Someone live space here. The adequate notice of this regular meeting as required by the open public meetings act was provided by the posting mailing delivery and filing of this notice on January 9, 2025. This notice
was on that date posted on the bulletin board in the township office sent to the courier news and tap into Warren and filed with the township clerk of the township of Warren all in accordance with the requirements of the open public meetings act. Please rise for the pledge
of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call.
I'll now call the role. Mrs. Dalton here. Mrs. Granholm here. Miss Keller here. Mr. Moffetta, Mr. Otto here, Mr.
Tour, Mr. Valentino, Mr. Weinstein here, and Mrs. Zum here. We have a quorum. Uh, thank you, Mr. Hegel. Miss Keller. Resolve that the board of education approves the public session minutes of the March
17th, 2025 board meeting. Do I have a second? Second. I'll call the role on this item. Mrs. Dalton? Yes. Mrs. Granholm? Yes. Miss Keller? Yes. Mr. Otto? Yes.
Mr. Weinstein? Yes. Mrs. Z? Yes. Motion passes 6. Thank you, Mr. Hegel. Dr. M. Correspondents and information there. Uh, no correspondence to report tonight. Since our last meeting, there were seven HIV investigations, all at Warren Middle School and all deemed not
to meet the criteria of an HIB. And on the suspension report, there were four inschool suspensions at the middle school and one out of school suspension at Woodland School. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the April 28th meeting of the board of education. I have only a couple
of brief comments. On May 8th, the Warren School District will be recognized by the Somerset County School Boards Association for its receipt of new New Jersey a New Jersey school boards association annual school leader award. I encourage all board members to
RSVP to the school Somerset County School Boards Association to attend the May 8 meeting at 6:00. We'd love to have a full table there for the recognition. And uh this is where I'm going to pause and like I always do remind people they serve food and it's prepared by the kids
at the VOTE. Um and it's outstanding uh right from ordurves to through to dessert. So please come join us at the table. It's free or your dues to the schoolboard association paid for it. So please join us. Um and we will be uh
doing a special recognition this evening that is truly extraordinary and and um I am going to comment a little later when we get to that special recognition about the immense gratitude that the district uh feels uh for a donation that we will be accepting. So on that note, Dr. Mingle.
Thank you, Mrs. Zan. Uh just one announcement tonight. I want to congratulate middle school teacher Lynn Degan, who is the recipient of the 2025 New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Teaching Award. This award recognizes social studies teachers in the state of New Jersey for creating innovative
experiences for their students to connect to the history of the state and Mrs. Degan is the only recipient in the state of New Jersey this year of that award. We will celebrate her and all of our That's amazing. We will celebrate Mrs. Degan and all of our governor's educator
of the year award recipients and our exemplary educator of the year recipients at the board's next meeting which is on May 12th. That's always a great event. So we encourage you to come in person or tune in uh to see our staff celebrated from across the district.
Thank you, Dr. Mingle. Um we're going to move on to presentations. Dr. Mingle, I'm so sorry. We're gonna hold we we have um a special recognition for Mr. Kumar Babanasi of our community
and uh it's a truly extraordinary um act of generosity and we would like to wait until he arrives so that we can properly give our thanks. So we'll move that particular item to whenever he arrives. We'll pause the agenda at that time for that purpose. Um and then
moving on for the time being to the 2025 2030 strategic plan. Well, good evening everybody. Thank you to everyone who's here in person and tuning in on Zoom as well. And we know a lot of people will watch our video to to learn more about this exciting topic,
which is our 2025 to 2030 strategic plan announcement. Tonight, I'll be walking you through two critical efforts that shape the future of the Warren Township Schools. the strategic plan itself and embedded within the strategic plan, the process that we're launching to respond to anticipated enrollment growth. These
efforts are deeply connected, both being rooted in our community's values and focused on preparing all students for success in a rapidly changing world. At the heart of this work is our shared commitment to students. We're planning for the future and doing that in a way that is together based on what
we've heard from everybody here and tuning in online. and our students, our staff, parents, and the broader Warren community. This strategic plan wasn't created in isolation. It reflects hundreds of voices and a belief that we can always do more to serve our learners. We remain focused on what
matters most, our students success. And throughout the presentation, I will factor in some key quotes and data points from the various outreach efforts that we had throughout the last several months that help highlight the decisions that were made when we were developing the plan. For example, this plea that
small class sizes remain a priority which was present in many of our survey responses from the community. So why do we go through this process and why now? First, it gives us a roadmap. It helps guide the decisions that we make even as things are changing. Second, it allows us to align our people, time, and
funding with the work that matters the most. And third, it strengthens collaboration. This was built with community input and it will be carried forward through that shared effort as well. And so let's jump right into it. This slide provides a highle summary
of our new strategic plan organized around three clear focus areas. Student learning. First, we are committed to elevating academic rigor, ensuring that instruction challenges and engages every learner while providing personalized support. We heard from our parent
community, 58% of whom said that the need for greater academic rigor and challenge was a high priority. Second, student and staff well-being. We know students thrive when they feel safe, supported, and valued. This goal focuses on fostering a positive, inclusive environment, and strengthening mental
health and wellness supports. 74% of our survey respondents in the community said that mental health initiatives should be a high priority. And third, planning for growth. With enrollment increasing due to residential development, we must plan carefully to protect what we value: small class sizes, sustainable
facilities, and highquality programs. 97% of our survey respondents said that school quality strongly impacts their home values. These goals are not theory. They're not hypothetical. They're grounded in the needs and priorities that everybody in the community shared
with us. They reflect the future of our community for our students. So, let me go into each one in a little bit more detail. First, student learning. This goal is about learning at the highest level. Goal 1.1 calls for us to elevate academic rigor and engagement. This
means using proven strategies to deepen learning, foster independence, and spark curiosity across every subject area. Many of our survey respondents shared a desire for more challenging curriculum, especially at the younger grade levels. And goal 1.2 is about meeting the needs of every learner. Through what is called
a multi-tered system of supports, differentiated instruction, and social emotional well-being, we will ensure that each student has what they need to grow. Goal two, student and staff well-being, is about the people in our buildings. 2.1 is about fostering a school climate
that is physically and emotionally safe. It includes safety upgrades, emergency preparedness, and a focus on belonging. Goal 2.2 expands access to mental health and wellness supports. This includes partnerships with providers, wraparound services, and initiatives to reduce
stigma and build resilience. A student focus group participant stated, "It helps when we have someone to talk to who really understands what we're going through and mental health counseling and support was the highest prioritized wellness strategy in our community survey. These aren't abstract
ideas, but real needs that our students in our community are telling us that they need. This goal ensures that every school is a place where people feel safe, supported, and able to thrive. And third, planning for growth. This is the best local picture I had
that kind of got at planning for growth. Those are HVAC units being put onto the middle school a couple summers ago. But goal three is really about the future. A frequently cited challenge in our community survey was how to manage the influx of new students from housing developments while maintaining what
people have come to know and love or why people moved here in the first place. In many cases, goal 3.1 addresses anticipated enrollment growth, which I want to point out is coming from three different places. current housing development that remains under construction right now as you drive throughout town, the next round of
housing development, which we anticipate over the next five years or so, but also the regular cyclical process of housing turnover. Our most recent demographic study projected a 20% enrollment increase from the housing now being constructed and that regular
turnover. So far, in the years since that demographic study, we've seen the numbers within 1% of projections year after year. are very well uh in line with what we expected. If that comes to fruition all the way, we will be close to the highest enrollment that this
district ever had, which was 2,300 students 20 years ago. As of today, we have about 1,700 students. So, I just want put some numbers behind what this look actually looks like over the next few years. Additional housing will likely lead to enrollment that exceeds that high water mark from 20 years ago.
Our plan is to study population trends, assess space needs, and ensure that we can accommodate every learner while protecting what we value like small class sizes and a strong well-rounded educational program. That work is already underway, and it's the foundation of our planning for growth process, which I'll talk about more a
few in just a few minutes. So, this brings us back to our mission statement, which hasn't changed to create a safe, nurturing, yet challenging environment where every student is engaged and supported academically, socially, and emotionally. And this strategic plan continues the
process of putting that mission into action. We had over 500 community voices contribute to this plan in addition to hundreds of staff members and students. And so, as I said earlier, we plan strategically for many reasons, but there are three that rise to the top. We need to have a roadmap for future
decision-making as a board and as a community. We need to make sure that our resources align with what our students and staff need. And we believe that if we do this together, the result will reflect the best thinking that our community has to offer. So, let's talk a little bit about the process that got us
here. We began last fall by defining the purpose of a strategic plan. We collected input from staff, students, parents, and community members. That input was shared with other data that we had available to understand the key needs. From there, the plan was crafted, refined, and is now being shared broadly
tonight for uh approval at the next meeting. So, just to kind of dig into a little bit further about the timeline, I just want to point out that while the formal strategic planning process may have begun in the fall of 2024, it really began in 2018, which is when this board
uh decided that we would use this 5-year strategic planning process to make sure that we were thinking not just about what happens this year and next year, but in the long term. That result, the 2020 to 2025 strategic plan has very closely guided our work and our budgeting for the last 5 years and what
you're seeing now will do the same thing for the next five years. Just some thank yous here. Many individuals contributed time, thought, and energy to the process. I just want to take a moment to recognize the ad hoc committee which included board members Patricia Zhan, Laura Keller, and Steven Tour. District
leadership team members which included Chris Hegel, Bill Kimick, and Molly Lang. And we had consultants from the Commeno Education Institute whose names are on the screen here as well who helped facilitate and support our work. This slide is not going to be readable to you, but it was important that everybody's name was on it to me.
Uh so you can go back and look at it if you'd like to. In addition to our leadership and planning teams, I want to recognize what was called an engineering team. These parents, community members, educators, administrators, and staff members brought expertise, creativity, and care to every aspect of the plan.
That included meeting four days during the day in our school facilities to look at the results, the data, come to ideas about what it should look like for us in the future and shape what you're ultimately seeing tonight. On behalf of everybody in the district, thank you to everyone for your time, energy, and
dedication. And I'm happy some of our engineering team members are in the room tonight as well. And so, as we close this portion of the presentation, I want to return to the heart of what this plan represents. We're building the future of the Warren Township schools by focusing on what matters most. Student learning
that challenges and supports every learner. Student and staff well-being that fosters belonging and resilience. And planning for growth that ensures we meet ensure that we meet the needs of today while preparing responsibly for tomorrow. This is more than just a strategic document. It's a commitment to
our students, staff, families, and community. It reflects the voices of over 500 contributors and sets a clear direction for the next 5 years. Thank you all for being a part of this vision. At this time, I'm going to turn to how we bring it to life, which starts with the work of the planning for growth working
group. Okay. So, as part of the strategic plan's third goal, we're launching the planning for growth working group. This group will include board members, district leaders, staff, and community representatives, and will be supported by additional administrators, staff, and consultants
at various points. Together, we will examine four essential areas. In demographics and enrollment trends, we'll look closely at how population changes and housing development will impact our student enrollment. In facility capacity and usage, we'll assess how effectively
we're using the space that we have now and what we'll need in the years ahead. In zoning and transportation logistics, we'll review how we draw our school boundaries and how students get to and from school. And in financial planning and community impact, we'll talk about the financial implications of any
proposed changes and how they align with our community's expectations. This will be an advisory group, but the work is foundational to making well-informed and transparent decisions. The working group will include a diverse set of voices from across our school community. We plan to
bring together, as I said, district administrators, board, teachers and staff, parents and guardians, facilities experts, and outside consultants to ensure a full range of perspectives. In addition, we envision opportunities for individuals not on the working group to attend and contribute expertise to the
process at appropriate times. Here are just a few examples of what that might look like. Our elementary principles, for example, provide critical insights into the best ways that we organize the elementary school grades and the special considerations that must be made to support our youngest learners. Our preschool teachers and paraprofessionals
understand the day-to-day realities of meeting the needs of three and four-year-olds better than anybody else. And our custodians and maintenance teams know our facilities inside and out. Importantly, we're also excited to share an agreement between the Warren Township Committee and the Board of Education that as far as we can find doesn't exist
in any other communities in our area. Mayor Lisa Lanti will appoint a member of the township committee to serve on the planning for growth working group for the board of education and in turn, President Patricia Zhan will appoint a board of education member to serve on
the Warren Township affordable housing committee. This is part of a long legacy of Warren Township rising to the challenges that come when there's new growth and development in a community. From the construction of Central School in 1931 to the surge in enrollment when I78 was fully opened to the reopening of
Woodland School in 1998. Every time our community grew, our school stepped up and grew to accommodate the community. We're following in that tradition now, planning proactively, partnering across the different governmental sectors, and putting student needs at the center of how we grow.
This timeline shows how this process is going to unfold. This spring before the close of this school year, the committee, the working group will convene, review its charge, and lay out a timeline for its work. Over the summer, we imagine we'll be bringing together a demographer and begin
collecting and reviewing data about enrollment increases in the future. This fall, we anticipate having preliminary findings about what we're learning that we can talk about internally through our board committees and at the board level so that by the the winter of 2025 2026,
we can bring to the public the information that we're finding very similarly to the way we handled the resoning process a few years ago. all along the way checkpoints so that the public knows what we're learning about and what we're learning and what that might mean for us as we plan with the goal that this time next year as we are
finalizing a budget for 2627 we have final recommendations for the board including whether or not there needs to be investment in facilities to meet the district's long-term needs and so why does this all matter I think it's probably pretty self-evident but just to state the obvious for a
minute what we decide at now will shape what happens for boards and community members that aren't even here yet down the road. Our ability to maintain small class sizes even as enrollment grows. Opportunities to expand and maintain our already highquality program
offerings for all students, including areas such as the arts and music, gifted education, special education, early childhood education, STEM, and more. the need to make smart, sustainable decisions about our facilities and the responsibility to
manage growth in a way that is fiscally sound and community aligned. Planning is how we protect what works and build what's next. These aren't just numbers and data points. They are real implications for the day-to-day experience of our students and staff and and really the whole community. And we will rise to that
challenge just like Warren has done before. Your engagement in this process is really important. We invite everybody watching today and the people who watch in the days that follow to stay connected through our district communications, come to public sessions as they begin and continue sharing your
voices. Earlier tonight, we launched a new page on the district website which is dedicated to the 20252030 strategic plan, which is where we will post all communications related to the 2530 strategic plan and the work of the planning for growth committee so that everything is available and
accessible to people when you're ready for it and and when you're uh looking for it. This plan belongs to everybody, not just the people in the room tonight, but everybody in the community. And just as I said at the beginning, it's anticipated that this will be on the May 12th meeting, the overall strategic plan for the board's adoption. And at this
time, I'd be happy to take questions from the board members if you have any. Any questions from board members? Okay. Um, I'm going to just speak to the working group, the uh, planning for growth working group and um, on behalf
of the board of education express how pleased we are that uh, to accept Maril Lanti's invitation to appoint a member of the board of education to the township's affordable housing subcommittee and I will be appointing Ryan Valentino of the board of education
to fill that role. Um, as Dr. Mingle said this represents a collaboration demonstrating our shared responsibility to ensure that Warren Township remains a place where families thrive and students succeed. And uh we look forward to
working with the township committee as the town moves forward in its um work on growth. Uh thank you very much. Anything else? Okay. Yes,
I think that's fine. Um, we are going to do the special recognition of Mr. Kumar Babanasi who unfortunately isn't able to join us personally. Um, but the board of education which is to express their gratitude. Dr. ML is going to read a statement and you will note that item
B14 on our agenda tonight has the board of education accepting an extraordinarily generous donation from Mr. Babanasi of $65,000. Dr. Mingle, you took away all the exciting parts of the announcement
because they were so good. I wanted to say them. I know. Tonight we have the privilege of recognizing an extraordinary act of generosity that reflects the best of our Warren Township community spirit. Mr. Kumar Babanasi, a parent in our district and the CEO and president of First Tech
Incorporated, has made a historic donation of $65,000 to support our students. This gift, the largest single donation from a parent in school district history, includes funding directed to Angelo Elamaso School and Warren Middle School to support student programs, enrich learning experiences,
and foster a positive school culture. We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Babanasi's belief in our mission and his commitment to empowering the next generation. His generosity will ripple outward, benefiting not only the students of today, but also the students of tomorrow. At this time, I would like to invite Miss Christine Smith,
principal of ALT. Mr. Dr. George Velar, principal of Warren Middle School, Miss Maria Mensinger, assistant principal of Warren Middle School, to join me in Board of Education President Patricia Zhan for a photo to celebrate this remarkable gift on behalf of our schools. I also want to read the certificate of
appreciation. It's brief. Um, this certificate is presented to Kumar Babanasi in recognition of your generous and heartfelt donation to Warren Township Schools. I think you guys want us pull up.
Thank you. I appreciate the help. I don't know why anybody should. We have no discussion item on tonight's agenda. So, moving on to reports from board members appointed to external assignments. Um, we do have a report from the from Bridget Granholm,
Warren Township opioid opioid advisory committee. Miss Granholm, thank you. Um, I had the pleasure of attending the opioid advisory committee on April 23rd. Um, where it was discussed that the high school programming called Not an Easy Fix will actually be moved um to the
beginning of next school year. Um various community and school events were also discussed where educational materials could be distributed to residents. Um and our next meeting is scheduled for August 27th. Thank you, Miss Granholm. And we have a report from
Mr. Weinstein on the Watch Hill Shared Services Regionalization Study Advisory Committee. Mr. Weinstein. Yes. There was a town hall on April 10th, which was my birthday, by the way, for those that would like to have any presents. Yeah, I'll tell you.
Also, my birthday is clearly a very good day. Um, a uh copy of that town hall is on the high school website for those that would like to check it out. Yep. Thank you, Mr. Weinstein. Um, moving on to committee reports. Curriculum and technology
committee. Mr. Tour is not here, so we will carry that. Uh moving on to the finance, operations and security committee. Uh the committee met April 21st um here at the middle school. This was our annual
open meeting to the public where anybody who wished to come in and discuss um the budget uh for the 2526 school year could do so directly with members of the finance committee. Um no members of the public attended this time.
um uh which I I I'm going to take to mean that they they trust that we've done the hard work. Um we did take that opportunity, of course, uh since we weren't answering questions to address some other matters that have been pending before the uh finance committee for some time. Uh the first item being
the Woodland crosswalk sidewalk project. U we've brought this up several times in public. Um but just to give it a little more um texture here so people know what we're talking about. Uh there is a housing development that is new to our
community that uh sits directly across Sterling Road from Woodland School and the high school. Um that road, if you've been on it, you know, is quite trafficked. um certainly during the times that students would be um entering and exiting um the school facilities um
but also uh students who reside in that community who want to access our playgrounds or the fields at the high school also cross that very very busy road. Um there is currently no um crosswalk at that location or signage or uh lights of any kind. It it it
represents a um a safety hazard. Uh this is something that the uh we've recognized uh for a while. We have been um enjoying the cooperation and support of the county that is a county road and uh the township committee who has provided uh professional services um and
the finance committee uh for quite some time has also worked to get to a place where we would be putting in a sidewalk and crosswalk uh the cost to be shared by the two school districts. Uh we will be uh having a meeting with representatives of the high school board
of education. Um just further evidence of the cooperation of various elected bodies in our community uh to uh finalize the um plans and installation for uh that crosswalk and sidewalk um to ensure the safety of uh all students of
all ages that that cross at that location. Also on tonight's agenda, you will find um a recommendation from the finance committee to approve item B9, which is the authorization of the note sale relating to the referendum, which passed
this uh last month or so. Item B10 is the agreement for bond council professional services and item B1 is the agreement for financial advisor professional services all related to the referendum projects. Um, and then we did
have a conversation about the appointment of Mr. Valentino to represent the board of education at the township's affordable housing subcommittee. And that's all for the finance committee. And that represents all of
our committee reports. At this time, we will be um opening up the um to the public for comments specifically on the budget. Um the board of education is required um to have a
public budget hearing. This constitutes that opportunity. Um so this will operate in much the way our other public commentary operates. I would ask that anyone interested in addressing the board on this topic only. This is just on the
budget. Uh raise their hand or use the raise your hand feature in Zoom. Each speaker is asked to limit their comments to three minutes. Please begin your comments by stating your name and address and by directing your comments to the presiding officer. Uh that would be me. Uh know that the board of education welcomes and encourages input
from the public. Public commentary is an opportunity uh for the board to receive such input, but is not intended as a Q&A session. uh following public commentary if appropriate the presiding officer or superintendent may provide some response. So this is on the budget only.
There will be our regularly scheduled public commentary on agenda items and then a third opportunity for public commentary at the end on any topic that uh you may wish to raise. So looking first I just lost my computer.
Um, someone's going to have to tell me if we have any. Looking first to the audience. Would anyone in the audience wish to address the board with regard to the budget? Seeing nobody. Anyone in Zoom? Okay. Do I have a motion to close
this public commentary? Motion to close. Second. All in favor? I. Opposed? Abstain. The public hearing section on the budget um has now closed. Moving on now to the uh first regular opportunity
for public commentary. Again, uh we ask that you address the board by raising your hand or use the raise your hand feature and limit your comments to three minutes. This opportunity for public commentary is um for any item which appears on tonight's agenda. So looking
first to the audience, Mr. Bratzby's Kevin Brobby's 8 Snider road. Um so with respect to the um strategic plan presentation, I think that uh that you guys nailed the the highlights of
it. Um, I would have it would have been helpful to have the plan itself available prior to tonight's meeting. I understand why that might not be feasible, but um it would it would further the abil the public's ability to
comment on it because, you know, like they say, the devil would be in the details. Um, but as far as the highlights go, I think they I was on the engineering team. Um, and I think that it was very much representative of what we had discussed over the course of
those meetings. Um, and for the working group, I think that's a great idea. Um, I would I would emphasize that the importance of ensuring that the public is well informed and has a meaningful
opportunity to um give feedback throughout the uh, you know, throughout the progress of that group. um because what that group's going to be doing is extremely important for this community. Um and then finally, uh with respect to
another agenda item, um I see that my one of my son's um elementary school teachers is resigning at the end of the year. Uh we like her a lot and I'm sad to see her go. I don't obviously I don't know why she's leaving. I don't know and
I don't expect to talk about that. But the point that I'd like to make is it's not the first time that one of my kids teach young teacher young good talented teachers has left the district. And you know, not to say I'm sure you guys are
looking at things like this, but um you know, it's so important to keep those young talented teachers or old talented teachers, whatever. Um but in this district to make sure that the quality of the education that our kids are getting is uh top-notch. Thank you. Did
we get this address? Yeah, I have it. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Brody's. Anyone else in the audience? No. Do we have anyone on Zoom? that would like to address the board of education on agenda items tonight. Seeing none, do I have a motion
to close public commentary? Motion to close. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Abstain. Sec. This opportunity for public commentary has now closed. Um Dr. Mingle, do you have anything on items for board consideration? Just real
quick, if I may, about the strategic plan. Oh yes. I'm so sorry. Please. Uh just so everybody's aware and I hear you on the before versus after the meeting. There is a um we did post today the the full report from our commando education
institute which is a 30page summary of each meeting and what happened there. Um one of the reasons why the board doesn't vote on a recommendation like that at the same meeting is so that people have that that time. So to members of the community, especially those who might be watching this later in the week or in
the next couple of weeks, know that at the the May 12th meeting, there will be an opportunity for public comment again about the strategic plan before the board takes any action. I I take that feedback that that's the meeting at which the actual vote to adopt takes place. Oh, and then as far as the business
agenda, I do have a few things I want to highlight here. So, uh, starting in the A section, so A3 is the current year calendar. So, each year at the meeting after spring break, the board typically adjusts the current school year's calendar to quote unquote give back unused snow days at the end of
the school year. That's what A3 is here for. A2. A2, sorry. Thank you. A3 is next year's calendar, which was adopted last June. However, uh due to a clerical error, we incorrectly listed the date of
eel fitter, which we now have corrected. So with that, just adjust that on the counter. There were no other changes there. B I just want to thank and congratulate the finance committee, Mrs. the chairperson, Mr. Hegel, and the entire team in the business office. Uh we've
had no adjustments to the budget from the tentative budget hearing uh last month. It has been approved by the executive county superintendent and as as you all know it takes a long time and a lot of work to get to the place of having uh the next year's budget on the agenda. So thank you for all of that and I want to highlight because we don't see
these very often B7 and B13 which are the acceptance of two grants. Uh the first one is a grant that is helping support one of my favorite things that we do, which is our fourth
graders take a local history tour, which is uh led by students from the middle school. They learn about their local community and history. This grant not only helps pay for the transportation for that, it's actually also compensating one of our staff members to design a a handbook for how other communities in Somerset County could do
that, which is really great. The freeholders were here uh last week when our kids were taking that tour, which is nice. And then the local recreational improvement grant. This will help offset the costs of upgrades to the preschool playground at Mount Horb School, which is the only playground not included in the referendum. So now we've hit all of
them and it's nice to get uh this money from the state of New Jersey as well. And then finally on um there are two motions in the C section that have a long list of additions, adoptions of new positions and abolishments of positions. This happens every year in the meeting when the budget's adopted. This is to
reflect what we anticipate for next year. Many of those positions are just moving people from one grade to another or like in this year's example, there are programs moving from one school to another. So, the positions have to be reallocated. So, uh anything as far as new positions we've already talked about
in the budget or any abolishments as well. That's it. Okay. Thank you very much. Does any board member have any item for board consideration they wish to pull for separate conversation or vote? Yes. Can I pull A2 for discussion? Yes, you may. Thanks.
Do you want a discussion or just a vote? I think we can discuss it. Okay, that's fine. Um, Miss Keller, would you move everything except for A2? Motion to approve items A1, A3 through A5, B1
through B14, and C1 through C23. Do I have a second? Second, Mr. Hegel. Right. I will call the role on all except A2. Mrs. Dalton, yes. Mr. Grant, Miss Mrs. Granholm, yes. Miss
Keller, yes. Mr. Moffetta, yes. Mr. Otto, yes. Mr. Weinstein, yes. Mrs. Zan, yes. Motions pass 70. Thank you. Okay. Um, well, I'll open A2 for discussion. I mean, Robert's rule says we should move
it and second it before discussing, actually, but uh, go ahead, Mr. Winstein. All right. Uh, okay. So, this is on in essence the usage of the snow days that we we didn't use and what to do. Um, so to me personally, and then that's why
I wanted to open up to the board discussion. I was looking at potentially uh having off the Friday before and the Tuesday after Memorial Day as a as a potential switch in what is now uh a
half day on Friday. And then obviously the kids are in school, the students are in school on that Tuesday. Um would push the the June date out a few days uh towards the back half of the year uh versus what we have now. Um not saying
what is being proposed is is wrong. Um but I was looking at uh potentially elongating the Memorial Day holiday uh on the front and back half and then using those two days to extend a little bit deeper into June. So, I just wanted to open that up for the board to see
what the consensus is. Thank you, Mr. Weinstein. Um, Dr. Minkle, I do believe you provided some additional information to board members on this topic. Perhaps you can add that before the board discusses. Okay. So, the um here's the information I provided to the the board about this
topic. So, the practice that we currently use where we basically just move the last day up by however many days are left predates my arrival in the district which was in 2016. So, it's been done for at least a decade or more. I actually personally don't have a
problem or a concern with making changes to this moving forward. I would my only concern would be doing it without giving administrators, parents, everybody some adv advanced notice about it. I'm a little bit concerned about doing it now for this year. Um I was actually
thinking about we talked about this at the last PTO president's meeting. I meet with the PTO presidents uh once a month about on future calendars when we get to them outlining sort of a reverse of what we do if we use too many snow days. On the calendar it says if we use too many snow days we're going to take away these
days during spring break in this order. Doing the reverse and saying if we don't use them all uh maybe we'll have the Tuesday after Memorial Day or whatever. That way everybody knows upfront before the school year starts what the two different versions are. Um, by doing it that way, I think it helps eliminate the
other concerns that could come up. So, these are the just the things that I was thinking about today when I received this question. The WTEA contract requires that we give the WTEA an opportunity to weigh in on calendar development. Um, that hasn't obviously happened for this recommended change
necessarily. Um, so if we were going to make a change to what's recommended, which did go through that process, I would say we should wait until May to do that. Um, the day before Memorial Day, Friday, May 23rd, is a half day for students and staff. We have scheduled professional development that afternoon for staff. So, we would lose that if we
made that a full school day, um, which we've already planned. It has to do with rolling out our teacher evaluation system for next year. We we do have programs scheduled in schools on those dates, um, because principles didn't know that they might potentially become school days. So, I don't know exactly
what those challenges would be. It might be something that we could work through. I'm not just not sure. Um and then if we depending on how far out we would go whether it's in this calendar or a future calendar there is a holiday at the end of June that we have not um
addressed as a board which is Junth which is both a state and a federal holiday. I actually don't think this change would affect that this year. So I don't know that that would make uh a difference but that's something we'd have to think about in the future. And then I we would have to talk with our transportation vendor about whether that
changes the expectations that were built into the contract. None of those things are necessarily um things that can't be worked through. I just wanted you to know what the potential implications could be. And then when you said when you said future future calendars talking about maybe the the start of school for the following
year or just moving forward in future years. So I'm thinking that when we start when we adopt calendars for future years, we build that into the calendar right from the beginning. So, typically um the the way the process has worked as long as I've been here is the high school adopts their calendar and then
the sending districts adopt based on the high school calendar. They're probably within a few months, I would imagine, of adopting two years out. They're usually trying to be two years ahead and then that would give us the chance to to redo it. Any other board member comments?
Yeah, I mean I don't I I don't fundamentally care either. I just think the last minuteness of this with Memorial Day being three and a half weeks away is a little late to be saying, "Well, now we're going to
close childcare issues. Who knows?" So, I I I think for future calendars, I think, you know, we can sort we we just went through this. We just had a calendar committee last spring. We just revisited this. We just looked at holidays and how far and when do we
start and do we start before Labor Day, after Labor Day? And so we we just adopted these in June. I just don't think I think to try to change the use of snow days and giving them back when we're less than four weeks away from Memorial Day. And I think we need to
give parents more of a heads up. But I think it's well I mean I think it's something we can and should talk about for future years. I just think it's way too last minute for this year. I I think you make a good point and I understand, you know, what Todd was recommending as well, but if we could just take those days and maybe push them to start after
Labor Day when we start the next year, maybe that makes sense since it's not so close and it gives everybody some time to plan. Can you push it to the following year? No, I don't think you can you can co-mingle the two years. Yeah, that was
my question earlier. Yeah. and that not revisiting it also for the future saying, "Hey, I know that we discussed we had a calendar committee and but I do think a lot of parents that I've spoken to wish it was a different start date as well." So, well, we will begin in this
fall to look at the calendars for 27 um I'm sorry, 26 27 and 2728. We do them in two-year blocks and that discussion is only four or five months away now. Um the 25 26 calendars have been locked down for a bit and you know people do
plan around those around those calendars. Um but I I you know definitely when we put together the next calendar committee all of these things should be revisited and thought through. I think yeah I mean we we did look at it as part
of the calendar committee exercise last spring. We absolutely looked at a post Labor Day start and I think the general sentiment was that it was going to push too late in June which parents have also complained that they don't want to go too late in June. So I mean you can't
you're never going to appease everybody. I think we deliberately looked at different options last year when we went through this exercise and you know we we all adopted it. So I mean again we can revisit it. I just I I mean A2 is for the remainder of this year. I think it's would be silly to change up how we
handle snow days for something that's three weeks away. Being relatively new to the board, too, I'm just curious how closely we align with Watchon Hills. Like, is there much room for deviation from what they do? Sure.
So, we align less than we did a few years ago because this board added several holidays that the high school has not added. So we used to be 99% like there might be one professional day that was different. Now because um e lunar new year are not in
the high school calendar were off by a few days throughout the year because of that. It still remains a consideration though the committee always looks at that. Um the start is the same. The start is the same and that's you know that's very I think we perceive that to be important to parents who have students in each district that their
start dates are aligned. Forgive my uh naive. Are we approving in that calendar committee is part of that discussion to approve at that time what
to do with the unused snow days and then we vote on it at this meeting, right? Or am I getting that wrong? It it certainly could be what we've done in the past. I mean, the last time we did this, that didn't come up candidly, but it certainly could. Yeah. So, my my recommendation would be that to to Mrs.
Keller's point, this doesn't come to the point where we're three and a half weeks before us proposing the days. I'm not going to come off of what I recommended because I believe in it. Um, not to be stubborn, but I do. Um, but saving it for for today where I agree that people
plan, you're right, but but doing so three and a half weeks before Memorial Day is fairly last minute. So, my recommendation would be I don't know, maybe it's it's tough, right? I'm not a weather person, but as soon as we we think that the snow is done in terms of
uh putting some sort of of uh you know cramp into the plans of whether the kids can go to school or not, maybe we vote earlier on this so that we have the opportunity to put a little bit more steam behind a potential change. Makes sense. I think that's fair. when we
convene the um calendar ad hoc committee which will typically convene in October. Is that right? Depends on when% sure. All right. Whenever the high school decides to share information, we will convene an ad hoc calendar
committee for ourselves and they will be looking at the two-year block of the years 2627 and 2728 and they certainly can be empowered and we will empower them to look at this question as well. Okay. Okay. Any other comments on this? Well,
then we need to move A2. Motion to approve item A2. Do we have a second? Second, Mr. Hegel. Right. I will call the role. This is just A2. Mrs. Dalton. Yes. Mrs. Granholm?
Yes. Miss Keller? Yes. Mr. Metta? Yes. Mr. Otto? Yes, Mr. Weinstein. No, Mrs. Zan. Yes. Motion passes six to one. Okay. Thank you, board members. Um, we have no unfinished business or new
business. Um, so at this time, we're going to move into the last opportunity for public commentary. Um, this public commentary is open to any topic that you would wish to raise to the board's attention. Again, I ask that you raise your hand or use the raise your hand
feature on Zoom. And remember that comments are limited to three member three minutes. And please state your name and address before beginning. Anyone here? Yes. To the microphone, please. Everybody, sorry. Uh Danielle Guido, 15
Tanglewood Drive. Good evening, Dr. Bingle and members of the board. My name is Danielle Guido and I am the parent of three students in Warren Township School District. I'm here tonight simply to introduce myself and to thank you for your service and attention to the needs
of all of our students. Like many families, mine has faced serious challenges navigating the special education process. It has been a journey that at times has been difficult and emotional. As we move forward, I'm hopeful and I
expect that we could work together in a meaningful, collaborative way to ensure that every student, including my child, receives the support and the opportunity they deserve. I truly believe with communication, respect, and a shared
commitment to doing what is right for our children, it could make all the differences in families like mine. Thank you again for your time, your leadership, and for all of your ongoing efforts on behalf of the students and the families you serve.
Thank you, Miss Guido. Do we have anyone else in the live audience that would like to address the board? Seeing none, do we have anyone in our Zoom audience that would like to address the board on any topic?
Last chance. Seeing none, do I have a motion to close public commentary? Motion to close. All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. The last opportunity for public commentary at this meeting has now
closed. Um, Miss Keller, whereas the open public meetings act NJSA 104-11 permits the board of education to meet in close session to discuss certain matters. Now therefore be it resolved the board of education adjourns to close session to discuss specific prospective or current
employees unless all who could be adversely affected request an open session. Action will not be taken upon return to public session. The length of the meeting is anticipated to be approximately 30 minutes and be further resolved the minutes of this close session be made public when the need for confidentiality no longer exists. Do I
have a second? Second. All in favor? I opposed abstain. The board is now in executive session, guys. public session motion to return. second. I thanks for hanging. I don't think so. No, it's just a voice
vote of an eye. And we have six voice 6. I think the next thing would be adjournment. Okay. Motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Second. In favor, all in favor? I I
Okay, there we go. At 8:33 last night, everybody