Good evening. We'll call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. Mr. Merrell. >> Obiaka. >> Mr. Bono, >> here. >> Mr. Fokei, >> here. Mr. Harris >> here.
>> Mrs. Perez >> here. >> Mr. Santiago >> present. >> Mr. Silva. >> Mrs. Vasquez >> here. >> Mr. Rivera >> here. >> Mr. Holmes >> here. In compliance with the New Jersey
open public meeting law, commonly referred to as the sunshine law, the vinyl board of education has caused notice and posting of this meeting to present to the following announcing time, place, agenda, etc. the daily journal, SNJ today, the press of
Atlantic City, Vista Bueno, the clerk for the city of Vinland, and the administrative office public bulletin board. Sabotair will now come up to lead us in the flag salute. Please stand. to the flag of the United States of
America. the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all Mr. River will bring you. Alias photo.
Thank you so much. We'll figure it out. >> Thank you so much. >> Okay, Scott, is there a resolution for executive session? >> There is none. >> Thank you. >> Interim superintendent Dr. McCann.
Special presentations, please. Good evening. This evening, there's a special presentation. Miss Jackie Roman Alvarez, supervisor of world languages, will recognize Mrs. Jackson for receiving the American Council of Teachers of Russian
Excellence Award for 2026. Good evening, President Holmes, acting superintendent Dr. McCann, and members of the board of education and our community. Once again, I'm Jackie Alvarez, supervisor of multilingual learners,
world languages, and 9 through 12 performing arts for the Vin Public School District. And tonight, it is my honor to recognize Miss Vlad Jackson, our 9 through2 Russian teacher and former ESL educator who has received the
2026 Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Council of Teachers of Russian. At this time, I would like to share excerpts from the official letter announcing this recognition. The American Council of Teachers of
Russian is pleased to announce Vlad Jackson as a recipient of the ACTR Excellence in Teaching Russian Award for 2026. Vlada began her career as a professor of English at Kersonen State University in
Ukraine. In 1999, she and her young daughter arrived in the United States where Vlada quickly set about earning her teaching certificate. She began teaching Russian and English at New Jerseys Vini High School in 2001, where
for the past 25 years she has built a reputation among students and colleagues as a devoted and tireless educator. At Vineland, Vlada has a reputation among students and colleagues as a devoted and tireless educator.
She has spearheaded the de development of a robust Russian program. Vlattis started the Russ B vin Russian club and the chapter of Slava, the National School Slavic Honor Society, and she has prepared numerous students for the ACTR
National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. Under her guidance, students at Vinland have taken the prototype AP Russian exam and sila biiteracy tests. Vlatt has encouraged her students to take their Russian
skills to the next level, participating in study abroad programs facilitated by the national security language initiative for youth. In addition to her exceptional work in the classroom, Blada has also been a very act has been very active in the wider professional
community. Beginning in 2012, she participated in Star Talk in a Star Talk program for Russian and Chinese teachers facilitated by the University of Iowa. First as a participant and then as a program instructor, she and her
colleagues helped develop the first digital library of learning objects for the study of Russian, featuring Rush resources for teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening, and culture to both second language learners and heritage learners. In 2020, Blada was chosen to
serve as the ETS practis Russian development advisory committee on on that committee and the national advisory committee, helping to develop the practice certification exam for K to2 Russian teachers. Outside of school,
Blata has been a resource for many Ukrainian and Russian students and their families. She has provided essential translation services and has been instrumental in assisting dozens of refugees who have sought asylum in Cumberland County during the Russian
Ukrainian war. Blada's re record of exceptional teaching and service led her to being selected as the violent high school teacher of the year in 2025. Moreover, she has been nominated by her students for the National Society of
High School Scholars as a class nobel educator of distinction for the last two years in a row. Her reputation among students and families and colleagues is that of an organized, dedicated, and compassionate educator. On behalf of
ACTR, the K12 awards committee congratulates Wada Jackson on as being the recipient of the ACTR award. Please join me in congratulating Miss Jackson on this well-deserved honor in
celebrating this proud moment for our district. Thank you. Mrs. Deari and Miss Cat Rivera will recognize CTE programs. I take a few moments to talk about VA.
We started in 2001 here at Landis School and when we had started the small learning community for the bilingual students, it started here with Dr. Kypers and Philotti Jackson was so instrumental in developing that for the
students that came here from other countries. And the beautiful part about it is that her story is the story that happened here in the United States according to Miss Alvarez. But her backstory is amazing.
Coming getting out of the Soviet Union and getting here to this country is something that she'll that's her story to tell sometime. you could write a book. It's amazing how she did what she did and she was a superstar here. As you can tell, she was teacher of the year at
Landis School. She was a role model for students that were really deprived and really bought them up and had them succeed. So, uh, as principal when I got here with uh and the the person that brought to me
was Miss Millie Ramos who was the supervisor at the time and she says, "Dr. Macan or Tom McCann, whatever she called me. We have someone that's really unbelievable and you are. >> Thank you. >> Nice round of applause for Vada Jackson. You guys
>> Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm definitely very honored. I am as my career is ending at the end of this uh calendar year. I couldn't wish for for more. You know, it's a very very strong standing. And there's one very famous Russian producer
and he has a very famous quote and it says, "It's a talent to know when to leave." So this is my moment to take a bow as I'm leaving. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Mr. Margie. Miss Rivera, please. Thanks.
Good evening. Good evening, Mr. Holmes, President, Vice President, Mr. Rivera, members of the board of education, Dr. McCann, central administration, and members of the community. This evening, we will share the continued growth and
impact of our career and technical education programs at Vinland High School. Our CTE programs provide students with hands-on learning experiences, industry recognized certifications,
dual credit opportunities, and well and real world career pathways that prepare them for success beyond high school. From health science and construction trades to graphic design,
agriculture, automotive andformational technology, our students are developing the technical expertise and workplace skills necessary to thrive in high demand fields.
from the middle school CTE exposure, the success of our CTE student store, the annual CTE carnival, and our pursuit of the PACE grant that Miss Rivera will be discussing shortly, all demonstrate
our commitment to building strong, aligned career pathways for our students. At this time, it's my privilege to introduce Miss Katherine Rivera, our career and technical education science supervisor.
Thank you, Mrs. Deari. Good evening, board community members. Um, I'm excited to be here to talk about our CTE programs. So, I also have a few staff and students that are going to join me
and talk about their um experiences and their programs. So, what is CTE? Career and technical education equips our students with industry aligned skills, hands-on experiences, and career exploration opportunities
that prepare students for either post-secary education, technical training, or entry right into the workforce. So, why is CTE valuable in high school? Students develop career ready skills.
They explore career pathways, engage in hands-on learning, and we bridge education and work. And the one unique thing about our school in particular is if a student goes into a program into year one and decides that is not what
you know they expected and they want to try something else, we offer them the opportunity the following year to um explore another program. Uh some reasons why a student should take CTE courses at Vinland High School.
So we are affiliated with um colleges for students to earn college credit. We um partner with RCSJ, Ruckers University, Stockton University, and Delaware Valley University. Our
students are able to earn industry recognized certifications that they can take along with them after graduation. And some of them uh they can earn Photoshop using our Adobe program. In automotive there are nine ASSE
certifications they can um test for. We can earn OSHA, CPR, NOCTI, AutoCAD and Cisco. And the last reason why you should take a course is you get work-based learning um experience.
And as Mr. Marchie said three years ago we started introducing CTE into middle school and it's a 30-day block that students take and they learn and explore each of the programs that we offer at the high school. So here I have listed
what they learn in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. And just talking to the students and some of the principles, it's one of the courses that the students really enjoy taking. So these are the current programs that
we offer at uh Vinland High School and we are definitely looking to pursue and expand this list in the near future. So now we'll talk about each of the programs and if one of the staff members are here I'll introduce them for them to
talk. So first we have Miss Castellini to talk about our agriculture program. >> Uh good evening. I'm Anelise Castellini, the agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Vinland High School. We currently have four agriculture classes that
students are able to take throughout their high school career. These four classes make up our agriculture pathway and span a range of industries including plant science, food science, and floral design. We also have articulation agreements for our courses with mult for
with multiple universities. But tonight, I would like to highlight other opportunities our students are engaging in alongside our daily content. What's my spot? All agriculture students are also members of our FFA chapter. Our chapter offers many opportunities from
leadership to career exploration. Most recently, I took 20 students and we attended the New Jersey FFA Winter Career Competitions where four teams competed in different industry areas such as food science and agriculture
business management. These competitions were held at the New Jersey Agriculture Convention in Atlantic City. as students after their competitions were able to explore the trade show and meet those that work within the agriculture industry. It was a great way for our
students c to connect with real industry professionals. Many businesses from Vinand were there as well. Within FFA, students are also gaining hands-on experience providing flowers with our floral design program for many school events. Students prep and design flowers
for events such as athletic banquetss. We did the track banquet the other day, prom, which is coming up, and honors banquetss. This allows students real experience without having to leave the classroom. Students take pride in seeing their work displayed when they attend these events. Lastly, one of our
favorite hands-on learning experiences I would like to highlight is growing our spring plant sale, uh, growing flowers in our greenhouse. We have a beautiful greenhouse that was built four years ago. Um, soon, very soon, I'm getting the itch. Students are going to start seeding and transplanting flowers in our
greenhouse. We're currently cleaning it out and pressure washing. It's been a little messy. All funds during this sale cover costs for FFA competitions because we do fund raise to cover all our cost. Uh when students see their plants go from seed to crop, it really gives them
great joy in seeing that finished product. Um students are also learning during this crop care, maintenance, customer service when it comes to our sales. Um, and this is my shameless plug to say keep an eye out for our spring plant sale, which is going to be around
the first couple weeks of May. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Castellini. Next, we have AFJOTC and we have Cadet Gonzalez and Miss Müller. Good evening board members and good
evening uh community. My name is Miss Mueller. I am one of the Air Force JRTC instructors in order to tell you what we do in Air Force JRTC. We are a cadetled instructorguided program. So I'm going to get to show you what we do. I'm going
to turn this over to our cadet commander Gonzalez. Good evening. The our unit NJ20009-1 has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to developing responsible disciplined and motivated young leaders
through participation in drill competitions, community service events, color guard presentations, and leadership training activities. Cadet gains unforgettable life skills that extend far beyond the classroom. The unit fosters teamwork, accountability,
and respect while encouraging cadetses to strive for academic and personal success. One of our outstanding qualities of NA NJ NJ20009-1 is the strong commitment to serving their community. So far, we have completed 1571 hours of community
service. are cadetses supporting local events, assisting veteran organizations, presenting them colors at ceremonies, volunteering at school functions, and participating in civic activities through vinand. The consistent involvement of our cadetses reflect their dedication to the program's
emphasis on service before self. Many cadets find that AFJC strengthens their resumes, college applications, scholarship opportunities, and overall preparedness for future careers. Whether in the military or civilian fields, additionally, if cadets choose a
military route after high school, they earn stripes depending on how long cadets stay in AFJC. Three years equals three stripes. And so that equates to a pay raise in any military branch. Through dedicated service and leadership development, the
program remains a powerful opportunity for young people to grow into responsible, motivated, and community-minded leaders. Thank you. So for automotive, we offer auto tech one, two, and three. And the auto tech program is assec certified.
And that means it has successfully completed a rigorous national review process to ensure that our curriculum, equipment, and instruction meets the industry standard. So our students are able to take nine
certification exams that they can take with them into the workforce. They also are able to earn OSHA certification. And we are we have a relationship with the Subaru University as well as the Ford ACE
training where we have access to their equipment. And if our students choose to, they can get a special certification with Subaru or with Ford if they choose to. For business, we have Miss Kate Frunk. Good evening board members and
community. My name is Kate Kron and I'm the CTE department head at the VHS Asselta building. Uh as well as the business management teacher this year at the Aselta building for our business management one and two classes which are dual credit through RCSJ. Our students
learn real world skills. They do the same thing in our accounting and our marketing classes with M Miss Kanzig. Um, real world marketable skills is what we aim to teach our students so that way when they graduate from Vinland High School, they actually have something to
provide to the local businesses when they go out into the community. They learn um how business is already impacting their lives and about future career choices. No matter what um these students choose to do as their career,
whether they choose to be an artist, a doctor, an engineer, business is all around them is what we try to teach and impart to our students. And through whether it be the accounting class, uh which is two levels, um management and marketing, the same thing. These
students learn that it's all around them and in their daily lives and they're already participating in actively in business. So these classes really allow them to see how that they can engage in other aspects regardless of what they
choose at the next level. And understanding how accounting, marketing, and management go together gives our students a massive head start over other students who unfortunately haven't had the great opportunity to take our CTE classes. Thank you.
CAD which is computer AED design uh Mr. Phil Gianry. Good evening board members. Good evening community and uh my name is Phil Gianre. I'm the computer aed design instructor at Vin High School. I'm also the architectures teacher. Uh we have four
levels CAD one, two and three and then architecture at level four. Um my students participate in a technology student association where they design uh solve real world problems. Uh my current
students at level one design a CO2 car uh car. So some of you may have remembered that when you were in high school. Um but it's a fun little program. They actually get to design it. They get to create it, they get to manufacture it, and we get to test it.
At my level two and three, uh those students are designing a uh turn signal for electric bike. We're trying to solve uh electric bike being so fast and a hazard to the community that we uh wanted headlights and turn signals. That was our theme. Again, real world
problems and how to solve them. So, they are creating that right now. They're doing the circuit boards and they are creating the lights. Now, all of this is in a virtual world, but at the same time, they're getting that hands-on and accurate learning of what it takes to manufacture something. My architecture
students are designing a train station uh well, it's an existing train station, converting it to a community center, which consists of a uh a senior center and a small community uh museum. Uh so many of my students uh not only
participate in the TSA program but they also participate with RCSJ uh ACE program. So as the liaison for violin for the ACE program there at the county level uh we have offered so many
scholarships. I have four students former students in Violin right now just about to sit for the architectural exam. One is in Kate May County, uh, four are in Vinland, and two are in North Jersey, just alone. Plus, I'm fortunate enough
to say that many of Atlantic City uh, electric companies, engineers are Vinand graduates as well. It's a program that's thriving. It's a fun program. And thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Jambry. So, construction
trades, we offer construction trades one, two, and three. Students um are able to take this as start taking construction as sophomores. It's a very handson um class where they gain knowledge in
carpentry, mostly carpentry, but they also touch on electrical work, plumbing, masonry. Um, and the main focus is always safety, teamwork, and use of tools, things that they will need out in the industry. Um, students are also able
to earn the OSHA certification, and we are affiliated with the Thomas Edison University and Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center. If our students successfully complete all three years at Vinland High School, they are
able to uh earn credit when they apply at either one of those uh schools. Graphic design, we have Miss Loren Griffith. Hi, thank you for having me. Um before I speak about graphic design, I want to
talk about how and why I came to Vinland High School. I'm just going to give you a brief um little review. So, I used to actually come speak to Vinland High School when I worked full-time for the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles. I worked for the Philadelphia Eagles for 10 years as a graphic designer, and I
would come in and speak to their graphic design students about design. I would showcase what I did on a day-to-day basis. And what I would tell the students is everywhere you look, a sign, a poster, a billboard, a vehicle wrap, everything is design. And it's all about
visual communication. After um the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, I started doing a lot of college and school visits, I came to Vineland and I really liked working with the students. So, I decided to end my full-time design career and come on board and teach that skill set because to me, I feel like
giving back is the greatest gift. When you see that those kids are um utilizing the skills that you teach them every day, it really resonates with you. I feel like that's the that's the biggest takeaway from my job every day. Um, the CCE department as a whole, we're a
pretty unique group because we've all worked in our industry before we've started in education. So, I'm a 20-year graphic designer. I worked full-time as a graphic designer for 17 years. Um, because I've had really good relationships with different organizations and corporate sponsors,
I'm able to bring those into the classroom. So, for example, last year we actually had somebody from Waw Wa corporate come in and my graphic design 3 students not only built the Waw Wa logo, they rebuilt it, but they had to pitch it to Waw Wa like they were giving
a presentation. So, it gave them real life experience. They're not only designers, but they're also marketers. So, the nice thing about our program is we have um different what do you call pathways where we can talk to each other and work together. So, even with the CTE
carnival, which most of you came to, my students designed those t-shirts and um we did the signage and you know, we work with the other teachers that are also creating. So, that's the biggest thing I think that we gift here at Violin High School is you're getting career
technical education without going to a technical high school. Um something great about graphic design here is that they can get certifications in Photoshop or Illustrator. Uh this year I believe we're going to be doing Illustrator um making relationships with colleges that
I attend in and colleges that work with our school. We're also able to do dual credit with some of those programs. Um but just to go over our courses, graphic design one is intro level. It's basis of Photoshop and Illustrator. Once this the
students learn that skill set, they can go to graphic design 2, which is a little bit more. We go into screen printing. We talk about different media. we talk about production graphic design three you're working on actual projects for the school. So this year um we're
doing a vehicle wrap for the Vinland um public schools. Our students are working on that now for three and we're also going to be working on the Hall of Fame um event this year. So thank you for having me. I'm really excited and passionate about this program and I really enjoy working with all of your
kids. Thank you, Miss Griffith. Um, for so for health science, we are in our third year of implementation and the courses our students are able to take elements of healthcare, medical terminology, legal and ethical issues in
healthcare. All three courses are dual credit certified with RCSJ. So, our students can earn up to nine credits after taking and being successful in those courses. We have also
partnered with RCSJ um for four different pathways and our students are able to go for the CNA path, CCMA path, farm tech or medical assistant um track. And
also this year our level three students will earn their CPR certification. That's good. >> For information technology, we offer introduction to programming and AP computer science principles by design.
Um, we also have a articulation agreement with RCSJ for cyber security. We do not have any instructors who are certified to teach that track, but we do have if students take some of our technology courses along with um the
courses that they offer at RCSJ, which they can take either online or in person, uh the students can earn, I believe, up to 28 uh college credits for that program. And in addition to that, they're able to get a many different
industry uh certification. Cisco and compia are two out of the four that they can earn. Studio production, we have Miss Kelly Pritchette. We're almost there.
There's a lot of programs. >> Good evening, everyone. Um I like a little crowd participation. So, how many people actually stay after a movie to watch the credits? >> Okay, those are jobs.
And what I try to force to the board, thank you first of all for hearing me. Um, what I try to stress to my students is whatever your niche is, there's an opportunity for you in the film industry and the broadcasting industry, it goes
beyond just being the director, the actor, um, the editor and things like that. You need electricians on a film set because every light, the watts don't actually, you can't just plug it into a certain
outlet and things like that. So, you need craft services and things like that. So, it's not just a one-sizefititall type of industry. Um, and that's the beauty of studio production. Um, what we do is we're a dual credit
program. Um, I've had students go on to NYU, the fist school of school, uh, fist school of film with full ride scholarships. Right now, we have students working on uh an alumni of Violent High School has had um a genuine
genuine uh donation of a $5,000 scholarship to a student from studio production to continue their career and things like that. Um we do the NOCI exam. We've had students pass that. So, they have industry certified um
certifications and things like that. So, I admonish you when you watch the credits, actually look at who's actually working. Um, because they're long. But that's what I try to stress to my students. You don't have to be a
onesizefititall type of deal. It is an industry where it it it can be tailored to you and things like that. Um, sorry, my notes went out. Uh, but that's um that's really what I try
to get to. Uh, New Jersey has a tax credit for a tax credit for film and industry. Martin Scorsesey was just here who is who did like crazy films and things like that. Um, if you're not familiar with who Martin Scorsesi is, he
was like in Franklinville. He was here doing films. So, this is an area where it's possible to have your students grow and have your students learn and things like that. And my goal is just to get my
students to branch out, learn something else, and to be the best citizens of society that they can be. So, I think studio production is an absolute outlet for them
because sometimes they don't get that outlet. Sometimes you don't know when they're going to put a camera in their hand and things like that. Um, and I didn't think when I was in high school, when I took this class, I didn't think I was going to go on to do it, but
I did it. Um, I didn't think this was the outlet. So, I think it's a beautiful program. Um, we're doing fun things. We do the morning announcements. Um, they don't always go off, right? Sometimes we're scrambling just try to figure
things out, but that's a part of the process. So, um, yeah, studio produ that's my program. I'm more of the unconventional teacher. I'm more of the fun teacher, but um that's my program
and my goal is honestly to get them to a level where they can be productive members of society and things like that. So, thank you for your time. Thank you, Miss Pritchette. And she actually also does work in the industry on the weekends and in the summer. All
right. So this year uh we opened and started a CTE student store and Miss Castellini will briefly tell you a little bit about that. >> Thank you. Sorry you get to hear me yap again as the kids would say. Um so one of our most recent exciting developments
at uh VHS is the opening of our CTE school store. Brooke Kenzig is our CTE marketing teacher. She couldn't be here tonight but she asked me to say a few words about the store. Um, this store is really a showcase of all of our CTE classes, all of us who talked. This
store is studentrun and student design. The space in the Aselta cafeteria, formerly known as the Rootore, was transformed into a new and vibrant display of student work. Students in our graphic design classes are still designing and making merchandise to
sell, such as shirts, tote bags, hats, and there's more I'm forgetting. Uh my students, the agriculture students, we sell potted plants, uh fresh flowers and other decor. Uh our construction trades classes were a big help in the beginning
with installing uh the new displays. And they also provide student ma uh studentmade cutting boards and propagation stations that we work with to put plants in. The marketing students designed promotional materials and research and price items to sell within
the store. We are currently open two days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All CTE students have the opportunity to apply and be trained as a student worker. Miss Kedzigg reviews their grades and attendance for all workers. Working in the school store is treated
like a job and students can earn one service learning hour per worked shift. Unfortunately, we treat it like a real job. So, we've had to fire a few students, but we learned this as a use this as a learning opportunity and review workplace expectations that students would encounter in the real
world. They do have the opportunity to earn their job back. The CTE school store is something we hope to grow and expand over the next few years, and the response has been amazing from our school and community, and our students are proud to see their work displayed in
this new tradition at VHS. Thank you. Before I forget, all the board members should have received a CTE booklet and that was designed by Miss Griffith in about 24
hours. Um, so we created that for students, parents, and it's located in the guidance office. Guidance is always telling us you have so many classes, so many programs, the kids want to learn more about them. So, this is just moreformational
um for everyone to use as they're picking uh their courses. So, this year we had our third annual CTE carnival and this is an event that we have for our ninth graders. Uh most of the courses in CTE they can't take
until their sophomore year. So, this is a great opportunity for our freshmen before they do course selection to come through, see our program, see our classrooms, talk to our teachers, um talk to some of the upper class level students. And we made it into a carnival
theme and in each classroom there is a carnival themed game. So, for example, our AP computer science students um made a program of one of those like little eightballs where you ask it a question and it says yes, no, or maybe.
So, students would ask a question, hit a button on a computer and it would um give them an answer. And each program uh picks a game and it's just very successful. Students look forward to it and so does our staff.
And the last thing I'm going to talk about is a grant that we are um currently applying for. It's through the New Jersey Department of Labor and it's called the PACE grant. It's the pre-apprenticeship in career education. It's very competitive. It's up to $5
million and there are it's not just for schools, it's for anyone in the state of New Jersey. Um so we are actually focusing on our health science and construction trades program. We are
partnering with RCSJ for the certified nursing assistant program as well as the certified clinical medical assistant programs and with South Jersey Tech for their electrical or HVAC programs. And this
grant will pay for all the tuition, all the fees, books, and transportation for our students. So, we're going to be actively recruiting current juniors who will be seniors next year who are interested and the the
whole grant is getting this pre-apprenticeship through South Jersey Tech and RCSJ, but then going directly into the workforce. So, it's a Department of Labor. Um, so we're looking for partners beyond RCSJ and
South Jersey Tech after our students successfully graduate these programs for them to interview and possibly give them uh work. So, we're looking for Inspira um maybe the city of Vineland with the
electrical utility um department to assist us with that. So, thank you guys for everything, for all your support, and thank you to my team. As you can see, we all love each other and we collaborate on everything we do. Um,
they're very professional. They have a lot of experience to share with our students and I'm fortunate enough to work with them. Thank you. >> Does anybody have any questions about any of our programs?
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> I have a question for you. >> Do you invite any local businesses, organizations, companies, you know, from the violent industrial park or anywhere locally in Carl County to possibly be a
part of, you know, the CT program to maybe partnership with uh give you up-to-date trends on the industry, stuff like that. like we collaborate with any of the >> I know that I know that I know that many of our teachers are always uh reaching
out to local businesses and looking for partnerships. Um I know that within our a program um bringing in culinary experts um as well. I see lots of heads shaking but yes we do we are always
looking for partners. We are always bringing um our community members in to um assist us um with the newest and latest trends. Uh so we are always al also um seeking professional development
to to learn about the newest trends within our own field. I know we have Miss Pritchette who actually works right in the field on the weekends and um in the summer. So, she's always bringing back um to her students um all of those
amazing opportunities uh to our students in the classrooms. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> I have a quick question, Mr. Marchie. >> Yes. >> Uh close by district who I won't name, they have a criminal justice program. Is that something we're looking into here?
>> Absolutely. It is something that we are uh Miss Rivera and I have talked about this quite often. Um, but we would like to extend it and call it more of a first responder program. We'd like to have branches of not just law enforcement, but also fire, EMS, and even bringing in
possible dispatch opportunities. So, yes, we are. It's something that we've continued to talk about, and it is something that we would like to add a page to our booklet um in the very near future. >> That's great. Thank you. >> You just created a student survey that
we're going to send out. We have a survey that we are going to be sending out and I will um be very transparent. This uh what we have learned from our students is not only is law enforcement very popular but we are also looking at culinary is very popular among our
students but cosmetology is also very very popular amongst our students. So um it is definitely uh programs that we're going to be looking at in the very near future. Um, but yes, law enforcement,
fire, EMS, there are all programs, first responder programs that we would like to bring to Vinland High School. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Any further questions or comments? Thank you. Miss Vasquez has certificates to get out. Please come up, take a picture.
>> Thank you. We'll get a picture. Everybody loves good pictures. Just Jesus Christ. All right. Wonderful. Thank you. >> Our final presentation will be centered
around the desired characteristics of the successor superintendent as we continue our search. >> Work that good. As we discussed before, our focus groups uh came together to gather in-depth qualitative input from diverse stakeholders. Um, and you'll
hear from them tonight to assist with the identification of the skills and characteristics required for the district's next educational leader. The Violent Board of Education sought input from students, parents, staff, and community members via focus groups,
interviews, community forums, and digital input process. Based on this input, the desired characteristics for the new superintendent as expressed by the various stakeholder groups centered around strong instructional leadership,
deep community engagement, and sound operational and financial expertise. You'll hear from those focus group um leaders tonight. First will be representing VASA's bargaining unit which consists of our administrators and
supervisors. Tonight representing them will be uh VHS Tanner principal Mr. Justin Adams. Good evening uh to our board, Superintendent McCann um and our members of our community. I am Justin Adams, VHS Tanner principal. Um, this is the first
time that President Holmes has asked me to come up to speak. So, you're a very, very brave man because you never know what I'm going to say. Um, but I just uh before I get into everything, special shout out to the VHS teachers that came out. We have some incredible, incredible individuals. Um, not just great
teachers. This is what I was talking about, Mr. Holmes. Uh, they're not just great teachers, but they're phenomenal human beings as well, and they're really leading our students uh in the best direction possible. Mr. Rivera says it all the time. We have some of the best people working right here in Violin. And that is 100% uh true. So, I'll get into
what I was told to do now. Uh but on behalf of VASA, uh we would like to thank the board, President Holmes, um and everyone else as part of the stakeholder group for facilitating this focus group and including so many uh community members throughout Viand and throughout the process. Um and a special
thank you to Dr. McCann for his willingness to step in um and guide our district in the direction in which we're headed already. Um first we spoke about two big pillars um that are important to VASA. Uh the superintendent should have integrity and be uh have a level of
trust amongst everyone. Um honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, and being able to operate with integrity and civility. And then the next big piece was decisiveness and accountability. With a district this large, um, a leader needs to be bold, decisive, willing to
make hard decisions, including saying no, which can be difficult at times, but will be right. Um, and who holds not only others accountable, but most importantly theirelves to that same standard of accountability as everyone else. So, I appreciate uh the opportunity to come speak to the board
and to the public tonight. And I will call up um instructional coach Miss Noel Patel. Hi, good evening. Um, I have been here for this is my 24th year in the district. Um, a lot of my uh former students are admin and teachers here. I
basically have seen everybody come and go. Um, so I was really glad to be involved in this process. Um so we looked at student centered uh leader who puts students first in all decision-making
and focuses on student achievement and student success. Uh visionary someone with a clear and long-term vision who is future thinking and also instructionally grounded. And then lastly, we uh were looking at emotional intelligence
described as empathetic, compassionate, kind, and able to foster a positive work climate where employees feel valued. That one is very important. Um, okay. And I'm going to call up Councilwoman
Dr. Elizabeth Arthur. Good evening board members and community. Thank you for allowing me to come and speak on behalf of the mayor. He could not be here. Um but the mayor sends his words and I I'll add a little
bit to it. Our uh concentration was on visible and engaged. The new leader must be active, visible, and engaged in the schools and the broader community willing to roll up their sleeves.
The Violent Board of Education should seek a transformative leader who embodies the collective voice of our community, a true collaborator. Our next superintendent must be a champion of equity who views the district's rich
multilingual and multicultural heritage as a primary strength ensuring that every student regardless of background and what I heard here tonight continues to have a clear pathway to success where you know our motto is where it's
always growing season. So, I'm so glad to see that the curriculum here is growing and they should also look forward to that true visionary as well as an educational architect. Thank you for your attention.
Hi, good evening. It feels good to be back. My focus group was cultural awareness. Someone who is well-versed in and able to embrace the community's multiple cultures, socioeconomic development, diversity, and will immerse
themselves in the violin community. Relationship builder. It's all about relationships. Ability to connect with parents, students, staff, business leaders, and community partners. I would like to introduce community member and
teacher Jeff Martine. I'm speaking for uh Mrs. McKim Douglas. She had a step out. Um and their focus group talked a lot about um finding someone who's an outstanding communicator. Um someone who is effective at communicating, a straight shooter, transparent, and provides early
and frequent communication. Um they're also looking for someone who is a listener and a unifier. A leader who listens effectively, accepts input and constructive criticism from all stakeholders, and acts as a unifier for this diverse district. And someone who has some political acumen with the
ability to navigate local politics, work effectively with the board of education as the governing body, and collaborate with the city government without being drawn into political agendas. Um, next up is Miss Terry Galooi. Good evening everyone. I am here
speaking on behalf of the central office group that was able to speak with Dr. Adams and tonight I'm speaking about uh operational and financial expertise. When we are looking for our next superintendent, we are looking for
someone with fiscal fortitude. Uh as we know in today's day and age, we're always up against a budget challenge. So, we're looking for someone with a strong financial acumen and budget savvy with the ability to manage shortfalls,
allocate resources practically, and work within the limited budget constraints. We're also looking for someone with an operational experience that they're well-rounded in a large district operation, including transportation, and they have the ability to handle the
day-to-day issues while envisioning for our future. Next, I would like to call up Dr. Figs and Dr. Gio. Dr. Figs, thank you. It's nice to be back. Even though I
don't know most of the board members, I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. McCann and Mr. Musterell and um it's a pleasure to be here. Uh Dr. Guo had a previous appointment, so she was not sure if she'd make it back in time, so
I'll pinch it for her. Okay. Um, we had two areas, instructional focus and staff focus. Before I begin, I will say ditto to all the presenters who showed their responses, who shared their
responses. Each group provided excellent feedback. Um, in regard and and Mr. uh, Holmes, I hope you will bear with me because Dr. Bruce, you and I felt that um because we both served in positions as superintendent and or assistant
superintendent, we need to to to expand on some of these areas. For instructional focus, the superintendent should have experience with sound instructional practices and fun and fundamental skills. Be a strong instructional leader in all academic
areas. It is essential that the superintendent keeps students at the forefront of all decisions being made. The superintendent should be sensitive to the work being done by principles and teachers by making efforts to reduce some of the paperwork that they have to
uh deal with so they can focus more on instruction. There needs to be a strong support for postse secondary work with colleges, careers, and trades in order for our students to be wellprepared for the competitive workforce. And I will tell you after I heard this excellent
presentation by the violent high school staff, they're more than wellprepared for the the workforce. So, thank you and congratulations, Mrs. Deari and the uh faculty at high at the high school. makes me want to come back
but no not really. There needs to be collaboration between administration and community and that's very very critical for for the superintendent to be successful. Now for staff focus the superintendent should
have the ability to address the need for teacher and support staff recruitment and retention. You want to be able to keep the teachers, the good teachers that you have hired and have them feel that they're very much supported here in Violin and don't feel they have to leave
after a year or two or three. Visibility is key for the superintendent. He or she needs to take time to visit schools on a regular basis as well as have an op an open door policy. there needs to have a clear understanding of special education laws
and policies and he or she needs to ensure that professional development is effective through through training and opportunities to work with crossgrade levels. I would like to end by saying the process used by the HYA was very
thorough and comprehensive. Dr. Gush and I really enjoyed sharing our thoughts with Dr. Adams and I we commend Mr. the homes for involving many stakeholders in the process that represent the educational community and the community
at large. Good luck board members as you begin this extremely important process and thank you for your attention. Outstanding. This sho this truly shows that it is going to take a village to find our next superintendent. And these
desired characteristics will be taken to every single one of our interviews as our search committee up here. Greatlooking people are going to uh interview all of our candidates starting in April. compensation is in the range of $225,000
subject to uh actual qualifications, experience, and credentials and subject to negotiations. All right. I want to thank all of our focus groups for your hard work for uh being involved and being open and honest with HYA and Dr. Adams and really uh
cultivating everything that we needed to do to begin this process. Please come up, take a picture. um anyone that was a part of any one of the focus groups. Thank you. Yeah, it's a take that to the bank. Can I get a couple?
>> Okay, that's good. Yeah, that's good. I'm not getting everybody. I'm sorry. How about this? The gentlemen, you kind of step a little bit and the gentleman can be back there. right there. Okay, that's nice and tall. There you go.
Mr. H. There you go. Perfect. Oh, yeah. That's it. Okay, thank you everyone. Thank you. Any questions or comments in regards to the HIPS or
suspension report? Seeing none, any questions or comments in regards to the approval of minutes February 4th combined in executive sessions. >> Do I have a motion and second to approve? >> So moved.
>> Second. Roll call. >> Mr. Bono? >> Yes. >> Mr. Fokei? >> Yes. >> Mr. Harris? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Perez? >> Yes. >> Mr. Santiago? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Vasquez? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Rivera. >> Yes. Mr. Holmes. >> Yes. Committee carries.
>> Thank you. Committee reports are linked to the agenda. Public meeting report by the board solicitor. >> Nothing to report. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our senior class president is not here. We will move on to public comment on agenda items. Please limit yourselves to three minutes.
Please be reminded that the violin board of education provides an opportunity for public comment in accordance with the open public meetings act. Speakers are again reminded that the purpose of public comment is to address issues of public concern. Personal, defamatory, or
discourteous statements about district staff, students, or members of the public are prohibited. The board reserves the right to curtail remarks that violate these standards. >> Scott Yellow Sheets. >> Victoria Santos.
Good afternoon. As you know, my name is Victoria Santos. I'm a local parent who pulled our daughter out of public school due to bullying. As I gain a deeper understanding of our district's operations, I want to recognize the departure of key leaders who made
meaningful contributions. the previous board president, Miss Katispati, and previous superintendent, Yano. They were phenomenal. We now face a critical transition. What parents and guardians are looking for in a new superintendent is transparency and clear communication.
I am here for the fourth time to provide honest, respectful, constructive criticism regarding systemic failures that endanger our children. I am within my legal rights to do so. I must highlight the ongoing failures regarding a parent who joins me today, Miss
Montalvo, who has a son in Wallace Middle School. Her son is in an inclusion class with an IEP. He has suffered multiple unprovoked physical assaults, slapped several times, punched, belittled, clay thrown at him, lunches, lunch charges racked up due to
students demanding food, and more. While some students have been suspended and addressed, the issues persist. The abuse escalated last year. Despite Miss Montalvo's following proper channels, including an appeal to the anti-bullying coordinator on February 17th, 2025 in
person, the system has failed. What is shocking is that incidences were not always documented last year. This year, teachers have shared her son's concerns for there has not been an adequate plan in place to protect her son.
As the student continues to experience issues with the mainstream population in special classes, you will hear from me and Miss Montavo again regarding an email in the near future regarding her incident and matters like I would like
to speak on the current structure of bullying reports as it creates a conflict of interest. The district anti-bullying coordinator, Mr. Ishmael Bermudez, manages both bullying reports and the very principles who report them. This is an imbalance of power, as I've said before, and this serves a
district's reputation over parental rights and student safety. When principles hold the power to manipulate narrative regarding bullying reports to protect themselves, our children suffer. Regarding the structure of the bullying reporting system, I am calling for
separation of the anti-bullying coordinator role from administrative management of principles to eliminate this conflict of interest. I expect the board to fulfill its fidiciary duties to our children and not just district reputation. In regards to inaccurate
data, the re the recent bullying report claims only two out of 13 bullying uh reports were substantiated this past month. This is a facade. These numbers do not reflect the reality of children being bullied. The issue remains that by the time these reports reach the board,
>> I just want to bring to your attention, you have about 5 seconds left. >> Thank you. They are sanitized. Mr. Yano committed to placing me on a committee for parental involvement. I hope that you can take honest feedback. I am pleased to see Mr. Dr. McCann as he was my principal during middle school. I had
a phenomenal time during my stay here, but now I'm a parent with rights and I'm here to represent Miss Montalvo and all parents alike. We do need the Lord. >> Thank you, Miss Santos. Any other yellow sheets? >> I have none. Is there anybody from the
public that wishes to speak? Seeing none, >> thank you. Superintendent recommendations for discussion or approval. Dr. McCann. >> Thank you, Mr. Holmes. >> Thank you, Mr. Holmes. Discussion approval regarding personnel item 1.1
and 1.2. >> Questions or comments? Motion and second. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Roll call. Mr. Bono, >> yes. >> Mr. Fokei, >> yes. >> Mr. Harris, >> yes.
>> Mrs. Perez, >> yes. >> Mr. Santiago, >> yes. >> Mrs. Vasquez, >> yes. >> Mr. Rivera, >> yes. >> Mr. Holmes, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Discussion, approval regarding procedures and operations, items 2.1
through 2.8. >> Questions or comments? >> Yes, >> M. President Holmes. Um I'm questioning 2.7 the school district calendar adding the two additional snow days and was wondering I uh several people reached
out to me about possibly using the June 2nd workday instead of um making the school calendar longer. Can you expand on that for me please? Let's have
comment on that as the calendar. >> Mr. Ramirez, please come up to the podium and speak to the calendar days, the additional two days. >> All op all all options were considered just to be clear and we feel as
administrative, Mr. Green will touch on that, but as administration, we were confident with this calendar. Go ahead, Mr. >> Yeah. So, we had some discussions with the uh bargaining units. there was a uh an agreement that was made that uh forced us to adjust our our calendar as it stood when we approved it to the
start of the year to add an additional PD day so that staff and students ended on the same day. So as a result of that we had some question or we had some discussion about uh if we had inclement weather days where would that be added to and collectively everyone wanted to extend the school year. Um so that's why
we moved in that direction to add those additional days. I'd have to u discuss with uh Mrs. the Marchie, I know that her team um well in advance prepares some of the PD that goes on, you know, from now through the end of the year. Um so being able to reschedule those folks for June 2nd may be difficult if they
already have some people in place for >> I understand that March March was impossible. Correct. I'm just not sure why June 2nd couldn't have been maybe adjusted instead of like I said because that's not only a longer day for for students, but it's also a longer day for
staff and it's a longer day for everyone. I just out of curiosity and at least it's being taped so they can hear so I don't have to repeat it like the old telephone game. >> Yeah, wrong. >> For sure. Yeah, we consider all options. We do have conversations with the units from time time to time to kind of figure
out what's the best best course of action and this was the calendar we use just based on an agreement we had previously about how the calendar would be extended if we had inclement weather days. And we have a conversation coming up I believe next week to to discuss next year's calendar. But, you know, we can certainly have some other discussions around, you know, revisiting
this year's as well. I just know that sometimes with things being scheduled, it does it is hard to kind of change some of those PD uh schedules if you have presenters coming in. So, >> quick question. June 2nd is the New Jersey primary election. Our schools are used for voting.
>> That is correct. Yeah. So, on those days, uh it was intentional for us to have students away that day because of the fact that we do have members of the community who are visiting the buildings. um our staff is still able to participate in professional development, but this also separates students from being in the building when we have uh
you know an influx of people who are coming in to vote on those days. >> So the students won't be there on June 2nd. >> Correct. Students will not be there June 2nd, but the staff will be for professional development. >> There was an additional day negotiated into the contract if you recall for
professional development. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> I have a question. Yes, Miss Vasquez. >> Uh, not a question, but a comment. Uh, la in last month's meeting, I brought up a concern concerning three policies. I
see uh that policy 2535 has been updated. And I just want to thank Vice President uh Rivera for working to add the language that I thought thought was very important. It's a start. and I do
appreciate him and working with the policy and personnel to uh revise that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further questions or comments for 2.1 through 2.8? Motion and second to approve. >> So move second.
>> Roll call. >> Mr. Bruno, >> yes. Mr. Fokei, >> yes. >> Mr. Harris, uh, >> no. We're at 2.1. >> Yep. >> So, no to 2.3 and yes to everything else. >> So, just to be clear, no to 2.1 and 2.3.
>> No. No to 2.3. >> Okay. >> And yes to everything else. >> Thank you, >> Mrs. Perez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santiago. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Vazquez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Rivera. >> Yes. >> I'm sorry.
>> Mr. Holmes, >> I'm sorry. No to 2.7. Yes to everything else. I apologize. >> I got it. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Rivera.
>> Yes, >> Mr. Holmes. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Discussion approval regarding finance 4.1 through 4.15. Questions or comments?
Motion and second to approve. >> 4.16 just to be >> This is for 4.1 through 416. >> Motion and second. >> So moved. >> Second. Roll call. >> Mr. Bono. >> Yes. Mr. Fio.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Harris. >> I need to recuse from 4.3 and yes to everything else. >> Thank you, Mrs. Perez. Yes, >> Mr. Santiago. >> Yes,
>> Mrs. Vasquez. >> Yes, >> Mr. Rivera. >> Yes, >> Mr. Holmes. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> Approval of bills for January 2026. Any questions or comments?
>> Motion. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Mr. Bono. >> Yes. >> Mr. Fio. >> Yes. >> Mr. Harris >> again recused from vendor number 1074 and vendor number 1333
and yes to everything else. >> Thank you Mrs. Perez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Santiago. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Vasquez. >> Yes. >> Mr. Rivera. >> Yes. >> Mr. Holmes. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Old business.
New business. Board board member remarks starting with Mr. Fio. >> Nothing at this time. >> Mr. Santiago. >> I just want to first um thank all of the Sabad and the the kids that came up to
do the flag salute. And I would like to also extend my sincere gratitude to the wonderful staff, faculty, and parents and students who were involved in the first multicultural night at Meny's Elementary School. I told my wife we're going to have a date night and it went well. So, we had a blast, a lot of good
food. Um, the principal, Mrs. O'Donn, the assistant principal, Mr. Donado, I thank them for their leadership in this successful event. We also received very kind email from Miss Meerson, a first grade teacher who thanked us for visiting and we appreciate her thoughtful gesture, her dedication to
our students. And also a thank you to Dr. Abisu and her organization Dreambuilders who had a great presentation. a you know celiac cruise appeared so it was it was a great time. Thank you >> Miss Vasquez. >> This past past month I was able to
attend the CTE carnival. This was my first and great turnout. Congratulations Mrs. Deari and all the staff to which I do feel especially for the ones that were not here tonight presenting. I am going to uh announce their names for those who were not here. I was so
impressed by everything from the studio to uh the the automobile repair to construction uh the marketing and I I cannot say enough good things about the CTE program. I wish I could have spent more
time with them that morning, but I was so impressed by how that program continues to grow. And so I just want to congratulate and thank Annelise Castellini, Sergeant Marcus Nolton, Sergeant Tashia Jackson Medley, Joe
Denise Mohler, Robert Rush, David Warden, Kate Krunk, Brooke Kenzig, John Popio, Phil Gambbury, Frank Medio, Lorine Griffiths, Mike Thus, Mh Dr. Martha St. John Tracy Tracy Paterno,
Danielle Packard, and Kelly Pritchard for all you do for our program and for our students. Uh, additionally, as someone who has worked with individuals living with disabilities for the first 18 years of my professional career, I was amazed by the work that has been
done through the life skills cafe. This cafe gives special needs students training and practical skills to be able to work after leaving the program. Uh, I just want to also give a shout out to Dr. uh, Mr. Danielle Chanel, sixth grade
ESL teacher at Wallace Intermediate School, uh, for his work with inspiring project on language acquisition. And this was from our curriculum corner. Thank you uh, uh, Deari for sending that to us and highlighting the great work
that is being done. congratulations uh for his uh students created metaphorical English trees to map their growth goals and supports and again from the curriculum corner hands-on visually engaging project strengthen strengthen
language skills while empowering students to celebrate their English language journey. Great job empowering our ESL students. Uh, finally, but not least, I want to thank uh Vlad Jackson for receiving an American Council of
Teachers of Russian Excellence. I appreciate that. Um, but also I did visit today uh I read at Rossy's school at uh Mr. Martine's class and this is a class act. Not only was I able to read
to the students and to me that's probably my favorite part part of this job, but just his level of hospitality, the hospitality of the entire school. They were so gracious as we uh roamed around from classroom to classroom and were nosy and asking questions and they were just so so so wonderful to us. So
congratulations Rossi school on a successful uh reading day and Mr. Martin for being a class act. I really appreciated that. Thank you, >> Mr. Perez. >> Thank you, Mr. Marchie. Thank you so much for a wonderful presentation that
your staff pulled off. The CTE um of Violent High School is going to be is and is going to continue to be one of the shining lights of our school. So, thank you very much. It was a great presentation and um and actually impressed me. Didn't realize we had quite so much going on. So, that's
amazing and I can't wait to see what we add. just some of the um the courses that you were talking about I think will be a great addition. So look for our support and we are excited to see what happens moving forward. Uh Miss Jackson, I know she's not here any longer, but it
was amazing to hear her story, a little bit of her story. I understand she has a a really cool story behind that. So um but it was great to see that and I know that she has touched many lives throughout her career. I had the privilege of being at Rossi school as
well today and I got to see a couple of my other board members. I was able to read to my to my granddaughter's second grade class. I was able to read to Miss Stephanie's um music class. But I have to tell you, walking those halls, the amount of effort and work that those
teachers put in, Miss Koya, I know you are very, very proud of your staff. It was amazing to see. I have to tell you, it caught me off guard how much I mean the time and effort that they must have come in individual pictures of each student and they really grasp the whole
roundup reading and it was just amazing. I will tell you I had the best I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to go back to work. I didn't want to leave. But it was amazing. The the children that you chose to lead us through that um that process that day, they were articulate.
These were little third, fourth, fifth graders, the most articulate human beings I think I've met in a long time. So, consider yourself very proud. You should be very proud of your staff. I'm proud that my uh granddaughter is a Rosselle. So, thank you very much.
>> Thank you, Miss Perez, Mr. Bono. >> Good evening, everyone. Thank you again for coming out tonight. Um, great job to the the flag saluters. Thanks for coming out. Um, the CTE program, um, Mrs. Marchie, Mr. Rivera. So impressed,
impressive. Um I've attended several things with um Mrs. Annaise Castellini, uh teacher of the um the A program and the future farmers of America. Such a first class
uh job by all the CTu programs. I I visited the carnival. I couldn't make it this year, but I heard everything was was great and awesome attendance and you know, fellow board members um comments that I've heard were all all positive.
So, thank you and continue on on that great uh route. Uh special thanks to um um President Holmes, Vice President Dennis Rivera, uh Sergeant Harris, excuse me, Shane Harris, and Donna Perez
on um going forward in a way that involves our community. I I commend you guys. Um you know, we're putting our trust in the four of you to put communities together like this. Like you said, it takes a village, and I 100% agree with that. Um, and it's going to
be a community um, you know, based um, decision and um, thank you to all the people that came out tonight to speak to us um, and your input. It's it's valuable. Um, so thank you. Looking forward to uh, selecting the next
superintendent. Dr. McCann, thank you for stepping in, filling in for us and time being. We we appreciate it and we're going to uh, look forward to your expertise as well. So thank you >> and guidance. Um and then lastly uh just talk about a little about today. I went
to like five different schools. I was at Rossi. I was at um uh Pway um Duran. No Pway was yesterday. Duran U Dan Barcy. And what was very impressive
on all the schools was the hospitality when you walked in the building, the welcoming, how clean the facilities are. you know, um, a lot of these buildings are pretty old. You know, there's some some old schools in our district, but I was very impressed on how well-kept they
are. Um, how engaged the students were. Um, and it was very impressive uh, across the board. So, kudos to all the uh, principles and staffs and and educators that were involved in in today. So, thank you for allowing me the
chance and the opportunity to read to the kids. It's very fulfilling from a board member's perspective to see, you know, the end result. So, it's all about the kids. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Harris. >> Yes. I also want to add thank you to Mr.
Deari, Mr. RER for all your hard work. I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to that uh first responder course. Uh also want to thank the JOTC students for coming out. Glad you guys continue to come out and are interested. Thank you.
uh also had an opportunity to visit school and read and I wanted to say thank you to the Miss Stretch. I went into her classroom. There was only about four or five students and I take my hat off to them. It looked like it was very
difficult. I don't think I could do that, but they kept everything under control. That particular class stood out to me. So, uh let them know I appreciate all their hard work. >> That's it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Harris. Vice President Rivera.
>> Good evening, everyone. I'd like to thank the kids from Sabat for leading us in the flag salute. Um, I also had the opportunity to go and read today to some a group of students in Duran school. Sorry, Rossi. I didn't get to make out to to Rossi. Next year, I'll be there. I promise. Um, but it was a little special
to me because it was my last one with my boys. It's their last year of fifth grade. I'm not going to cry. So it's my it's my last >> it's my LA it's their last year in fifth grade. So it was a little extra special for me to be there to read to them for the last time in the school setting not
for the last time but um and it was you know it was special. I got to also read to a second grade class Mrs. Kamardo's second grade class. So um that was special and and and like Miss uh Perez said you know I didn't get to go to all the schools but if if it's anything like Duran set it up. Duran had like this
whole mystery thing going on where every couple of minutes Greco would get on the intercom and give out clues and the kids would jump and get their pads and write down the clues and try to figure out. It was really great. Like I was really I was like, "Wow, this is really really cool." And I I wish they did stuff like this when I was in elementary school.
But it was great. And I'm sure in all the other elementary schools it was the same way. And so I I commend each and every elementary school for the effort, the time that you guys put in to make these moments special for our kids because it's all about our kids, right? And that's and that's all we do it for and we do it for our kids. So thank you.
Um congratulations to Mrs. uh Vlad Jackson on her award. Uh welld deserved. She has an amazing story how we've all heard and and I would like to listen and hear that story one of these days. Um the CTE program, what can I say that hasn't already been said? Um, I've been
a fan of you. I've been a proponent of you since my first day on this board. And I I continue to to shout out that this is one of our crown jewels. This is one of our programs that we need to really invest in and really, you know,
really bring in more students if we can, if we have the capability to do so. Bring in culinary arts, bring in the first responders and and criminal justice. Make it make it make it that kids don't want to leave violent. They want to stay in violent high school. They don't want to go to that other
place, right? Because we don't we don't you know now. So we want them to stay in violent. We want them to graduate from violent high school. And that's for me that's that's my goal. My goal is to keep our kids in district so that way they can say just like I am a proud Violent High School graduate. So I'm
really proud of the the CTE program. I'm really proud of every single instructor, every single student that came and spoke. It's amazing what you guys are doing in Violin and I look forward to even better things in the future. Um, I congratulate the thank you to the
focus groups like many of the board members that have spoken. We we are glad that you said yes that you said yes to the to the process that you said yes to helping us out to find our next superintendent. And we took all that information. We we got a briefing a
couple was it yesterday? Yesterday of all the the the the results from the surveys and the focus groups and pretty much we're all pretty much in line all the groups what they wanted. And it was good to see because we're all on the same page. What we we know what we want,
we know what we don't want. So I'm looking forward to the process. I just I mentioned to Mr. Harris that they better have breakfast at these uh interviews. They're going to be lasting all day long. So, uh, hope there's breakfast, at least coffee, and, uh, so I look forward I look forward to finding our next
leader, and I look f forward to to the process. Um, congratulations to our our basketball teams. They uh, they made us proud. They made us proud. Um, a couple of us were in attendance in the last
playoff game um, last Thursday, right? >> Yeah, >> Thursday. And the atmosphere was electric in that building. I mean, I wanted to jump in there and start playing. That's how exciting it was. And congratulations to our boys basketball team. They made us proud. The best record, I believe, I heard in
>> 20 plus years. Um 30 33 years. Amazing. Congratulations, boys. Congratulations to our girls basketball team as well. Congratulations to all our our uh fall sports and looking forward winter sports. Looking forward to our spring season from all our teams as well. And
lastly, I'd like to thank our facilities team once again. They cleaned up our parking lots. They cleaned up our sidewalks. They cleaned up our buildings for our kids and our students and our staff can go in and have a safe, you know, time at at our schools. I also
would like to thank the violent road departments for cleaning up the roads. I know all them didn't get cleaned up right away, but for the most part, the major roads were clean even that same day. And I I thank the violent road department. I thank our facilities team
is always always up for the task and uh thank you very much for always saying, you know, being present and being there way before anyone else even wakes up. So I thank you for that. And with that, thank you and have a great evening. >> Thank you, Dr. McCann.
>> Thank you, Mr. Holmes. It's an honor and privilege to be here this evening. I am really super proud of the program up at the high school, the CTE program. Uh for my entire high school teaching career, I was always an enthusiast for vocational
education and anytime I had an opportunity to push it. I pushed it hard. Um I even had a school store in this building for the years I worked here. We started school store in the cafeteria and I continued that right up to the high school. So, I'm real proud
of what our supervisors are doing to make this better and I think it's going to go better and better every year as we grow and to be competitive with anybody, but it's very hard to be competitive with Vinland. We have an outstanding school and school district. Uh, on a
sadder note, I uh wanted to on behalf of the Vinand Board of Education and VAS school administrators and everybody in Vinand, we had two great leaders pass away this past week. Dr. Dr. Richard Pasca who your superintendent here was
an outstanding superintendent. He was a principal. He was assistant superintendent. He served us well. And he passed away the couple weeks ago and he was a great guy. And the other uh great leader was Charles Chuck Neely who was longtime principal of Vine High
School North the Tanner building. Another great he was there for a very long time. He was assistant principal in this building before he went to Vine High School North for many years serving as administrator and serving Violent School District. Well, um our sympathies
go out to the families and the violent community. We were are heartbroken that they have passed on, but they were very very helpful and beneficial to our entire school community. Thank you. >> I don't know.
Yeah, >> everything has been said. Motion for adjournment. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you.