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just 727. Good evening everyone. If we could all stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and >> to the republic for which it stands. One

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nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Melissa is not here this evening, so Mr. Machoshi will be filling in as our board secretary. You can call the role, please. >> Mr. Andre, >> here. Miss Crystalall here.

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>> Miss Diovani >> here. >> Miss Hollandat >> here. >> Miss Calderon here. >> Mr. Sher, >> Mr. Stampone >> here, >> Mr. Toth. >> Miss Wadowitz >> here. >> Okay. A notice of the June 8th, 2026

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meeting of the board of education was emailed to the clerks of the burrows of Essex Falls, North Caldwell, and Rosland and to the township of Fairfield and the editor of the progress on January 8th, 2026 and the Star Ledger on the same day. Well, good evening everyone and

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welcome. Uh this is our last board meeting of the school year and it's a very exciting time. Tonight we have a special evening filled with a lot of celebrations and recognitions. We will honor our retiring teachers and staff for their years of dedicated service to

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our school community. We also will be celebrating our middle school we care students and recognize our Shopright stars of the month um for their outstanding achievements. We will acknowledge our unsung hero whose contributions have made a meaningful difference from behind the scenes. In

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addition, we will present um recognition to our national merit scholars, our honor students who have earned AP capstone diplomas, and our AP seminar and research certificates for their academic excellence and hard work. I would also like to extend a congratulations to all of our seniors

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who are awarded scholarships at the senior award ceremony last Wednesday. Their achievements reflect years of commitment, perseverance, and excellence, and we are proud of all their accomplishments. We are proud to recognize all these all of these individuals and celebrate their accomplishments. So, thank you for

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joining us at the conclusion of our last board meeting for this school year and we hope you have a great summer. We will move on to the superintendent report. >> Thank you, Miss Waditz. Good evening everyone and welcome. Tonight is one of

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the most special board of education meetings of the year. It also happens to be game three of the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden. as the Knicks continue their playoff run. So, shout out to the Knicks. Best of luck tonight. >> It's exciting to finally have some

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basketball excitement back to fans in across New York and New Jersey. With that being said, tonight we gather as a school community to celebrate excellence, dedication, and service. We will recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our students whose

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achievements continue to make us proud and honor members of our staff who are concluding remarkable careers after uh long-term commitment to our schools and community. This evening is a reflection of what makes our district so exceptional. The talent of our students,

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the dedication of our staff, the support of our families, and the strength of our school community. As we look back on the 2526 school year, we have much to celebrate. From academic achievement and expanded learning opportunities to outstanding

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performances in the arts, athletics, and student activities, our schools have continued to thrive. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our students, the commitment of our staff, and the strong partnership we share with our families and community.

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On behalf of the board of education and administration, congratulations to all those being recognized tonight and thank you for being here to celebrate these extraordinary achievements and contributions to our school community. Okay, at this time we are going to have

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our board move down into the seats and I'm going to ask our tech person to put the screen down. Okay, I'll call up Dr. Westervelt, our high school principal. Hi, good evening everyone. This is so nice to see an almost packed house at

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the board meeting. Very nice. Um, our first retiree is Mr. Vincent Cartetta from the math department. He's unable to be here tonight, but I do think it's important to say a few words about him. Vin is retiring after 27 years in education with the last 12 of those

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years here with us as a knight. Before he brought his talents to West Essex in 2014, Vince spent 15 years at Handover Park and Whippony Park. When you look at Vince's career, you see a master of logic, numbers, and strategy. He hasn't just taught mathematics. He expanded our

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horizons by teaching personal finance and entirely transforming our computer science curriculum. He championed our students analytical minds as the computer science guru. And his expertise is recognized far beyond our walls as an AP table leader and for AP computer

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science principles. But if you ask Vin what he is most proud of, it isn't the impressive resume or the curriculum he built. It is the human element. It's the trust he has developed with his students over the years. Vin has always been a mentor first, guiding adolescence through life lessons and helping them

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discover their own future paths. Vin mentioned that he will most miss what he will miss most is the incredible cohesion, support, and of course the legendary breakfasts of the math department alongside the schoolwide support from the administration. But I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are the ones who are going to

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miss his presence, his reliability, and his dedication in our hallways. Now, we all know Vin isn't exactly the type to sit still in a rocking chair during retirement. He is trading the classroom for the courts and fields. This summer, he will be working all of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at Metife Stadium as a

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photographer. On top of that, he will be continuing his incredible work behind the lens photographing sports at all levels for Getty Images in USA Today. In fact, he's not here tonight because he is at game three taking pictures. I know, right? Right. Yes. Yes. Before

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he leaves us, Vin shared some profound words of wisdom for everyone still in the trenches. He said, "Keep doing what you're doing. Be yourself in the classroom. You do not have to be the perfect 4.0 teacher as long as you're proud of your work." Vin has always been authentically himself. He has always given us work to be incredibly proud of,

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and he has left a lasting impact on countless students and colleagues. We thank him for 27 years of service to education and 12 years of dedication to West Essex. We wish Vin nothing but clear skies, perfect lighting, and an unforgettable retirement. Congratulations. Our next retiree is Miss Jenny Tom from

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the math department, also known as Jenny Tom Carol. Um, she also couldn't be here this evening. Now, if you look at Jenny's resume before she ever walked through our doors, you realize our students have been learning from a literal powerhouse. She spent 10 years as a chemical

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engineer, five years as a quantitative analyst, and nine years as a global sales manager. She then graced us with 20 years of dedicated service here at West Essex High School. As Jenny herself joked, "Do the math. Yes, I am that old and tired."

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But the truth is that incredible corporate and scientific background is exactly what made Jenny such an extraordinary teacher. She didn't just teach from a textbook. She brought the real world right into room 311. Jenny used her own fascinating career trajectory to show our students what is

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possible. She strived every day to foster critical and creative thinking, teaching our kids to embrace struggle as an essential part of learning. Because of her, generations of Wests students are leaving us with the confidence and resilience to take on the future. When asked what she will miss most, Jenny

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noted that she will miss the wonderful students and staff, but she also wanted to give a special shout out to our incredible maintenance department for their rapid, pleasant, and heroic responses to all of the bizarre issues and mysterious smells in room 311 over the years, including their annual tradition of safely removing at least

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one trapped bird from her room. The maintenance team might get a little bit of a break, but our entire school community is going to deeply miss her wisdom, wit, and her brilliant mind. Jenny's next chapter sounds like an absolute dream. She's trading lesson plans for international adventure. Her immediate retirement plans include

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exploring Prague, cruising down the Denube River, tending to her community garden, and traveling to the West Coast to visit her sons. And when she's not traveling, she will be on the hunt for her perfect beach house in New England. Before she departs, Jenny leaves with us some beautifully simple yet vital words

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of wisdom for the colleagues she leaves behind. Take care of yourself mentally and physically. We thank Jenny for taking such wonderful care of our students in our community for the last 20 years. We hope she finds that perfect beach house and we wish her retirement filled with health, happiness, and no

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more trapped birds. Congratulations, Jenny. And the third retiree from the high school, Miss Ada Trinidad. Aa, come on down. Come on down. Come on down. You're gonna stand here while I speak about you. Just stand here and look

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pretty and smile. Right. Ada first joins our Knight family in 2007, teaching here for a decade before spending a couple of years at another district. But as we all know, true Knights always find their way back home. In 2020, we were fortunate enough to welcome Ada back to our classrooms, and

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we have been incredibly grateful for her presence ever since. Before her time at West Essex, Ada served as the director of religious education at St. Mary's Parish for 10 years and shared her talents with the students at Montlair High School and Depal Catholic High School. Ada is a teacher in the truest

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sense of the word. When asked what she will miss the most about her career, her answer was simple and immediate. Definitely being in the classroom with my students. Ada didn't just teach Spanish. She brought the language to life by sharing the beauty of its culture. She created a classroom environment so full of warmth and

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excitement that students regularly asked her to have her as their teacher again the following year. And there is perhaps no greater testament to her skill as an educator than the fact that her former students returned to West Essex to tell her that they still actively use their notes from her class to ace their upper

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level college courses. As Ada prepares to close this chapter, she's stepping into a retirement that is full of family and adventure. She plans to spend time with loved ones both here and in the Dominican Republic. She's also planning a European adventure to explore France, Italy, and Greece. Beyond that, Ada says

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she is beautifully open to whatever life has in store for her next. She leaves us today with some words of wisdom that reflect her collaborative spirit. A reminds us to continue giving our best to our students because they are eager to learn. also continue collaborating with one another as our

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students benefit greatly from that. Ada, thank you for your 32 years of service to education, your 16 years of dedication to West Essex, and for always giving your absolute best to our students. We wish you safe travels across Europe and the Dominican Republic, and a retirement as beautiful

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and open as your next chapter. Congratulations. This is from the district. All right, there you go. Hello everyone. My name is Miss Angion. I'm here from the middle school today. Oh, Miss Jing, where are you? Miss

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Bonnie Jing, come on down. Let me give you a hug. So, today we'd like to recognize and celebrate Bonnie Jen as she prepares to begin her well-earned retirement. For the past 17 years, Bonnie has made a lasting impact on the students, staff, and families of West Essex. Through her

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work in English and the rogay program, she has challenged the students to think critically, embrace their talents, and strive for excellence. Her dedication, professionalism, and commitment to her students has truly left a mark on West Essex Middle School. In this short time

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together, I've had the pleasure of working with Bonnie, and I've come to appreciate her dedication, her innovative ideas, and her ability to bring learning to life through the cross-curricular work she's done. Bonnie, thank you for your passion, your care, and expertise that you've brought

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to West Essex throughout your career. While we are certainly going to miss your presence, we wish you nothing but happiness, good health, and exciting new adventures in your retirement. Congratulations, and thank you for your service at West Essex. >> That was a quick change. This is Can I Right. So, I have the honor of

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recognizing two dedicated members of the West Essex Regional School District family who are retiring after 22 years of service. First, we recognize Diane Lavine, who has served for 22 years as a secretary in our department of special services, supporting both the high

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school and middle school during her tenure. Throughout the years, she has been an important part of the department, managing countless responsibilities, including scheduling, transportation, purchasing, and much more. Her dedication and commitment have

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helped ensure that our students and staff receive the support they needed every day. On a personal note, I will miss our many conversations about the New York Giants and our weekly discussions on the latest NFL headlines. Her presence and expertise will be greatly missed.

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We also recognize Isaac Guzman, who has al also devoted 22 years of service to the West Essex Regional School District, specifically in our buildings and grounds department. His hard work and pride in maintaining our outdoor campus have helped make it one of the finest

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facilities in our area. From field maintenance and line painting to infield care and groundskeeping, he approached every task with exceptional attention to detail. During my time as athletic director, I had the privilege of working closely with him on a daily basis to

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coordinate field usage and maintenance, and I always appreciated his professionalism, work ethic, and genuine care for our facilities. On behalf of the board of education, administration, staff, and students, and the entire school community, I want to

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thank all of our retirees for their dedicated service. We wish you health, happiness, and many rewarding years ahead in retirement. Congratulations and best wishes. Hello everyone. So, at this point, we're going to move

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on to our We Care spotlight for both seventh and eighth grade. At West Essex Middle School, we are committed to educating the whole child by supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally. As part of our culture and climate initiative, we use our C core

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values, we care, which stand which stands for collaboration, awareness, resilience, and empathy. These values guide our school community, and daily interactions. Each month, every team selects a student of the month who exemplifies one or more of these core

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values. This allows us to recognize students not only for their achievements, but for their positive impact that they've had on our school community. Together, we care reflects our commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all our students. At this time, we will

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recognize the following students from January through May. Mr. Martin, if you can assist me in handing out our certificates as we call your names, if you'd like to come up down and receive your certificate. Okay. Hugo Braven,

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Julian Bur Harper Fargo. Congratulations, Autumn Leesh, Nora Levy, Sabrina Lissio, Margaret Mandel, John Carlo Maniah,

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Leila Nabatian, Chase Pinto, Ryan Shioone, Mason Shaldon, Alex Sberman, Michaela Tissson, and Oscar Trappla. Okay,

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on to the eighth grade. Jace Callie, Jude Ki, Anora Delapena, Lindsay Galvin, Gia Jenkerelli, Mason Guerreri, Marcos Hernandez,

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Cameron Craft, Madison Mazuker, Mzuko, Matthew Mets, Haley Nelson, Addison Renero, Tyler Rap, Zachary Root, and Shane Zara. Turn this.

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All right. Hello again. Okay. We're here to celebrate our third and fourth marking period Shopright stars. For the past 27 years, Shopright has been honoring high school students who demonstrate excellent in specialized areas. They donate $1,000 in the students names to

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project graduation and then the students photographs are proudly displayed in the shop and the halls of West Essex High School. Students are nominated by faculty and staff and a committee determines the honores. For academics, students selected for academics of course have excelled in their

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coursework. But beyond the ability to achieve, these students have fostered a genuine love of learning and appreciation for education. The stars for academics are third marking period. Elelliana Gates and fourth marking period, Zachary Chow. Just be careful. There's an envelope in

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there as well. Zachary's not here. Students selected for athletics showcase exceptional skill and dedication on the field, court, mat, or track. But because this is West Essex and our coaches expect good character as much as athleticism, our stars also

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exemplify leadership, inspiring their teammates to push their limits and persevere. The stars for athletics are third marking period, Brooke Belzano for soccer and basketball. And for fourth marking period, Justin Fdella in track.

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Congratulations, Justin. Students selected for the arts are among the most creative and expressive individuals in our school. Whether through drawing, painting, acting, or music, they bring our school to life, giving it a voice, revealing its vulnerabilities, defining its humanity,

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and making it truly beautiful. The Stars for the Arts for third marking period. Miles Schmidt for his participation in orchestra, bands, and choir. And for fourth marking period, Maddx Vano for his acting and stage crew.

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Congratulations, Madd. Students selected for leadership exemplify outstanding character, uniting others to achieve shared goals. All of them hold leadership roles in school organizations such as masters, peer leadership. They are not only respected by their peers, but also serve as mentors to underclassmen, inspiring the

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next generation. The stars for leadership are third marking periods Samantha Vaness. She's been a class vice president and the lacrosse captain. and fourth marking period, Jasmine Cordderero for her leadership on the

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student voice committee. Students selected for service to the community are honored for their commitment to making a positive impact wherever they are. The students generously dedicate their time and energy to religious organizations, school programs, and various community philanthropic efforts. The stars for

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service to the community for third marking period, Kayla Felix And fourth marking period, Ellie Hollandstat. I think you were just going to take a picture real quick. Next. We're going to recognize our

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national merit scholarships scholars. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition among high school students for recognition in college undergraduate scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the

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preliminary SAT, the PSAT, which serves as an initial screen of over 1.3 million entrance each year. From there, the top 50,000 high scorers are identified. That's approximately a little over 3% of the test takers. This year, I'm pleased to celebrate the following National

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Merit Commended Scholars. Justin Kim, Talia Machin. They're gifted with a glass globe, which for us scholars, we like, we love. It's beautiful. Daron Palmer.

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Arthur Spritzer and Kos Sai. Congratulations to our commended scholars. Just stay up here for a picture real quick. The AP Capstone is a diploma program for College Board based on two-yearong AP courses AP seminar and AP research.

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Rather than teaching subject specific content, these courses develop students skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing, and presenting. Students who complete the two-year program can earn one of two different capstone awards, which are valued by colleges across the

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United States and around the world. Students who earn scores of three or higher in AP seminar and AP research and on four additional AP exams of their choosing receive the AP capstone diploma. Students who earn scores of three or higher in AP seminar and

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research but not on four additional exams receive the AP seminar and research certificate. But please note the students who have earned the certificate tonight may be eligible to earn their diploma based on their scores from this current year. So we'd like to acknowledge for his AP capstone diploma,

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Sedarth Suknan. And for the AP seminar and research certificate, Olivia Martin. And the high school's final recognition of the night, our unsung hero. The unsung hero award presented by the Essex

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County School Boards Association in partnership with the New Jersey School Boards Association recognizes high school seniors whose impactful contributions often happen behind the scenes. These students demonstrate exceptional character, resilience, and service without seeking recognition.

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Yet, their efforts make a meaningful difference in their school community. In March, West Essex High School senior Ivonne Hernandez was recognized as our 2026 unsung hero. Ivonne earned the distinction for his compassion, leadership, and advocacy for

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students in the English language learner community. As a founding member of the West Essex High School English Language Learner Club, Ivonne has played a key role in organizing meetings, planning activities, and helping the club grow into a welcoming space for students who are learning English. I'm pretty sure

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the club was running for almost a full like six, seven months before I knew it even existed. Ivan, well, because you you're you were so good. You just had it all under control. Perhaps most importantly, Ivonne has made it his mission to personally welcome new ELLL students to West Essex. Through his kindness and natural ability to connect

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with people from different cultures and backgrounds, he has helped many students feel seen, supported, and included as they adjust to a new school and language. Ivon's efforts embody the true spirit of the award, and the West Essex community proudly celebrates his well-deserved recognition.

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All right. Good evening everybody. Uh, President Waditz, members of the board, superintendent Machochi, administrators, staff, families, community members. Uh, my name is Tim Walsh. I'm the athletic director here at West Essex. And tonight, it is my privilege to recognize several outstanding groups of student

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athletes who achieve the highest level of success this year by earning state championships. Um, not only did they earn so, but they represented West Essex with tremendous pride, dedication, and sportsmanship. First group I would like to recognize tonight is our wrestling

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team. So, if you guys could come on up. Again, I'm going to make you guys stand there as I bless you with all of your accolades throughout the season. Uh these students demonstrated resilience, discipline, and unmatched work ethic. Um as many of you

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know, wrestling is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports, and our team consistently rose to the occasion. Their commitment to excellence both individually and collectively resulted in a season that will forever be remembered in West Essex history. As you can see from the slide

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above, uh the wrestling team had a season to remember. First, they had a regular season that resulted in 17-4 regular season record and at one point had 14 dual meet wins in a row. They then went on to win the North two group three sectional championship defeating

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Roxberry, Nutley, and Morris Hills to capture the state sectional championship as a team. But they did not stop there and as then they competed in the district 8 tournament hosted by West Essex where they won district 8 champions sending nine individuals to

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regions. Coach Marky was named the district 8 coach of the year. Coach uh Nick Hughes was named the District 8 assistant coach of the year and junior Reed Clausy was named the District 8 outstanding wrestler with a clean sweep at the tournament.

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After regions um where we sent nine, four wrestlers went on to states where eventually junior Reed Clausy placed fourth overall in the 165 pound weight class. To cap off the year, Coach Marky was named the SEC coach of the year and senior Christian Bastante was named SEC

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wrestler of the year. Congratulations to our wrestlers, our coaching staffs, and the community for an incredible season and all of your accomplishments. Take a picture. All right. The next group I would like to recognize is our uh winter and spring esports team. Uh specifically the W

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Yeah. Oh, sorry. is our uh winter and spring esports team, specifically the winter team of uh Overcooked, which are Emily Kim and Lucas Riley. Uh Emily and Lucas captured the state championship in Overcook this past

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season. The duo not only did so, but completed an undefeated regular season and took home the state championship at Georgian Court University in December. I'm going to bring the other group up too. I would also like to recognize uh the Mario Kart team of Joey Bogurt,

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David Douglas, and Michael Douglas for accomplishing the same feat during the spring season and bringing another championship belt back to West Essex. Esports continues to grow across the state and the nation, requiring teamwork, communication,

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strategic thinking, and composure under pressure. Our students showcased all of those qualities while representing West Essex at the highest level. Their championship reflects not only their talent but also their innovation and the opportunities that continue expand within the athletic and extracurricular

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programs. We are extremely proud of their achievement. And finally, uh, we represent our we we celebrate our boys tennis program and in particular, junior Rohan Vias. He's here.

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Rohan just yesterday completed the state singles championship in boys tenn tennis entering the tournament as the number four seed in a field of 128 student athletes and the top players in New Jersey. Rohan dominated uh both the number one and number two seeds on his

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way to becoming the first individual state champion in West Essex boys tennis history. >> Entering the tournament, Rohan was ranked 114th national, although at this point I'm sure that number is a lot higher. Uh this accomplishment for Rohan

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is truly remarkable and is a testament to his talent, composure, determination, and his countless hours of dedication to his craft. We congratulate you, his teammates, his coaches, and the family on a historic achievement. Congrats to all of our state champs.

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All right, I'm going to kick us off with our middle school principal report. Um, we just have some activities to go over from May and June and some upcoming activities as well. First, I wanted to start off with our NJSLA activity week. Um, during our NJSLA testing, we tried

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to create activities that would help focus on R for our core values, which is resilience. Um, and we focus on building resilience and school spirit through activities such as our door decorating contest. We had a guest be speaker, Mr. Mike Marky, come and speak to our

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students and also our spring pep rally. Our music department had an outstanding spring with all of our district concerts um, as well as a v a variety of awards. Uh, students selected for the NJ allstate mix choir included Vanessa

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Stephan Stephanakis, Addison Schleer, Milo Schneider, and Dominic Kok Kokalovo. Olivia Chen was also recognized as a festival soloist and selected for the NJ SMA region one intermediate band. And that our Darnney

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Park festival, our band earned first place, orchestra placed third and received a section award. and our choir earned first place and was named the best coral group calling for the grand sweep stakes award. So really, we had an

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incredible music uh spring. On May 12th, we had our National Junior Honor Society induction, uh which we held here because we had such a large turnout of students. We had 108 students, but so many family members that participated in the event. It was

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packed in here. It was exceptional. Um, so we had 108 eighth grade students uh that were entered to the National Junior Honor Society. And you can follow along on all of this at Miss Angie's Instagram just in case you want to see some live updates as

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well. A new activity that we have here, Miss Kfax in our science department is really bringing science to life in so many capacities both inside and outside of the classroom. She also helped have three seventh grade students, Emma Kaplan, Nina Bolat, and Alexander

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Keraku, who were accepted into the NJ Department of Sedge Island field experience program. Um, it's incredibly competitive and the it's incredible that we were able to get three students that were accepted. And like I said, Miss Kfax, if you're ever on campus, you

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usually see her outside with her hat taking the kids outside, getting involved with our courtyard, the trees, um, in every capacity. So, we thank her for the classroom, but also for helping our students achieve uh different ways to get more involved in science.

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Rogate had an exceptional Essex County tournament. Our varsity teams placed second in the county and this was a huge win for us. Um we moved up a lot from our last time competing and Rosland, who's our junior varsity team, also placed second. So, that's only going to

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help us as they move into middle school. So, we're really looking to have a Yeah. Rosland. Whoop. Yeah. So, we're looking to have a couple awesome years uh with Rogate and you know, a shout out to our incredible staff for moving their classrooms, helping uh facilitate the

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event, helping out with the students. Um it was exceptional to see and how excited the students and involved they were um and the intelligence level in that room was uncanny. We lead um is just our you know we lead is something that's been going on for

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quite some time here and throughout the year where they participate in many activities. Um as the end of the year comes they really s serve as role models models in any capacity that we can. They were involved in all the sending district uh field days. They also had their own funplex

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field trip and at and at this time they are doing their interviews for the following year. And again, our um we lead peer leadership programs continues to support our incoming students and strengthen our school community. And we're already getting excited and start

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planning for what's to come in August as we plan up for orientation in the open house. Some recent and upcoming activities. We had an awesome move up day. for my first move up day here. It was such an experience to see

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what a smooth orchestrated machine that it is, but also how dedicated our school counseling staff is to making this day come to life and having that even be a possibility because it is a huge undertaking. And again, a special shout out to all of our staff. I have to give a big shout out to our middle school

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staff being so new. They really swooped in and tried to help me be prepared and ready for that day. And we really truly truly have such a community here and it shows in you know how much dedication our staff is putting into each event that we put on. Our honoral assemblies

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are going to be June 10th. We're going to be having both sth and eighth grade on the same day. Field day right now is scheduled for June 11th as long as these thunderstorms and heat stay out of the way. Um so cross our fingers. Also the PTO generously is donating ice cream for

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the entire staff and students. So, there will be ice cream to help us stay cool in this heat as we have our big field day. We're also going to be having our eighth grade hollywood themed semiformal which will be held June 16th. Uh we're excited to share that there's a really a high level of participation. We have

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about 220 students coming and about 30 staff. You know, as this was just like a little idea as I walked in the door. I can't believe our staff has been able to a pull this off, b have 220 students want to participate, and be excited to

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attend. So, we're really, really, really looking forward to it. They're still going to find an outfit because these kids are ready. Um, and last, our yearbook breakfast will take place on June 17th to help end the year and have a great sendoff into the summer. Thank

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you. All right. So, some recent news from the high school in the past month. On May 27th, it was the night of the arts. We had our district art show, our spring cabaret, and the district jazz night. Um, I am

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always impressed by the artwork that is in the art show. these students and they really show up and their creativity comes out and students that you don't think would be creative and just you always see them whether like you see them in fizzed class or you see them on the mat or whatever now all of a sudden they're putting together these beautiful

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wood pieces. Um so it was a beautiful night for the arts. Last week we also had our senior awards show. We had over $145,000 in scholarships to about 50 students. So, I just want to say thank you to the families and organizations for their

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donations to those scholarships. I also want to give a little shout out to Mrs. Kim Grulick and Miss Patty Smith from the guidance department for putting on and organizing such a beautiful event for the students. Um, for senior service, one of our senior service trips is Give Kids the

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World, and we had 16 students volunteer at the Give Kids the World Village in Central Florida, and they had a phenomenal time. It was one of those life-changing experiences for those 16 students. Last week on Friday, we had our move up day. Um I call that the uh the Olympics

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of the guidance department. It was a great success thanks to them. Students had a little taste of the future and it also helps the students prepare for next year so they know what to expect. And our senior class field trip was today. Thank you to Mr. Walsh and Miss Fernola for chaperoning that. You cannot find me

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on a bus anymore these days. So, we appreciate them. We had how was it about 150 of our seniors traveled up to Dorney Park and spent a day in the park having a great time and it was beautiful weather. Thank goodness. So, upcoming

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the next two weeks are jam-packed and we are so excited and we love June for this. Mr. West Essex is tomorrow night here in the auditorium. Please attend. It is um a phenomenal event, always filled with laughter and enthusiasm. Then on Thursday, we have the senior

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bowl at the Crystal Plaza. Then Friday, we start final exams with our uh single session date. Monday the 15th, we have our senior sunrise event. At 5:15 a.m., you will see the senior class at Travis Field embracing the sunrise, getting

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receiving their yearbooks, um, and having some, uh, last minute, you know, coffee and cakes with their with the seniors. Tuesday, we have the senior barbecue right after graduation practice. And on Wednesday, the final um

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the la the day before graduation, we've started a new tradition called coffee and caps. You think donuts with dad, muffins with mom. Well, now we have coffee and caps. So, one of those last moments for parents and their seniors to come together for a breakfast hosted by the PTO. We're very appreciative of the

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PTO for um providing this breakfast for everyone. And it's just going to be a great it's a quick event, one hour. It's a great opportunity to catch some photos. the students will receive the cap and gown. So, they'll have that for the pictures. Um, and then graduation

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on Thursday, June 18th at 2 PM. And I've put in a request. It's going to be a beautiful day. It's going to be beautiful that day, this weather. Um, and because this is the last board meeting of the year for the principal's report, I just want to say thank you to the board and to the community for

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supporting the high school, for supporting me, the leadership team. We are so proud of the work that we have done and continue to do and feel truly blessed to work with the staff and students that we do every day. So, thank you. Uh before Miss Hobie comes up for her

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report, um I just want to uh recognize that Mr. Jeff Martin uh has given us two years of really good service as an assistant principal at the middle school. Uh he was a great member of our team and you'll see on the agenda that he is going to be moving to teach math

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at the high school next year. So I just want to wish Mr. Martin the best in his new position and he'll also be going back to coaching. So good luck to Jeff and thanks for uh your time in the administrative realm.

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Hi, good evening. I'll be very quick. Tip off is at 8:30. Just >> they're yours. This is a semiannual report that we have to report out our numbers in public for HIV cases. As you can see in the high school from January to June, we had

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three cases. One is founded and one is pending. will close tomorrow, I believe, and then get to the board at the next board meeting. The middle school had five, two founded. They were based on the protected categories of gender, sexual orientation, and also physical

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characteristics. Those students involved in these cases received counseling. There was some social probation. We always do remediated measures, especially the reset program in the middle school. And also, a number of cases were reported to the police. No action taken.

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That's all I have for you. Tip off soon. This is the time where I usually let all of our uh members of the public leave, but everybody left already. So, now we're going to go back up and finish our regular agenda.

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Is it 8:30? It's almost Okay. Um, before we move on to our action items, we're going to let our student rep, Jan, um, report out. Uh, just to keep it short, uh, all the seniors want, upcoming seniors, is to

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paint their parking lot. I'm an upcoming senior. I did not say it, but that's what they want. >> Paint their parking lot. parking spot. Like they there's a it's like a trend on TikTok where they want to just paint their parking spots and so whatever they

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want just to celebrate their new senior year. That's all. >> Thank you for that. Okay, we'll look into that. Um at this time, we'll open up the floor for public comments on agenda items. Do we have any public comment on agenda items? Nope. Okay,

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then we seeing none, we'll move on to finance. Um, John Toth, do you want to take finance? Mr. Andre, >> yes. >> Miss Crystalall, >> yes. >> Miss Diovani, >> yes. >> Miss Hollandat, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon,

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>> Mr. Stampone. >> Mr. Tooth, Miss Waditz. >> Yes. wants to really watch the game tonight. items will be voted. >> Any questions or comments? >> Mr. Andre, >> yes.

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>> Miss Crystalall, Miss D. Giovani, >> yes. >> Miss Hollandat, >> Miss Calderon, >> Mr. Stampone >> Mr. Toth Miss Waditz. >> Yesel.

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>> Any questions or comments? >> Mr. Andre. >> Yes. >> Miss Crystal Ballal. >> Yes. >> Miss Diovani. >> Yes. Miss Hollandat, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> Mr. Stampone, >> Mr. Toth Miss Waditz

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>> takeur >> Mr. Andre. >> Yes. >> Miss Crystal Ballal. Miss D. Giovani, >> Miss Hollandat, >> Miss Calderon, >> Mr. Stampone,

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>> Mr. Toth, >> Miss Waditz, >> yes miscellaneous motion. Any questions or comments? >> Mr. Andre, >> yes.

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>> Miss Crystalall, >> yes. >> Miss Diovani, >> yes. >> Miss Hollandat, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> Mr. Stampone, >> Mr. Toth. >> Miss Wajowitz, >> yes. >> Okay, this time we'll open up the floor

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for public comments on non-aggenda items. Do you have any public comments on non-aggenda items? Okay. Um, would you like to >> hold on hold on just one other >> Hold on. Mr. Stampone, I just want to um

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recognize our uh student board member Mary and I want to thank Just saying Zachary for her service this year as a student board rep. Um, your input from the students is is valuable and we appreciate uh the time that you put in.

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Yes. I'd also like to thank you for all your input. We will take it all under advisement and see you back here next year. Right. See you for senior year. Okay. Excellent. Okay. Um Ray, you can uh read. >> Second.