>> Chris Heintz: Traveling it was all that time. It took the steps. I know.  Great isn't coming leg is not coming. Yes. Yeah. No. Yes.  Don't you okay. We are live. I'll start English.  Okay. I called the meeting with whatever. Mike could you please call roll. disconnect Dr. Brown here this dress, Mr. Essen player Ms. Hollywood Mr. Knuckles here, Mississauga.  Yeah vice president hooker here president crooked here. They stand for the pledge. religious his flag of the United States of America and create Republican police and one  nation or The God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.  Okay, Mike. Can you please read the statement concerning open public meetings? public notice of this meeting pursuant to the open public meetings act has been given by the following matter on January 10th, 2024 notice of this meeting was posted on the interior of the School administration offices 95 Grove Street Hadfield written notice was made and followed with the hydro clerk. I noticed were emailed to The Courier posts and retrospect newspaper. Also, this is our public hearing for our 2020 for 2025 20 years. Okay, we will. Straight ahead. Have Emily rolly here with us today. So the first thing I want to talk about is our annual Earth Day  celebration is coming up on tomorrow The environmental Club has been working really hard for the past few weeks and putting together a different projects just to educate  everybody about the climate and the environment and then they present all of that in the courtyard tomorrow throughout the day. And then the njsla testing is the for 9th 10th and 11th. years in English Math and Science and that's from Monday through Thursday next week and we'll have a I think a two-hour delay like bell schedule for that. Then we have the AP testing coming up which starts on Monday May 6th, and then we'll last up until the 17th.  And then we have the Morgan's message dedication game on May 10th. So it's a girls lacrosse game and it's promoting awareness for athlete mental health. It's a dedication of a girl who's tragically to her own life. and everyone is wearing a blue and yellow for the game in honor her and then we have Bulldogs of Broadway next week in the drama club is putting together Showcase of talents and it's going to be on Saturday May 4th today. We have the Freshman connections from  seven to eight period it's sort of like a another freshman orientation where peer leaders are putting together a spring event to help the Freshman connect even later in the school year. and then we have our student council elections, which was two weeks ago on the 12th, and they went nicely and student council even had the  executive student council even have them first meeting on Tuesday and then College decision day will now be on May 15th instead of the first because of basketball delays.  oh, yeah, that's interesting that I was going to ask if it was because of the past.  Federalist, so that's officially not gonna be like yes schools back extended their their deadlines because of that how  things that we had will give you extra money. So  they better if you and so AP exams are coming up that always seems like it comes so early. Yeah and your Junior, right? Yeah. You're not quite you know right next year.  Well, thank you so much. Okay, we have our presentations  today. We're going to start with the new Elementary report cards with Mr. Bissinger.  And Ms. Simpkins, I'm sorry. I just  Alright guys, good evening.  Everybody. We are starting to present to you about a report cards. We've been working tirelessly on this project since the summertime actually, so it's culmination of a lot of a lot of work just a little bit of our project goal and summary so about 11 years ago. moved away from using traditional  greeting to standards base report card. So previously in fourth and fifth grade, you know students received a b c Etc and then in the specific learning areas. they received either a satisfactory or unsatisfactory. That was how our grades for  previously set up about 11 years ago We moved to what's called a standard space report card. We were one of the first districts to start doing that in this area, but now we're at a point where we really want to improve our standards. We want to create more accurate student progress reporting. We want to improve consistency across  grade levels. So right now there might be something  reported on in fourth grade, but it's not reported in fifth grade. It is reported in third grade. We're sort of lacking consistency between the grades also want to provide parents with more data-driven in detailed progress. that's in a user friendly way and we took some steps in this project to get a lot of parent feedback along the way so that's kind of our project goals to really improve our standard space report card. You might be wondering what was standard space report card meet So instead of a traditional grading system a standard space report card measures how well a student performs in relation to the New Jersey student learning standards. And it highlights the most essential skills that we want students to obtain and grasp by the end of that  specific grief. So at any elementary schools students  receive grades three times accepting kindergarten they receive grades twice. And as I said before while our current report cards were useful we  wanted to approve consistency in addition parents often needed  clarification about the grading system because it's not an ABC greatest system right into you know, one two three e so, what's a tubes exactly mean?  What's a three mean, etc, etc. We also Want to highlight that progress towards standard does not include things like effort participation work habits great soft skills that we're looking to build in their students and we created a separate section  called 21st century skills to assess those areas. I guess we talked about like why we want to go to standard or why we're doing standard space grading and why we want to continue to improve upon that process.  First and foremost, you know  standards Grace grading makes clear. What students should be able to do. So when you see the standard space report card, you know what your child will be able to do by the end of the  year by the end of that grade like Gerry said improving some of that consistency across grade levels knowing that like as they progress through the grade levels from second to third. what changes those strands stay the same but what there should be able to do kind of increases each year so we  want to kind of reward working our reward learning instead of working. so grading kids for the learning that they're doing. not for the working that they're doing and that kind of like shifts the mindset right moving away from you know compliance and like getting a grade and really being engaged and focused and intrinsically  motivated and improving your grades is really improving the learning and really understanding better the  content that your teachers delivering in the classroom.  And so you can see here. what a progression looks like. So one is kind of developing  proficiency to as approaching the standards three is when you're meeting that end of the year standard, so you've met the standard and we move to that e instead of the four so like the E is you know, that's beyond what we would expect the student to be doing at that grade level. That's not you know, when we had it one two, three four. It was like four was you expected to get at the end like people felt like that, but the E is really kind of  exceeding those expectations.  We don't expect the student to be there. We expect a student to be meeting the targets by the end of the school year and so you can see what that looks like on a bike if you think about like marathon training right you might think of this progression as one you're able to like go out run a little bit. You might run a 5k you feel good about running, but you're not quite Marathon ready to would be, you know, you're on a program plan like run a  marathon, but you're not really quite in shape to Yeah, you're getting there and you're you're almost there. You're not there yet. And then three would be you've run the marathon you finished and then four would be your breaking records. You're in that top Corral. Maybe you're seated to like make  another Marathon so Just thinking about that progress  knowing that we will where we want to get students that Target is by the end of the year. So it's a it's an end of year grade level standard so we don't expect kids to come in  and free and even the first time Mr. Respect the student to be three, but we do expect that we're going to need kids where they are. So some kids will come in. at the beginning of the school year because they've met that grade level standard pretty early in the school year and what we're doing then is  we're differentiating for them or making sure that they are working towards that for and we're differentiating kind of what they're learning in the classroom. But kids that are working on one or two. Our goal is always to get them to be  needing that Target by the end of the year. So it's the recognition that we will need to prove. That's a really assess kids know where they are know them as Learners and then provide the necessary  differentiation at any part of that. in the standard space model Just thinking about my Marathon rating. So definitely more. Yeah, I was thinking of five.  So a little bit about the layout we're gonna show you a sample of one of our report card student, but the first ever pages of the new report report card looks like your Traditional report card. Each standard. However, is then clickable and links to a more detail rubric that  explains the grade. So teachers will place the great on the traditional report card and it will also transpose and coffee onto the rubric. So this is an example of a group here. So at the top right is the standard  reading foundational skills fluency read was sufficient accuracy processity and fluency to support comprehension, and then we have the standard link there and then I will go through and read each of these but it defines right. What does a one mean what does it too mean?  What does three mean? What doesn't mean you you can see in the example here, right. The student was a two in the first trimester to the second trimester and then hit that three right with being able to you know, independently read  grade level text with sufficient accuracy processing fluency is for comprehension be right three in that final try minister. So this is an example of that rubric and I'll show you what the From beforehand looks like shortly and this is a great example because some oftentimes kids do come in  Reading like at or above grade level where they should be at the end of the year and so a student may receive it too if they're not quite reading there yet some students may receive a three when they come in some kids come in above level and they would be receiving a four on this report card and then we would be differentiating in the classroom for them. So this will accurately reflect where  the kids are at this moment. So in the first second and third  trimester and knowing that we can still differentiate for students at any point that process and one of the goals of this rubric is to really Define for parents what it actually means because we get a lot of questions and what is it to mean? What is the three mean Etc? So this is a place where parents can look to really see what that actually means. A little bit about narratives and this is something we talked about a lot throughout this process. So right now every student receives too narratives per year as part of the Ripple hardly don't receive the  narrative in the first trimester because we have conferences at that time and we will continue to have a narrative in this new report card. It will be shorter than our current narratives.  It'll be if you sentences really focused on describing the child providing an area of strength in an area for growth. However, it's important to know that  with that with such a detailed report card on the specificity lives in the standards themselves. I'm the record was designed to highlight. Right what we believe to be the most important information. So there won't be as lengthy of a  narrative but there will still be a narrative in something to personalize that record. In fifth grade, we'll continue having optional narratives because we use departmentalized model there. So a fifth grade teacher could have upwards of 75 students which is different than others. ports, so we talked a little bit about how we came to start these  decisions and there are a lot of stakeholders involved in the process along the way. So obviously we worked with our teachers. who were writing the report cards and doing a lot of the heavy lifting on making sure that it was horizontal and vertical articulation between grade levels across schools And then also just between you know, the standards itself and so teachers started working on it Administration was heavily involved central office  administration was involved and then we wanted to make sure that we included parents and the process so we help two focus groups in January. We're actually able to take everybody that we were only going to hold one parent focus group and then there were 17 parents that applied and you know, we thought why not try and include everybody in the process, so  everyone's voice can be heard so we ended up actually holding two parents focus groups, including all 17 parents from all across all three elementary schools. What we learned through the process is people definitely take in information process information and want information differently. So there was just so many varying points of feedback and based on kind of how you learn your background Who you are as person you've taken information differently and want  information differently. So there are obviously trends that kind of presented themselves, but for everyone person that was like I would like if this way there was someone else in the room was like, oh no, I  want the exact and awesome. And so, you know when you're trying trying to come up with like  Process like this. It really takes sitting down in a room a lot of like thoughtful  reflective conversation.  Sometimes follow-up questions  Sometimes emailing the parents after like or listening to the parents after we told them all email us after after you leave here if you have something that you might not have felt comfortable saying in this room or after you go home and  reflect yourself. Maybe I like change my kind of view plan on this. So we took a lot of time to do that and we thought it was as a really good part of the process and was really helpful for us as we you know, got into making this final report card. I think one of the Like very big but very small changes we made was in how it was formatted first. We had everything up top and parents really wanted clickable links and even so much as saying small clickable links because everything was highlighted at first so that you click on the whole standard and people like, oh, it doesn't really look good visually. So all of those things were taken into account the overview of the feedback is that there was a preference. for report card release before the  Parent-Teacher conferences at work as we're doing now. That was a change last year because this allowed parents to be more prepared for the conversations. So that came out parents feel a narrative The Narrative comments section is valuable and they would like each child to have a positive specific comment.  Gerry said before we were like are the narratives really something that parents want and overwhelmingly parent. Answer we're keeping that portion of  it, but like Gerry said scaling that down. I think what we came to from the parent side is they just wanted to know that someone knew their child, right? So a couple of adjectives to describe like sort of how they were in the In the classroom how they interacted with others in the classroom was important and maybe something that they could like work on at home or  strength that we saw.  suggestions included having a summary then at the bottom. So we did that overall parents are looking for more transparency  personalization and Alignment between the report cards and really just understanding their child's progress again, even the language wasn't consistent between like second third and fourth grade report cards it, you know, sometimes said similar things the language wasn't consistent so parents, you know from here to your like this is the same standard. Is this what they learned last year So we really tried to like firm up all of that, you know, consistency across them and parents would like to the last thing is parents would really like to have a reading level  for students. And so we are looking into how we report that to parents, but we do plan to have a system for reporting the creating love free chat so our project timeline is here in  July. We started this work July of last year July in August teachers created drafts, and then we started to create 21st century skills for each grade  band. So K2 and three five in August and September we reviewed the drafts and the supervisors. This is where they came into the process. They did an amazing job of making sure that there was vertical and  horizontal articulation the included the standards for each grade level. They really know their really well, so Had such a big handleness and we  appreciate their work on that August through February of this school Year Rob working with the special areas to draft report cards for the special  areas moving back towards the  standard space report card and in January we held those parents focus groups. In February, we presented the report cards to teachers with teachers provided us with feedback teachers had PD time to review the report cards and finalize evidence and really think about how we're measure  the learning in our classrooms. So what measures will we be using across the schools. to measure performance on those standards today we're presenting to you in may be on the agenda for approval and  then in June and July the elementary principles supervisors and teachers will be working to you know, get all of this together for the next school year. So we'll be putting them into Genesis with the help of them. Sure Chris Heinz who's here? We're creative report card on the  website. a report card website to kind of house all of this.  We're gonna have blank report cards for every grade level.  That's something we don't have now you get your report card and sometimes that's the first time you see it if you don't have an older child here in the district. we're gonna create Blanca report cards so that everybody knows what their child will be be assessed on.  Europe I think that'll be really good for transparency and also just for parents to be able to kind of view like what's coming, you know, if your parent of a incoming third grader, what is my child's third grade? You're going to look like. the parent and guardian information night will be in October and Gerry's going to talk a little bit more about  that. And then the first release will begin December.  Ber so our parent education plan. We're doing our presentation tonight because she said we're going to create a section which website with  FAQs and blend templates of the report card in October. We're gonna do a parent presentation over at the middle school. So we're kind of give an overview how we're doing doing this evening and then we'll include, you know every one of our you know regular glass  Communications will include a link to four card section of our on our website. I'm just going to access that  information and time. I'm going to attempt to show a sample of the report card. Oh Gerry's bring that up. We should recognize that on the back end for Tech. This is a huge undertaking to make all these changes. It's very personalized. It takes a lot of time. So Chris and John and Tech Team we we thank you and every time we have to make a  change, I feel like Chris is always so wonderful. So, thank you. them your team for always jumping on board with our ideas. All right, so this is our first grader report card, so I won't go through and read everything, but we have an  explanation of codes at the top. We really try to emphasize the end of grade level of standards of this measures and emphasize some key words in our code there for a three two one in the section up here right is more of a traditional report card. So it has this standard listed there. Right? And then I'm working for each of the trimesters. If you click on the standard of parentheses it the document jumps down to the more detailed grouper. So if a parent wants to look at that  they can if they don't want to they don't have to and so the grade will be in two places to say you want to know more about the speaking of listening great. You can see here right the rubric and then over here will be the grades and then you can scroll back up to the top and it also says in the report card that the pages below continue detail explanation of above so you get down right to here, right, which is where Traditional report card kind of ends, right? You know, you don't have to look at that unless you want to and so every one of these standards from everyone of the academic areas from the core subjects and especially areas is clickable in that way. and so on, you know, we're certainly proud of this work and a lot of time has gone into it and we have this for each grade level and one small note is as we adopt new language arts standards some of these stand Will be changing this summer to match those new seniors. I was a little bit of the reason we kind of put a pause on how quickly we were going to roll this out when we realized. That there were changes with the language arts. We wanted to kind of protect the time for text so they didn't have to like make those changes but also just for the teachers to like, you know, roll out a new report card and then have  to have meetings again and make changes to report card didn't seem like it was um big part of the process so that concludes our presentation. Yeah, and the questions. No just a comment. I love it. I think it's so thoughtful and like that you  have simplified things up front for those who are going to be overwhelmed by too much information. I love that the details there for the people that want the initial  information. I love everything about the process as parent. I think it's great. Thank you.  and principal beat who's daughter has her eyes. He's got a good reason. you. I just have one question and then you know as a parent who you know grew up with grades. I mean, I understand that this is this is different for parents. right and I completely understand  Elementary School, you know not focusing on grades and this is better language. I think for elementary school kids. before you say what I'm going to say, I just want to to say big asterisk. I am not. A person who is a proponent of the  Relentless pursuit of academics, and we must achieve Higher and Higher and Higher and Higher. that is I rebalances very very important to our kids. Having said that is the stamp. What is the standard? Is that our own District standard? Is that a National Standard? Like what standard space standards so  each of those standards in our report card are actually literally copy and peace and from the New student learning standards. that you know that the New Jersey Department of Education provides for us. And so as those change and evolve  over time, our poor parts will have to change to match that. to your point part of the process though has been to make sure that our teachers come together so that the evidence that using needs to be consistent. Right? So we do have high and rigorous  standards here, right? And so we need to make sure that our  teachers are on the same page and using the same evidence and our thinking what is a three and what is a four and how are we all bringing that the same way? So the evidence and the examples and teachers having time to like sit together in a room and collaborate and  calibrate. It's just really important one time. We haven't ever been section actually  here, but we decided through the focus group. interesting teacher feedback, like that's only for our teachers to know  the evidence mark because that gets that's even more of Education speak to you know, what that makes perfect. I mean, we're a high achieving  District who we are right your teachers should be the ones that are tuned to that and while this is a New Jersey state state standard. This is what we're trying to do in our district. However, it is not the Relentless pursue of academics with having no sense of balance for the kids and as long as that's where we are. I think that's a good place to rest. Okay, and I I think the great balance that principles of struck with this when we're reporting in the first  marketing period that a student has met end of the year great level standards and we're gonna have several students like that. It's now our continued pursuit to say, okay. How do we continue to this student to grow because it's critical not only that we continue to do this in the classroom. So I think our teachers do a fabulous job in this and now there's an extra layer of communication that if they make grade level standards by the end of the first  trimester and what's next to what extent can we continue to differentiate instruction in a rich experiences for that student. So they continue to compress beyond the standard and Challenge and appropriate and meaningful way and and I think this document gets like well. That's actually one question. I mean to build on what you know saying is I'm wondering if on the website you all will let a parent. So I'll just give an example. Let's say I have a kiddo who's struggling in math? And so I want to see what last year they were supposed to be at and what this year and what will next year  like, is there a way for me to see the rubrics? the year before the current year the  year after for me to get a handle on like where my kid is on this trajectory kind of you know, I mean like how samples we can only see past past report cards.  right right and sound like we're good. Yeah, so that was right to make sure that all of those report cards are there right? There you Because I can imagine. Yes, sorry. Go ahead. I was gonna say the one thing I like about it is, you know to use your your Marathon analogy. Sometimes as a parent. You've got enough bandwidth to maybe  walk the dog around the block. Yes. I don't have the time to click on the links, but they're there so downtime and summer when you're like things are slow. Then you can always go back and access that and that's what I like about it and and prepares not to feel pressured that this isn't something that you have to do, but it's there and it's available for you, but the one two three gives you enough information to really have a baseline without if you don't if you're not up for America that So Linda's come in and Mr. Bissinger's response and your discussion about the evidence section just for teachers reminded me that I did have a question about reporting reading level and I guess like math level did we track? Is that somewhere on the back end for each student if they're doing work and IXL or in what is the other programs? Yes. Yes teachers have access to that right? Absolutely. Yes, that doesn't ordinarily trickle down to the parents. Correct. So in IXL you can definitely see if  your child is working on grade level standards are not based on what they're assigned in the program and actually on IXL there's tabs on the left hand side that you can see if it's like a first grade sales.  That's great skill third grade skills. So I think that's pretty transparent. You can see what your kid is working on and sometimes they'll be working on something that supports their  learning in the classroom. So like let's say they're working on a skill and math the teacher might assign something at grade level, but then at other times they can be working on like once they take the Diagnostic in there. It's really level based on like the skills that they need credit and go back and skills. That might have been missed and and again sometimes kids can be working on grade level in some skills above grade level and other  skills and below grade level in some skills. So it that's what the report card touches on too. Child might be working on grade level or about grade level in some areas And then in other areas, they just might need you know some extra support to get to that end of the year standard and that's okay. And I think that's the same. across any discipline So there's that like some room where it's like this kid has this for reading in this for math. That's the old sort of one grade level.  This is really much more detailed. This is the scale. This is the broadcast progress and recognizing that kids, you know can be working on grade level School a great little in various capacities with the right classroom. So I think to clarify further like when we're talking about reporting reading level, there isn't just one reading level.  There is multiple sort of metrics like going to what is a reading level. So there's yeah, so there's a couple things one, you know accuracy and fluency and comprehensional all parts  of that, but we did use to report one reading level and we are moving towards a more banded grading reading level recognizing that if a student  has prior knowledge about a subject they might be able to read something at a bit higher of a level if students are, you know, they don't have any schema for something that they're reading. They might not be able to read at that level. that a grade level is really  and not like a set like numbering that answers, but  because when you said you're working on ways to display it I'm picturing like is there going to be like a number that pops up because that seems more the old way than now it will be a band of where your child is  reading to help. you sort of access books when you're maybe at the library or looking for a just right book for your child, but it'll be a band and again knowing that your child might struggle with phonics, right, but they might be a great  comprehender and knowing that  sometimes like the intersection of that can be challenging to find a book based on what your child knows already. Thank you. Thank you. And next we have Mr. Didonato with a final elementary math pilot selection. Good evening. Thank you so much for having us here today to talk. This is the last time we'll be here about the math pilot. and a few years. So again, I always start with the goal that we have to implement in Evan's face math program that's aligned to the standards. That is Mastery based that uses firework review, but it's not a spiral curriculum and it's in with our elementary structure. So The first thing I want to do is thank our teacher teams who are involved with this and I have especially want to recognize our math specialist who are here tonight, and you'll hear  from so we have Maureen mcroity from Haddon and Mary Austin Tatum and Megan saline from Central. So thank you all for your artwork. I'm in all of our teachers really one thing that we talked a lot about  especially as we were coming down to the wire making a decision is how selfless it is to sign on to do a year-long curriculum pilot when you've worked so hard every single day to plan brand new lessons for  your students knowing that next year that work that you did might not be useful in your room. Of course the things that you learn from it are all useful, but that those lesson plans that you created the materials how much time goes into that. So this is such a selfless things teachers to do so, I just really want How lucky we are to have such hard working teachers who are willing to do this to better the next generation of math for all of our students in our district.  So again, we piloted to really great programs. I already classroom mathematics and  reveal math. We've heard and talk a lot about these and we're going to kind of talk  about what did we choose? How did we choose it? Why did we choose it? And then why we think this is gonna be a great idea how we're going to  implement this moving forward. So after a year or two and a half trimesters now of data  from two very strong programs. We've decided to recommend irony classroom math as our K to  5 and how do we make that decision we had monthly committee meetings for our Math teachers for support and  reflection. We had monthly teacher surveys as well as trimester surveys being  trimester series for our teachers we gave them to our parents and then after the second trimester, we also gave survey to students in grades  three four and five. We also had a lot of PT a lot of  classroom visits these three Mass Specialists who are a huge part of visiting classrooms and supporting our teachers. I got to see all the classrooms the  principles were awesome and making sure that these teachers are supported and how what they need to be successful and then of course we had assessment data. So I just want to go through the parent results first. We had a 30% response rate, which is pretty good. It was a little lower than our  response rate for the first trimester because this was the March second trimester results. and the first thing we asked we asked well, we asked a bunch of individualized questions, but I just want to give you like a high level overview. So this was the question. How satisfied are you with the new math program and 62% said very or some what satisfied for both programs, which I don't know if you remember but when I came to talk to you in January after the first trimester both programs were exactly the same the parent. Our feedback what I want to point out was the change that happened from  December to March. So both programs were at 47% and then  in March both programs were at 62% satisfaction which gives evidence that the year-long curriculum pilot is is a really good tool and that we need time to be able to figure out how this works in for people to get used to it. I also know that if we gave the survey in June again that that result would continue to be higher and so  this is something to keep in mind next year as we all go through this major transition. Not just one great one classroom per grade level that you know there there's going to be some confusion in certain places the beginning or some desires to go back to the way it was but as we work through it that we  learn that these things are really good and that and that the change is good. Um, I want to share a couple quotes here. Well, you can see them on the screen, but I want to point out just keep the amazing teachers. They are biggest resource and again, you know that that's the most important factor in a child's education. So the math program that we use is really important and very strong, but you can give the best program in the world to a teacher who's not effective and it won't be the same so we're very lucky to have awesome teachers in our district the great thing about the surveys we've identified some things that parents really want and we're going to be working on those things to  prepare them for next year. So the one thing is parents want  resources and strategies that explain not just how to do some of the math strategies that are different than the way we learned but also why we do it that way and I think the first trimester we identify that parents wanted to know how but I think the wise really important so we're gonna be working this summer to create  instructional videos that parents can use that we can place on a website that parents can access when they're trying to help their students with  homework parents also want a progress checks and more evidence of class progress and assessment results. I think the report card's gonna be a great way to tie those two things  together that you just saw and then homework parents want more pencil and paper homework, and then they also want access to the solutions which was something that I didn't realize that they did have access to with every day math that the pilots didn't something. we can work if the programs don't come with that, but that's something we can work to communicate to parents. We also surveyed our students in grades three four and five. I had such fun reading these results. I didn't know there were so many ways to spell multiplications. um, I one thing that you'll see the Hallmark of this i-Ready program is mathematical discour. SE how do students engage with each other? How do they engage with their own ideas? How do they comment on the ideas of others? How do they build ideas and how do they they discuss their thinking and make their thinking visible because if you can if you can describe it and you can talk about it. And you can argue in the good sense of the word for your strategies, then you really have a great understanding. So one thing that came through with student discourse is although these  numbers are high for both programs. You'll see that I already always had like a little bit of the edge with  these things. I want to like students speak up in class and share their ideas. 97% of our IRAs who said almost always are often and that's not what math look like what I learned what I learned math in school. So that's really wonderful for me to see and it's the same thing that I see in the classrooms when you know, you can walk into a classroom and you're just so surprised by the  maturity with which students are speaking about math. I was completely blown away  consistently when I was in these rooms, I also think one of the highlights of I ready that you'll hear about is this online learning which we saw  that that was students believe that that was effective in helping them improve their math skills 93% agreed or strongly agreed that that was the case. And then here the work my teacher gives us really makes us think deep more deeply about math and with our I already students 96% of them report. So not only are like we know they're thinking deeply we know that the tasks are asking them to be deeply but the fact that they're reflecting on that.  They're metacognitive enough to realize that says a lot about the programs it focuses on what do you think and how to be strategies work? And so then we had our teachers survey results. You'll see here. We have 10 teachers in each a pilot and when there's but it doesn't add up to the right amount.  That's because there's some questions that can only be asked if you taught every day math last year. We had something interesting District. teaching place that's a little um, when we in both programs as you can see our teachers were very  satisfied or some what satisfied to teach this again. I already having a slight Edge and then we ask them if this is an  improvement over everyday math. and for I ready 10 out of our 11 teachers so that they believed that is great improvement over every day. I'm so I want to bring up the math specialist little lip because I'll talk a little bit about the teacher  And I'll take a step back. so we just want to share with you some of the quotes that the teachers mentioned and one of them was the growth my students have made in their mathematical reason has been so worthless and this program is maybe a  better math teacher. And they say we've seen our students  grow not only in their mathematical understanding but also in their confidence and that's certainly something the three of us have some being in and out of the classrooms  across the Great level. So some of the things that we were  asked to teachers and the parents to evaluate on the rubrics was Matthew's course and collaboration. problem solving and multiple strategies and the rigor of the programs  also pacing scope and sequence print and all my resources.  The differentiation has been  incredible, especially with that the mypath portion of the online component where students really working within the sections of the curriculum that they are. Having some trouble trouble with homework and assessments and adaptability to a math Workshop, which if you don't know what that is, it's for teachers can meet  consistently with small groups of students addressing their in their individual math needs but also the students get a chance to work independently and do a little more of that problem solving that we mentioned earlier. As you see I already have had a little bit more of that edge that Matt was talking about earlier 92% of the points on that rubric. I mean, that's an a right. So we want we want we want an a program. There's obviously a lot of stick that as well as challenges, but some of the strings we wanted to  point out to or like student  collaboration. So when you walk into any of these classrooms that we went into observe with the pilot teachers, you could  always see the students talking to one other whether it was the beginning where they were talking about a number talk it was either with each other during activity a central game, but it was a lot less teacher and more students and that's a huge difference between what we talk about traditional math and seeing these kids having  conversations with each other and participating and having that discourse that we talk about that so important you saw that all these classrooms that I already Another thing that we saw a lot were high quality rigorous materials. So a lot of the why behind the math that we're talking about before the materials really got at that so the students had a really deep understanding of what they were doing. and a true strength of this program as well as the the problem solving and the opportunity for the students. s where you know they have a problem to solve and and in an age of instant gratification that they really are asked to be critical thinkers and and to find their way and use the  strategies that they've learned or come across another one that they haven't and be able to solve those problems problem solving is built into every single lesson and that is also really impressive and we think we'll have a big impact on our students going forward. Thank you. And so I just want to point out that you can talk a lot about the strengths. No program comes without its challenges. So these are the three things. These are three things that we're going to be working on next year. We're gonna have to look at and  adjustment to be assessment calendar because the i-Ready program comes with a diagnostic that students take three times a year. It's that diagnostic that places them where they exactly are in their math  knowledge that so that they could use that personalized instruction. so that Diagnostic in the personalized instruction go hand in hand for those of you don't remember me talking  about the personalized instruction or Those that you weren't here the personalized instruction the test is  designed to find exactly where students are. It's not like on grade level or below grade level. It's like early k early Mid-K Mid-K, you know like and and so students are then placed in a my path and based on. the where they are and how they do everything is completely adaptive. So if they're performing really well, they keep getting pushed ahead and if they're not performing as well they go back into a prerequisite lesson, so it's not just like you're moving  down in the grade level. You're going back to the grade level  before exactly on that skill.  So again relates to the report cards like if you were if you struggle with fourth grade multiplication, you don't need to go back to third grade  geometry you go back to third grade multiplication, right?  So and everything is very adaptive. Another challenge, we're gonna have to just make sure that when we make the schedule for next year that every classroom has 60 Minutes for math 70 minutes would be super ideal. I think that program can be done in 60 minutes and that's a  recommendation from the come up the company that makes it and then we also just have to because of all these Great Tech we all have to think about what are the our expectations for that? What does that like and how can we make sure that we are using the tech effectively, but we're not using it.  Um, I'll kind of go quickly through this we talked about how you know, we're moving to it more students approach. the eyelet ready lessons are structured around what's called they call the try discuss connect routine where students try a problem that they have been a novel problem and they figure if they tried figure it out in groups using routines that they're familiar with using the things that they all ready know that they discuss it in groups. They discuss it with help from the teacher but mostly would help themselves and they connect with they  learn to new problems. They apply and transfer that  knowledge. Also, I love how the lessons are set up as we usually think of a lesson as  being a day lessons are a week and within that lesson there's an explore day. There are usually about three develop  days and they're refined day.  So when you think about how do we build and construct knowledge if I'm just giving you knowledge you just practice the knowledge I gave you but  when you're developing that  knowledge, you need that structure and that time to be able to do that And that's one thing that this program. That's really really well. so in April, we're going to adopt the program and then purchase the  materials. We're gonna have a first training for our teachers in May at the faculty meeting where our math Specialists and our pilot teachers are being  empowered As Leaders to help their colleagues get familiar with this program. We're going to have a full day of training for our teachers before the  school year starts. We're still trying to iron out the details of that and then we'll have  full implementation in September with ongoing support including during our November PD. We will have a company come back out and in February during our PD a lot of the company come back out again for full day training with all of our  teachers and then also we'll be having again like our teacher leaders our math Specialists supporting teachers of every step of the way. and then you may be wondering about the cost of this is the last thing I  have to share. I promise and I already comes with the curriculum materials which  includes the teachers guides the student work texts and also all access to the online materials including the diagnostic and  personalized instruction. And that's $67,500. And in the first year, we the professional learning that comes with this is 19,800 dollars for a total of 87,300. Nice one point at that professional learning also includes professional learning. For the administrators as well so that we can help support this implementation and I said three full days for our teachers. Plus they have the teachers have access direct access to the product support  Specialists whenever they need help finding something online or question about this program. We are going to have some cost savings because we have a robust online program with i-Ready. We are no longer going to be using IXL for math in the elementary school. And so that's a cost savings about 16,000 and then I already has a reflex is a fact fluency program. So, how can we get students? You know like a plus 12 right getting very comfortable with that and if the issue with that and so that program not the exact same program. It's called fluency flight. There's a program like that built into i-Ready. So we no longer have a need for free flex, but for people who are watching at home and think  We're also getting rid of fracks. We are not getting rid of fraction All the students love fracs, especially in third grade. So we are keeping tracks because that there is no component like that. We we're doing this to hope that we  don't want to have redundancy in costs, but more importantly we don't have to have redundancy in the amount of time students are spending on their computers. So we want to streamline everything as efficiently as possible. Make sure they're getting what they need, but not more than they Um, you have any questions for us the math program? No, I think it makes a lot of sense. I think my kid will be sad to see reflex go, but I think also to the point with the report cards. having consistency across schools and across classrooms that there's one program that the teachers  are using for instruction and using for assessments. It's probably going to be a lot  easier to develop consistency and see how kids are progressing and if they're using three different. Someone might prefer IXL or I think  that will be good for that process I also think sitting here A year later. It was very difficult to go through a pilot and say you know what? It wasn't any good and we're going to take a step back instead of continuing to move forward. But here you go through this this  sounds wonderful. I am thrilled that we did take that step back. I believe this was the right way to go and to hear the way that that everyone feels about it. It sounds like a great program. So I'm glad that there was the courage to not move forward when we shouldn't have I think a couple other additional points of importance where Matt's talking about the programmatic training that the elementary teachers will be  going through and supported in the implementation of the program. So concurrent with that we're working who working in Earnest and developing a six through 12. math professional development series that is focused on mathematical thinking it's a concept called building thinking classes. It's not tied to a program.  Um, and that is something we aim to implement next year in grade 60 12 and we decided not to bring that down to the elementary schools next year  because our teachers are going to be immersed in this training and it's a very conceptually based away of looking and teaching math and sense making So based on that success, we would look to move Beyond  programmatic training for teachers and and help support, you know their pedagogy in conceptual understanding of mathematics for students. I think the second Point that's  important to know is based on  the anticipated success of this program. It's something we will examine to see whether it's gonna be a good fit for for great six seven eight then. K through 8 articulated mathematics program so a lot of great work is has happened  and I think there are a lot of things on the Verizon. Are there any annual costs? Like is there any renewal? Yes, so that's a great question. So this I already classroom and  personalized instruction that  includes the work texts and the online access. So that's that's going to be a yearly cost. Um, we don't have to pay for the  teachers guides every year but every year those work texts are really valuable to our students and really supplement, you know, the instruction in a way that they could it just have on like copying the pages and that includes all access to the fluency program the diagnostic assessments that we give the personalized instruction and all like the grade level practice comprehension checks  online assessments the professional learning. So one thing about this company that's really great. is that they recognize that professional learning doesn't stop in year one. So there's a smaller professional learning commitment in year two, but so that that will go down but the first cause of without the teacher's guides essentially a yearly cost.  Thank you. Thank you so much.  Okay, Mr. Catalano our 24 25 budget.  All right, so we're here tonight. This is our public hearing for the we live that chart. This is our public hearing for the next school years. But so when we come so this is what we're going to cover tonight. the biggest the biggest topic. I want to talk about tonight is taxes. That'll be a common theme through  everything I get through everywhere from starting. What what funds our budget most the biggest one advertisement is taxes, and then I'll get into the ability nitty gritties of the tax the tax increase tax rates the effective tax rate and what that for the for the taxpayer event. so to bring us to speed on where we're at. I would say we're rounding the third base right now. We're here tonight at our public  hearing after tonight if the board approves our budget,  that's that's the end of everything you need to do so we can get started for our fiscal year that starts July 1st.  So revenues again taxes are number one source of funding is our tax company 41 million dollars. That's the proposed tax. Levy that we have for you to vote on tonight. That's a 2.88% increase from last year. So, how do we get the 2.88% I will talk about that in specific detail on the next slide, but you are allowed to increase the previous year tax rate statutory by 3% Then there are some adjustments some other pulls of of funding that we're allowed to increase that tax. Levy over 2% I will talk about that in more detail in the next Slide the other advertise lines of Revenue. I'll quickly just go through each of these tuition. There's just like decrease there is a center receive relationship we have  with another school district that actually this year's the last year of that Center City relationships. So that's why you see the slight decrease intuition. Miscellaneous Revenue. I always leave that that's always sort of a wild card some years. It could be very Year from miscellane through Revenue some years you'd like coming under but that's why we're happy we're  comfortable leaving that at the level of that state aid, you'll see 3.7 million dollars.  That's the most State I am fields ever ever received.  It's a 10% increase from last year, which is about 350,000. We're very happy on February 29th and find out that we received that increase from the priority. from balance with fund balances fund balance is the is the unspent funds from prior Year's budget that we are allowed to budget for in whatever budget you were talking about. So 1.2 million dollars. That's the amount of fund balance. We are budgeting into next year. Okay. Other that's for Capital maintenance projects. So you budget 2.9 Million dollars from capital reserve to build a new athletic field on Falcons partial and  there's also fun 500,000 hours that we're taking from Miniatures fun other maintenance requirements.  brings down through the bottom line, So they told operating budget for next year will be will over for 49 million dollars per And I want to point out that tax levy so it's truly 90% of our operating budget if you take out the the other line there because that's that.  Those are one-time cost if we  strike through that line if we erase that that line, we're still having the school next year. So that's money. That is it's really one time cost. It's not truly. It's not funding it cannot fun sellers cannot find tax books cannot find paper pencils all those things if you take that away 90% that's how  much the tax study funds our budget.  All right again, taxi. how do we get to 2.88% which is 41 million dollars. So last year or excuse me, the current year. We're in our tax levy is 39.8 million dollars. Two percent is almost 800,000. That gets us to 40.6 now. There are three ways. We can increase our tax levy above 2% that we're allowed to statutory increase above future change. I'll explain each of these adjustments. First one is enrollment adjustment  enrollment adjustment is if there is a a substantial spike in enrollment from one year to the next the Department of Education will allow us to increase our tax levy by X-Men adoption. Now this year, we're not eligible for an enrollment adjustment. We're last year. I said 116, hours in the prior year, but this year we were not. Healthcare adjustment  Same concept as a Roman job  adjustment if we report a substantial increase in healthcare costs from last year to the to the upcoming year. There is an adjustment. We're allowed to make our tax levy.  and we are eligible for for that adjustment this year, which is 250. ,000 we are using that in our tax levy that's another point x percent on top two percent. Last one is Ben cat. For everything I just talked about. Any time we don't use any of those adjustments flows into bandcamp. Okay, if we don't use an enrollment  adjustment Healthcare adjustment it goes into bank app, which means you're allowed to use it in subsequent budget Cycles under another example. Every time we don't go to 2% that  gets Banks into into cat. So if we only went to 1% that roughly 400,000 would be banks for your future use in three software budget cycles and I put a little sign in here because we are using someone this year.  The remaining Bank cap that we had that we are allowed to use in subsequent budget Cycles is almost 160,000.  The questions no. Okay tax rate how I'll be arrive at our tax rate is simply our lemons in general fun. Levy our debt service loving which is about three million dollars for  refresher with that services.  That service is voter approved issued debt from previous reference. So that's nothing that you can control or change ever because it already happens over proof. So that's what that service is. The only thing that we can change year. is this general fund general fund tax rate? So you'll see. the effective tax rate total tax rate Both funds is 1.55% You may be thinking. You just told me the tax increase on eleven is 2.88% but the general fund increase percentage all the way here to the right is 1.85% How is that? That's because the tax levy is not the only thing changing and that valuations of the municipality increased. So it naturally the effective tax rate doesn't go up at the same rate that you are raising the tax level. So let me explain that a little bit further.  There's no quiz. You don't have to memorize so these are our lemons that we're we're that we have proposed again Debt Service. We we can't change that's that's a service loving this General general fund Levy right here 41 million dollars. Those two levees they take it over the current 2024 that valuations which is slightly over 2.4 billion dollars. Make taxable valuation is the the tax base in which our Levy is spread out of us? Okay, but if I take last year's net valuation taxable, it's It's almost 24 million dollars less. So if you do the math down you'll see  that the the total rate at last year's evaluation because obviously much less well in order to talk about Bill, you know much less than the rate the the rate this year's language. Okay. Hence, the net effect is is down on a little over 1% So that's why when it's it's not as simple as whatever you raise taxify is the same rate and what's that that in all taxpayer Hadfield cease  affected is not the same whatever reason.  Congratulations. you're probably guys are increasing.  So not every town is is experiences this let's say you're lucky, but it's doesn't happen everywhere. So and we're that's actually a larger increase. From than the increase of experience later.  Okay, and then I put this I'll call it a tool together. I put a few different scenarios or  values if you know all the top of your head what he says value of your own is you could probably plug it in and estimate. what the again School purposes. I'm gonna talk about school purposes here.  Obviously, there are other there are other readables in which property taxes or devoted to but for school tax purposes.  This is how you can figure it out the average assess sometimes feel is 530,000.  Since I've just began here seven years ago it was I started with it was just below 500,000. So in seven years it's raised that that's that's pretty substantial actually for an average assessed value of a home. the increase in the effective tax rate is 1.55% increase if you really  boil that down, that's about a $12 a month fingers. That's what the average assessed home It Haddonfield will see as an  increase in school purposes.  All right, so fun little slide. I started a few years ago. I don't know if you can see this here, but What this is this is just a breakdown. Okay, where does where does the Haddonfield tax dollar go and what and what area is it actually paying for? So these few categories? It really doesn't change that much year to year. So from if you can see it there almost what you see it there, but from facilities all the way to  co-curricular only has ever changed a penny per show. I think so facility stayed the same Debt Service actually went down.  Central Business Office that state the same technology actually went up one thing nursing without one penny and Athletics and code readers say the same there's one observation. I have to point out and and I have to point out and and share with you. General learning special ed there was  One of the bigger swings I've ever seen when showing this so general led last year was These erase I could say percentage  was 48 percent this year 44% So when down element? Special ed went up about 5% Last year was 19 cents this year. 24 cents  just pointing that out. It's that's that's rather large, but that's something that we're aware, and we're not involved in any way shape or form. Yeah when you're talking Jennette in special ed that also includes the cost of the Educators too, right? It's like everything that goes in. Yeah, so the covers CST teachers educational assistance. Thank you.  Replacements. Also anything special. Thank you.  I I hijacked this from the arrows website every year.  This is 2023. It's supposed to be 202. 3 the barrel will not have 2024 probably until July August and I'll put this in perspective a little bit a couple months ago. You probably got the mail a preliminary tax bill, right? It's a different color every year. There's no means I need to Colors. Um, but it's preliminary it's  estimated. They don't have all their readables yet. Including they're waiting for somebody waiting for school. Right. So we're coming up with our rate now that way when they pass their the action put their budget together in the middle of their fiscal year like if you are before but we'll give them their rate then they'll send you probably July or August and your final tax bill and then you will have your what you will of for your August and November tax treatments. But anyway, the whole the whole point I show you this is to give you an idea on what percentage of your tax Your property taxes is actually devoted to school to the school district. year. was almost 58% I can only estimate anticipate but it's going to be similar.  It was similar to last year.  All right moving past the numbers a little bit. I just want to re-highlight from my  presentation back in February some new editions that we have in our budget for next year.  We have two new teachers. We're continuing our investment and  increasing our investment in  cybersecurity arcade-5 math  curriculum, which Mr. Gino's just just presented on and our revamp Business course at the high school positive behavior support at the middle school.  next year What does that mean? Yes. Mister priolo. Yeah, a positive behavior supports as a schoolwide approach to climate many culture at the middle school. Okay, specifically how teachers and interact with other teachers our teachers interact with students and how Administration access students. the culture and climate in English But it's perfect example. I don't always know what we're buying. I know the people that do. I just they just come to me say hey, do we have the money? Yeah anything that I Like for cyber safety training, I'm assuming that Snapchats for kids that also for everyone within the  ecosystem like keeping all of our Student Records safe than that, including us. Yeah, we're going to do as well. Yes. Actually there's a really fascinating program the since we have committed to start with this technically effective July 1st the to the vendor is actually giving us our three  months free from now until July for that program and it's gonna have the like the test emails. We'll have those. Yeah, and it's like I hate them, but I love them because I'm now super critical every email I get thinking is this my test my goodness. it's five minute videos once a month. Yep, and then based on based on based on this if our mediation but the nice thing about it too is it's not just school starts. It's like your life. Yeah, so it's what? Yeah, you know personal mail on this and give you ideas what's happening the world and they're built on the most current. dishing you whatever it is, so it's very it's a really good program cyber security is costing everyone costing everyone. Yeah and everyone roll schools last failure costs everyone. and when you have to shut down school because you can't get your records in those things and then Obviously, we have a lot of personal information. You don't want out the world.  We have to make sure we're very good. And how it works is they get in through weeks Lincoln and once they're in they can go so that's what we're but weakest linking the people.  Yes. Yes spell that one out.  Like it's we could have the  best world you click a dumb link, you know, it's good. I could use a new car. Yes, that's what we're viable. Okay. Thank you. I also want to point out some things We're proud to continue. I do not. Oh, yeah, two things specifically no  increase in activity fees or  Chromebook fees. We're pretty proud of that. I mean that's just another way of saying hey, we're not throwing in  additional tax on on families. So we're pretty proud of that summer information had no cost to families. Definitely for one more summer. That is true. I will say that is Esther funded. So if it continues if we won't we won't be using that's your function. this year Okay. I am happy to answer any questions. Asked when as you were going, that's right.  Yeah, I don't know. I feel like yeah that I can go back to your first slide to just talk about that other or whatever.  Whatever the miscellaneous Revenue because I would think it's something I have asked about that. I just feel like it might be worth rehashing for anybody who's new or wondering like how is the school making money great like that seems  weird, right because we're in the business of we're not for profit. You know, like how is that working? So can you remind us how sometimes we end up generating Revenue? So what mainly wakes up that  miscellaneous rubbing very broadly, right the biggest driver miss things interest.  Are yields from our deposits the other is promo fees? That's a driver. Lost book finds that's not a huge. That's right.  Those are the things that I just don't know. It's not alive. those kinds of things and I think I don't know if we still do. to And they pay for that service or whatever. Is that a profit or is that every time right? Okay. Yeah. I don't know when I first heard that like having making money like cut that out. You know, we should be yeah, yeah. Doing preparing for this. you are  bother him awesome your truck, so I love it. But like unanalysis like maybe like a  tenure analysis of this thing is right. Yeah. Okay. What's what's the biggest driver but  when we had the referendum back in 2016, we were really making interest on 35 million dollars a really add so So yeah like that. That's something I actually crossed my mind recently. the questions Thank you. All right. Miss your class is going to do the curriculum committee report today. So we're basically three topics one was before cart. I want to record questions. We saw some let's get that one second was the math pilot. but so heard that but the third was on it's on the Jennifer approval tonight, um, Washington headquarters 10 is coming to town which is a pretty big  deal. So in next next November, they're gonna set up behind Central School and Middle School. We're gonna build a replica of Washington's tank which will be our eighth grade students go down and learn about an experience just done  with historical society. It'll be there for two days of the  open on Saturday. So if you come to see it, so it's pretty and Museum of the American girl. She's put that together. So that's gonna be great. that's their big. So we'll be as we closer to that will be certainly publicizing that I know all the details. that's pretty excited. We're hope to get watching these actual 10 here.  But apparently, you know, thank you. So there's there's like heavy security 24 hours a day around it from the national park. So even this is pretty special. It's a great great chance for our kids to see something. Yeah work on that. Yes. greater than here financed yet. you he told me yeah. No. Yeah. So yeah, we did we met last week on the 16th. we talked about but if you items here first off we've this is  the third meeting talking about volleyball program since January we continue to talk about that. Obviously. It's a programmatic item for the district. But also it's clearly Finance topic too. So we continue to talk about that. We talked about the  Telecommunications opportunity which which really means we were actually approached by a vendor who was actually sent to us from from the borough about possibly looking at a  telecommunication Towers the antennas for for cell phone coverage. So we're actually as a committee we we talked about it and more we're probably gonna look at is getting an  expert to come in and talk to the committee for starters and that's as the next level to explore that option because that could be in another of Revenue. misgender speaking of the Barrow Chuck and I we had our monthly meeting with the borough. There were three three things we discussed there coolie Hall. We always discussed that. To get right through what we the biggest takeaway was is they anticipate going out in May? for for the big for the demolition of The next thing we talked about was there's two memorandum of agreements that we are going to work out over the summertime first being Radner complex in the understanding of  Maintenance because we obviously have a big maintenance commitment from one of our staff still even though it's  their property but during baseball season something that we we have staff there every day every day all season. So that's something we're gonna work out with them over the summer the other memorandum of being we're gonna work out is we're looking at to continue the memory of agreement that he already existed for the turf  fields because that technically technically Sunset when we replaced the turf, it's something we want to continue and put in writing so that and all of us who are are here are no longer here the relationship continues and how we conduct, you know usage fields. The the last thing we talked about in  our monthly meeting was this  crosswalk over here that that is in the works. They're actually seriously considering moving it altogether in one direction of the other the biggest concern. is it currently dumps into the driveway of a resident across the street? So when I was out here with the head of public works for the county when a  couple months ago that that's all he could talk about easy couldn't stand that he don't out into a residence driveway. So they're looking at possibly moving that all together maybe closer to I think it's Robert right that runs, right or one way. It's it's their problem. That's just where they're at.  And if just a refresh we committed in sharing the cost of the boroughs. Shared costs to in install the whole reason bring us up is for crosswalk  signals flashing lights for safer crossword. That was our monthly meeting. We brought up our summer paint crew. We're excited that that's going to  continue to fair in our facilities director. He's going to lead and gauge interest from from students who want to work over the summer for some painting projects around districts. So we're happy about that request for proposals and it's there are on the agenda tonight.  Are three three contract award for Professional Services, and that is health benefit broker record related Services.  There's a lot of vendors that I want and then also special education Council legal council. We did solicit for construction manager or record. We actually had interviews for that on Monday, but we're working we want to make the right decision on that on that particular service. So we're actually we have 60 days from when we open up proposals that we have to afford them. So we're well within that we open them up on April 11th. We're gonna push that to me and look a little bit more into that and then the last procurement item there for you was a big you'll see there's a big only your agenda for tonight for more deliver Renovations less than we did last summer. We're doing total motivations team  Elementary School. That was our lowest bitter. There was an to do more in in Tatum, but for this very reason we made it an alternate that way we have options. Unfortunately. It's not within the budget to do all the bathrooms that we would like to do in Tatum. But um, but we're happy our our architect is comfortable with those  numbers and then of course went through attorney review he's  comfortable with the submission. So we're excited that network will get done that's actually funds too correctly partially, so it's your funds and then also capital Are funds because that we have some extra funds remaining but it can't cover the total budget of moving accomplishment. So half and half have capitals are half. as your phones well, the new construction manager be in charge of that renovation or you still on your contract with the previous. No, we we hope to our new one. It will be ideal for for a construction management be here right now. Hey, you've got this you know that. Our Architects they have if we ever do projects without a construction manager, which we've done in the past architect kind of takes the lead on the construction Administration aspect of any construction project. That's how it's going to start and I  hope if in may we have a new one that they're gonna take you from there, especially since construction will not have started yet there. We really be in a Contracting bonding phase of the project. Contractors ordering everything he's  submitting his permits. That's where they be. So will we behind? Necessarily not know but having a contraction manager on the job. Yes, but it's not detrimental to trying. Okay. Thank you. That was it for sorry about that. We talked about budget. I talked a lot about that Chris now and then lastly very briefly. We had a a nice little facility usage here at the high school last Friday Five Below today did a photo shoot which turned out very nicely they worked with us. I said some rules they follow the rules. They they did some some things outside by the bleachers and even Courtyard while school was in session interrupt anybody and After School  dismissal, they did everything. smells pretty exciting also another little Revenue capture for yeah, that's great. I actually ended up dropping off Tommy's baseball bag during that and I'm like, oh, please don't let me be like an extra. Thank you. and I remembered that it was shooting it. I hope like not inadvertently an extra in that. All right. So, um the thorough is going out in May for big. so we will make the assumption that coolie demolition is close with that. When is it too soon for us to go out to bid for the fields? I mean, what we don't want to wait to do is wait until they're all already done and then have to start. So what would be correct timing knowing that we want to get this done as soon as we possibly have a ideal time obviously be like they're done demoing and then the people that we hire and a word of contract too, you know, they're done.  We saw possibility. We have to submit the project at the US architect asset as if you is his job to be honest. They're wrapping. They're obviously wrapping up on all for the referendum and that's that's  the next big thing. So that has to happen first. I would say that's at least right there.  That's period from today right now. So but I would imagine you would probably see a resolution. on the main meeting soon at the latest about that due east Mission. Yeah, that would be great. And then once that happens You go out to bid. I could see us on winning contracts in August to be honest with you. Yeah, that would be great. No, I'm no architect, but I understand a field doesn't take that much lead time in. design. So and I think there are some designs  because it was still original sure is I thank you any questions for Mike. All right, Rachel. You went last week last? Yeah Linda anything else on Monday. Um, yeah negotiations and Chris said we have a tentative agreement so  which is really great. I think that's really a mark of the  collaboration between the doe and of course all the administrators and our hea and presidents and members of the hea don't have too many so  That's kind of a win. All right PTA updates. Anyone have anything? Right. Okay. I didn't attend the Tatum one, but I pass off to you and the crew that the inclusion night. I'm not saying the wrong name of it, but right like a decision Expo. Yeah. Yeah, right and that looked amazing and the Tatum fair is coming. Maybe it hopefully will be good. If not, there's a rain day, but Tom let your kids run around behind Tatum and share some money with the team. and then I just went to the HMHS and it just kind of reviewed that the PTA had fully funded all the teacher  requests, which was great. They did have the Washington DC trip for juniors this year sophomore party. I think you were were did you go on the DC? triple? No, I just okay, but I know that it was it was a great trip. So good stuff there sophomore party. They were planning.  They're gonna photo booth there and teacher appreciation week is coming. So they're planning this stuff will do teachers to let them know how much you some okay, Dr. Priola. Do you have anything a couple quick  announcements and I'm proud to announce where we have finalized our classroom rosters for our summer in Richmond program.  We're gonna be providing four weeks of free summer programming to over 200 how to feel School District students in grades K through 8.  The Staffing process for next year is well underway. This is the furthest we've been along  at this point in square, which was a concerted effort by the administrative team to ensure. We are selecting the best possible teachers and often you do that by getting your process started early so hats To your principles of doing their  Staffing forecasts getting their committees together. So we anticipate having assuming things continue to go on the  right path as they are now several recommendations for hires at the May board meeting for September start. It's great. And finally, we heard a little earlier about njsla.  Testing All Hands your own deck for our preparations for that. They're it is hard to really qualify the time and effort. It goes into logistical planning for this assessment even though it's an online piece. We have a number of students with  special needs and accommodations that have to be properly planned for teachers have to be trained locations have to be scope down. There's a tremendous amount of back back end work that gets done on the computer to make sure that the settings and accommodations match each student. So when they go to log on everything is good to be a very seamless  process. So that's all again to Chris Heinz. team and the building principles for helping to coordinate that because of them.  Mr. Class nothing really just want to apply the work being done by supervisors and my specials and printers that those two things we heard today. were long time coming a lot of good work and and the level they're doing other they're  doing your jobs too on top.  That's another level of detail and work that went into it really impressive. So I'm very very happy father work. I just like I gave Roman numbers today to everyone I have about there for the public too. And for the board, I gave kind of projected role numbers next year based on no one leaves a district number of Regis we have and once  again the numbers in grade 1 or big and I think it's 11 students from being sent to having from Tatum in central because we are over subscribe. So I will be looking at contact demographer to look at time to read online. or sending areas and given the place it hadn't feel which is to be development Snowden. which which is Tatum right now by the current lines. There's no Central right next to Central right? So so really any shift you make we have to shift. Part of Tatum to Central and part of Central right to happen, right? We just couldn't move one one. We're going to move two lines it is right now take Central is already the largest Elementary as it is so that's gonna be something we  have to look at very closely next several months because We want to make sure. Well, we're not going to be just that this year. We're going back and looking at it. So that's that's one of our next big things. We looking at so over here more about that future. Thank you. Yeah, go. Mr. Kudos to everybody's work on all the projects that we've been doing. There's one. You know, it's it's a very long time coming. I don't think a lot of people realize how much effort and research goes in to having these things like the new math program. He thinks coming to fruition the business program the but it's a lot of planning and it's a lot of people who are working together serving our students. and yeah, so I you know, I just want to thank everybody for their work on  that and and the relationships that we build in like anything. I feel like with the execution the execution happens with relationships and one thing about this District. I find is that those relationships are fostered and constructive and that then gets by in and support from those people that are teachers really who are  really going to be driving the success of these programs. So thank you to everyone who's part of that because I know that's a lot of the intangibles that we can't quantify but very grateful that we're able to do these things. And self-evaluations are due. So don't forget your smart lesson. but that's self evaluations, aren't you tomorrow? So if you haven't done yet, please do that. I'm my goal is a complete my evaluation by Sunday. So that would give the board but six or seven weeks before we have together. Okay? Yes.  Okay. Yes. So so when some of you are new Mr.  Clay valuation or Mr. Classy how another evaluation on the tales of this one that will do probably in a few weeks because then we have a couple sessions where we'll be discussing and before we finalize that and get that to the I'm losing my train of thought who that goes to so commissioner. Well, it's just it's stays internally, but I have to have it. It's a July 1st Step. Okay, so we have to have it done by July first so we have the Retreats the fifth ideally if we could never be a time for exact session for the board of discuss it yeah, and then be approved on the  2020 no 20th. That's what you it's July first, Right? Right. we have proven it in June 20.  Sounds good. Okay. We're now open for public comments.  members of the community are invited to speak for up to three minutes at this time. If you'd like to make an additional comment, please wait until everyone has had a chance to make your initial statements.  all comments must be directed to the board not members of the public. This is an opportunity for the board to listen, but not to be issues or enter question and answer period  Please be where Nautilus she's brought up at a board meeting. We'll be resolved that evening. We ask you to identify Yourself by stating your name and the name of your street. while public education can be an  emotional issue with strive to maintain a certain level of decorum at the meeting public meetings are streamed and available for replay on YouTube and students often participate in the meetings as such  citizens are expected to maintain a tone of courtesy and civility. Anyone like to make a comment?  Okay, we're going to move on to our items for approval governance acceptance of the suspension HIV vandalism report. policy approval by law. Well, there's there's a few there.  There's approval of the job description for the elementary math specialist, which is updated approval of the revised 24 25 academic calendar. of emotion option Linda and Jess questions or comments? Just explanation for the public the academic calendar being revised because there's specific contract language with the AGA about when the half day has to follow the evening conference. Our current calendar did not follow that so we were adjusting that back to meet the contract right to follow the contract. So it's just removing a half a day from one spot to another spot on a big change, but that's just the reason why we have an encounter and that's November that you know, right  because I forgot we have that info, right? I should accept. yeah, but that's that's the reason why so it's you're moving one day. So the parent warning parent conference with no students was in the original right the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It's not a Friday for Thanksgiving. Otherwise, it will actually so that's that's what that that is. So stress  Yeah, Mr. Knuckles. Yes. This Sonic. Yes, vice president hooker. Yes, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Dr. Brown. Yeah president crooked. Yes curriculum special education approval field trips conferences travel overnight field trips resolution of the Board of Ed. I just here. For whom that instruction approval of the board event participation in the study conducted at the department  psychology neuroscience at Temple resolution to approve the pilot of the smarts Elementary executive  functioning program resolution for the Board of Ed and Lost Legacy for home medical instruction resolution for the Board of Ed and Walsh Legacy  for additional event instruction for another student. And then the board event in Washington Legacy for another program  instruction resolution to approve 8th grade and Haddonfield Community educational program for the Museum of the American revolution's Washington  headquarters 10 um to be on the handfield Middle school and collaboration with the Indian king Tavern resolution between the how to put Board of Ed and Courtney Sherwood is learning  consultant for evaluation.  motion  snap without my person and machine you think issue questions or comments. Just so many good things on this list. the elementary executive functioning program really excited to see how that goes with the fifth grade and agree with all the comments we made  last session about can they please offer it all? Okay.  And Washington's tent is going to be really cool. Yeah, that's and then the contentful university. I would just know to for the public like I had November break plans, which  would mean that we wouldn't be here the day that it's open to the community. So you might want to look at your plans.  And yeah move them if that is  important to you as it might be to me because it seems really I am on the field trip attachment Plus. hmhj HMHS Arts the transportation like who's paying for it felt like a it wasn't clear. I could I have it up. Hang on. I'll do this students will have their transportation. I don't what does that mean paid for by somebody we're providing it.  They're driving themselves. to the opportunities Oh, yeah.  I'm not sure like it says no cost. I'm assuming we're not paying for the transportation, but I just don't know like seems like a word was messing or something like nothing.  Program. Yeah. Yeah, I think that is isn't that on the special education fund. They don't know maybe it's not for  other ones, but not, you know  anything like this has where it's funded or if I was looking at the ones above. Yeah, this is only 15 students. So I wonder if it's upper class when that dries. That's why you too carpooling, right? Yeah, we'll have their own that makes me a little bit nervous. Yeah, but yeah. I mean, I know that happens for other trips, okay? So is it you know, just what's the 21st? That's what my assumption watch insurance is usually on a school day Is it? Okay? I mean, it seems it says no coffee. I don't care people have a way to see your life, right? Yeah kids driving other kids appearance so that one got I don't. that Way, that's what I'm wondering like if it's already a small group of  students that maybe know each other right? It's in Black.  Yeah, so we can look good.  Where's that on that attachment? It's me. It's the last trip on the first. Yeah, it was in yellow. I do know that sometimes you know parents findings or things like here right and maybe You're on your own figure on Transportation. Just fine, but we'll find out okay with copy and paste it cut it. All right, it seems like something we'll find out what that is you.  Coral yeah Mr. Knuckles, yes. with Sonic vice president over. Yes, Mr. Beneke. Yes, Dr. Brown. Yes dress. Yes abstains see President. Yes. Personnel approval of new Personnel  transfer salary upgrades mentoring extra nuclear coaching appointments believes of resignations. approve the elimination of particular liaison to lpdc cycling position resolution for students to receive program instruction resolution for  another student to receive home gun instruction. resolution for another student to receive homebound instruction approval for Donald gorecki to prostrate the exams resolution for  growing Universal students to  complete the clinical internships. resolution to approve EA positions for the 24th since school year program re-employment. of -represented and represented certified staff and non-certified staff approval athletic and  non-athletic siphonless resolution to approve employees for updating Curriculum maps and a resolution to approve Harry Hinesville for physical  therapy for extended school year. motion staff and Mike  discussion always through your time. It's you know, here's what Andrew hands went to the hand. Yeah. I'll tell you a quick story about and Williams. So I was fortunate enough to hire in Williams. I don't recall if it was my first or  second Year's principle of tatums were talking about 2005 2006 and a new student started in a Kindergarten class and the student. having very difficult time transitioning and it seemed as if no matter what we did we as the adults weren't successful. We weren't supporting the student in the way. He needed to be supported. and I remember one staff there and I can't remember who it was that my ear and said you need to find in Williams. And you need to hire her back the  apparently she was hired and she left the district. I don't remember the circumstance. It's circumstances under where she left. Up advice. I always got from from a colleague when I was a teacher. She said if you ever become a Ministry listen to your teachers, and I listen to that teacher and I found  found it in Williams contact information. I called her up. She started I don't know a month. Later. And the students life and World turned around.  And of course, there are other people who went back that but the the centerpiece of that students or it was in Williams and in the subsequent years when I was at Tatum and in my  work as director of special education whenever I needed something that was an outside of the box assignment. a last-minute kind of request due to unforeseen circumstances And Williams was always there. She is going to be a tremendous loss this school district and year in year out. She gave her heart and her soul to the preschool students over atato, and she will be greatly greatly missed. two more Kathleen white who's a bus driver. I think 2020 plus years 22 years Maybe I coached as you probably enough for a long time. So I I got a lot of a lot of watching Kathy. He's always, you know, Welcoming friendly funny. She also would do whatever person with this common theme for our people we do whatever rooms. Yes. I know if we are brought runs she  would you step up and take it  when I do my summer bus tours of new teacher. She's she runs that route for us and she's gonna be missed just driving a bus full of children. I have three kids. I'd like to drive them around a stranger. always. made you feel nice made you feel well, and she also is going to be sort of missed and then Ron Smith. What's this your grade of many people is leaving us on environmental science teacher. great teacher and a better person meant so much to somebody kids who don't I own I I kind of don't even know what to say. Ron called me up last week or the week ago and he told me what's going on. He said think can we we not approve his retirement. I just retirement, but that won't  matter is the time. Anyway, I I you know, and the story like I probably told us before my  daughter had him and people so I mean we have so many kids studying around most lines of college and if you call it wrong because of who he is how he teaches the passion is still I remember my I'm walking around my house. My daughter's Thursday night or ten o'clock. My daughter's getting dressed. So, where are you going? So I'm gonna go count Al's in the time barriers. What are you talking? I thought you speaking out to go through a party or something like that or his own time Ross Smith is taking kids out at 11 o'clock at night on the Thursday to go count house canoe scripts on his own time. Just just stuff that no one else does and when you look at the bird the shore bird studies and the Horseshoe crust data  and our student Sciences programs shifted State funding because of the workout. Our rain Gardens are around here.  All that stuff is Ron Smith, and he's he's gonna be he's ever replaced. Everyone can be replaced. I know. But Ron can so sorely measurement. So as you know, I saw someone close  to me someone email. that's just the sheer growth in numbers and environmental science.  Probably the largest program.  Other organically by yes. Yes, I will say. Having had that man touch people. lots and lots of people but seeing firsthand  how he changes change the trajectory of certain their lives are different as a result of him and he doesn't teach a course He models a philosophy and he ignites that passion in so many kids. I will tell you that when I said tonight at the dinner table that he was retired. um My daughter was gutted. And then shortly after that. I got a text from DC and both of them are like no why this can't happen that this man has touched so many of our kids and they're so so so lucky to have in in their lives and in the direction see I would like to vote. No.  any other questions like can you call roll? Mr. Knuckles, yes episodic. Sonic vice president hooker Yes. Yeah.  Yes. Dr. Brown, yeah this dress president crooked Yes reviews on G. These are unless  Okay. I'm so proud of myself.  even forgotten that and finance recommendations recommends the adoption of 24 25 budget.  approval to renew the contract with alphabets approval of the Board of Ed to enter the co-op pricing agreement approval of the addendum with ESS Northeast for substitute Staffing  approval to renew the contract for school position. Approve the awarding of the RFP for the health benefit broker approve the awarding of the RFP for legal special education. to Cape Hart and Sketcher approve the awarding of the RFP for instructional related services. approval to award bid for the toilet room Renovations payment of bills lunch transfers board secretaries report and cash summary reports. wow, okay, Linda and just comments questions Just one point so for letter. g keyboard Sketcher and Chevy place within King. Oh, sorry. and Mike word says now to exceed 50 is that per firm or for both firms combined? It's perfect. I'm excited to see new trailer room setting. Okay. I still have a few more years there, and I'm excited. That's what they kissed asking. Now, yeah.  You did it well done.  Mr. Knuckles, yes. Miss Sonic. Yes vice president hooker. Yes. Mr. Beneke, yes, Dr. Brown.  Yeah mistress. Yes. President. Yes, um approval the minutes for March 14th and March 21st motion. Mike and Linda comment Okay, can you call? You sorry. yes was President hooker. This product. Yes, Dr. Brown. Yeah distress. Yes, Mr. Knuckles.  Yes president crooked. Yes.  okay items for future consideration of the board. Not a future consideration, but want to follow up that on that field trip. Yes students are providing your own contestation. Okay. Thanks. I know that's weird. but I have a new driver. s As well Transportation right now. She's at a prom night. Oh, he did not do result. I had one wondering and I think this is partly because I just the boards of evaluation. So one thought I had because we look at the field trips monthly. We have a policy and I know that's just gonna policy in anywhere. We were like trying to make it. a similar experience to all kiddos page 12 right like that.  everybody kind of equal opportunity within reason  because like if you're an  environmental you're going to the short account server, so not your English teacher is not going to do that or whatever, but do we ever look at like a summary like it's like I've never looked across like pulled all the field trip reports and been like are the schools doing this, you know, like yeah all  three and yeah, is there something like that elementary have pretty pretty much standard except for the exception here. There is actually exception this month due to a service project that a classroom table is doing to visit Animal Shelter. that was like a one-off piece directly related to an idea for those a year five days a year. That's a very small and so because of the celebrate value were overseas policies and that ensures that were like I know like, I don't know. How do I Mark that and that policy does explicitly right at the elementary? No, it doesn't get the exceptions right? But I was just trying to make sure and trip to elsaum is an example. Yes. I was just wondering about those kinds of. Yeah, I mean, it's good question. Yeah, there's so many policy, right? Nobody knows that there until someone breaks that really wait a second.  Yeah. okay motion to adjourn stuff since you're sorry.  Okay, just  I got this thermite. Oh you jacking up.