e e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e e e e e BBE should B down
oh Mr Stevenson oh com the head of the I guess the West Orange teachers union the guy with the beard what's his name so he grew up in the town next I don't know he was yeah yeah oh no
it was him or his wife might have been his wife it's not like the greatest my neighbor had a yeah this is good evening everyone good evening and welcome to the West Orange Board of Education public
board meeting on Monday February 24th 2025 I'd like to thank all of you here in person it's wonderful to have such a amazing crowd here tonight for some of the honores that we're going to talk about later um and also thank you to everyone who is watching us from home
uh I'd also like to thank my fellow board members Mr Moore and Miss Flowers and our student baz on Miss Flowers would you please take the roll call good evening everyone roll call please Dr Bryant Mr Stevenson here miss Vera here
vice president ifer here president Rock here notice of meeting the New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any
business affecting their interest are discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the ACT a written notice was sent from the office of the secretary of the board on January 7th 2025 that set notice was sent by regular mail to the West Orange Township Clerk
and the editors of the West Orange Chronicle and by email to The Star Ledger that set notice was posted in the lobby of the administration building of the Board of Education and posted on the district website please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and may
be broadcasted on local TV and the district's website at a future date please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I the flag United States of Amer thank you Miss Flowers in consideration of the closed and public meeting of
January 27th 2025 do I have a motion to accept the minutes so moved thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you uh Mr ifer any comments hearing none Miss flowers please take the roll call Dr Bryant here
Mr Stevenson Miss ver yes vice president ifer yes president Rock yes thank you all right next good evening to our student liaison Nita Davis and Abigail Rothstein would you please share your uh
student leign Report with us this time good evening for the first time since 2019 on Saturday the girls basketball team was declared the Essex County Champions After yes after a very close game with Montclair
Immaculate ending in a score of 43-41 so congratulations to our girls team it was a very close game I watched it it was it was tough additionally on February 13th the student council held its annual black
history Scholars dinner with performances from the girls and boys step teams the Jubilee choir Jubilee pit band student poetry and student solo performances along with a student art display local businesses catered so
thank you to them and thank you for everyone who was in attendance in addition in addition the boys and girls step teams we would like to congratulate them for both placing the top three in New Jersey high school stepping
regionals um that make the girls optimal Precision the number one best girls step team in New Jersey and absolute the second best boys team in New Jersey so congratulations to all of them we would also like to congratulate our mock trial team for the first time in West Orange High School history the
West Orange mock trial team qualified for the Essex County tournament finals they faced up against nework Academy congratulations to everyone involved that's it thank you for that next up Mr Moore it's time for your
superintendent's report thank you president Rock good evening everyone oh thank you tonight I want to take a moment to publicly recognize one of West Orange Mountaineers one of our West Orange
Mountaineers senior Sally nagasi for those that don't know our senior Sali achieved a perfect score on the SAT that's less than 1% of the candidates to
achieve this status Sally we're very proud of you and we are grateful that you're student here tonight he will receive a certificate from the Board of Ed but he also received a a certificate by from Dr
Rosie boli assembly woman Dr Rosie boli who wished to recognize s um this evening so at this time I ask principal Guerrero and school counselor Anna deia to please present Sally with his
certificates good applaud again one more time s please come on up I'd just like to say just a quick word on on Sali I have the distinct honor of recognizing this young man for his extraordinary achievement uh Sali is a dedicated and talented scholar who has
earned a perfect score on the SAT he is among the top of his graduating class and has demonstrated a deep passion for engineering with aspirations to one day work at NASA beyond the classroom his perseverance and dedication extend to Athletics and to Performing Arts as well
where he has challenged himself to push past his limits I didn't realize this until you know getting to talk more to Sali in the fall I've always I always saw him out on the football field performing with the color guard I didn't realize that at the same time during the same season he was also running as a
member of our cross country team I'm extremely myself our staff our community are extremely proud of this young man not only for this individual accomplishment but for the example he has set for all the young people that are coming after him of what's possible in our school district and our community
very proud of you sir thank you can we take a picture with the board please good evening um thank you for having me here I'm glad it can be one of our students and athletes one of your kids classmates
and friends was up here holding these certificates today um as I understand it you guys have me here today because on some level you believe that I've done something which
is impossible but otherwise unreasonable and by being here what I've done is said this is something that we are capable of doing as a school and as a community if we're
audacious enough to go for it so moving forward to the kids and to the parents out there I think the question we have to ask is do you want to look like this one day is the way you would like to be
because this is an option for you this is the future that was available to you and to our parents our administrators our teachers our question is how can we make this the first of many that's
all all right now we'll take a picture with me e e hey tonight's a special night along with Sally tonight we recognize some of our
teachers it is a great it is brings me great pleasure to recognize some of our outstanding faculty and staff who have been selected to receive educator of the Year Awards here in West Orange all our Educators and staff were nominated by their school
principal there's a lot of them here tonight so I won't waste too much time and I'll allow their principles to elaborate on how great they are let's start tonight off with our supervisor of special
services uh Miss Kristen gogerty fitzgeral a little housekeeping once there we are done presenting our teachers and staff members at the podium we offer our families and their
principal or supervisor to go to the back towards the back where there's a step in repeat where pictures can be taken so once we uh do our certificate Kristen will escort your teachers towards the back where pictures will be taken and now however everyone will
follow you great thank you get it right we'll do okay good evening everyone I want to first thank Mr Moore and the board of education for planning this evening to acknowledge the amazing Educators in West Orange I would like to first begin by
congratulating each staff member in the district who is receiving an award this evening very well deserved I have the pleasure of giving out the governor educator of the year and Educational Services professional of the Year Awards for Betty matalina Early Learning Center first the governor educator of the Year
award goes to Miss Lauren Porter who is a preschool students with disabilities teacher this is the second time that Miss Porter has received this wonderful award she is known for her knowledge in applied Behavior Analysis and discreet trial instruction Miss Porter is also a
certified bcba and uses that advanced knowledge to implement best practices in her classroom in order to Foster student achievement within the classroom Miss Porter is also a leader she leads by example is thorough impatient she demonstrates a strong ability to motivate her students and staff she
instills a love of school and learning additionally Miss Porter has facilitated training with her classroom power professionals to create a skilled team who collectively and collaboratively work to ensure student learning this is visible in her whole group activities in individual student learning within her
classroom she frequently shares that the success in her classroom is a tribute to the teamwork and dedication from the power of professionals that she works with on a daily basis she is highly sensitive to her family's current needs and works seamlessly to engage them in their child's development and learning she possesses excellent interpersonal
skills that allow her to create meaningful relationships with students faculty and parents please help me to congratulate Miss Lauren Porter the educational services professional of the Year award for Betty matalina Early Learning Center is being given to miss Maryann DMO who is a school psychologist
on the child study team Miss DMO has dedicated herself to the West Orange public school since 2003 where she has worked in various schools across the district and most recently bmlc mosmo is a true advocate for the students that she case manages she is extremely conscientious and diligent
when performing her daily job responsibilities anyone who knows Mr Cosmo knows that she leaves no detail unturned she's extremely comprehensive with her work whether it be conducting evaluations writing reports observing students are communicating with parents she ensures that she makes decisions in
the best interest of the students she presents with a calm even kill demeanor works collaboratively with the other members of the child study team as well as the teachers at bmlc department administration and parents and Guardians earlier this school year Mr Cosmo was dealing with a personal situation and
lost a very close loved one during this time she continued to show up to ensure that she did not fall behind at work while she may feel it goes unnoticed she often stays late and goes the extra mile I would like to thank Mr Cosmo for being a true professional who genuinely cares about the students and I would like to ask that you help me congratulate her on
this well-deserved award congrats Mr Cosmo thank you CH next I'd like to call on director of preschool Miss kalicia dorlene thank you for having us here today to be
able to celebrate our Educators um the West Orange Early Childhood Learning Center Educational Service professional of the year is Mara mamal Mara is the preschool intervention and referral specialist also known as our purs she is also a certified speech specialist who
assists us with all of our locations um she always approaches her work in a proactive fashion and she has a genuine interest in the West Orange Community and all of the students that we sered she has provided a wealth of knowledge and resources to not only our 13
locations but also thank you but also the students and families during our intervention meetings and the teachers as well as the associated staff in the preschool program appreciate her time and her efforts across the town and if you know the preschool program you know
we service in multiple towns so I would like to thank mayor M for being an integral part of our program and congratulate her on receiv receiving this award thank you thank you next I call on principal Mada hwit
of Gregory good evening okay good evening thank you to the board and Mr Moore for taking this time to make this board meeting extra special for all of our teachers who are receiving Awards this evening congratulations to all of our 2024
Governor educator of the year and Educational Service professional of the Year very very well deserved first I'd like to announce Gregory's educator of the Year miss Denine
Robinson right over here Miss Robinson is a remarkable fourth grade math and science teacher she develops lessons that are Innovative fun specific to each of the Learners in her classroom she intentionally develops learning experiences that push students thinking to the next level so that they
can grasp challenging mathematical Concepts in a short period of time Miss Robinson is a mathematics leader in the district she happens to have the highest fourth grade njsla state level student achievement data in the school district for two years in a
row she teaches mathematics strategies and Concepts in a way that allows students to process and understand material that is elaborate and highly complex she helps students make sense of difficult subject matter that increases their motivation and drive to succeed in math When Miss rodson offers extra
support after school to students they jump at the opportunity not only to learn how to get better at math but to just hang out with her and have fun Miss Robinson works collaborating with her grade level and content are colleagues within our school as well as outside of the school on a regular basis
she's been a member of a variety of District level plc's that includes working with District administration to Pilot new programs and write curriculum in addition to the strong relationships that she's built with her colleagues Miss Robinson has long- lasting relationships with her students families she makes a concerted effort to maintain
open communication with her students parents to help them understand how to best support their child children at home with the concepts that they are learning in class and after all is said and done Miss Robinson still finds time after school and on the weekends to attend musical performances and sports
events I feel honored to have her on my team and I wish you a very special congratulations Miss Robinson all right second I have the pleasure of announcing St Gregory's educational I feel like I'm going to mess this up Educational Service professional of the Year Mrs
Kelly Carcillo she comes Mrs Carcillo is a highly respected educator and member of our faculty after several years of being a special education teacher Mrs Carcillo became a learning disabilities teaching consultant on our child study team in
this role she demonstrates great leaders ership and responsibility she meticulously manages each of her cases as she works tirelessly to gather all available information on each of her children Mrs Carcillo works collaborating with the other members of the child study team to discuss altern
alternative accommodations that will best support her students individualized learning and behavioral needs she also developed strong relationships with her students teachers so that she can work with them hand inand on helping them learn how to help their students master
all of their goals and objectives Mrs Carcillo ensures that she's up to speed with all of her students work habits behaviors as she conducts classroom observations in various instructional settings over the course of each term during these observations she specifically looks at their level of
Engagement and ability to effectively participate in a variety of lessons after Gathering all of this information she meets with her students teachers to discuss the information she's collected and then they work as a team to develop new plans of actions to support her student
Mrs Carcillo is highly motivated and extraordinarily cons conscien conscientious she works in Tandon with the school and District administration to ensure that every one of her students on her case load has the opportunity to thrive in their learning environment she seeks support from others when
applicable and remains open to all feedback she volunteers for school events and at times helps recruit other staff members for them Mrs Carcillo is a value member of our leadership team at Gregory School her presence is strong and she is highly respected by all it is a great honor and privilege to have Mrs
carel on the Gregory team and I am honored to present this award to you Kell thank you next I call on Hazel's principal Mr Joel Castillo thiss let's give all the honor another round of
applause so big congratulations to miss Assan and miss vinelli miss Assan is Hazel's Educational Service professional of the year and Miss vinelli is our Governor's educator of the Year miss varinelli is a third grade teacher at
Hal Elementary School and Miss Hassan is one of our pair Professionals in the school so let's give them both a big round of applause together these two outstanding professionals have dedicated over 32 years of service to to our Hazel Community that's an amazing
accomplishment Miss verelli's unwavering commitment to our students is evident in her daily dedication consistently going above and beyond to Foster academic success and personal growth for our students as a proud graduate of the West
Orange Public Schools her deep rooted connection to our community shines through in everything she does let's give again Mr anelli a big round of applause as Hazel's educator uring guidance and steadfast support to
our students her ability to create a caring and inclusive learning environment makes a lasting impact on every child she works with both of these remarkable Educators play a vital role in enhancing the educational journey of our Hazel Eagles and we are incredibly
grateful for their passion dedication and service so let's give Miss Sabina Hassan a round of applause as a Hazel's Educational Service professional of the year so again thank you to you both thank you Miss Assan thank you Mr Miss
barelli for this well-deserved recognition that you've not only bestowed on Hazel for your 32 years of commitment but for every student that has come through your doors have a wonderful evening thank
you at this time I call Kelly's principal Mr David Marian to the podium hello and good evening everyone um it is with great enthusiasm that I recognize Mary Kos as Kelly Elementary School's educator of the Year
Mary's dedication to her students families and the staff at Kelly Elementary School in her role as the ESL teacher is truly remarkable while she has a quiet demeanor Mary's actions speak volumes she consistently goes above and beyond
working tirelessly to meet each child's unique needs this includes translating for families pursuing continuing education actively participating in professional learning communities and even presenting professional development sessions on the state level a longtime
employee of the West Orange Public Schools Mary's energy and commitment never waver Mary collaborates closely with classroom teachers academic intervention teachers and reading Specialists to support struggling readers she expertly Blends multisensory learning strategies
with social emotional learning empow empowering students to achieve success Beyond expectations Mary is passionate about identifying the root causes of learning challenges to distinguishing between language barriers and learning disabilities this dedication ensures that her students receive the
appropriate support to thrive academically and emotionally she generously shares her expertise with colleagues who often seek her guidance Mary has naturally grown into a leadership role mentoring new teachers and guiding them in implementing effective literacy strategies Mary's
impact extends beyond the classroom she buils strong relationships with families and serves as a valuable resource for the ENC entire Kelly Elementary School Community as evidenced through the multiple parent programs that she has spearheaded her calm demeanor selflessness and commitment to stay
current with educational Trends make her an exceptional educator Mary's passion for her students their families her colleagues and the school Community is truly inspiring she embodies the qualities of an outstanding educator and her contributions to Kelly Elementary
School and the West Orange School District make her a deserving candidate for the Governor's educator of the Year award congratulations Mary a long trip from the back okay it's also with great enthusiasm that I recognize Colleen haran for Kelly
Elementary School's Educational Service professional of the Year award Colleen is an exceptional speech therapist at Kelly who consistently goes above and beyond to support our students particularly those with special needs Colleen is a true champion for inclusion
and Equity recognizing the importance of communication for all students she spearheaded the initiative to install an augmentive and alternative communication board on our playground partnering with the West Orange special education parent Association Colleen actively sought
funding and oversaw the installation of this valuable tool the AAC board has had a transform transformative effect on our school fostering greater social interaction among students of all abilities during recess we have observed students who previously played in
isolation now engaging with their peers using the AAC board to express themselves and joining games Colleen's commitment to AAC extends beyond the playground she is instrumental in evaluating and working with students who require AAC devices empowering them to
commun communicate more effectively and independently thanks to Colleen's expertise and dedication students are now able to express their needs participate more fully in classroom activities and experience a greater sense of belonging Colleen's passion for her work her Innovative spirit and her
unwavering commitment to inclusivity make her an invaluable asset to Kelly Elementary School she embod embodies the qualities of an outstanding Educational Service professional and is truly deserving of this recognition Colleen
haran thank you join them I can't follow that next Mount Pleasant elementary principal Mark Lawrence good evening everyone like to thank the board and Mr Moore for inviting us this
evening and congratulations to all the nominees it is my great pleasure to present to you the nominees for Mount Pleasant educator of the year and Educational Services professional of the Year this year's nominee for educator of
the year at Mountain Pleasant is Mrs eron D Francisco eron started her career as a power professional at Edison Middle School in 2000 where she later became a teacher at Mount Pleasant elementary in a special education setting where she
has spent the majority of her 25 years in education she also spent time at Hazel and it must run in her family because her father was a PE teacher here in West Orange for 35 year so we're very lucky to have the bloodline continue here at
Mount Pleasant Aaron is an amazing educator obviously uh when we had our committee to nominate our teaching staff um arin's name appeared on everyone's ballot and uh rightfully so it made my
job easy because uh eron was the first person I thought of for this award this year Aaron has the ability to move students academically socially and emotionally and the last two years she's
been teaching fifth grade resource room and a lot of her students need a push in many different ways academically like I said socially and emotionally and eron is that person uh it takes a special
breed to make the change and make um just you know the improvements in a student's life that eron does and the school myself the community are very lucky to have eron on our team often time when I'm walking through the
hallways by her classroom you'll see her colleagues in her room with her planning lessons talking about students her reading glasses half down over her nose at the screen and uh you know in inside her lesson plans and um Erin it's it's
my pleasure to award you with this certificate congratulations next up is Mrs Paula karea Paula is a power professional at Mount Pleasant elementary school she
started at St Cloud back in 2007 as a Lun shade in her past close to 20 years in West Orange she's worked at Gregory Mount Pleasant Kelly Redwood stcloud and here you are so a lot of people in this
room know Paula Paula is the first person I see when I walk into Mount Pleasant and she's often times the last person I see when I leave Paula also works in our before CARE program and after Care Program Paula is a power professional in
a neurod Divergent classroom as a one to1 a this year however Paul's work goes far beyond that all of our students at Mount Pleasant know Miss Paula uh the way that she interacts with students is
supportive of students um Paula is a is a team player as any administrator will tell you that uh Power professionals are such an essential piece of of the school day and uh often times when a power professional is is is not in school uh
you feel it and and that goes the same with Paula I'm extremely lucky to have Paula on our staff anything that I ask if if I need a favor or help in another classroom because we're short Paula is the first one there to to help out and
that means a tremendous amount to me and I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to recognize that Paula because we're an extremely lucky School Community because of all of your efforts you're an example to all of our staff and colleagues um what a cons professional is and it's my
honor to present this certificate to you as educ ational service professional of Vier for Mount Pleasant thank you lower that Mark you got it thank you gives me great pleasure to introduce
redwood's principal and I lowered the mic for you Kim a Jackson good evening one everyone it is truly an honor to stand before you today to celebrate a dedicated individual who has touched the lives of countless students parents and colleagues at Redwood school
tonight I am here to recognize special education teacher Eileen mcquillin who has been nominated by the Redwood Community for the p prestigious Governor's educator of the Year award Miss mcquillin has dedicated over two decades of her life to the education of
students particularly those in special education it is it takes an exceptional person to teach such with such empathy kindness and unwavering commitment she has an innate ability to connect with her students meeting them exactly where
they are and nurturing their growth not just academically but emotionally and socially she understands that every student is unique and works tirelessly to create a safe and supportive space for them to learn grow and Thrive but what truly makes Miss mcquillin stand
apart from everyone else is her constant pursuit of new ways to engage her students whether it's through real world activities like sorting newsletters for the whole class for the whole school or reading poetry in the office on Fridays to receive a smelly
sticker she ensures that every every lesson is not just learning experience but a memorable one but it's not just in the classroom that Miss mcquillin makes an impact she's a beacon of positivity in the hallways she has a comedic way about her she can be our resident
photographer and she's also a source of encouragement for everyone she encounters her warm smile her infectious laughter and her optimistic energy brighten up the school making it more a more welcoming place for students and staff alike miss mcquillin you are true
true truly truly an inspiration to us all so on behalf of your colleagues your students in the entire school and District I would like to extend this congratulations to you next we have Mr Mark Manti it is an honor to stand here and celebrate you as
our Redwood Educational Service professional nominee for this year's Governor's education of the Year award in every school there are those individuals who go above and beyond to make a difference every single day Mr
Mark Manti one of our parents and colleagues is one of those individuals he has been a constant steady Presence at Redwood School supporting our students and staff with such dedication and Grace as an ER
professional Mr maniti is able to connect with every child offering them the guidance and encouragement they need to succeed one of the most remarkable qualities about Mr manid is his calm and approachable manner similar to that of
Mr Rogers if you know Mr Rogers Neighborhood no matter how busy the day gets or what Challen es arise he is always steady always there with a kind word or a helpful hand his positive attitude and unwavering support make him
an IND an invaluable asset to our school he is an incredible he has an incredible ability to adapt to any situation and works seamlessly with teachers students and other staff members he truly embodies what it means to be a team player Mr Manti you remind us all of
what it means to show up with a heart full of P patience and unwavering commitment to doing the very best for all of the students we serve for that we congratulate you and we are grateful to work with you every day thank you so much at Redwood we have um we have this
tradition that everyone who is nominated they receive the golden apple Mr Manti was so proud that he brought his golden apple with him thank you next we call on St Cloud's principal Mr Eric
Bryce thank you Mr Moore thank you uh Board of Ed members uh this is awesome night this is such a uh you know we have so much to be proud of in West Orange um and you know the heart and soul of of this District um you know is in every every classroom so thank you for the
opportunity to recognize really amazing Educators um this evening I'm so proud to be able to stand today and celebrate an individual who has exemplified what it means to be a dedicated and compassionate educator and that's Jen Jennifer maresi who is our St Cloud
teacher of the year Jen's Journey as an educator spans in incredible 30 years she has be she began her career in kindergarten and first grade where she nurtured young minds and laid the foundation for future learning she then spent 20 years in special
education supporting students across all grade levels and in every role she's taken on Jen has made an extraordinary impact not just on her students but on all of us who have been had the privilege to work alongside of her Jen is the kind of teacher who makes you believe in the
power of kindness intelligence and positivity she approaches every challenge with a problem solving mindset and does so with Grace and dedication whether it's finding the best way to connect with a student or collaborating with their in-class support colleagues to create the best
possible learning environment Jen's ability to adapt and respond to every situation is something we all admire her heart for her students is unmatched she's the teacher who sees the potential in every child and works tirelessly to help them succeed no matter the
obstacles she's the teacher who listens and supports and encourages and challenges her students making sure that each of them knows they are seen and valued and capable of greatness Jen we thank you for everything you do your kindness Brilliance and commitment to
problem solving are just a few of the many reasons you've been chosen as a teacher of the the year uh she also had a husband Mr Greg maresi stand up who served almost 30 years coach great teacher who also shared teacher of the
year um support so it's a it's a family tradition in the marqueses so we thank you Jen you inspire everyone around you to be better and for that we are incredibly grateful please join us in congratulating Jennifer maresi our St
Cloud teacher of the year Now to celebrate our Educational Service professional of the year um we are here to re um to celebrate the remarkable contributions of someone who has dedicated 21 years to shaping the lives
of young students and supporting their emotional well-being today we are to recognize Sarah McIntosh our school counselor as our Educational Service professional of the Year Sarah's work is an elementary school guidance counselor
and I should say counselor I'm sorry yes uh I'm she's she's she's my right-hand person she's just she's awesome and um and just it helps me grow every day um in considering these things
so she's our counselor has been nothing short of extraordinary for over for two decades she has been the Steady Hand guiding countless students through their challenges and their triumphs her passion for helping others is reflected in every interaction she has whether it's comforting word to a child who is
struggling or an insightful piece of advice to a parent seeking guidance she has helped students develop develop resilience confidence and the skills needed to face the world with a positive mindset for their employability for their ability to succeed outside
as many of you know there are no typical days in her role yet Sarah approaches each new CH challenge with Grace and a smile always doing whatever it takes to meet the needs of the students while conducting a myriad of of activities from Intervention and referral services
504s preparation for the njsla hibs Lunch Buddies for lunches um groups Sarah's leadership and professional insights have been recognized by our peers and honor Ed by the district leadership as she now
serves as one of the elementary school coordinators for the elementary counseling program so on behalf of the entire School community at St Cloud we extend our heartfelt congratulations to you Sarah as our educational support staff member of the year we are lucky to have you as part of our family and we
look forward to many more years of your guidance and support and inspiration thank you SAR thank you oh next it gives me great pleasure to introduce the Washington School
principal Miss Marie Deo should have said something Eric I'm sorry it's okay good evening members of the Board of Education Mr Moore Miss Flowers and the student leaz on the educator of the year at Washington
school is Caitlyn Carlson our art teacher during her 12 years of service at Washington School Caitlyn Carlson has represented everything that is good about education she demonstrates a true
dedication and interest in her students colleagues parents and community she is an instructional leader and an outstanding role model for her colleagues she is passionate and trustworthy with a Clear Vision of
wanting success for all her students she also teaches the preschool students since they have been at Washington School Mrs Carlson has created a rainbow of color and design that makes Washington School her magnificent world
of art I want to thank Caitlyn Carlson for the wonderful leadership as the teacher of the year and for everything she contributes to our Washington family the educator over the year at oh the Educational Service ser
professional of the year at Washington school is Brandy Brennan she is our academic support teacher during her nine years of service at Washington School Brandy Brennan has become a true leader she is the Lead
Teacher of the morning academic Pro program The Homework Club and the student council she is a skilled professional who inspires her students to achieve academically she collaborates always with students colleagues families and
Community to create a culture of respect and success Miss Brendan truly cares about all the students at Washington school she always goes above and beyond the parameters of her position Brandy is an
outstanding educator and a great role model for everyone I want to thank Brandy Brennan for her wonderful leadership as the educational services professional of the year and for everything she contributes to our
Washington family thank you thank you next we call on Edison's principal Mr Steve Melendez I believe his assistant principal is joining him Dr krie orange
Jones a recent author thank you Mr Moore and the board for allowing us this great opportunity to honor our outstanding Educators here in West Orange tonight myself and Dr orange Jones as you had have you said the newest author to our district so please
let's give her a round of applause she the two of us will honor our governor teacher our Governor's Teacher of the Year miss Chenise Jackson and our Educational Service professional of the Year miss Jennica bowel so tonight is my privilege to Stand Here honoring one of the many
teachers in West Orange who are dedicated to their students and Community Edison Central six Middle School is fortunate to have a teacher like Miss chenice Jackson Who embodies what it means to be an educator Miss Jackson is a master at her craft holding herself to the highest standards the
environment Miss Jackson creates for her students is second to none if you were to walk into her classroom you would quickly see an organized environment where students are thriving academically and socially the students in Miss Jackson's class take pride in their work because they are being taught by a
teacher who takes pride in her work over the years I witnessed firsthand her ability to inspire students to reach their full potential students in her class are seen as individuals who are encouraged to think critically and explore various perspectives her passion
shines through every lesson helping students to learn beyond the curriculum I thoroughly enjoy sitting in Miss Jackson's classroom and I remember many times sitting there thinking I wanted Miss Jackson to teach my own children Edison central 6 Middle School
in the township West Orange are fortunate to have an individual who understands the role a teacher plays in the lives of her students our students are very fortunate to have an educator like Miss Jackson and I look forward to continuing to work with her as we continue to impact the students who
enter Edison Central Middle School so let's please give a round of applause for Miss Jackson my follow was early um good evening superintendent Moore our steam board members faculty and staff in the entire West Orange Community
I am Dr Carrie orange Jones the assistant principal of Thomas Edison central 6 Middle School first of all I'd love to congratulate all the aies this evening on such a momentous occasion you all deserve the accolades um as a recent addition to the
ministration I'm going into my third year I understand the importance of having faculty and Par professionals they are the fabric of what we do and so it is my honor to celebrate a truly accept individual Miss
Jen B who has been awarded the educational services professional of the year for Thomas Edison central 6 Middle School this is a testament to jica's unwavering dedication incredible skills and positive impact on our students jica
inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn she actively collaborates with colleagues and students to nurture a strong culture of respect and success she has the respect and admiration of students parents and colleagues alike and it's easy to see why her passion for helping students
succeed is evident in everything that she does she goes above and beyond to ensure that every student feels supported encouraged and empowered to reach their full potential we are incredibly fortunate to have jenica b as part of our Edison central 6 team her
hard work dedication and positive attitude make a real difference in the lives of our students and we are grateful for her contributions to School community so again congratulations jenica on being an educational services professional of the year for Thomas and
part me Thomas Edison central 6 Middle School it is much deserved and I'm so honored to work with you every day thank you next we call on principal Xavier Fitzgerald of Liberty
Middle School and I believe his assistant principal Mr Steve owski will be joining him at the podium first I'd like to thank and um thank the board of education for presenting a night like this and also to the all the uh awardees um it is a a a
an award welld deserved um tonight what I'm going to do is I'm going to start with my Educational Service on professional award um tonight I'd like to take a moment to recognize someone in my opinion is often unsung hero of our schools this role this person is
arguably the more important than the building administrator yeah I said it School nurses are the people you don't always think about until you need them and in the past several years thanks to a pandemic and ever growing list of ailments demands of the job have
become more challenging and more essential and more exhausting which brings me to the reason we are here tonight on behalf of the faculty and staff of Liberty Middle School I am honored to recognize Miss Rose tan Miss tan began her journey as a
school nurse in West Orange back in September 2006 and over the last 19 years at Liberty Middle School she has built a reputation that will undoubtedly stand the test of time she is known for her meticulous organization her vast comprehensive knowledge of all things School nursing and perhaps most
impressively her ability to remain remain calm cool and collected in the face of absolute chaos because let's be honest that's what middle schools are today now the person now my personal story with Miss tan it's short but I think rather sweet when I first was
asked to come to open up Liberty Middle School in 2022 the former director of special services asked me how things were going as I settled in most people don't know this but School nurses actually report to the director of special services back when Co was at its peak it would often I would often hear
the intense discussions about how to safely return to school so when I finally met Miss tan I was able to put a face to the name I had heard so much about and let me tell you my first thought was does this lady ever smile
I mean people say I don't smile but wow she beat she had me beat I remember turning to Mr owski BP and asking are you sure she even likes it here but then one day after receiving a yet another two-word response from Miss tan I
decided to set a personal goal while I'm here I'm going to make you smile every single day now I can't say I fully accomplished this Mission but I can say over the past two years Miss tan has definitely made me smile and laugh more more times than I can than I can count
so tonight is my absolute honor to present Miss Rose tan with the Educational Service professional award for the school year 2425 Miss tan your dedication your knowledge your quiet strength and yes your occasional smiles have left a lasting impact on Liberty
Middle School we are incredibly grateful for all that you have done and while we miss you dearly but she has retired we wish you nothing but happiness and success in your well earned retirement and who knows maybe one day you'll finally have time to work on smiling
more than me congratulations Miss tan our second honor and I'm going to ask the board to give me some leeway with this one because I'm going to need to call two other people up to the mic um if you hear my voice crack tonight as well it's going to be what it's going to
be it's all I can say um I'm gonna first ask Miss Sarah fery to come up to the podium and I'm going to ask Miss Alexa Guzman to help me with this presentation the educator of the Year awards are given to those who embody dedication passion and unwavering
commitment to to their students these individuals are the first to arrive and the last to leave the ones whom students naturally gravitate towards the colleagues others seek for guidance and teachers whom parents hear about in stories of kindness encouragement and
inspiration to me as an educator it is more than just a teacher an educator is someone who selflessly makes who makes sacrifices for the betterment of others and who moves through the day with purpose ensuring that each child feels value supported and
seen they are the heart of the school spark and a child's confidence and the reason why so many students believe in themselves on the morning of September 24th at 7:09 a.m. I received a text message from his hack that read the
headache is still bad going to stay home a simple text yet a moment that would soon become profoundly significant just weeks later on October 7th the Liberty Middle School Community suffered a devastating
loss we lost more than a teacher that day we lost a mentor role model and a deeply passionate educator whose presence left an unforgettable mark on everyone who encountered her to be honest I did not have
privilege of knowing Tisha as well as I wish I had our interactions were brief but meaningful we sat together to discuss ideas of academic support and this past spring we worked
side by side on an interview committee hire a new seventh grade ELA teacher even with limited time together one thing was abundantly clear her spirit was kind her dedication was unwavering and her passion for
literacy and education was boundless she was the kind of educator who did more than just teach she knew nurtured she inspired and she uplifted others around her on October 7th Liberty Middle School
lost a beloved teacher but in that loss we also gained something in measurable a guardian angel teachers Legacy compassion and commitment will live on in the student she taught the colleague
she supported and the lives she touched tonight is my deepest honor and privilege to present the educator of the Year award to Brian Jonah and River hack this award this is this award is not only
recognition of teachers years of service and commitment and passion but is also a testament to the profound impact impact that she had on children of West arage and every student fortunate enough to have crossed her path her light will never fade her influence will continue
to shape the young minds of generations to come I want to thank the hack family sharing Tisha with us thank you thank you to the hack family and thank you to principal Fitzgerald for sharing a moment uh with the rest of us I know
it's been hard on your staff as well um it's tough for us to lose someone in our school Community we work with each other for long periods of time and if you work with someone for a long period of time you understand why it gets so personal
when we we lose each other um but um West Orange you're a beautiful Community uh you're a beautiful community of teachers and uh just like this town you understand the importance of unity and
what it means um to accomplish things and to accomplish things and work together and our goal is to uplift the kids in this community but we make friendships and family along the way so thank you to Liberty for
sharing we're going to move forward uh I'm going to ask that uh the principal of Roosevelt Mr Lionel hush join us at the podium don't look back there folks look back look at
liono it's my distinct honor to present our Governor's educator of the Year miss lyanna Amon lyanna Amon has been an integral part of Roosevelt Middle School and a surrounding West Orange Community for the past 22 years firm but fair has
a unique ability to engage and Inspire students at all levels she Fosters an inclusive and dynamic classroom environment where students feel comfortable exploring while providing a rigorous setting that enables her students to excel academically and
personally she truly believes in educating the whole child as she is consistently sought out by students year in and year out for guidance and direction through the challenges life brings them her continued dedication to the students of Roosevelt is also
evident in the multiple extracurricular clubs and events she runs she has enriched the school community's knowledge understanding and acceptance of multiple religions traditions and celebrations through her time as advisor to the Culture Club she has broadened
the in the- field science exposure of our children as advisor of the Explorers Club and she has empowered the students in their memorialization of their school experience as the yearbook ADV visor in addition to all of those commitments
lyanna Amron heads an after school tutorial for our ml population while teaching English to non-english-speaking parents of the West Orange Community at night believing in and caring for the West Orange Community as a whole she has
also taught Spanish classes to West Orange teachers interested in better serving our Rising Spanish speaking population fluent in five languages lyanna amran has has served as an invaluable asset to the West orangs Community students can always tell when
teachers really care about them and so many seek out lyanna due to her genuine concern in care they come to her for emotional support and advice and continue to do so well after they graduate in fact a month ago she attended a wedding of a former Roosevelt
student in Houston Texas this is not only a testimony to what she means to the children of this community but also a testimony to what our students mean to her the amount of connection she has made over the years and the love and respect the students
have for her attests to her ability to reach our students and make a difference in their lives a mentor a leader a teacher a counselor and a role model Lanna amam embodies all we want and seek
in our Educators shy of the spotlight but most deserving of it I present our Governor's educator of the Year miss Lanna Amber thank you I now call to the mic High School principal Mr Oscar Guerrero
g go ahead and raise the mic superintendent more um good evening everyone again once again members of the board presentend more tonight is my great privilege to introduce to you our teacher of the year at West Orange High School an educator
whose passion dedication and commitment to Excellence has made a lasting impact on our students and our school Community Miss Cindy Sy is an outstanding architectural design teacher and the coordinator for the tech and engineering department at West Orange
High School through her Innovative teaching method she has created a learning environment that Sparks creativity Fosters critical thinking and Inspire students to pursue careers in engineering and design beyond the classroom Missi has been a driving force
in expanding opportunities for our students as the adviser of Our National Society of black Engineers chapter she has worked tirelessly to connect students with prestigious engineering programs and Professionals in the field her mentorship and dedication has empowered our students to dream big and
achieve their goals we are incredibly excuse me we are incredibly proud to honor here tonight our teacher of the year Miss Cindy s last but certainly not least I'd like to now recognize an outstanding educator whose dedication and vision
have transformed the lives of so many students here at West Orange our Educational Services professional over the year is Miss jod Goldstein she has spent the past 17 years at West Orange High School building one of the most successful 18 to 21 transition programs
in the area through her expertise and deep Connections in adult Services misss Goldstein has created meaningful real world real world opportunities for our students with special abilities ensuring that they leave West Orange High School
prepared program success is so widely recognized that we wavering commitment to her students have made a profound excuse me profound impact on our school and Community we are incredibly grateful for her work and proud to celebrate her tonight congratulations Miss
Goldstein thank you I just want to take two minutes to say congratulations to all the nominees um this is an example of some of the dedicated folks that work with our kids every day I'm lucky to also have
students myself so I get the benefit of this incredible staff as well so congratulations to all the nominees uh Ryan before we move on do you w to can we take a minute or sure let me just say something to the honores first and yeah
so congratulations to everyone that was honored tonight as one of the governor's educators of the year uh not everyone who's in the profession realizes this but this is the first step towards being the national teacher of the year uh it's part of a a Nationwide program where we choose our local District educators of
the Year someone from our district may end up being the county teacher of the year it was just a couple years ago that Miss dun leevy was our Essex County teacher of the year and then from those County teachers of the Year someone's going to be selected to be the state teacher of the yeari New Jersey when I started teaching many years ago in East Orange I was
lucky enough to be next to a woman Miss Teresa M who was a great teacher and mentor and years later she was honored to be the state teacher of the year and it's it's wonderful to see someone that we work with every day go to that level and hopefully someone that's here today can can do that as well so congratulations for being the West
Orange educator of the year in your building but I hope one of you will represent us at either the county state or national level after this uh we will at this point take about a f minute recess so if you're going to hang out and take pictures do that uh if you'd like the remain for the business portion of the meeting we'll be back in session
at just about 8 o' e e e e e e e e
e e e e e e might have to G over what am I adding e e e
and then the board will take over uh their meeting um since our last board meeting we've had had eight Hib investigations throughout the district um I reviewed and summarized each and it was determined by this Administration
and uh bullying Court counselors and Specialists that all eight were unfounded I concur with this finding and uh that will conclude my report thank you for that Mr Moore um for my uh presid or actually I guess we
have board committee reports first on the board have anything they need to share No Stevenson you thinking no do you have something Mr yes yeah good okay
um so three brief comments if I can the first is that uh several people have uh mentioned to me that they got the news that their taxes are going up and what are we going to do about the Schoolboard
budget um we don't vote for the budget until June um but I can tell you that the process has already started and this is my third year on the board and this is by
far uh the best budget process I've been a part of everyone's taking it very seriously we understand the pressures that are on the taxpayers Mr Moore is really uh leading the way in terms of
how we approach this so I'm cautiously optimistic that we're going to get to a place that is as good as we can get to the second thing is uh I was goingon to mention this to uh president Rock maybe
in the near future we could invite um the uh head of uh transportation to one of our meetings there's been there have been a few things on the news about bus companies using artificial intelligence to improve safety for the
uh school buses um I think that's something I'd like to find out a little more about when I see when I drive around and I see the school buses when the red stop sign before it even goes back to the bus people are
moving if they've stopped at all and it's just a tragedy waiting to happen and if we can be a little proactive maybe we're doing it already I don't know about it but I like to hear about that and then the last thing was that uh
Miss Vera and I went we're on our little tour of all the schools and we got up to West Orange High School we met with Mr Guerrera it was a wonderful uh brief visit um two uh programs in particular that I wanted to mention was Mr Andrew
Mazar in graphic design it was very interesting to see what these creative students and their uh teacher are doing and Mr Rudy Petrella the automotive technology teacher that was eye openening to me uh the the program that
he offers to students um he he let us know that uh he's in need of a new lift I don't think we we're going to have that in the budget but uh it it might be something that we could work on in terms of a fundraiser but it was just a very
impressive uh class and I commend him on the work that he's doing with these children that's it thank you Mr ifer and I'll ask Mr Mora to look into that bus safety issue anything from miss the only thing is uh you know to
reinforce that the program that is running about um automotive and The Body Shop is amazing the kind of work the student basically we didn't have a chance to see it but the way that the teacher was expressing himself about the
number of students who are taking part of that you know it's basically what we really needed you know I'm sorry to say this but you know some sometimes we talk about uh the taxes increase and all of that but you know nothing else we can do with the situation that we are living
right now is you know we really have to invest and this is the best investment that we can have have programs like that that prepare the students to get them you know get once they graduate leave the high school with a certificate ation
that they can you know uh be part of their real life and as the vice president iar mentioned you know it was really amazing we're really surprised about it I didn't even realize that it
was 120 students serve taking classes and that special class Automotive so but you know it's a maybe we can think in the future to you know and they sanadas this is what he was saying the
banadas in order to raise some money to buy the stuff that they really needed in class thank you Miss V thank you Mr Stevenson president Rock and I just wanted to say a couple of things I wanted to First acknowledge that it is
February and February is Black History Month and want to thank those schools those Educators and those families and the ptas who have put together Black History Month programs in our schools uh Black History Month is still an important month black history is still
an important um matter just not for black children but for all children so that we learn uh and share and grow as a community so so thank you for the work around Black History Month also want to
just uh acknowledge the young man Sali again on his accomplishment a perfect score on the SAT uh and I think his words tonight are certainly indicative of the caliber of young man that he is and I think his words uh certainly are a
signaling device to all other students about what is achievable uh and more so to the students is also a as we celebrate Educators tonight A signaling device to uh any educator just not Educators in West Orange that there are no limits to what our individual
students can achieve uh as individuals and what we as a community can achieve so I appreciated his words to say uh look at me and he did not say it with any arrogance he said it in Great humility uh to say that I am an example of what can be so I
salute that young man and wish him well in his future endeavors thank you thank you Mr Stevenson and then I would honor or Echo those sentiments about Sali congratulations again to him uh in my president's report I'd like to share a little a bit about Redwood Elementary
School and some of the things that they've been doing go Rockets uh they've had a very busy February plannings uh celebrating black history month and I'm happy to highlight a few examples of what is on their schedule just a few even though this paragraph is very lengthy uh Redwood students recently completed
their annual service project of kindness kits for those in need approximately 500 bags were filled with snacks toiletries hats gloves scarves and words of inspiration written by ourc to 5 students the effort begins during the month of January in honor of Dr King students come together to assemble the kindness kits on Valentine's Day and the
kits are distributed on President's Day to the food pantry in West Orange Tony's kitchen Winterfell group home and The Help Center redwood's fourth annual black history art walk takes place this week when the works of American Artist author and songwriter Romer Bearden our celebrated and a live performer will
engage our students and staff with the art of African drumming uh we also had a number of students participate in the ess6 county education association's Pride uh contest their essay contest and place with Awards so we had in kindergarten one of Mariam cargo Jackson
students took first place in the ESS contest and then in first grade one of Miss hex St hex students took uh second place and in second grade one of Miss Burnett's students also took second place so congratulations to all those students go
rackets uh and since uh we did touch on the budget uh don't have a lot of news on that front but just want to kind of share some uh procedural issues of what's going on so we have had preliminary meetings to review the budget and where things stand tomorrow is the governor's
budget address I believe is that correct yeah um and that is always a moment of uh a fateful moment for us right finding out what will happen uh he will make an announcement as to what happens Statewide to K 12 Aid and then on Thursday typically 48 hours after that we'll find out how much Aid we are are
not going to get and that will have a big impact on what our ultimate budget will look like so can't say much about what the budget will look like today but by the end of the week we'll have a a better indication of where things are going um so you may want to tune in tomorrow when the governor gives that budget address um and that is it for me
next up we will have questions from the public on agenda items only any Community member who would like to make comments or ask oh I was also going to say I see coach Jackson in the audience we talked about some of our sports teams and I think some of our students punched their ticket to the meia champion so maybe when he comes to the mic he can
tell us about them uh now we'll get to the public comment uh any Community member who would like to make comments or ask questions please come to the podium at this time please state your name and home address for the record and then begin your comments please limit your comments to 3 minutes do we have any members of the public here in the
audience tonight who wish to make a public comment yes we'll come back to non-agenda items after the resolutions thank you all right seeing none we'll move on to our resolutions uh first may I have a motion to approve the Personnel items A1
through A6 thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you Mr iar want to congratulate the following retirees we have Christina DeMarco a par professional at West Orange High School for her 17 years of service Irene fiori a kindergarten teacher at Redwood
Elementary for her 23 years of service noo Rockets Suka slipping over there just okay Sue Kaa a mathematics teacher at Liberty Middle School for her 28 years of service Kathleen llo a fourth grade
teacher at Redwood Elementary for her 25 years of service Lisa Pacini asmin a health and phys teacher at Gregory Elementary for her 36 years of service and last but not least rockel Sardina a PA professional here at West Orange High School for her 25 years of service uh
thank you all for your service to West nor students and our school Community best wishes to you on behalf of the Board of Education and welcome to the club where every day is Saturday so so now president Rock if you'll allow me the privilege I was going to say go Rockets but actually had a quick 20 second speech to make I just wanted to
acknowledge those teachers at Redwood who are retiring both of whom have taught my uh Sons uh it's important always to acknowledge as we do the retirees but I just want to take the personal privilege to thank miss fiori
and miss llo great teachers at Redwood congratulate them on their retirement and all that they do for our children particularly my children thank you I'll Echo we had Miss llo too and very very big congratulations to you as
well go Rockets any other discussion on Personnel were you gonna say something Miss um you know today's uh very special day celebrating the teachers of the year
and um maybe it doesn't have nothing to do but you know I would like to acknowledge Mr Felix Plata because the kind of work that you're doing with the community you are representing you are representing the
West orang School District and you know congratulations and keep working for the As a World Language supervisor you know that you are embracing them keep doing the kind of work that you're doing and congratulation
again thank you seeing no other discussion Miss Flowers would you please take the roll call on Personnel Dr Bryan yes Mr Stevenson yes Miss Vera yes vice president ifer yes
president Rock yes thank you all right next may I have a motion to approve the curriculum and instruction items B1 through B5 so move thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second sir thank you Mr IFR any discussion seeing none Miss flowers please take the roll call Dr Bryant yes
Mr Stevenson yes Miss Vera yes vice president ifer yes president Rock yes thank you all right next may have a motion to approve the finance items c special services items a 1-2 and business office items B one through nine
so moved thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you Miss ver any discussion right seeing none uh Miss Flowers would you please take the roll call Dr Bryant yes Mr Stevenson yes Miss
Vera yes vice president ifer yes president Rock yes thank you and finally may have a motion to approve reports item D1 through D2 so move thank thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you Mr ifar
discussion hearing none Miss flowers please take the roll Dr Bryant yes Mr Stevenson yes Miss Vera yes vice president ifer yes president Rock yes thank you thank you very much to my board colleagues for
that uh next up we will have a petitions and hearings of citizens for any agenda or non-agenda item that you wish to discuss you will have 3 minutes to speak please approach Podium at this time and stay your name and address for the record good evening Jason Lamont Jackson Senior 25 Westview Road here in West
Orange uh teach in the career and tech ed department and uh also cross country indoor and outdoor track and field coach um I apologize for I haven't been here in a while I normally uh attend as many board meetings as possible and just the
schedule's kind of not prevented it and U or prevented it prevented me from being here and so seeing some new faces welcome um I love being here in West Orange it's it's really important to me um to to
coach live and teach all in the same community and um this is my going into my eighth year here um and just really proud to work here alongside you know a lot of these wonderful teachers that were honored today um I know there was
some mention about not really knowing a lot about the programs and I think here at the high school we offer um just so many amazing programs um with the auto shop with wood shop um Miss and and um
architecture you know my department CTE I'm teaching uh intro to Supply Chain management one two and three and a lot of people don't know about it we try to get the word out and talk a lot about it and um I think that there if if people really look those that not necessarily
complaining about their taxes but look at the programs that are offered and where our students go and what they do um I think they would say that it's well worked especially what's coming here to the to The District in terms of Education in terms of you know their their taxes and so would always be a strong Advocate that uh the colleagues
that I work with in this building and I'm sure throughout the district are um doing a phenomenal job you know taking care of these kids uh and we want to make sure that um they go off and do great things so really excited about that um I did send an email out because I wasn't sure I was going to be able to
make it there was a little uh mishap on one of the um attachments so I did print it out but uh this is like I said this my eth year here coaching dra and field and Coach Joe Serano who coached and taught for 30 plus years here in the district um we
back in I think 2022 had our first uh Memorial Scholarship track meet and then the track schedule got a little bit crazy and last year A two years ago we did a cocktail um dinner for adults where we could raise funds uh for scholarship dollars for student athletes
not necessarily just tracking cross country but any student athlete that is applying or accepted to a two and foure uh college or university and so wanted to extend the invitation and save the date to the board members the scholarship applications will be going out this week to um all of the coaches
and the guidance counselors school counselors here um we've awarded two scholarships uh male and female student athlete that apply um in the past years um our first two uh Jenifer alar Rivera
went to Ruckers Alexander Roman gabay went to I mean she went to University of Delaware he went to Ruckers and then Kylie capstraw who went to Yale and Sebastian D Simone who was in the 18 to 21 program phenomenal program he's at GED Mercy uh as well so I wanted to drop
these off uh and then just closing out just really talking about uh track and field uh we've had a phenomenal season our our program uh is growing some phenomenal athletes we just had um our boys and girls 4x4 relay qualified for the meet a Champs uh we had three school
records that were broken uh AA ntic and the 1600 Ria Randolph and the 400 and Corbin Ron in the 55 meter dash and then Andreas aasta also qualified in the 800 meters um so we're looking forward to representing West Orange uh this weekend
at the meia Champs thank you very much thank you and good luck to everybody that's running this weekend thank you I also have some handouts would I be able to give them to you now through Miss Flowers great good evening board members and
superintendent Moore our student Liaisons Miss Flowers uh my name is KIRO and I reside at 22 oakd Road and um I'm here to talk to you about uh what our Hazel advocacy committee has been doing so first I want to thank you for your
service to the district and say I appreciate having the opportunity to speak tonight I am here as president of the Hazel ad PTA and on behalf of the Hazel advocacy commit um which we officially formed on January
15th and we took up a focus on providing immigration resources and support um right away because of the policy changes you know meant to escalate immigration enforcement in this country the committee has since branched out to
other ptas and we have many members of the committee um here tonight in support um so far our work has been on aggregating online resources and passing out printed materials such as red wallet cards to those who may
encounter ice officials uh we now have a centralized um website on link tree uh for immigration resources that we've collected and organized into topics and you know I think they can be helpful for the community at large and specifically
to students and families and Educators and our district as a whole so as I researched many immigration resources I came across the National Education Association safe Zone resolution and model policy and that's what I gave to
miss flowers and I did have a chance to email it to you all um ahead of time and so thank you again for letting me um you know talk about it here tonight um so I want you know to ask the district to consider passing this resolution as a
way to create a safe safe school zone which seems especially critical in light of the resending National policy that had protected places and you know sensitive spaces um protected this resolution is championed by the Nea and
the njaa as an important step that school districts can take to proactively protect students support their social and emotional well-being and promote the educational environment as a whole in addition the national PTA statement
supports the safe Zone resolution and encourages PTA advocacy around this policy and so today along with the co-chair Eric camons and Megan meled and our contingent here again we are you know asking the
district to consider um passing this resolution here in West Orange we feel that it would further strengthen the district's commitment to inclusive educational policy and provide all students and Educators with additional support and you know around
this critical issue by passing this resolution it sets the stage for a long-standing policy and will serve the district not just in this moment but moving forward as well so I believe we have the potential to grow as a district with this policy under our
belts I think it's a first step and I'm going to hand this off to Eric hi everybody um thank you uh superintendent Moore members of the board and um our student liaison here for the opportunity to speak uh my name is Eric camons I'm a Hazel parent and
the co-chair of our recently formed advocacy committee do I see my address is that right I'm on Carter root um I wanted to start off by saying that I really greatly appreciate your work and dedication to the students of West Orange as evidenced by tonight everybody cares deeply about our
students and that that's very clear um at a time when educating our youth has become rough with a myriad of challenges your important work has certainly not got easy has not got not gotten easier um and I know you care deeply um about all students in this town and by extension their families um it's these
very challenges that I ask you today to support and implement the safe schools resolution which we sent to you earlier I know Mr Moore you acknowledged that over email um so I think here being here today is to in the spirit of partnership and to go on the record publicly that we you know seek to have this ped um it's
very clear that the premise of who is welcome and who is not and by extension what role our schools play in society is being directly challenged um I believe and I think you do too that it is crucial that schools be a place where all students can learn and grow however to many in our community however too
many in our community face uncertainty fear of discrimination due due to their background or um or questions regarding their immigration status gender identity race religion or background again I know your hearts are in the right place I know it based on our communication um
that we've had however I come here to suggest that we follow that up with broader concrete action um such as this type of resolution families need to know and truly feel that they're being supported more proactively um passage of such a resolution can do just that um it
affirms that schools are safe and inclusive um the resolution commits our district to ensuring that every student regardless of immigration status gender identity race religion or background feels welcome supported and safe in our schools furthermore it gives teachers and staff clear guidance and tools they
need to support students in various situations including reur assurances for students procedures for responding to law enforcement and information and support for families and staff most importantly and strengthens our community and a commitment to schools being safe zones thus building trust
between families in the district where which is crucial to successful education you have the power to show that West Orange is a district that stands by the strong principles of stfe tion for all so please consider taking up this resolution also know that there are eager and willing parents who are here
to help you in this challenging time so let's please keep a dialogue open um I believe passing this resolution can be a great companion to the work we're doing through ptas um that K indicated um to provide information and resources especially for our immigrant families um I'd be happy to meet to discuss I'm sure
we all would um but I do know you know we're already in communication on on some of it so appreciate the time and please look into this thank you hello members of the board uh my name is Josh goldar I live at 10 Nance Road uh I am here with with a lot of titles under
my belt I'm a resident lifelong resident I'm a teacher of Roosevelt Middle School and I'm the current president of the woea um I'm bizarrely proud of being a a product of West Orange it is not just who I am but it's a bit of a hobby um I
went to West Orange High School I went to roselt middle school I for 10 years taught in a classroom in which I was once a student and I don't think many people can say that I went to Gregory Elementary School and before that I spent my first two years in kindergarten and uh first grade in Fairmont
Elementary School I don't know if anybody here even REM Fairmont um my original purpose was to come up and Echo the sentiment that are made today tonight emphasizes and highlights the exceptional staff and programs that we offer in West Orange and they all
deserve not just the accolades that they have but they deserve more than that and I just want to point out that every one of them is very much deserving of every reward that they got today um but they're not the only ones our buildings are filled with staff who are
exceptional who go above and beyond every single day who stay late to help kids who come in early to help kids who are giving food to kids who aren't getting it they are doing more work than anybody realizes and they don't look for
accolades they don't do for awards but they all deserve to be recognized um the other thing that I want to mention is that um I I I do want to also encourage the board to accept the resolution and to adopt the resolution that previously uh uh
mentioned um the day after the election I'm a teach history class the day after the election um I open up my classroom just to some questions you know does anybody have any questions about what's going on because it's history class um
and some of the questions were most of them were pretty predictable uh and in one of my classes a student raised his hand and he said am I going to get deported and I all I could respond was I I hope not what else could I possibly have said
and when I just said that now I noticed the board perked up and for us it's jarring and for us it's worrying for them it's their life it is their real life um Mr Moore we've already spoken um about what we can do
to help our community and I know that the board very sincerely cares about that um and I think everything that we could do to help our community a part of the community that is often unseen a part of a community is often afraid to speak up we need to make
sure that we protect those who are afraid to speak up for themselves so thank you very much good evening good evening um that got me choked up there so my name is Felix blata I'm the ESL Bo language supervisor I am also um a proud member
of this community as the West orang uh Hispanic Foundation president and and also a member of our uh one of the coordinators for our our West Orange way uh and I say that proudly the West Orange way uh committee
um I'm coming here just to say thank you I've had the opportunity to work with these parents here these community members um they are passionate they are they are more than empathetic they have a strong desire they are knowledgeable
uh they offer their expertise in their various professional fields so I want to thank you for the work uh that you're doing um and as someone who represents this population or part of this population that we're speaking of I I thank you because I personally can use the help uh so sincerely thank you we
have events planned um we did uh plan an event and and other events but the more people to do this work uh and to send out accurate information uh the better so I thank you um Mr Moore I say thank
you I I know you know um for formally connecting me with these with these individuals uh so the work we are doing work to to support our community to the board all the work that we do with our multilingual Learners um who not are not
and I want to be clear about this are not all undocumented or illegal um I want to be clear about that even though many of them and if they are here going through one one form of the of the documentation
process for a citizenship or residency uh because there are many Avenues by which individuals can earn their residency or citizenship I was emotional there because they are still fearful because
of the rhetoric that they hear um they overhear things when people think they don't understand and as an individual who works closely with them uh they express these feelings and they've they've gotten very emotional and they they're fearful um and they are are hurt
because they are here and they've expressed they are here to do with just about every other population that is in this country has done they're here for a better future they're here for their uh the future of their children and they feel as
though they're being targeted um unfairly many times so I thank this community um I'm proud to be part of this community for all the work that we do through the board and you've seen the the tutorial programs through the ESL
program and the world language program where we had two Educators recognized tonight Mary Kos and Lanna amaran for the work that they do Beyond just the classrooms and also all the world languages which specifically teach the appreciation of different perspectives
and and individuals and backgrounds and I know uh we have one of our fine students here who I I know personally the Italian program um and when you go to our events and I know many of you Bor and I invite you to please come to our our cultural celebrations the beauty of
it which I love so much about West Orange is that it is not if you go to the Italian night it is not just italian-americans there if you go to the Luna New Year celebration it is people of all cultures celebrating recognizing and appreciating each other so um I just want to say sincere thank you for all
the work that everyone in this room does and I look forward to Future collaboration and working with uh with everyone here so thank you hi good evening we were just talking about teacher staying late thank you for staying late and listening to this I know this is a thankless job and so I
really appreciate this um my name is Katie copel I reside at 30 Colony Drive East and if the AV permits I'd love to share a message from my student um in the district what's your first name Charlotte and what do we normally call you Charlie
uhhuh what grade are you in second and what town do we live in West Orange yes okay so let's talk about school a bit what do you like about school um I like that we get to Le and I and when I usually have a day off I'm sad because I
don't have school and I don't get to see my friends what I like and I have friend that's great who are some of your favorite teachers and staff members Miss charia obviously because she's my teacher and I really like every teacher in the school
building who I know and I probably will like every teacher at the school building that I'm done school that makes sense yeah when you meet people you feel comfortable right yeah and do your principal and teachers help you feel safe and important at school yes how do they do that they respect us they make
sure we respect others and make sure we all feel comfortable if we don't feel comfortable at school we go and talk to them privately so because that because they might think that makes us a little more comfortable for just them to know
and then they can help us work through along with our Guardians oh I love it okay so these are some questions that might be a little bit trickier but I think just say what you feel that's right um how would you feel if you saw people in uniforms with weapons outside of your school very very scared sad and
really scared I might be saying that twice but that's really what I feel yeah and how would you feel if one of them came into your classroom and asked to talk to a student very scared very extremely scared I didn't know I wouldn't know what was what would happen
to them if something bad would happen to them and I would just be very very sad if they did I would be very sad and not wanting them to yeah are you getting upset yes but we can keep going okay um
so let's imagine that happened at school and then you had a reading group or you had a quiz right after do you think you could focus no oh why not because I would be too worried for a friend yeah and not knowing what's happening and yeah just be too worried
you know yeah I do I want you to know that I am working with other parents and teachers and principles to make sure that you and all the kids at your school feel safe every day so how would you feel if you knew that people in charge of West Orange schools made new rules and gave teachers special training to
make sure that every student felt safe incredible awesome I would be so happy that they did I would be overjoy I'm so glad thanks for sharing your thoughts with me sweetheart love hearing what you had to say thank you appreciate you bye bye
everyone thank you Charlie will be a tough act to follow so hi everyone um I Echo all of the thanks that were given by the previous speakers and your availability here tonight and uh the beautiful ceremony that took place before this portion of the night I
have nothing written down I wasn't going to speak but I moved to just make a couple of comments my name is Megan melamed I reside at 63 quiny place um in addition to being a mother of two West Orange students I am also a social
worker working in New York City for the largest provider of family shelter in uh the United States and I just am moved to speak because I think sometimes when we talk about these issues they feel really outside of us and they don't when we
don't see them actually affecting us on the ground it's very hard to uh connect with them but it's here and so what I'm seeing happening within in the work that I do is if it is a predictor of what
could happen to other communities within our country things are looking really bad and so I would encourage the Board of Ed to really take on this wonderful privilege of providing a safe space for
every student within our incredible Town um you imagine the level of trauma and fear that can live in side of a person a child with the fear of not knowing if when they get home from school their parent will be there
um it's it's pretty mind-boggling and so I feel it would be a privilege to create the safe place at each of our schools for our students to be able to land each and every day thank you so I've had the privilege of working
with this team and I want to Second and lift up everything and also support I'm also going to speak on something really different right now but I'm part of that and that's important my name is Jessica Herold and I'm from for Gavin Road I
come tonight as an educator with 20 years of experience in math and science classrooms I'm been a former principal a district leader and a parents while tonight's agenda includes so many opportunities to celebrate our teachers and celebrate our students there are some critical areas that I'd like to
address a few weeks ago my elementary age son shared his Science assessment with me what I saw was troubling 13 multiple choice recall questions with the unit assignment nearly identical to the review sheet there was no problem
solving no phenomena based questions no critical thinking and no three dimensions this is not aligned with State Standards before I proceed I'm a champion of teachers I love my kids teachers I know that they love my kids and they want what's best for them right
now the status quo in our district around science is unacceptable however and that's a system problem we can do something about it this led me to examine the schools and District Science assessment data and what I found was alarming for two reasons one is our
science proficiency is incredibly low my school is less than 50% proficient our district 40% but even more alarming is the racial differential in our district 72% of our fifth graders who are
white were proficient in science while 26% of our students who are black this is not about ability this is about opportunity and since this pattern has existed for years because I kept thinking and has existed in math and Ela
because I kept digging we need to acknowledge it and make some changes first of all science instruction must improve in general while math and Ela curricula have been improved we've made some great changes science has been left behind strong science is not only
important on its own but it also builds background knowledge that allows our students to be successful across the board we're not providing or assessing students on grade level that is not not okay we need to support our teachers in knowing what to do and how to do it
science has changed that's my life work right now and it's has changed and we are not teaching the way we were all taught we know better now we need to provide ongoing and relevant professional development to support the people who love our kids second we must
address these racial and other subgroup disparities and achievement our kids can be Sully but not if they're not given that chance or or taught or seen these gaps don't close on their own and there are actual actions that we can do
instead of just looking at the data and hoping that they'll get better we can provide meaningful ongoing training to help teachers recognize the bias the research is clear that we can learn to be better I had to do that I grew up in a place where I thought we all bled red
and we were all the same and I had to learn that we are not we are unique and special and need to be seen in class we can intentionally and actively create an atmosphere where all students are seen and third our teaching staff simply
must reflect our students we can actively recruit from HBCU Multicultural organizations and teacher programs we can build our own Pipeline with programs in our high school to recruit students who we have now to say come back and we can engage community members more
actively what kind of black history are we writing here in West Orange my kid wears a shirt that says I am black history and he is and I need him to be in a school that sees him thank you thank you is there anyone else for public
comment this evening Mr Stevenson um so just wanted to say thank you for your comments around science uh as you are aware and as you did acknowledge we have implemented new
curricula at the elementary school level for both Ela and math and although uh bureaucracies do not move very quickly those changes have occurred within the last four years uh but curricular in and
of itself is insufficient to drive um improvements of student outcomes it takes a collective which you alluded to and I think that uh this board is committed to that uh one by virtue of those curricular changes but also by
virtue of our public stance when the last nlsa results were released there was a emphasis from a policy standpoint I'm speaking as the policy chair uh from a policy standpoint
looking at how we can uh improve but also we had a laser focus on middle school math but notwithstanding that that did not exclude science for which you uh correctly indicate
are assessment data and the performance in science by any measure reasonable measure is unacceptable and I think that while I appreciate your comment about being able to have teachers that reflect our community the diversity of
of it and that obviously is important I say that as a as a person who believes in diversity and believes that the community should reflect the students in front of it uh there also has to be that commitment in the in the existing Corpus
of Educators to embrace uh new curricula to embrace professional development to embrace uh going Beyond whatever uh unspoken or spoken parameters exist with respect to what we can achieve for
students and I'm linking that to the comment made earlier about the young man who got the outstanding perfect score on the SAT uh because I think his words spoke volumes more than any of us could speak more than what speaking right now about a belief about what children can
achieve and so I think uh I take your your words to Heart around science and around every aspect of uh curricular instruction and about how we as a diverse Community should just not reflect that in in in numbers when I say
numbers to say that our community is diverse in many ways but our we have to also reflect that diversity in our achievement thank you thank you Mr Stevenson uh thank you all for coming out to speak tonight um
to the advocacy committee that that shared your concerns we hear you um Mr Moore did share the model policy with us we have referred that to our board attorney for some official legal council and our policy committee has been looking at our existing policies to see if uh we need to update anything in
light of what's in here uh but what I can say is that Western orange is and always has been a safe place for all of our students we are committed to educating every student that lives in West Orange no matter who they are um and that's you know been true throughout Mr Moore's leadership it will continue to be true as long as as we are up here
um looking kind of briefly through the policy it looks like just about everything in here is something that's already either part of our policies or part of the procedures that Mr Moore outlined uh before our January meeting um so we already have policies about furpa that prevent us from disclosing any kind of student information without
a subpoena we do not collect any kind of student information about students immigration status so we could not uh disclose that even if we were subpoena for that um you do not have to worry about armed people walking through the Halls they are not allowed to do that as outlined in this policy anybody that is
coming to the school to to speak to someone would go to the office the procedures Mr Moore put in place is that they would have to show some kind of Warrant which will be evaluated by him the West Orange Police and our board Council before any action is taken uh and no one would be wandering the Halls under any circumstances uh so again our
our schools are a safe place to the extent that we as the Board of Education can make make them safe uh but we will again review these policies and see if there's anything in our existing policies that need to be updated but we thank you for for coming out tonight for advocacy any other comments from the board before we
close all right can I have a mo or thank you very much to everyone our next board meeting for the purposes of reorganization now you just didn't edit this again to screw with me it is not for reorganization our next board meeting uh will be held on
at 5:30 pm on March 17 2025 this meeting will be held in the West Orange High School library at Media Center we will not be going into executive session after the close of this meeting there will be no further business discussed and no additional action will be taken may I have a motion to adjourn motion thank you Mr ifar is there a second
second thank you Dr Bryant all in favor any opposed thank you for uh joining us tonight our meeting is now adjourned we wish you a good night e