e good evening everyone I would like to invite you to the February 25th 2025 Board of Education meeting we are calling the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. if everyone could please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance the United States of America
to the IT stand Nation indivisible thank you a reading of meeting notice the New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at
which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provision of the act the board of Verona board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published in the Star Ledger posted with the township of Verona and the Verona
Education Association postings of this meeting setting forth the time location and agenda were posted at the Verona Board of Education Office and on the Verona Public School District website copies of tonight's agenda and resolutions have been made available to
the public via the Board of Education website Mr Cruz can you please call attendance sure Mr Waka president Mrs Farrar Mrs prisco here Mrs brazal here Mr Boom here we have Corum thank you
thank you um I need a motion to improve the minutes of our last meeting so moved I'll second okay moved by Mr wer second by Mr Boon can we have a roll call please Waka yes Mrs farara yes Mrs
prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mr Boon yes motion Caris thank you and I guess we'll go right into our superintendent report from Dian d oh good evening um we do have a presentation
tonight for preliminary budget so I'm going to try to keep this short but uh some good stuff happening the Essex County gifted and talented uh steering committee held its annual totally Global competition on February 5th in rosand uh this um competition was among fourth and
fifth grade students from area schools who took a qual qualifying test to compete in the event students competed as um randomly assigned teams this year tackling a variety of social studies challenges there were 20 teams and uh 10 rounds of competition the top scoring
teams earned trophies for first second and third place with three Verona students among the winners the winners in Verona were Alexi ganzy grade four at Lanning Avenue School on the first place team Audrey cypriano uh hbw grade five
on the second Place team and Evan shmaker uh from Forest Avenue grade four on the third place team the other students from Verona who participated were Sebastian Sai Mato Nigro Ellie Rivera will manzon Leo Lim Nora dukus uh
Sophia sucker Aaron frinkle Alice Turk uh Oliver stawi I'm so sorry um I'm not going to pronounce that again because I'm not going to be able to do it um and I did practice um Elizabeth calman and um academic
enrichment teachers Angela capana and Jennifer kleinet uh organized the trip for uh for our students um another event that's upcoming uh parent and clipton Schools teacher Kelly mackinery is working uh partnering with several uh Verona Public
Schools teachers and administrators at of FN Brown hbw and VHS to celebrate the world Down syndrome day with rock socks which is just always a great uh day um each year on March 21st people all around the world come together to celebrate World Down syndrome Day by
wearing brightly colored mismatched socks March 21st is symbolic because people with Down Syndrome have three copies of their 21st chromosome socks were chosen because the kot type um which is a picture of the chromosome um actually of down syndrome uh chromosomes
look like mismatched socks so uh Verona teachers involved Mrs Sapienza at FN Brown Mrs Albano Mr Mrs Su and Dr Smith at hbw and Mr ricelli at the high school our next professional development
day for teachers is on March 5th and here are just a few of the offerings that uh we are making available uh for our teachers and this is all inhouse um uh all of our administrators are offering something I'm offering something many of our teachers are
offering something um they can choose uh they choose two sessions uh acadians reading oneone a beginner's guide to understanding and using data bringing balance practical mindfulness for the classroom building mathematical reasoning through number tasks and act talks and activities executing effective
simulations for student engagement from data to dialogue connecting with families about aadience uh and there's more than this so I'm just this is just a few neurodiversity um non and non apparent disabilities neurodiversity teaching the the whole child with strengths based
mindset managing your classroom cooperating cooperatively supporting multilingual Learners supporting student mental health transforming relationships integrating compassion and presence in the classroom unlocking our students potential through differentiating
instruction um using data to drive small group instruction and there's two sessions one for K2 and one for 35 and um Clos line math uh making proportional thinking experiential and that's about half of what the offerings for our teachers
are um there is going to be a change to the calendar I don't think it has to be board approved it's just um the state changed the day of the election day from June 2nd to June 10th so on our calendar we currently are uh listing June 2nd as
a potential give back day that would be June 10th the reason for that give back day is to close schools on Election Day so I will make that change on the calendar and I'll highlight it we'll send it back out to par answered that they're aware of the change um tonight on the uh agenda we have policy and
regulation 5516 use of communication electronic communications or smart devices um this for first reading um this uh regulation and policy are a result of the smart device policy committee which we uh talked about last
um meeting uh the board May notice and the community may notice that we chose to allow students to have access to their cell cell phones during lunch and study as well as passing time at the high school this decision um resulted from a pretty
lengthy discussion uh led by Mrs arrian who is always a strong advocate for students um learning how to advocate for themselves and um uh the importance of teaching the appropriate use of cell phon since our kids going to college
after four years of high school will have unfettered accents to cell phones we'd like to show model for them and show them how they can use those responsibly interestingly enough I attended a webinar today titled cell phones and self-control how School leaders and families can support
adolescence this was uh put uh out by um Panorama education and it uh featured um developmental psychologist Dr Angela Duckworth um who we know being uh for her work with mindset um Dr Duckworth works at um um
University of Pennsylvania um during the webinar Dr D Dr Duckworth shared her research on the relationship between cell phone use self-control and academic success in adolescence Dr Duckworth's finding on how thoughtful approaches to cell phone use can enhance self-control
and academic success was interesting and timely to the discussion that we're having here it reinforced the idea of modeling good appropriate smartphone use and providing strategies that are effective to improve self-control around cell phone and device use um uh the
webinar uh recording is going to be shared with me if you if the board is interested in seeing that I'd be more than happy to share that with you was a free webinar so there's no copyright issues um it was really interesting I mean a lot of her work has to do with um you willpower and what they found is
in a a really interesting study um they had a control applying willpower and applying other strategies willpower and the control were dead even so willpower has no effect when it comes to cell phone so telling kids to put their cell phones away um is really or to not have
them out when they're studying there was one really interesting uh and I don't have my notes here but I remember this one they they said adults that are taking online IQ tests if their cell phone is near them even if they don't go
to it will score lower on the IQ test just because of the anxiety that that you know it's there it's there it's there and um it's so interesting the level of addiction that um we have to our smart devices anyway it was a very good um
webinar she's always impressive and I will share that um share that out with the board anyone that wants to see it um our students in our lld and LSS programs uh in kindergarten through 12th grade will be taking a really exciting field
trip to lifetown in Livingston um if you don't know what lifetown is it is um I visited the center last Friday with the Essex County Superintendent round table but Mrs Simmons and Mrs kler visited uh did a site visit a couple maybe a month and a half ago and um it
is uh it's um it's like a town so it has in it um shops there's a bank bike rental theater bookstore copy center R RWJ Barnabas Health which includes um a
doctor's office a dental office and a nutrition office shop right team gear flower shop nail salon a hair salon laundr mat um uh Pet Shop arts and hobbies and an
ice cream stand and so students uh uh in the curriculum they go in and they get a wallet with withdrawal slip each student uh will get 12 will go to their first stop is the bank they hand the withdrawal slip to the teller they get $12 uh real 12 US
Dollars and they can spend that any way that they want um throughout the town learning um really great life skills um the popcorn smelled great but they also have other programs they have a pool they have a sand room they have um a
gymnasium that is sound um controlled so that any student with sensory issues is not going to get Jarred from uh the sound of basketball bouncing um they have a sensory room uh really it's an amazing place it is uh um so they learn
money management following directions problem solving functional communication time management social skills budgeting Safety and Security employment and independent living skills so uh they will spend the day there uh next week we're um trying to secure
Transportation yeah um so that is uh my uh report for this evening thank you very much uh just one small technical question on the uh video you mentioned the webinar that's free and I know our our site isn't designed to do this but is there any way
we can post it or post a link to it off of our site so our parents could maybe benefit from I could I could ask Panorama if they allow that I mean it was a free webinar yeah I mean it's it's useful for us sure but I think it would really really help communicating that with the parents as
well I will check with panorama I have a question too so um the the policy about the cell phones that you you mentioned um that the committee worked towards um I I'll vote Yes if this is the final draft I
know it's only the first reading um but the one thing I I I would like the EI the board or the committee to to consider adding some something into this regulation or the policy that makes it where the district the
onus is on the district not only to to teach students you know good cell phone behaviors um and and not to use it during biology class but the cell phone's an instrument of sabotage for the kids when us correctly so I'd like to see the
district have some kind of owners to teach about you know how this could be used for gambling addiction or or how people or social media addiction or addiction to internet reels or or any of the millions of things you can get yourself in trouble with on on on that device um because I think that
would we're at a point now where we're not just going to be able to rely on solving this problem from 8 in the morning to 4 pm and then think it's solved so I'd like to see us look to make a a more 24-hour based approach if possible a suggestion was made on the
committee that we should provide um self-paced parental um online courses about um cell phone use and Internet safety um my concern is obviously that's a cost of the district that we clearly don't have budgeted for and we had that
great program last year in 2023 that was um not well attended either over we simoc casted as well but we can certainly somehow work this into a curriculum it's important I just it is
it has to be a a s dollar Mount next to the district will invest x amount or I I'd like to see something where because the language was spoke about like appropriate cell phone Lang or behaviors uh but I think we should also include language to say the district will also look to address the potentially
potentially dangerous cell phone behaviors that that this students this age have have fallen victim to and not at the risk of putting words in your mouth Mr Waka but you you among the things you mentioned there something very um um notable uh gambling addiction
particularly those um under the age of 18 even shouldn't uh they're gaining access to sports books by their parents giving them a DraftKings account and where I'm going with this is what you were saying is that parents have a role
in Healthy Lifestyles for the children and so there's an opportunity to help help us help parents help their children I I absolutely agree um I think that while also our um I think in general our Instinct may be to think
about middle middle and high school students when we're thinking about this type of instruction but I think we should actually consider how we can tap into the elementary school because this is when we're going to be able to get the children before they already right have the phone and have and and I'm not I'm not saying
at all to to not also put forth that effort for our middle and high school students but I think that if we're talking about curriculum perhaps you know when we're thinking about character Ed with our with our counselors and things of that nature it's something that we can easily tuck in um
and just speaking even to the gambling at the younger ages they're already starting to Target these children through the games so they're they're they're getting them ready very and and to your point starting with the younger students um one of the committee members
was sharing that her child um received their first phone um in the fourth grade um and that's when many of our students here because they're going from elementary into Middle School um but in their house the cell phone never went to
the second floor the cell phone didn't go into the bedroom it and that's just been and so now that's not even an expectation of of her child she doesn't have to it's a norm so if we start talking to kids early on it does become part of the norm
of how they use cell phon so I agree starting earlier is really where it's at because our I mean not that we can't re-engage students that are older um but you try to not take your cell phone into
the bedroom the addiction lens is more of of what needs to be addressed with the high school students because that's but gambling I lost I left my phone at my sister's I was anxious all day like I didn't have my phone now I this is my
business phone so I use it for business but and I will tell you it would have been just as anxious for me if it wasn't so I you you kind of feel like how they how they feel um anything else I'm just going to pitch in about the phone thing but like just like from like a
student-based perspective like it actually I mean it is kind of like it is a very big problem within I guess the student body I just like teenagers as a whole like even myself I find myself like it's like these like I guess like the the dopamine just like not even from
like going on your phone just like opening your phone to something it just it's like it's on and off and like I would say that I'm myself I'm like a all right like maybe like on the worst side but like there are definitely people who have like they're spending like especially concerning like the education side of things like at home they're
spending like what like overall the entire day like 10 hours on the devices and that's just like kind of crazy to me and I do believe that it is like something that can be rooted out at like the younger ages as well also just like to to route back to um M's report about
U Angel Angelina Duckworth I think I don't know if a lot of people know about her but I think she's a very great public speaker I think she's a psychologist some of some sort but like if I think like just what she's preaching is very important in terms of
like education and just like motivation General like I her most popularized work is uh her tet talk on grit it's I I heavily recommend it and I think she has a lot of great things to say so I think I feel like everyone should check out what she has to say in general about education the school school system
people being motivated and just like psychology in general I feel uh what M Missi had said about the phones and like the correlations was very interesting as well and very important especially in such a modern society that we now live
in you're right Ryan she is very she is a developmental psychologist she's very right and thanks for saying what you said Ryan I agree with you um and I I also think too that you're seeing kids walking into a building now in the morning 8 o'clock in the morning
they look like zombies because they've been up some of these kids at two or three in the morning and this is what they're doing and and it's really easy to sneak this by Mom and Dad when this is also my alarm clock in my bedroom with that that we rely on and my mom and Dad are sleeping they don't know about it um but I I think this is having a
whole lot of like I just really believe that the the cell phones in the schools they're not really the problem at all it's it's the cell phones outside of the school and and what they're bringing into the school that's that's what I think we're we're trouble yeah I I agree I think that that's where the root of the problem is but I have to tell you
last year in this building alone it was not as bad it's not as bad as in in hbw walking into a classroom and seeing a third of the class on their phones during instruction you're just not learning so and I do know our teachers
and some of our students are reporting that because they don't have it out anymore it it has to be turned off or on do disturb or in or in the phone caddy there's I don't know that there's a phone caddy oh it's over there um we should ble that yes the phone c yeah my
son is home alone by the way so that I'm getting this is why I do need it for right now they are more engaged that students have we're getting reports from teachers and students that there is better engagement um that the phone isn't there and you're absolutely right Ryan it is
it is a chemical response to gratification so um listen I need to study my math homework or I can go on social media and watch it real it's a no-brainer I think it's also important to know just um even you know we're speaking about of parents of we
are parents and teachers and the truth of the matter is that as parents I think we use our toolboxes right we we use what we know what we were talk growing up what we what we know of that and as teachers we do that as well and we we're living we have been living in a time but
we don't have that in our toolbox right we don't it wasn't something that we grew up with so we many of us handed the phones over to our children um and now we're figuring out as we're going what to do so I think just um it's stressful as parents it's
stressful as teachers so I do just kind of going back to what Chris was saying you know as we're implementing this policy really for us to think about how we can support the parents and the teachers and kind of building these little two boxes and figuring out on the way but we have to give ourselves some Grace to
yeah thank you I agree okay great um moving I don't have Mr Cruz's presentation so do we want to do I'm no I'm saying I don't have it on the agenda it's do we want to do it after or do you
want to do now or after Ryan I don't really care whatever you guys want to do you guys flip a coin I don't care we'll do Ryan first let's do Ryan first he's before we get into to the depression okay okay um good evening so
so far we are very deep into February and we are definitely soon heading to March and great things are definitely continuing to happen so with our winter Athletics programs uh the girls basketball team is uh in preparation for their um upcoming States matches and the
cheerleading team had competed this weekend I uh in the New Jersey uh cdca state championships on the wrestling team John stockelberg and uh Joel Gonzalez had uh each reached the the impressive landmark
of having 100 wins and uh at the group winter track championships this Sunday uh five members of the girls winter track team had qualified to compete at the state group championships with notably VHS Jr Gwen Neil once again
winning the 800 meter race um sorry the student council plans to host this year's uh second student and faculty volleyball tournament fundraiser just raise more money in general it's usually very lucrative and uh profitable for
student council and getting that going and the uh Avant guard Club is accepting submissions of poetry stories articles and art and all mediums uh for their yearly magazine and we have um Verona child's inclusive
School week's poetry contest which um for the high school was won by uh a freshman uh Katherine patrcia so congratulations to her and VHS Spotlight players is presenting the 2025 spring musical something rotten at
VHS uh the shows will be at 7 pm. from the uh 6th of March to the 8th with an additional performance um on the 8th Saturday 2 2 p.m. and um VHS is excited to will offer
marching band as an extra curc extracurricular activity for the upcoming school year so the marching band will be open to all students interesting interested in performing or designing a show and uh it will be headed by Mr fut and it will be featuring um a moton celebration show
and we're really thrilled to have Mr FL take up this mantle of being the marching band director and I I guess bring his new style and his own taste to the program which is very exciting uh but we also are um however we are also bidding farewell to Mr lnch as the
marching band director which is um 20 plus years of immense dedication and contribution have definitely had a very lasting impact on the program but it's also also along with marching band it's extraordinarily exciting to have uh the
opportunity to have a full year concert band class throughout the entire year which is of course still headed by Mr Lynch and then two weeks down the line um the VHS will be administering the NJ GPA test which is necessary for juniors
as part of their graduation requirements and it will be administered from the 10th of March to the 13th and that is all you very much and then we'll move on to Mr Cruz all right good evening everyone uh
so tonight we have our preliminary budget uh presentation for 2526 school year uh just to give you a little insight on the way that the um I'm sorry I just skipped the slide
so the timeline that you see here on the school's budget um in December we had all of our administrative staff um uh as far as like building principles uh Department had submit their uh budgetary
needs for the 25 26 school year uh that was reviewed by uh the superintendent myself and uh the next phase is currently where we at it's uh uh sharing with the finance committee and uh really focusing on the needs on the priorities
for the 25 26 school year uh this presentation is uh very high level numbers uh one of the missing components is the state aid uh figures uh that is uh uh due to come out on Thursday so the governor's giving his uh budgetary
address uh this afternoon um that was and then uh uh New Jersey doe will release uh the state aid figures for each School District on Thursday so we'll have those numbers and on March 11th the next board meeting we'll be able to share with you the tenative
budget to be adopted by the board and submitted to uh the county office for approval once that's done the final budget presentation is going to be on April 29th um and that will be presented to the public as
well and lastly uh we do have two seats in our um board um for the November 2025 uh election so our mission statement is to empower our students to cultivate their intellectual curiosity and social
responsibility uh the next slide I'll turn over to superintendent dii who will be Shar sharing the budgetary goals for the 25 26 school year okay um our our goals is are to maintain um class sizes within policy uh
guidelines this is getting harder and harder to do uh especially at our elementary grade levels uh where we are seeing this year we have one two three four four kindergarten classes that are
upwards of 24 and 25 students that is uh right at the state um limit uh kindergarten is the only uh class size that the state U monitors and prevents us from going over 25 if you go over 25
you have to put a power professional in the classroom um we are at 24 in two classes and we are at 25 in one and we are actually um just got a new student in uh who is the 26th but it's 26 and
roster only um because one of our one of those students is on the roster for that kindergarten but actually it's in our lldd class so the county gave us the okay to put that child in that class um we um are we do have in our
budget you can see below we do have uh an increase in teaching staff um in the elementary grade levels to try to offset some of those class sizes um we would like to provide um uh additional program for instance stage two of the schedule
redesign at hbw to allow for intervention opportunities that's at no C there's no cost to the district um to make those changes what it does is reallocate staff so that we can have um intervention uh which we don't currently have at any in any great um extent if
you remember Mr gal's presentation several weeks ago um he went over that pretty thoroughly um we do have a stage one schedule redesign at the elementary schools to address uh equity and preparation periods across the grade levels uh currently there's a an
inequity in the number of um preparation minutes between uh some of the grade levels and in our um memorandum of agreement with the vaa during negotiations we did agree uh to try to equalize that um it will
um it does require us to increase um some of the teaching not new teaching staff but it does require us to increase World Language um from part-time to full-time in the elementary um grade levels uh we are trying to provide
increased support staff we currently are un not completely staff uh in the par professional realm the substitute and lunch Aid uh positions um part of this um budget includes includes pay increases for bus drivers and power
professionals um we currently pay what are bus drivers are 17 an hour 23 oh that's I'm sorry that's par professionals $23 an hour Cedar Grove is paying uh over $33 an hour so we are not competitive with what we're paying our
bus drivers um and our power professional U salary guide is um also needs to be adjusted um we start our power professionals at $17 an hour and they're on that step for five years so they don't get a pay increase until year
six they do not they and then yeah and then they don't make $20 an hour until year 11 um many districts start their par professionals at 20 $21 an hour uh so we
are trying to equal trying to balance that guide to provide some of the most I mean really important staff they do the hard work of working with our neediest kids um and we really feel as a board I know the board felt this way and Mr Cruz and I
and Mrs Simmons as well that um we need to find a way to pay them more than I mean they can make more in McDonald's and it's and we have to stay within the 2% um salary cap plus any available waivers and I think Mr Cruz is
going to talk about a potential waiver that's out there yes thank you so the next slide here uh we see the revenue projections or 2526 so our 2% increase in our tax levy uh brings uh to
the 2526 school years 77191 that that will be the 2% uh increase on our base tax levy uh the other uh revenues um this is actually increase um beyond the projected
revenues that we receed so uh other Revenue category could be tuition uh use of facilities um building usage Etc so so right now the or um also uh the gain the interest that we receive because
interest rates are not going up they're going down um our projections for next year is pretty um to keep those um pretty flat or even um if uh because the FED is actually not moving rates at all um is basically to keep them flat and
not try to over project on on the interest Revenue so only 35 348 is being received from that so total revenue is um 87,3 61 uh the excess Surplus um from our fund balance from uh
fiscal year 24 and that's the number that we received from our last audit presentation which is the N9 93,9 188 so I just want to highlight that it's important for us to continue generating a surplus year after year of
this amount close to million because we're going to be relying on uh additional increases of operating costs that's beyond 2% uh that's can continue actually uh being a factor when we start
budgeting and we're going to rely on a fund balance uh to be generated in order to supplement um The increased cost year after year uh so being able to have uh being able to do this uh going forward is crucial in our operating forecast so
if we are not able to generate at the end of this school year close to a million doll uh fund balance it is going to impact us for the 26 27 school year so I just want to U make sure that that we're aware that uh how important the fund balance um is so the estimated
Revenue uh increase for 25 26 and this is not including the the state aid number is 1.7 million so that's the additional Revenue that we're going to be working at so now the the other side of the budget which is our um
expenditures it's supposed to match the increase on the revenue but I'm pretty sure you guys all are know that that's not the case um so our expenses that right now is currently a lot higher than the revenue so um total expenditure as
of as of right now is 3.2 million so there's a a $1.5 million uh Gap so right now um the increase in salaries is uh a million uh benefit increase is almost a million is $936,000 uh increase in special life
cost $798,000 uh in the curriculum Department 48,000 central office $111,000 increase uh other discretionary funds for schools $182,000 uh it 11,000 Athletics 177,000
um building grounds 95,000 and then others uh 7 1,000 so that that's where that total uh 3.2 number is coming from uh the next slide is the uh difference between um basically
what what that amount is which is that 1.5 difference uh 78.6% of our budget is salaries and benefits uh one of the things um as Mr jei uh mentioned that 2% uh cap um what
what we're going to be allowed to do is the the waivers that we do qualify because the benefit cost is costing uh for this 25 26 year uh 12% it's going to allow the board to decide on um raising
uh the cap beond 2% and it's a potential 1.53% can what's the max we could raise it to uh so an additional one one 1 point 53% which is 3.53% 3.53 and that's all the board has
to do is vote we don't have to do anything else other than just vote on it yes prove it because we qualify um for the waiver how long is this waiver it's for it's for this uh 25 26 year so if we don't do it this year we might miss the boote correct so it's a one time it's a
one time it's uh it's um uh not not as like if we uh it's not that we're um banking cap because we already ex exceeding the 2% when would we be a have to make that decision we have to by the
April 29th um uh presentation that and and the state aid um when will we have a better window until what's that so that that number is going to uh be released on Thursday so the next board meeting we'll have a better number and at that
point um we will be able to kind of balance the budget and actually present something that's more realistic of of being able to to work with and can you remind me and I don't have it in front of me what was our state aid last year or for this past budget season so I
don't have that and and um but I'll I'll have it for you yeah and and comparon at worst at worst case scenario they said districts won't lose more than 3% of their state aid from the previous year um but we don't really get too much right so we it's about three million but
I'll have an exact number and I'll I'll sure I'll have a slide comparing uh the current or the last three years so you guys could have a sense of where state aid funds are at and if you could could we and it does have to be now obviously um could you tell us if we did increase
to 3.53% what that what the budget what impact that would have to the 1.5 million that we're currently over so that additional 1.53% is uh it's like 530,000
so it's still we're still over by a million and yeah you also provide us with um whatever the per per household raise would the average of that would be on the on the 1.53 yeah because it's to me it's it's either we say we're just
going to go two or we say let's get the full 3.53 I don't see any benefit for trying to be cute and it's got to be one or the other and um you know there's I think the people that are on fixed income you know that's something we we have to be mindful of but we also also
have to be mindful of what's the best thing we could do with our decision in this matter for for the district so I think that information would help yeah so happened to see a blurb in the I just read news today then that the governor did say he was going to do another 900
it said after becoming the first governor to fully fund the K12 school funding formula when did that happen sorry I digressed um um this budget includes a record-breaking 12.1 billion for K12
schools uh a greater than 3.9 billion increase since fiscal year 2018 so it's it's a it's an increase uh from when he took office um and it just confirms what what Mr Walker just said that um state aid will not decrease by an amount
greater than 3% of the prior year state aid in four primary categories Equalization Aid special education Aid security and transportation a th Thursday okay yeah and and I I hate to ask um I mean
we we've discussed this uh many times but just for the public listening um I've been approached just random citizens um concerned about any potential impact of uh lower Federal funding can you explain how again for
the public how that comes into this yes so so that's a great question Mr bua I have this slide here which uh highlights some of the variables that we just need to be aware of um one of them is uh increase in enrollment uh especially
having um housing AC um in Verona with the potential of uh of seen increase for the next school year uh because uh any increase en of enrollment there's no additional of um Aid that's actually going to be provided because uh this Aid
that we're going to get from the state is based off on October 15 numbers so we won't be able to see an increase there so that's another Factor um just to be aware of the the other piece is um ensuring that uh a reduction in out of
uh a district placement in special ed uh trying to ensure that our special programs is able to provide um uh an environment for every student in Verona and ensuring that that's actually uh the best possible solution to uh be able to
educate every Verona student in our schools uh the other piece is um there might be an opportunity of breakage um when a staff member retires or there's a res resignation and and we're hiring at
um at a lower step in the in the salary guide uh but I know that depending on the position that might not be um so feasible and especially in the harder fill areas yeah that gets that's getting increasingly more difficult and then uh as we as Mr Walker
mentioned the federal aid accounts for $670,000 of our Revenue so that uh any reduction in the federal aid uh especially because um a big a big trunk is uh Ida which is 550,000
and uh the other will be the title funds and and other uh federal grants um uh that might be mixed in there that will fund uh summer program Etc and those in the community that don't know what idea is um that's the individual with uh
disabilities Education Act um so that 500 or so thousand doll uh that's earmarked for Ida is not discretionary funds um those are legal requirements locked into um individual education program um requirements that were
provided that we're required to provide so of that federal aid if we were to lose it um we just we have to find it somewhere we have to find it from general education and if and if I'm not mistaken
even if say idea goes away and the funding also goes away with it New Jersey state regulations mirror current idea regulations so we would have to provide the same supports and we would want to provide the same supports and services to all our students that need
it um but we would we would still have the obligation state law to provide the same placement Services Etc without the funding that goes along with it I just have a quick question just going back to state aid last year um we didn't see any change in the
equalization Aid that we received I know that a lot of districts did see that I'm I'm and I know that we'll get the numbers next week but I'm I'm concerned because of the increase of property values do you anticipate that we're going to see a difference in that Equalization Aid this time around or do
you think that we'll no so for from um from what I'm seeing I'm don't anticipate uh Equalization change yeah yeah what they told us at our County meeting on Friday is um where you'll see some of the cuts will be Believe It or
Not Special Education Aid question I guess is to the first part of one of the first parts of the budget about the the class size issue is is this an issue where is is the lack of classes what's causing it or is it the
lack of Staff that's causing these the the ratios that are getting to the point where we might be a little uncomfortable with that's a good question it depends on the building so um at Landing we don't have the classroom space to like to split one of those kindergartens we didn't have the classroom space to do
that every room is used um at Forest same thing every room is used uh even our maker space that we were using as a maker space for while is actually being used as a small group instruction classroom um uh we do have the uh classroom space uh available I think we
have one classroom at Brown and we have one or two classrooms at Brookdale so I was hopeful that wasn't the answer uh but I thought it would be because I guess my next question is then do you foresee that this board may
look to explore the idea of redistricting if if if there's some you know vacancy available in some places and not in others that is one option that um my administrative team and I are going to start sit down with the maps and look at
numbers and see uh what reconfigure what reconfiguration is a potential to address um the problem because we really I spoke to Mr Cruz recently unless you want to go out with a referendum that's going to impact taxes we don't have the option for a zero impact referendum
until 2030 so I guess my point is that like if no one wants to do that I think we'd all prefer like let's not have to do this um but if like we all volunteered to do this we all signed
up to be here if if it's something where this District says for the for the betterment of the whole operation and all the kids that this is something a decision we're gonna because it'll be super controversial um you know then we have to make it but if if we could do it without having to make that that would be even better but I just don't think we
we should look to duck away from it if it if it's something that if it's found to be this is what we have to do well and the other other school that's ated breaking point is hbw right that's not going to improve anytime um to to Mr waka's Question um
if if we were to explore that is there a deadline for the new school year that we have to execute on District correct that would be uh the soon we could do that probably if we had to would be the 20
26 September 2026 that's a that's a big undertaking that's not something we can do quick we couldn't be ready by next year for that explore the opport I mean the option of asking parents to voluntarily move to a different I mean I
know that's an option um but the option if I recall doesn't come with a guarantee that you get to stay there for all like if I wanted to send my kids in kindergarten to Brookdale um because they had space right um in smaller classes there's no guarantee that my kid
could stay there through fourth grade if I made that that choice now so we would try to to um to do so let me tell you what happened last year Brookdale had uh 26 registrants per kindergarten early on right after kindergarten registration
and we always get two or three more you know over the summer so we added a kindergarten teacher to Brookdale so we had two kindergartens that were in the teens class size when FN Brown started seeing an uptick of their kindergarten numbers Dr Lanzo approached me about
splitting one of those sections but at the same time Lanning was also seeing an uptick so it would have been a section at Brown and a section at Lanning so we offered to parents uh in kindergarten at at Brown and Lanning if they wanted to go to Brookdale they could and we had 10
takers uh we do have one or two that want to go back to their home school this year we're trying trying to make that work um but the class is still big the kindergarten class the rising first grade classes are going to be large so the uh last slide here is
basically the uh upcoming uh events the next uh steps is uh getting those um numbers for state aid uh being released by the state on uh February 28 uh Follow by uh we're going to actually have our tenative budget presentation the next
board meeting which is March 11th and uh that's when we are going to be submitting once the board approves the tenative budget it'll be submitted to the uh County Superintendent um before the March uh 17th uh deadline are you looking because you
know we we can't put things on on the agenda unless it's a policy things that's it's our policy um how are we gonna is we just G to do through public discussion or we just gonna do we does this board want to have orge and and Diane decide to put what
the tax increase would be on an agenda and then we say yes or no and talk about it in public session then what do you guys think I mean I definitely would want to have time to see what the increase would be and and have the opportunity to have a discussion before it's on the agenda for a vote because this one would it need one vote or two
votes for something like this it would just be a one time three to five gets it thing correct so we have to we have to approve it on the the 11th and then we have to don't we have to vote again on the 29th correct of April
so we have it's a it's a two vote we have to the end of April to make that decision on taxes so we have how many board meetings till then one two 11 2 so so three so the next at the 11 yes at the next um board meeting we have to
make a decision on what that is but we have until the 29th to make edits and revisions so do we want to have the the district give us facts the next board meeting and then and then during public discussion decide we want to put on the agenda is that what you guys yeah I'll
be comfortable with that yeah I agree and then can we also just to Circle back to the um the referendum just to make sure I'm understanding this so in order for that to be the 0% that is not Happ not able to happen till 2030 right so our bond um will get paid off in 2030 so we go out with a referendum that just
extends that that what the taxes are now if we were to go out to a referendum before that that's a tax increase so when we're thinking about potential increase we want to also consider the fact that that would already be a potential increase then we wouldn't really be able to make any other increase with the referendum until at
least 2030 2030 as to not completely imp right right so you you could go out for another referendum and um so in 2030 that's actually a zero increase right is almost like going to out and rebounding the
existing referendum so it's a $9 million um referendum that's coming off the books so that's basically allowing us to go out and and and do capital projects worth $9 million at at a zero increase to uh
taxpayers uh if we were to go out on on another referendum that would be an additional increase in our in our tax base to that's that's a that would be an important vote without a doubt so if if your office could do like a headcount maybe 48 hours earlier because I think
we all really should be there and cast a vote on that okay so this concludes uh the presentation thank you thank you Mr Cruz Mr Cruz okay so moving on to committee reports did facilities meet facilities
and finance mat okay you do facilities I'll do Finance it was a quick meeting um so we met facilities met uh last week um just some updates uh we are looking to get um they're obtaining some quotes for our
the replacement of the boilers at hbw and we are in the process of interviewing for custodi a night custodian that might have been um decided already and also interviewing for um a maintenance per um electrician
for his for that position else um let see we have storage rooms up here in the high school that we're looking to get cleaned out and have
the all the stuff stored so hopefully that'll free up some spaces but um I think that might be difficult because of the way everything was filed it's not by year yeah the the problem is is with
certain files certain Student Records specifically special education records you only have to keep them for so many years and then um you would send a letter out to everyone that was receiving special art services that year and say this is your your records are going to be disposed of by such and such
a date please let us know if you'd like if you'd like them we would make them available to you you have to make several attempts at that and then if you don't if people don't want them or don't come forward and saying they do want them you can destroy somebody I'm not sure who or when um decided to file
these alphabetically rather than by year so we have 150 file cabinets of special ed files from 50 so years ago that are filed by Alpha not by year so um that
task of going through all of those files and organizing by year would have to happen before we can um get rid of them and I I know the answer to this I have to ask anyway there is no cost benefit to having a service digitize these for
say keeping you looked into that didn't you but well cost effect yeah yeah yes I mean so there is a a cost and uh we did get a proposal we we did ask for a new proposal to to just uh have an idea and
this will be through like a state contract uh but the the last proposal we received was a little over $440,000 to be able to digitize um reality of it is paying someone to go through all of those files is going to be 440,000
so is that something we I that's actually cheaper than I thought um is that something we want to explore well obviously yes but does anyone ever come like saying like 1991 I
want my my report card interesting we we did um put out uh so we did get some people that would like their their records yes no well the reality of it is too if you go back back you know 35 years do you even have a valid address or contact
information for people so you also have to put an out in the paper you know what papers are left on real quick um again they're also it's in the future The Five-Year planning about the baseball field the football field the turf the bleachers um
they did talk about the bleachers up at the high school field um putting in some handrails for people to get up and down the bleachers um so that would be great if we can get that for safety measures again with the fiveyear plan um
cost on the turf will have to be replaced and the Press Box at the VHS and I think that's about it Mr Boon did I miss anything no you you got it it's basically a lot of repeating what's been on here so thank
you thank you very much Mr prisco Mr Boon are you going to do Finance I'll do Finance um we got the headline uh news on the uh Financial discussion uh but just a couple uh quick points um and I and I I'm going to mention these but
there's a reason I'm mentioning them um we're um continuing on with our audit services and then also uh the resolution to uh stay with the school board cooperates on electric and gas um I highlight these because uh to Mr Cruz's
credit he is working to um really keep the costs down in on these programs to keep them flat and they're minor things but I think it's in that spirit that um looking under every Rock to save every
couple thousand dollars here and there it really adds up and it's uh something that I think um I I don't think it qualifies as austerity but it qualifies as just hitting everything where we can save money uh is going to be very
crucial going forward and I applaud our leadership on doing that um the rest of the steps that we have here uh we are um moving forward on the uh RFP for the Food Service um we will be dis begin
discussing that um March 11th meeting Mr Cruz um and then um the mediation continues on the uh playground uh program and then um our uh again we have
the rod Grant um just again one uh total cost of that uh is um toward uh our hbac upgrades that's a $1.9 million projected cost 40% of that will be covered by the rod Grant uh and then the 60% 60% will
be covered by the capital reserves uh and that's it for finance thank you uh Mr Boon for going you're in I sit on the committee with you but you you uh you've been carrying a lot more of the weight than I have so I appreciate that and I did have a
question about the food service the r i um I know we're going out my understanding is I know we're going out for non um Federal lunch right now um which we discussed at length and I'm not going to rehash um but I did want to know it
what is are we going to be inviting the vendors in to do any sort of demonstrations and if we do can we maybe include um some student participation um maybe some student council uh members besides Ryan yes I mean Ryan Ryan of
course will be the first one on the invite list but maybe we can get some you know someone from middle school someone from the high school that we can um some discriminating pallets some discriminating pallets if if Sushi's on board my daughter will do it
so um but I think that would it would be you know ultimately it may come down to a a money decision but it would be nice to get student input if it's close and weighs heavy on on one company versus another yes so so I think that's one of
the ideas to have a diverse uh committee uh with uh student representation along with administrative staff um uh represented especially at the high school and the uh Middle School since these are the two buildings that have full kitchens but also um elementary
schools even maybe one parent leadership um person to be involved to to kind of like uh really see the whole entire process especially as as uh you mentioned this this RFP is uh non National School uh lunch um
related if we decide in the future to go to the national school lunch um we will have to uh do another RFP because there's separate uh rules and guidelines um um with that program so thank you so for if we were to go to uh
national school lunch program uh yeah we we we definitely it wouldn't be for the 25 26 school year it will be a decision we will have to make before uh spring of 26 for the 26 27 school year thank you okay moving on to public
comment on agenda action items anyone from the public wishing to speak on any matter in which we are voting on today you may approach the podium once recognized please clearly State your first and last name for the record you will have three minutes to address the
board there will be no cross dialogue during this public portion if there is a question that cannot be answered by the that if there a question that can be answered only the superintendent board attorney or board president can respond and will do so at the end of all comments you will be granted one time to
speak and there is a total time limit of 1 hour for public participation again please note that we know back and forth and we request that you remain respectful thank you uh good evening everyone thank you for all you do um I know a lot of you
and my name is Carly kran to Birch Lane I'm here tonight representing the Verona music parents Association or the BM PA I'm a third year board member and co- vice president I don't think we're voting
on this is a budget item okay that's fine okay sure now is it's fine um okay exactly I figured we're talking about the budget so my here to ask for more money that's so I'm a third year board member and Co president and my
daughter is a junior and a proud member of the maroon and white marching band in the color guard I wanted to bring to your attention the condition of the marching band uniforms and ask for financial support to replace the uniforms for the fall 2025 marching band season we need to order uniforms
immediately if there's any chance for this to be available for September and we need your support these marching band uniforms are over 20 years old they're literally falling apart and Ryan's in the band he probably knows um there's supposed to be a sash here but it's
fallen off and the buttons that um attach it are no longer the collar here is totally discolored even though it's comp it's laundered all the time um we have resorted to using tape on children during the Marchin man season to keep the uniforms from falling
off their bodies during the show and literally taping the shoes on their feet for the performance um despite being laundered after every competition and costing the vmpa over $2,000 per year of our hard earned fundraising money they show years of wear and are permanently
stained each fall the mark man competes at various band competitions throughout the state this year they went to six competitions including the band of America Regional competition at Ruckers University and the state championship at the College of New Jersey in a few weeks they'll travel to Toronto Canada to
perform these children represent Verona and Verona High School and they proudly wear this uniform despite the conditions um if you've ever attended a marching band competition I equated to Broadway on Wheels sets stages props Flags instruments are rolled onto the field
for a 10-minute performance as you can imagine you're scored on everything including visual performance we are at a competitive disadvantage from the moment we step on the field in these dated uniforms also a lot has changed in 20 years the material style and quality of
the uniforms are drastically different from when it was 20 years ago the fabric is better now more breathable and would only need to be laundered once during the marching band season saving the vmpa thousands of dollars each year in laundering costs the lifespan of a margin man uniform is around eight years we have more than
doubled the lifespan of the uniform being that it's over 20 years old we are aware that Verona High School athletic teams get new uniforms every three years and I realize the cost of a a uniform team does not really equate to the marching band cost but we ask that you
budget for new uniforms every eight to 10 years on a regular schedule similar to Athletics we would love for the Verona High School Marching Band to continue to compete and put their best foot forward the marching band is a stable in the community and we're asking for your consideration and support in providing these kids new uniforms for
next year thank you very much thank you if anyone else who wishes to speak on any item that we are voting on today seeing no one we will move forward to discussion items of old and new business um I just wanted to make the
board aware and the public aware that I did hear back from all my emails and phone calls I did hear back from Senator Kim who sent a very nice or albeit forish letter um to us expressing his
concern um I do appreciate that and I will continue on behalf of the board to reach out to the various elected officials to um stress the importance of making sure that education is fully funded at least to the level it is now
if not more and then in addition I met with mayor Tambo and we are going to look to doing a joint meeting between the Town Council and the board of education on March 25th it'll
be in the it slatest be in the auditorium right now um we were able to reserve that so um I'm asking the board members should they have anything that they would like to see on the agenda so please give me um and shoot me an email
uh with your proposed agenda items by like March 3D so we can uh Set uh a schedule and an agenda in advance uh Ryan you two are welcome to set any agenda items that you would like um and I believe that is it for
me anyone else have anything they wish to discuss no okay do any correspondents we do not okay so let's move on to our first set of action items
um I am looking for a motion for uh in a for personnel on items A1 through a 11 I will move that move uh Move Motion by Miss prisco a second second by Mr
Boon any discussion I did want to say I think we had a retirement announced Mrs Ellen ban yes um she will be uh missed um so hearing no further
discussion if we can have roll call please Mr wer M farar Mrs prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mrs Boon yes motion carries okay moving forward to uh
section B education can I get a motion for B1 through B7 please so moved moved by Mr Boon a second second by miss prisco any discussion being none um can we get roll call
please Mr Walker yes Mrs Ferrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs frella yes Mr Boon yes motion Caris y uh moving forward to Athletics and co-curricular can I get a motion for C1 through C3 so moved moved
by Miss prisco second second by Miss Ferrera can I have any uh discussion please hearing done can I get roll call please Mr Waka yes Mrs perar yes Mrs
prisco yes Mrs brazal yes Mr Boom yes motion carries okay moving forward we have nothing under facilities so moving to finance can I get a motion for e one I want to ask a question first so we have the you know within a month or so
we're going to decide whether to to vote on a budget that has a 3.5% tax increase or or a 2% tax increase um but the difference between say we do 3.5 and that gets voted yes now there's a a bigger P pile of money um and there P
money it's it's it's easier to look to say yes towards more things and then more Student Activities and groups and things like that so how does that work cor like are we going to get like a projected budget for what the expect look like if it's done in another one of it's 3.5% or whatever
it's going to be so uh depending on so let's say if we were to say we do not want to go up to the 3.53% and we want to keep it at two that just means we have to eliminate more things off of the plate
so list we will have to go back but but if we do the 3.5 it's not like we're don't have to eliminate anything is it going to be like we don't have to eliminate anything or is going to be like now you get to have some more cool stuff for the kids and you don't have to eliminate anything no it means that we have to eliminate less I think a lot
depends on what the uh state aid is because even if our state aid stays flat we're still a million dollars yeah right this 1.53% will it eliminate the need to find $500,000 corre um to cut out of going
between now and April Mr Cruz and I have to find I I see now thank you a million have to find a million yeah that's my question thank you okay no problem um so moving to finance I don't think we can I get a motion for e one through e I'll s
seven move by Mr wer second by Mr Boon um any discussion I would like to thank the uh ARR munz and the Microsoft job match donation for
the generous $3,600 donation to um Fen Brown that was very nice and then also I saw that v um gave a grant of $400 to hbw for Latin percussion so that should be interesting um so thank you for that
um anything else okay if we can have a real call please Mr wer yes Mrs Ferrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mr Boon yes motion carries okay moving forward to governance and policy can I get a motion
for F1 through F4 so moved okay move uh motion by m sorry I have one question the um F3 that okay I answer my own question okay okay I need
a second okay second for Miss Ferrera any discussion um I just for the regulation the the regulation for the um electronic communication devices that's different than what the high school is currently
has in place right if I remember it's similar to what the current high school it's different from what the high school put in place in September okay they have walked back um some of it okay thank you I wasn't sure okay um anyone else okay
and think if we can have roll call and it is different from what hpw has in place right right bet thank you Mr Walker then I vote Yes uh Mr perar yes M Mrs persco yes Mrs Rosella yes Mr Boon
yes motion carries okay and now um we will have public comments uh one quick thing I'm sorry I just want to go back to um for for next meeting when we're going to discuss the the possible increase can
we also have an idea of what and I know that this is this is not necessarily something that we're getting but I know that we're planning on having the meeting with the council what pilot funds could look like in the event that we did receive them because I what you
can right so I think that when we're looking at the our options and what we're voting on I think to know what and for the public to know what we are not getting and what we could possibly get and because that will impact their taxes ultimately yes so I
think that that would be an important point to discuss next week next week next month as well that's that's actually a great Point uh the the other piece um just for all of our audience and listeners right now um Cedar Grove is a is a neighboring uh Township that
does receive um pilot funds and being able to look at their budget and the the additional million dollar funding that they received from Pilot um and and really seeing how that actually uh supports uh their their school board and
their school district and I know just from you know public members speaking with community members I should say and when even this evening we discussed about the you know the pay of Paras in Cedar Grove versus Verona um you know the the Security Options in Cedar Grove
vers Verona the you you know all the things that when we look at those pilot funds there's a significant difference in what we can do simply because of that to to play Devil's Advocate um I don't disagree with any any of this um
but Playing devil's advocate um is I I would like us to be very clear on how we are comparing it Cedar gr's situation is significantly different than Verona's situation in terms of
total funds in terms of um additional um housing problems that they might have um and so I want us to be crystal clear that we recognize the um the challenges of Cedar
Grove is different than Barona and bake that into how we approach that that's because I want us to succeed in the Endeavor but I want I I want to be careful to not just say oh Cedar Grove gets this therefore we should get that we we we need to be balanced in how we
approach that that's my only critique there okay so moving forward to uh public participation um anyone from the public wishing to speak on any matter please approach the podium once recognized clearly State your first and last name for the record you will have three
minutes to address the board there'll be know cross dialogue during this public portion if there's a question that can be answered only the superintendent or board president president can respond and we'll do so at the end of the comments you will be granted one time to speak and there's a total limit of 1 hour uh again there'll be know back and
forth and we request that you're respectful thank you good evening excuse me Maria kti uh 25 after glav thank you also for all that you do I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer after I sit down I'm wondering when a copy of the
budget will be available to the public so that we I'm I'm a member of the music parents Association so that we can see whether or not that's included and we have time to voice our opinion one way or the other thank you
you so yes so uh so normally they uh budget um the tenative uh budget will be presented on March 11th uh soon thereafter as soon as it's submitted to the county office so about um March 17th
that's when we'll have um a submitted uh document that hasn't been approved once it's approved by the county superintendent uh we we will then actually do a public um uh advertisement
at that point that public advertisement we we will be able to share it uh publicly whether it's um anyone interested they could actually stop by the the board office or uh reach out to myself um for an electronic copy or or
be able to see it um physically um at the board office so that's that's something that's going to be available uh I believe it's um 72 hours uh before uh the that um April 29th um uh budget
vote so April 26th April 26 I'm yes as part of the agenda Das for next board meeting are there any budget documents that's included in those or is it just higher level so so those are still
higher level uh pending the the board actually agreeing on that percentage increase because that right after that vote we'll have to go back and and uh make adjustments so at that
point um we we could have the documents that if it's shared to the to the county office but it it's not going to be an official approved document right um and it would be April 25th would when it would go out to the public that Friday
that Friday April 25th yes with regard to the uniforms so I could I reach out to the bmpa yes and and let you know whether they're included and how much and all of that okay
sure thank you um so that's that and so can I get a motion to adjourn second second by miss prisco all those in favor I turned at 829