I think it was Miss that asked that same question and they did say again even though they
don't know is budget conservative. So, >> okay. >> Um, we will be deciding what conservative means, but I think we're going to attack it the same way as we did last year and hope that we get everything. Uh, but we don't know. Um, as well as there's always um unknown
with the switchover of governorship as well, and we discussed that because a new governor coming in could change things, but we're hoping for that this first year at least staying even. And then from there, uh, I would always like more, but
>> right now, if I can chime in, uh, the county BA is asking or recommending 60% to budget 60%. Um, last year we did 70. >> So, at this point, um, that'll be a discussion between the ELT team to see
what we think, um, is probable. So, >> and I want to be clear, we got 100% of the 70%. or 100% of 100 >> of what we typically have of two million roughly to we did not lose anything. >> But if we budgeted for 70%, did we get
100% of 70% or 100% of >> So we had two plans. We had if they gave us 70%, we're ready to go with that. If we got everything like we had in the past year, we went with that and we got everything. >> Okay, good. >> Pretty much everything. >> But for this upcoming year, they're telling us
>> same thing. We're going to budget either six young Londo will fight for 60. Maybe we'll fight for 70, but we're gonna budget conservative, but we're gonna have a plan that if we get everything back, we're ready to turn and it'll be a lot under develop to now make sure everything
>> find discretionary grants and different things. >> Um, >> I know that that is tough and there's a reason why I'm devoting some time to this. Um, I I think people see the school district running, but they don't realize
how much it takes for the school to to run and provide all the services that it would like to. Um, and IDA is already historically underfunded. >> Yes. >> As we know, it's >> true. >> Right. >> Yes.
>> Um, at least that's what the research tells us. So to see further cuts when we see an increase particularly when you talk about a peak after 2020 it is a bit concerning. Um so it is nice to see that we have caring staff members that are
willing to put in the work but we do as a board want to encourage the kids to stay within our district so that we can make sure that they get the care and services that they need right here. And to bring up another, you brought up a good point because if we don't stay flat, last year we lost six million. If
we lose another six million, it's going to be very challenging. >> Right. And as you can see, the big um uh total excluded like she said um legal and salaries and as you know with state aid, they break it out to the different
categories. >> Yeah. >> Special ed doesn't come near. I think last year was maybe around nine million and the bulk of it will be coming from equalization aid. So although they break it into like five or six different categories, it's not one to one meaning,
you know, special ed 30 million, special ed aid 30 >> or the school district needs 100,000 for to service a child for a given year, we're getting a 100,000. No, we may get 50 60 and have to figure out what the other 40 >> Yes.
>> are. So, it it is uh quite a challenge. Um I see that I'm not sure if I missed it. Um semi semi. No, I didn't. You didn't miss it. I didn't put it in there. Semi is in a flux right now. They changed how uh the
revenue is coming in. And you know, I could get that information uh to you. We actually just set uh sat through some webinars. It's now a tiered system. We're not getting the most back, but we're certainly not like some of the districts that are either in a warning
tier or in the lower tiers, but they did change it. Um, now it's for uh health related services. We put them in individually. Before you'd have to put it in sort of like as the team uh and evaluations it was. And we used to
really maximize our our target and and beat our target. um not so much when they changed it, but we weren't alone. Um not that that's helpful, but we were certainly not alone with that. And um so they're they're again changing the
structure because I think they recognized when that happened. So stay tuned. We will if you want more information, I'll work with uh Miss and we can get that information to you about how semi working right now. So that's why I left it out, but thank you for asking that. Yeah. So, just a
footnote, on average, we were averaging roughly close to $200,000. >> Yeah, we always and of course last year with the change in the structure of reimbursement, we only got 38,000. >> So, we're really like 200,000 short. And
so, um, again, we're going to be very conservative. >> And I sat and I asked everybody because I go to director meetings and I'm like, you know, hopefully I was we weren't the only one. They were all like, "Oh, no." So, um, >> well, there's a push that, um, some of these expenditures will go back to the
state level. So, hopefully that is the case, um, to help the budgets of local districts. Yeah. So, thank you. >> And and and I'm glad you pointed out because I was about to say it, too. I mean, grants like uh what Isabella does uh are very helpful to us. I see uh Miss
Conn and Mr. Baker shaking their head because thinking outside the box and really working with our community partners and that's where we really need the time now to work because that's going to become more and more important to sustain
programs that really get in there and do different things for the kids, right? And that's what we want for our district, right? We're all very proud of it. So, we're going to have to have more and more times and ways that we can think outside the box. And uh we I thank
all of them who I just mentioned right now. And you know, they're great to work with and they really help us um you know, maximize in tough times. It's tough times. All right. So, there it is around the U
in special services we talked about. So, um Miss Cohen and Mr. Baker already talked a lot about uh what's going on with community- based instruction, work-based learning, school enterprises. Uh there are some of the Bernett sites,
coffee corner. Uh we use a lot of uh what we have available to us right in the district. Um they have a school store. Uh we use cafeteria, main office, print rooms to get uh functional learning for the kids, life skills. Um, it's a wealth right in your own
district. Uh, UHS, you talked about a lot of them, so I'm not going to go through all of it, but stay tuned because they have some more programs that are going to be coming your way to vote on, so keep
looking for that. Uh, here's some of the community ones. Uh, Pmptonian, they've been very good to us. uh seso kitchen uh which actually is a certificate program. Some of them have just been approved so we haven't fully
uh been running with them yet but that teaches restaurant skills to uh the kids. They come out with weight staff experience. Uh Applebee's same thing. Walgreens another certificated program. Um every aspect of Walgreens they learn
except for pharmacy and the uh cash register. Kain University Food Services, the Y uh we like to use them for real life learning uh recreational experiences. Shopright, you know, how to get out in the community. And we need to go to the
shop, right? Because the the Farmers Cafe, we got to stock everything with food, right? And uh talk about the Farmers Cafe, they're learning to be baristas, and they make very good uh snacks and all of that as well. It's
It's really great. Um picnic at Rapkin Park. I'm sure you all have heard we've um kind of moved from the diner but now into the picnic. Uh Mr. Sugling has done a great job with fire department, police, recreation department, and
special Olympics and all our staff. And it's a great time. Everybody really enjoys it. And um so we're looking to continue that either through a committee uh again and the kids get to socialize. They practice all their community based
skills, shared interest. They get to see each other from other schools. Uh it's really great. It's a great time. So come out and visit us this year. Learning Ally, world's largest library of audio books. You can the voice that reads to you
while the print goes. It's for both general ed and special ed can go on various devices, your phone, Chromebook. We funded three schools, but uh with Mr. Sugling's work with the NJ DOE, they
funded another all seven, the rest of the seven. So, we're in all 10 schools. Way to go. All right. Special Olympics unified champion schools grant um fostering inclusion and um so we heard that tonight in
Julia's presentation and um Miss Cohen's and Mr. Bakers um and the kids and the students um can actually participate in different ways. Unified sports, we have esport teams and bowling teams. They have
uniforms that you know um Mr. Caesars uh has worked with us uh inclusive youth leadership. You heard all about the programs. Holiday Express, Respect Week, Hold School Engagement. Uh there they are at the aquarium again.
And there's where uh who applied and the breakdown of their monies. Uh some professional development highlights. I just want to say we do partner with the office of special ed to come in and do training, legal training.
Uh great job. Uh Miss Buthorne and Mr. Sugling did uh work with um sorry about that. Uh did work with um I can never do this. Yeah.
>> All right. >> Jerry's just sitting there. I'm good. Dr. >> Took a little bit, but I'm good. All right. So, uh, they did training, transportation, Tracy Kessac, we all partnered up and we did training on the
buses, uh, and with bus staff, power professionals, behavior technicians, and we did a lot of work on transition. Again, that's not exhausted. And I think I got it. Okay. Accolades and recognitions. Um, we were recognized at
the bronze level for implementing tier 1 northeast positive right behavior intervention supports. If you notice the national, they call it a little different in Jersey. It's uh PBSIS. Uh, we were one out of four New Jersey
schools. How do you like that? >> And then we even got a reward awardwinning CPAG. Nice, right? and they were in Trenton and I was happy to uh be there to uh well virtually anyway to support them and it
exemplifies parent leadership and as well as collaboration with the school district again back with uh Special Olympics youth summit they did such a good job last year hosting for women's leadership they want to now have this
district as a permanent site >> right so there we go and uh this year I'm hearing in April maybe leadership in action members will be planning running the entire youth summit.
>> Yeah, >> that's wonderful. >> And I shopped. They had great things to buy like shirts that promote inclusion and Right. It was good. Right. the proceeds. And the reason I'm saying that because the proceeds go uh to help Special Olympics. So stop by. We'll get
that out in for April. Um yeah, come on. Uh so now we have a prestigious network uh that from Special Olympics where uh they have a group of people that come
across New Jersey to get together to talk about how to foster inclusive education practices. Okay. Um last year Joe, Mr. Sugling was uh chosen for 24-25 and none other than our Miss Lauren
Cohen for 2526. So that's an accomplishment. >> Very good. >> YEAH. YEAH. OH, MR. BAKER, I didn't forget about you. He was for four years in a row. Um, cool school cat challenge raised the
most money for Special Olympics and I think uh, Township of Union, we were second place two years running, right? >> And not enough thanks to everybody. >> Thank you. >> And I'm sorry I talked a lot.
>> No, no, not at all. great presentation and you did well with the PowerPoint and everything even though Dr. Benquista just sat there and kind of chuckled a couple of times. Let me >> you might have to talk some more because they might have questions. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> I thought he was going to they were
going to get the cane and take me off. >> No, no, this was really important and and thank you because we're missing some of this information. So, it's really um something that we can learn from. Um
when is I I would like for us to be invited to the Olympics um and different activities with the kids. >> Sure. >> Um if you could send us an email with sufficient time, right, Madam Vice >> um because we would love to come support
some of the activities. So >> especially the youth summit that that's a good one. They really get out there and they talk about uh pertinent topics. Yeah. >> Thank you so much. April 8th, but uh please email.
>> Um any questions, comments, colleagues? >> No, you did. Okay, madam vice. >> Um so yeah, I was glad to see some of the uh programs that we have in the community that we link our students to for um you know, educational growth and other opportunities, work life skills
and stuff. Um and I was excited to see the list of um community and uh vendors and stores, right? Because I was like, "Oh, wow." Somebody was telling me about a program they had in South Jersey where one of the schools actually has a small shop right
>> on site where the kids like the community come, the teachers go and you can actually shop and buy things that you need for home. Of course, we don't want to put our shop right out of business. So, it's good that we're working with them and not building a whole small shop, right? But I was just like I thought it was brilliant when I saw it because the community doesn't
have a large supermarket. So it gives a lot of leeway for that particular community to be able to access things while teachers have a break. They can go and buy stuff for dinner or things they may need, laundry detergent, etc. So I was really glad to see that. But I really want to say um to thank you to
the entire special special education department um for your willingness to assist our students um and parents, right? Because I know a lot of times um there's a lot of complaints like sometimes constructive criticism as well as non-constructive criticism. Um, it's
a lot of us up here who have children who are service under the special education department, myself included. So, I know when we go at it hard with you guys and it sounds like we're coming off, you know, rather strong, it's because we understand how to advocate for our children and what they need. And we also have to be advocates and voices
for the parents who don't know how to do those things. So, we're doing it twoprong. But I really want to say thank you for what you do for students, particularly those who are often not seen or heard or able to express themselves in ways that um our other students can. So just thank you for
seeing them. Thank you. And I do want to say thank you to all of you because yeah, sometimes right we have to have tough conversations or we have to work through things but I think in this district it's always done with caring concern and it's a great district and I
do believe we have a fantastic staff and support from all of you and we couldn't do it without and so even though money is going to be tough um I think we just have to, you know, have open conversations and see what we can do and
keep going forward and do what we need to do so our kids have the best education right here in Union. >> I just absolutely >> I want to add to that. Um, thank you so much for this presentation. And um it has been just amazing to see how far
special services has come from the time that I was that angry mother from New York City uh with a kid with autism and not understanding the process and understanding um the support that I didn't realize
that I had within Union within you Miss Ki. You know, we have a running joke between the both of us that we are going on a book tour together and it talks about and Dr. Benista has has been here for the days of the angry mom who really
wants her child to be fixed. You know, let's be honest. When we come and we present ourselves with our child with a disability, our assumption is here's my kid. Have my kid talk. Here's all of the things. We have the whole world against
us and feeling alone. And when I say that Union is that unique village, we are that unique village. And I am so proud and it is one of the best decisions that I've made in my life was moving here. And you know, I always
humbly apologize for those days when I just was not, >> you know. Yeah, you're shaking your head. >> No, no need to. you know, there's some days um but to be a parent of a child who is vulnerable, who is nonverbal,
who back in the days we would be on forums and people would say it is a waste of our tax dollars to spend on children like my son and those in our district. It's never easy to hear that. So to come into a school district, Miss
Ki and team, Mr. Suglin, you always get it from all of us. but ever so calmly with our teachers and our professionals, ever so calmly taking whatever direction we come at
you. And you once said, and we both said, you have to have passion, compassion, and empathy to want to raise children with a disability. Because when the whole world is against you and you feel like you're alone, we rely on our
educators. We rely on special services. So, thank you to you. Thank you to all of you. Thank you for those moments when we're not our best as parents because we're scared. Thank you because we don't know. Thank you for making me feel safe to have my child
>> here at Union. And I mean this with everything that is inside of me. >> Those who know the know the story. CPAC, the disabilities network, special services, to hear everything that we've
done to hear all of this makes being on this board worth it. It makes it all worth it. Boy, >> so Miss Ki, Mr. Glenn, Stephanie on board, our new people, Miss Con to Team Guju, as we all know him as Guju. He's
21 now. >> Ready to age out of the system, prepared, can say, "Mommy, >> I know." >> Knows how to go to the supermarket and shop. Knows how to communicate to Miss
Mner, to Miss Tui, to Dr. Venicquista to everyone who has supported us and knows what social services is Miss Manichi to all of you. >> Thank you so much from the bottom of our heart. This board supports you.
>> We advocate. >> We are here. We support our educators and this was amazing. And so I thank you again. >> Thank you very much. And again we have an amazing staff. An amazing amazing staff. when I tell you our
special education staff and I'm not Jen Ed you too I'm not it's just because I'm the the director of special ed but can't thank just even the everybody sitting here and they really work and we believe
>> we believe so I just want to say um not because I consider her a friend but Miss Kante Mackey is a tough cookie and for her to have given this >> beautiful beautiful message tonight speaks volumes about how dear she and
how grateful she thinks of you. So that was beautiful and thank you so much. Now we're going to have to take the microphone away from you. I think this has become a long presentation. >> Oh, we have see she made Miss Many shed
a few tears. So here we go. I Please Miss Manzy. >> So thank you. I just wanted to explain the tears >> as a special educator for over 40 years. Um I know I've been through with with
students. They are my heart. Special ed teachers in the whole department, general ed teachers as well because I was an inclusion teacher for over 25 years. I don't think we could ask for a better group of people to work with our kids in
this district. So, thank you so much. Um it's just heartwarming to hear somebody a parent to speak um about our staff the way she did and and yeah it was and that's why I cried because it just it just brings everything home. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And we need that because that's how we grow. People are afraid sometimes of disagreement. As long as it's healthy respectful disagreement sometimes you grow. >> Yeah. And I was going to say we'll take that caring, passionate, upset parent
any day cuz we're fighting for kids. >> Hello. Nicely said. >> So, um, thank you, Miss Ki, to you and your team. >> Let's give them a hand one more time. Thank you so much tonight. >> Thank you, Thor. Thank you guys for everything >> and you'll get a partner in January.
Another one. So, next up, uh, I'm going to introduce Lordis Garcia, uh, the supervisor of world language ESL bilingual to share a little bit about what's going on in her department. And Lordis, uh, started with us, uh, about a year ago now. >> Yes. >> So, uh, I'm interested to see what what
she's going to present. Oh, that's I gave you this big button. >> Just the center. >> Yep. >> Okay. Wonderful. >> Good evening, everyone. Um, I'm Lordis Garcia and tonight we're going to talk about supporting multilingual students.
Who are multilingual students? Multilingual learners are students who are developing proficiency in multiple languages. This includes both students learning English as additional language in school and students learning another language in addition to English. Some of
the um obstacles that our students encounter are not just language barriers, cultural adjustment, academic levels. Some of them are coming with gaps in education, limited access to resources, trauma, socioeconomic
hardships, and either lack of family support or some of them have family support. The role of the department providing a welcoming and nurturing environment that focuses on students assets rather than their areas of need. Be examples for
students of what multilingualism looks like and the advantages it can bring. support families in their students and sometimes their own multiple multiple lingual journeys, ensure district compliance with the New Jersey bilingual code, and our goal as a department is
that we will use data to inform our instructional and department and our placement decisions. This also is inclusive of the world language department. Who are our staff? We have ESL and bilingual education staff, 15 members.
This year we have our first bilingual teacher at the high school. I'll talk about that a little bit more. We have world language um staff, 15 teachers, and that's inclusive of Spanish, French, and German. This year we were able to diversify our
ESL teachers. Now they speak not only um Spanish, but we have teachers who we also have teachers who speak Portuguese, Taglog, German, and French, and Haitian Creole. As of January, Union is also registered as a testing site for language testing institute.
This is a assessment that teachers need to take whenever they speak another language or when they become ESL teachers. This generally costs about $260, no $39 if you take it at a site. For our teachers, our candidates that
take it at Union, it's offsets the cost by $140. It's a unique opportunity too for me to meet candidates and convince them about coming to work at Union. >> So ESL bilingual and world language
programming. So currently at our schools we offer a pull out ESL in K to 5. This year we are pilot piloting pushin. So our ESL teachers are also working in conjunction with our general education teachers.
daily ESL in sixth to 12. We are offering at the high school Spanish bilingual algebra and language arts for our 9th and our tth graders, which makes us a bilingual part-time program. The first time we're offering that in Union.
Um, students are also receiving highintensity ESL, which means in addition to meeting the core requirements, they are also receiving two periods of ESL. So not just native language instruction but also English as well. So our world
language program um in K to 4th students are receiving um Spanish exposure. They are also um learning Spanish courses in six through eight. And as I mentioned previously we're offering Spanish, French and German in n grades 9
to 12 levels 1 through five. We have honors AP and heritage speakers. 25 26. What have we done so far? We have PD focused on language acquisition, instructional strategies, effective use of available resources, using data to
target instruction. Um, we have our department meetings and PLC's. We're focusing on collaborative planning, using backwards by design, thinking, scaffolding, cultural sensitivity, code compliance, grading, common assessments, and for uh formative assessments.
I've also worked really closely with our new teachers. This year, we have a lot of new hires. So, we focused on Danielson using Genesis SchoolFi classroom practices. Our teachers in ESL have to focus a lot on providing
services. Um, also inputting information about our students in Genesis regarding their language, their proficiency level, implementation of updated and new resources to meet student need, teachers access to dash data dashboards,
collaboration with special education principles, and the ELA department. These are pictures that um demonstrate different opportunities in our district where our teachers have collaborated during uh PES. We had um our world
language teachers as well. We did a lot of backwards um design. We looked at specific units where we looked at our resources and how it aligned to our standards for world language and ESL and looking at our ESL curriculum for newcomers.
We're also working in collaboration on IMSSE at with our ESL teachers. We've had a lot of opportunities to celebrate and collaborate together to look at our goals. We have opportunities to celebrate with our students. On the on
the bottom row, we see our ELA and our math and our language arts teacher at the high school. We had a celebration for students. These are our dynamic educators. Oh, some of the other things we've done so far for with our students, peer
mentoring at the high school by our French and national and Spanish national honor society. We have expanded our ESL tutoring services to include the students at the high school. That's online as well as in person. We have ESL pen pals between our two schools. We
have revamped the newcomer curriculum. We also have the new Spanish bilingual algebra ELA um 9inth and tth grade courses and we have ongoing monitoring for English proficiency level in terms of exiting our students and comparing
their growth from one year to the next. We are revamping our former LEP monitoring procedures because when students exit our program, we have to look at how they're transitioning to general education general classes.
These are also highlights from the observations and the walkthroughs I've conducted throughout the year. Our educators and our students are working really hard um to to not only have academic success, to be challenged, to be rigorous, and to be exposed to grade
level content. And what have we done so far for families and community? We have our multilingual parent advisory committee. We have we are now in our second year offering adult ESL. We have explored culture through food um with Pmptonian
partnership with the Union Public Library. We have various opportunities for not just our staff but our families to explore the various resources offered here at the Union Public Library participation in Union Essex Multilingual Learner Admin Committee.
Attendance at uh NJLASS and NJTOL. These are different conferences that support our multilingual students and families. Parent guardian workshops on literacy for multilingual students. We've also established partnership with Kain for world language and ESL teaching
candidates. And we're expanding, as I mentioned previously, the ESL tutoring to the Union High School students. This is um some highlights from our journey this year. And what are we looking forward to? to the CILA biliteracy testing for
multilingual juniors and seniors. So, we're currently in the process of recruiting students from Union High School. We will be administering the test in January. The IMSSE training for our ESL teachers. Bilingual readalouds to celebrate ReadAcross America week.
Access testing for our ESL students starts in the first week of February. AP testing for our AP World Language students in French, German, and Spanish. The we're having a Union Public Library orientation for our multilingual parents for so that they can become familiar
with the resources offered here at the library. Family engage engagement nights to be planned throughout the school year for literacy, game night, cultural celebrations, etc. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Garcia.
>> Have questions? >> Yes. Any questions? >> Oh, yes. >> Okay. >> You got to keep that. >> Oh, yes. I have several I've been writing notes, looking at other presentations. Um, >> first of all, thank you so much.
>> Thank you >> for even starting the the parent committee. That is something that Dr. Vanquista, you know, we didn't have here um until I think you came on board. So, thank you. I want to recognize you for that. >> Um,
I apologize. I made notes on different um so I know that you supervise both ESL bilingual education but also world language. >> Yes. >> Which I used to supervise myself and one of the things that I looked at was
global trends in terms of language demands. Right. >> Yes. And I I'm seeing here German and French, but I am not sure if those are globally on demand languages. Is there
consideration, Dr. Vanquista, and yourself in the future of looking at what we're offering the children so that it complements whatever major they decide to study? So I definitely think that it's really important to constantly
collaborate you know within the district look at trends within the state and a best practice is always to collaborate with other districts in the country follow trends globally because we want to ensure that our students are not just competitive here but globally. So that is also one of the uh focal points of
the seal of bi literacy. Um we also have to look at enrollment right what do our numbers say? Numbers tell a story. So we do have you know an active enrollment within the high school but I think reflection is always a part of the process right >> and the answer yes we would love to
offer more languages ones that relate to you know where the students are going to be going maybe can help them in their career uh that they get from their the next step uh in college. However, the challenging thing right now is uh the certifications. But if we can
collaborate and agree in certain areas of of a uh blended learning model and then the capabilities open up tremendously where you could offer 30 different uh opportunities for kids, but it has to come more of a a blended model
right now. So, it's just we're we're even one of the harder shirts to get right now is even Spanish. So for whatever reason there's a dip in world language searchs. So >> thank you. >> We also tried to do American Sign
Language. We had someone hired >> I was just ask they ended up not being able to uh take the job. >> So but we are still looking. I know in the healthc care field, business field, ASL is one of the languages right now
high on demand. >> Yes. >> So okay that's wonderful. Um, thank you. >> Backwards by design. I apologize. Have you done um since you've been in here, I know it's been a short time, but I did ask this when I was in education
committee. Um, the correlation between our students proficiency in WEDA, which is the assessment students have to take if they are ESL or um bilingual.
um Ed um the correlation between their performance there compared to the NJSLA ELA performance. >> So a correlation would be a little bit difficult. Um so one of the things that
our students are coming to us with we with the level of proficiency. So the WEDA access which we're about to give receive in February it does have ELA on it. It has math, science and social studies, right? The lang the academic
language. Now that test in itself is really difficult and as our students are learning English, it their proficiency is supposed to grow 7 from one year to another. So we do monitor and we do
utilize the um I'm trying to think of the the data resource that we use. Linkit. So link link does analyze data in the sense that it looks at our students growth right from year to year whether they're they're uh attaining that right the seven. So we look at that
we can break it down by domain. So students when they come in to learn English what do they learn first it's speaking and listening but where do they struggle in reading and writing. So we can monitor a student to see how they're learning. But then the NJSLA, it does
measure grade level content, right? So we do look at the connection between our ESL curriculum, that's work that we're doing right now. So looking at multiple pieces of data to see where does it correlate, where do those um standards
overlap so that we can target instruction. But NJSLA will focus on language arts. So we look at skills, but we can marry the two so that we expose students to that grade level content so they'll be they'll be successful. But
between um NJSLA, we're looking at progress. How much is a student um growing? Students are given accommodations to take that assessment, but what they're given is native language dictionaries and additional time. So some of it is is not
necessarily fair in my opinion. Well, life is not fair as we know. I just want to make sure that we are remain rigor in our curriculum and what we're trying to offer and really stay away from watering down things for the
children because we feel that they don't know the language because as you know transfer cognitive transferability theory allows us to really take the content they may know in one language and transfer it over. That that was just my point. But no, I agree with you 100%.
And so something that I put on the slide was I've been collaborating with the coaches. So one of the things that I'm really happy about doing this year is that I've worked really closely within the middle school, right? And so we took a story there was a slide up there of so be it. And so this that's a grade level
text. And so we're exposing students to so be it, but we're thinking about some of the issues that may be difficult for them. So for our students that just came to United States, they don't know all the states, right? So the character went to visit from one place to another. So our ESL teacher put a map up, right?
Because there's sometimes we have to build background, but we our duty is to expose them to grade level level content. And that is something that I take very seriously because our students should be prepared. And and another thing is current events. I don't know if we have subscriptions at least for the
ESL kids to new CLA where they can read the same articles and different lifestyle levels. Um but just expose them to all that stuff. And last question, um a culturation, it's not just linguistic,
it's not just cognitive, it's also social. And my friend here that did a wonderful presentation, Miss Julia Lverie, um she participated in another club called Club Unified.
>> Yes. >> Where she they gen partners with special needs youngsters to teach them about how to socialize. Right. Is that something that we're doing with our newcomers to help them feel comfortable in being in
our school system? >> So, I know that um the counseling department, one of the things that they do, for instance, at Bernett is that they do pair students to um to to buddy up throughout the school day, right? Because students are following a schedule and so to get them acclimated
to going to the cafeteria to finding the library to just understanding there's a schedule. we have to move from one room to another. So, we are doing it and it's I think a wonderful it's definitely a strategy to help students get acclimated and I definitely noticed that club. So,
I think that um I did want to tell you I wanted to meet you after. >> Ah, very good. >> See, >> and I think some of the peer tutoring also uh >> Oh, yes. And the peer tutoring between the ESL students and the honor society students is another opportunity for them
to be integrated. And um within the time that I've been recruiting students for the CILA biiteracy, I've been going to some of the classrooms to introduce myself to increase um participation. Um I've gotten I've only been here for a short time, but I am very highly
sociable and so I'm constantly looking and meeting different um staff members and thinking about how we can increase awareness. It's really important for our students to be successful and for them to know what services are available. So slowly but surely, I'm I'm I'm getting
acclimated to Union and I've really enjoyed the time that I've been here um because I think that there are a lot of unique individuals that work here who are passionate about working here. And so I just um along the way I keep making
friends. Um and so we look at um what everyone's mission is and it's actually how we started the meeting for our teachers was looking at the district mission and vision and how we were a part of that. >> So it's about um increasing awareness,
educating not just our parents, our staff, but our students and trying to work together. >> Ah thank you so much. Nicely said. Um, Miss Santana, anybody else? >> Miss K.
Um, Miss Garcia, >> how are you? So, my name is Chassity Santana. I'm one of the board members. How are you today? I just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed and um uh understood more o of what what you're doing and what we're doing here. Um, I
remember that um I don't come from an education background. I was just a student all my life and I the day that I saw an ESL teacher that didn't speak Spanish, I was just like, what's going on? They're supposed to speak Spanish just cuz I didn't know. That's how
ignorant I was. Um, but you educate yourself. You get better and better throughout this. So, what I wanted to say to you specifically is if you don't know the Township of Union, I've lived here now I think it's going on 15 years. That's like zero years, right? It it is
we're we're a beast. We're a big beast. So coming in new, I can tell and I'm sure that it's very intimidating. So I invite you to be a beast. A bigger one to us because we need you. Please think out outside of the box. Please come with ideas. Please never get comfortable
because our children need you. We need you. And welcome. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Great presentation. Thank you for it. I wanted to get some more insight about the impact. Um, how do you get the word out? Um, what does it entail? How, you
know, is it school to school? Um, does each do they have monthly meetings? What does that look like? So, last year we had a few meetings. And so, um, essentially we use social media. So, we use Google meet um, I'm sorry, Google
forms. We posted it on Facebook and some of our parents still use traditional ways. So we are going to have pamphlets to send home to print out mainly targeting like the K to4 and as I've been working more and more closely in the second year I have you know I
receive phone calls parents call um I am able to speak Spanish and we do translate various resources. I think something that helped us to get the word out was the was launching the adult ESL program last year and so we translated
it um so that our parents could read it. I know Kristen has helped me too to put things on our platform and now this year too I'm also using parent square. So I created multilingual groups there and it's wonderful because it also lets me know when parents receive the notification so I know if they open the
email so we're looking we're always presenting it in multiple languages. >> The parents select the language they want to receive it in. >> Oh wow. Great. That's amazing. And and the reason why and it's really good to hear like special services that we have these initiatives within our community.
Um my parents back my backon West African parents immigrants coming here. Um when you get here the language barrier the the the community setting and the ability to be able to connect and understand the English language but also have a safe space to you know move
it further. So, it's really amazing that we have this and that it's being offered to our parents um as another resource that this district, you know, brings to our community. We're that unique village. So, it's great to hear this. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Garcia. >> And now the speed round. So there's our numbers for uh HIB that we have to report for um December 10th to the 16th. As you see, three uh one at Union High School and two at Bernett. Uh the
affirming of HIB from the 19th of November to December 9th. Four met the criteria. Two at Union High School, two at Bernett. Uh two were unfounded, one at Battle Hill, one at Hannah Caldwell, and two inconclusive at the high school. Um there's some other things you could
check out that uh are part of my presentation every month and um just that concludes my uh presentation. Um there will be a uh obviously on Tuesday early dismissal. Uh winter breaks coming and I just wish everyone
uh happy and healthy uh winter break. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. >> Next we will have the education and thank you everybody for being here. Happy holidays to you by the way on behalf of the entire board. Great presentations
by Miss Randy before you go um and Dr. Ben um Dr. Rodriguez. No, I just want to give you a shout out. Um, you were at a workshop for I think it was Atlas curriculum. Uh, a colleague of mine, a
friend was there and apparently you you partnered up or something, but you were very helpful and she said you were very knowledgeable. So that we were kind of ahead in terms of this initiative here. So congratulations to both of you. Thank you.
That is true. >> Um, >> and Julia, I do want to say, um, you're more than welcome to be here the entire evening with us, but I do know that it's getting a little late and thank you for bringing that to my attention. Um, we
appreciate you. We thank you and um you taught a lot of adults a few things about our district tonight. So, we're very proud of you. Um so, you're welcome to stay with mom, but if you guys need to go, um we understand.
I have to go to work tomorrow. Happy holidays and many blessings to you. Thank you. Let's give them another hand. I think they want to freeze. >> Thank you. Congratulations. >> Good job, Mrs. Lavy. You got great kids.
appcate system that they got a great foundation from. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Happy holiday. >> Next, we will have our education and student discipline committee chairs, Miss Mani and Miss Faria, to present the resolutions that will be voted on
tonight. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, so E1 and E1A were voted on last week and E9. And if it's okay, I'd like to pass them as a group, >> please.
>> Okay. So, upon recommendation of the superintendent of schools, uh, the education student discipline committee presents the following resolutions for the board's consideration. E1 A1 through E8, E10
through E14. Second. You guys are sitting separate. I I just realized that. >> Yeah. No, I I got it now. Um any discussion? This motion has been properly moved by I apologize.
>> Sorry. I just wanted to >> Sorry, Miss Fio. >> That's okay. Um, again, this is just another example. I think every month we sit here and we approve grant after grant. So, I know that we already celebrated Miss Scakosa, but I just want to say it again, near and dear to my
heart, I believe last year we received about $40,000 grant. We're going back at it again for another 30,000 and we have mental health grants here. Um, externs coming from like so we just see continuously the way that you are working tirelessly to
support the district. So, I just want to make sure that we recognize that. >> Absolutely. >> We expect 12 for the next one. Just mess with no nice job. Thank you.
Um, this motion has been properly moved by Miss Mani and seconded by Miss Faria. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Conte Mackey? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Faria? Yes, >> Mr. McDow. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Veni.
>> Yes, >> Miss Santana. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Scott. >> Yes, >> M. Carbonel. >> Yes. Next, we will have our the fiscal and planning committee chairs, Mr. Cohan and Mr. McDow, to present the resolutions that will be voted on tonight.
>> Thank you, Madam President. U I'd like to call the board's attention to resolution F 11. Uh we're asking approval to withdraw funds from the capital reserve. Just by
way of some background, uh this will enable us to pay the final invoice for all of the repairs for the rehabilitation of Hannakov Elementary School. >> Uh the total expenditures for
that project totaled nearly $9 million. >> Wow. And this final invoice is for uh service master and uh there's also an invoice from one of the plumbing contractors. Uh I want to share with the board that as of the preliminary audit
the end of the last fiscal year, our capital reserve will be just shy of $5 million. And by withdrawing this nearly $2.2 million, we will still have a capital reserve of about $2.8 million.
moving forward. Uh it's continues to be important for us to have those kinds of reserves as we try to implement the long range facilities plan over the next several years and ensure that our buildings remain in good order. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Cohan.
>> And now I'll defer to Mr. McDow for the resolutions. >> Thank you, Mr. Cohan. Madam President, >> Mr. McDonald. >> The fiscal and planning committee uh presents the following recommendations for the board's approval. >> Um
all except for uh F F7 was approved last week and FA TTY is not up for a vote. Uh not at all. Uh F12 was discussed in executive session. So uh we are
submitting F1 through F 12 with the exception of F7 and FATY. >> Second. >> Second. Any discussion? >> All right. This motion has been properly moved by Mr. McDow and seconded by Mr.
Cohan. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Faria. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDow. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Beni. >> Yes. Yes, Miss Santana. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden. >> Yes. >> Miss Carbonel.
>> Yes. Next, we Excuse me. Next, we will have the settlement negotiations committee chair, Miss Antana, to present the resolutions that will be voted on tonight. Upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Personnel Committee presents the following
resolutions for the board's consideration. Madam Chair, may I move them in blocks, please? And thank you. >> Yes, please. >> Thank you. So P1A was uh approved uh at the work session December 9th, 2025. We are going to start with P-1A-1
and I am moving it in a block all the way down to P8. Madame Chair, >> thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Not a discussion, but just a point of clarification. We skipped over
grievances and operations, >> so we just need to go back to those. >> Correct. >> So motion on the floor for personnel. >> Personnel. Yes. >> So it's been moved and seconded. >> All right. So we are effectively voting
on >> personnel. Can I do a roll call? >> Roll call, please. Miss Capiano, >> so sorry. >> Mr. Cohan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Conte, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fa, >> yes. >> Mr. McDow, >> yes. >> Mrs. Beni, >> yes.
>> Miss Santana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden, >> yes. >> Miss Carbonel, >> yes. Yes. No grievance, just operation. >> Right. >> All right.
>> All right. Please excuse that confusion. Um, next we will have the operations and technology committee chair, Miss Kante Mackey, to present the resolutions to that will be voted on tonight. >> Thank you, Madam President. Upon recommendation of the superintendent of
schools, the operations technology committee presents the following resolutions for the board's consideration. 01 approved security drill bus evacuation reports. O2 and 03 were previously approved at December 9th's work session.
>> Second. >> Any discussion? All right. This motion has been properly moved by Miss K Mackey and seconded by Mr. Cohan. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Conte Mack. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fia. >> Yes.
>> Mr. McDow. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Beni. >> Yes. >> Miss Santana. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Scott Heden. >> Yes. >> Miss Carbonel. >> Yes. >> I apologize. Some of my documents are mixed up here. Um, we will now proceed
to policy. Thank you, madam. >> Next, we will have the policy committee chair, right, >> Miss Mania, and Miss Furry to present the following resolutions that will be voted on tonight. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, so
policy 4 3214.1 um has been pulled, but all the others, this is for second reading adoption. Um so upon recommendation of superintendent schools a policy committee presents the following policies for the board's consideration
policy one through policy three and regulation one through regulation three is is there a second >> second. Any discussion this motion has been properly moved by
Miss Many and seconded by Miss Faria. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Mr. Cohan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Conte Macki, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fria, >> yes. >> Mr. McDow, >> yes. >> Mrs. Beni, >> yes. >> M Miss Santana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Scott Heden, >> yes.
>> Miss Carbidel, >> yes. Moving it along, we will have the residency committee chair, Miss Mani to present the non and Miss Faria to present the non voting resolutions. >> Okay. So, we won't be we don't have to vote on this is forformational purposes only. So, upon recommendation of
superintendent schools, the res Residency Committee presents the following resolutions for the board's consideration. Um, and it's just a total of students that have um voluntarily transferred from the district. Thank you so much. May I have a motion to approve
the bills list? >> So moved. >> Second. >> So I believe I got there Mr. Cohan and Miss Scott Hayden. Any discussion? This motion has been properly moved by Mr. Cohan and seconded by Miss Scott
Hayden. May I have a roll call, please? Miss Capiello. >> Mr. Cohan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Conte Mackey, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fia, >> yes. >> Mr. McDow, >> yes. >> Mrs. Beni, >> yes. >> Miss Santana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Scott Heden, >> yes. >> Miss Carbonel,
>> yes. Unfinished business. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Miss Antana. Yes. Um, I'm going to put this under unfinished business. Um, about a year ago, I was going to say today, but let's say about a year ago, I
had the pleasure of nominating Dixie Carbanell as president of this board. And I want to be the first one to say that it's been a journey. We've had a lot of work to do under you, essays, and I learned so much. You made me
uncomfortable in a space that I thought that I was uncomfortable, and I grew. Thank you so much. Thank you. You see, they're still trying to mute me. >> Thank you so much, Dixie Carbonel, for making me make sure I was prepared to
come to every meeting. Trust but verify is a term that I not only use here, but I've taken it into my professional space. I've grown with you. I've seen you grow. Being president is hard. >> Hello. Sorry. Yes. Thank you. Thank you
for all the work that you've done >> and I am very proud to sit with you through this whole entire time and in the future as long as you want to be board pre board member I am here with you. >> Thank you so much Dixie Carbonel. >> Thank you so much.
>> That was beautiful. Chad say seriously I didn't realize you guys remembered everything I said but thank you. >> Thank you so much. Um any other unfinished? No. Good. Oh, Mr. Cohen. >> Yes. I'd just like to share with the
board that uh Madame President uh and Miss Faria and I don't think there were any other colleagues uh attended the National Honor Society induction last week right before our work session. Uh it was mentioned earlier by Julia. It it was a
it was very gratifying to see the number of students who are so very accomplished as scholars among our high school seniors and the rest of the high school class and um it was just it was a pleasure to be able to participate in that and I'd like to add my thanks to your leadership throughout the course of
this year. >> Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. Well, now I may have to shed a few tears here. Thank you so much. >> Well, before before you start shedding tears, All right. Can I just say something from for the National Honor
Society event? >> It is one of my favorite events in the world. And who were the two young ladies that facilitated that? >> Miss Aras and Miss >> Oh, all right. It's been a long night. I just long day, but um I do want to give
them a shout out. It was a beautiful event. We had about 103 inductees that night. Um, which is unheard of. Um, so kudos to the job that everybody's doing, the parents that were there, the family and the students. So
very, very nice. Um, and I know Oh, Missi. >> Okay. >> And then Miss Sky. >> Okay. So, I just wanted to say thank you. Um, I've worked with you professionally um for over 20 years. and I have the
pleasure of working with you here on the board and um I'm amazed at all your accomplishments. Thank you for your leadership. Um you are a welcome um asset to our board and you did a
great job as president. So thank you. >> Thank you so much Nancy. >> I didn't realize that this was this night. >> Miss Scott Hayden. So, as your I guess right hand >> um as the VP, I would just want to say
thank you for your leadership on the board. Um although there were times that you know, you know, you can be a boss, you know what, but um with that being said, though, no, seriously, um your consistency and your leadership is appreciated. Your dedication to public
education, the students, this district, um is unwavering. I have grown a lot under you as your vice president, but also learned a lot from you in regards to um professionalism in this space and outside of this space. Um the fact that
I really deem you like Miss Claus because you check it once, you going to check it twice, right? That's just who you are. But also, if I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the kinetic energy that we shared prior to even becoming uh president, vice president, um just something that is different. Um,
I'm pretty sure Miss LC Ki Mackey can relate to that. Um, it's just something that is given and required. It's not um often found uh amongst uh all people, but when it is, that relationship makes it that much different. So, um, with that being said, just thank you for
being who you are. Um, please remain constant in that spiritual realm that you possess. You know what I'm talking about. Keep walking with that. And, um, yeah, I look forward to you, you know, sir. you may not be the president next year, but you're going to be in this space with us still doing this work. So, thank you.
>> Thank you so much. So, I would like to say echoing um my uh two name partner um madame president, thank you. You know, this year I have thoroughly enjoyed being a board member. I
appreciate you for the structure that you brought to the team. Um, I appreciate you for allowing us the voice to speak and as a board, I love being a part of this board and the ability to hear nine independent voices um, and
allow us to have our say heard, allow us to give our opinions um, in a respectful manner. I appreciate the, you know, you say, "I'm a strong woman." um pot calling the kettle black. Um with a lot of strong personalities
with us, but understanding our deep commitment to this district. Um you have navigated some complex scenarios this year and it has not been easy and it takes a toll mentally, spiritually and physically in some cases for you
>> and you have done it with as much patience um that some may not see. And when we're behind closed doors, we know your heart. We know your commitment to our children, to our educators, and to this district and community. So, thank
you for for helping me to find the way back into really enjoying this experience as being a board member. >> My god, that's >> and we look forward to you um from the other side moving away from the president's seat. Um so,
>> those of us that can be extra, welcome to the other side. >> Thank you so much. Thank you everybody. Um it has really really been a pleasure working with this team. You bring so
much to the table and as you know when I took on this role I I was hesitant um because I saw it as a sense of responsibility not only to the to the board to the administration but
to the parents to the staff and the students of this district. Um, listen, at the end of the day, we're not always going to agree. It's not always going to look pretty. Um, but we do have to challenge each other. I wholeheartedly believe in that if we are going to
improve. Um, and that's what we've done these past few months. Um, but it's been fun. It's also been fun. And I appreciate you saying you learned something from my leadership, but just be assured that I learned so much from
you as well in the process. Thank you. You your input enrich this seat right here and what the work that I needed to do. Thank you everybody. Thank you. Um, wow. I was not expecting that. Um,
new business, Miss Faria. >> So, I kind of been saving my thoughts um on all of that we've done today and I just really in the holiday spirit in the season, my sincere gratitude to everyone on this board, everyone employed in the
district, the senior leadership team. You know, we start off the year with a new vision. Um, we're a new mission for our district where empower and inspire every student every day. And today has been such a great example of that. From
thinking about the 103 seniors that were additionally added to the National Honor Society to the incredible numbers of students participating in afterchool sports to the way that we value every student in this district by providing special services to our most needy and
neurody divergent students for making them feel seen for our multilingual learners. Um it's not easy um coming into a new country and getting used to all of it. It's not easy for families. It's not easy for the children. Living
in that culture of where you grew up and coming into a new one and living in that split world when you're an immigrant and trying to navigate that is is challenging at times. And to see that we have so many dedicated staff under the leadership of this district. To really
make sure that every kid is seen, every kid is heard, every kid is loved makes this worthwhile. Makes me proud to be in education. makes me proud to serve on this board to make sure that we are moving this district forward. I want to
thank everyone because today was truly about that inclusion, every kid being seen, every kid. Um, and just my deepest sincere gratitude to everyone for doing that and I want to wish everyone a really really happy joyous holiday
season. >> Thank you. And Miss Fia, you and I talk about that all the time. I think we both came to this country at the same age, eight years old. And um I remember seeing snow
for the first time. But going into a school that is very different than what you're accustomed to can be so scary. And um even years later when I get tired, uh my accent tends to come out
more than usual. And people mistake that for your intelligence, not realizing that you you're probably your IQ is probably 10 times higher than theirs, but your pronunciation because you know another language is different. So I I am
happy and I and I thank you for saying that that as part of this wave of pre presentations that I set out for the year with Madame Vice, we left our most
vulnerable populations for tonight because it is really and truly reassuring what we heard tonight about the care that is taken in making sure that they are successful in our school community. So, Dr. Benquista to you and your team. Thank you everybody and an
awesome job. Thank you. Um, now we will go to comments from the public and and we thank you for your patience. I I get I'm going to guess but I will say that you are Miss Lette Cespes. Thank you so much.
>> And I couldn't have planned better. I wrote down what I wanted to say. I'll try to stay on time. Uh I time myself so I should be only a little bit over. But the what I wanted to talk about and present to you all tonight relates a lot to what has been discussed already about different students with differences and
um making sure that we have an inclusive environment. So I'm just going to read directly from here. I'm here tonight to speak on behalf of my son. And I just want to point out it's not an angry mom. Let's rephrase that to say that we are advocating for those children that don't
have the voices. And thank God that we have parents like yourself and other parents that are willing to speak up even when it's difficult and even when their voice shakes. I want to bring awareness to a situation that occurred just a few weeks ago with the hope that
it does not occur to another student or family. Very briefly, our son I have three children. He's my middle. Our son was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021 when he was in third grade. Since his diagnosis, my husband and I have been extremely
proactive with the school district, with his counselors, and with his teachers. In fact, we had to um as they presented that parents are the most uh common referral for services, we had to bring it to the attention of the school and he had a 504 plan put in place, a tool that
has been critical to his academic success. Unfortunately, last year we were recommended to have the 504 removed because the accommodations were no longer being used. If we could turn back time, we never would have removed the 504. This year, he started the seventh
grade in the honors program without a 504 in place. And five weeks into the first marking period, we noticed his grades slipping and that he was having difficulty completing assignments. This year there is a no late there there is implementation of a no late work
policy in the honors classes at Kami Middle School. We proactively requested a conference with all his teachers in mid-occtober. And I'll have you note that this is the first year that Kwami has honors for all of the four major academic classes. Previously, I think it was only two. He was in all four of the
classes, social studies, English, uh math, and science. During that conference, we learned that from his teachers, he appeared to be uninterested, to lack motivation, and was having trouble focusing in class, and requesting frequent bathroom breaks.
After hearing all of this, my husband and I promptly requested for his 504 to be reinstated. We consulted with his neurologist for medication adjustments, and we enrolled him in additional services uh privately to help with executive function training. His
neurologist provided an accommodation list which we shared with the school counselor and his teachers while the 504 evaluation was in process and had to be redone. Unfortunately, one of his teachers, Mrs. Jennifer Riser, did not believe, and I quote, that a 504 plan
aligns with being in honors classes. She said this during the conference. Despite knowing how my son was struggling, how much my husband and I were doing outside of the classroom to get him back on track and knowing that a 504 evaluation was occurring imminently, she refused to
provide him with additional time to submit one assignment and he began the second marking period with a failing grade. Of note, additional time for assignments was item number two on his accommodation list. When I requested for her to provide some flexibility for my son's assignment while he tried to get
back on track, she stated that she could not one make an excuse for one student and not others who also have extenduating circumstances and two, Kowami has an honors policy for no late work. So until the 504 plan was in place, she would not accept any late assignments.
>> Excuse me. Yes. Could you make your final comment? We're well over. >> Okay, I'm almost done. Following her response, I reached out to the principal to understand how the no lay work policy for the honors class came about since it was new for this year. There is in fact no policy but only a rule that's
implemented by the honors teachers and they could use their professional judgment. Mrs. Riser um sorry also gave him a failing grade for an essay because it was in my handwriting even after my son explained that I had simply rewritten his own work
for him to have it legible. I'm almost done. I've been waiting for two hours for him to type in class the following day. Rather than reach out to me to corroborate my son's story, she gave him a failing grade. >> Excuse. >> Yes. >> And not to be disrespectful,
>> the business administrator, we're just trying to comply with the board's policies with respect to the time limits. We do understand and respect the fact that you waited a long time. Um, however, I can represent to you that the superintendent will either personally or with his time. >> No, I' I've spoken to the superintendent. I just want to do one
one more paragraph if that's okay. >> According to the CDC, one in six children in the US has moderate to severe ADHD. And the more staggering statistic is by the age of 10, more than children with ADHD have heard 20,000 more negative comments than their
neurotypical teens. What I want to ask the board to examine is the rules that are in place in our schools. Are they objective? Do zero tolerance rules for homework create more rigor or do they isolate students? I also want to acknowledge that I have discussed this matter with the assistant superintendent
who provided great support. Today, my son is thriving in his classes and has improved significantly through a multi-prong approach that includes medication, executive training, and a 504 plan and collaborative teachers. Recently, one of his teachers emailed me to share how well he is doing and what
an improvement it has made. I hope that through sharing this story, this experience will not be in vain, but a catalyst for critical appraisal and improvement in our district. We just spent an hour discussing how we will leave no child behind. But here's an example of how my son could have been
left behind. And thanks to other teachers that jump in and this board and superintendent, he is doing much better now. But we need to examine the curriculum and some of these policies that are not truly inclusive and are leaving kids behind. Thank you.
Mrs. Pedes, I just want to say that thank you so much for sharing that with us. Um, it kind of saddened me to be honest when I first heard you start. Um, but I'm glad that we allowed you to finish that that's my only exception
this year as president. Um, but you left us with some hope. But you are right. That should never happen in our system. And I am glad that the administration worked to make sure that it didn't continue not only for your
student. I'm hoping that it didn't continue across the board. But as we learn about things like that, and I thank you for your courage and for being an advocate because we need to hear from the parents so that we can then speak to them, work together with the
administration and speak with them to make sure that those things do not happen in our district. Thank you so much. and and please understand we do appreciate you being here tonight. >> No, >> so listen, I I didn't see it as a
negative ending. um we could see that as a challenge or a problem. I so I see that as an opportunity for us to continue to learn and grow. So thank you to you and many blessings and the board is here should
you ever need us again. Thank you so much. U Felis Navidida, happy holidays everybody. Felis Navidida, happy Quanza. What else are we celebrating? >> Hanukkah. >> Hanukkah. Um, and whatever else you
celebrate, um, enjoy your break and and spend it with those you love. Like I, you know what I feel about that? Even if it's with crackers, as long as you're with people you love, that's a celebration in itself. Thank you so much. >> Um, you may I believe we can adjourn,
right? All say all the same. >> I >> motion to adjurnn. >> So move. >> So move. Second. >> All right. I heard a thousand people, but I think it was Miss Mani and Miss Farina. >> Um, roll call, please. Miss Capiello. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Veni. >> Yes. >> Miss Santana. >> Mrs. Scott Hayden. >> Yes. >> Miss Carbon. >> Yes.