e in accordance with the provisions of the New Jersey open public meeting Act of 1975 the oton Board of Education transmitted notice of this meeting scheduled at 6:30 p.m. in the oton Junior Senior High School library media center to the retrospect newspaper and the burough Clerk and by posting on the oton public school district website and at the main and the Pine Street entrance of the Junior Senior High roll call please Mrs Ron case James glenstein absent Elsa Cox absent Andrea Robinson here Amy Davis here St Wilson here Tyra Patria absent Alon lipsky absent Mark Gaddy here Bill Wilson here Jonathan Max here thank you thank you whereas while the senator Byron and be open public meetings act requires all meetings of the Aon Board of Education to be held in public njsa 10 col 4-12 B sets forth nine types of matters that may lawfully be discussed in executive session I.E without the public being permitted to attend and whereas the oton board of education has deemed it necessary to go into Clos session to discuss certain matters which are exemp from the public and as are noted on the agenda I have a motion to go into executive motion second all in favor I any opposed all right we will be approximately 30 minutes in executive session thank you e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e all in favor any oppos all right I'd like to once again call the meeting to order and ask you to stand forag Al to flag of the United States of America stands na indivisible andice for all [Music] um before we go to our student representatives to the board just two notes of housekeeping since we have a full house for right now our next two board meetings May 1st will be the next board meeting it is a budget presentation which will begin at 7 pm here in the library media center and then our regular um board meeting for May will occur on May 8 um again here in the library media center and um one thing to note will be that we will be recognizing our retirees at that meeting okay um now to our student Representatives Miss caller oh Jame's gonna speak excellent okay everybody it okay great oh you have something I'm sorry and now you're second um yeah just same with Jane everyone's really excited for prom I also wanted to make an announcement um I'd like first of all I'd like to thank everyone on the board for their support for me and all of the other senior class through their time with finding colleges it's been super stressful um thank you very much to Dr Davis who has helped me the most through my college you know deciding and picking out the college in the fall of 2024 I I will be attending Plymouth State University thanks to all of my teachers and that is excellent news see we like all that positivity excellent excellent congratulations all right and we'll continue on with the Good Vibes we're GNA uh honor our students of the month for March of 2024 start off with our pre kindergarten student so everybody if you haven't been to a board meeting before what we do with our students of the month I want to move this over a little bit so we can see their faces although it is a presentation to the board I know there parents want to see so we'll call the little ones up the board members will call them up good camera angle right here if you want to see you seeing on YouTube later on parents you can get up to get that shot we do have their pictures up on the board another good parent shot so parents caregivers Guardians if you want to get up and be here that's more than welcome we do take a group shot at the end with all of our little ones PR qk through2 and that's a fun shot so you can get over there too so now we'll start with our good evening everyone Daphne latini is nominated as the preschool student of the month [Applause] take that stand right here thank you Dr Davis I'm flip it I'm flip it Daphne's teacher says Daphne has such an infectious positive attitude she is always encouraging her classmates and teachers to practice safety and respect by always listening carefully and following directions this demonstrates how she has adopted the PBIS program of preschool swarm safety working together achievement respect and mindfulness Daphne continues to work hard and achieve her goals by practicing skills until she has mastered them she often has tons of questions and participates in classroom activities which shows her love of learning Daphne is always so excited for everything we do here at preschool she is an amazing role model when it comes to kindness friendship and learning new things this is demonstrated when she gives her peers compliments and works together to clean up the classroom finally Daphne has a great understanding of what is a more appropriate way to express and manage our feelings which shows that she has a great understanding of mindfulness we are so happy DNE is a part of our preschool classroom Community [Applause] congratulations all right next up is Elizabeth loms make sure you use the right arm for that right there all right Elizabeth Ella comp is nominated as the kindergarten student of the month in the last few months we have seen Ella blossom into a confident and determined model student in our class when faced with a challenge Ella has learned to persevere and Trust in herself to work through any situation she puts forth effort into everything she does Ella always spreads her bright personality in kindness to her peers and teachers we are so proud of the safe respectful and responsible student she is continuously growing into we are honored to nominate Ella as the kindergarten student of the month congratulations [Applause] Ella our first grade student of the month is London silver [Applause] all right London has worked hard to make academic progress this school year exemplifying the PBIS character traits she's always putting forth her best effort she shares in group discussions and is respectful to her peers and teachers you can count on London to make sure everyone is included she shows responsibility by completing classwork and homework on time she's always one of the first ones to uh first ones ready modeling how to be responsible London safely moves around the classroom and always she stops and listens carefully to directions we're proud of London's hard work uh the hard work she's exhibited in first grade keep up the great work [Applause] London Ava Millard is our second grade student [Applause] the a millet is nominated as the second grade student of the month her teacher says it has been a pleasure to watch aa's enthusiasm and confidence grow this year and to see her recognize her own strengths as a dedicated and hardworking student she's a child who often has a smile on her face as she she reads on her own who excitedly reads creative stories and shares with uh shares them with her teachers and who Embraces new ideas in math with careful practice she proudly demonstrates respectful responsible and safe behavior in the classroom each day and is kind to her teachers and classmates she's also she's also so funny and friendly congratulations [Applause] AA our third grade student of the month is Michael [Applause] Green Michael's teacher writes throughout the school year Michael has exemplified Roar behaviors day in and day out Michael engages with teachers students and staff respectfully and is a pleasure to have in class he displays ownership by always turning in assignments on time and actively participating and discussions Michael shows achievement by checking in with his teachers and consistently practicing new skills especially with his multiplication facts those are tricky Michael arrives at school with a positive and responsible attitude and he is always ready to learn he cares about his education and his classmates he checks in on other students and makes sure they feel included his hard work and determination have not gone unnoticed and it has been rewarding for his teacher to see him grow as a student congratulations Michael the grade four student of the month is Dallas [Applause] Wesley Dallas's teacher says that Dallas shows respect to his teachers and classmates by following classroom expectations he always works well in groups and gets along well with others he takes ownership for his learning by participating in class discussions asking questions and following directions Dallas shows achievement by focusing on his work and completing assignments on time he shows responsibility by keeping his materials organized being prepared for class each day and asking for help when needed Dallas continues to show the RO expect ations and is a model to other students he is always willing to lend a helping hand to his teachers and peers when needed his teacher is proud to nominate him as the fourth grade student of the [Applause] month Charlie Martin is nominated as the fifth grade student of the month throughout the school year Charlie has exemplified Roar behaviors day in and day out Charlie is respectful of all her classmates and any adult she may encounter throughout the day she is inclusive of all students and goes out of her way to help others who may need it one of the ways that Charlie has demonstrated ownership is to ask for help and to reach out to her teachers for clarification or support when you think of an active listener in the classroom Charlie is the model student she is always on task and pushes herself to show Mastery of skills even continuing to work on things outside of her school day she has shown great strength and achievement because of her hard work she demonstrates responsibility on a daily basis in her actions and words for these reasons and more I congratulate Charlie Martin as a student of the month at Mansion Avenue School keep roaring Charli Vivian Colona is nominated as the sixth grade student of the month conratulations the teacher says it is our pleasure to give this award to Vivan she has consistently met or exceeded expectations during this school year Vivien is respectful and courteous when she speaks to both her teachers and classmates she demonstrates achievement and ownership in her academics by turning in her assignments on time and with a high level of effort she exhibits responsibility throughout the day by having her supplies ready before being asked and by completing all makeup work on time with this type of effort we expect Vivan to finish her final year at mansion on a positive path and begin her time with the high school on a high note congratulations [Applause] Vivan gracea Zach is nominated as the seventh grade student of the month [Applause] Grace epitomizes the qualities of kindness inclusivity and dedication her involvement in Color Guard theater and her passion for Taylor Swift showcase her diverse interest and commitment to both artistic expression and Community involvement Grace's genuine compassion shines through her actions as she extends a warm welcome to peers in need and fosters a sense of belonging at her lunch T exemplifying the spirit of friendship and inclusivity excuse me despite her busy schedule with killer Garden theater Grace maintains a stellar academic record earning a place the honor Ro through her hard work and commitment to Excellence her ability to balance extracurricular activities with academic Pursuits speaks volumes about her strong work ethic and time management skills Grace's dedication to both her Artistic Endeavors and academic success coupled with her kind-hearted nature and inclusive Spirit make her a truly exceptional member of the school community and a deserving recipient of this recognition as student of the month [Applause] Jonathan Prince is nominated as e8th grade student of the [Applause] month Jonathan Fritz embodies the values of respect kindness and quiet dedication making him a standout choice for student of the month at Aon his involvement in extracurricular activities such as French Club junior high band choir and d and d Club showcase his diverse interest and commitment to the school Community Jonathan's gentle demeanor and genuine kindness are evident in his interactions with peers as he consistently demonstrates respect and compassion towards others despite his quiet nature Jonathan's impact at oton has been remarkable with his positive influence felt by all who know him Jonathan's exemplary character and contrib contributions to the school Community are a testament to his integrity and commitment to his to Excellence his ability to na navigate his academic and extracurricular Pursuits with his humility and Grace is truly commendable Jonathan's genuine kindness coupled with his quiet determination make him an invaluable asset to the Aon community and it is with great pride that we honor him as a student of the [Applause] month Ella Gregson is nominated as the ninth grade student on [Applause] Ella epitomizes the essence of academic excellence and kindness making her a shining example as this month's student of the month with straight A for the year Ella's exceptional work ethic and dedication to her studies are unmistakable her commitment to Excellence extends beyond the classroom as she approaches every assignment with diligence and enthusiasm regardless of the challenge it presents not only does Ella Excel academically but she also embodies kindness and generosity always willing to assist her peers and contribute to the classroom environment by taking on additional tasks when she finishes early Ella's remarkable progress in art this year serves as a testament to her resilience and determination to grow and improve in all aspects of her education her positive attitude and willingness to tackle new challenges with grace and patience make her a cherished member of the school Community Ella's outstanding academic achievements coupled with her compassionate nature and unwavering commitment to Excellence make her truly deserving of this recognition congratulations [Applause] good evening everybody Talia Bettis is nominated as the 10th grade student of the month Talia exemplifies both acade excuse me Talia exemplifies Excellence both academically and in her growing role as a leader among her peers making her a stand handout choice for student of the month at oton with a commendable GPA this markting period talia's commitment to her studies is evident but it's her willingness to go above and beyond that truly sets her Apart Her remarkable ability to balance her own academic Pursuits while also providing support to her peers reflects her selflessness and dedication to the success of those around her but distinguish with Tally is not just her academic prow but her natural leadership qualities that shine through in group settings particularly during labs and activities she effortlessly takes on the role of a guide and Mentor fostering collaboration and ensuring that everyone in the room is engaged and empowered talia's proactive approach to seeking help when needed and her adeptness at leading by example make her an invaluable asset to the autobond community and it is with great pride that we recognize her as this month's outstanding student [Applause] Olivia white congratulations Olivia white is nominated as the 11th grade student of the month Olivia white shines brightly as aon's Junior student of the month embodying the essence of dedication and academic Excellence her remarkable GPA this year is a testament to to her unwavering commitment to her studies and her Relentless P pursuit of Excellence Beyond her academic achievements Olivia is deeply engaged in school activities and community service demonstrating her compassion and Leadership skills as the manager of both cross country and track she has showcased her organizational proudness and dedication to teamwork moreover her active involvement in interact teens to teens Spanish club a National Honor Society where she holds officer positions underscores her commitment to serve others and making a positive impact within the school Community Olivia's exemp um exemplary work ethic positive attitude and Leadership qualities make her a true role model for her peers at Aon high school she not only excels academically but also dedicates her time and energy to giving back to her school and Community Olivia's contributions as a leader within various clubs and organizations exemplifies her dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all students her passion for service and commitment to Excellence make her a deserving recipient of this recognition and we are proud to celebrate Olivia as aabon Junior's student of the month Ona yug eir is nominated as the 12th grade student Ona embodies the essence of dedication and compassion making her an outstanding candidate for student of the month as a counseling office age she consistently surpasses Expectations by readily offering her assistance and going the extra mild her involvement in initiatives like words have weight demonstrates her commitment to not only her own growth but also to nurturing the development of younger students Ona's impact extends Beyond administrative duties her patients Poise and expertise as a tutor have profoundly influenced a fellow students academic Journey with her departure imminent due to graduation Ona leaves behind a legacy of kindness leadership and academic Excellence that will resonate throughout the halls of our school in addition to our academic achievement achievements Ona's involvement in various extracurricular activities further illustrates her well-rounded character as a member of interact the tennis team French Club and environmental Club she actively contributes to both her school and Community her decision to pursue Finance at mclair State University reflects her determination to continue making a positive impact on the world On's humility integrity and unwavering commitment to helping others serve as an inspiration to her peers and exemplify the qualities of a true leader we're proud to recognize Ona knowing that her future endeavors will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the world [Applause] and now we are doing the February senior class student of the month Ariana [Applause] Bitner Ariana Bitner is nominated as the 12th grade student of the month for February Ariana is truly deserving of the student of the month recognition for her outstanding qualities both inside and outside the classroom Ariana possesses an exceptional ability to connect with her peers as evidenced by her kind and compassionate personality whether she's working with a lab partner or contributing to a group project Ariana seamlessly acclimates to any situation with a positive spirit fostering a collaborative and supportive environment her diligence and commitment to academic Excellence shine through in her impressive 98.7 GPA from working Period 2 a testament to her unwavering work ethic and dedication to her studies Beyond her academic achievements Ariana's character is highlighted by her honesty politeness and a delightful sense of humor that brightens the atmosphere around her she is not only a stellar student but also a well-rounded individual who excels in multiple domains additionally Ariana's commitment to her physical well-being is evident as a three- sport athlete her participation in sports showcases her determination discipline and ability to balance academics with extracurricular AC activities Ariana Bitner is an exemplary student who embodies the qualities of a well-rounded individual making her a true asset to our school Community congratulations so if I can have all the students of the month come with me over here how we looking good okay [Music] smile smile [Music] once again congratulations to all of our students of the month and family thank you very much for joining us tonight you're welcome to stay but we certainly understand you need to leave thank you e e an interview and you've been waiting so patiently I appreciate that but as as you may soon find out being on a board is never predictable as far as the timeline is concerned sometimes so may I have a motion to um go into executive session again motion second all in favor any opposed for how long 30 minutes 30 minutes at most e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e in the Board of Education meeting all in favor any opposed all right thank you for your patience we deeply appreciate it um at this time I am going to open the meeting to public comment if there is anyone who would like to make a public comment on what the Board of Education should consider in a candidate to fill this vacancy what qualities um what traits what do you think the Board of Education should be looking for please don't mention individual candidate names we're looking more for generalities qualities traits that we would be looking for in a potential candidate um all of our stipulations regarding public comment that are stated in the agenda apply so I'll open that session now if there's anyone who would like to comment in generalities all right seeing none I will close that public comment session oh one okay sorry you can just good evening toar every evening members of the board my name is Mark Hansen I'm a resident of Aon I live at 245 Crystal Lake Avenue uh I'm here on behalf of a certain candidate that you've asked me not to speak on however I have produced a letter of recommendation to the board on behalf of this particular candidate so I would hope that you would review that letter and uh give it consideration because it does reflect the qualities that you are seeking as a former board local board member in another town I have served on the library board and the municipal or Utilities Board of another Township and the most important thing most important quality for a local uh board member is the ability to listen if you cannot listen and hear the requirements of the community then you're lost so if you have that ability and I believe that the person that I recommended has that ability uh then uh you will be select elting the right candidate so uh I hope that you will reflect on that letter of recommendation and uh good luck making the selection thank you thank you all right seeing no one else I will close this session for the public comments so the purpose of this portion of the meeting is to the vacant board seat which was a result of Miss vri's resignation which will be effective May 1st 2024 and the procedure F filling a vacancy can be found in our bylaws it's number 0143 the position was advertised in the retrospect newspaper and on the district website and the candidates here this evening are individuals who submitted letters of interest and resumés for the vacancy in the time frame that was set forth so we'd like to welcome all the candidates that are with us this evening and thank you for your interest I know a lot of us in our uh individual conversations remarked at how grateful we were to see multiple members of the community put forth their names to be considered so we we really um we appreciate that deeply also please know that several of us at this table have been in the exact same position that you are in this evening um and even our student Representatives based in interviewing process and all of us have faced the rigors of campaigning and being in the hot seat so to speak so we um we have great empathy for you as candidates and we want you to know that we approach the interviewing process with um great humility and and with respect um we will draw names to determine the order of interviews for this evening and um the candidate that's selected first will go first and the remaining candidates will be escorted across the hallway um to to wait until it is their turn just so that you know our board secretary Mrs Ron case will be um asking the questions on the board's behalf so that the board can listen um effectively and concentrate on the responses so um Mrs Ron case we will ask you to draw the names for the order like we should have a drum sure first candidate is Joe Miller just to show this to everybody too also ation I got signed by people to and just from the school Association my achievement pass around yeah let's pick yeah number two Megan Gan I'm sorry if I mispronounced your last name but number two number three Sarah culin right here number four we have Tera Ganon and our again just to be transparent and show it Chris per Pro I [Music] apologize okay so Mr Miller will remain with us and then the rest of the candidates will U go across the hallway with Dr have you guys been good I'm good yes Joe how's it going Sor either way we have nine questions um for you um each question should be only about a minute to two minutes okay especially now we're a little bit behind so uh first the first question is briefly discuss why you would like to be a board member and is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board well I guess for me it's really I just want to see some interaction between the community and the school board I just want to help develop that um bond between the two really as a rotary president I feel that that's a real big essential part of just getting anything done within the district with parents involvement as well as um just getting volunteerism done in in throughout the city just getting some good benefits made to the people just really showing that school board is here for all students and we're just here to um give the parents a voice thank you no problem in what school district or community activities or organizations have you been involved So currently as I said I'm the rotary president for the audon hand Township Oakland rotary um alongside that I did sit with you guys on the board from 2020 to this past election 2023 and with that I was on the School Board Association board directors represented Cy County and I also served on the Cy County Educational Services Commission repr presenting Aon as well thank you um have you attended any board meetings either in public or virtually I have I have virtually recently and when I was in the board I would be in person and what is a school what is a school board's members role and responsibility just really being a voice for the students just making sure the students get the um resources they need just making sure that that they have what they need to strive no matter um what tools even if they need some extra help making sure that we get every kid this Finish Line and get them to graduate and be successful in their academic Endeavors what are two to three strengths of which our district can be proud and why do you see these as strengths so as I said we do have to build a community bond between them but I also see that's in the works currently I do see that you guys you participate in the 4th of July parade other than that I did see that there was that one day of awareness I forget which which diseas um I forgive me but you guys had where you wore um Mitch Max Mitch Max socks that one day just like Express um some awareness for that one cause um so and I really just see that you guys make sure that every teacher's account for also you really do make sure that every teacher has the resources supplies they need to make sure the students can succeed um a weakness I do see is recently it's the budget cut I mean that's not the school's fault that's just with the state we have to deal with it um but I see that Finance is a big issue that we face so I would like to see some more budgeting done um making sure that monies are allocated to the department that we need I think you answer my next question which was what are two to three needs that must be priorities for our district and address why do you see them as needs yeah so again like probably the finances we need to see those increased um because of the budget cut and everything um Community involvement as I've been saying and just really mental health making sure we focus on the student's mental health as well by possibly getting more counselors in the school system um and making sure that they're all they're all healthy mentally and physically and what do you see as the relationship between a member and first the superintendent second faculty and staff and third the community so with the superintendent we basically the superintendent he gets involved on the day-to-day basis that is not our job we make sure he delegates and is able to um monitor school as much as he has to with the community we are the we have a voice I feel like we have to be completely transparent to the community we have to tell them exactly what's going on because they depend on us to know what's going on um behind the school walls and with the students where their where their stepping stone to success in my eyes um we really make sure that they get what they need and make sure like I've been saying make sure that they can have successful career even if it's going to college or to trade this this appointment concludes on December 31st with that in mind do you plan to compl this appointment I I do and do you plan to have your name on the ballot in November for election to the board of education for the next term yes and do you plan to seek any other elected position in November not in November now and would you like to share any final comments or thoughts um not really I mean I may if you guys have any questions for me I feel free to to answer for you I know because I my resummation everything previously I don't know have any questions regarding that or anything um but really my final thoughts are just I to make sure the students have what they need I'm gonna if I get elected if I get put back put on I'll make sure that every student has a voice not just a particular group and it's just everyone has a say thank you guys okay thank you Mr Miller um you can uh go across the hall and wait because as you know a decision will be made once we've interviewed got it thank you are you texting I I you person shows up well yeah he go hi welcome hello how you doing well thank you for your patience yeah sure no worries so I'll be answering asking all the questions and we have nine questions for you um lasting between like one to two minutes for your answers okay yeah so briefly discuss why you would like to be a board member and is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board I am excited for an opportunity for a seat on the board because I have two young children my oldest is four and she's at Odon preschool and so I'm really um invested at this point in my life in my community I've been a member of the udon Community for 21 years I've lived here since I was 13 I as a like newer young parent am thrilled about the education that my daughter is receiving at the preschool and this was kind kind of like my fiveyear plan to apply for the board but since the seat opened I figured why not and um I've been a teacher for nine years in Philadelphia and have invested a lot into that community and been on lots of different um boards and teams and held a lot of different roles in my community in Philadelphia so now I'm kind of ready for like this phase of My Life um as a parent and with ro here for a long time that's why it like to be on the board I don't know a lot of the intricacies of uh like the education system in udon just because my parents sented to K the Catholic so I still here um and I also I'm just not familiar with the system right now but F learner thank you um in what school in what school district or community activities or organizations have you been involved I a member of the PTA I am on the uh Early Childhood advisory for the preschool and I am a te ball coach go watermelons I am a room mom feel like there's one more thing I'm missing yeah I've gotten myself into it this year very thank you um have you attended any board Mee board meetings either public or virtual I have not um what is a school school board members role and responsibility I think to be a a representation of the community as a whole to speak for the interest of families but also to speak for the interest of students at the heart of it so to like be continuously student centered and really thought about what will be best for the future of kids what two more three strengths of which our district can be proud and why do you see these as strengths I was just talking about this with my husband at dinner the other night because although we're what is it like seven months into the school year we've only been parents of a child in the school district for seven months the uh thoughtfulness around Community from the teacher aspect is so powerful just teaching I've been at the same school in Philadelphia for eight years right now um and just teaching there the involvement that we ask of parents as a school is pretty minimal um but what I've seen just from age four um how teachers at the preschool are asking kids to be like a part of community there's a TR on there's a trunk Retreat there's like neighborhood play dates down the block from us we live right on Washington Terrace so we walked down there last weekend like just this focus on community and I know that's a community thing but um this focus on like being involved from a young age I think is really really cool so um like I said I don't know the intricacies just yet of the uh education system in aabon but from what I've seen so far that's a really big strength for me and then what are two to three needs that must be priori priorities of our district to address why do you see them at needs um I am going to be super straightforward and that I don't know just because I haven't really been privy to it I am excited to learn and thought partner through some of the things that you all are currently working on um but yeah I would never try to make something up and what do you see as the relationship between a board member and first the superintendent second the faculty and staff and third the community so the superintendent from my understanding is like the board's employee right so we make the decision about hiring the superintendent period okay um and faculty staff was the next one yeah okay so I would say probably as the liaison between faculty and staff and just big decisions made in the you know throughout the district um probably with the idea behind as long as teachers are taken care of then we know students will be taken care of and then third was Community okay um just to be a representative of the community to be really involved in the community to know um the personality of the community and what families and caregivers want out of the board then this appointment concludes on December 31st so with that in mind do you plan to complete this appointment yes and then do you plan to have your name on the ballot in November for election to the board of education for the next term yeah absolutely I would probably seek um the expertise at the table just to see how you all thought I did so far but yeah for sure I'd love to and do you plan to seek any other elected position in no I do not and then would you like to share any final comments or Thoughts with us just that I would be really excited to be a part of this I think that it's um really important it's important to me to be involved in a lot of different ways I would be really really exced excited to be on the board um I love being part of the team yeah of course nice to see you all thank you very much so we're gonna ask you just to go across the hall again um because I I don't think I made this clear that um once we have interviewed everyone the board will go into executive session again and we'll make our decision so you won't have to have to wait much Beyond um when the okay thank you thank you for they come all right well thank you for joining us app it I'm gonna ask the questions we have nine questions um for you to answer and we're doing them between like one to two minute answers okay right soly why you would like to be a board member and is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board so I think that it's a really exciting time for the board with the selection of a new superintendent and the upcoming strategic planning process um so having attended a lot of the meetings and paying attention to what's going on within the dist within the district um it just seems really interesting to me to be part of that process as these changes are happening just very invested because I have kids in the district and as a taxpayer I know that the strength and quality of a school district impacts our property values helps bring in new families helps bring in qualified staff um so I like the idea of just being part of that process to make sure that we're as good of a school district as we can be um in terms of what I could bring to the board um I have quite a bit of experience in the mental health field I've been working for about 18 years in that setting I was sad to see Miss Patria suan or Sullivan Patria leaving because I know that she brought that experience to the board um I've made some public comments at board meetings about mental health impacts when related to certain policies and things like that and so I just like the idea of having someone on the board whether it's me or someone else to provide that perspective while forming new policies and considering how that could impact students mental health thank you um in what school district or community activities and organizations have you been involved I have volunteered for the Manion Avenue uh Holiday Market um on the planning to some degree and then certainly the day of and the day before um just help make it a successful event I'm very involved in the community as well I'm part of the audabon celebration committee we plan audabon day and the Fourth of July activities it's um a yearround thing with a lot of hours and a lot of work it's just very gratifying to see the community come together at these events have you attended any board meetings either in public or virtual I believe this is probably only my second meeting of 2024 but I'm guessing I've attended four or five this school year so far um when I can't attend in person I often follow up on the YouTube videos after the fact or I look at the agenda just to get a an idea of what was discussed um and I was part the superintendent focus group process as well what is a school board members role and responsibility I see the school board member as a representative of the community so making sure that the voices of the community are heard and brought to the district um hopefully in a collaborative relationship with the superintendent and other administrative staff um I did a little bit of research on what does the school board actually to do um and I saw that one of the points is on policy so looking at kind of The Guiding principles to give to the superintendent regarding how to structure the school district and then give that person the tools to um see their plan through um there's the planning process as well so that's giving some parameters around the budget and ultimately approving the budget there's approving curriculum that's brought forward theend superintendent um there's an appraisal component on the board where you're looking at the um the strengths of the superintendent how well are they meeting the goals that they set forth and doing doing good service to the community and then um finally it's communication with the community that two-way communication hearing from community members about what's important to them and then also communicating with them about what the board is doing what two three strengths of which our district can be proud and why do you see these as strengths so first off I have to me mention Mansion Avenue School right they got the School of Excellence the word School of character I believe it's called um through their PBIS program um I was fortunate enough to work as a substitute teacher um at Mansion briefly in 2022 and so I got to see the PBS program in practice and really saw how the students were motivated by that um another strength of the district I think is doing the research into what curriculum are evidence-based and effective and when you look at the njsla results you can almost see the break in what kids were under certain um curriculum versus what kids burn and so I really feel like the district has done a good job at implementing certain curriculum or policies to help students um and you said two or three yes leave it at that you okay and then what are two to three needs that must be priorities for our district to address and why do you see these as needs well I suspect that with a new superintendent coming in there's going to be a period of change and upheaval to some degree um as the new superintendent comes in with maybe their own priorities about what they see as being important for the school district but meanwhile the board having already established as well so I think there's going to be a process of developing that relationship to have a cohesive um tie between the two and so I think that that could be an opportunity for challenge potentially um but it's also an opportunity for growth too um communication is something that as a parent I've had some concerns about with the board um an example that I could give is that we get an email saying that there was a security exerc at the school today but it doesn't give any kind of detail about what the security exercise was so as a parent I'm wondering well is that just a fire drill in which case I don't feel like I really need to process that through with my kids or was it a lockdown drill um you know because there's are things that I want to talk to them about just to make sure they're feeling safe and any feelings that might have come out during these drills we can work through together as a family so I do think that that's an opportunity that the that the district could improve their Communication in than you and then what do you see as the relationship between a board member and first the superintendent second faculty staff and third the community uh relationship with the superintendent is I alluded to this earlier one of the appraisal is the superintendent doing the job that they set out to do but also hopefully a collaborative relationship so that the board is able to give the superintendent the resources that the district needs but then also listen to feedback from the super intendent in terms of what's going well what's not um the policy might look good on paper but in practice it might not work out as well so giving that feedback back to the board so that the board can make needed changes uh in terms of faculty and staff I'm not as clear on this point um I know that the staff Union will sometimes come to these meetings and bring uh their concerns and I imagine that those are cases where they feel the administration hasn't adequately addressed their concerns or they're unhappy with the result of that um in terms of communication the other way it's hard for me to imagine that the board has very much direct communication with the faculty or staff I would think that that would go more down through the channel the superintendent as ultimate supervisor of the faculty but that's something that I would have to learn um and then the relationship with Community again I think the board is the representative of the community so listening to the things that matter to the community um he complaints or crazes and taking the recommendations of the superintendent but also keeping in mind the feedback from the community to try to find a a compromise between the two or just have a larger view of how everyone is viewing different policies or actions and uh this appointment concludes on December 31st so with that in mind do you to complete this appointment yeah I've considered running for the board several times over the past couple years and just it wasn't the right time for my family and with um my work schedule and things like that my work schedule is lower now than it used to be and so it just felt like the right time to make that commitment that I've been considering for a while so yeah if I get on I would like to pursue the three-year term as well oh that was my next question oh okay and then um do you plan toek any other elected position in November yeah and then would you like to share any final comments ORS I just appreciate the opportunity to be here before you I was excited to see that there's five candidates because honestly I didn't know that there would be that much interest um I trust all of you to know what um what gaps there might be in terms of experience or perspectives or things like that and what could help increase the um the bre of the experience that you all bring and so whatever decision you make I'll continue to be here and that's not a threat but I'll continue to be here at the meetings just because I I want to be involved and I want to be informed so thank you all for your time thank thank you so much um so I'm not sure I don't think I explained it correctly or completely um so we'll have you go back across the hall we're going to continue on with the interviews then we will go into executive again deliberate decision and then come back and and announce the appointment so you won't have to wait days and days to find out the the decision okay all right thank you so next we havea yeah impressed I think is is we just had a really wide wonderful she graduated oh did she gr hello good evening welcome we'll have you sit right there and as I did say Mrs Ron case is GNA um ask the question so that we can listen okay okay tar I'm going to ask nine questions and then if your answers could be um one to two minutes all right um so briefly discuss why you would like to be a board member and is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on board um I was interested in this position because I have been a student for the majority of my life at this point and I know how important it's been to me and the thought of being able to improve that for other people is something that I'm very passionate about I mean I even uh tutor right now so I'm even interested in like the teaching aspect and I think that it's just really important to help as much as we can as early as we can because it really just benefits everyone later on uh as for particular issues I don't not really I think I really want to and address the concerns that other people have in the community and I just want to be very open to any issues and not just be like nitpicking thank you in what school district for community activities or organizations have you been involved in uh well I when I I was a u student here in the ottoman District uh for from havlin up through uh the high school and and I was involved in a lot of things in the school um including things like the honors program and the different um like interact programs as for following that uh I am very active in my school as well in things again like the honors program there as well as the academic success that we have and have you attended any board meetings either in public or virtually uh not for the school and then what is a school board member's role and responsibility uh I think that the role and responsibility is to be a kind of like a Midway point for the community to go between what is happening uh in the school for the children and the community who might not have any direct access to it otherwise I think it's about hearing the concerns from all perspectives and being able to address things that we might not think about as just a board member by themselves so I think we are larger voice like as a m what two to three straints of which our district can be proud of and why do you see these uh for the district itself correct I think that uh one strength would just be how um being open and being I should say uh very public not nothing behind closed doors it's open communication it's being honest with the community I I think that's a very important strength because it builds trust among the people that we are essentially serving uh I think another strength is kind of what I said but this honesty is being upfront not only about the things that we are doing well but also about things that we might want to work on it's knowing it's making everyone knows exactly what's happening and not just keeping the bad stuff or things or issues that we might be currently having under long and then what are two to three needs that must be priorities for our district to address and why do you see these as I think we need to address uh I think a big issue right now um is making sure that all students are being recognized I think this is just a problem that is always or a need that always has been around and always will be in that there is and will always be under represented students and they need and they need to be not prioritized but recognized and engaged with and that is going to help um just the whole community and the education system I think uh we also need to look at um how the community feels about the school district and that concerns are very valid and that I think sometimes as um when you're hearing so many different things at once it's really important like but um hearing so many different perspectives from so many people it becomes hard to understand what the real need is and that it really needs to be um considered like what is most important and how everyone like is important and then what do you see as the relationship between a board member and first the superintendent second staff and third um the relationship with the superintendent uh I mean we're two cogs on the same machine if um if you will and We're working directly I mean the superintendent is working to better the school system and making sure that uh they know everything that's happening in it to make the best decisions and a board will know will have an even bigger idea because they are the ones in direct communication with the public most often so they're the ones who can relay information and make sure the superintendent really knows um what's happening as for uh the staff at the schools and the community both like um I said before we are like a spokesperson in a way um a a board member is able to hear concerns and issues and even the good things compliments and be able to share them as they need to be shared and taken them into consideration and and use them I think um because there is so much so many people in the staff and all different positions we have to recognize that it might be hard for them to individually have a voice or know or more important where to go if they have an issue or concern and this is just a centralized uh point for that and the same kind of goes with the community as well thank you so this appointment concludes on December 31st so with that in mind do you plan to complete this appointment yes and then do you plan to have your name on the ballot in November for election to the board of education for the next term yes and then you plan to seek any other elected position in November uh no right now and then uh would you like to share any final comments or Thoughts with us um no just that I'm happy that this is something that I can uh attempt to take part in or at least have come this far I think that um it's very hard sometimes to get younger people interested or even know that it's a possibility and I just like knowing that this is an opportunity and hoping that I can even share to other people like hey look out for things like this opportunities thank you very much may I ask how you did find out because I I shared the same thought with someone of your age how did you find out about the the opening um I actually heard kind of through the grap Vine um I uh people talking about it I know some people in the community and they would talking about how this was an open position and kind of just like vaguely mentioned it and me being like Oh that's kind of thing um and then I did look it up on the Facebook great P okay yeah thank you all right so we're going to finish up with the interviews and then the board's going to go into executive again um come to a you know deliberate and come to a decision and then we will come back out and announce who will have the appointments okay so hang thank really hello [Music] Mr hello all right welcome as I said Mrs ronas is going to ask questions on our behalf okay evening um we have nine questions for you to answer and we're asking your answers be between one to two minutes per question okay okay we're not timing but okay um so briefly discuss why you would like to be a board member and is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board um I previously served on this board and I learned an incredible amount while serving on this board and as I continue my education at Rowan earning a masters in administration I see the educational value of being on a board and learning through experiencing all of these things in fact I'm even here as part of my field experience requirement for that Masters through Rome so part of the reason I'm applying is to learn from being on the board and I really deeply am grateful for the time that I had before thank you um in what school district or community activities and organizations have you been involved so I'm currently a teacher in City at the early childhood development center next to Cen high and I served in the capacity as a union representative for the building and um I do a number of donors choose projects to raise materials for my students um I'm a parent in the aont community My Two children reside and go to these schools so uh I forget the question can you repeat the question so uh what are you involved in any or a act you know activities through the school district or the community yeah so right now it's mostly I'm pursuing things through Roman University and I'm also engaged with the njaa and the ca the local union in my school district main thank you um have you attended any board meeting board meetings either in public or virtual uh a number and what is a school board member's role and responsibility uh yes I I believe the school board member's duty is to be the eyes and ears of the public to represent the interests of the taxpaying residents and towns people to make sure that the schools are properly administered and run according to the wishes of the board you um what two to three strengths of which our district can be proud why do you see that p uh I went to oton and so I believe in the tradition of Pride and excellence and it instilled in me a deep faith in public education as an institution of our democracy and I believe udon teaches that to the graduates of this school district I believe the sports program is amazing and we see that as evidence with our our different teams Winning State Champions championships and and I also believe the Arts are amazing and I was a part of the choir here and uh I have every faith that that will continue and I would serve on the board to make ensure that those things continue and then what are two to three needs that must be priorities to our district to address and why do you see these as needs um the first and foremost would be the expansion of the preschool program that U there's a waiting list for parents in the community that want to take advantage of the preschool program I'm in a preschool early childhood development is in in CET and I believe in it I believe it's the best chance to inspire children at an early age to love learning and to completely enjoy and love their time in school and I think Aon should really be pushing to expand it as much and as soon and as as possible and what do you see as the relationship between aard M and the first superintendent second fac and staff and third the community all right um the board is there to set policy and to vote and to represent the Public's interest the chief School administrator the superintendent is there to administer the schools so we are like the legislative body that votes on the rules and the laws and he is the enactor and executor of those laws the what were the other ones uh faculty and staff faculty and sta so the faculty and staff are their own entities and they have their unions and they Advocate vociferously for what is best for them as stakeholders and I believe their job is to make sure that the curriculum that we all believe in and agree upon and certainly teaching about women's health is part of that important part of that curriculum that we would I would advocate for but it's to deliver the state approved curriculum uh for the staff and then the last stakeholder group you mentioned Community the community uh we're here to serve the community we're here to listen to their interests and respond to um their their voice then uh this appointment concludes on December 31st so with that in mind do you plan to complete this appointment and do you plan to have your name on the ballot in November for election to the board of ed for the next term um as many as many of you know I resigned with about a year left in my commitment to the board and I would see this as a way to fulfill that promise to the community that I was unable to finish the term I was elected to and there's about a year left on this term and I would consider it a public service to come back and be able to serve that that remainder of this year about putting my name on the ballot I think I would I think I would but I'm not 100% sure and I will be completely honest about that that uh it is a lot and it's a not a commitment that should be taken easily and lightly and so I know I can finish this year and give my time to the board in their filling of this empty seat and most likely I would put my name on the ballot for the next election but I want to be honest about that it's a big decision and then do you plan to seek any other elected position in November uh no only the school board position yeah and then would you like to share any final comments or Thoughts with us um yes just that I did resign that position before and it is a big regret I know now that I feel regret about it that I understand how important it is to serve the community and how much I've learned from being on the board and I miss that experience and that being in the mix of it all so uh that's definitely something I've learned as a result of of walking away so there's that thank you yep thank you for your time okay so you sort of know we're we're finished with the interviews we're going to go into executive uh have a decision and then we'll come back out again and announce okay so I know so go chill with them yeah all right are in there teachers on teachers in the teachers yeah I think youed yeah you guys can come back in thank you all right um You have a motion to go into ex session second any all in favor any oppos okay we'll be 15 minutes yeah you're right e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e is motion second all in favor any oppos okay once again I just want to thank all the candidates for their time and their uh consideration being here this evening um we're we're in a little bit of a tight time frame here between this meeting and our next meeting so pending completion of paperwork and background checks the person selected this evening most likely will be sworn in at the May 8th meeting um and then we'll serve the remainder the term for the calendar year until December 2024 December 31st um and then just to reiterate in November this seat will be on the ballad again um so I I I I encourage um you know the other four candidates to to please put their name on the ballot for uh for election in November um obviously you thought it was a worthwhile Endeavor coming out tonight to talk to us uh and to go through this process so you obviously believe in um um being a board member um we couldn't say enough about um how nice it was to meet you and to speak with you we all view it as a as a very worthwhile Endeavor um an act of service for us so we we strongly encourage you to seek election in November and and hope that you will take that opportunity if you do keep in mind um that there's a petition that needs to be filled out and it needs to be submitted to the county office by Monday July 29th um you can check our website for information on that or go to the County website or speak to any one of us because we've been through the process as well all right um without any further Ado um I need um board member to please make a motion for the selected candidate yes Madam president I would move to approve Sarah kman to serve the remainder of Miss's unexpired ter we have a second for the motion second all right um any um discussion comments or questions from board members um one thing that we appreciated was that you've come to many me meetings and have spoken about issues that are pertinent to the district yeah in addition in addition to that we thought that Miss gulan uh best um explained and understood the school board's members roles and responsibilities the situation that we're currently in with onboarding superintendent what that's going to take including um the process of strategic planning and um the relationship that uh the school board has with the superintendent when it comes to setting goals uh evaluating the superintendent and um we're proing that planning process and I believe we all appreciated when you had your daughter come in and be a part of watch the meetings and then speak concerns and actually be part of democracy in progress and so in my mind she's a mini board member any other comments or discussion please all right then I will call for roll call please mark Gaddy yes Alison lipsky yes Jonathan maon yes Andrea Robinson yes Bill Wilson St Wilson yes Jim blumenstein yesy Davis yes motion passed all right uh congratulations to miss Co Mrs uh Mrs Ron will be in touch to kind of talk to you about the next steps and then Dr Davis and I will also be in touch just to set up a meeting so that we can just kind of introduce you to the process and and um also our new board member committee will be in touch with you too about some orientation okay all right and again thank you to you all we we appreciate your your time and and efforts this evening thank you just want to say thank you so much we're really impressed with you just get a little more seasoning under your belt and really do some of that research comprehensive view of very we very appreciate I'm very impressed really I'm see I figed for the last name oh yeah she's cool she's really and you I mean you just you don't see behind the curtain but I think that you yeah I appreciate it thanks for coming of course keep going in the neighborhood the neighborhood take care sorry sorry all right now we actually get to begin the meeting 9 all right any District reports oh no we will superintendent report all right uh may I have a motion to approve the the following minutes I'm not going to read all those dates as listed on page four of the agenda motion second roll call please yes Jonathan Max yes Andrea yes B Wilson yes St Wilson yes jimin yes Mark G yes thank you all right uh we're moving on to the um public participation session for agenda items only I am not going to read through all the legal there on page five um is there anybody that wishes to make a comment on agenda items only at this time all right seeing none I'll close that public participation session and move on to U governance I'd like to recognize Miss lipsky thank we have a couple of policies the pig I guess one would say the Pig and the python would be 1642.1 sure I will use those words I would totally use those words um so um would be the sick Lea policy it's new it's state regulation it basically caused ripples amongst I think every feel like almost every committee had their hands on the S leue policy because it had such overreaching overarching and overreaching uh ramifications essentially uh this is the first reading although we've read it a couple times because we had some questions Human Resources kind of punted it to us we we looked at it still had some concerns they were directed to miss Karen I believe if I understand correctly because the sick leave now becomes this overarching umbrella that covers bement and FMLA and everything but then we still in our collective bargaining so with the the unions bargaining we still have those FMLA and bement and different things so one of our questions was just to clarify not FMLA not FMLA sorry not FMLA but it seemed like light kind of sure the you're you have a separate FMLA policy um that is consistent with law and the rule here in aabon is that your sick leave runs concurrently with FMLA when an FMLA leave um is approved yes thank you and I think our concern too was that we have bement time and then this sick leave covers the bement as well and I believe the answer was you're to use your bement time first and then if you need extra time then it would go to Sly yes the the the way the law is written um it specifically states that with the implementation of the new sickle law you get these additional entitlements but it cannot diminish any entitlement already granted in a collective bargaining agreement okay so that was pretty much our question because we're just wondering how those two work together so that was the answer so you're going to use your B time first and then if you need extra time and you have the sick leave available you would then use the sick leave yes correct that was a question I think that both Human Resources had and uh governance that has now been answered and so we you're fine with it in regarding to attendance that was attendance for staff and certificated staff and non-certificated staff really didn't have any fundamental changes and eligibility of Resident non-resident students there we needed some clarification because it was also talking about um you have to charge students um but or not charge but if you had to what amount it's uh I believe we are going with the amount that is set by the um superintendent of the entire County well it's really State it's a we we file the state there's amount that districts it's identified in regards to students and it it changes um K5 is a rate 670 that is ultimately approved by the county superintendent Y and um so there was a question of what can we and can we not cannot do so we can charge students that you know are coming here but are not residents of our town um through K through six however we cannot in the junior senior high school because we're a school of choice so there is no charge of them um and that pretty much is the only change um as to the two um titles that have been abolished that's basically because other policies have come into place but we had to wait until this meeting so that it sinks up and we're not abolishing something that still is in use and that's basically it okay no comments no coms any questions comments discussion on non-agenda items for governance um non-agenda is that the public speaking on agenda items no we're not the public session is not open at this time thank you yep okay can I get a motion then on item number items number one and two motion second all right any questions comments discussion on items number one and two I have a question on one so um I apologize I was not able to attend the last meeting I just want to confirm that the blackout dates were there was discussion of the assciation about those they have the they have the policy um AA and I met today they have it they have it for review and uh if there follow not ear okay uh my understanding is that you know they the blackout dates are somewhat negotiable you know so not really the law says that the school district can establish States um where you cannot use foreseeable leave unforeseeable leave it does not apply to unforeseeable leave but foreseeable leave um the school district can establish those dates okay well uh with that being said I thought that the language that um that you came up with and the committee came up with was very reasonable a lot of other examples out there I thought that um did a nice job writing policy we didn't call black out yeah it meets the needs of the district and also you know compels comp the district so all right um can I have roll call then please for items one and two Max yes Andrea Robinson yes Bill Wilson yes Steven Wilson yes Jim blenin yes Mark Gad yes Alison lipsky yes Amy Davis yes motion pass thank you all right uh operations in Mrs Cox's absence I'm going to ask Dr Davis to operations just now I asked him to she asked if I could and hopefully I could address every item on the agenda but um so there's typical reports that are on here I think some things um that are to note uh number nine is the bit for the NJ DCA gr project a public school Manion Avenue um this this it was for the site work that's part of the referendum work um everybody knows everybody knows that um when we went through the referendum Pro process you know we started pre pandemic and then the pandemic came and then we still pushed forward because we knew we needed things um addressed and and completed um through some additional Gramps and uh support work and then also pulling this bit together as one uh project we you know we were able to get it at um really almost at our original the original cost uh so that's wonderful I appreciate the work of colur engineering because they've been standing by us as we've gone back and forth we' bid this before and we've gone through and then we said we couldn't afford it and um you know there's been a lot of push and and job so based on on this approval I think the public should be aware the board should be aware what's included in it uh for havin Avenue um it's a back playground and there are some Grant monies that are um being put in place there um some accessibility pieces so that all our students and community members can can access that playground the front we are adding a drop off Zone in the front um so unfortunately the Big Trees coming down but everybody knows we're planting lots of trees to the to the tree brand um so for one we'll probably get 17 more trees that we're planting uh so that's nice too because we know that that street little and uh when you have to pull in and out um there'll be some guidance and direction for the community members once it's up um we're also replacing the full uh cement apron uh in the front of the building so if you've ever been out there there's been some movement um so that'll be replaced the front playground uh the asphalt will be done and then there'll be a new fence that goes along there um we're moving with like a black type vence um it's still chain link but it's nice and the presentation will look a little bit different than it does now um over at at Mansion anybody who's been on the playground in mansion knows we we've been waiting waiting waiting um so that that asphalt will be redone and then that fence two will be redone with the black it's nice there along that side street uh with the with the tree gr um we'll be moving some of the cement that goes along there and planting trees whole feel of that area will be different and then last but not least the Walnut Street uh on the side um there's some step work that needs to be done and um the original Plan called for some brick work that was going to be there we actually have now like a horseshoe which is accessible by all and potentially there'll be some plantings that can come at a future date so that whole area will be beautified and uh the remed that needs to be done will be completed as well so um really happy that we're at this point uh we did the bid process fairly quickly not quickly but we wanted to make sure it was done for today because if you know upon Port approval and we'll end up having meetings next week uh you know with the contractor and start making plans so all this work occur over the summer and when school opens in September it'll be all done how was long winded uh the other uh piece that's on here too is number 10 I I think that's important to note uh the front of a we've had uh Wonder penetration for a while did work before in the front that remediated some of the water that was going in you know the window wells are going in that's all been fixed we fixed some of the the windows on in aing um we actually need more than 11 Windows fixed but we had a a a proposal that was already put forward and the same company will come and you're going to see another one but what that will do is really uh remediate all those issues and all those windows um there's brick work that happens there's seals that happen and then also the and some clocking pieces that go through Mr ruer was pushing and pushing Mrs Ron case and I make sure they made it on this agenda because we'd like to get some of that work done now and uh we know that there's other windows so we Al you know we have another proposal that be so really great work um really uh shout out to the community in regards to the referendum uh operations committee for all the work that we've done and then bud and his crew and uh Garrison architect cers and uh New Roads uh you know there's a lot I know it's been a little warm in here today it's because the chillers on this side of the building aren't on yet but when you come back in May it will be potentially maybe to cold in air more just right just right there you that's much next one I'll be shorter next time but there we go so I need um yeah and we also discussed in operations the the budget um you'll have your presentation budget your presentation comes in May I will share I mean I will share I can share the parts of the budget that see you have me talk and then you stop talking then you say then I keep talking um we'll have more information at the May 1 but one of the things I did share with the school community and the board is aware and HR is aware um and operations is aware uh because they're all tied together um that I will not be putting forth any recommendations for production the bo said that may first which was a big side early because everybody needs to understand we had the the auditor's presentation um January is January February and we spent 98% of our budget from the last year and we know we spent even more this year which doesn't give us a lot of wiggle room and uh the building administrators have done a wonderful job and like I said I'll share more May 1 but my biggest charge was I walked in here and Miss Ron and I walked in sort of together where we had to do a fairly large reduction in force to make sure that revenues and expenditures match my goal is to make sure when I retired and I was leaving that um none of those reductions needed to happen especially with um Staffing and the administrative team did a very nice job of working through and U making sure my desires were met but we're still do to be able to deliver the curriculum um that we need for the 24 25 school year so it's a little longwinded and I'll be doing that presentation in May so I'll tell you a little bit more about where we did make additional cuts reductions collapses all right any questions or comments on non-agenda items for operations oh okay um seeings none uh can I get a motion for items one through 10 under operations motion second any questions comments or discussions for items 1 through 10 I know we briefly talked about the budget but I just want to thank you and Mr Rock Dr Davis and your team for really putting together a very tight budget without reduction foring it was a priority of the board I know was a priority of you and your team it was not easy um I appreciate your team getting creative and um have it I know we talk about that more on the first but I just wanted to point out as well all right can I have roll call please on items one through 10 under operations Andre Robson yes yesin yes thank you I'd like to recognize Miss Robinson for Education thank you the education committee met on April 10th um we had a presentation by Mrs leard about literacy at the preschool and at havin Avenue School um and then she went on to talk about the RTI [Music] program um most those two things um we discussed the summerbridge program um and who that will be including this summer um and then some of the Committees that meet um throughout the school year or the the school committees um and then we talked about the win program for seventh graders and how that will be carried up into the 8th grade and then on the agenda there's the hi report from last month approval of field trips and conferences and workshops and then a field observation by a high school student okay thank you any questions comments or discussion on non-agenda items under education all right then we'll start with um a motion please for item number one motion second roll call please Bill Wilson yes St wison yes jimin AB I wasn't there for that Mark Gad yes Alison lipsky yes Jonathan Max yes Andrea Robinson yes Davis yes motion pass thank you can I get a motion please on items 2 through eight under education Mo second any questions or comments for items two through eight all right roll call please Sten Wilson yes Jim bloomenstein yes Mark Gaddy yes Alon lipsky yes Jonathan ma yes Andrea Robinson yes Bill Wilson Amy Davis yes motion passed thank you all right moving on to Human Resources um couple of Corrections um page 11 item number one the date should be effective April 9th through April 19th 2024 number five the date should be April 8th through April 19th 2024 turning to page 12 uh again should be April 8th 2024 through April 19th 2024 Federal FMLA and then two weeks right underneath that it should say April 8th 2024 through April 19th 2024 paid leave equaling 10 sick days and then we need to strike April 30th 2024 through May 15th 2024 FMLA unpaid number seven it's uh should read to extend the Family Medical Leave Act and then it should say to run concurrently with paid s leave effective April 15 2024 through June 14th 2024 not to be extended and then um still with number seven where it says April 24th 2024 through June 14th 2024 It should read Ada leave concurrent with sick leave not to set precedent for 37 SI days no that's it number eight is all right and then I would also like to add um another item under Human Resources so this would be item number 15 this would be an addendum so we have a motion to ratify the superintendent's recommendation to place employee number 1618 on paid administrative leave from March 14th 2024 through March 27th 2024 to impose an unpaid suspension for two days prior to the close of the 2023 24 school year and require completion of superintendent approved professional development at said employees expense and to provide further administrative support through a professional Improv plan so that motion will serve as number 15 on the agenda under Human Resources all right uh the human resources committee met last evening April 16th we reviewed um open positions in the district we reviewed items on this evening's agenda we um talked a little bit about the assistant vice principal and principal job descriptions and that um some future work May include descriptions of the scope of work for various assignments such as the HIV coordinator school safety Specialists Etc um the staff directory for the Junior Senior High School has been updated to include content areas as requested so if you wanted to take a look at that just click into the agenda and you can see um the updates that were made there um just like the governance committee we had clarification given on the um the sick Le policy with regards to our contractual agement agreement our next negotiations meeting is tomorrow night at April 18th Mr Maxon was dismissed and uh we discussed our counter proposal for that negotiations meeting and looking ahead uh we're we'll be looking for an additional person to join the negotiations team when we negotiate with the administrators Association in M P's absence so just wanted to plant that little SE everyone's mind um for the agenda tonight there's motions to approve long-term substitute positions there's several types of lead the job descriptions as I mentioned um a part-time special ed power professional for the school play at Mansion approval of substitute teachers and a revision for staff members to prepare graduation portfolio assessments any questions or comments on non-agenda items all right then can I have a motion for items 1 through 15 under Human Resources motion second any questions or comments uh or discussion on items one through 15 under Human Resources all right roll call please Mrs rones Jim bloomenstein yes Mark Gaddy yes Ali yes Jonathan Maxon yes and Robinson yes Bill Wilson Steven Wilson yes Amy Davis yes motions pass thank you all right um our reports you can see the HIV district report on the agenda and then I will move on to our special program Representatives Mr Wilson anything for ed services I have nothing to report all right Mr Maxon for Canon County School boards Association nothing to report our next meting is going to be a couple of weeks so may the only reason I know the date is because it's my son's birthday so it's May 9 my calendar May 9 yeah it's made all right um Mr bloomenstein Ed Foundation they met recently I wasn't able to attend I discussion continuation discussions to ra Rue out to teachers raise awareness and rep I was there I you're right in your your your report the only other thing that they did discuss was their fall outing we've been doing or they've been doing night at the races there's a conversation about doing a casino night with the father's Association so there'll be more information that will come out in regards to that thank you all right uh Miss Robinson uh a community outreach yes we have two important events coming up the first is this Sunday it's the walk for inclusion at the track here it's at 1100 a.m. it's at 12 it's at 12 it's up there right now and and um I had the same I was under the same impression too until I attended the CPAC meeting on Thursday and it's at 12 and it's right up there so 12 12 to1 it already passed the 12 to1 at the track it's $5 for each person okay so um it would be great if everyone came out those of you who have your Aon board shirts wear them and those if you don't have them they're they're in the works you're going to get them soon um maybe just wear an Aon t-shirt so um let's all I think there's water ice afterwards there is it might cost $2 but just bring $7 um and you can have a full experience um and then the next thing is Aon day which is the following Saturday um I've got four shifts 8:30 to 10:30 10:30 to 12:30 um 12:30 2:30 230 4:30 so I will send that out we already had four people who had agreed to go but I'm gonna send it to everyone just in case it'd be nice 10:30 12:30 okay um it would be nice not to have to stand there alone you know just to have like a little support we do have a children activity um that we're going to host nothing it is a it is a lot of fun we were there last year and even though it was rainy and are miserable the kids were there and we had like a fun activity that they could do and then we ended up having it here before that done and it was kind of like a cool um what's the name shul art installation prol it was really cool and the kids seemed to love it and and this a nice representation yeah and we are having I mean I made a suggestion for what the activity should be and I believe that Miss Robinson made a sarcastic comment about how I should dress but other than that I think it'll be very tough on Facebook all right I'm gonna move on before we go any further may may I Miss Davis may I oh yes Mr Wilson Mr Sten wilon I attended the uh havlin production of bugs the other night on behalf of the board and it was so cute so cute and it was nice because my kids are in mansion and high school now so it was nice to like re-engage with havland and see those little kids uh performing it was really awesome um so I wanted to just thank Mr E uh Miss Galvin Miss Lombardi Miss Rizzo and havin PTA for putting on an excellent show and I believe Mr E said it was the first time they've done it since Co so um I could be wrong forgive me if I am but um it was awesome it was really exciting it was a lot of people there and it was just uh it was just really fun so glad I was able to represent the board thank you thank you for doing that all right uh miss lipsky anything for board member orientation committee oh did I skip I'm sorry Mr Gaddy okay and now miss liy and I apologize Ive been remiss but I I will get together it's just been a little bit crazy still but um particularly since we are having a new board member starting so I I'm excited and I have ideas okay sounds good all right um any board member comments yes um the Junior Senior High sent out a um newsletter or I I'm not sure exactly what they're calling it but it was the effect of have a newsletter and it was really nicely done and had really good information in it and I just wanted to commend them on um producing that because it really was helpful anybody else all right um I'm going to open the meeting up again to public participation this is an open discussion so it is not limited to agenda items I just remind everyone that everything stated in the agenda still holds and um speakers will be limited to three minutes so if anybody would like to make a public comment um mine is real quick I just wanted to ask for more information about the tree Grant I heard about it and just for my own uh the other thing is any updates on the uh expansion of the preschool would be greatly appreciated and and the last one was oh uh how normal is it for a district to have sickly running concurrently with the FMLA I'm hearing the policy I'm just I would love to learn if it's a norm in Canada County very very normal it's very normal it's very normal it is um the law says that you can I'm sorry thank you I'm engaging in I'm breaking my own rule that I yell I'm not engaging the conversation very but it is very common yeah all right then that is my those are my three questions thank you very much you send me an email I'll send you the treat okay presentation I think it might be online but it's not okay wonderful my name is GTO I'm here by special appearance and I live at 300 West Clinton Avenue I however I did grow up in or since 1965 Liv here all my life and I saw family and generations of friends who still reside here um I wanted to quote Title 18 usc1 whenever within any matter within jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States knowingly and willingly fsly conceals or covers up by any trick scheme or device a material fact or make any false petitions or forg statements or representations or prod any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any false petitions or forment statement or entry violates F federal law and with that said I'm here to give facts to the transgender issue Maran bruan board certified child Adolescent and adult like psychiatrist has been exposed to the dangers of sexuality and gender ideology for over two decades her research on covered the widely accepted philosophy behind aggressive sex education that was based on faulty bi search conducted by people with a perverse agenda they with they wish to justify an agenda that biology just doesn't support there's no evidence that gender affirming care leads to long-term positive outcomes or decreases suicides while there is conclusive evidence of serious harm and lifelong suffering teaching children to deny biology is manmade only when they get to choose if they're girl or a boy or both or neither because they may have incorrectly assigned an identity and birth that's a idea in no other field IM medicine do we put the child in the position to make medical decisions president of college of Pediatricians explain simple signs women are XS XX men XY those are genetic markers for male and female respectively binary that's the rule someone who identifies as the transgender however not a problem in their body gender identity all identity they in or thoughts both the feelings are not hardwire definition of a delusion is a fixed false belief I constantly consistently insist that I am deral or I am a cat or an npt trapped in a normal body I am delusional body Integrity disorder if you want to cut off an arm or a leg you're mentally ill but if you want to cut off your breast or penis then you're transgender and you don't have a medical mental illness United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land is superior to state laws Boards of education do not stand up for the constitutional rights of the parents or research the Supreme Court cases and site the illegalities of State rules and policies are violating their own theol and that constitutes the violation of 5 amendments of the Constitution the child engagement act and 18 us P 241 as ver 16 American jurisdiction no one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law and no courts are bound to enforce it so what say thank you thank you for your comment yes is there anyone else who would like to speak my name is Sarah I live at 132 Chestnut Street in Aon first of all thank you for your vote of confidence in me um I'm really humbled by that and appreciate the opportunity um I'm mostly speaking right now to just bring your attention to an email I sent over the weekend um it included an article from The New York Times about um concerning uses of artificial elligence um in online bullying cyber cyber bullying um and the reason I wanted to bring it to the board in particular is that there are um mentions in the article about how these school districts were taken unaware of the issue and there was some anger from the community and the parents that there wasn't a policy in place to adequately deal with this particular issue and so I just felt it was important to bring it to the board's attention because I ultimately I think it's better to be proactive than reactive and God forbid we have that sort of issue come up in our district it would be great to have a policy in place and to be able to communicate that to the students in the district ahead of time so that they're aware of the consequences of those types of behaviors and actions to hopefully prevent them from engaging in them and I will just add um having worked in child adolescent psychiatric care um I think it is really important to people's identity whatever that happens to be um I saw firsthand many people who were suicidal after feeling like they didn't have the support of their families and communities and um I just think it's so important to take people at face value about how they identify and who they are because they know themselves better than any of the rest of us do thank you for your comments anyone else you want to I can comment I can make comment in regards to the the gender identity you know the school district continues to teach and instruct the njsla um the state assessments or state standards and will continue to do so um as far as as the the question in regards to Ai and its impact um I'm really proud to be part of the Cy County uh educational group um we had um as we do yearly Mo Mee Mo MOA meeting it's a signing Oba it's a memorandum of agreement between local school districts and law enforcement and um part of that presentation to us was uh in really in regards to Ai and how it it potentially can impact students um our our Tech team is uh aware of uh we have uh different pieces in place in regards to malware and things that happen because they do have ai uh engines that are working to uh get into your your systems to get information um we also are aware of some of the the pieces and and for me AI we have policies that go along with it I you know there are C things that in in your uh inquiry to us there's 2361 which is acceptable use of computerized networks that really um talks about sending or displaying offensive messages um which is already in place um 3283 and 4283 talks about electronic communications uh between staff and students and they these policies speak to some of the things that were were brought up in regards to these AI generators are able to do lots of things and I think over the next 5 years you know we're really going to have a hard time determining what truth is because you could you have me on YouTube right now you have my face and likeness you could put me in any situation and have me say anything you want and it would be really hard to determine did Dr Davis say that or did an AI generated thing do you can also put me in all kinds of unique situations um and compromising uh situations too so for me um and I know Mr Burke is in the audience the curriculum director and really the whole admin team it's really about educating um there's other pieces to AI uh in in work our Institute you know I just learned about chat gbt and and it's it's it's an interesting piece right so you can throw some information in there and it'll generate a nice writing piece for you um it's not necessarily a bad thing um but it also kicks out some you know falsity so you need to be able to just like I remember um you know library media Specialists saying you know we had to continue to teach the Dey Des system and and really go through things and this Wikipedia things awful and you shouldn't use it um we know that you can put any everybody here could have a Wikipedia account you can put whatever you want on there but it gets kicked back pretty quick if you put falsities in there that being said it's really important for us to understand what is real and it's going to become in my opinion harder and harder determine what the truth is and AI is part of that so we need to educate our children we need to educate our families we need to educate our Educators um so that's a whole piece um I could talk more and more about AI but I am happy to say both C County and otan and the district is well aware of and uh has measures in place but there is an educational piece that we're we're going to have to uh you know push forward with um so everybody really has a true understanding both the strengths and the weaknesses and things to be cautious about but I do uh thank we always U welcome Community input and more often than not the input that we've gotten and questions and queries that we get from community members really you know sometimes pause us you know give us pause and time to think and also time to review and and evaluate both policy and Regulation and then practices so I encourage and I'm sure the board does too for community members if you have a question or concern please bring it and bring it to the attention Administration right or the teacher you know follow the chain of command in regards to your question so if you have a question that's really classroom based reach out to the classroom teacher if that question is not able to be answered need reach out to the building principal if that's still not able to answer it may go to the curriculum director may go to the supervisor of special education may come to me then typically the board gets involved or they may be a question because you haven't had your answer uh you know satisfied when we get those queries we have you know we work in a committee based uh system the AI comes up really hits too right it's a little bit about education and it's a lot of bit or a little bit about because I don't put levels on it governance uh in regards to policy regulation so once again we we encourage community members to come out and ask questions um and to se them but we are in a fairly decent place uh maybe a little bit ahead of song uh but AI is going to beat us out anyway and it's going to just because of how quickly it's advancing and uh I'm interested to see what it looks like just you know really in a year two years but I'm talking about a five year things are going to be really interesting I turned you off all right any other comments thoughts all right we do not have a need to go into executive session again we don't right I didn't forget anything okay I'm tired okay so just a reminder next uh regular board meeting is Wednesday May 1st at 7 uh for public budget presentation and then uh Wednesday May 8th is the regular board meeting for the month of May you have a motion to adjourn the meeting Mo second all in favor oppos all right thank you very much thank you e