e e e e e hi welcome to the March regular session of the Washington Township Board of Education this meeting is being videotaped anyone wishing not to be seen on television may be excused please rise
for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for stands Nation God indivisible withy andice for
all thank you we don't normally have this many people at our meeting so I will just make an announcement um that of how things run first of all I have a lot of cards from a lot of students which is nice we like to hear
from students um but anyone wishing to speak to the board that hasn't filled out a card they are over here where are the cards someone over here has oh they're in the back okay they're in the back so if you would like to speak at the microphone during public session one or
two you can just grab a card and put your name and the topic that you want to speak about and that will get passed over to me so I can um call you up to the front we don't have any presentations uh can can I make a motion
please am I good to make a motion sure okay talking to your microphone can't hear you absolutely thank you oh I'm sorry wait I'm I'm making a motion to close executive first we're actually an executive session so can I have a motion
to close executive no move second second all in favor I I okay go ahead Jack good go ahead Steve can everyone hear me yeah you have to
get right on the mic okay so I'd like to make a motion to approve the appointment of John R McGee as the interim Acting Superintendent at the per DM rate of 750 per day effective immediately upon arrival upon approval of the board and
ending May 1st 2025 or the date that the current superintendent of schools returns from his administrative leave whichever comes first can I have a second second any discussion Mrs CL Mrs
Clancy can you hear me all right so I'm speaking as a taxpayer and a resident of Washington Township this is my personal opinion I'm called at what has been done to Dr hips
my opinion is that he was that he was railroaded by certain people on this board and the Dr H was not even given the opportunity to defend himself and was suspended with P another cause to the district is the
selection of an attorney possibly to evalue the state ethics commission complain why doesn't the board let the secc do its job in a budget crunch this board is looking at hiring an interm Superintendent at additional cost of $750 a day where is all the money going
to come from the loss of programs for our students and the cost factor to the residents of Washington Township L CER I'm demanding that Dr hibs be reinstated immediately and let the SEC take new course and I would like to make a motion
to bring Dr hibs back on already a second I think I'm in the middle of a motion there's already there's already a motion on the table right now there's already a motion on the table motion no not
yet any other discussion yeah I go ahead Scot yeah I I similarly have concerns about what was done I mean I was yeah I have con I similarly have concerns of what was happened last week
unfortunately I was not here um couldn't be here last week I mean my vote would have been a no on that um and uh I I would support what Elaine said here so I I don't know if we can table the motion on the floor
but uh that would be my proposal table the motion on the floor and bring Elaine's motion forward for vote you could get a second to table the motion okay but then you have to vote on that obviously can I have a second to table the the motion that Steve made hang
on there's a second Steve microphone excuse me excuse me you can't scream out like that at a at a meeting we're we're we're getting used to the mics but you can't do that yes so I made a motion to table Steve's motion can someone deal with the
mics up there and then Linda just uh seconded it there's a motion on the floor and a second and we're in discussion so you guys are going to vote this motion are okay so that's a new motion I need
to tell Lori okay okay so you're gonna have to explain that Ari so Scott you made a a motion somebody seconded I don't know who did but I did Lind Linda seconded it table okay you guys could vote on that
if the vote passes it would be tabled if not it would fail and and you know you would then move forward and vote on Steve's original motion okay any other discussion on reinstating Dr hips right that's the motion no it's
discussion on the tabling of Steve's motion why are we doing it like this why can't we just finish so messy because I'd like to exhaust all options first before we explore an interim
superintendent so that's why I would like to see a vote on elain's motion but in order to do that I have to table Steve's first the process of I'm just confused because we just spent an hour and a half talking about this in executive so this is a total
surprise this was definitely done at the last minute so that's why we're trying to figure out what to do about it so just to move through the process now you guys could move forward and vote as to whether or not you want to table Steve's original motion okay okay so we're voting on whether or not do you want to table Steve's motion which was to
appoint Jack MC so you're yes if you want to table it you're no if you don't want to table it so I'm roll calling for the yes yes okay okay Mr Ross
no Mrs Baker no Mrs Bloom no Miss Clancy yes Miss Chilla yes Mrs Hartong
yes Mr Li Liberty yes Mr Serrano no Miss kazmo no motion fail so now we're back to the original motion
okay so now okay uh so now we're going to move forward with the original motion that Steve R in which was to appoint Jack McGee as the acting interim superintendent yes vote appoints Jack no vote does
not discussion you got that Lori discussion Julie you can roll call it Lori discussion we already had it well now it's back open I I have something I want to say on that one oh you can say something yeah all right so with with
the motion on the on the table I just want to explain my vote um so the district cannot be with without a superintendent um I feel I've exhausted every other option to try and uh you
know potentially bring back Dr Hibbs that's not going to pass so I have to deal with the reality of where we stand um you know Gretchen you've done an amazing job but I know you know it's not something that you can continue to shoulder so you know and I have the
utmost respect for Jack McGee um obviously my preference would be bring back Dr hi but that's not going to be possible right now so I can't leave the district without a superintendent and that's why I'll be voting the way that I do Julie yes so uh I'm gonna Echo some
of your thoughts Scott But ultimately uh when I vote uh Jack and I just had a few words in the hallway I have a lot of respect for Jack like him very much um I do have a problem with spending $15,000 a month when we have a lot of students out here and we're cutting Sports so
that's the reason while be voting differently it's because I feel like we shouldn't be spending $155,000 a month when that could be saving gymnastics Golf and Diving so I just want to make that clear okay um I have something to I have something
to say um having Jack McGee is an acting interim superintendent does not mean we're cutting sports that's that's an unfair characterization of the situ ation um that is a completely separate
issue um let me explain a little bit about the budget process I know I we want to vote on this but and I have more remarks to make but we approve we should be approving ATT tenative Bud budget in March and then we have a month it goes to the county superintendent County
Superintendent says Washington Township is balanced you know dep for it is balanced they have to make sure all of the C the municipalities in the county are balanced so Janine prepared a balanced budget the board did not see it until right before we had to vote on it
and so that's why unanimously even though a lot of us don't get along sometimes that was a unanimous voting down of that budget which is historic that has that doesn't happen and it's very upsetting and there were a lot of things in that budget I personally had issue with the sports being cut I
personally had issue with the Staffing cuts which were significant and that's my personal opinion so we tonight have to vote on the budget again we've gotten a reprieve of a week to approve this budget and then we have a month to take in and take out whatever
we need I want to thank Gretchen and Annette and Janine and their teams because they met with us several times throughout the week four times to talk about the budget and your emails I got like 20 emails from the gymnastics team
we got emails from the golf team you know we have kids in the school we don't want to see these things cut either so tonight is not for that we have a week to work on that April 29th is our budget hearing at that point you'll see what what's in that budget sport staff and so
on and so forth there is no connection to us to compliance which is putting a superintendent into place that said roll call I just also offer that I do have respect for Jack we don't have any other option at this
time because we do have to get the budget taken care of otherwise we are not in compliance and state count so that's why my it that's fire roll call yeah I want to clarify I want to
clarify that was not Janine's fault that we did not see the budget she was well prepared long before we're just saying you know we we wanted more time to ask questions so it's nothing at all against Janine she did a fantastic job okay roll call Miss Baker yes Mrs Bloom I assume I
have to abstain or not you're going to beain from this abstain yes Mrs Clancy yes Mrs chill abstain Mrs Hardon abstain Mr Li Liberty yes Mr
Sano yes Mr Ross yes Miss kazmo yes six motion carries congratulations Jack Jack could you come up and sit with
us thank you [Applause]
rchen I gave him a copy of that okay you did okay okay I know thank you yes absolutely absolutely okay we will now have a report from our
director thank you Gretchen Gretchen and Annette and Janine I think have been sleeping in the central administration building working on budget budgetary issues since last week and I'm not kidding I mean know I get phone calls at 9:00 10 o'clock at night 6 o'clock in the morning text messages
they've been working tirelessly they're exhausted we have our qac evaluation next week this week they're in the middle of that so the these ladies are really working hard and I I truly appreciate that I know we all appreciate that um we do we have a report from um
Mr dilio director of data technology registration and school community outreach hi everyone thank you Miss kmle I have a few wonderful announcements to make based on the wonderful things that are happening in Washington Township um Bunker Hill Middle School students and
staff couldn't be kept down by the windy conditions outside on Friday March 21st as they hosted its second annual Bulldog walk in honor of world Down syndrome day the whole school was encouraged to rock their socks and participate in a walk around the school any student or staff
member who donated $10 we received received a T-shirt and that was customized by Mr merrow the art teacher and they had snacks music and a photo booth after the walk the event was coordinated by students and staff of the specialized programs team up and the bulldog
ambassadors I had the fortune to I had I had the wonderful Fortune to attend the 11th annual Cupcake Wars uh sponsored by the PTO at Bell's Elementary School which took place on March 20th 2025 it was here in the high school cafeteria and there were over 30
talented Bakers from the community to compete in five categories which was K through2 3 through five middle school high school and adult this was chaired by Jackie Pierce and other executive community members John Valerio Chris Chrissy PTZ Michelle
Frampton and Jennifer festino and it was a resounding success and the proceeds from this fun this fun and delicious event benefit the Ronald McDonald House as supported by the Junior and senior class councils judging for the competition included several
distinguished guests that included Chief gersi Mr Anderson Miss Avis her daughter Miss Avis Miss Catalano Mr Cho Mr Morgan and Miss shy and miss gentiy congratul ation to Bells it was a
great success I do need I do need to mention the winners K through two was Aria Z zekowski three three through five was Elsa burut Middle School was Abby curian
high school was Tessa spatap for and the adult was Jessica Lopez a special shout out to to the counseling department as on March 20th they held their middle school career fear one in each Middle School on behalf of the district we would like to
formerly thank all the Professionals in our area who shared their career field to help Inspire our Young Learners dream and set goals for future some of the things you should know tomorrow is the College and Career Fair with over 75
colleges and universities and various local public service department Representatives and tomorrow all high school students and staff are encouraged to wear swag from their college or a trade or the military to promote the event that's
going to be from 6:00 to 8: tomorrow um in the high school and then uh finally one last thing want to mention on April 10th the Washington Township dance department and dance company will present present their
22nd annual dance concert entitled elements and that's going to be at the Republic Banks Performing Arts Center this performance will showcase the talents of hundreds of high school students from our dance department and dance company and the evening will also include some special eighth grade
students who are on the dance teams from Bunker Hill Orchard Valley Chestnut Ridge Middle School dance teams the dancers will perform of various Styles based on the 12 elements of nature based on the 12 elements of nature earth water
Wind Fire Thunder ice Force th flower Shadow light and moon and they will also dive into the periodic table of elements in some fun and creative ways tickets are uh between uh $10 and $15 and all
seating is reserved so please make sure you get your tickets and that is on parents Square for all the parents who um needed to know that so thank you that's my report for this evening thank you Mr dilio for always giving us the positive that's going on in the
township we have two items under correspondence to approve can I have a motion to approve items one and two under correspondence motion a second second and oh all in was that a roll
call or all in favor I never all in favor I thought hi hi I okay can I have an approval of the minutes for January 7th January 2st January 28th February 18th and February 25th executive and regular session minutes Joy I have a question can we
discuss it afterwards once I have a discussion I have something I want to talk about with them right should I wait until after it's I think you sent an email what you sent an email about okay um she wanted to change something in it in that was something was missing from
executive session minutes she wanted to change it so mhm MH but it was executive content okay so we'll table this and we'll come back out this is we're going back into executive after this long
meeting anyway so we'll table that thank you okay thank you under instructional Affairs can I have motion to approve items one through three can I have a second second any discussion seeing none roll
call I don't have old business on my agenda whoops bu oh excuse me I sorry I went down there my bad my know my um Mouse totally jumped okay sorry any items of old business my bad a lot going on items of old business anyone anyone
calling once calling twice I have something Carol okay tonight I am speaking as an individual not as a board member I am Limited in what I can say due to this being a legal
matter but I feel it necessary to make a statement tonight I dispute all of the allegations filed against me it's a shame that the school ethics Act is being
weaponized in this manner the complaintant should be focused on the students and not politics or personal agendas in my opinion this frivolous filing is politically motivated and
intended to disrupt the current administration of the school most importantly I am completely disgusted that there are attempts to
smear both me and my child again using a child as a pawn is disgraceful you are personally and professionally attacking my character
based on false allegations I'm not sure how you look at yourself in the mirror and feel good about what you see I've spent several years giving back to this community in various ways and I've have
enjoyed every single minute of it I never thought being on the board of education would subject my family to so much scrutiny and pain I never thought my children would be attacked we have stooped to a new low in
this District I remain optimistic though that the truth will certainly Prevail thank you m Miss Bon you're out of order you're out of order Carol you can finish
your are you finished I'm finished thank you okay thank you other items of old business seeing none can I get a motion to open to the public can I have a second second all in
favor I Jerry [Applause] tarashi members of the Board of Education superintendent McGee now I originally wrote superintendent Gerber
the entire Township family both here and those watching let me uh preface my remarks by congratulating Mr M uh for those of you who are not aware of his history uh I guarantee you he will do
what is in the best interest of not only the district but more importantly what is in the best interest of the students that's Mr McGee's Legacy he's been that way since I've known him and I have no doubt he will continue in that
vein I'd like to begin by thanking those who were able to attend our dreams come true celebration two weeks ago with approximately 200 people attending including teachers support staff
Community leaders and members of the Board of Education we were able to honor six families who were in need the evening was a tremendous success since its Inception we've been able to raise nearly $100,000 for those who have
needed assistance this year this year each family was able to receive almost $2,000 special thanks to those members of the Board of Education who responded to my invitation and attended specifically
Julie kazmo Ralph Ross Steve Serano Connie Baker and Pat Bloom it was a great night for a great cause now on a much more serious note and for many of you who did not like the
decision made by the Board of Education last week to place the superintendent on administrative leave please consider the following almost one year ago during staff appreciation week we were told of
a budget situation that would result in drastic cuts to our staff teachers support Personnel including almost 100 members were being let
go great way to show appreciation last here we questioned that we criticized the numbers that were presented to us and eventually issue have voted no confidence against the superintendent the assistant superintendent and the director of
are the stress level for so many of our people was unbearable now we find out that the superintendent has given bonuses accounting to over $22,000 administrative staff at Central
getting raises wasteful expenditures banners niceties that add very little to substance to the sub substance of our district all for show and not too much for
substance eventually many of our people were in fact reinstated but at that point the damage was already done the confidence in the leadership was gone and the morale was lower than I've ever seen it was our vote of no confidence not
taken seriously last year evidently it wasn't in all my years here we've done only these kinds of things on two occasions and this is my 54th year
ultimately who is in charge of this District a superintendent or the Board of Education why should any superintendent have the power to unilaterally change policies without the board's approval policies Drive
regulations doesn't changing regulation essentially mean changing policy I wonder if that has actually happened why at any time would board members not know what's going on in this
District that's why we've been hearing all these stories coming out who's responsible for letting the Board of Education know what's going on in the district the job is to inform the board
of all the issues and the concerns might they not not know because information is not conveyed are any of you aware of the fact that board members have been forbidden I'll say that again forbidden to speak to any member of our
staff why would that be why would that be okay who would issue such a directive why would any superintendent who works for the board ask members of the board to turn over their emails Mr
tarashi I'm sorry but your bell is ringing is that my phone or no it's your timer it's your timer's going off you can maybe give your remarks to someone else but you have to sit down now thank you I appreciate it thank
you I think I think what I'm going to do I have so many cards I'm going to say call the next person which is Isabella Nolan and then I'm going to say who's after her just so you guys can be ready uh Jennifer gramble so I've have Isabella Nolan and then after that will
be Jennifer gramble Isabella just about agenda items but they write what they want to talk about and they all have agenda items related to the budget can you hear me all right okay good evening members of the board of education teachers parents and
fellow students my name is Isabella Nolan I am a seventh grade from Chestnut Ridge Middle School I stand before you as an athlete as an athlete who like many of my classmates is disappointed by the decision to Kar Middle School sports program since sixth grade I and many others have been a dedicated member of
the field hockey team and I have been looking forward to representing our school as an eighth grade player for me and my teammates field hockey is more than just a sport it is a community we have grown together and supported one another and worked hard to achieve our goals the idea that we will not have the opportunity to finish our Middle School
years is athletes is heartbreaking Sports provide students with more than pH just physical activity they teach teamwork discipline leadership they offer a much needed break from academics and help us manage stress while keeping us engaged with our school our coaches
have not only taught us how to play but have also instilled the importance of maintaining our grades being role models and representing our school and toing a positive way cutting Middle School sports programs takes away these valuable lessons and opportunities it strips students students of an outlet that keeps us motivated active and
connected on behalf of our fellow students we urge the Board of Education to reconsider this decision I ask you to stand with me and all other athletes to spor our group grth and help us keep the sports program that means so much to us thank you for letting me speak
here thank you Isabella Jennifer gramble and after Jennifer will be Greg Nordy Greg yordi good evening um I'll make it quick because I did send an email so you guys kind of already know my opinion um I'm
Jennifer gramble I'm a parent of um a graduate I have a senior I have a junior and I have an eighth grader um all of my kids have been involved in sports in this district and it's been a wonderful experience I mean we have a house full of 20 Varsity letters at the moment and i' see what my eighth grader is going to
do um I'm here to speak on behalf of our gymnastics team we're a small but muddy group um these girls are dedicated committed and the biggest thing that I want to bring to everyone's attention is when my daughter joined the team she was
working 24 hours a day I mean sorry 24 hours a week at her Gymnastics Club she didn't have time to do any other sports that Washington Township had to offer the only sport she could do was gymnastics it was the only way she could give back to her high school and give
back to the team spirit and the school spirit and without that and without that program she wouldn't have been able to do anything she wouldn't have had the time so I really urge you guys to think about what we're cutting and there's lots of effects so more background I've
been an educator for I was a teacher for 16 years I'm a curriculum supervisor in another district for the past 10 years I've had to look teachers in the face and I've had to tell them they weren't going to have a job next year I get the budget cut my own district is in one now so I do sympathize with the position you
guys are put in but I would really urge you to look at the fat that can be trimmed in our Athletic program and other places before we make a decision to cut Sports because they are meaningful parts of our children's education and it's important to them and therefore important to me thanks for
letting me talk thank you Jennifer thank you Jennifer Greg yordi and then Melissa mcnali great Yi uh njaa research and economic Services uh want to congratulate you jack welcome back
um my position I am in charge of two over 200 local associations in South Jersey whether it's Hamington Medford Edgewater Park Washington Township Winona wherever um but when I go on New Jersey Department of Ed website after your
meeting last week to pull information to start factchecking the presentation to my dismay the audits for school districts across Gloucester County and the state are now available except for Washington Township so my question to the board is why is this but I want to
give kudos to the six Board of Ed members who rejected the tenative budget at the last Board of Ed meeting you would never buy a house without comps you don't buy a car without knowing the going cost I stood here about this time last year as Jerry talked about earlier and
pointed out the dollar numbers in this District submitted to the state and confirmed by the audit last year did not match the numbers being shared with the Board of Ed at that time yet this Administration wanted you as a board of ed to pass a budget last week without information Mrs Baker Mrs Clancy Mr
Serrano all confirmed this at the last board meeting via their statements where they asked questions because they saw nothing related to that budget the Washington Township School District does not have a revenue stream problem the upper Administration here of
this district has a spending problem we do not have any money yet last week we heard about $110,000 being spent on rocks rocks replacing rocks outside the administration building we heard last meeting about a quarter of a million
dollars being spent on 22nd century Furniture to replace from what I'm being told furniture with no issues when we have no money we heard two board Ed meetings ago of students being placed in the Performing Arts
Center 150 200 students by Subs monitoring them as the teachers are being in trainings we were told this was a result of the spending $1.5 million on subs and blaming the hardworking staff on these contractual sick days but after
some discussion it was determined this out of control spending on Subs was due to the upper Administration pushing their professional development agenda instead of having the kids in the classroom learning with their teachers and support professionals again this is
when the district has no money anyone who attends a board meeting in the administration building sees all the new tables chairs Etc purchased when the district has no money how about the $1 million spent on the new visitors
bleachers at the football field out back when this district has no money but let's throw in a new one that I'm not sure many of you on the board of ed know let's talk about the topof ofthe line expensive refrigerators and other
appliances the district purchased the same pieces that were purchased last year when we stood here N9 to 10 months ago they're now sitting unused on the high school loading dock out back why are they sitting
there because the upper Administration who ordered them never thought about measuring or checking the Sid to see if they would actually fit in the doors of where they're going yes they do not fit and who is to blame I know it's not the nine members
on this board who are kept in the dark about this it's the upper Administration the people who are running the district and wasting taxpayer money all when they claim the district has no money the fact is that I have requested the 2324 audit
all emails to Dr hibs and Mrs wet since February 19th have been ignored I requested this information for the wtea and the Washington Township support staff Association is part of bargaining and I am entitled to this information under the New Jersey perk act refusing
to provide the information will just lead to another unfair Labor practice being filed against the district costing more money to the taxpayers when they're required to provide the information by law all again when you claim you have no money the budget president ation of
public receed talked about increases in health care of 10% for medical 17 for prescription and 4% for dental what we didn't hear about is the due diligence of the HR department shopping around for the best rates or did that not happen what is also left out of the
presentation these increases to healthcare costs are an exclusion to the 2% cap the district has the ability to put in for these increases but that was left out of the presentation last week the presentation also says they have no Surplus that means you've blown through
$7.2 million in unanticipated Surplus and $1.5 million in budgeted fund balance $18.7 million on top of all the revenue you bring in Greg that's your uh Bell thank
[Applause] you all right um L is Lucy halex here Lucy halex
okay and after Lucy will be Melissa MCN did I say that already I think oh Melissa I'm sorry I got my cards s Let Her Go Let Her let her go I I'm sorry I'm trying to get the kids in so they can get home on time also I want to hear the budget stuff so I'm trying
to vary it I'm sorry about that hello my name is Lucy halex and I'm a junior at Washington Township High School and a member of the girls golf team I understand that the circumstances of our District budget is very tight but cutting Sports programs that students are involved in should not be the answer
our golf program has many positive effects on students and it should not be cut first many people think of golf as a club or isn't taken seriously as a sport it can be viewed as a Leisure activity golf is an active Sport and has many benefits on the people that play it when
walking a course people are able to walk miles it also has a it also is a impact sport that doesn't have a high injury risk and promotes overall health golf is a sport that can be played for a lifetime due to its low impact golf also provides mental benefits this sport
requires much concentration and problem solving for example if you hit a ball into a tricky location you need to find a way to get it out of that spot quickly and efficiently every shot requires focus and planning before hitting it this can also translate over into the classroom to benefit students if
students have better problem solving skills and better focus grades can improve studying class and memorizing is different from the focus learned in golf golf builds a mindset for facing challenges in life another thing that's important about golf is that it builds a growth
mindset this means that someone possesses Central skills through perseverance effort and learning from mistakes these aspects can be obtained through golf after taking a bad shot there's always an opportunity to improve all people in life need to have this skill to bounce back after challenge es
our district encourages growth mindset upon students so why eliminate a sport that improves this concept of a growth mindset other schools in surrounding areas come to our town to practice golf to name a few Timber Creek Clayton and delce these schools have golf programs
that come to our town and use our facilities but our town won't have a golf team to practice there it seems a bit backwards that these teams from other towns come to Washington Township to practice but we won't have a team in Our Town also mostly every other sport
that our high school offers has a club or wreck League not associated with the high school that can be played outside of school golf is one of the few sports that doesn't have any club leagues there are junior tournaments but they tend to be expensive and they don't have any learning guidance they are just there to
have competition having a school golf program is very important for people to learn how to play this allows new players and skilled players to practice golf lastly the golf program is valued by everyone involved in it and no one wants to see it go away I hope that you take into consideration the thoughts
that are shared to keep our program alive thank you thank you Lucy I just we just want to say to the golf team it is so nice to see other female golfers I am a golfer were you all out
this weekend because it was perfect at the big swing at the driving range I was there um and I know a lot of us have kids at golf mine included and so um some of the things just to the students that are coming up to speak some of the things that we're talking about I don't R you can stop me if this is not
something I'm supposed to be saying but might be something called paid to play which would mean instead of us funding it fully parents might have to pay and so I'd like to hear people's feedback on that idea because instead of losing something like I pay a lot of money for
aaou basketball a lot of money for AA basketball if we didn't have a basketball program I'd be in trouble you know my son would be in trouble and so some of those ideas are things that we're kicking around to save some of these sports that we play our kids play and that we do realize are very
important so thank you for speaking up about that uh Melissa MCN now it's for you and after that L Randazzo did I turn it off okay my name is Melissa MCN and I am the elementary VP of the wtaa and have been teaching in
the district for 25 years I've come here tonight to address the board but first would like to address the public I'd like to take a minute to clarify some things about the wtea over the course of the past few days I've seen a lot on social media that indicates that people don't really understand who we are or our role the
wtaa is a union of teachers secretaries nurses and counselers of the Washington Township School District being in the union is voluntary and teachers who decide to be part of the Union pay dues to parents and community members when you speak to of your child's teachers nurses counselors and secretaries they
are in fact the wtea they are the people on the inside the people who know the intricate inner workings of our schools including their strengths and their failures approximately 95% of the teachers and counselors that work with your children are part of the wtaa and a
large percentage of them have children of their own in the district our purpose as a teachers union is to add vate for what is needed for teaching and learning we advocate for student needs curriculum and materials and we protect what is in our contract so that we can continue to
provide high quality instruction and attract strong teachers to our district for many many years the wtea has met that goal under most administrations we have worked cooperatively and in professional harmony with the board and and our administrators while we don't always agree we act as professionals and
Advocate as such we are not for or against any specific specific administrators or their agendas we are for children please stop making the wtea the enemy we are working hard to ensure that your children's needs are met this
brings me to where we are with the superintendent and the board and the precise reason why as a whole the district is not thriving with Eric hibs as our superintendent and the precise reason why the wtea made a vote of no confidence regarding Dr Hibbs remember
we the wtaa members are on the inside and we know things the public does not if you're looking for a new doctor's office would the doctor tell you that the practice is struggling or that they are falling short of doing what's best for their patients no you would ask the doc you wouldn't ask the doctor because of course you would say they are
top-notch you would do your research and you would investigate further you would listen to those who have firsthand experience or inside knowledge I'm not exactly sure why some are taking our superintendent at face value do your research but I know that the way he responds to our staff and the wtea is
indicative of someone who does not feel he needs to explain himself someone who feels he is above being questioned and someone who repeatedly puts roadblocks in the way of the very things we are advocating for need an example when I personally reached out to Dr Hibbs
regarding a very serious threat made by a student against one of our elementary schools primarily because I knew for a fact that the student had shown Rec Rec violence and knew the authorities were not contacted and the code of conduct not followed the response I was given was that the matter was not the business of the
wtea I struggle with that response as I feel safety is everyone's responsibility in a matter of safety why on Earth would we not be diligent in investigating if the matter was actually handled in a way that best protects staff students and the community that spoke volumes to
me to our board Dr Hibbs has made it very clear that he in no way wants to share our minutes of our superintendent Lees on meetings with you the board despite the fact that this is detailed as a requirement in our liaison policy Dr Hibbs has continually shut down this
process to keep you the board in the dark there are many things being done to keep all of us in the dark such as revamping classrooms in the district under the guise of a dream room Grant which wasn't actually a grant at all but instead a poorly timed expenditure of District Monies to fulfill a personal
goal monies were spent on bath rooms and other areas in the central administration building while we cried poor and said the staff needed to be cut we were lied to last year and told that Pro no no programs would be cut and the change with the changes in the budget yet our elementary schools watched their
clubs be taken away in a smoke and mirror show that's 12 clubs such as newspaper club and green Club hosting hundreds of students in our elementary buildings simply gone with no explanation except administrative prerogative which is a fancy way of
saying we don't want to explain it nor do we have to to be very clear to both the board and the public the WTA is not demanding frivolous amenities or high expense items or programs we are advocating for things such as proper training for our many new programs
better grading policies enough substitutes so that special education teachers aren't being pulled to cover classes and simple safety measures such as simple safety measures such as working locks on our gym doors across the district which took nearly a year to
correct despite being an onire problem according to Dr hibs thank you Melissa thanks um Lou Randazzo and then Alesandra cavalero Alesandra cavalero after Mr Randazzo good evening my name is Lou
Randazzo I'm a field representative from the New Jersey Education Association it's been a long time since I've been a high school English teacher and it's great to see the students here and something that Fram a lot of what Miss MCN just said I want to read to you from the New Jersey student learning standards in English language arts uh for high school standards right grades 9
and 10 this is a reading informational text what we now call non-fiction describe and evaluate the argument and specific claims in an informational text assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient semicolon
identify false statements and reasoning so there's been a lot of that uh to what Miss MCN just alluded to in the last week so just I know the board knows but for the benefit of the public uh the board is a public body and when they discuss Personnel matters it is one of the exclusions of what they can discuss
in public and talking about it in closed session is a requirement under the New Jersey open public meetings act so to State openly or allude to or infer or anything else that there is some uh wrongdoing with the procedure that was enacted is demonstrably false and to go
a step further I'll quote your previous super um previous Mr Bley who loved to say it is pure sophistry and by that I mean purposefully misleading now if you disagree with the action that was taken that's your prerogative that's very different from saying the procedure
wasn't followed correctly however I'm going to push back on that too because you heard from Mr tarashi uh about the vote of no confidence that the full staff not only voted on on their own but presented here in a very public way in this room last June about the
superintendent uh this is the staff of teachers secretaries the child study team nurses uh the entire support staff of assistance maintenance grounds um professionals and the food service workers that you trust to care for your
children every single day so I guess to link those two things together as concisely and clearly as I can if you support Eric kibs you don't support the, 1300 members of the staff here in your community schools I want to congratulate Mr mcge on his
return and I want to I guess speak to one other question and something else that Miss Clancy raised tonight on um finances right related to the superintendent situation so um also as Mr TR tarashi mentioned and as part of the vote of no confidence combined with
that was um action to another public agency that New Jersey public employment relations commission perc we call them perk and the associations the staff have filed what we call unfair labor practices against the district the target of which is very uh
overwhelmingly from arbs so uh this is not a criticism of Mr Schneider or his firm or any attorneys anywhere but I love the Fifth Amendment and uh love due process but has a cost and to litigate those matters is very costly right to defend the board and the district on the
those matters for that individual if that individual to were to not return I imagine the association staff would likely withdraw those matters and the savings to the district would be in the neighborhood of hundreds of thousands of dollars so that is uh our position on
the finances and we think that with the statement here and what was done with the budget uh at the last meeting voting it down and the statements you've already heard we are ready to move forward and to hopefully find reasonable ways to not have cuts to impact the
students negatively and the staff thank you thank you alisandra cabalero and then Dale bble can you hear me or wait sweetheart me help you thank
you thank you can you hear me hi my name is alisandra cavalero I currently a sophomore on the girls golf team I started playing golf around a year ago because I noticed Washington Trip at a girls golf program at first I was hesitant to try out for the team but
my dad pushed me into trying out and I'm grateful that he did although I didn't have much experience coach Holmes and Coach kayin made tryy out a very comfortable environment joining the golf team helped me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to try something new I didn't just learn a new sport but I also
became more confident in myself I'm generally a shy person but golf helped me open up everyone on the team feels like a family that I could trust I've made many new friends and I'm very fortunate for everyone on the team including the coaches this is my second year on the team and this program really
helped me to improve earlier today I attended the JV tournament at White Oaks Country Club which I found very enjoyable this tournament is a great way to introduce newer players into competitive golf in conclusion I strongly urge you to reconsider cutting the golf team as it opens a window to
many young girls together with pride along with equity and unity are both phrases that have been repeated to us every morning since middle school right now I feel that school is pushing these messages aside the proposed budget cuts show how they disregard what we've always been told to follow I hope you
take this message into consideration and think about how cutting the girls and boys golf teams would negatively affect the students and what message it delivers thank you good job [Music]
[Applause] I can't say this enough and I don't know Mr Holmes if you guys talk to the girls specifically about this with golf I'm just going to get up on my give me a second Dale but these are my my kids
calling sorry um as a woman knowing how to golf is going to help you in your career because it really is true that that's where deal are made on the golf course and women have largely been excluded from that so stick with it okay I'm done about golf go ahead all right
um I was I have a lot I could talk about tonight um but I think Mr yordi and a lot of the other WTA members are going to cover a lot of the budget stuff um so here I go good evening members of the Board of Education my name is Dale bble and I stand before you tonight as both a concerned parent of a student in grades
six and eight and as a teacher within a district of 22 years I am here to address two significant issues that are currently impacting our students and Educators here at Washington Township I've delayed coming here for months out of fear of Retribution and retaliation
from our current Administration but feel I can no longer sit back the public needs to know the poor decisions being made by this Administration I could go on all night with these DEC decis uh decisions but with my five minutes I will disc discuss two major issues I
have from both a parent and a teach teacher in this District first as a parent I am deeply disappointed by The District's decision last year to remove language classes from our sixth grade students while I understand a need to adapt and evolve our curriculum the
replacement of these valuable language courses with a class titled How To Succeed has res raised serious concerns I have attempted to understand the rationale and intended outcomes of this new program but I am left with more questions ands answers has the board
conducted research on the How to Succeed curriculum has there been an independent evaluation to ensure the effectiveness in alignment with the middle school learning objectives from what I have have observed and heard from parents speaking here in the same Podium the implementation of this class appears to
fall short of the initial public P pitch by Dr Pam Nathan this class IM implemented before the curriculum had ever been board approved in discussions with my wife over the summer uh was told it would be
graded and in reality after one semester of my daughter being in this class that class is not being graded so all you sixth grade parents out there who have crying sixth graders because they're reading 52 pages of uh homework in one
night this was not the the the correct curriculum I'm sorry I got off topic there a little bit all right uh in discussion leaving parents with no clear indication of their child's progress furthermore I have personally experienced and proven and confirmed by
the administration at ovms that the curriculum being used in the How To Succeed class was not appropriate Middle School level yes the administration at ovms clearly stated in a meeting with me that they were not teaching Middle
School level curriculum it was actually High School level curriculum so some of you parents out there if you notice you got some exempts on your child's grade at the end of the semester that was because I had a meeting and it was proven that the curriculum at the middle school 6th grade how they succeed was
not age appropriate teachers at the school were teaching the high school level curriculum Miss Dana zalinsky brought it to the attention of this board multiple times with zero responses from the board or Pam Nathan the driving force behind this curriculum change this
raises serious questions about the quality and rigor of the instruction being provided language learning offers invaluable cognitive benefits and opens the doors to cultural understanding replacing it with an ungraded potentially misaligned class is a disservice to our students development I
urge the board to reconsider the decision of implementing this class and provide a more robust enriching education to our sixth graders all right got a minute left secondly as a teacher within the district I feel compelled to share my FR frustrations and inflamation of the new grading policy and the
environment surrounding our professional learning communities two years ago I along with many of my colleagues joined the grading Coalition spearheaded by Dr Pam Nathan the initial promise was a collaborative exploration an implementation of best
grading practices however my experience within this Coalition revealed a different reality it became evident that the intention was not to listen to the diverse perspectives and experience of teachers involved but rather to impro a predetermined grading philosophy I have
never felt less heard in a professional setting than during my time in this Coalition many of the teachers who shared different viewpoints from Dr Pam Nathan felt their opinions were dismissed and ignored this year I have witness the removal of several of these teachers from this Coalition who held
opposing views which I can only interpret as a further attempt to enforce their policies without genu genuine collaboration and consideration from the teachers on the ground and in the classrooms it is important to note that Dr Pam Nathan has since moved on to a
different position in a different District unfortunately this leaves the district holding the bag thank you [Applause] Dale um I forgot to give a heads up on this William broadbelt are you ready to
speak William broadbelt and then after that Rob Scardino hello members of the Washington Township Board my name is William broadbelt and I am an eighth grader at Orchard Valley Middle School I've have consistently dedicated
my time and energy in to achieving success in Washington Township this dedication has resulted in the consistent placement in principal's list and honor rooll as well as the chair in Olympic band twice while I've explored various Sports golf has been proven to
be the ideal fit for me golf is uniquely provides a Level Playing Field for all competitors which is particularly important given that I am deaf in heart of hearing it offers a safe and peaceful environment where I can develop my competitive skills without being hindered by the my
disability the Washington Township Golf tee has represented a promised opportunity to enjoy that great Sport and connect with community of fellow enthusiasts eliminating this team would be in the loss of significant opportunities for me and other students
uh it opportunity such as that would be um business uh some most times golf uh is used to make business deals for people of all of all uh
careers um yeah there's also a a sportive Integrity it teaches people to like not you know uh make excuses for their mistakes
and blame other people uh thank you thank you so much William I have Rob Scardino and then I have Raymond was is Raymond here I have a policy coming around for the board members to
uh to consider members of the Board of Education I come to you this evening with questions and considerations of great concern to myself and the members of the wtea let me fix the mic stand hold no I'm
good Beyond providing quality education and services to our students and Community the wtea members are tasked with an even greater responsibility that of providing a safe and secure environment for all that enter our schools in addition wtea members take
any and all threats to St staff and students as a high priority as we take all threats seriously in the past the impression of the members of the wtea was that Central Administration would work in harmony with the wtea in securing our buildings
and providing a safe space for all however there seems to have been a shift or fracture in this relationship to where the voices and concerns of our members are not only falling on deaf ears but being forcefully shut down by Central Administration to not breach student
confidentiality I'll need to be vague in my description of a recent incident approximately two weeks ago one of our schools a student with a history of disciplinary actions and violence was said to have threatened to shoot up the school this obviously is a threat that
all wtea members would view as a serious threat threat and would expect serious considerations in regard to disciplinary action it is our understanding that the code of conduct was not followed to the fullest extent for a violation as such
which caused Great alarm for our members not only in that building but districtwide I ask you what has to happen for a threat as such to be dealt with using the highest consequences when wtea leadership inquired about the process that was
followed with Central administ ation concerned with the safety and well-being of all of our students and staff as well our wtaa contact was told and I quote that this matter is not within the purview of the wtaa and is not a union
related issue if this is not a wtaa related issue I ask you who is charged with the protection of our students those who sit in an office throughout the day or those on the front lines with the students every day to say it is not a matter within the
purview of the wtea is an insult to each and every member that protects and secures a safe space for all students I grant you discipline is a matter for administration according to the discipline code but to backhand the association when a legitimate concern is
raised when merely looking to protect the health and safety of all is insulting to the very core looking forward is my request to the board to find a way that we can restore the bond and cooperation between the wtea and Central Administration
especially when it comes to the Safety and Security of all students that walk within our schools what I handed to you was our um threat assessment policy and if you want to look over that that was not followed thank
you thank you rob Raymond w and then Angela tuso oh here he is hello School Board um my name is ran was I am a former Washington Township alumni
from the class of 2016 here so some of the things that I want to mention I was involved in a lot of the sports organizations on our campus here at Washington Township High School I was involved as a manager for a lot of sports teams through boys Bas uh boys soccer girls basketball and boys
lacrosse however with the sports and the Integrity that needs to be respected for the other sports throughout the different seasons should be respected and should be kept in our school district to make sure they have that same experience like prior alumni like myself that had the opportunity to have
the management experience to learn and grow and be a part of something that was really important to gain friendship and other aspects of knowledge of the sports that I was involved in but most importantly keeping them will help us and benefit them in the longest run that
I ever experienced because I was able to go to Community College and go and manage the Women's Basketball team of my community college and was able to go to Nationals my sophomore year to see that go through see things that made me feel driven and passionate about things but
most in particularly women's sports that are so vital to today and making sure that a Hot Topic right now but it's so vital to make sure that they still exist and we're now seeing things to be defunded for it and everything else through our budget and everything else
and having a crisis for it that's ludicrous that is awful it should still exist regardless of what people think or say or what you approve upon in the upcoming weeks and the voices of the students should be prioritized in this issue and you should never never never
never never never forget what they say because if it comes back and it does show in the budget they're going to still keep fighting and I hope you guys still keep fighting because that's so important because at my University I keep fighting for the rights for things that I want to see change for so keep going students I
believe in you and you are the change makers for our district but but on top of it I am going to continue to State this because I asked back in back when the board first
started with the new member members I asked if there was going to be updates for our mission our mission our vision and our goals and I have seen no progress because we keep fighting we do not make change we do not work together the collaboration is atrocious and I am
disappointed and now we're in three months in and we're having a budget and we're going to have problems yet again for the second year in a row hypothetically this just not hypotheticals anymore we need to make actual clear decisions and honestly as a board I don't feel like we're following
those things anymore from things that were updated back in 2018 it is 2025 and we need new change a new vision and having a philosophy that works for everyone in this district and making our community feel that is important again
and people want to come here but on top of it the again I mentioned it already Direction I don't know I feel very leery about our future at this district and as someone who wants to work here in the future and make good contribution I would have to think really reconsidering
to be honest that's all thank you after Angela tuso I have Patty Collins good evening my name is Angela tuso and I'm a proud specialized assistant and support staff president so here we are again defending
our positions and all that we do for our school district for those of you who may not know our support staff consists of Maintenance and custodial staff who work day and night to keep our buildings in good operating condition and our grounds and buildings clean and Visually
appealing appealing IT staff who keep our technology running and secure for all our staff and children Food Service staff who feed our students and keep their minds fueled for learning clerical assistants who keep track of important
student records and scheduling job coaches who prepare some of the neediest students for the workforce our security team that keeps our schools safe and secure our bus drivers and bus maintenance who keep the buses running and get our students to and from school
safely and our assistants specialized special ed Health assistance bus assistance BSI and cafeteria assistance the people who literally hold the hands and minds of our students every day we Inspire guide and educate our students
to be the very best they can be we all are the backbone of this District contrary to what the few keyboard bullies here seem to think and yes we are still the lowest paid people in this district there has been a constant
assault on our staff for the last two years we continually deal with the ongoing threat of privatization and Outsourcing their logic is not that is that not only would the district save money but you the staff would be happier working for a
private company so let me ask you would you be happier working for a private company no would our kids be happier working with strangers every day no let me give you a little
lesson we are consistently attacked as staff and as a union by a select group group of community and non-community members who have villainized your your children's teachers and staff let me give you a little lesson about contracts
a contract is mutually agreed by both sides and benefits both sides it covers all employees not just union members it also benefits the district it allows both to mutually agree on the conditions
of of employment last week was quite telling in that the budget was not approved by a vote of five Nos and three extensions Mrs Clancy Mrs Blum Mrs Hartong abstained citing that they didn't have enough information that's
the same as a no Mrs Chilla Mr Ross Mr Sano Mrs Baker and Mrs kazmo all voted no clearly no one was in agreement with the proposed budget sadly you will probably not hear from any support staff members tonight
for fear of retal retaliation as some were retaliated against last year for getting up and speaking morale is at an all-time low yet we all show up every day with the same enthusiasm for our students last year we had two councilmen
who came out to the budget meeting and sat silently while the cuts were proposed and did not stand up in support of our staff isn't it interesting that this year they have decided to take a stand but once again not in support of
our teachers or our staff the proposed budget is once again balanced on the backs of our support staff the staff with direct contact with our students the ones that hold hands change diapers clean up after them clean
buildings serve them food love them educate them transport them and keep them safe and happy I'm asking once again to please find a way to fix this so our schools can once again be the successful learning environment that we need to be to the community and
non-community members out there who continue to trash and Bash our teachers and our support staff online and offline I suggest you take the time to learn about what we do and why we do it maybe you'll think twice before you
slander our good names and our work ethic most of us are lifetime residents and taxpayers we support our community and our schools wholeheartedly thank you Mr McGee for agreeing to help our district through this exceedingly challenging time it is
much appreciated we look forward to working together to find solutions for the benefit of everyone concerned thank you thank you Patty Collins and then um after Patty Calvin Spencer hello um my name is Patty
Collins I happen to be a clerical assistant in this district and while I would love to address the support staff employment issues that were just mentioned I'm here tonight as a parent and I'd like to address the proposal to cut certain Sports my daughter
participates in both gymnastics and dive which both happen to be on the proposed budget cut list this will have a significant impact on her as well as another student who is also on both teams but for all the students in sports facing potential Cuts gymnastics dive
Golf and Middle School sports the first questions on athletes minds and their parents minds are likely why these Sports and why aren't we being offered the pay-to-play option like some other sports may be has anyone on the board thought to ask these questions as well
I'd like to highlight a few cost-saving opportunities that may not be fully considered in the proposed budget for gymnastics the district owns the equipment used as far as I'm aware and it's stored in the 910 gym the team practices 5 days a week from mid August
to November and they don't practice at an off-site facility meaning there are no additional facility fees however when the team is transported to meets they use a large coach bus which seems unnecessary and likely incurs significant costs this is
no fault of the team and the girls shouldn't have to pay the consequences if this exorbitant cost is viewed as part of the team's operating expenses it needs to be addressed appropriately before considering cutting their program the township has a bus yard across the
street full of buses but somehow we are using a contracted vendor it was mentioned in last year's budget proposal that in order to save money longterm the district planed to hire drivers and either rent or purchase buses to reduce Reliance on expensive contracted
Transportation does anyone know what the status is on that initiative as for the dive team which is associated with the swim team the swim team is not included in the budget cuts however both teams need pool access to
compete so I'm curious as to why they practice at two separate facilities incurring two separate facility charges combining practice times could reduce costs for those facilities and Poss for coaching and it would ultimately help the dive team remain
intact additionally there are no Transportation costs for the dive team as parents handle all Transportation practices and meets I'm not aware of any other sports uh where parents are responsible for transportation to competitive events but maybe this is a
factor consider when reviewing the budget I respectfully ask that before even considering eliminating any sport that the board carefully reviews Transportation costs across all the athletic programs how much money is being paid to
third-party vendors for Coach buses if the district can't provide a bus and a driver what is the procedure are we contacting School Bus vendors or are we jumping directly to coach buses for quotes the cost between the two is
significantly different for those of you that might not know if the district utilizes Township buses more effectively reduces costs for third party vendors and offers to pay to play for All Sports then perhaps it would help to keep all sports operational thank
[Applause] you thank you I wrote all that down so we'll definitely look into that uh after Mr Spencer is Randy Ford good evening my name is Calvin Spencer I go by spenc
and if you don't know me I am the band director here at Washington Township High School and Orchard Valley Middle School I'm not here to blast the Board of Education because that's not going to do any good you already have your hands full with all the messes that have been created over the last few
years I am here briefly to talk about my truth all right you may not know what my truth is but every day of my life here in Washington Township I travel between the high school and OV trying to service the kids here of Washington
Township I feel homeless I'm not able to service the kids of our district to the best of my ability because I'm half day here and I'm half day at Orchard Valley I feel like that's not fair to be able to service all the students but how
can I I'm not anywhere long enough to be able to help the kids that deserve my full attention they trust me they need me and I'm not always there when they need need me because I'm
traveling because of the schedule that I hold if we are truly here to service the kids stop using the kids as pawns we need to act we have we need to stop acting like kids we need to do our
job you expect me to do my job to the best of my ability so I'm asking that we do the same our band motto is be better than you were yesterday if the students of Washington Township and the Band program can do this I truly believe that we can
do the same too with this crazy schedule that I currently have the students of Washington Township the win Ensemble performed at the Region 3 concert band Festival last week and were selected as one of 12 concert bands to perform at
the New Jersey state Galla concert this makes Washington Township win Ensemble one of the best concert bands in the state of New Jersey with that crazy schedule that I hold and I'm trying to do the best I can to service those kids think about what I could do if I Was Here full
time something to think about so I'm not going to blast anybody but what I'm going to do is I'm going to give you an invitation I would love for any of you on the board to come Shadow me for a day I would maybe invite you to a concert I know board members go to the
bigger shows but I've been here for eight years and I've never seen a board member at one of my concerts unless they had a child in a program so basically what I'm going to basically wrap up is say you know we need to be here for the kids kid I know
everybody knows that okay but in the next two and a half months I have four concerts one tomorrow one on May 5th one on May 8th and one in May 14th all in the district I would like to personally invite you to come to one of these
concerts to see what the great music program and things that are happening with our kids not just in sports and that's not me blasting Sports we have great kids that do a lot of wonderful things here other other than Sports and other than just all the other activities that we have well I would love for you
I'm giving you a personal invitation to come see us if you need any more information you know my email is C Spencer wtps.org I will be more than happy to give you more information thank you for letting me speak here tonight and I hope to see you
at a future concert thank you um is Randy Ford here I just realized he's not over there okay so uh there's a there's two John bandorf do you guys want to go together in case you travel together Junior and senior are they
here let's hear from the kid the child [Applause] first I know there's wait oh yeah I have a a card for senior and a card for junior oh yeah you're definitely related good evening board members um being a
senior for the golf program I'm not going to be speaking for myself tonight I'm going to be speaking for the generations of kids that are coming below me that this would affect um golf in my life is one of the biggest things that I can reach out to and that you
know I am most comfortable with whenever I'm stressed you know I can go golf I can hang out with my my friends I've made so many connections throughout my years in this High School playing golf Mr Liberty your son Noah I played with him one year when I was a freshman I
still see him to this day in wa was at 2 a.m. and I say hi to him and I'm like yo what's up no what's going on like it's been a while you know but um I mean golf to me is more than a sport golf to me is a family it's
friends and all I could ever ask for while being a student in this High School cutting golf is cutting opportunities from children that are coming below me I can't think of a worse thing to happen to the sport than for it to be cut for other children I don't
see a bright future in in the sports programs if we're going to start cutting them because who knows we're going to start cutting golf we going to start cutting bowling next is going to be tennis it's going to be all these Sports and I mean sports that these kids are reaching out to that aren't seen as big as football or soccer you know the the
major sports that are bringing in the big money and the big wins for this school I mean we're still here we're still players and I mean if you guys just forget about us then we might as well forget about the school because like what like I'm half a
student but I'm half a player and I love being a player way more than I love being a student so I I I mean I'm just going to say it front but um yeah cutting golf is cutting opportunities from children and you're not just
cutting the sport you're cutting the 34 kids this year that made the team and you have to look them in the face and say to them you can't play a sport anymore that you love and that you wake up in the morning and say I can't wait to play that you got to say that to
those kids and I can't believe that you have the audacity to say that to those kids but however I mean that's just that's just how I feel so yeah
[Applause] uh thank you board members uh for your time everybody here tonight I wasn't really going to talk if I knew he was going to talk um what I really see happening here I don't come to a lot of
board meetings I'm not as involved that try and stay in the shadows and let everybody do their jobs one of the biggest issues I see with everything I'm here here tonight the key in any relationship customer owner vendor
business anything boed parents is trust right now you don't have it and it goes both ways I'm not saying it's the board I'm not saying it's the parents but there's a trust issue that we're missing right now we there's no
trust that you're working together there's no trust that you're just going for lwh hanging fruit with these little Sports I mean these are these are I mean his equipment I paid for it all their parents paid for all their
equipment nothing was paid for by the school he got a shirt that's it and I understand that but if that's really all you guys can come up with for trying to fix a budget that's really lowend you're better than
that be better you can do this I know you can all right thank you for your [Applause] time Shireen Dukas and then Dan laferty good evening members of of the
board I stand before you tonight as a dedicated educator who has served Washington Township District for nearly 17 years I've always taken pride in maintaining High academic standards and helping students rise to meet
them however I have never seen the state of academic expectations as concerning as they are now for the past 5 years after Co Mo it we are still seeing students expecting full credit for late work asking for
retakes before they've even completed an assessment and in some cases pressuring teachers for grade adjustments simply to meet an arbitrary percentage Point even with the district's shift to
a 10-point grading scale we continue to see growing pressure to lower standards even further further the reality is that we have gradually lowered the bar in this District we used to have a motto raising
the bar but is that truly what our community wants many of our parents are hardworking individuals they're entrepreneurs business owners and professionals who know that success
comes from effort responsibility and resilience they don't want their children to be given success they want them to earn it yet despite our best efforts as Educators we cannot uphold these
standards without the firm backing of administration I asked this board are you aware that grades are being changed at the middle school level without the teachers consent are you aware that some
teachers feel compelled to inflate grades because they fear they won't be supported if they don't do you know and understand that if a student in our district earns a 70 for the first semester they don't need to do anything
else for the rest of the year and they can pass that class we need clear unwavering support from Administration to reinforce academic Integrity we we need policies that protect the rigor of our curriculum
and the professionalism of our teachers most importantly we need to reaffirm that students that reaffirm we most importantly we need to reaffirm to students that success is not
given it is achieved I urge you I urge you to take a hard look at how we can restore and uphold the academic Excellence our district was once known for our students deserve it
and so do our teachers thank you Dan laferty and then Ava Ritz there we go good evening Board of Ed as a high school golf coach and member of the njsia executive committee for the
past 26 years I would like to give the Board of Ed a different perspective into how important the sport of golf is to the school and the community of Washington Township Golf and high schools across glosser county is thriving across New Jersey it is thriving
and across the United States it is thriving in just the last six years six schools have added golf teams to their program in Gloucester County alone High School golf is growing not
shrinking please don't deny our students the opportunity to participate in this mainstream High School sport many people have the idea that golf is some kind of country club sport that only a few people play it
this could not be further from the truth South Jersey alone has 175 public high school golf teams involving over 3,000 boys and girls this means that 3,000 athletes are engaging
in a lifelong sport that is helping them cultivate a healthy active lifestyle while also inviting them to form lifelong bonds with their teammates and people around them golf provides a unique opportunity for high school
athletes to learn and demonstrate honesty responsibility and teamwork it also helps students learn how to cope with loss and share in the joys of winning these characteristics transcend Beyond Athletics and help establish what
it means to be a good citizen having a strong High School sports program is more than just a point of pride for the school it is what creates a strong Community our kids nowadays more than ever deserve the opportunities that so
many other students in nearby schools have our entire Washington Township community deserves this benefit as well we are very fortunate in this town that not only do we have this this
support but it is being coached by Shane Snyder and Andy Holmes both of whom I've had the privilege to coach with and both major supporters of the love of the sport I'm asking the Board of Education to reconsider this drastic cut and to
find a more Equitable way to meet their budget constraints thank you very [Applause] much thank you after Ava we'll have April renetti good evening dear members of the Board
of Education I'd like to ask for your undivided attention I apologize if I sound repetitive towards the email I sent but I'd like to share my story I understand that with Washington Township needing to execute budget cuts the Washington Township gymnastics program needs to fight to stay alive my name is
Ava Ritz and I'm a senior at Washington Township High School and a captain of the Washington Township gymnastics team I'm writing to share my story and experience with Township gymnastics and how it has changed my life I've been doing gymnastics my whole life ever since I can remember and when entering Washington Township High School the
gymnastics program caught my attention I was unsure about whether or not I wanted to make the commitment yet here I am today stating that the choice to try out for the team was one of the best decisions that I ever could have made I joined Township gymnastics halfway through the season my freshman year and
was introduced to a beautiful group of amazingly talented young women who were Inspirations to me and people I look up to people I never would have met if it wasn't for the program coming back to the sport sophomore year was an easy decision competing at a varsity level of gymnastics was a challenge but I'll
never be able to express the thrill and excitement through words my third year on the team I suffered a major knee injury and on September 12th 2023 I tore my Meniscus at our first competition my junior year I was out for the entire season with an injury and surgery that cost me N9 months of being bound to
crutches with a metal brace bigger than my entire leg just wishing to be out on that competition floor again it was the hardest thing I've ever been through I was at a very low point in my life because the sport that stole my heart was ripped away from me prior to my injury I was so excited to compete
that year with my best friends and my teammates that I could practically call my sisters without them they're outpouring love and support I don't know what would have gotten me through that year or what I would have done Township gymnastics gave me that Sisterhood the love for the game that we all share the
long tough hours of practice and conditioning that's so hard we leave blue and in the face and even the tears after a bad meet are all things that I wouldn't trade in for the world I've lost my voice countless times just from cheering on my teammates and I would do it all over again having the Washington Township gymnastics program here gave me
gifts that I don't deserve and memories that I'll forever live on in my heart the laughs that we share and the friends that I've made have all shaped me into the person that I am today these are memories that deserve to be continued on to Future classes of younger athletes that also share the love of the sport
money is a problem in this cruel world that we live in although it's hard or almost impossible to live without money should not be the make or break reasoning behind why our beautifully made program lives on our perishes other young women deserve to be welcomed into our program with open arms doing gymnastics without the fear that the
team will be ripped away from them due to budget cutting gymnastics is an outlet for so many people including myself and now that I have completed my senior year with Township gymnastics I can't tell you how much I miss the feeling of chalk on my hands or the big smile and happy feeling I would get after taking a landing as a captain and
member of this incredible team I'll forever stand by our program and the Legacy that it holds thank you for taking the time to listen to this message and I hope you will carefully consider the decision on removing the gymnastics program from our high school thank you thank you
Ava next we have April renetti and then McKenzie gramble after that uh please pleas forgive me I'm going to talk really fast Jerry yelled at me I'm over 6 minutes I got to get it all in uh good evening Board of Education members as always Mr McGee
welcome back it's wonderful to see you if anybody's going to fix this place it's you sir and we know that audience members viewers at home and of course my personal favorite the Facebook keyboard Warriors my name is April renetti and I'm a proud special education teacher a
proud graduate of this district and a proud officer of the WTA serving as the high school vice president before I get into what I prepared I need three people to stand Dianna etor Natalie O'Brien and Candace morz the Junior and class senior advisers who put on another amazing
senior trip to Disney World you ladies did not skip a beat congratulations I'd also like to send another huge thank thank you to one of my friends and colleagues Kevin mcnamar I know you're in the back and hate attention stand up I had the pleasure and the privilege to be a oneon-one
assistant to one of my most very needy autistic students was probably one of the greatest moments of my career I'm going to start crying again Mac and his friends mac as his friends call him thank you for hanging out with us just because and offering a help if I needed it you're the best Mr Mac in my students
Voice to my fellow 101s Jen Bergen Jess higera and Mark boncardo we were one heck of a team and I am honored to have shared this experience with you we can be incredibly proud of the week we provided all eight of our deeply involved students thank you
moving on I come tonight with deep frustration over the opinions the comments and the outright insults being thrown around particularly by those who assume they know everything but in real reality know very little or nothing at all let me be clear I don't claim to fully understand the reasoning behind
the suspension of Eric hibs however I feel that the board made the right decision I support your choice wholeheartedly because I believe you had valid reasons while I cannot disclose confidential discussions for my position as an officer I can speak to the
treatment dismissiveness lack of transparency misplace priorities that defined his leadership bleachers fences and signs will not improve test scores cutting substitute teachers and forcing students to sit in an auditorium all day will not enhance education if you like I
can provide the double digit numbers that sat in that Auditorium this week alone because he cut Subs furthermore I encourage you to ask how many dedicated teachers in admin ministrators left early and retired because they were not ready but felt they needed to but more
importantly ask why since our kids took over as a nearly 30-year educator in this District I can confidently say that students education accountability and future success were not his priorities look at the lack of attendance policy look at the grade floor of 50 which has
led to students realizing they can do zero effort for the rest of the year with no consequences this has placed an unnecessary burden on teachers and the building administrators some of you have believed and I'm sorry some of you may believe he cared about students but he knew he we know better
he only cared about himself and patting his pocket seems to be a pattern for him do your research you were sold a story and a bill of goods you believed it and you bought it hick Line and Sinker so go back and do your research we're not making this up to my keyboard Warriors
you are of course entitled to your opinions but I take issue with the baseless accusations and Mis information spreading online particularly defensive remarks aimed at my special education department a department I have been proud to serve for three decades the
claim that he was Pro special ed is comical and entertaining to say the least again I am a special education teacher of almost 30 years and I can confidently make this statement even more absurd is the online accusations that the WTA somehow orchestrated this
the wtaa members who are your children's teachers nurses power professional and guidance counselors by the way the contract's not even expired till June keep throwing your facts out there to the staff that you think he cared about he didn't we were on the front line we
were in the trenches we've been pleading for help honesty transparency and we have been ignored we educate protect and love your children we have been ignored it's not about teachers being brat over a contract dispute One keyboard Warrior stupidly said it's about the
superintendent who refused to work with the staff who ignored policy who believed he could do as he pleased without any accountability this is not how leadership works I have to skip my next two paragraphs I'm going to finish with this before you pass judgment before you assume you know anything and
everything before you continue with your accusations remember there's another side to a story however some of you didn't care to hear the other side and I'm not talking about the people that are pro teer I'm talking about the four that are pro hibs you should be asking yourself one question why did it take
this long to get rid of [Applause]
him she's not here I'm gonna call McKenzie gramble okay all right sorry never mind disregard okay hi members of the board my name is McKenzie gramble and I'm here to talk about gymnastics possibly being cut from Township Sports I am a four-year Varsity
gymnast as well as a captain on this team for three years I have done gymnastics since I was 3 years old and ever since I found out that this school had a gymnastics team when I was in eth grade I was thrilled to bring the love I have for this sport to my high school career and represent the school by doing the sport this sport is a rare one and
not many schools get the opportunity to do this for their school which opens so many more opportunities for more gymnasts in the district to have a stress-free environment from their normal club team as soon as I stepped onto the floor for tryouts I immediately felt at home and so comfortable I
understand the tough circumstances of these budget cuts but the bonds and lessons that this team has brought me shouldn't have to be taken away from the future gymnast in this District the bonds that I have created with these girls throughout my career is Untouchable what we are more than just a
team we are such a close family and the memories that are held by the sport will never be forgotten my sister who is a junior found her love again because of Township gymnastics after thinking she left the sport behind her in sixth grade I want to see the Legacy that me and my
previous teammates made go on past my graduation I would like to see young gymnasts like I once was be excited to represent this team and school and create these bonds with the girls on this team and so many more girls that I am so close to now so I urge you to consider keeping the
sport who made me who I am today and gave me so many life lessons Brandy [Applause] Williams brandy Williams Hi how are you I just want to be clear because I know there's two opportunities
for people to talk is this just about the budget this opportunity where am I supposed to say everything right now it's about voting items and the budget is something we're voting on so that's why so any other concerns that are not about the budget I should wait for you I mean go ahead I can do it all
okay okay I kind of feel like everything's budget sorry I had to take a bathroom break all right so I want to start off saying is that I'm not pro hibs I'm not anti-hbs I'm for what's right for the community rather than taking sides I'm
tired of all the secrecy and our tax payers our taxes keep going up but where's the results there's been a lack of progress and we don't trust your decision ision it's been bad I'm sorry it's been a bad way to uh for you guys to handle how everything's been going
on I want to know if it's correct of what I'm hearing is that hibs is on leave not because of all this the conver the comments people have been making it's because of alleged grade change that's why we're spending the money not because of how he ran the
school so I'd like to know how this is more important than uh like the budget you're saying oh we don't have money for this we don't have that but we have the money to put him on leave pay for two superintendant but this all started because of alleged grade change personally as a parent I
don't care if he changed a grade for one student out of the thousands that we have and costing us a million dollars that we don't have now we have to cut staff and we have to cut programs for our children with the money that we pay
our taxes yeah I'm pissed also I would like to know what options have you done all of the board members personally to seek Solutions in the budget every year it's either cut staff or Sports why is this the only option the gentleman said that you've been in
the dark about spending why it's the board's job to manage the superintendent it's the board's job to oversee the budget it's your job to monitor his spending to ensure that we're in financial stability why don't you know how the money was
spent the board is responsible just as much as hibs if you care as much as you Proclaim how many times have you the board visited the schools when's the last time you went Steve you told me at the meet and
greet that you tried but the principles and hibs were blocking you from doing so I'd like to know which principles you reached out to and if it's actually true I also asked you during the meet and greet if you were trying to get rid
of hibs you blatantly to my face said no why not just be honest why all the secrecy why the lying how can we sit here and trust you if we're being told one thing and then your actions are doing something else when I ran last year for the board
I said I wanted more transparency so with that being said Julie you emailed me personally this morning and wanted to correct Miss Mis information and give facts I didn't respond so I'm going to respond to you p in person so please
tell us all what are the facts everyone's listening don't just talk to me talk to everybody and also I want to know is did I hear correctly a gentleman that came up here and said if you don't allow hibs back then we'll drop our claims sounds
like bribery and quit Pro Crow so I would just like I want more I want more from you guys like you come up and you say that you want to do right by the school you care about the kids it all seems like a self-serving agenda it's you can't tell us something but when things are good you oh you can tell us
how much you spent and what you're doing but when things are bad we can't talk about it we can't tell you anything I'm tired of it I'm tired of the way you guys act towards each other it's there's no professionalism you're definitely divided you definitely have team one and
team two which is Steve uh Connie Ralph Pat and Julie vers the other ones like you're supposed to be working for us and our children not yourself and not the union I'm personally super sick of it I'm tired of I'm tired of like you're
going to single-handedly destroy our district it is it feels like that way it feels like it that's all I have Brandy um I reached out I absolutely reached out to you I tried to get your phone number I was saying I'm not on Facebook so there can't be a back
and forth so now I respond so I reached out to you with the email address that I had so that I could yes correct the things that you were saying online I just don't think that you have a good idea like when you ran you were all pro teer listen to the teachers
listen to the teachers that's what I am too and if you can read the room that you can hear what the teachers you know are are are screaming for help with so the fact that you are online and
I don't put much Credence in the online stuff there's one thing I'm going to say about this board that I wish would change and I wish everyone would get off Facebook because listening to a small group of people that are misinformed about how things actually work as opposed to doing their job and listening
to teaching staff Administration students thank God they're here tonight you know that's how it's supposed to be and I personally am not a person that makes decisions based on what I see on a Facebook page and I don't think anybody up here should be so the information
that I wanted to correct with you there's a lot that you need corrected and so I wanted to have a back and forth with you which we can't do here so I'm still open to that I'll meet with you at any time I reach out to people all the
time when I see them quite frankly saying things that make them that I know are in contrast to what they've previously said or that quite frankly make them look dumb call I did not Delany
Schwarz Scott wants to respond hello there we go um I just wanted to respond uh sorry Delan I didn't want to cut you off I know it's going to be great what you say so um just there was a comment on what has anybody up here done relative to the
budget um so that one I mean I actually predicted this last year you can go back to the meeting um where we talked about the budget and uh I I did foresee this coming um kind of warned of it as well
and we had the budget task force where several community members with great qualification stepped up to try and help come up with ideas um that unfortunately didn't go anywhere um but there were things that were tried
so all right uh my name is delini Schwarz and I'm a current senior of Washington Township High School and I'm here to talk about girls Golf and in general cutting programs in the school Washington Township High School stands as a school of Pride and boundless opportunity we are fortunate
to be a home to winning sports teams remarkable teachers and driven students many of whom pursue their dreams at top tier universities as the valid Victorian of my class it is their it is golf that has been my passion and Outlet during school propelling me forward to grow as
a person and leader I've been a committed member of this team for four years and in my sophomore year I was proudly a founding member of the girls team here in Washington Township High School within just two years our team gained noteworthy recognition by securing second place in the conference
from Championship spanning sports like golf football and soccer Washington Township is not not only a cherished Haven for students but also a trusted place for parents to send their children yet now as we confront the possibility of losing pivotal programs such as golf
swimming gymnastics and even academic offerings I must ask what will remain of Washington Township Legacy if these programs disappear once a South Jersey Powerhouse our school risks becoming ordinary without the distinctive
programs that Define us what message are we sending our current students and future students they may seek opportunities elsewhere opportunities that we were once proud to boast in a rapidly evolving world where will Washington Township find its place these programs are essential not just in
today's climate but exceedingly with the disbandment of the Department of Education it's vital that we maintain the Integrity of our school in midst these challenging times over the past four years golf has not only been my passion but also my Pathway to personal development it has instilled in me
leadership and transformed me into to a more compassionate individual the site of the girls team a strong symbol of empowerment facing its end is undeniably heartbreaking can we truly afford to undermine the advancement of women in sports within our own School golf opens
doors to an array of scholarships and Futures especially for young women within four years of playing I've been offered several scholarships all Testament to the fact that it's more than just a game it's a platform for Community growth opportunity and love cutting any program in our school means
denying students the right to pursue their passions squandering their ability to discover and cultivate their unique talents are we prepared to close the doors now at a time when progress is more crucial than ever I urge you to consider these cuts the decision isn't merely a matter of money it threatens to
erod the very Foundation of our school where students Thrive look into the audience do you see how many golf members are sitting here watching this meeting today they're here because they care and you can't look them in the face and tell them that they don't matter
money means nothing if we lose our home and these students are our home thank you for your time and consideration thank you Jessica slates and then Rory Collins oh sorry Linda wanted to say
somethingone doesn't work and I'm loud but I'm not not that loud I just want to make it clear for the people that assume that there's two sides up here let it be known that no one's ever personally asked me if I was on a side and I'm not
so do me a favor and don't assume I'm on a side um I have voted all different ways and please please please if you want to know if I'm on a side ask me
don't ask other people and don't tell me I need to pick a side because I won't that's it thanks is Jessica slates here I don't think she's here okay uh Rory
Collins oh Jess is here okay sorry okay good evening um my name my name is Jessica slet um speaking to you today as an alumni graduate 1994 a teacher of over 25 years and a varsity girls swim coach here at the
high school I've had the privilege of coaching our swimmers and being heavily involved with the dive program here for over 20 years as a mother of athletes myself I understand firsthand the incredible value that Sports offer our children and
today I stand before you you to express my concerns about the potential elimination of sports programs next year as a coach a mother and a former athlete I cannot begin to imagine how heartbreaking it would be for my child to lose the opportunity to represent their school to
be part of something larger than themselves sports are so much more than just games and scores they're about Community growth and pride they give our children the chance to build lifelong friendships develop leadership skills and create memories that last a
lifetime the sports here have taught our students discipline time management teamwork and resilience we stand on education-based Athletics here at Washington Township and in a world where there are so many of our young people struggling
with mental and physical health issues being part of that team can provide the support and structure they need to thrive not just in real life but in the classroom as well Sports give students a place where they can be themselves be challenged and push through obstacles
together with their teammates but I want to pose a critical question how do we decide which athletes deserve this opportunity how do we decide who gets to have that sense of belonging that the opportunity to rep Washington Township and to grow through Sports our community
Prides itself on being a Premier Community but how can we call ourselves that if we are offering fewer opportunities to our students than the schools around us with all the budget cuts and the changes on the horizons it's possible that students will start to look elsewhere for the opportunities
that we are no longer providing as someone who grew up here in Township who was a swimmer and a diver myself this possibility breaks my heart we have always been a community that Prides itself on giving our children a diverse range of opportunities by cutting
programs we risk taking away the very thing that helps so many of our students find their passion their friends and their purpose but what happens when these opportunities are taken away what happens when students lose their connection to something that helps them
shape their identity build confidence and prepare for the future for many students the opportunity to participate in high school sports is not just recreational Choice it's a stepping stone to college opportunities and career Pathways and while we know club
sports do exist they are often financially Out Of Reach for many families the barriers to access should not define who gets to play and who doesn't my involvement in sports shaped the person that I have become the lessons I've learned as an athlete
prepared me for challenges in college in my career and in my life these are the lessons that can't always be taught in the classroom they are lessons in leadership accountability and determination so I ask is it fair to limit these opportunities to only a
select group of students how can we ensure that all students have an equal chance to participate grow and benefit from the positive impact that Sports can have on their lives sports are an investment in our students future they are about more than just
competition they are about creating opportunities building character and helping young people become the leaders of tomorrow and I firmly believe that we should not be taking these opportunities away from any student I ask for your support in ensuring that every child who
wants to be part of something bigger than themselves every child who wants to represent Washington Township with pride has that chance thank you for your time Rory Rory Collins and then Lily M myard I hope I said that
right good evening members of the Board of Education thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak today regarding the proposed budget cuts that may impact our gymnastics program my name is Rory Collins and I'm speaking to you as a sophomore who has been on the team for now two seasons on behalf of my team and I we realize drastics should
not be brought down and cut because of the school's budget first and foremost gymnastics is not just a team sport to us it is a family this team extends our relationship Beyond just our practices and meets every year our team grows we grow in bettering ourselves as athletes and as people I wish for you all see
that gymnastics is not just a sport to my team but a Sisterhood to us all involved to someone who has never been a gymnast it might seem like gymnastics only teaches physical skill how however that is far from the truth every day I walk out of the gym I feel as if I have learned something new even if it wasn't
a new skill every day we were learning valuable lessons from our coaches that go beyond the sport extending into our personal lives these lessons would not be taught sitting behind a desk in school my academic life and the various ways I learned should not be affected by this budget cut take into account the
effect of cutting the sport will do not just to my teammates and I not to just our coaches but to the school and all gymnastics being cut also affects others even people that aren't currently competing under Township gymnastics like our judges the other gymnastics teams in our conference and the many Rising gymnasts who inspired to be on our team
once they reached High School just because a group of individuals is not wise with how they spend the budgeted money should not affect our hard work my question is how is the sport that has succeeded for many years when multiple conference and sectional titles having multiple people who trained in our team and have taken it to collegate level
still be considered in this cut since idea has been proposed of pay to play why is gymnastic still being considered in this budget cut we do not go to a separate facility to practice we practice in the school on the equipment the school owns athletes pay for our practice wearing additional personal items we also can participate in
multiple fundraisers every season that contribute to a large cost for our team there should be a different approach to the typ budget rather than jumping straight to cutting gymnastics take time to L into smaller things like how you are transporting us to the meat as someone on the team I think it is unnecessary for us to be taking coach
buses to and from every meet if you claims not have the money for it coach bus or not we still get to the meet on time so why put out the extra money there is a point where this isn't just about saving money it's about supporting girls in our gymnastics Community where we work our butts off to excel in
something that we love by targeting gymnastics it feels like you're saying our hard work in years of dedication do matter it's time to recognize that all sports deserve support not just the ones that finish in the narrow view of what's important let's not send the message that we're willing to sacrifice female dominated Sports and the dreams of young
women just because it doesn't fit into the budget you created do not overlook this impact the sport has on our school's Athletics I urge you to reconsider the decisions about including gymnastics on other sports in the budget cuts not only will you be cutting the teams R roting the bonds created from
the sports opportunities to earn scholarships and most of all our love for the sports keep our keeping our Sports ensures us student athletes all have access to programs that enrich our lives and contribute positively to our school's Community thank you for your time and
[Applause] consideration Lily oh Lily hi Lily Julie it's my son's friend Julie and then Adrien cha Julie guys I I just want to stay say one thing before we next
speaker speaker comes up um first of all I think our student athletes have done a tremendous job speaking tonight you all represented your team in school [Applause] well U and I don't know how everybody else in the board feels but I feel that
high school sports is extremely important for so many reasons um you know that building team building uh making the kids feel good about themselves it teaches them all types of life lessons but also helps them with career opportuni ities and college opportunities and things like that so my
personal opinion is that the small amount we're going to save by cutting these high school sports is not going to be worth it and that we got to look for some other ways um and and unfortunately we're in a situation where if we don't approve a
tenative budget tonight we're going to be in a really bad spot right County could take over and it could get a lot worse as well as we could lose qack points and lose potential funding so you know tonight I'm going to vote to approve the preliminary budget but my
expectation is we find a way to keep High School sports in otherwise I won't be approving the final one thanks Scott good evening board my name is Lily Mard and I'm here tonight to talk to you about the township gymnastics program I started gymnastics when I was 3 years
old and As I Grew my love for this sport has grown I don't just love competing I love the friendships and the bonds that have been built in and outside of the gym I live in Township but I attend gcit so last year when I decided to join the Washington Township gymnastics team in my junior year of high school I went
into the tri's blind not knowing anyone except a few familiar faces from middle school it had been 3 years since I'd seen many of these girls and some I've never even met before I thought for sure I was going to be the outsider or be pushed away because I didn't go to the same school as them I thought my bond with the team was going to be lessened
but I could have not been more wrong they all welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like I was a big part of the team some of my closest friends were made on this team this year I've never been in a gymnastics environment or team of any kind that was so supportive and uplifting before and I was shocked at
how caring our coaches coach Lauren and Coach Missy were not only to me but to all of my teammates and I shocked at how amazing my teammates were to each other and to me this team has become my family from pasta parties to car washes to sleepovers this team has brought back my love and passion for this Sport and is
the only place and environment that I feel comfortable and safe being who I am without judgment or fear of not being accepted this team isn't everyone for themselves this team is all for one and one for all and I was so fortunate enough to have found this team and I hope that I will be able to continue to
compete on this team with these incredible women and coaches for the rest of my High School career because I am truly grateful to have this team and be able to turn to them not only as a gymnastics team but as my support system and my family for over 12 years I've been on many teams I experienced many
ups and downs but these successes and failures have helped to mold me into the women that I am today and who I will become in my future and without gymnastics in my life I am not sure I would reach my full potential in conclusion I urge you to reconsider cutting the gymnastics team as my life would not be the same without this
Township gymnastics team and the lifelong friends I have made because of it I urge you to keep the township gymnastics team alive as it is a safe haven for many girls like me and those who will come after us thank you for your time thank you
Lily Adrian choma and then Christine laferty hi my name is Adrienne cha I've been an Ela teacher in Washington Township for 18 years I am the wtea middle school vice president I am here tonight to speak about an academic concern that has been on our wtea
liaison agenda with the administration since the fall with no resolution grading policy and regulation 2624 was revised and board approved last August 2024 in June teachers had received an email from Dr Nathan letting us know
that this revision was happening and that the grading policy would have a grading floor of 50% for semesters 1 and two for middle and high school students although this floor wasn't actually added to the regulation until January
2025 the board approval date still says August 2024 the grade floor which gives every student a minimum grade of 50% for each semester ensures that a student who earns a 70% for semester 1 with will
pass for the year regardless of effort or learning in semester 2 a 70 for semester 1 average with a 50 for semester 2 equals a 60% which under the new 10-point grading scale is now a
passing D this grade floor eliminates the motivation for at risk students to come to school work hard or in some cases participate in a learning process at all yes the inflated grade will increase the pass rate and deflect from the
DraStic cuts to the BSI programs at the middle and high school level but this floor is not in the best interest of the students who need to learn this policy change coincided with the elimination of basic skills teachers in the middle and high schools this school year leaving
regular ELA teachers and Math teachers with the Dual responsibility of leading whole class instruction while attempting to address drastic skill deficits this great grading policy revision ensures that more students will pass our classes but our students deserve more grade
inflation does not remedy skill deficits please look at the big picture when you consider how grading policy changes impact student motivation classroom behavior and most importantly learning our grading policy should reflect more
than a high pass rate it should reflect exceptional academic outcomes for all students which is one of the district's goals on its website any major policy revision should be board approved as a teacher and proud wtaa member I will continue to advocate for the academic
needs of my students above all else thank you Christine laferty and then Marissa Shel good evening as we all know you are facing with the tremendous task of balancing the budget sadly one of the suggestions
on the proposed budget last week was to eliminate all Middle School sports including I'm sorry all Middle School sports and eliminating girls golf boys golf diving and gymnastics as well as co-curricular activities across all
levels these decisions were made without administrators from both the middle school and the high school without the athletic director coaches advisers parents and students supporting them if if these select Sports and co-curricular activities are being cut
at the cost of maintaining what else since the final budget does not need to be pass until April there is space for more discussions about how to better balance this budget instead of eliminating a few programs entirely I'm asking that you would continue
conversations with budget managers to more fairly make reductions across all programs and honestly I'm not sure why more of these conversations haven't happened PRI prior to this point for example if this budget passes Washington
Township would be the only Public School in Gloucester County without access to a golf program as a premier district with similar demographics and tax space as neighboring schools I cannot understand why our students would not have the same opportunities as students in nearby
schools our middle school programs already offer offer far fewer Sports than comparable schools in Gloucester and Canon County so I urge you to at least maintain those limited Sports options available at that
level I know the reasons for the current budget deficit are out of your local control but you do have control over how you B you balance that budget in this current iteration this budget proposal is smashing Pro programs with a
sledgehammer instead of making precise careful cuts across all the programming and District spending in my six years as a Washington Township resident I have seen the decline in co-curricular activities for example there's no longer any Art Club or other clubs in the
elementary schools we've watched our poor and fantastic music program be diminished to a few music Warriors who are trying to hold that program together by their fingertips despite these Cuts as I've mentioned
I've also been a witness to Educators who continue to go above and beyond for their students the teachers and power Professionals in our school and our districts are outstanding so we need to treat them and our students
better budget cuts should not be on the backs of teachers AIDS support staff and students the district is spending money in frivolous ways as we've heard tonight and I challenge you to uncover more of those ways board members seem to be actively listening many of you are
taking notes tonight which is fantastic but I gently remind you that your students voices your teachers voices your support staff's voices your parent voices can be heard in between the yearly budget board meetings please make
a plan to hear these voices more often in this current climate of decreased State funding for our schools we have the opportunity to Define who we are in this moment I would hope that the board believes that we are a school
community that values fairness accountability transparency transparency and shared responsibility this large Financial burden should not be shouldered on a few sports teams or on co-curricular activities please work with the building
principles the ad coaches advisers students and other stakeholders to spread the financial burden more fairly so that certain students don't feel the impact more than others our students deserve budget decisions that are concise careful and
Cooperative Julie asked our opinion about pay to playay now if pay to playay is the only way to SA Sports in Washington Township which I doubt that it is but if it is I ask that it be required of all sports not just a few
discriminating discriminating against some sports is unfair also if this is the only option I urge you to make Provisions for students and families who are not financially secure I I encourage you to impose a family cap
so families with multiple children can still sustain their envir environments sustain their um involvement thank you thank you Christine Marissa shme and then um after that I don't know if Candace and Hannah
marz want to come up together where are they good evening my name is Mosa shelay and I'm a multiple disabilities teacher at Birch's Elementary I am here as I was at this exact same time last year to advocate for the assistance in our district
specifically while all are important specifically the specialized instructional assistance the assistants that work with our most vulnerable population the assistance that are required in a legal document the assistance that allow our self-contained programs to function successfully and
safely we are here again this year with more budget cuts which I'm hoping will not affect these assistants Mr Sweeney referenced a few board meetings ago how much we are paying for ESS Services what I want to make sure the community understands is that part of this increase in money to
ESS is because of the number of vacancies in our district more specifically to the members of the board did you know that the multiple disabilities program at burches only has 62% of the specialized assistance that it needs this means that 38% of those
positions are filled by ESS every single day and these positions have not been posted for the majority of the Year again I would be remiss if I didn't shut out the phenomenal ESS staff that come to work at every single day to Birches to assist our amazing students however
these vacancies need to be filled when there are vacancies in programs that go unfulfilled for months this occasional interruption in academics and routines becomes our inability to uphold and follow an IEP this means that teachers are constantly explaining to a substitute how to help a student follow
a simple Direction rather than running educational centers or working on IEP goals this is not a sustainable way to run a program and it is not beneficial to students I want to make a comparison that I hope you can appreciate imagine if each of you were without your administrative
assistant but each day you got a different substitute for your administrative assistant some of the subs knew how to use a computer while some didn't some knew how to answer a phone while some didn't some had subbed as an administrative assistant before while some had never sat behind a desk a
day in their life as you would imagine you would have to take time out of every single morning to train this sub and then imagine for the next couple of months that a different person subs for your administrative assistant each day as I'm sure you can see your productivity would go down your ability
to do your job would diminish you would probably miss many meetings and lunches and your ability to leave on time would decrease this is because a trained and competent person that you rely on to run your office isn't there however in the case of the children in our multiple
disabil disabilities program it is a matter of lost educational time and safety Miss Baker a couple meetings ago you commented on the number of resignations and special education that were in the board minutes I'm wondering if you looked any further into this if not I'm here to share that turnover is
occurring because of the lack of District staff in our self-contained programs isn't sustainable our specialized instructional assistants do insanely challenging work for very little compensation compensation that isn't even close to competitive you are
asking assistants to work 5.75 hour jobs without benefits for a Beyond minimal amount of pay people are leaving because of the pay the lack of benefits and honestly the lack of appreciation the assistance as I mentioned before are the only way
that our self-contained programs can function successfully and safely and we are losing or at risk of losing these Irreplaceable people we can no longer attract or retain talented assistance and that is beyond troublesome speaking of 5.75 jobs I'm wondering who
agreed that this was a good idea because as I hope you realize this means an employee doesn't work an entire school day or get benefits so what does that look like for a student who has a onetoone assistant in their IEP it means that they don't have assistance for their entire school day more
specifically it means that we as teachers have to decide if a student's morning arrival and morning work or if their afternoon routine and dismissal is more important because again we only have these 5.7 75h hour assistance during one of these critical times now this may not seem like a big deal to
many of you but I'm here to remind you that these amazing students require assistance for every single part of their day which includes transitions surrounding arrival and dismissal due to safety this is because they cannot get off the bus and walk into school independently they cannot walk from the
classroom to the bus independently at the end of the day they cannot navigate the hallways independently and they may or may not know the dangers of the street or Park lot incl in closing I have to reiterate that this is not sustainable it is not sustainable for
our students it is not sustainable for our assistants that come to work every single day and it is not sustainable for the teachers I used to say that I was proud to work in Washington Township I knew so many people that wanted to teach and work as assistant and now I just hear of more and more people leaving to
find a different job thank you Melissa Candice morz and then Kevin Murphy Kevin Candace and Hannah was that okay okay oh no you're good I just want to say
okay oh I still have 21 cards so I know people sometime I'm trying to do my best to vary it and be like some students and some faculty and things like that and some people I I don't even know what they might be but um if you have to leave for any reason can you please just email us because I don't know about
everyone else but this is extremely helpful um information and so thank you go ahead okay I just want to start and say there should be no sides on this don't defend yourself saying you're not on a certain side cuz you're doing this for the school not for yourself you're
not splits not HS versus school it's just the school okay during this meeting I hear multiple topics about budgeting and cutting and all of these seem to fully affect students who are prominent in the community and who are well-rounded kids why are we cutting things that help
students get out of get out there and why are we cutting programs and then giving bonuses and getting things like unneeded furniture and painting hallways that don't need painting just to add it looks the exact same I also would like to include that sports do their own fundraising and this
differs from things like a or club soccer for clubs like soccer and aou you don't need this fund rating you pay a lot by yourself some parents and families don't have the opportunity to pay for their children paying for your child to play a high school sport can cause embarrassment if families can't
afford to pay for their child also during this meeting I hear no compromises but rather discourse your personal biases are corrupting what you're really here to do helping the students not yourself it's not what you want or need but rather what the students want and need Sports help
children get out there and express themselves and you're ready to just throw that away why are we the students being forced to rely on the board who doesn't truly care about the students you enter this board for the community to help the students and help retain order in the community the decisions you have made have made have gone against
all the responsibilities you pledge when taking this position so let me ask you this what matters more to you your own agenda or the [Applause] students hi my name is cace morz I'm a
lifetime resident here I am a teacher in this district for 23 years and I'm a parent um before I begin I'm an English teacher so I wrote four and a half pages but I want to start and address a comment by my Mrs Haron about sides the school board should not have sides there
should be no sides politics and your own agenda should not come into play the only side you should be on is the side of the children and what is best for them when you mention sides you clearly show that you do not have the children's best interest in mind my mother sat on
this board for close to 30 years her political affiliation meant nothing she wasn't a Democrat she wasn't a republican she cared about the kids in this town and I hope every single one of you can look in the mirror at night and know that you care about the kids you don't care if you're Pro hibs anti-hbs
you don't care about anything but these children you ran on platforms for these kids to be here for these kidss so show that you're here for these kids and not for yourselves now on to what I wanted to say as a teacher I've had the privilege
of working closely with our high school students helping them develop essential skills not only in English but also in critical thinking however I'm increasingly concerned about a trend we're seeing declining a attendance rates diminish student accountability and a gradual lowering of grade expectations this issue deserves
immediate attention because it impacts not only students academic performance but also the preparedness for life beyond the classroom attendance is foundational to learning yet we are seeing more and more students missing class without facing consequences when students fall behind due to poor attendance it becomes almost impossible
to hold them to high standards which leads the pressure to lower grading expectations to catch them up this creates a dangerous cycle students learn that they can avoid responsibility without facing real consequences and Educators us are left struggling to balance maintaining rigor with the
reality of chronic absenteeism we know that students are capable of rising to the expectations we set for them but if we continue to lower that bar we send them the message that we don't believe they can meet it this undermines their confidence devalues the hard work of those who are showing up and putting in the effort and dilutes the Integrity of
the education we are here to provide to address this I urge you to consider the following strengthening attendance policies many of the students that we have here arrive to school at 950 these seniors then they leave at 10:32 the state mandates a day president is
defined in njac 6 a-32 8.4 c as a day that a student participates in instruction or instruction related activities for at least half a day in session if a student is only in school for 35 minutes how are they marked present if we have a delayed opening and a student signs in 10 minutes late
they're marked absent why aren't the seniors marked absent when they are here for under an hour the intention of senior page is to help students transition to adulthood how are we teaching them responsibility and preparing them for Life After High School if they're only coming to school for less than three hours we need to
resist the urge to lower grading expectations and response to attendance issues instead provide additional resources to help these struggling students not holding students accountable for their assignments and giving them grades without requiring meaningful effort or achievement can
have serious long-term consequences first it causes an erosion of work ethic responsibilities when students are given grades they haven't earned they miss out on developing critical life skills such as responsibility time management and perseverance in college the workplace and life in general accountability is essential if students don't learn early
on that their actions or lack thereof have consequences they may struggle to meet future expectation it also undermines academic and career preparedness how are we preparing them for the real world if we don't hold them uncountable here at high school it also creates a false sense of achievement
when students receive unearned grad grades they may develop a distorted view of their own abilities this can lead to overconfidence in areas where they are underprepared setting them up for failure later when they encounter real challenges they aren't equipped to handle furthermore it leads to a lack of resilience and coping skills overcoming
challenges such as completing difficult assignments or improving after failing is how students build matter to truly prepare our students for the future we must reinforce the connection between effort and achievement and ensure they understand that success is something they earn not something they are simply
given this floor of a 50 is not going to stand they have a negative impact on our students you're awarding students with points for work that they did not complete how is this fair to those students who are trying and being responsible it is sending mixed messages to our students they do not need to do
anything to earn their grade finally it has a long-term impact on Career Success employers value employees who are Dependable meet deadlines and produce quality work students who have never been held accountable for their assignments May struggle to meet these basic workplace expectations this could limit their career
opportunities and hinder the professional growth our students are resilient and capable of incredible things when we give them the right balance of support and accountability it's time Administration refocuses their efforts on helping them meet those high expectations rather than lowering the
expectations themselves thank you Kevin Murphy and then Patty sucis good evening to all the members of the Washington Township community my name is Kevin Murphy and it has been my pleasure to serve as the Director of Athletics for our school district for over two decades leading one of the largest
education-based athletic programs in the state of New Jersey has been an honor and a privilege we have over 1,000 student athletes participating in athletic programs guided and mentored by an amazing staff of coaches teachers athletic trainers and support staff as I
say and our coaches say our athletic Mission centers on Pride purpose and passion pride in our school Community purposed to provide an education-based athletic experience for our student athletes passion for helping our student
athletes grow and develop into young adults while faced with a tremendous budget question and questions and shortages in funding we must never lose sight of our pride purpose and passion
our school district's entire athletic budget is less than 1% of the entire School District budget the athletic budget has remained virtually flat since 2022 our current School District budget
funding shortage has required every budget Center to reduce costs through budget meetings I have provided our School District administration with $250,000 in reductions I have advocated along with with our building principal Mr Anderson for no sport program Cuts
instead reducing our operational costs for all athletic programs I truly believe our dedicated administrate administrative team along with our Board of Education can work with the proposed tentative budget in the coming weeks to continue to provide for the existing
sport programs that currently exist pay to play while discussed was used here 12 years ago we saw a reduction of 30% in our student athlete participation pay to play 13 years ago
the funds that were collected went to the general fund they did not go to Athletics I want to give a shout out to our transportation department and our board our budget Office business
office for how they have worked magic in reducing our transportation costs significantly this year with the purchase of use of lease buses and dedicated buses for athletics we anticipate a savings close to six figures this year and we feel that we
can do the same working with as a team with our transportation department and our business office as we say in our school Community together with pride thank you thank you Kevin [Applause]
go ahead Pat since we're still talking about being on I gave you my since we're still talking about being on sides on the board I just want to tell you my story I got on the board I was elected in
November of 23 in December of 23 I was called into Central and asked about who I was going to support for the president of the board I had other phone calls too I was again approached in May of 2025 at a meeting of Central and asked to join a
group up until now you think I'm on a group up until December 17th of 2024 I voted in favor of everything that came to me recommended by our Administration that changed on December
17th because I just couldn't do that with certain items and because of information I was told that had me wondering about was going what's going on and as a board member this is the hardest thing I've ever done I never
expected what I ended up with on this board and how little progress is being made for all the things that you people out there are talking about that has to do with educating our students but at the same time I look at
our board members up here I don't see one bad board member I don't have anything bad to say about any of you but I think think we have to listen to the public when it comes to these sides even in on December 17th there was some a
document read where central was was saying that we were X number of Republicans and X number of Democrats I took offense to that because first of all that's not what it's about and I really don't think there may be some instances but on the whole I believe
that we're all here to serve our children and our staff you have told us stuff tonight that we knew nothing about that has been a problem for a long time and I'm hoping that I've taken lots of notes you're
saying we're taking notes I'm hoping that these notes are things even Leath on meaning um minutes there are a lot of things that we don't know and it sounds foolish to say that we don't know but I'm telling you when you want to talk
about transparency and again I fear ethics charges that's another big fear that everybody up here has hopefully you won't file ethic charges against me but you don't know how much we as board members do not know there are certain things that we can't tell you but there
are also things that I'm just so appreciative that you've let us know some of your concerns tonight and I appreciate the staff that spoke the community members that spoke and the students who spoke thank you very much for being
here thank you Pat Julie Julie if I could real quick um after Mrs suis it's Marie Coleman just real quick I just wanted to comment Uh Kevin on pay to play because I was on the board when we did that and there's a
lot of reasons I'll be voting a certain way on the budget tonight that's if that being suggested I think that the taxpayers are already paying to play um and you know I also when we did this 12 years ago the coaches voiced at a board
meeting the pressure of having to talk to kids and then coming and saying I can't afford I can't afford to pay for the sport and these aren't the kids that are free and reduced they're just right before they would be accepted into the free and reduced program so I just want
to encourage the board maybe to get more information from uh Mr Murphy because pay to play is something that I think we end up putting on the backs of the coaches to enforce and if I was a coach I would just be like just go play and I'll figure it out so I'm just saying in
general pay to play it did not yield the funds that were anticipated in fact I think it yielded maybe 20% of what we thought we were going to collect and it didn't happen and then we didn't it was a one-year thing and that was I think pretty much it so I don't know Kevin if you if we can have Kevin come and speak
about the pay to play he probably has better numbers but that's my recollection of that I just want to throw that out there I don't I don't know about anyone else in your budget meetings but that was a when we saw the sports cut the suggestion that we that was a suggestion we were given and then we were given another suggestion of pay
to playay and we were told that Mr Murphy was part of those discussions so thank you Kevin if you're still here for clarifying that you were not because that's not what we were told so Mrs Su Collis and then Mrs Coleman good evening um Patty sucis I'm
the WTA executive for the high school and I'm actually reading an email that you all received earlier from our high school media specialist um and it's something we wanted to also share with the public so they knew that this was also going on so when I speak this is not about me or my position this is someone else so the email said I'm
currently the high school media Specialists prior to this year each of the District Libraries had a full-time media specialist with the exception of three Middle School libraries which share two Librarians between them at the end of last year I was told both middle school media specialist positions were
being eliminated and I was going to be tasked with running not only the high school library but the three Middle School libraries as well in addition to my full-time secretary at the high school was also eliminated as well as my two clerical assistants currently I have a clerical in each of the Middle School
libraries that run the space when I am not there as I am splitting my time between four libraries at the high school I no longer have a designated clerical help there are clericals housed in there but their role is split between running the space in my absence and
supporting the supervisors with their clerical needs in addition all District Libraries had funding virtually eliminated and our budgets to purchase books for students were completely zeroed out this year I cannot speak to
the specifics about Supply funding for the libraries at the elementary schools but I can tell you that the three middle schools had all funding for supplies eliminated I take the time to tell you this because there are lot of statements out there and decisions being made with the students best interest in mind
defunding libraries is simply not the best interest of the students I've worked with the Washington Township School District for 20 years I've been a teacher a coach an adviser and now a media specialist I'm regarded by all those who have worked with me as a professional who takes pride in what they do and goes I'm sorry I've been
regarded by all who have worked with me as a professional who takes pride in what they do and who goes above and beyond on a daily basis I have never in my life professionally and personally felt more devalued or disregarded as I have this year to think that one person
can do the job of four is simply not logical my workload has increased exponentially and my support my support has drastically been reduced Mr Li Liberty at a recent board meeting that was discussed moving board meetings to the schools you stated one hesitation
that you had was the increased workload it would put on the custodial and building staff you specifically said you did not want to ask any employee in the district to do any additional work I fully respect that statement however where was anyone's concern when my
workload was literally quadrupled I understand difficult decisions have to be made however I ask you to please look very closely at each and everything that is happening in your District your staff is truly broken we are being asked to do more and more with
less and less I am sure you all know when your staff is broken your students will inevitably suffer Washington Township has been where I have built my entire career and I've always been proud to be a part of it I truly hope we are able to write the ship and get on the road of rebuilding and doing what's best
for our students in each and every day so that was the email that was sent to you so we wanted the public to be aware of that also since I have about a minute and a half I'd also like to address something I wanted to commend Scott for just out you know for speaking out tonight about the support for the sports
I played High School sports I played college sports I coached here for seven years it is an integral part of a students High School career I just questioned where was that passion when I came and spoke to you in January and in February about the clubs at the
elementary schools that were cut that were in the budget so they were budgeted and Eric Hibbs used administrative prerogative to take that money and reallocate it to the Middle School drama programs so where was that passion should I have paraded up seven-year-olds
8-year-olds nine-year-olds 10y olds 11y olds to come in here and say how upset they are that their clubs are gone you don't know how heartbroken those little kids are when I tell them that those clubs are not running so where was that passion from the board that you're seeing tonight for the high school sports where was that for our babies our
babies can't be here to speak for themselves so I will speak for them thank you thank you Patty Marie Coleman and then Shan Lindsay
my name is Marley Coleman a freshman at the Washington Township High School on the gymnastics team I speak on behalf of them the sports here and the sports considered being cut and all students in general who are affected by these Cuts our Sports give values and skills such
as hard work discipline responsibility and a worth ethic that is needed these skills will carry with us through our 4 your high school experience and continuingly in life these skills as well as our friendships and memories we received so much such as relationships
and healthy habits that are not given and offered by sitting in a classroom I hope that you all choose to give us a part of our high school experience which is sports if our sports are taken many of us are left without a sport not everyone has multiple things they can succeed in this can affect College
aspirations and goals as well as the loss of benefits that we get from our Sports on the off chance that our sports are not not cut I ask that you don't give us the bare minimum of them to give us all the things we need to succeed specifically assistant coaches which are needed for many sports especially
gymnastics last year we watched a few gymnastics teams lose their assistant coaches which was not okay in any world for us or for them with 18 girls a single coach is simply not safe an assistant coach should not be considered an extra thing in any way they are ne ne
necessary to our safety a team of 18 and even if it was only five one coach is still not enough gymnastics consists of high skilled activities and difficult tricks that are in no way acceptable with only one coach one example that I can talk about with our safety is at our meets we fortunately have a varsity and
junior varsity team which gives everyone a chance at our meets we need to split up to compete at different events and with only one coach usually junior varsity is left without help which includes doing setting up our equipment by ourselves and spotting ourselves which can lead to
safety issues and lower scores this restricts all our access to the coaching available and the assisting we deserve and need what happens when someone gets hurt and to speak on behalf about the things someone said about parents paying for their for a student sport is in my
opinion no way acceptable Sports have always been a place for students to go to for support free of charge it has always been like this and should never change Sports should have never been included in the discussion of cuts and now to suggest having students students pay just to be a part of it is not right Sports should be available to everyone
and we should not be affected by the budget decisions students as I should have always should always have access to the free sports and should not have to worry about the cost of it no one should be denied a sport and it should be equal to all students any view from a student and a parent will agree with this if they care about the safety and enjoyment
of a student's high school and middle school experience school is about us the students it has always been and will never not be sports are also included with that I I say these things on behalf of the golf gymnastics diving and all other sports we may be the smaller sports but that smaller sports but that
in no way that in no way constitutes them to be cut there is no excuse for this I've gotten so many things from gymnastics and many people like me are truly devastated to hear that a big part of our high school experience is considered to be cut thank you for your time and your considerations thank you Marley I'm
sorry I called you Marie Sean Lindsay and then Chrissy Kar see if I get this to work that's tape that's good stuff okay uh good evening board members good evening public name is Sean Lindsay uh was a board member for 2 years years
prior um just a couple comments here uh one thing I found out recently is that um New Jersey used to be top three in the country in education think about that out of out of the 50 states we were the top three now we're 12th can I a anyone care to explain how that happen I
sure can't don't know who do we blame do we blame the administrators do we blame the teachers do we blame the students don't know all I know is that something's got to change I was against the policy where we changed the grading system to a 50 I thought that was the
biggest mistake you could have made because now you take the motivation of the child that has straight a and a 4.0 GPA you put them on the same level as somebody who doesn't give a darn about their education to me that's an embarrassment utter embarrassment and these teachers have to Institute it so
who's really who are we supposed to be mad at these teachers are doing their jobs trying to make these kids successful and the policies not letting them do that maybe I'm wrong maybe I'm just talking out of my butt um also a couple other things I
just heard someone talking about uh actually I'm Sorry Miss Miss Bloom I'm going to use you um you said that you've heard a lot of stuff from these teachers and all um when do the teachers talk to anybody or don't we know I said that in the meet the candidates if you guys don't talk to us
and I'm sorry this was as a board member how do we know we're not allow we're not allow why do you not have freedom of speech is there no freedom of speech in this country anymore I just I just want to know please is forbidden to talk to us so the board is forbidding you to
talk to anybody they're forid to talk to us oh they can't talk to you but you can talk to them can can somebody clarify that please because as far as I'm concerned we work for that Sean when you're finished your remarks I will address that and also Ari just said could you
address the board not the I'm sorry my apologies my apologies okay still trying to learn this stuff um so what else uh no Sport cuts um I think Mr Mr sorry Mr Murphy yes Mr Murphy just said that
their whole entire budget's 1% of this whole budget why are you going to cut 1% you heard the passion of all these kids out here today begging for the chance to stay in these Sports and you guys are actually thinking about cutting it what do you think that's going to do
their morale you think they want to come to school and learn really you take away that extracurricular you really think that they're going to give a darn about their education a lot of these kids need that and no offense to whoever just made the smart remark I wasn't referring it to in a derogatory
sense but the kids need the sports as much as they need the education but the sports I think are the bigger outlet for them because after you work all day what do you want to do they want to relieve that stress they want to enjoy themselves and that's what these Sports doe for so that's where I'm at with that
and the last thing I'll say is that um I know nobody's talked about it but I'd like to see somebody remove policy 5756 from the policy I think it's time it needs to go it's been done it's been over with policy uh quote policy
5756 uh preventing parents from learning about their kids oh I'm sorry nobody nobody remembers that one go figure um and the last thing I'll say is this look I'm all I'm all for teachers and educating the kids and I do believe they need to get a fair share of what they of
what they deserve but as far as I'm concerned it seems as though you know you want to cut see it sounds like you guys want to cut stuff and cutting teachers really I don't think is a real answer but where you where else are you going to find the money you can't do it from Sports it's only one% of the
budget where else do you really want to cut I don't see where else you can and unfortunately it's the hard truth but maybe that's what has to happen people don't want to accept it people might spit venom at me for it but the reality is where else you going to get it we have $1 million deficit even if you cut
as much as you can you still don't have enough to cover it so I'm hoping that this board can put a put aside the the the whatever you want to call it decides the oh I'm going to decide with you because you agree with this how about you come together as
a collective as one unit unit and agree on something instead of constantly fighting thank you Sean one thing that we all did agree on was Voting down the budget so that was good um and then initially and to your point about talking to staff we
were all sent several long emails and reprimanded for talking to staff we can't even CC them on an email so that's what we were told from the superintendent Julie Julie can I clarify make a
comment I just want to make a comment to make sure the people understand that uh the board did not create the budget uh we took a vote uh and it went down on the 18th about the budget because we didn't get enough information I went to
one meeting uh few days before a two-hour meeting that's the first time I saw some of the things that uh people are talking about so we have an opportunity now in a month to take a look and and look at that budget and look at some of the things that are in
it and we can make changes and that's what we're hoping to do get this work here we go uh all right maybe you can clarify my understanding is per the code of ethics board members should not be talking to staff directly we are to go through the superintendent
is that is that correct yeah B board members are not supposed to administer the district I think that's what you're getting at so yeah those conversations I mean I don't know what specifically people are talking about but generally speaking yes you're correct well you're not supposed to tell
a staff member what to do or research something on your own with a staff member that should go through the superintendent but you you're allowed to talk I mean we have kids in the district we're allowed to talk to staff so um it's confusing yeah and just a quick
comment like um somebody asked how many times have you been into the schools um we each are the Gaze onto certain schools mine's TJ I've been there a number of times volunteered to help in situations they had the um Scholastic
book there I went and helped um I helped a first grade teacher going out on leave pull papers apart so the kids were ready I'm not trying to brag I'm just telling you and Bunker Hill I've been there for their um principal
list um I do love we do talk to you know the people that need help but we can't discuss policies or you know anything like that just okay um I just saw on the um consumer affairs website that New Jersey
is actually ranked number three I think it was always number number two but it's actually three um is Chrissy Kosar still here oh do you want to go now or all right and then Shane Snider I'm sorry Mr
Snider well you're after Chrissy I mean like get ready you're up oh right heght some short people here great all right my name is Chrissy kosal I'm a resident a taxpayer and a 20-year
veteran bus driver employee in the school district for anyone who has the call to serve on any Board of Education you have my greatest respect I believe that as Board of educations are elected by a group of their peers they have been
entrusted with the difficult task of making decisions that help run the district successfully your energy should be utilized on providing a quality education an acceptable acceptable working environment for our staff a safe District that Embraces all students
equitably along with fiscal accountability to us the taxpayer you were elected to serve this community you are allowed to make the difficult decisions that you feel will be the best fit for for our schools please continue to show your integrity
and steadfastness for the children's future and for the future of our most dedicated staff members in Washington Township do not falter from your path you were put there for a reason nice to see you Mr McGee thank you very
[Applause] much after Mr Schneider I have Rich Riley much so I had everything prepared and as people came up tonight I started exing out and for the lack of being redundant
I'm going to try to uh make this as as short and sweet as possible for myself my name is Shane Snider I've been teaching in this district for uh 18 years special education about 10 years less than uh April renetti and Jess slates so I i' just like to start off by saying that close enough um I'd like to
thank the board so far for for reading the room as far as the Athletics are concerned it seems like you are listening to what these uh adults coaches and most importantly our students had to say um I hope you're as moved as I am and as proud as I am of
our student athletes I know a lot of them left we told our guys to leave at 10:00 I mean it's a school night I'm usually in bed at 9:15 but uh we told them to leave and uh well John you're still here thanks he's the WWA guy for 2 A.M but um we we like to just just say thank you
for for listening and and understanding we we know it's a difficult decision and and everything that goes into the budget um I'd like to thank Mr Murphy for all the support that he's shown for all the programs that we have um and and that's kind of it I mean I don't want to be redundant and repeat things that other
people have said okay and thank you and uh to the students that did come forward we're proud of you and and uh we appreciate everything you guys do for us thanks okay thank you next is Rich Riley and then I have Ryan McCrae I are there any other kids that are left that I have a card and I don't know you're a student
maybe okay so Ryan should be the last student I think hope okay all right good evening uh members of the Board of Education um parents that are still remaining uh students and uh the
wtea um thank you Mr Murphy for coming out supporting all the the youth um my name is richy um here as a long resident longtime resident graduate of wths uh concerned parent and supporter of high school the
the high school golf program uh my daughter is a sophomore on the team she has aspirations to possibly even play in college she and her teammates plan to apply for scholarships spec specifically offered to high school golfers
opportunities that could significantly impact their future as as a former High School golf coach I agree wholeheartedly that the golf program has already provided her with invaluable experiences teaching discipline patience and
perseverance skills that will benefit her on and off the course for many students like her golf is more than a sport it's a path of higher education and a lifelong passion eliminating the program would not only jeopardize these opportunities but also diminish the
diversity of extracurricular offerings available to our students as I am in education um I understand the financial challenges and hardships that some of these districts are facing at this time uh with that said it is the adults in
the room that hold the responsibility to logically solve these challenges and students should not be negatively impacted um by these decisions lastly I urge you to think about the students who may not have
other extracurricular interest options for some golf is their primary involvement and taking that away could have lasting effects on their confidence social connections and overall School experience thank you for your time and dedication to our schools I sincerely
hope that you reconsidered the decisions to eliminate the golf program as well as others and explore other ways that we can work together to ensure students continue to have these opportunities thank you so much thank you thank you
Ryan McCrae oh and then Heather witcraft sorry um my name is Ryan and I'm coming at this from the perspective of an athlete who sport is not at risk of getting cancelled um like I think it's really unfair that Golf and gymnastics and all
these other sports are just getting cancelled for like and these kids have no no say over any of it like 90% of future 500 CEOs play golf and 80% of Executives state that playing golf helps them establish new business
relationships our boys team won sectionals in 2023 and our girls team plays second in the conference only at their second year of a program and we are really going to undermine these achievements and cut the program I say I say no I say this is not not
good instead of lowering these sports for having less members maybe we need to give more funding to bring more athletes to these programs fundraising is another big thing that we can help these programs maybe we help these kids by giving them like raffle fundraisers or
candy bar fundraisers to help them bring more funding to their programs by themselves so that way they don't need it from the school program taking away sports will only lower enrollment at our school which is essentially the opposite of what we need we need to make students want to come
here not push them away now I don't play these sports but as a as a student athlete I can tell you that losing my Sport and the possibility to do what I love will not make me want to come to this great school but push me away from it every student matters my point is we cannot take away sports that are
successful in competing and useful for setting up the future of my fellow students instead we must look at other Solutions such as not getting overe expensive gear for other sports and spending money on useless additions and upgrades to our school thank you thank you Ryan
Ryan you made a You made a good point Ryan are you saying like you think that that attracts kids from going to like parochial school okay I'm adding it to the list Heather witcraft and then Dan
fols hi I'm Heather wickcraft um I'm a parent in a district I have a 2021 graduate a junior seventh grader and a fourth grader um for the last 10 years or so I have run a parent group called
participate in education or better known as Pi with my late friend Colette and someone will call Asylum partner um in our group we offer support for parents tons of advocacy and also several community events when Dr hibs
Prov posed hundreds of cuts last year I was not alone in how appalled I felt I reached out to Gloucester County Educational association's president Chrissy Kosar to help put together another meet the candidates night with the community um no we all know she is
always up for our fight always advocating not just for our staff but students and the community as well in this process I put together a survey for each candidate which included the question sorry how do you think the board should proceed when delivered a vote of no
confidence um Shan Lindsay did not attend nor did he answer any of the survey with that said I would like to thank the board members for putting our staff and students first especially those who held true to the Integrity of their platforms and survey
responses those who didn't change their stance after being endorsed by the Town Council thank you thanks Heather Dan folks and then this just says employee and then the employee number which is 13176 so that person would be
next yeah my name is Dan fuks um hello to everyone that's uh sticking around here but I am a Township alumni I graduated here in 2017 um born and raised here my whole life and my wife and I decided to continue that and purchase a home here
so um I've I've had a really successful High School career here if I say so and got to to reap the benefit benefits and rewards of a lot of the different clubs uh we have to offer um our amazing music programs I played football uh specifically I was on the golf team um
as well but really just um again to skip over everything uh everyone else has already stated tonight um cutting cutting sports for kids is is not something that's going to enhance our Township and keep us competitive with with all these other schools um we've heard from parents of players we've
heard from players themselves but I can tell you from an alumni 10 years later um I'm still golfing uh multiple days a week and still in contact with many of both the players and opponents that I actually played against in high school um I was lucky enough to try out for the
team freshman year um we had two amazing coaches who are sitting with us here tonight uh coach Holmes and Coach Snider um for any of you that golf I I shot a 60 on nine holes so if you know anything about golf you know how horrendous that is um but I was lucky enough to be given
a chance by two men that saw something more in me um and that's a lot of what drove me to continue you know playing the game all these years um can certainly vouch for the fact that it does um hire your chances of success in business I personally uh played with VPS
of engineering and and different higher positions and companies and proud to say I've beat them as well so I think you definitely got you get a lot of respect when you can hit a golf ball pretty straight versus someone who can't um but uh all this to say it's it's really great to see the uh accessibility coming
into the program as well there was no girls team when I was here and uh again these coaches have built a team I think if I'm correct 25 uh girls tried out this year and I think we have a team of 16 so um golf in the past has definitely not been the most accessible so so super
happy to hear about um that opportunity that we've created here for for women that might have been hesitant to get into the game uh knowing that they have a space to do so is uh really really cool to me um I play with a lot of girls who uh a couple girls specifically who play D1 uh down at University of
Kentucky um they always beat me so it's uh it's super cool to see that in the space but um all that to say uh not only the golf program but all of these other programs that are at risk of being cut um I highly encourage you to to reconsider um and just think about the long-term benefits um outside of just
hitting a ball into a hole right um think about the connections we're building um definitely the mental toughness and perseverance we're building in all of these programs not just golf um the opportunities we're giving our students to compete with other districts so thank you thank
you um is this employee here who filled out the card employee 13176 okay and then Lind ke go ahead Connie uh just just a question um I know it's it's it's 10:45 and then our policy
I think it's 0 0 0106 we have to stop at 11 when do we take that vote to extend it we have it yeah we I have it queed up and I was going to take a couple more people and then what she's saying is our um public comment policy has us we have to make a motion to extend the meeting
past 11 o'clock if we're and we're obviously going past 11 so I'll do that in a couple minutes okay thank you thanks good evening members of the board uh fellow staff members and members of the community uh I come up here as
employe number 13176 um if you have ever contacted the IT department more often than not I've probably spoken to you my name is Madison I've worked in the help desk since June of 2022 um and I'm I'm coming up here to uh
encourage my fellow union members and and literally anybody here please to uh I know everybody keeps saying do your own research but I highly suggest you start asking questions um you know we
have I'm I'm a du's paying Union member uh but I I do not find myself just immediately backing that that hibs needed to be thrown out I have no idea why uh but I feel like it we get into some weird gray murky territory if we
just take what our collective bargaining unit tells us to to believe we don't question it we don't see why I mean no no disrespect to you Mr M I have you know no my point is uh if if they can take
somebody down like Dr Hibbs who is you know top of the district they can take anybody down uh and if you want to know how I know uh I'm being terminated on April 10th um so I I've this is something I've
tried to work with the Union on uh I've had very little help from the union I I feel like I feel like the union I don't know I don't know I'm not saying I know anything my point
is ask questions do more research don't just immediately take what somebody is telling you to believe because you pay however much out money out of your paycheck every month um I want to suggest I want to read a
poem come my friends is is not too late to seek a newer World push off and sitting well in order Smite the sounding furrows for my purpose holds to sail Beyond The Sunset and the bads of all the Western Stars until I die it may be that the Gulfs will wash us down it may
be we shall touch the happy aisles and see the great Achilles whom we knew though much is taken much abides and though we are not now that strength which in which we that strength which in Old Days moved Earth and Heaven that which we are we are one equal temper of
heroic hearts made Weak by time and fate but strong in will to strive to seek to find and not to yield I had plans here I was recently moved into a different position I wanted to um start a Chromebook a student
Chromebook repair program um I've been told by anybody that I've ever spoken to that I am polite cordial professional that I'm nothing but good at my job I was given my notice of termination on on March 10th we reached out to the union I
have really had Little Help from them since March 10th and I was then given the email from the corresponding secretary that our contract has been at this time is uh we're we're do you know it has not been approved because it
still needs to be approved by the board but it is tentatively approved I I don't know if we are not doing things because we want our cont contracts to get passed I can't say for sure I'm not on any kind of executive board I'm coming to you as a staff
member who's paid union dues since I started and I'm being terminated I have not gotten the assistance from the union that I have thought that I would have gotten from them um so I'm just telling you members of the of of the WT sspa
wtea I don't understand what's going on I don't know what's going on with Dr Hibbs this is obviously just collectively a big thing with the district please do just look out for yourselves if there's something that you feel is uh wrong speak up and say
something about it I apologize members of the Union I've been paying my dues and I have nothing against anybody here but because like I said I don't know what's going on and I don't think anybody knows what's going on we've still not got an answers from from the
board or anybody else why Dr hibs was thrown out how can we sit here and say that he needs to be thrown out if we don't even have an answer so I I come up here because I've seen some patterns that I've noticed that stem all the way up to the top and trickle down I don't
know who's right I don't know who's wrong but look out for yourselves ask questions and start coming to board meetings making yourselves heard thank you I'd like to make a motion to uh suspend policy 161
that's all you don't need to actually suspend the policy oh okay so can I I'd like to make a motion to extend the meeting past 11 o'clock correct someone needs to second can I have a second Carol seconded okay uh all in
favor I okay thank you Linda Keane and then Tom baldasaro you can get up and take a break whenever like you guys can go whenever you want take a break I hear you I was asked to read a letter from an
anonymous wtea member for fear of retaliation I would like this to be included in a board correspondence and read publicly at the next board meeting I am afraid of Retribution from the wtea and the njaa leadership I'm
writing this as one of the many hardworking members of the wtea I would like the Board of Education as well as the community to know that a majority of our teachers and staff members love our school district along with every student in it the current leadership is an
embarrassment they are antagonistic to the building level administrators and to Central Administration they think they can say and do whatever they want and they clearly do not know what it's like to work in the real world for clarity I would like to list some of the things
that our members are disgusted and embarrassed about I would like to apologize on behalf of many of our members for their beh behavior and say that I am sorry that we followed their leadership and trusted that they were doing the right things for their members and for the
district one many executive members are high school teachers and have completely ignored or misrepresented middle school and Elementary School teachers they have a schedule that gives them more prep time yet they complain that the schedule makes the building unsafe while they are refusing to do duties and to help the
school run efficiently two they have caused an antagonistic relationship between teachers and administrators and many times have instructed us to not help out when asked and to demand payment for things that elementary teachers are doing but High School
teachers are not three they pressured members and lied to them in order to get them to vote for Julie kazmo and Steve Serrano they promised members for example that if Julie got on the board of education that she would immediately fire Eric hibs she claimed that if she
got on the board she would have the five votes necessary to fire him they also said that if we got Julie on the board she would make sure other members like Connie Ralph and Steve would help to get us a good contract four the leadership of the wtea lied to members about the
political corruption and unethical acts that were already committed by Julie and other members of the board leaders expecially Jerry tarashi April renetti Dean etor and Natalie Taylor act like they are privy to information that the
rest of us aren't so anytime they are questioned about their actions they are so cryptic that we don't know what to believe the wtaa leadership created a fake vote of no confidence and at an earlier Board of Ed meeting when the vote of no confidence was read I was
surprised many of the wtea members had no idea this was happening the general members of the wtaa never voted for this vote of no confidence my understanding is that there was also never a vote at a rep council meeting nor an executive
board meeting so how can our Union read a vote of no confidence against Eric Hibbs Sean Sweeney and Pam Nathan on behalf of the wtea when it was never voted on or even discussed with us some of the building reps were instructed to gather and send complaints about aric
hibs Sean Sweeney and Pam Nathan to the executive board I am not sure what if anything was sent to them but it was never discussed or voted at membership at a recent rep Council meeting Jerry tarashi said the timing of the vote of no confidence was significant in the asking of the superintendent by the
Board of Education and he insinuated that the wtea was behind the charges that led to his dismissal I hope that that is not true because this action by the board is going to cost our school district and our community hundreds of thousands of dollars if the njaa in wtea
is colluding with members of the Board of Education this is going against what many wtea members believe and want but they went wouldn't know this because they have not included the general membership in their decisions or actions this should be investigated by the school district and the township because
their actions could lead to lawsuits and significant liability for our district this will impact the school budget even more number nine our district needs a lot of change I believe AR kibs and others were brought in to initiate that change but the wtea leadership fights
every single thing that this Administration has done switching to Google and Genesis was criticized even though it saved our district money and we were given multiple professional development workshops we have complained for years that our buildings are falling down around us and our grounds look
terrible yet we fought Eric hibs every time he tried to make something look nice and every time he tried to make us feel proud of our buildings we beat him down and criticized him because the wtea leadership wants to control where the money is being spent in closing I would like to apologize for writing this
anonymously over the past 10 years it has made me sad that societ you think so little of teachers I understand that what is happening in our districts is your time is up Linda we love our students thank you Tom bisaro and then
mateline maros maros hello everyone um I I I just have to comment with all the the kids that came up and and I just really got to recognize the coaches coaches do more than wins and losses they help kids grow I you I know my daughter played tennis
with Coach Holmes for four years and you know he helped turn her from a little kid as I saw her to the young adult she is today and um the way these kids spoke you could just see the impact these coaches have had so uh thank you very much for what you guys do it's pretty impressive
um La last week the were removal of of Dr hibs was not surprising because it's been on the agenda of a deceitful faction of this board for quite some time Randy Ford came up to the microphone a couple meetings ago and stated that a board member approached
him saying we needed a fifth vote so it this was a plan okay R Randy is a very believable guy um the rumors has been out there for a long time the the the way you've stood in the way of what he's tried to do it it's just just not
good I am you know Pro kids but most of all I am I'm just Pro doing things right you know we have policies we should follow them um and what we did and how we did it how you got rid of him is is Shady at at best um I'm I'm tired of
having to fight against corruption and getting the right thing done you know Mr Schneider as as the as the solicitor your job is to uphold policy I would think um policy 0176 collective bargaining says the board will hire an attorney to represent its interest in
all Collective negotiation agreements with associations due to the board solicitors role in advocating for the board and individual School District employees in various circumstances the board solicitor solicitor shall not serve as the attorney representing the
board of negotiations you serve in both roles you've broken our policy I don't know whether it's from just ignoring it or ignorance to it but regardless we have a policy for a reason best practice dictates you have two separate lawyers
uh we didn't have that but to have the same attorney doing both is a huge conflict uh that should not happen um an additional conflict you have is related to a former you know Washington Township client that has been very active in the school you know was a circulator had a
contract uh got some people kicked off of boards has relationship with Miss kmle um and you're supplying whether or not there are conflicts in relation to all of these things that's a conflict that's why you
have conflict councel you should not have conflicted Mrs chillo on what you did now in getting to what you did with Mrs chill you took a personal email and conflicted her it was not an Ethics
filing and I'll have a bunch of questions that I'll give to you um you know have you received a formal ethics complaint from the school ethics commission pretty sure the answer is no so basically you took a personal email that had allegations as an attorney you
know an unsubstantiated allegation is not enough to conflict somebody it's not um and that just happened to be the fifth vote to get to the doctrine to get to the agenda item that we've all known
about that's why I said it's not surprising that Dr Hibbs is not here I'd like to know what work you did to verify the allegations in the email because tonight we heard Mrs Chilla say they're all false so if you've done no work to it
it'd be no different than me just saying hey somebody took a bride from the union you know get them out of negotiations you wouldn't do that nor should you because it's just a personal comment that's what you conflicted Mrs chill on and it's completely unfair to this district and we deserve better where did
he Tom where did you get that information what it we can't have back and forth so yeah but I just need you to clarify where you got that confidential information back I again I can't answer questions um wow um I I have never gone
back they they usually you don't answer questions but um I'd love I'll talk to you afterward but um again completely ignoring the policy being the negoti you know being The Negotiator improperly creating a
conflict um from is Chilla based on just allegations with an unofficial document improperly administering the the doctrine it wasn't read out loud prior to doing it I have some questions around that to see whether or not you did more
um the necessary work but it appears to me that you've been compromised and let's not forget we've been down this road before our prior solicitor can no longer work in this District so I will give my questions to
Mrs moros and then Jennifer Wells good evening my name is Dr meline maros and I'm a 35-year resident of Washington Township and I have served as a counselor at Bunker Hill Middle School for 23 years this is the first time I'm
addressing the Washington Township Board of Education I am here this evening to speak of the role middle school counselor serve during this year's spring administration of the New Jersey student learning assessment the njsla and how this role compromises
counseling services and supporting the overall needs of our students in all three middle schools middle school counselors have been assigned the role of school test coordinator STC during the Spring administration of the njsla and this role has been outlined and disseminated
to all district Personnel involved in coordinating and preparing the njla spring Administration these assignments are completed before during and after testing examples of before testing test include attending meetings and trainings
completing testing information data files to be loaded onto testing platforms preparing and running the infrastructure trial and preparing all the test Administration materials for testing sessions for the upcoming testing dat in May these tasks take middle school
counselors away from the daily needs of our students and prevent the complete delivery of student services as outlined in the district State testing schedule the njsla regular Administration runs May 7th through the
15th during these days counselors while serving as school test coordinator are unavailable to students due to pre and post- testing responsibilities to include but not limited to disseminating test materials monitoring testing
sessions collecting and accounting for secure test materials managing the data on the testing website shredding used secure materials and preparing for the next day's test Administration counselors are responsible for being school test
coordinators during this period also running several administrations of the test at various points on the day of and conducting the exact same testing activities as the regular their test Administration depending on testing accommodations testing scripts the
number of students scheduled for makeups these days often lead to full- day testing activities that leave the counseling departments running short staff and focused on testing completion when assessing the amount of time dedicated to the completion of regular and Makeup Session test uh
school test coordinator responsibilities counselors are fully involved to mostly involved in testing tasks for entirely nearly four full weeks in the month of May during which students parents and teachers have very limited
to no access of Counseling Services middle school counselors went to deliver services to our students using the esteemed American school counselor associations the ASA model this model has been the Middle School counselor's guiding beacon in establishing the missions and goals for
our department the American School Counselors Association does does not support counselors as school test coordinators as the responsibility of this role physically removes counselors from serving students in the school Community considering the as a position
regarding testing and the removal of school counselors from their Central purpose of delivering student services during pre-testing testing and post- testing tasks counselors have worked previously with past central office administration to eliminate this burden
from middle school counselors for the benefit of our students middle school counselors are the only counselors within the wtea membership that have been assigned school test coordinator middle school children and their families need their counselor available and ready to provide services
I would like to propose that middle school counselors participate in school and State Testing activities in the same capacity as most members of WTA as a test administrator alongside our teachers in our building not as a
school test coordinator if counselors are able to contribute to the testing practices as our teachers Co teacher colleagues once the testing period for the day is finished we can all return to our daily role and vocation of serving the middle school students of Washington
Township Public Schools thank you um I said Jennifer Wells was next is she here I am so sorry Jackie Tiger Williams I thought that I left the card for Steve to call when I went to the bathroom but then I think it got passed
over I'm sorry so can you go after her okay sorry about that I think I just said okay I good evening um I feel like every time I come up up here to speak it's later and later um so I'm Jennifer Wells I'm an
English teacher in the high school I've been working in Washington Township for this 23 years something like that um and I'm here tonight because as I watched last week's board
meeting there were a number of things that were said that were concerning to me um that brought me here just to clarify a couple of things and to ask a couple of questions um there
were and before I I get into my main purpose I did just want to address the comment that was made about [Music] um that's okay um well the comment that was made about the um very tired I'm sorry
um about the uh vote of no confidence that was uh voted on at rep Council so I just wanted to make sure that that was very clear to everyone as well um so one of the things I wanted to talk about is last year I came to speak because there was concern
about the numbers that were provided to us for reductions of staff for English me English Department teachers at the high school level we were losing four full positions at the high school level from The
English Department a tested subject um we were told that it wasn't going to have that big of an impact on staff but we know that that's not how numbers work um and on class sizes right the class
sizes are worse than what we predicted this year um while you may look at averages that include some outliers of small classes we are looking at 12th grade CP classes with 30 plus kids in an
IC setting um you know the tiered support program at the high school was eliminated even though we said no programs would be eliminated um those students were reintegrated into regular classrooms of 30 students right so we we
have an issue with class size for English at the high school level that's what I can speak to confidently because I've looked at the numbers the average class size for 10th grade 29 in honors 27 in
CP 27 28 in 12th grade you know these these numbers are not sustainable not if we're going to teach kids the writing skills that they need to move on to be successful in college right we it it's just not
sustainable we can't give them the same level of instruction and feedback with that many students um and and this is directly related to something else I heard last week when the number came out about how much money was spent on furniture
obviously we're all concerned about that number especially when we talk about Optics when we think about what happened with last year's budget the cuts to staff support staff te
teaches whether it was from a different line item or not the Optics aren't good whenever you pay for furniture with people thank you um Jackie Tiger Williams and then Nicole Ludi hi I'm Jackie tiger I teach at
heril um um I'm G to speak about two things the one has already really been brought up a lot but I just want to clarify a couple things and ask a question uh last year when we learned about the budget cuts for this this current year that we're in we were told there would be no cuts to the six clubs that were run at the elementary level um
as this year went on we were waiting for board approval on green club and newspaper club we were told they weren't cut they just hadn't been approved um kept pursuing it it wasn't happening and and then we were told while they weren't officially cut
they would not be running due to administrative prerogative as we continued to ask questions about that we finally got to the answer that um I just lost my spot sorry I'm trying to shorten it a little we received word that the funds for those two Elementary
level clubs were diverted to the Middle School drama clubs when we asked if that would continue into next year because this year we were already told there wouldn't be cuts to our six clubs uh the response regarding next year was that it was to be determined so at the elementary schools our six
clubs serve four grades uh the middle school budget which serves three grades their activities budget is approximately triple the elementary budget for activities and the high school's activity budget which serves four grades like the elementary levels is more than
seven times the elementary activities budget and I understand that I truly understand and as the kids get older more extracurricular opportunities are made available to them that makes sense however at the elementary level we are
the first ones to give the message to plant that seed to the kids to get involved and be part of your school Community we're very limited in our opportunities to do so so we are fighting to keep those six
clubs and I would like to know given the significantly larger activity budgets at the secondary level and don't get me wrong I know we're all fighting for scraps at this point money is tied across the board but given the significantly larger activity budgets at the secondary level why was money taken
that taken that was earmarked for elementary clubs for our youngest students and allotted to the upper grades and two how can we ensure that that doesn't happen again next year so those are my two questions regarding that um my second thing uh is something
that has uh I was I was notified about this morning which is that in the social media hubub question was asked which is what even is wtaa who's in it and I spent the day thinking about that and a
support Union I'm including you in this definition of what we even are and who's in it and as I pondered it today I thought about the the worst days we have at our schools the days when something
scary happens in the world or something terrible happens in our community and those kids come into US those days when the parents really don't want to send their kids to school they want to keep their kids in their arms and in their
home but they're like we got to go to school and who we are are the ones who care for those kids on the worst days and God forbid if danger ever made its way into one of our buildings we are who actually chooses to stand between your
children and that danger that's who we are we show up every day we are here every day working hard putting these kids first so that's who
wtea even is that's who our support staff Union even is and that's who's in it thank you Nicole Ludi and then Terry weeter yeah this doesn't work
still and again I'm new so there has to be some kind of Grace to definitions what is Administrative privilege I've heard it a couple times tonight and I really don't know what it is I'm asking somebody you mean administrative yes administrative
prerogative what is that you're talking about managerial prerogative is that what you're asking about I it's May how about we talk when we when the meeting's over okay and you can explain what you're looking for okay okay I don't know what it is well I
think it's a term none of us have ever heard the term until recently so I think that's the difficulty well because sometimes we're told that things happen because of administrative privilege I've been told that so many times I don't know what administrative privilege means
managerial prerogative has a mean in the uh has a meaning in the uh management uh Union World um again I I don't know what the phrase administrative privilege means though from a legal standpoint I'm not sure if that's if that's the
question you're asking me I we we could talk later and you can further clarify for me yeah go ahead Mr um first in regard about what was said to Brandy about talking about things in private they should be discussed publicly everyone
deserves the same answers no one is dumb and if nothing people say is and nothing they say is dumb if you feel someone is not informed it is your job as a board to be transparent truthful and trustworthy enough that no one has assumptions or that anybody has a concern in a matter to the gymnast that
said you didn't deserve something yes you do you all do to the educator that said success is not given and achie it's achieved out of all things talked about tonight budget job Sports grade success that is the most important thing I've heard talked about every everything Miss
morz says focus on that everything Miss sh says focus on that everything the other Educators said focus on that also it was really unfortunate to hear that Mr bble has taken this long to speak because of fear retaliation that is disgraceful I have mentioned this over
and over and over he should never feel that way not as a parent and definitely not as a longtime educator I have asked you all repeatedly to look into this District across the district about people that fear retaliation have ever
any of you have ever actually done that imagine the mental anguish of doing right by a child or feeling that your job or professional well-being is on the line do any non-tenure teachers come here to speak you have Educators reaching out to parents on the side to
tell them things because they are fearful to tell them out in the open this is seriously one of the most disturbing things I have come across in this district and it h it has happened for many many years I come up here all the time to say things that other parents or staff ask me to say and we
just heard from another woman as well that should never happen it's even the fear for retaliation against their jobs or being blacklisted by their own colleagues for having a different experience or opinion someone said tonight that you can't both support hibs
and teachers that is false that's also creating a divide just like the board has statements like that are not needed in this time I heard someone say when Sean was talking that it was hibs that took away the right for teachers to talk to the board in all the years prior teachers
and support staffs have been scared to death to talk to parents about the truth about their kids you said hibb sent an email about instructing you not to talk to staff aren't you guys his boss has has anybody looked into that if it was meant past policy although it seems that many
teachers are not a fan of Dr Hibbs and I'm sorry you all went through what you did and feel the way you do I personally have heard from both teachers and staff saying that he was the first they felt safe to speak up against things that have gone on in District for years I've heard both sides of it neither side is
right or wrong they all form their opinions coming from an experience but at the end of the day what is the best decision for the district as a whole not for the teachers not for anyone but for our kids we as parents for our own kids have no idea what to
believe we're hearing from un leaders and teachers of everything they said and then we're also hearing from other staff like Linda spoke about that are afraid to speak in public so who are we as parents supposed to believe it seems that staff again is divided as the board
seems that is the most alarming thing parents can hear if parents don't believe certain staff unions or what members say we are the problem however when we hear from other staff that is basically sobbing about the toal
opposite we heard the same thing especially as special ed parents for many years that when we have to fight for our kids we are the problem parents I really wish whoever wrote that Anonymous letter would speak up maybe more would follow same goes for parents
I wish more parents would speak out but one thing I have heard from both parents and administrators is that after many years Dr hibs let everybody felt heard for the first time and I'm sorry that not everybody has had that experience if if Dr Hibbs was removed over an ethical
issue why can't we let the ethics commission do its job before we waste more money that we do not have as a financial decision alone for this district and community and I mean no disrespect but $750 a day seems like it is a waste when we already have a
superintendent salary to pay it's over 33,000 a month on both superintendent salaries that seems financially irresponsible when it's an accusation of Ethics that is not proved or disproved yet if he truly did something unethical to Warrant this the truth will prevail
no one knows what he did because it's private so until no one knows what he did let the ethics commission do it instead of interfering and wasting more money in the meantime you said that 15,000 a month can't isn't going to cut sports but for God's sake it can pay
salaries our AIDS our support staff get paid 15 something an hour I'll finish Terry sh and then candy Maxwell hello as a parent it's painful to experience the division plaguing this
District Al du respect to some of the previous comments I reject the non Seer that I cannot support both strong unions and our administrators I'm here month after month advocating for the amazing Educators and staff who are absolutely
our most essential resource I asked the board to reconsider uh its decision to place Dr hibs on administrative leave I asked them to provide any Clarity around what's happening and what's going on I had asked them also to prioritize
better engaging the community with the events of what's Happening there's just so much I don't know and the position of the board is that I can't know it as a member of the public I try to come here each month and engage on the facts as they are laid out as a foundation of what we all agree on because I believe
it's our only path forward I don't know if there's an issue of funding versus priorities is it not enough money or too much money directed to the wrong places we aren't even close to being able to have meaningful conversations around it I ask each member of the board by
continuing to vocalize your distrust of data calling out individual projects in public without any Nuance or explanation what's been accomplished what's the board accomplishing did this information help did it matter did it change your vote in any way three members of the
board are up for election this year and three different members of the board are up for election each of the following two election Cycles the cyclical design of the board does not create the stability need needed for leading a district as designed it's nearly impossible to have consistency or
accountability with built-in turnover and onboarding cycling through each and every year stability and long-term strategy is the role of the administration led by the superintendent the issue I see come up again and again as this year is playing out exactly as last year is that
individual board members and the board continue to vote to supplant their judgment in place of administration's recommendations but up roadblocks and red tape when we need to be building bridges so much time effort and energy to focus on fiing out Bad actors and I
still don't know if anything's been achieved we're in the exact same room about to have the exact same meeting as we did last April I've been sitting here all night and I still have no idea what happened and despite the posting of the resolution nothing is clear to
me we need to consider the role of the board imagine if some of this effort and energy that went into fighting each other could be focused on supporting each other no one is able to get it right 100% of the time there should always be checks and balances but
Solutions can't flourish under mistrust and micromanagement the key to any successful team I've ever LED is starting with vulnerability and being open to new ideas humility is a strength and while I'd consider any evidence to the contrary I ask the for to please
reconsider and explain its decision and their choices to place Dr Hibbs on administrative leave I don't understand why he's on leave while being investigated for an Ethics violation while board members are still able to participate while under investigation I
ask that we take this opportunity to redirect our goals and set a precedent for this board and future boards that we support and listen to one another and that we're here for each other it's the only way that we're going to succeed I ask the board to consider my
continued request to establish a public engagement committee to create unbiased and digestible Communications about the decisions that are made and up for decision by this board I find it really alarming tonight that a fellow board member suggested that the people are
weaponizing the processes of the ethics violation if the complainant of against Miss Chilla and Dr hibs is a board member I think they should be held accountable to the electorate or the the and we should not have to go through
additional paperwork and Oprah to understand what's going on please if everyone could just take a second and think about how we can positively focus on solving some of these problems rather than creating further Division I would appreciate if everyone could think about how we can
build something rather than tearing each other down thanks for your time tonight candy Maxwell and then just Robinson candy Maxwell candy she's our employee hi Candy Maxwell yes I'm an
employee um I work at Bunker Hill Middle School Whitman Elementary School and burches Elementary School uh hang on sorry I title this a day in my life as a middle school band director I'm speaking to you tonight to
tell you how the budget cuts from last year affected my job in Washington Township I been a music educator for 31 years and have been working in Township for the majority of my career I have had the opportunity to work as a general music teacher at Whitman Elementary for 19 years until I was moved to Bunker
Hill in 2019 to become the band director when I took over the program I worked hard through Co to build the program my first year at Bunker Hill I had a pro Pro imately 45 students in the program across grades 6 seven and 8 today Bunker Hill has 80 students total in the
program throughout my time at Bunker Hill I have supported and pushed numerous students to audition for all South Jersey band and Olympic honors band I have also worked diligently to push the students to continue in band at the high school I have been very successful getting numerous students
into the honors bands this year alone I had 12 students accepted into Olympic honors band and three students accepted into all South Jersey B band last year rumors started about the cuts happening to the music department the rumors turned out to be true I now travel between three buildings due to the board
making a decision to cut the elementary band teacher positions along with the elementary string position I spent half my day at Bunker Hill and the other half of my day split between Whitman and birches while me being at my feeder buildings is a huge advantage to my
program it has impacted my ability to educate my middle school band students and keep the high standard high standards I have set for them I no longer have the opportunity to work with the kids individually or in small groups due to pullout lessons being cut from the Middle School instrumental and coral
programs I currently have seven students in one of my bands who are struggling and I'm still trying to figure out how I can help them improve on their instruments in order for me to properly prepare my kids for the honors ensembles they audition for and help struggling students I have to run back and forth
between the elementary schools and the middle school on the same day in order to meet with the kids after school but there is something bigger going on than my willingness to come back to Bunker Hill to further educate my kids you need to understand what my daily schedule is
like I start my day at Bunker Hill I teach three classes and I have my prep most of my prep is spent going through emails after I finish my fourth period I have fifth period for my lunch however many of my kids end up coming to my room fifth period to practice and even get help that period is when I should be in
a faculty room eating eating lunch we're spending time with colleagues it should be downtime I tried to tell my kids I can't have them in the room fifth period but my love for the program and the kids always wins over my need to have a little time to myself where does this
leave me running out the door with the 20 minutes I've been given to travel to my next building where I end up eating lunch in my car yes I know this is my choice but I am choosing the success of my program and my kids over eating lunch in the faculty room because I know how
important music education is to my students once I get to the elementary school I'm on a stage where no one knows I even exist I know that is an extreme statement but it's the truth I have jokingly said if I were to fall and hit
my head and pass out on the stage no one would even know I was there needing help unless a student is coming on the stage for a lesson I never have an opportunity to talk to colleagues I have no adult contact most days I have trouble keeping up with my emails because I get emails
from three buildings includ including the multiple emails I get from parents and students and the district itself on Wednesdays I have to run back to Bunker Hill for PD and faculty meetings I'm running into the building and getting into the meetings late and end up
completely lost about what is going on because I never make it over there before the meeting starts I've even had days when I've gotten into the meeting and had to stand because there was no seat for me I also run come back to Bunker Hill after I finish at the elementary school
to run after school rehearsals for my combined seventh and eighth grade band that is the only time I can meet with them allog together I had to ask the principal to find someone to watch the kids until I get into the building I usually make it over to Bonker Hill just as the bell is ringing and the kids are
coming into my room I don't even have time to use the bathroom most days I know money is tight I just want you to understand where I am along with my fellow Middle School colleagues who are also traveling and how this added assignment with traveling has impacted
me as a teacher I cannot connect with my kids I don't feel like I belong to any faculty I feel like I have no home and I have no moments of feel and I do have moments of feeling very lonely I want to publicly thank Mr destio for asking me a
couple weeks back when he was in Bunker Hill and I was lucky enough it was in the morning when I was there how things were going with my new job responsibilities and listening to me and showing me compassion he knows how hard I work and has always appreciated the time and passion I put into the band
program I would also like to thank Miss egy for taking the time to talk to me earlier this week because she heard about how I have been feeling and wanted to make sure I knew that she sees me and appreciates my commitment to the students at Bunker Hill I also want to thank my supervisor Casey cigliano for
supporting us and listening to us when we are exhausted and just need an ear I really hope that what I have shared with you will help you make better decisions when it comes to the budget I'm hopeful you can bring back the elementary ban and string positions in the future which would allow the Middle School staff to
stay in one building to give our kids in both the elementary and middle school buildings the music education they deserve thank you Candy and you we definitely hear you candy Jessica Robinson I said we
definitely hear you thank you Jessica Robinson and then I think this is Mrs Watson Jessica left uh Mrs Watson is this the last one oh okay yeah this is for a second
too thank you I don't know why I was last but I'm here because I have been arguing when my children was in school about receiving a quality education it appears that there are
other people that are going to suffer with this educational program that you're running right now my argument was a long time ago when I told my son that he needed to have
math and science and I told him that with a mind as sharp as his he should be a nuclear physicist here saying that someone called the
FBI and stated that I was making nuclear bombs yes that's absolutely true education to compete with other countries requir dedication
and all of this arguing and bickering is just confusing and the fact that you had children coming up here to B for an a program their parents should
be here discussing with all of you about having a program in this community it tends to be that you sit on an invisible fence if someone something that you like you're yay Yahoo and if someone says
anything that is different to what you have been trained to think you're like no Nay it's you that can make the changes that is important to the education for
all of the children you set standards here and I'm not targeting you I'm requ requesting that you try to change things in this District that can help other districts
as well learn how to negotiate and be reasonable among each other impossible here as I said education is first and foremost all of the people that come to
this community come here because they hope and pray that they children will have an education that is competitive with not only our society but our country and all over the
world and that is more important than most of everything that everyone was saying a quality education will last if you play sports you break your arm you're done but your mind terrible thing
to waste terrible some things are needed because we need to socialize with other people but you are now destroying an educational system that we need to compete with the rest of the
world so if you say anything about me I don't care because I've been fighting about education for not just some children all of the children because we went when all the of us can put our
minds together and work together that's it have a good thank you can I have a motion to close to the [Music] public
second all in favor can I have a motion to approve items one and two under report of the superintendant second any discussion roll call please yes Mr
Serano yes Mr Ross yes Miss Baker yes Mrs Bloom yes M Clancy yes M Chilla yes Mrs Haron yes Miss
kazmo yes motion carries under instructional Affairs motion to approve items one through three moved Ralph moved it can I get a second second any discussion is that a question on three
that's Grant funded correct Sal saluna yes Gretchen is looking probably saluna evidencebased support it's gr yes zero cost Grant
funded okay confirm thank you roll call please sorry Mr Sano yes Mr Ross Yes M Baker
yes Mrs Bloom yes Mrs Clancy yes Mrs Chilla yes Mrs Haron yes Mr L Liberty yes Miss kazmo abstain on one yes to the rest motion
carries motion to approve items one and two under Student Activities and Communications can I have a motion a motion is there a second second any discussion
second roll call Mr Ross yes Mrs Baker yes Mrs Bloom yes Mrs Clancy yes M Chilla yes Mrs Haron yes Mr Li
Liberty yes to one abstain on two Mr Serrano yes Miss cazmo yes motion carries motion to approve items 1 through 20 under Human Resources asking for a motion to approve
those items motion can I have a second second any discussion just want to thank uh Paul I have I have a question u under I guess it's A5 under what AB A5 yeah yeah I just
have a question um students that that the the Washington Town Place School choir that's going to the music in the park competition um are they going for like two days or
three days Who would know the answer to that question I'm just I'm just wondering what the the cost for the chaperon seems awful High I think it's four days oh he's saying four
back there thanks Casey four Connie is that is that it um well the other question is the amount of money is that just for hotel or what item are you on what she's in
the A5 um I think are you talking it's under professional absences so we're voting on the professional devel professional development oh under professional development right but this is all St there's a cost of 1709 for
cheron I'm just wondering what what does that cost entail the the amount we're paying here yes okay to be a shoper own you're asking yes yeah I just wondering what what does that cover that seems high I don't know I just just wonder what what
is that just for lodging Mr kiano I'm not familiar with what that approval was for or what accommodations are needed but I do know that students are attending and that your participation and we need
supervision Mr you're better than me run good morning um oh uh so it's a 4-day trip the students uh themselves are um roughly the costes
I wanted to say just under $1,000 per student so that just gives you an idea of what the students are paying this is just to cover by policy and administrative chaperon to attend so it covers the lodging the registration fees uh obviously any the excursions that the students do and as
well as the meals that we're doing with the students so that I can go with the students when they're at the meals that they're scheduled to be at thank you anything else just congratulations to our employees
who are retiring Paul aisle health health and fizzed teacher at Orchard Valley 32 years Michelle gon special ed teacher at the high school 28 years Barbara Lawrence instructional assistant at herfield 12 years Michelle bchi counseling secretary at Chestnut Ridge
25 years and John McCormack cafeteria playground assistant at TJ 12 years thank you for your service and roll call Mrs Baker yes Mrs Bloom
yes Mrs Clancy yes Miss chill yes Mrs Hartong yes Mr Li Liberty yes Mr Serrano yes Mr Ross yes Miss kazmo
yes motion carries motion to approve items 1 through 16 under Finance can I have a motion second any discussion just wanted I'm GNA abstain
on five and six only because I just got back and I haven't had a chance to go through those in detail yet so roll call please Mrs Bloom yes Mrs Clancy yes Mrs
Chilla yes 1 through 15 no to number 16 Mrs hardung yes Mr Li Liberty uh abstain on five and six yes to the rest Mr Sano
yes Mr Ross Yes Mrs Baker yes yes Miss kazmo yes motion carries motion to approve items 1 through three under special education
so can I have a second any discussion see none roll call Mrs Clancy yes Mrs Chilla yes Mrs Haron yes
Mr Liberty yes Mr Serano yes Mr Ross yes Miss Baker yes Miss Bloom yes Miss kazmo yes motion carries thank you nothing under negotiations does anyone have items of new
business okay can I have a motion to open to the public again I one question new business is given we pass the plary budget I think quite a few of us have some concerns and things we want to see Chang the final
budget the timing for that is we have until April 29th I believe do we envision having any just we going to do this through committee or budget Retreat or what are we thinking there well we talk what's that we T talk we had um
small group meetings uh uh but we wanted we want to do that again we felt like um I don't know if anyone can can kick in he your thoughts on that but it was nice to be able to sit with and talk freely and ask question questions related to personnel and legal while we're talking about these other issues so I would
propose that we would do that again and have a budget Retreat and just meet as much as we can between now and the 29th um but obviously we have to set that up with Jack so after I'll probably um talk with you about that tomorrow I think think did that work there's um having
done this when I was your interim back a couple of years ago um and the number of cuts we had to make which were large dollars not at the level that you're at now and those of you that work with me there there's no substitute for the amount of meetings that you have to have and the length of time you have to spend
to go through this including we at that time I think we did at least one or more Saturdays uh that were necessary so you know as your Acting Superintendent I'm available as much as you need me including weekends moving forward at a level that we need to have expeditiously
to get this budget to the satisfaction of this board in my mind and that uh has to start as soon as possible um you know one of my jobs will be coming up to full speed having been here tonight so you know I did take 12 pages of notes of
every single every single person that spoke tonight you know I took notes relative to capture trying to capture the essence of what was said but on this budget I feel like that's Priority One For Me relative to the urgency of where we need to move on the Scott so I just think there's no substitute for and I
don't think you're going to solve it in one meeting but I do think we have to have meetings that are l ly and and arrange that time including if it ever needs to be a staty I'm not saying you have to do a staty but I know a couple of years ago we did do one and we were here for quite some time uh at least once you know let's say 9: in the
morning till later in the afternoon to get work done so I'm available for all of that okay thanks you thank you you know and my job will be to work on behalf of the board and and and serve you in in a manner in which we do come together because I do
believe that's something I'm very good at um and we'll work hard to make sure we're there and you know you could sense from the essence of this room that where we are with this board that I think there's some things that board has in mind that I'd be welcome to understand where you want to go with this thank you
Joey can we meet this Saturday can we start as soon as say Saturday oh I was going to suggest there's a lot going on in April that's what we were just talking about there's spring break there's Easter I mean I I think it would be ideal to have jacket brought up to speed then have our committee meetings
and then have a budget Retreat on a Saturday but that would put us at the 12th right I don't know if that works for everyone if you could let me know I personally think we're going to need to have a lot of meetings yeah and as soon
as possible I think we should start once he feels comfortable that he's gone through it I think we should start and I also we've talked about seeing the entire budget we have never seen the entire budget and I think that's important too
yeah because you need to see it because at the end of the day when we submit it it goes public you can you can pull up a budget report from the State website later on when it's submitted we all know that so that detail should be your purview my mind would that be the line by line
budget y j yep so y once it's we'll submit it we'll submit it tomorrow now that it's approved and can print out the full budget from the software yeah and I think we need to spend time on this athletic thing that gives me a my head
hurts and my stomach hurts just hearing all this about what's happening relative to sports with kids that's to me seems very painful so thank you Julie what is it what the first day I passed over yeah you don't need to be there
small okay did someone did youone say something still on Old new business yes I don't know if this fits in here now I know it's late but we have a responsibility we're going to have to make a motion to go in executive come out trying to get there does that come at the end or now that will be at the
end at the end okay can I get a motion open to the public second no I think Jack I need Jack needs to find a comfort level and then I would send an email out asking for everyone's avail avability probably on that doodle thing again and then schedule it from there I don't think
wait for everybody to be available even if we have smaller meetings I just really really feel that we're letting days go by he's here if he's up to speed Maybe by Friday or so I think we really need to get as many people to as many
meetings as possible early in the month I don't want to be scrambling at the end of the month I feel very strong about that that Jack I'm so sorry April oh can I get a motion open the
public move second all in favor I is is everyone in favor of that April renedi oh yeah Nicole Ludi I'm just going to try to pick up where I left off um you said that $155,000 a
month can't cut Sports um isn't going to cut Sports I'm not sure how when we have heard a budget that is cutting sport staff and sports when apparently it's something we can't do based on proposed budget um Can this extra money that we are using for two superintendents be
used to keep this District in compliance and get kids AIDs that need them that don't have them and get special ed teachers the help that they need anday pay the support staff in all areas more than $5 $16 an hour these are the kids' right hand and schools cannot function
without any support staff pay them cafeteria recess maintenance um and again for the love of God's special ed pay them what a slap in the face financially to make that type of decision in this crisis do I think that
Jack is great absolutely do I think that having that happen right now in a financial budget crisis can solve that no cuts are inevitable and it's awful however you guys have a financial responsibility there's an agenda item
tonight that a special ed student is going out of district for $76,000 how much in total are we paying out of District placement and why is it because the teachers and staff can't handle it here absolutely not they can handle it they cannot handle it short
staffed and parents are taking their kids out of District why can't we take that $76,000 and give it to the people that deserve it and keep these kids in District where they belong Dr hibs was allegedly removed for an Ethics violation without any official proof that it happened or didn't happen
why is he able to be removed from position during this time as when a board president is able to remain in her position after already stepping down once on an Ethics violation it's currently still in question our board attorney also the same for being Tom talked about all of that I don't need to
repeat it but it's happening for one and not the other innocent and pro until proven guilty why is there not an option for the superintendent at this time to be innocent until proven guilty when it can save an additional 15 plus th000 a month
plus any legal feeds that are inev inevitable to come one more question all of the items that the G gentleman said that were being spent Jack had mentioned that a lot of cuts were previous previously done as interum that tells me
that it's not all hibs fault if this happened before it's happening in districts across New Jersey and all of these superintendant are getting a vote of no confidence over it it can't all be a trend that it's every superintendent's fault it's happening across the district and it's happened for years before this
I can't imagine as a parent The Snowball Effect that this is going to cause for many years to come um I'm trying not to repeat other things that other people have said um we as parents and even staff members that
again are afraid to speak how do we know that this wasn't done out of spite it may have have been it may have not been things that have happened on this board have been shown to be done out of spite how do we know as parents and taxpayers and residents and teachers and I'm not a
teacher I'm just saying from things that we hear that this is not another thing out of spite on the actions of some people we're not getting that confidence that it's it's not there's a lot that can't be said we are the public whether
it's has to be said in executive Personnel salary whatever it is it all should be able to be said publicly it's transparent it gives everybody the actual education and knowledge to know what's going on rather than saying this
side speculates that and that side speculates that because that helps children zero zero and everything this District needs right now is for everybody to know everything and be out in the open so everybody can feel confident that all of you are moving
forward in a direction that keeps kids first um I'm very sorry again that teachers don't seem to have the same experience that I and others have had with Dr Hibbs it's apparent that some feel very different however it is the first time
that a lot of us have felt validated in a very long time everything that teacher said and I don't mean this in any disrespect because you guys are the backbone of this entire district and support staff but it seemed to be all about the
teachers and how they felt and they're validated in that and they need to feel worthy and they need to feel appreciated too but we have yet to hear at any board meeting even before this nonsense what
is for the kids there is no solution that we have heard yet to solve anything for our kids um Nicole the difference is when ethics were filed against me I took all of that information in the ethics complaint the related email everything I
made 20 copies of it I gave it out to everybody that I could give it out to so that they could read it and I resigned that's not what's happening here and so that's it's it's some it's people's right to keep it private if they want to keep it private um that has
since been cleared the judge just last week ruled well first it went to the school ethics commission and they found no probable cause and they said you know it could go to the office of administrative law so then that was years and we went and did that and there was hearings and there was testimony and
the judge came back last week I shared it with all the board members I think at some point this week um and agreed with my lawyer and I on every single count except for the reading of the text that Connie had written actually um and the judge reprimanded recommended an
internal reprimand which is not like anything to like leave the board for um I also was accused publicly um of the instance you're talking about with the I wish with the insurance situation and
that was sent to the office of Integrity who decided that it did not need investigation and I spoke directly to the um detective on that and then like the most recent accusation came back today dror Hibbs requested an advisory opinion on whether
or not I was conflicted on matters related to him and I just sent this to the board members it says based on the specific facts and circumstances set forth in your request as well as the information contained in Miss kmle response the commission notes that Miss
kazmo does not have a per se conflict which would prohibit her from participating in any matters related to your employment at this time there are not any facts nor information present here that Miss kmle cannot exercise independent independence of judgment or otherwise be objective in matters related to your employment although Miss
kmle is the subject of your whistleblower disclosure despite her demands for an apology related to the same that in and of itself is not enough to create a per se conflict of interest for Miss kmle related to your employment matters including but not limited to any employment related discussions
deliberations or decisions regarding your position as superintendent such as contract matters evaluations or disciplinary actions therefore the commission advises that at this time Miss kmle actions do not appear to be enough to create a conflict for Miss kmle regarding matters related to employment finally school officials must
always be cognizant of their res responsibility to protect the public trust honor their obligation to serve the interest of the public and the board and to periodically reevaluate the existence of potential conflicts of interest in addition the only way for a school official to truly Safeguard
against alleged viol ations of the ACT is to avoid any conduct which could have the appearance actual or perceived of violating the ACT um the reason I'm conflicted on matters related to Dr hibs now is because he filed ethics charges against
me a couple weeks ago for sending an email to Mr dilio and cing him on it and for having a conversation with a member of the IT department so citing administrative whatever the word was which is uh not a thing so
that's what's going on and yes I'm staying this time I'm not resigning because it's just going to continue to come so just real quick if I could um just to comment on what you were asking about uh what's confidential and what isn't um I emailed Ari today just to
give confirmation that the respondents in the claimants are not under any um confidentiality the school ethics commission has to keep it confidential the claim and respondents do not as I said earlier in the meeting I don't know if you were here or not I made a
statement um I'm trying to prevent any further damage to my CH my child at this time so I'm not going to be spreading things around I have no desire to do that which is with the statement that I made that you know in time the truth will prevail but I have no desire to
spread that around in the details of it and I'm sure you can understand why Brady Williams so I'm coming back up here because I want to address something I will not allow you Julie to say that I'm not pro teer or to spread this narrative that you're used to doing to people I won't
allow it I am very much Pro teacher anyone that knows me knows that I am and also I'm so glad that you chose to respond to me the way you did in front of everyone so we can all see that it's still the old jewelie you trying to say I'm stupid that was so professional of
you so thank you for showing everybody that's watching how professional you are and that you're still just the same Julie with the same tricks and the deceive and manipulation that you do so now I do want to bring up you did say so you're under another ethical
evaluation and you're yet you're still sitting here and then I want to also address is the Dr Hibbs he is on leave because of Alle LGE grade change that's the mystery
yes definitely don't respond to it but that's it that's the mystery everyone that's the mystery that's why doc Dr Hibbs is not here because of an alleged grade change that's why it's costing us the $15,000 a month and please make sure
you uh post everywhere the findings that you told us that you you received we would definitely want to see the proof make sure that you're very transparent with everything thank you it's all public information
so okay Tom bisaro well you got it wrong about the ethics um there was probable cause of Mr Schneider you can clear this up when I'm done because there was probable cause by the SEC that's why it got sent to the OJ that's how that works the O OJ responds
issues there what Mrs kmle said that one of three she was found guilty of and it is a big deal basically she was found unethical but that's not even final Mrs kmle will have the opportunity to dispute that we have an opportunity to
dispute the other two charges it goes back to the SEC and they will issue a final determination so nothing's done I would never have said anything about it because it's not done um that's a fact that's the only fact there's nothing to publish yet because they will be
required to publish it when it's done so there's that um Mr McGee welcome back um this is uh it's like a comeback because you were here and we talked about about bleachers and that we're talking about get them today can when I'm done can you please verify for everybody in this room
that bleachers were approved while you were the super like Eric keeps getting blamed for that but it wasn't under his watch it was under yours so um let's get that straight thank you um the questions that need to be answered related to what I was talking about
earlier um well I I I need my time I got cut short before right um I'm good we need transparency Miss GLE you were a member of the public you chastised the board for not answering questions you said they needed to be better I'm going to ask you to be better and Mr Schneider
um please explain why it's okay to break our policy L 176 and have Mr Schneider be both the solicitor and The Negotiator all your board members should be asking that question have you sent a notice to the doctrine about the doctrine of necessity to the school ethics
commission you're required it's been seven days they have not received it yet are you in receipt of an official I ethics filing versus Carol chill I believe that's no but um if if the answer is no how is it that you created the
conflict for Mrs Chilla you are 100% allowed to talk about how you conflict somebody in public we deserve that transparency we've heard it just on a little thing like what Brandy just said but again I still think it's invalid at this point all you have are unverified
allegations I would request if that's all he has his unverified allegations you guys got to resend the doctrine and the actions associated with it and in how you did it Miss kmle did you participate in any discussions on the
matter about the doctrine prior to the announcement of the invocation of the doctrine same thing for any of the collective conflicted members did any of you participate were any of you in executive session when the doctrine was being discussed prior to the
invocation did any of you offer opinions on the doctrine at any time prior to the indication because the conflicted board members none of you are allowed to do any of them if you did we broke our policy and I expect I you know I don't know did we do it or not there were five
of you were you excluded from executive session be transparent tell us because this is agenda driven like like I said I've known about your desire to get rid of hibs for a long time you asked where I heard about you know
about the lack of formal notice I heard it from the same sources that I heard said Julie that you wanted to get rid of Dr Hibbs I heard from the same source that says you finished a contract before it ended I don't know if that's true or not you know there there's no published agenda but there's words so when this
comes out I hope everybody remembers back and says wow it it happened so I hope it doesn't it wouldn't be fair because we have two other Union contracts that expired last year year that have not been negotiated those should have been given priority so talk about legal stuff the the only
thing that that really can be answered right now is you're misinterpreting the policy related to the do to the doctrine I don't have it in front of me right now but uh what you're suggesting I think is that only four members would be allowed to actually talk about the doctrine the
whole point of the doctrine is because you only have four members and you need to have five to be able to speak about something so I I understand it was brought up before and we spoke about amongst the board members you're misinterpreting the policy we could leave it at that or we could argue about that all
night can I have a motion to close to the public second I I I can't talk about any of the legal we none of us can talk about any of the legal stuff second all in favor why is that relevant
why would I get it I don't even understand what he's talking all in [Music] favor we have I had to close the public first I'm sorry I was teaching all day and I'm
exhausted so uh pursu uh resolve that pursuant to section eight of the open public meetings act the public shall be be excused from that portion of the meeting involving the discussion of professionals negotiations update and legal matters further resolve that discussion of such subject matter in executive session can be disclosed to
the public if any action is taken by the board either at the resumption of the public session at the conclusion of the executive session or at a public session at some later date our executive session will last approximately no more than an hour I wouldn't think um the board may take
action when we come back out into public um um motion to move into executive motion second all in favor e e e
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was that Elaine and Scott all in [Music] favor El okay um do I have to read anything right now no okay
um who's reading that res resolution about the lawyer I could just I could just state it right now want yes what what's the name of the firm the the full name of the firm is Stein I'll look it
up and also the rate Scott if you have the rate okay is that all you need no I need the name of the firm for the reso it's just Stein there's no way it's just Stein that's I'll find some random person
named Stein is going to be uh serving as your conflict counsel okay so the board hereby appoints the law firm of Stein Su sukii and seski sui supi and seski teski tesi to serve as
conflict council at the rate of $175 per hour $165 per hour you want me to that's fine good all right so make a motion firm award contract for conflict Council
Stein subi and tesi at a rate of $165 an hour get a second a second any discussion I don't know if this should be appropriate now would we have to also
vote on when to get the investigation started no um my understanding is and again so we're in public right now so we have to be careful with that my understanding is that you guys came to some sort of an agreement on that if that's not the case
then I I'm at call the law firm and tell them that we hired them first we start there tomorrow motion tomorrow we'll so roll call okay roll call
I know uh so this is the conflict council at the rate of 165 your motion right I honestly feel better when a Clos one anyway go ahead what mhm did you call it no we ready
yeah okay Mrs Bloom yes Mrs Clancy yes Miss Chilla AB Mrs Haron yes Mr Liberty yes Mr Serano
no Mr Ross no Miss Baker yes Miss kazmo yes is I car five six yeah six to three um
next thing was suspension of the policy did you want to make that motion or yeah I'll make I'll make a motion that we uh suspend the policy 176 Carol what's the policy Carol you
know by heart 176 okay one z76 Z1 she's got it 0176 0176 suspend the policy no no no you don't want to suspend the whole policy okay you're only suspending I think it was number
yes item number one what do you what are we suspend suspending then item three paragraph one okay what is it okay I believe it's item three paragraph one I don't have it in front of me but
I think in light of any discussion sorry yeah I just okay that's right go ahead I I was just going to say in light of the fact that we've had one person come up twice talking about it this would at least give us some time where we really have to put our efforts in on the
budget so what was it um let me just double check what it was item three number one or two paragraph one yeah that's right any other discussion we call
please miss Chilla no this hard Tong Mr Li liberty no Mr Serrano yes Mr Ross
yes Miss Baker yes Miss kazmo yes so you have oh wait Pat oh my gosh p i mean Mrs Bloom yes motion all right so you have one two
three four five to four that's it can I have a motion to close motion to adjourn uh who motioned it uh Linda and Connie second it all in
favor I e