Okay. Good evening and welcome >> to the March 17th uh 2026 meeting of the Wall Township Board of Education. At this time, please stand for the pledge. Mr. Smith, Sunshine announcement and roll call, please. This is the Wall
Township Board of Education meeting for which adequate notice under the open public meeting act was provided by notice to the Asbury Park Press co-star all Wall Township public schools township administration office and a posting in the board administration office on January 8th 2026. Take a roll
call. Miss Adams >> here. >> Miss Barbier >> here. >> Miss Bby >> here. >> Mr. Buffa >> here. >> Miss Diovani. >> Miss Lawler >> here. >> Mr. Smith >> here. >> Mr. Wandra, >> Mr. Mal
>> here. At this time, I'd like a motion to go into executive uh session for the items indicated on the agenda. >> Miss Barbier, a second. >> Second, >> Miss Bby. And uh all in favor?
>> I will return at uh 7 p.m. Good evening. Welcome to the March 17th, 2026 meeting of the of the Wall Township Board of Education. Happy St. Patrick's Day to everybody. Uh at this time,
please stand for the pledge to the flag. Okay, Mr. Smith, a roll call, please. We have >> uh Miss Adams >> here. >> Miss Barbierro >> here. >> Miss Bby >> here. >> Mr. Buffa >> here.
Mr. Giovani, >> Mr. Lawler >> here, >> Mr. Smith >> here, >> Mr. Wandra >> here, >> Miss Gats here, >> here. >> Thank you. And Mr. Mouth >> here. Thank you. At this time, I'm going
to uh turn it over to Mr. Scorano for a uh student uh showcase. Special recognition, sorry. >> Thank you, Mr. Maliff. Um, at this time, and it's certainly an exciting one, I'd like to introduce our assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction, Miss McCann, uh, who has
the privilege of introducing Kate Kahill, the winner of our BFW Patriots pen essay contest. >> Thank you. Good evening. It is my honor to introduce an exceptional student whose words have captured the true spirit of patriotism and service.
Tonight we recognize Kate Cahill, the proud winner of the BFW Patriots Pen essay contest. Kate Cahill is a seventh grade student at Wall Intermediate School. Her essay emphasizes the importance of remembering
the past and using the knowledge to create a better future. This comes as no surprise because Kate is such an observant and thoughtful person. As a true patriot, she knows how to thoughtfully work with others. Whether she's in class collaborating with
friends, on the lacrosse field running a play, at band practice harmonizing, or at a church at church singing a in choir, she lives with the idea that she's part of something bigger than herself.
Through thoughtful reflection, powerful expression, and a deep appreciation for our nation's values, Kate demonstrated not only strong writing skills, but also a meaningful understanding of what it means to be an American.
This contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, challenges young people to reflect on patriotism, and Kate rose to that challenge with insight, sincerity, and excellence. At this time, I welcome Kate to the podium to share
her award-winning essay. [applause] In the June 2025 Gallup poll, 20% of US adults reported being only a little or not at all proud to be American. These heartbreaking statistics show a new reality for our country. From our very
own founding fathers to our current president, one thing stays the same. Our unremarkable loyalty to America. Patriotism is a deep love, pride, and devotion to one's country, often including a willingness to support and defend it. It's shown through actions
like respecting national symbols, participating in civic duties or working to make the country better even during challenging challenging times. In my daily life, I have no choice but to be patriotic. Every morning I say the pledge of allegiance, stand for the national anthem at sporting events, and
even hang a flag outside my house. Many of my family members have fought in World War II, and some of them suffered long-term damage or even died just to protect our country. When I was younger, I never understood why we had to learn about our country. I figured whatever happened, wrong or right, we should just
move on. Leave what happened in the past. As I got older, I started to realize why we had to learn about our country. In order to mature, we have to learn from the past. If we ignore the past, it's harder for us to face the future. If our country never recognized slavery, it would most likely still be a
widespread issue throughout the world. Think about how all the people who went through long-term health issues or died from 911 would feel if we ignored the tragic event. 911 was an undeniably sad and traumatic day for all the people in America. If we don't pay honor or at
least a minute of respect for everyone associated with it, our country has lost its meaning. John F. Kennedy states, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Patriotism means a variety of things to me. I try to express my love
for our country as much as I can every day. Overall, to me, patriotism is a beautiful thing, the reason why our country is so great. [applause] So, although you all pretty much did it, but um please join me in congratulating
Kate Cahill for this outstanding achievement and for representing the future of our nation with such promise. Congratulations. [applause] >> Mr. Skirano and Mr. Maliff are going to present you with a um certificate of recognition.
>> [applause] >> Thank you very much, Kate, for that beautiful essay. We're very proud of you, as I'm sure your family is also uh very proud of you. It's it's wonderful, really wonderful uh to hear a young student be so patriotic. I hope it uh
hope it catches on. Okay. Uh, and at this time we're gonna I'm going to call for Hazel Groat to give us our student uh, representative report. Hazel, >> thank you. Good evening. February has been an exciting and successful month at
Wall High School. Our girls basketball team made us proud by winning the Coaches Cup tournament on the 21st, defeating Freehold Burrow 55 to 40 on their home court. The boys basketball team also wrapped up an incredible season on March 3rd with an impressive
21-3 record, competing in the Central Jersey group 2 semi-final game and securing the top 25 overall state ranking. Our bowling teams had an unforgettable season as well. The Wall Boys bowling team finished 16 to four and captured
the group 2 state championship in New Brunswick with a 2 to1 victory over Dearrist. On the 27th, they returned home in a parade led by first responders, including firefighters, police officers, and ambulances, where they were welcomed
by fellow sports teams, friends, and family. Under the leadership of coaches Miss Lash and Mr. Klein, the team celebrated another major achievement as Donovan Klein earned the individual bowling state champion for the second year in a row, defeating the same fierce
competitor from St. Joseph whom he faced last year. Looking ahead, we are excited for the 16th annual Volley for autism event which will be held on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 in the Wall Intermediate School. Wall High School student council
is gathering donations from local businesses and other clubs for the gift auction. This is always a meaningful event for our community and we are proud to continue supporting the wonderful cause. In academics and leadership, the National Honor Society juniors are currently applying for the officer
positions, including president, vice president, treasurer, and more. While the rest of the junior members and seniors continue completing their community service hours, our NNDC unit also completed its area manager inspection where a Navy commander visits
Wall High School to ensure the unit meets Navy standards. During junior health classes, students recently met with their school counselors for a classroom lesson focused on post-secary planning. During the lesson, counselors reviewed an important information about the
post-secary planning process, including timelines, application tips, and resources available to support students as they begin preparing for life after high school. In addition, Mrs. Rivera, Mr. Nash, and Mr. Jenx accompanied students to Keen University to
participate in NJSAC National College Fair. This provided students with the opportunity to meet with representatives from a wide range of colleges and universities, ask questions, and learn more about potential post-secary options
as well as Wall Got Talent was a huge success on February 25th with an amazing turnout. The night featured a variety of performances including heavy metal rock, lyrical dance routines, and theatrical musical events. Wall Township has also selected their members for the Wall
Township Youth Advisory Committee. This process and program is set to build the comm our community and let the leaders of Wall Township thrive. Finally, on the evening of March 4th, Wall High School held its first ever veteran memorial ceremony. The administration worked with
families and other groups in the community to gather the names of all high school graduates who have served in the United States military. During the ceremony, members of the NNDCC respectfully read the names of these 109 graduates while the choir performed
America the Beautiful. A permanent gallery was also unveiled in the athletics hallway featuring photographs from of all high school graduates who have served in the military. This meaningful ceremony honored the service and sacrifice of our alumni and will now become an annual tradition at Wall High
School. March has truly showcased the dedication, talent, and spirit of Wall High School. Thank you. >> Thank you, Hazel. Thank you very much. And as always, you're welcome to stay, but if you have other pressing uh engagements, please you can take care of those. Thank you very much. At this
time, we're going to open up the floor for our first uh public comment. And the board requests those individuals speaking will be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when making comments. Specifically, comments regarding the individual students and
school personnel are discouraged and will not be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The Wall Township Board of Education bears no responsibility, nor will it be liable uh for any comments made by members of the public. speakers
should consider their comments in light of the legal rights of those affected or identified in their comments and recognize that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. And please observe our policy of three minutes per speaker. So uh any
speaker please come to the podium. >> Good evening. My name is Lisa Adam Woolly Road. Uh, I'm a proud parent in the district. I've had three children go through the schools and between them, they have competed in six varsity sports. For several of those years, I also served as
the president of the Wall High School football booster club. Through that, I learned a lot. But one thing I learned is that a great coach is rare. It has been brought to my attention that the board of ed is not renewing coach Rogers contract for the football season in the fall. I have watched my children be
coached by every style imaginable. the disciplinarian, the cheerleader, and the strategist. And I understand what high school athletics look like and what it asks of our kids. So when I tell you that Coach Rogers is different, I need you to hear that as an informed
observation of a parent who's been paying attention for a long time. Running the booster club gave me a view that most parents never get. I saw what goes on behind the scenes. the early mornings, the late nights, the planning, the preparation, the personal investment
that it takes that never make it onto a stat sheet. Our coaches pour blood, sweat, and tears into our programs. And I have deep respect for all of them. But I will tell you plainly, Coach Rogers does more. He goes further than many coaches I have
ever seen. He is not the exception to the rule. He sets the rule. I have had the privilege of working handinhand with our head football coach, Coach Ed Guerreri. I know how much how f I know firsthand how much coach Guerreri values Coach Rogers. His opinion, his
knowledge, his skill set. That kind of trust between a head coach and their staff does not happen by accident. It is earned. Losing Coach Rogers is not just a loss for these young men. It is a loss for the entire program from the top down. I want to take you back to 2021.
This program was at an all-time low. It was one of the hardest periods this team has ever gone through. And I lived it front row as a parent with a freshman and a senior in the program. I watched families consider walking away. I will be completely honest. My son considered
transferring. I considered walking away. Coach Rogers did not. He spoke up in defense of this team when it would have been easier to stay quiet. He stepped up helping to bring in new leadership when we desperately needed it. And then when it counted most, he joined the coaching staff himself. He put his money where
his mouth was. And that is not something you see every day. That is the definition of commitment. I believe Coach Rogers is one of the primary reasons this program has turned around. We are finally back to the football that I know and love. This community has fought hard to rebuild something special, and Coach Rogers has been a
cornerstone of that rebuilding. And tonight, you're being asked to dismantle part of what is working. And I ask you not to. He's the kind of coach that gets kids. He meets them where they are. He makes them feel seen and valued and capable and then he holds them to a higher standard. Not with shame, not by
making them feel lesser, but by making them want to rise. And there's a profound difference between a coach who demands more and a coach who inspires more. He makes you want to play for him, not because of the wins, but because he makes you want to be at a better man. And those are my son's words, not mine. And when a teenage boy says something
like that, unprompted with complete sincerity, I think every adult in this room should stop and listen. My son would not be who he is today without the respect and love and the mentorship of Coach Rogers. And I don't use those words lightly. Mentorship is what every one of us hopes our children will find when we send them out into the world.
Coach Rogers gave that to my son and he's given it to every man he has ever coached. You have the power to reconsider this decision. And I'm asking you to do so. Not for the wins or the stats, but for what he represents, for the kind of influence on young people that this community should be fighting for, not letting walk out the door.
Please don't take away one of the best things this program has. think about the players and do right by them. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Do we have anyone else for public comment? >> Good evening, Board of Education. My name is Gabriella Bonet. I am a 2025
graduate of From Wall High School, and tonight I'm coming to you with an ongoing nightmare. Someone close to me that attends Wall Intermediate School struggles with his mental health due to bullying that quickly escalated into violent threats. The student then went to the administration and reported it. The school's response was to call the
parents of the two students involved. So, in a short answer, the school did nothing. There was no consequence for those two bullies. The student now no longer feels safe or comfortable at that school and has begged his family to not go back. He feels unsupported and that the school has failed him. This is not
an isolated situation. Many students in this district have faced similar experiences over the years and now they are no longer with us due to the lack of support and may I say rest in peace to those beloved angels. Mental health awareness and suicide prevention needs to be more aware and more available
especially in the wall school district. While guidance counselors are available, many students feel dismissed or unheard. Being told to just ignore it is not a solution because trust me, it's not easy to just ignore. When students share their mental health to the school, they are forced into an interrogation
process. This discourages others from speaking up out of fear that it will make their situation worse. Students need real support systems such as support groups, not just guidance counseling or an interrogation room. There must be stronger consequences for students who threaten or harm others. A
phone call home or a short suspension is not enough when someone's safety is at risk. From my research, there have been five kids from Wall Township alone that have committed suicide because of bullying. And I don't want to see that number grow any higher, but God knows that it will. In an article on PA on
patch.com, it states, "The district has a comprehensive plan in place to meet the needs of our students, faculty, and staff with safe and supportive measures." But what exactly is your plan in place to students mental health safe? To keep students mental health safe?
Sorry. Because quite frankly, guidance counseling and an harassment, intimidation, and bullying report should not be the only options to prevent the struggle of being bullied. Students spend the majority of their time in your care. Their safety, both physical and emotional, should be a
priority. I urge you to take mental health and the bullying problem more serious and make meaningful changes. Not just for me or for the one student, but for every student who is struggling quietly. I hope my voice can make an impact on our schools. Make the change. Be the change. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you for your comments. >> Is there anyone else for public comment? >> Good evening board. Thank you for uh taking the time to hear my comment. I'm going to speak to uh the subject of coach coach Chris Rogers. My name is
Peter Clark. I live on Gwendola Road. I currently have a sophomore here at Wall High School. who uh plays for Coach Rogers. And uh have a a recent graduate. My son, my older son, graduated in in 2025,
so uh he's a freshman at at in college now, and he played for Coach Rogers as well. And uh so on March 8th, I drafted an email to Mr. Scorano, Mr. Davis, and Miss Henry regarding this subject supporting Coach Rogers. It was brought to my attention recently that he
would not be renewed for his coaching position at uh at Wall High School. And I I'd be remissed if I didn't mention Miss Cahill's fantastic essay that exemplifies the subject that that I'm going to speak towards right now, which is loyalty, honor, and community
involvement. So, four years ago, Coach Rogers stood up in front of this very board and advocated to get our program back on track and and took us from some very dark days up to where we are now. And I'll be honest with you, you I'm a I'm a a huge fan of football and I don't
know what our our record was. I couldn't tell you if if you you know, if you force me to. So, it it has nothing to do with statistics. It has to do with what uh Coach Rogers is providing our our young players and and molding them into
the young men that we're hoping that they'll become and and they have. Uh he served this program with unwavering devotion. He brings a level of character and mentorship to the young men he coaches that can't be overlooked, helping shape them indivi individuals our community can be proud of. During
some of the program's most difficult times, Coach Rogers stepped forward as both a parent and a coach, helping to steady what felt like a sinking ship. Quite honestly, in recent years, the program has begun to move in a positive direction under the leadership of head coach Ed Guerreri and his dedicated
staff, of which Coach Rogers has been an important leader and contributor. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to reconsider Coach Rogers position as an assistant coach within our football program. Allowing the current staff to continue their work with help uh
maintain the progress, dedication, and positive culture that's been built will undoubtedly benefit the program for years to come. So again, I uh I hope that you'll reconsider your suggestion that he not reapply for his current position. And uh thank you
very much. I appreciate your time tonight. >> Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else for public comment? >> Good evening. My name is John Reo and I have three amazing boys who attend Old Mill. I wanted to start by saying thank you to Mrs. Bond, uh, Mrs. Bagosi and
the transportation department for addressing a recent issue so quickly. All three of my boys ride a small bus, a van with about eight other LLD students. And for several months, the van had been arriving late to school 15 to 20 minutes
on a daily basis. Once myself and a few other parents brought this to their attention, the issue was addressed almost immediately, and we truly appreciate that responsiveness. However, this situation raises a broader concern. For several months, a group of students were consistently arriving late to
school, and parents were never made aware. I only discovered this by chance when I happened to be at the school one morning as a part of my PTA responsibilities and saw my children arrive at 9:20 a.m. And speaking with the staff, it appeared that the
hesitation to communicate this issue to parents. Um it appears the hesitation is rooted in concerns about potential repercussions that is something we need to address as a district. Open communication between staff and families
are critical. When issues are identified early and shared, they can be resolved much faster, as we just saw. Dr. Blekeley, if you are listening tonight, I respectfully ask that this district reflect on this on this next school year and work towards fostering a culture
where staff feel comfortable raising concerns that directly impact students. I also want to briefly mention another safety topic that I've been advocating for, school bus AI cameras. There are currently two bills at the state level, A-3887
and 6-1469, that will allow AI cameras on school buses to record drivers who illegally pass stop buses with violations reviewed by law enforcements. I encouraged both the board and members of this community to contact Senator
Robert Singer to support this legislation. I also recently connected with Assemblyman Sean Keane, who recommended everyone reaching out to Assemblywoman Lisa Swan, chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee to request that A-387 be posted for a
hearing and vote. Finally, I want to respectfully ask for a follow-up regarding a concern I raised last month related to Life Touch. Thank you for your time and your attention. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Rho. Is there anyone else for public comment?
Hi, I'm Colleen McCormack of Wall. After watching the taping of the budget meeting last week, I just had some thoughts I'd like to share. specifically the continuation of seven mindsets. Mr. Buffa asked if there was any data to support its continued use and Miss Steiner claimed hibs are down 80% in
elementary from September to December. I'd just like to challenge this claim for a few reasons. Morning meeting is not occurring anywhere near as often as the district says it is on paper. I have data on bus arrival times for elementary schools where children are just arriving or not in the building yet, let alone
unpacked in their seats and ready to learn by the time morning meeting is underway. Orchestra students miss morning meeting twice a week. At one school, morning meetings are interrupted daily by the pledge and then again when students on free and reduced lunch leave to get breakfast provided to them by the
district. Some of the students are missing morning meeting altogether. Quite a few teachers who shall remain anonymous for fear of repercussions have stated they find morning meetings too difficult to fit into the time allotted, a waste of time and have skipped lessons
or given them up completely. The rush nature of morning routine, flag salute, attendance, calendar, lunch orders, backpacks, coats, etc. cuts into the 15minute time slot before classes have to transition to their next subject or location. At one school, the tail end of
morning meeting is cut short by two minutes to allow for passing time. September to December, with all of its breaks like Thanksgiving, winter recess, conferences, teachers convention, snow days, is by no means an adequate time frame to collect enough data to be
relevant in making claims regarding program effectiveness. I personally met with Mrs. Steiner to see if students were being assessed on their knowledge during morning meeting. Her answer was no. If students are not being assessed on their knowledge, how do we know they're understanding it? If we don't
know if they understand it, how can we claim the program is working? Morning meetings structurally speaking is a good idea. Mrs. Steiner's presentations are carefully thought out and a good model of what it can be. However, this is not proprietary. Teachers already set their
own routine and create classroom community based upon their students needs. They don't need a one-sizefits-all program forced upon them. Each class should be differentiated based upon the needs identified by the teacher, not someone who has never met the children involved. Perhaps the improvement is simply
because students have finally begun adjusting to the process of socialization after the pandemic. The use of the terminology in your lifelines curriculum. Maybe credit is due to the amount of protective factors that have increased during guess what September to December. For example, our wonderful PTO's have partnered with many local
businesses to offer afterchool programs for our littles to take part in to help build relationships and community. I feel as though causation and correlation are being confused in the case of the 80% statistic. I just wanted to bring this to um everyone's attention so we
don't just go along with a claim that might not be entirely true. In summary, I'm glad to see improvements in our children's experience in school, but just question the degree of validity to some claims being attributed to the data. It's very easy to make numbers say what you want them to, so just be
mindful. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Do we have anyone else for public comment? Seeing no one else uh for public comment, we're going to close this public comment. And at this time, I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Scorano for
a superintendence update. >> Thank you, Mr. Maliff. Happy St. Patrick's Day. And thank you to our student representative to the board of education, Hazel Gro, for joining us this evening. We always appreciate it. With longer and warmer days arriving and hopefully the winter weather firmly
behind us, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to thank our during to thank our uh operations team for their efforts during the significant snowstorm a few weeks ago. The timing and volume of the storm certainly created some additional challenges and they managed it extremely well as they always do. So, thank you
again to our operations department. Read Across America was celebrated in our elementary schools during the week of March 2nd. Thank you to our schools for continuing to celebrate the importance of reading and thank you to those who were able to give some of their time to read to our elementary
students. It is always a great event. The Wall Intermediate School annual musical performance took place on Friday and Saturday last week under the direction of Miss Franches. The cast and crew put together a wonderful performance of 13 junior that was enjoyed by all. Great job to the entire
production and thank you to all of those who helped to bring this performance to life. The high school spring musical Into the Woods will be performed on March 26th, 27th, and 28th. And ticket information is available on the high school website. Best of luck to the
cast, crew, and production team. The Wall of Honor ceremony took place at the high school on March 4th and was a great event that was well attended. The pride and appreciation for our servicemen and women was evident and thank you to the high school administration and their assistance, the
NNDC cadetses, the Wall High School choir, and Mr. Texter and the Mammoth County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums for their participation in making the ceremony a memorable one. Wall High School had two students selected by a panel of art educator of
New Jersey judges to be the only two Mammoth County High School students recognized at the state level for their exceptional artwork. Congratulations to Melody Custers, grades 10, and Aaron McBaron, grade 11, who were selected to represent Mammoth County and will be
honored at a youth art month state reception on March 28th at the grounds for sculpture. We will be recognizing these students at our April 28th board meeting along with our championship bowling team who under the leadership of coach Lash compiled a 16-4 record and
won the group two state championship. Additionally, Donovan Klein earned individual bowling state championship champion for the second year in a row which is certainly a tremendous achievement. Congratulations to the team and students and we look forward to celebrating them at next month's
meeting. Once again, the Special Services Department would like to invite the district to participate in our observance of World Down Syndrome Day on Friday, March 20th. It is actually on March 21st, but since that is a Saturday this year, we will be observing it in
our district uh this Friday, the 20th instead. Lots of Socks is a global a global campaign where everyone is encouraged to wear fun and colorful socks to promote advocacy for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome. The idea behind the lots of socks
initiative is an acceptance of all of our differences and what makes us unique while also remembering that we are more alike than different. It is ins observed on this day 321 due to the tricom 21 chromosomal difference that causes down syndrome.
The district will be celebrating neurodeiversity week from March 23rd to March 27th with various daily events occurring occurring in our buildings. Neurodeiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about
neurological differences while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. Thank you to our special services department for always prioritizing this recognition. As mentioned in the students uh
representative report, the 16th annual Voli for Autism event will be held on Thursday, April 23rd at 6 o'clock p.m. at Wall Intermediate School. And please support this great event in any way that you can. April is child abuse prevention awareness month. The district is
formally recognizing this to highlight the importance and commitment to all children's safety and well-being through family and community partnerships designed to raise awareness and pro provide education and support services. On this evening's agenda, you will find the tenative budget for next school
year. It is important to note that at this time the status of our school budget is tentative as we are required to submit this snapshot of our work to the NJ DOE by March 27th. A great deal of time and effort on the part of the board of education and central administration team has been dedicated
to developing the annual school budget in preparation for approval on April 28th. The budgeting process includes the work of the board committees culminating in a full board workshop session that was held in public on March 10th. We will be submitting a balanced budget on
March 27th and as mentioned the budget presentation and public hearing is scheduled for April 28th. I would like to remind everyone that the Crimson Knights Foundation Gallow Awards are coming up this week. The Gallow Awards will take place this Thursday, March 19th, at 6 o'clock p.m. at the
Spring Lake Manor. Please visit our district website for ticket information, and congratulations again to this year's recipients, Dr. Tracy Skinner, Patrolman Michael Malone, and Dr. Megan Wac. Kindergarten registration is underway. Parents, if you have children that will
be five years of age on or before October 1st, please register your child for kindergarten and visit our website for more details. And finally, as a reminder, spring recess begins on Friday, April 3rd, and runs through Sunday, April 12th, with schools
reopening on Monday, April 13th. Happy uh St. Patrick's Day again. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Maliff. >> Thank you, Mr. Scarano. who addressed just about all the things that I would like to uh would have addressed. You I might just uh uh go over a couple
things. I happy to hear that you thanked our maintenance and operations department. I also want to add the bus drivers because uh uh it was a uh particularly tough stretch we had for those for those two storms and uh it was they did a a wonderful job getting the
school ready and I know the bus drivers uh did a great job getting around town. Uh but of course our our uh town people did a good job making those roads safe for them as well. And I especially want to thank the uh operations and maintenance department for doing what
they did uh in light of the absence of uh uh Mr. Chrysanda who uh passed away last month. Uh I'm glad to hear that we're going to be honoring the bowling team and uh Donovan Klein uh next month for not only for winning the group two
state championship as a team but also for Donovan winning the overall title for the second time in a row. And I when I read the article I think he won it he had to to get to a tiebreaker and they actually had a bowl off for him to uh to win the title. And so that was very very
exciting. I did attend the uh production of 13 Jr. uh this past uh Saturday afternoon. Was a wonderful performance and what I was so very encouraged about not only the the talent that I saw but the amount of students who were involved
when they were all on the stage at the end taking their bows, all the the actors, the ensemble, the uh the crew. Uh there had there were had to have been more than a hundred kids there. So my congratulations to them and to Miss Franches for putting on a a terrific
show. Uh thanks again to Kate Cahill. She did a uh very very proud that she won the VFW uh Patriots pen contest. She we heard our her uh essay tonight and it was wonderful. Uh I would like to point out probably many of you are aware
uh that uh a few weeks ago at the uh the basketball the Manisquan wall basketball game we had here the Manasquan coach uh suffered a medical emergency and uh due to the swift action of people who were in attendance including many of the people um on our staff here uh the coach
was uh uh the situation was addressed and I understand he's uh recovering and we're very very grateful for that. So I appreciate all of the the efforts of everybody who contributed to uh what turned out to be a happy ending except for the final score. That wasn't such a
happy ending but the uh as far as the coach was concerned uh very very happy to hear and also Mr. uh Scorano did mention about the Crimson Knight Foundation gala this week. if you have the opportunity uh to come, it is a great uh great night, a great event, and
the Crimson Knight Foundation is a wonderful organization that will uh attempt to provide some things to the to this to the school district that is not normally provided uh by the board of education. Okay. Uh and at this time, I'd like to read the names of the
students we are honoring this month. For students of the month, grade nine, Jenna Bologna. Uh grade 10, Eloise Pavier. Grade 11, Gabrielle Hammond. Grade 12, Cameron Lynn. Knights of the week. Grade
10, uh, Jonas Smack. For the the week of two 22 22 26 for the week of 29, uh, Mason Karp 2926 for the week of 2162 26, Michael Dassing. And for the week of 223
26, uh, Taylor Knight. All right. Uh, at this time, are there any other comments that any board members would like to make? Mr. Buffer. >> Thank you, Mr. Maliff. Um, I also, um,
just Hazel Gro's um, student report today was filled with detail. Um, a lot of great things going on at the high school and it's it's always nice to hear that. um in as well as she explained it, it was it was a great report and
unfortunately I missed her because she had just left. So um I also realized um after each meeting I kind of go home and I rewatch the meeting to make sure that I didn't say anything that I shouldn't have said while I was speaking. Um and I
realized that during the budget um meeting that we had last week uh I did not thank uh one very important person and that was Dr. Dr. Handerhan. Um Dr. Handerhan made it a point to put in extra time on the budget with Mr. Smith
and the um the other administrators to make sure that it was to the place where it was before she had left for surgery. So, um, you know, I don't think she's listening to this, but, uh, I do want the public, she may be, um, I do want
the public to know that she put in a lot of work and, uh, I really appreciate that as FNF chair, um, all her efforts in that and making sure that that was kind of wrapped up before she had left. Uh, additionally, um, so I don't have to
speak in the committee, um, um, update part, uh, FNF, um, referendum updates are on the website under the referendum tab. Please take a look at that. And to echo Mr. Scorano, uh, the adoption of the tenative budget tonight. Um, that's
all I have. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you, uh, Mr. Buffet. Any other board members? Okay. uh committee reports are available on the uh uh agenda and uh any committee
chairman wish to comment on any of the uh things. I would like to say I think that certainly the weather has uh uh delayed a little bit for the uh work on the athletic complex but uh from what I understand work is proceeding and uh uh
hopefully that uh uh things will be ready for us uh to have a a graduation ceremony on one of the fields come June. That is that is the plan. All right. And we hope that that plan uh is realized. All right. Uh at this time we're going
to open up the floor for the second public comment. I just want to caution you that this is a uh public comment that is to be dedicated on agenda items. So only uh items that we uh see on tonight's agenda really would be
relevant for comments at this time. Is there anybody who would list wish to comment on any agenda items? Okay, seeing none, I'm going to close uh public comment. At this time, I'm going to ask for uh a motion to approve
tonight's consent agenda. Mr. Wandra, a second. >> I'll second. >> Mr. Lawler. All right. Uh roll call, please. Mr. Smith. >> Miss Adams. >> Yes. >> Mier, >> yes. >> Miss Bby, >> yes.
>> Mr. Buffer, >> yes. M Lawler. >> Yes. >> Mr. Smith, >> yes. >> Mr. Wandra, >> yes. >> Mr. M. >> Yes. Right. At this time, I'm going to ask for a motion to return to executive
session for the items that are listed on tonight's agenda. Uh, no action will be taken and we will adjourn from public session uh at that time when we close executive session. Uh, do I have a motion to go into executive session?
Mr. Buffa, Miss Barbierre. Okay, we are returning to executive session at this time. Thank >> all in favor >> opposed. Okay, thank you. And again, happy St. Patrick's Day. Thank you for coming.