I call to order the Highland Park Board of Education hybrid Workshop voting meeting on Monday June 24th 6 o' the New Jersey open public meetings Act was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of the public bodies at which any business affecting their at was at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in compliance with the open public meetings act the Highland Park Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting setting forth the time date and location to be submitted for publication to the home News Tribune and Star Ledger and posted on the board's website at least 48 hours in advance of this meeting members of the public who wish to address address the board will be given the opportunity to do so before the board adjourns for the evening may I have roll call please Dr batty Miss Calon here Dr Coleman Dr Pixley here Miss puce here Dr scholman miss stano here miss vardaman miss forhe here we are going to recess to Executive session be it resolved pursuant to Sunshine Act njsa 10 col 4-12 and 13 the Highland Park Board of Education will now meet in Clos session to discuss matters related to student discipline personnel and the superintendent's performance report these exemptions are permitted to be discussed in CL closed session in accordance with njsa 104-113 information regarding the board's closed session discussion will be disclosed to the public as soon as the need for confidentiality no longer exists I move we recess to Executive session second all in favor I test I'd like to reconvene to regular session may I have roll call Dr batty Miss Calon here Dr Coleman Dr Pixley be there no she's here I know she's here but miss pruce here Dr schoolman here miss stanum miss ardman Miss bores here okay I will stand for the pledge I pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the Republic for which stands one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice uh our community Communications last month um were about after school program uh Miss Carla questions about the after school program and that that's pretty much it um we're going to move to approve the hybrid voting meeting and executive session minutes from May 28th 2024 I move to approve those minutes second Dr batty Miss Caden yes Dr Coleman Dr Pixley Miss pruce yes Dr scholman yes Miss sto yes Miss vardaman Miss VES yes pardon me Angelo it's she's getting an error message can you resend the link um sorry about that we have a few board members joining virtually tonight U we're going to move on to our student representative report no computers no they actually had us give them back so whoops uh so in light of both our lack of computers and our sudden lack of high school um Andrew and I do not have a report for you tonight we have uh a message of gratitude um I'm GNA start so I originally was not planning to join the board I saw the notification from Mr melanic who's here with us tonight and said ah you know what just this once I'm not going to be the one who steps up I'm let someone else do it and then Mr melanic emails me and goes hey Roy you should apply for this and I go okay and it turned out to be actually a lot of fun and kind of one of my favorite things this year um it's a side of the district that I didn't get to see beforehand uh it's a group of people who I didn't get to interact with and it brought it gave me a greater appreciation for just how much work goes into running our schools it's not a work that I see myself doing in the future like as a career or even a side job not a side job like running for election because I see just how much passion how much effort it takes and I know that I'm not going to have that in the future but I'm glad that I got to participate in it this year and um yeah I'm just so grateful that's that's my end so unlike Roy I always want to do this position uh it's definitely have had my eye on it since of the beginning years of high school um and being able to do it this year has been very rewarding um to bring the students voices to the board um but also to be able to serve in a sort of way um hopefully I will be sitting where one of you elected members are in the future um to to further serve my community and the school Community um but I would like to from the bottom of my heart thank all of you guys for the support you've given us this year thank you Roy thank you Andrew we really appreciated all the work and effort you put into this enjoyed meeting you were getting today and Never Say Never So during this time I would like to uh do the official passing of the torch for our student Representatives so tonight I am pleased to announce that next year joining the Board of Education will be Seth Shapiro who is here with us tonight so Seth stand up andbe and um Anna jersi who can't be with us uh tonight but will be joining us as well so congratulations Anna so Anna and Seth be on the lookout for an email this summer from me uh but usually I schedule a time to meet with them and go through a little orientation just to let you know you have some big shoes to fill but um the whole point is to make it your own we love to hear the student voices but you know I'll I'll save my speech for my speech time um but part of it is to bring the student voice alive from all four buildings to the board of education but that your voice matters on the board as well so I'm excited to work with you congratulations okay and we're going to move on to the superintendent report okay well tonight is one of my favorite uh board meetings for those who read my weekly email that's that's what I said I'm very excited for this one uh so tonight we have our board recognition so if you look we have our program so we're going to run it in the order of I'd like to speak first so I'm just going to go up to the podium and speak from that angle then I'm going to ask the administrators to come up and speak about their teachers of the year and had service Professionals of the year and then we're going to go to our retirement so that's our order of business for our program tonight okay test test test okay all right so I'd first like to start I'll pick up where I left off talking about two very important people on the board of education so good evening everyone tonight I have the distinct honor of recognizing two remarkable individuals who have truly exemplified the spirit of dedication and service with our school Community our student Board of Education Representatives Roy Crosby and Andrew Dalton Roy and Andrew your unwavering commitment to ensuring that the voices of your fellow students are heard has been nothing short of of extraordinary from day one you have approached your roles with a level of professionalism passion and integrity that is truly commendable your efforts have gone above and beyond expectations whether it was through conducting surveys or simply being a reliable ear for your peers you made sure that the diverse perspectives of our student body were not only heard but valued and respected You've Been instrumental in Bridging the Gap between students and the admin rtion fostering a sense of unity and collaboration that is vital for our Collective support your dedication has not only contributed to the betterment of our schools but has also set a powerful example for what student leadership can achieve you've shown that when students are given a platform and a voice they can drive meaningful change and Inspire others to do the same Roy and Andrew your hard work and determination have left an indelible mark on our school community we're incredibly proud of all that you've accomplished and are confident that you will continue to make a positive impact wherever your paths may lead thank you for your outstanding service and for being such exemplary representatives of our student body your contributions have made our schools better and for that we are deeply grateful please join me in giving a round of applause to Roy Crosby and Andrew Dalton and I have a little something for you if you'd like to come up I'd like to give you a little gift all right so we are going to move on to recognize and celebrate our teachers of the year and Education Service Professionals of the year so just to let you know that they received very beautiful Awards typically in the past before I took over a superintendency they got them at this meeting but then their year of having the you know excitement with was sort of over and although they could display it so when they come in from my office I hand deliver them to uh to our winners and recipients and I always tell them put it somewhere face forward so that you know just in case anybody's giving you a hard time say no no no I'm the best I'm the best so that they have it on full display so we have some certificates uh but tonight I'd like the principles to come up and share some remarks um about these recipients so we're going to start um with Irving Irving come on up Miss MCM hi everybody Welcome this is always one of my favorite nights of the year as well in addition to recognizing the students of course um so tonight I have the honor and privilege uh to speak about Mrs Nicole Parham who's right front and center so when I was trying to get my words together to speak about Nicole you know it's it's hard when you first meet someone to know who they are and the moment I met Nicole I will never remember she came over to me and she gave me the warmest hug and said welcome you're GNA love it here and I and that optimism has stuck with me since I met her almost seven years ago it's crazy how time goes so as we all know great teachers are the soul of Education we entrust in you the most precious thing we know in our life our students our children Irving's nominated Governor's educator of the Year Mrs Nicole Parham encompasses all the qualities that embody a magnificent teacher she is calm kind patient results driven yet she is inquisitive and focused on improving her craft all the time does not matter how many years Nicole has been teaching she is always the first to volunteer for a pilot she is always the first to raise her hand and say well I'll do it I'll get involved and I always appreciate that about you so don't stop it so comments from your many nomination forms include the terms diligent collaborative and you're always ready and willing to confer with other staff members to either get additional assistance for a student or to improve your teaching through learning you never stop learning you've been doing it a while but you are there for the kids and you always want to do better you set very high expectations for your students and every time I come in it it doesn't matter who the child is they will understand Nicole's lesson she will get them to understand it doesn't matter what modality doesn't matter if it's today if it's tomorrow if it's next week Nicole gets the job done you will do anything for them to reach their full potential but I've also seen that magic with the STA you will get them on board you will get them to agree and realize this is good work we're doing and throughout the time I've known you you can always be counted on for your organization dedication to learning new tools and strategies and you are a leader among your colleagues in knowing the curriculum inside and out I can always go to you if I have a question I appreciate your creativity and I know the staff does too you are always looking outside the box to make students successful you adapt learning as needed and you have taken a leadership role in shaping the first grade math curriculum as you have started teaching your lessons are always inquisitive they're student centered and I always can count on you for quick technology lessons you always can help the staff you've helped me out before and I appreciate that and you're a master at the Cricut you do awesome things your classroom it's cheery it's bright and much thought goes into the setup always your two lovely children Rex and Savannah they're always in helping you they were even in last week helping Mom because you know what the whole family gets involved everybody's invested but that shows how invested you are to your job and what you do each day and on a personal note you're always willing to help in any way that you can I appreciate knowing that no matter what challenge comes your way you're student centered and focused on figuring out a solution you will rarely come to me with a complaint without a solution or a way to make things better you're witty you're you have an endearing personality that shines and you're also humble at the same time you enjoy being part of the Irving community and it is readily seen at evening events even though you are busy with Children of your own you deserve all of these accolades and please know how grateful I feel every day to have you at Irving everyone please join me in congratulating Mrs Nicole Parham as Irving's teacher of the UN e all right on to the next it's okay I see you smiling so our Educational Services professional of the year is Mr Michael nastis and Mike you have worked at the district for probably as long as I've been here and although you don't live in Highland Park it sure seems like you're part of the community and you live here wholeheartedly my first interaction with you was having you as a parah in my classroom for many years while here at the middle school you were always able to connect with the students and your sense of humor and your ability to gain their trust by relating to them at their level no matter what their challenge may have been is absolutely heartwarming to me you're not only kind to students but you find a way to bring a smile to the faces of all of your fellow Educators in the building you're always ready with a joke or a story and bring a laugh to those around you I may not want to hear it some days but they're always there you are famous for your onliners and your enthusiastic collection of sports memorabilia and kiss dolls and sneakers clothing and all these other things you have worked in many different classroom settings but the majority of Mike's tenure has been working with students who have special needs or behavioral challenges you are kind you are patient you are understanding you also recognize the need for students to be able to be heard you are always willing to give them the opportunity to make good decisions before during and after a student may have had a challenge in addition to providing students with support he is a great asset to everyone that he works with he is ready for any task and works to make the job of the classroom teacher easier you Advocate on behalf of your fellow Educators and Paras and you always speak to me if something can be done better which I appreciate you offer assistance to the office staff you're always ready with willing and able to want to help and your attitude in the classroom matches just that Mike is very humble and he often does not talk about his accomplishments and how hard he truly works on a day-to-day basis he comes to work head up it doesn't matter how hard the day was before and I am always grateful for your willingness to be a strong male presence and role model for our students but in particular for our male students students that might need it the most you take pride in the accomplishment of your students and those that you work with and even after the students graduate they move on you always keep in touch you always have a story to tell and you always care about who they are outside of the classroom just as much as you do in Irving is definitely blessed to have you and I always want to thank you for giving me the best restaurant suggestions you always have the score of the Ranger game but more than anything you have passion behind every single choice that you make on a daily basis if you don't feel it in your heart and your gut you don't do it on a side personal note your friendship has been super important to me for the last 10 years and I thank you for always being there through it all for not just for me for our students and for our staff please everyone join me in congratulating Mr Michael nastis as Irvings the of the year thank you Miss MCN I'd like to call up the principal of Bartle Mrs Jennifer naap thank sorry thank you and welcome everyone I have the pleasure of honoring two very special people tonight well three once we get to the retirees too but to start off I am here to honor an extraordinary educator our Teacher of the Year Jackie fernet um anyone who knows her knows she is an amazing teacher and she makes a huge impact on the life of her students and her colleagues Jackie's commitment to her work is really UNP paralleled she consistently goes above and beyond in everything she does no matter when I go to Jackie and ask her Jackie can you help with this can you do this do you have an idea for this she is always there and willing to be there for anyone in ble her ability to be build meaningful relationships with her students families and staff is remarkable Jackie makes it a priority to get to know each of her students and their families fostering a a supportive and inclusive learning environment Jackie's impact extends Beyond just the four walls of her classroom she regularly volunteers at school events runs professional development which the staff loves to attend um and consistently seeks out new ways to reach her students she also makes great book recommendations both professional and for pleasure what are you on book like 38 for the school year Jackie um Jackie's dedication does not go unnoticed by her students students consistently Express how Miss fernet helps them understand math better and they achieve success in their classrooms this is a testament to her significant impact on her students every day Jackie maintains open and consistent communication with parents and ensures they feel supported and involved in their child's education she provides resources for them at home and always in is always available to answer questions and offer assistance as a colleague Jackie embodies the spirit of collaboration she actively seeks opportunities to assist with any task always making herself available to support other teachers whether that's going in their class to model a lesson work with them throughout the day she's always there no matter who asks her her door is always open to everyone including me her pursuit of professional development and her willingness to share her knowledge through workshops and newsletters reflects her commitment to continuous Improvement and Community growth and supporting the students of ble School Jackie is an exemplary educator whose hard work passion and dedication make her the best teacher of the year ever ble school is truly fortunate to have Jackie part of them part of it and our students and staff are better because of her presence thank you Jackie for all that you do your impact is immensely and we are is immeasurable and we are deeply grateful that we have you as part of ble congratulations next up it is my great honor to speak about a truly phenomenal staff member of Highland Park Dr Kim nisler Kim truly creates a safe and nurturing environment where students staff and parents feel comfortable sharing their emotional needs both inside and outside the classroom she's everyone's counselor just so you know everyone goes to Kim's office when they need her her expertise and social emotional learning and Trauma informed instruction has made her a leader in our district and her ability to see and connect with each child as an individual is truly remarkable you're there for everyone Kim you really are um now I lost my place um many times Kim is the calming presence needed to diffuse a crisis earning the trust and respect of students and families alike she embodies compassion dedication and excellent in every aspect of her work as a dedicated case manager Kim collaborates with staff and families to ensure that every student's needs are met she makes parents and Guardians feel valued and respected during IEP meetings check-ins and phone calls Kim's generosity Knows No Limits she ensures that students in need have food clean clothes toys and even helps parents locate resources she finds donations for families and volunteers for various schools of school events always putting others before herself Kim's office is a sanctuary for staff and students alike a place where they can seek guidance and support no matter what and Kim will drop everything to help anyone her deep care and dedication to her work students families and colleagues are unparalleled k your hard work kindness and unwavering commitment to our community do not go unnoticed you are truly incredible and it is a privilege to recognize you today thank you for everything you do thank you Miss map I'd like to bring up Miss Caitlyn Brady principal of the Middle School yeah good evening everyone okay so I have the honor to first uh speak about our teacher of the year um I need to preface this because I have for years uh called this teacher by the wrong name and now I I can't I can't undo it um the favorite snack in the middle school that's probably in ble too is Taki have you guys seen these they're disgusting uh and so miss Takis I don't know how many years ago that I started calling her Miss Takis and I can't stop it's like I I can't and I even caught myself the other day saying Miss Takis and I was like no Takis and I was like wait what is it I I can't remember so it is Miss Takis to me it always will be Miss Takis started working for the high school uh excuse me Highland Park Middle School in 2017 as a substitute she liked us so much that she came back when she was done with school to apply for a full-time position the feeling was Mutual because we swooped her up immediately and she applied since working for us Becky has immersed herself in the Highland Park Community and our students she is a track coach on several school and District committees and is really up for any opportunity to be with the students this year she volunteered for a pie in theace competition during one of our pep rallies she's unbelievable anything and everything during Co Becky was on board for every silly request I made to create videos for the students she was always the first person to sign up because she knew it made the student smile Becky is as reliable to me as she is to the students I count on her on the inrs committee to adjust plans and to make to take copious notes during our team meetings she is the epitome of a team player and someone I have come to rely on and step up when I need it most in the classroom Becky is one of my standout special education teachers this year she came up with a Rewards program for the whole special education department to utilize in addition to being a team player she also stands out as a leader I found it difficult to find people who want leadership roles and responsibilities but Becky does not shy away from them she is eager but also valued by her colleagues so much that they are willing to listen to her ideas finally Miss Takis has had many sorry challenging students over the years she has embraced them and celebrated them when others couldn't I have the privilege of having uh Hall Duty voluntary Hall duty every day and my spot is on the second floor in like the Crux of the the the floor and I'm a couple doors down for Miss Takis and I listen to her day in and day out period after period And I laugh out loud I think she is the bees knes I think the students get the biggest kick out of her I think her lesson are adorable I think they're they're [Music] incredibly wonderful for the students she Services um this the the lesson that I saw the other day she had a which been seen in 30 years of shrinky ding you remember those and it was about um like measuring and about you know what they looked like before you put them in the oven what you look like after they come out of the oven the you're going to remind me of what the word is but for measurement and I just thought well that is awesome like first of all it brings me back but like that's so creative and these are the students who need that creativity and need that that differentiation and need that excitement and Miss Takis brings it every single day so uh it is um for that and everything she has done for our school and Community Miss Takis was a slam dunk for this years teacher of the year congratulations to miss Takis e so it is another honor uh that I have to speak about our Educational Service professional of the Year Miss Gina Young if I can speak through this I'll did my very best Miss Young came to Highland Park Middle School after raising her grandchildren who are here tonight nice to see you guys and putting them through the school system my first year as assistant principal in the high scho school was her grandson Messier uh your senior year when Gina applied to be a parah I was thrilled to see her knowing what she had already done for her grandchildren was enough to assure me of her deep love of children and their success in school when I hired Gina we were starting a new program I told her that she would be the parot in the classroom these were eight students who came to love and respect Gina more than anyone else in the school Gina was tough but fair she gave the students boundaries but also respected their difficulties Miss Young was not only crucial for the students but also for the administration CST and the teachers she was the go- between all day every every day between the groups Miss Young would bring students up and down between the classrooms and her and the office get them breakfast and lunch track points and attend meetings regarding their progress Gina was the most knowledgeable person about these students and their needs and worked TIR tirelessly to advocate for them this year Miss Young had one student whom she was responsible for in spite of having only one charge this year Miss Young has a following of staff and students alike who worship her um everyone calls Gina grand grand and it is the most adorable thing you get the most hugs the most like I'm not jealous but you know like that every single day all day and I could not be happier for you um personally I'm indebted to Gina who's protected me she knew that a staff member didn't have my best interest at heart and prayed every day that I would be protected I don't know about you but I believe in a lot of prayer and I took that and I thought it was the best thing that you could ever do for me her attention to detail and protection of those who need it in difficult times is absolutely Stu I hope to be like Gina Young when I grow up to grand grand there is no one more deserving of this award so congratulations Gina for Educational Service professional of the year thank you Miss Brady and now I'd like to call up for the last time to do this the high school SCH principal Mr Michael Lasser good evening and uh it is wonderful to be here I'm going to try to do this from my phone so please be patient with me little busy this afternoon those that were with me know why I want to begin by talking about our Governor's Teacher of the Year Mr Christopher Broadfoot Chris joined the Highland Park High School staff in 2012 and I had the pleasure of being the one who recommended him to replace the social studies Department's retiree at the time Chris has primarily taught us History 2 and US History 1 to our students over the years although when I became the middle school principal year he joined the high school staff it turned out that we needed a section of seventh grade world history taught that year and Chris took on that task too Chris has always been flexible and accommodating during his career in HP Chris is again uh teaching nth grade world history this year due to higher enrollment in that grade he works hard to meet the needs of his students regardless of their academic level or learning difficulties and I applaud Chris's work in the classroom helping to different differentiate to students abilities with both honors distinction and us2 very unique opportunity that our students have and the expansion of Criminal Justice to include ninth grade students this year the teachers who have taken on these types of courses for our students recognize the challenge of guiding our students to produce honors level work and to study difficult material and Chris helps to make this attainable for many students who never thought they would be able to achieve these distinctions Chris is the epitome of a team player in all of his teaching roles described and in extracurricular roles such as the faculty manager of the building during the winter sports season he's also a ticket taker security scorekeeper for football soccer volleyball basketball games and spends an extraordinary amount of time in our building probably more than I do Chris is also a highly active leader in the hbhs faculty Chris serves as an adviser to student Congress and was a senior class adviser this year as well a task he has repeatedly taken on during his tenure and that's not an easy task I've relied on Chris to help promote and organize our spirit events for the high school and Chris does an excellent job in this capacity I wouldn't be able to be the Al I am without his Spirit Chris is highly organized and since he has run many of these events before I can count on his preparation to be ver very thorough I never have to worry about a thing when and Chris is in charge he helped expand our fundraisers this year with the addition of the Harlem Wizards game which was a great Community event this year's senior prom and senior class Boat Trip were among the best events I have attended in my 18 years as an administrator Chris has dedicated much of his time to help make the signature events for seniors memorable and fun and he recognizes the importance of helping students make memories that will last a lifetime I appreciated his input on the central leadership team for the district and the school leadership team for the high school as well as professional relations for our building I've enjoyed working closely with him this year as always Chris has helped the district and our school work through many challenges in his role as an HPA executive board officer and although he and I have disagreed at times I consider him a good friend who has always focused on what is best for our students and staff I will always remember our christm shopping trip after the faculty social where we went dress shopping for my wife and present shopping for his mom and of course that Mets game uh versus the Yankees at City Field is one I will never forget and of course the Yankees won that night Chris is appreciated by his students and the staff and by me personally for his tireless dedication to hphs which earned him the governor's teacher of the year award as selected by our high school commit this year a award that he truly truly deserves give him a round I have the distinct pleasure of describing Miss Lori St George our Educational Services professional of the Year Lori was hired by our district as a teacher associate in 1999 and for 25 years has worked to provide guidance for our students as a one-onone support or in shared classroom support situations Lori has long deserved this honor as the governor's Educational Services professional of the year and to quote a colleague Lor is an exceptional staff member her unwaveringly unwaveringly sorry personable demeanor characterized by a Perpetual smile and uplifting messages creates an atmosphere of positivity and inclusivity for students and colleagues Lor's remarkable sense of humor further enriches our school's culture fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and supported Lori is always flexible with her students students no matter their needs she is there for them last year she worked directly with an elll student who spoke very little English and had a mobility issue but Lori made the students experience at hphs the best that it could be and began to learn Spanish on her own to communicate better with the student this year Lori took on the role of supporting another student who had significant needs and she has been particularly patient dedicated and flexible in every situation with this student L was also nominated for this recognition sorry about that because Lor's impact extends far beyond the day-to-day classroom experiences of the students she has supported outside of school she has been the varsity assistant soccer coach middle school basketball coach and varsity head softball coach for years many times including this year our soccer and and softball teams have earned Division and County Championship status L has stayed committed to her students and athletes and has made a big impact on all of their lives and they truly love their coach she has developed strong relationships with these athletes that remain just as strong years after she has coached them and you Testament when you come to a softball or soccer the on there on the sidelines ready to give her a hug Lor's commitment to Foster in excellence and her unwavering dedication to personal growth make her an invaluable asset to our school Community bar you're lucky to get her next year Lori is a dedicated member of hphs and I have been honored to work with her and to help supervisor during her distinguished career and she truly deserves this honor please give her a round of applause please join me once again in congratulating our Governor's teacher and educational service providers of the year [Music] the last part of our program tonight I would like to recognize um our retirees we have a couple so we're actually going to start at the bottom and we're going to work our way up uh so I'd first like to invite um our school business administrator Denise R Roa to say a few words on marielen swazo unfortunately Mary Ellen's not here tonight but I just wanted to say a couple of words about her she's been a member of the he Highland Park Community for over 29 years um she has done a m multitude a variety a variety of tasks in the district she was accounts payable tuition transportation business office historian I often refer to her her as um but her vast knowledge and her experience has left a mark on the district and I am grateful to have worked with her even though for a short period of time we wish her all the best in her retirement Miss naap will you please join me so tonight I get I have the privilege to stand before you to honor a remarkable individ ual who has dedicated countless years I won't say how many Sandy don't worry to the students of Highland Park Miss Sandy stratakis this evening we honor not just a par professional but a cherished member of our school Community someone who has truly touched the hearts and lives of so many with her unwavering commitment and unique Spirit throughout her years with us she has shown an extraordinary dedication especially in her work with students facing behavioral challenges her knack for connecting with these students understanding their needs and guiding them with patience and care has made a world of difference in their lives her impact on their lives is immeasurable and her efforts have helped pave the way for their success both in school and Beyond her openness and authenticity have created a welcoming environment where students feel safe and understood what sets her apart is not just her professional dedication but her vibrant personality for those of you who know Sandy you know her personality she's outgoing full of life and never afraid to share a bit more than you asked for but that's just one of the any reasons we love her and oh how she can make us laugh her sense of humor is infectious brightening each of the toughest of days whether it's a funny story from her past from her own life or a quick witted remark she has an incredible ability to lift our spirits she's even been caught singing to the students as they walk in and sometimes she gets some strange looks from them but you know now she's still there in the morning singing their way into school um her laughter is a reminder that joy and learning go handin hand and that a positive attitude can make any challenge surmountable Sandy thank you thank you for your years of service your dedication to our students and the staff and your unwavering support of our school community you have been a Guiding Light for so many and we are deeply grateful for all that you have done let us all take a moment to celebrate her remarkable Journey her endless contributions and the joy she has brought into our lives we wish you the best and the start of your next adventure we will miss you for sure Miss Brady will you please join me okay so I have two retirees tonight who um I'm here to honor I am delighted to be speaking on behalf of both of their both of them excuse me I'm going to start with Miss June Miller all right June here you are so June has been in Highland Park for the last 20 years she was actually in the high school until right before covid 2019 and when she was coming to the middle school I would say it was not like woohoo it's kind of like she was a little hesitant but I have to say that she has come to love the middle school love its community and be very um trans arent about those feelings and I'm very appreciative of that June because you have always come to me and expressed that to me and um we don't always hear those good things so thank you for that um June has uh excuse me she has was in the glow program since its start um and she was in the she's been in the middle school for the last five five years in the glow program she's the first teacher here in the morning she is always advocating for her students and she has built relationships with with the team that is her her glow team um and I'm not just talking about the students because obviously she spends a lot of time with them but with her par professionals as well the team that is in this classroom Works flawlessly together um they rely on each other they communicate with each other um there was one par professional who was Ill this year and I know that this whole group went to visit her brought her things um and this is out of love and out of friend ship and I think that just speaks volumes to who June is and what she's willing to do for her students and her friends um June shared this with me at our Summit evaluation which she said I could say so I'm going to um she went back and she had found a diary entry that she had written which is pretty awesome so she said I wanted to write down these words I know what I want to do with my life I want to work with special needs children and teach them when I was in sixth grade for one period I helped a special needs boy learn to read I should have realized then I came to that conclusion after thinking about it for a long time this year I got a job at The JCC on July 4th and 5th I cried all day because I didn't want to leave Marsha a little special needs girl in the morning group is the sweetest thing I have ever met in my life I love her this is what working with special needs children means means to me it means working with the kids who want to learn that is dated July 7th 1974 June I think that Beyond being an incredible teacher an incredible friend um an incredible here in to to all of us in the Middle School um I think your proudest accomplishment is is being a wife and a mother um and I know your husband's sitting right here and you he's always here and I'm I'm I'm respectful of that because I don't know that mine would be here not sure I think it's wonderful I think it's great um and so what I want you to do june is I want you to lean into your time with your family this is so welld deserved and uh you have earned every single second of this next chapter so I want to say congratulations to you Miller on your retirement and your next steps okay my next retiree so I I stood here last year and uh I had the privilege of honoring this retiree as the teacher of the year I didn't know she was going to win that and then say I'm out of here but you know here I am a year later saying the same thing um so I got to tell you I miss gloy another pet name that I have uh this is a tough one for me um Miss glof has been here since 2012 um and I said this last year and I will say this again she runs student Congress and students in actions in action excuse me she single-handedly is in charge of every single fun event that happens to the school I I I that is not like an exaggeration every single awesome thing that happens is Miss cloth's responsibility so I don't know what we're going to do next year but we're going to be fine but really the the amount of work the amount of time that you put into this is unparalleled um the work that goes into planning these events is immense um and you seem to do it all with e i remember only one time us worrying that a bus didn't show up that was only once though and and they came I'm pretty sure um from collecting the permission slips and money to communicating about every single detail you manage it all with ease and this is not just for the students it's for the staff too you are in charge of our Sunshine committee which is a time that we take to celebrate all of the people who are getting married or have babies and it's it's truly remarkable a remarkable thing Beyond just being an awesome teacher and a great party planner um Miss Glo has become a friend and I spoke about this last year and I'll say it again but in a very challenging time she was my Confidant Miss gloth checks on me personally there's not a lot of people who do that I'll say that you know they think that you're the boss you're tough you got this but there are some hard days um and I don't know if you know but this job is hard it's very hard um and Miss GL gets a taste of how hard it can be when she runs these big events like diversity day and she's like oh I'm going to call Caitlyn just she has to deal with this every day I just have to do this once a year um and I appreciate that I really do um if it weren't for you miss glof I think I know I would be lost in covid um this was another crazy thing we did drove around and dropped off presents to every single teacher's house um and on like MTH Quest when you put in all the address dresses it was supposed to take me like 2 hours but I have a directional challenge problem um and so I was I was gone in New Jersey for like eight hours and I had two kids that were I don't know two and three at the time my car looked like it had imploded with McDonald's it was unbelievable and I could not find Miss gl's house for the and it was supposed to be a surprise I was supposed to just knock on the door say hey we're here I couldn't find her I could not find this house so finally I called her I said where the are you I am circling your neighborhood I got two screaming kids I got you know McDonald's up to my ears I said where are you and so what I realized was I need your exact address for Florida I need the quickest way to get there the flight that I need to take the car that I need to rent the streets that I need to drive there because I'm coming I'm coming and I'm going to be on time so don't you worry about that for all of these things but most importantly for our friendship I'm going to miss my McLoy so thank you for everything congratulations on your retirement thank you Miss Brady Mr Lasser will you please join me at the podium where's Tom I was a little worried they were going to talk about me before you and then I wouldn't have been able to get through it okay so I'm going to talk about you first okay and it's a pleasure that we're retiring together sir Tom joined Highland Park High School as a physical education health teacher in January of 2003 and has served this school district for over 20 years Tom scani has been an active member of the hbhs faculty and has worked to engage his students in meaningful health and physical education activities I appreciate when he has brought in new lessons and units of study to keep the material relevant he was sure to get certified in archery when we added that activity for our students prior to the pandemic and Tom was so Vigilant in making the sport exess and safe for our students that I was able to trust him with a bow and arrows Tom always wanted to create a section of honors physical education and health and this year he was able to accomplish this dream by facilitating a section of Middle School adaptive PE in which high school students mentored middle school students with disabilities in physical education your legacy is strong now we will be able to continue the district's commitment to Buddy now uh not only throughout the day but as an extracurricular activity as well this program was helped by this pilot year of high school students trained in your independent study course Thomas coached in a variety of capacities over the years including Boys Tennis girls and boys basketball and helped establish the girls volleyball program at Highland Park High School Tom began the community volleyball tournament fundraiser as well and has always found a way to generate funds to sport Athletics and school initiatives including that sign that stands in front of the school right now Tom extends his support and guidance to the recreation program in town and has helped to bring in numerous outside experts and athletes to hone the basketball skills of our student athletes so they can participate on after graduation teams I also appreciate Tom's particip ation in school level committees and his willingness to provide input on school and District projects Tom can always be counted on to offer suggestions support and advice in order to make the school a better place for our students he has volunteered time to Mentor students and given up his time at lunch to supervise students in the gymnasium so they could put their energies to good use if we had some crazy idea of what we needed to do with the students to actually keep them busy at lunchtime Tom was right there helping to organize the teams this year in Tom's last year teaching at Highland Park High School I can proudly say he also made a concerted effort to be sure all that paperwork that goes with a job and the Genesis requirements that are not easy to navigate were completed on time and error free which if you knew Tom's Tech skills was an incredible accomplishment that he just he gave me that big president a present for my uh retirement too so I thank you Tom for that Tom has always been a good-natured and good humored member of The Faculty at Highland Park High School and he will be missed I wish him his wife Debbie and his entire family the best during his retirement give him a round oh oh is there a costume change so excited typically we don't take off our closeup board meetings right let me see what it says before we move to the last retiree I I'm not sure who said it but I'm going to re reiterate a famous quote and they say legends never die I would first uh before before I speak about Mr Michael Lasser I'd like to bring up um some special guests the middle school and high school ptso that would like to share a few words middle SCH the middle school high school School Highland Park ptso would like to thank Mr Lasser for carrying us through these last many years without him an important institution in our town would have not survived and he has been untiring in his efforts to to recruit the new people well not so very new however Mr Lasser has held down the fort when came to pts so he's tried so many different ways to keep the parents involved in our high school he even started a parent advisory um committee and from that just to keep the funds flowing in our school um many of times it was just Michael and a couple of parents by myself hanging out talking with the parents trying to get this happening and this year Michael came to the table and said no you all need to get some bylaws you all need to get everything together you need to get your act together because once we had that happening he made sure when you talk about Legacy when it comes to Mr Lasser he made sure that all the nails were ironed in for us to make sure that we can continue as a huge organization bylaws are in effect we can do fundings we could do more things because of how you've taught us as to what to do to cons continue with you know the culture of being civic-minded and hopefully some more parents can come on board and join the ptsl thank you Michael all right Mike I think this is the last speech you'll get from me I've gone on the speech uh circuit for our beloved Mr Lasser tonight is with profound honor and deep admiration that I stand before you to celebrate a very remarkable individual who's been the heart and soul of our district for the past 30 years our beloved High School principal Mr Michael J Lasser um so you know I was thinking about what I wanted to say tonight because I've tried to do a theme for everyone so if anyone was at the high school my speech this year had a theme that I know Mr last loves uh and I got in the mail today from Mr Broadfoot my shirt so every time students have a fundraiser I notoriously always buy whatever it is and I got the shirt and it was talking about uh there was a picture of the school in the back and then the year of um its creation it's it opened uh in 2026 it'll have been a hundred years and I thought I think that's told how old Mr lacier is so I was thinking about maybe a roast for this one but it doesn't seem to be the crowd so I'll go with a little bit more sentimental in a career spanning three decades Mike has served in numerous roles each time bringing unparalleled dedication compassion and an unwavering commitment to putting students first his journey with our district is not just a career it's a testament to the power of education and the impact one individual can have on an entire Community from his early days as a passionate teacher to his transformative leadership as a principal Mike has always been a beacon of Excellence his deep historical knowledge of the district has provided us with a unique perspective ensuring that our Traditions are honored while we strive for Innovative progress he has been a guiding force seamlessly blending the wisdom of the past with the promise of the future and every role he has undertaken Mike has demonstrated a profound love for our students he understands that education is not merely about imparting knowledge but about nurturing young minds fostering their growth and inspiring them to reach their full potential his door has always been open his guidance steadfast and his encouragement unwavering countless students have found him as a mentor an advocate and a friend but Mike's influence extends far beyond the walls of our classroom clearly tonight demonstrates that he is a pillar of our community a person whose presence is felt in every corner of our district whether it's attending local events supporting Community initiatives or simply being a friendly face at school functions he has built Bridges and strengthen bonds that will endure for Generations his commitment to community service and his genuine care for every individual he encounters have set a standard that we all strive to emulate his tenard has been marked with countless achievements and accolades but perhaps his greatest Legacy lies in the hearts and the minds of those he's touched his leadership has not only shaped the educational landscape of our district but also instilled in the values of kindness integrity and perseverance hope and Percy wouldn't be a speech without him Mike as we honor Mike today we also celebrate the lasting impact he's made on our lives his contributions have created a ripple effect influencing not just his students and colleagues but the broader Community his his legacy is one of inspiration dedication and love on a personal note Mike has been more than a colleague to me he's been a friend and Mentor I start the mic early on in my administrative career here I had some very personal and private challenges and Mike took so much time whether it was during the day or after school to help me through some great struggles so I am forever grateful for him oh I have learned so much from him not just about being an effect an effective educator but about being a compassionate and understanding leader his ability to connect with students parents and staff is something I deeply admire and strive to emulate his influence on me as well as the countless others is a testament to his character he has the unique ability to make everyone feel valued and heard his open door policy his genuine interest in our lives and his tireless efforts to support and uplift us have created a school culture that is inclusive nurturing and empowering tonight we celebrate Mike not just for his years of service but for the Legacy he leaves behind his contributions will continue to shape our district for years to come his Spirit of kindness dedication and passion for Education will live on in the hearts of all who have the privilege of working with him and learning from him Michael J Lasser thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students your profound impact on our community and your friendship and mentorship we're all better for having known you here's to your remarkable Journey your countless achievements and the many lives you've touched we wish you all the best in your future endeavors knowing that your legacy will continue to inspire us all congratulations s I did ask if I could have the mic just for a little bit I don't think it would be appropriate if I just walked away and didn't say anything um when I walked down the path in front of the high school uh geez 30 years ago um those of you that have walked down that path or just see the front of that building um it called to me um it absolutely spoke to me um I had driven through Highland Park a number of times in college on my way to the system um to get that burger uh late at night not knowing what was behind uh all the fronts of the stores and everything else but when I walked down that path and saw the school and then walked upstairs to a social studies office that was stacked with books and um the man's name was Jim Rogers who interviewed me first um in coffee cup state everywhere I just felt the history of the place just immediately and as a social studies teacher that was something that just spoke volumes um and then I was asked in the actual interview which was a table almost about this big and that current office of mine filled with teachers and and and all kinds of people and I J I'd never been in an interview like that but it just spoke again to the volumes of what Highland Park does to vet those that come to the community it's a family and you're not going to be part of the family unless you pass the test so I passed the test I answered the question what would be the ideal social studies course correctly and I had the privilege of being able to then write that course um at the end of my first year not a lot of teachers get to actually design their own course their own curriculum and be able to impart that knowledge to the kids and that's what I did then for 11 years after that has teached my course my way and I it worked it really worked I believe established the model un it it and that came from the students asking me to go there with them to check out that conference and then we ran it as a little model un then for the rest of my teaching career the students got to play a role and they learned the empathy it was to be an immigrant coming to this country to have to go through the citizenship test ien showed them the actual paperwork that they have to fill out and eighth graders realized like that's a challenge and they ended the year after they debated all kinds of world issues by actually then determining what they thought was the most important issue and that played out in a mock trial so the kids walked away from my class I believe with that civic-minded attitude seeing the students here at the board just speaks volumes to again making sure that every voice counts here in Highland Park and that's what I believe that I've done in my career and so I I promised myself that I would give three recommendations to the board at my last standing here and I'm just going to give you these recommendations take them leave them but in 2018 four years after I became principal the school got recognition by Newsweek as gold standard best high school in Middle sex County and I believe that's a testament to all that the teachers do with our students here they worked so hard but there were a few things that were different about Highland Park at that time number one we had a very strong Community relationship with the police department I urged the board to re nurture that Rel relationship it is essential to our schools and to this community that the police and the schools work together to protect and keep our kids safe that's a critical component that actually on the report card for the anti-bullying uh report that we have to file every year we lost points this year and that was that because we don't have that collaboration second and I think we're on the path of this but please I urge the community and I know this is out there on tape no more opt out life has tests we have to pass tests you can't drive without a test I wouldn't have the certificates I had without tests tests are a pain in the butt sometimes but they are essential okay and the test scores when they decline because people don't take test seriously has an impact on the ratings on your homes you all know it okay and that's declined over the years and third tests are important in high school as well we've literally had alumni beg us to bring back the finals and the midterms because the finals and the midterms train them and get them ready for that next step we applaud ourselves as a College Prep High School and as we've actually taken away some of the programs that are not college prepatory that they're not designed like food and and consumer science and all these different courses that help students actually straight to Career the least we can do over College Prep is make sure students understand how to take those big long assessments okay and the teachers have been begging for them they're ready to bring them back and they're ready to make them authentic those are my only three recommendations I hope that the next principal as I'm going to spend the next month working with Dr Donovan to make sure the high school is ready I'll give her big thick socks cuz I everybody keeps saying oh big shoes to fill I'll give her some big socks after spending with her that time with her so she's ready to carry it on okay and I appreciate everything that the board's done with for me I wouldn't have this career I would not have spent half my life more than half my life here in Highland Park if it hadn't been for that opportunity I was given 30 years years ago so I'm grateful I'm thankful this has been a wonderful career for a wonderful Community thank you so to wrap up I just want to give all of our uh staff that are here tonight that we've acknowledged and our student Representatives another round of applause thank you so that concludes our um program for the night and my report so to end my report I'd like to do a form a few minutes of an interlude so for those that are out in Virtual land and those that are staying with us for the remainder of our board meeting we're probably just going to take a brief um 8 to 10 minute intermission there are some cookies and water here because we'd like the um honores to take some pictures and chat a little bit and then we'll return in a few minutes with our board meeting which you're all more than welcome to stay for it's very riveting musty TV um if not I understand and uh we'll return in about 10 minutes thank you e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e all right yeah I got them the gifts compliments so yes so it's Highland Park on one side and their school and their name on another so if they're homesick they could turn it around and think of us hopefully that'll be often but not too often okay we are we're going to be moving on to public comment the Highland Park Board of Education welcomes public participation and has reserved this time for your comments board policy number 0167 establishes and regulates the right of the public to participate in public public meetings Angela how many people do we have online okay nobody for public comment in person so anybody online for public comment all right um that concludes that first public comment we will have another public comment after our um committee reports and recommendations so I will start with curriculum and instruction curriculum and instruction met on June 13th um the first item we discussed was a followup on the advanced learning programs pullout program um we looked at the demographics for that and uh unfortunately the demographics do reveal racial and ethnic disparities between District numbers and those participating in the pullout component of the AL Pro Alp program so that is something that the committee along with the equity and Excellence committee will continue to discuss um we talked about reframing the advanced learning program to parents and families perhaps presenting to everyone during back to school night um rather than having that presentation just during arts and Tech um we also discussed having a Showcase of sample student projects to Garner interest in the program um we discussed maybe a video that could be created to be shared with families who are not able to attend back to school night that can Spotlight student projects um this work could also be shared in um B's newsletter or as a newsletter just for Alp um we do have uh sometimes students that are recommended for Alp regardless of whatever the placement exam scores are um however some parents of students for whom Alp was suggested or recommended because of particular talents or interest um don't want their students pulled out of class for the advanced learning program um so the families feel that since their students are struggling academically parents don't want to have them pulled out of class um we felt perhaps clearer more consistent and more visual advertisement of the program could quell parent concerns and worries that the students will be missing out by showcasing the skill building that the pullout program would provide we also um talked about summer school um schools are still well as of June 13th schools were still making phone calls home to recommend students join um the numbers are higher in the lower grades um as kids kind of get older they are less likely to join the summer school program um parents of students recommended for the program have requested things like shorter days or a few days a week um but that's not how the program is structured so we do see some um difficulty in recruiting Because of those that need for flexibility we had previously discussed notifying parents earlier about their children being recommended for ship um this year the recommendations were sent later than we had hoped because the district was not sure about getting funding to run the ship program um Dr Cisco will put this on our ship coordinator's radar to maybe earmark earmark it once we get an allocation in the budget so that those recommendations can go out as soon as possible um we also discussed having a general recommendation for summer intervention and being prepared with suggested summer skill building program should the district not be granted funding for the ship program this would help prevent last minute notice which is frustrating to parents and families who are not aware the student is in need of intervention and who have to plan summer as early as February and March some other topics we discussed we had um a wonderful juneth presentation from Peaks and valleys and brothers at ble um Peaks and valleys and brothers are both a huge success Miss maiden and Dr Susa are discussing next steps because it is so successful and well attended and we also have an update on prek the program created a prek k transition class for students that are not quite ready for kindergarten um in response to student needs so that class is going to begin next year in addition to the other two classes that are opening up as well for our action items um we have field trip requests we have the approval of evaluation instruments to be used for the 2024 2025 school year we have approval of the edify program for high school students that was the pilot um that we discussed to meetings ago and then had a followup next meeting um we have approval for for the University graduates and students for teaching internships um for elementary social work and social work we have the approval of job descriptions um a purchasing specialist accounts payable a site manager position that's updated for salary uh rather than hourly an assistant director position for the before and after school programs that would um replace the program coordinator position and a middle school after school program coordinator that's also a new coordinator position for um starting a middle school program based on some parent feedback we have the approval of the HPA professional development appro uh offerings for 2024 2025 the approval of submission of the 2024 to 2027 District language instruction educational program the leap three-year plan this is something that's prepared every 3 years and is attached we have approval to resend the law enforcement resolution which is something that we had originally approved April 29th after further examination um and Consulting with our lawyers we do not need this law enforcement res resolution it's not necessary we will cons continue to um follow the same protocols that we have um followed since more than ever ago um and so that is going to be rescinded uh we have the approval of home instruction for for students the approval of um a fairly Dickenson Dickenson University externship and that's for the Department of psychology for a practicum student who will be supporting the community teen center uh we have an approval for one an externship with Kean University that's also going to be supporting the community teen center and the approval of the 2324 bus emergency evacu tion drill report that concludes my report are there any questions all right we'll move on to um well equity and Excellence I don't think met okay so we're going to move on to finance and Facilities um try this is it even on um and um three areas we talked about first one was a daycare or after school program update um Colin presented on the proposed budget for the 2425 school year um and we had a lengthy discussion about that and lots of issues related to um the after school program the budget um does not is not uh recommending an increase in costs for um the after school program it is recommending an increase of 4% in salaries um we also discussed um the uh request by a group of parents of sixth graders to continue after to have an after school program for them they're predominantly students in our globe program and Colin is working to meet this need um he drove Joe F could be the coordinator of this group and um that's I think that's a position that we're considering and the job description is was on the agenda tonight not not um any particular people um I'm just reading reading ahead here to see what we can talk about uh we moved on to facilities um and uh doc Mr Rosa shared with us an update on the ble walkway the um an Engineers report has come in and the repairs that are needed are more extensive than we anticipated and um she has put out requests for estimates on both replacing the walkway as it is or as it was um and removing the walkway and stairwell all together in either case it's um an expensive unbudgeted expense um and we're waiting to hear those um estimates John reviewed with the committee the list of Summer work projects that will be done it's pretty extensive list uh a new sign at Irving is ready to go we're waiting and the board actually believe did receive confirmation about the grant we have a um a grant from the burrow to pay for a portion a significant portion $3,865 the PTO is funding it for a dollar and the board $1,000 dollar and the board will fund it for $1,000 as well um so that will be moving forward shortly and the other um item on that was the uh Irving School a preschool prgram that is going to be coming into Irving that is funded by the prek state Grant um and that will be put up this summer I believe and also on our agenda We the finance portion um the district received um stabilization Aid it's 40% of what was cut by the state so it came to $122,450 um that we'll be using that to expand a social work position to a full-time position to help the child child study team with the increasing numbers of cases and students that they are working with the rest of that money will go to maintenance and repair um Denise talked with the group about planning to start the budget process even earlier next year as as early as the beginning of the fall uh so we can come up with some realistic uh finances and uh and needs what realistic needs and and how we can get the finances to match them um the rest of this is really about the agenda so I'll go to the agenda very lengthy for finance tonight um so we have approval of our bill list Bill list for um uh May 29th to June 24th we will be uh voting on travel and related expense reimbursement report so it's what is listed in the agenda plus there's a reading which I think I have right here here um under the travel and expenses we're just adding uh a number eight which is the uh with an assistant principal has an additional travel expense that we're going to be voting in on it's $98 um and the agenda has the approval of the before and after school tuition rates for next year um with a 0% increase uh the uh Treasurer report of um School monies as of April 30th 2024 uh the board secretary's report um which is attached up until April 30th 2024 certifying that no budgetary line has been overextended um Board of Education certifications of the same nature and that funds are available to meet the district's obligations for the remainder of the year we have um number seven is approval of budget transfers actually actually for the month of April um and then there's number eight is that stabilization school budget Aid that I talked about for 122 plus ,000 we have a check we need to void an outstanding check um approval for transfer of unexpended Appropriations and or excess Revenue to reserve and um that basically is setting up our accounts if I understand it correctly for um Capital reserves and emergency reserves and maintenance um number 11 is the uh report is uh all the awarded contracts that we have to renew um and there's a very extensive list here of um all sorts of things everything from nursing services to computer hardware to insurances Transportation Etc so we have to vote in a general approval of those contracts uh we receiv received a grant from the drum th wacket I can never say that Foundation um that's the governor's house for 3,00 $33,500 that was our high school Green Team won that so we will be voting to accept that um approve approving of the submission of our 2025 Esa grant for our title one through Title 5 monies um number 14 is tuition rates for students who want to come to um Highland Park from other districts and so that's this is the tuition that they would be charged um approval of breakfast and lunch prices 24 25 school year um some additional contracted services for um professional development janal Le Consulting uh approval for other contracted service providers and related Services I believe there's a list um another professional development inspired instruction an additional student for bedside instruction uh three students oh they were in District they were in our district we're voting to um their tuition contract agreements then we're approving the out of District placements for the 2425 school year as they are right now for IEPs that list is on here um contract renewal for the cafeteria Software System the purchase of the Irving prek playground that's being paid for by preschool expansion Aid um and then the approval of our insurances which is a uh let's see New Jersey schools Insurance Group um and 25 is an additional renewal of insurance agreements and there's a list here on the agenda the sorted insurances that we're voting on a reading where's my reading list one more reading yeah number 26 is um submission of our school-based youth services contract um to approve the contract renewal and authorization of the Grant application submission for the school-based Youth Services Program for the 2425 school year in the amount of $ 37,2 65 that'll be number 26 we're happy to include that and that is my report questions I just want to to have one clarification that I asked earlier if the number 10 the transfer here we go the approval for transfer of unexpended Appropriations that that does not include the school ledge correct or is that that's just general right so um this is just approving and the amounts up to which we could re we could reserve in the future years so any excess Revenue that we have out of the 2324 school year budget we can put in reserves maintenance Reserve emergency reserve and capital reserve thank you for clarifying sorry personnel and Communications personnel and Communications um did meet last week on June 18th uh we discussed some resignations new appointments and reappointments leaves of absence stiens summer hours ratification of the HPA contract um stem and health curriculum writing PD prep for new teachers and a few exit interviews um that we discussed we also discussed some ways to improve surveys across the district um and then we have our agenda items uh we have the approval of two resignations approval of seven new appointments approval of three leaves of absence just checking my readin not till 19 um numbers four through eight are approval of non-renewals nine approval of paid administrative leave number 10 approval of a reappointment of an HPA EA 12month schedule G staff um two staff members number 11 approval of reappointment of 12-month non-bargaining staff um there are seven of those listed um number 12 approval of movement on the guide for um one employee approval of a St number 13 approval of a stien for the athletic coordinator approval of a stien for the administrative assistant at central office uh that was 14 number 15 approval of staff for outside events um three staff members are listed um number 16 approval of home instruction staff for the 2425 school year 7 approval of a list of Summer Staff 18 approval of revised rates for Summer Staff one staff member um 19 we have just one there's a a bunch of positions for schedule B positions for the 2425 school year um and there's one additional at the high school head of girls soccer for Chris rashell at salary of 8,946 20 scroll many pages to get to it sorry number 20 approval of staff for the 2024 summer teaching and reinforcement which is the star extended school year program and we are adding Amanda youngs for the extended school year program as a substitute special ed teacher not to exceed 80 hours at $50 an hour well there number 21 approval of toileting stien for star power professional 22 approval of a job coach sipen for the 2024 summer teaching for the star extended year SCH program 23 approval of staff for summer ESL screening 24 approval of nursing staff for summer 24 employment 25 nursing staff more nursing staff for summer 24 employment just looking to see what the differen is between those two one is for um the nurses to do regist ation so any new registration over the summer they go through their health physicals and everything you immunizations and the other is for middle and high school for the athletic physicals thank you you're welcome I see that in the longer description I was trying to shorten I apolog um number 26 approval of staff for summer 2024 child study team and IEP meetings list of that number 27 approval of extra compensation for School nurses for the 2024 2025 school year 28 approval of Handle With Care training 29 approval of title three immigrant newcomer handbook revisions 30 approval of staff for the for the ship program summer holistic Intervention Program number 31 approval of the ship staff to walk students to the recreation Camp um that'll be at Donaldson park or the Middle School um number 32 approval of coordinators for uh the ship program number 33 approval of reappointment and extra compensation for par Professionals for the 2024 202 school year another multi-page list number 34 approval of curriculum writing um we have kindergarten math math 1 2 third fourth fifth sixth seventh eth grade and this continues sorry very long everything uh number 35 approval of EXT hours for guidance counselors at the high school number 36 approval of Staff translators 37 approval of after school program staff 38 me read about this one 38 is also approval of after school program staff like the first is at bar and the other so the first one is for dely um to be the intrum for the well the first one is for interim site manager and then the second is for uh the staff for next school year gotcha thank you and then 39 also for um for the that's for their summer hours because there's work to be done over the summer thank you you're welcome um number 40 we have the approval of professional development presenters and presentation hours but the WR in is to disregard Kelly lemon's line item which was the cfu and data driven instruction number 41 approval of change of curriculum writing 42 approval of the advisory program writing at the middle school and high school and that concludes my report and agenda items any questions com really appreciate the fact microphone czy I really appreciate the fact that all these teachers are willing to do all this extra work particularly the C the curriculum writing that is a really long list and it's it's hard dur in the summertime to Rally yourself to do a lot of extra work but we needed to appreciate the people do it okay we'll move on to policy policy also uh met um back on June 12th um and um we're ready to move forward the bilingual and ESL education policy 2423 we' kind of held on to it for the last couple months to get the wording um to what we thought was was what was uh just right and we had a lot of help from um people in the district um who work with the uh with our ESL program so grateful for that so that's on the agenda uh for first read the other policy we've been working on that's on agenda for first read is policy 866 and we've been talking for a few months about that that we were concerned with um staff driving students uh from um school activities or back to school or any anything like that it actually came up in negotiations as a discussion um and we're ready to move it forward to um her first read we check with our lawyers and we can't just abolish that policy because there is a statute that states that um staff can transport school children in their um private Vehicles so because we don't want them to but the statute exists I think it's probably our shortest policy ever it's one line um njsa 18a colon 39 20.1 notwithstanding so that's the statute the board of education does not authorize teachers administrators or any staff members uh to transport students by a private vehicle between school and a school activity approved by this board in accordance with this policy everything else is on there gets deleted and that's what the policy will state and that's gone through leadership team and it's gone through the Association and everybody's comfortable with that um the other discussion we had which is will not be on the agenda anytime soon as we talked about policy 2363 which it which which includes student cell phone use and we've had emails from parents we've had discussions I mean many everybody's read about concerns for um uh student cell phone use in schools and social media and so forth um and we're certainly want to open that conversation up it's a policy that we'll need to go through a variety of stakeholders um that policy has a lot of that doesn't just have cell phone has a lot of other student Tech views so we certainly need our tech department and our leadership team to be looking at that um and the cell phone policy parent advisories other ways that we can get um input over the next school year and I don't think we're going to do any time quickly but we do want to research and see what other districts are doing in our state or around that are doing it successfully to limit cell phone use of that and when we're we're talking really about Middle School um in particular Le that's the request we've had from parents um here ton um so when when that policy does come we talked about breaking it into guidelines separate for K through five uh 6 through eight 912 but we're just in the very beginning stages of talking about that um we had a conversation about um the resolution for law enforcement unit that we're going to be resending based on um conversations with lawyer with our our lawyers and the other conversation we had at the meeting was um um we've had some comments here on the board about the public being able to submit comments via email to um a board meeting um and in fact it's only right now in our in policy 1652 which is for when we were fully remote meetings during declared emergencies we don't actually have anything written about at least that we could find about email um comments being being submitted at public meetings so we need to again that's something we need to research um to see if other districts are doing it how it's working whether we even can do that so that's going to be some future research um so that's not anything on the agenda that's not on the agenda just topic of conversation what's on the agenda for first read is the multilanguage education policy 2423 the transportation by private vehicle for first read and the second read are ones we talked about in the page asked about sports related concussions attendance and education of homeless children and youth and that's policy committee any questions for policy I got a question can you hear me yes hi okay um this is awkward um so for the cell phone one I think it's great you know we're kind of taking taking the time doing our due diligence lots of implications um and moving Parts my question is more of you once we do go through that Discovery process and feel good about something we'd want to put forward would it be standard to you know wait until the following year to get that or and to go that through like something like that I'm just curious if we get in a good place if if that's something we could employ Midway through the year or not I'm I'm just curious because you know once we go through the process and feel good about it you know I'd just be curious when it could actually be rolled out um given we've gotten lots of questions about it that's a great question I guess it depends on what we decide and you know so I have the answer is I have no idea it depends on on what we decide we also have to remember that for most of our policies so in part two of under policies and regs is actually a really good example of where you see R 5116 are and a number that's the regulation so policy is what is governed under the under overall umbrella um for the district but the regulation is the minute details of how we Implement a policy so for most of our policies there is an accompanying regulation so the policy is general and then the regulation is what we as Administration use on a day-to-day to implement the policy so we'd have to really look at then what does the policy say and then the regulation to actually enforce it um would be another piece of that so it's quite extensive but I guess it depends on what what is decided and and how we need to go about doing it would decide timeline I suppose yeah I think that also um we have to consider whether the current policy and regulations are being implemented with Fidelity um from the get-go so that would be something that we would need to kind of look into as well before we proceeded um so that perhaps maybe more actual enforcement of the policy would uh be more of an interim um solution while we continue to go through the policy uh we also have to write our board goals over the summer so this may be something that we want to consider as a board goal um for the next year is to kind of work through this project uh policy together and brainstorm and problem solve and and come up with a revision if we see it great thank you okay can I make a comment Allison is that okay yes great sorry I I voice from The Ether um yeah I just wanted to say I mean I you know I appreciate the distinction between sort of overarching policy and implementing regulations I think one of the things that's interesting about the cell phone debate is that it it makes that distinction sort of like um both less meaningful and more meaningful because you can have a policy of a ban on cell phones but then how you implement that that policy sort of becomes as big as the policy itself so for instance um you know you having a ban on cell phones but leaving it up to teachers to enforce that band I think everything I've read sort of puts that puts a lot of burden on teachers who may be sort of reluctant or ill equipped or just don't have the energy or time to to implement it and so the how the ban is implemented should become part of the over of the overarching policy such that you know the ban is something that is top down and the central Administration takes a big um hand in you know we read about these sort of Yonder pouches or cell phone check-ins or that sort of thing and so I think as we're thinking about what kind of policy we want to write this is one case though I'm certainly appreciate how important it is to let the administration administer policies and Implement administer goals the way that makes the most sense this is one place where I think the Board needs to really consider at the policy level um what the implementation should be like and I and I don't say that just we should somehow aggregate power to ourselves we want we want this to be helpful you know to the administration we want to be fair and considera of teachers and I think everyone wants this to um to succeed so that's what I wanted to say about that thank you Ethan hopefully there's nobody else in the ether that want okay um all right we're going to move on to our next public comment period uh the highly Park Board of Education welcomes public participation and has reserved this time for your comments board policy number 0167 establishes and regulates the right of the public to participate in public meetings um is there any there's nobody present um who for comment anybody online oh and how many people are on right now okay who is Adam Adam Stern Abby Abby St C down sorry Angelo and I are communicating across the room Abby go ahead hi this is Abby Stern cardal I live on Harper Street um as as you've come to know I'm going to talk a a little bit about prek um and just ask a couple of questions um I just want to start out by saying prek this year has been absolutely incredible the teachers are wonderful as are the Paras and just the program I know the couple of people who are running it I've just been as a parent really happy and appreciative and um one of the board members actually came to one of the classes and saw it um when we when there was a little celebration so I really appreciated that um a couple of questions regarding the prek one is again I'm really excited about the new playground that will be coming um this summer um I know I spoke with uh principal MCN and um emphasized that I hope that you know things don't get delayed I know it's always really hard uh with construction but you know I I'm you know I'm really hopeful and assured that there won't be any issue with that um for the kids for the start um I'm a little confused about the situation with the prek Pavilion that was discussed um with regard to the money from um the Kushner fund through Highland Park Education Foundation um I I believe that and I absolutely could be wrong about this I'm just trying to understand but I believe that um the money that was allocated to the school was then kind of determined by the school or by the district um between the high school greenhouse and then any money left over would go to the Pavilion um you know I was kind of hoping that there could be an understanding ahead of time that the Pavilion would also get pre prioritized um and I'm not sure kind of how that works but um you know it's really important that these kids get outside they've done a great job doing that this year but really it needs to be I would think in all weathers and you know have a little place so that it is raining the kids can still get outside you know sit outside for snack or something or get some shades so I would love to see you know if there is money through that hpf uh grant that was already allocated you know make sure that it goes toward both because I have seen a shift in the kind of discussion there go from that it was going from both to now seem to just go um which is another great initiative um the other question I have and I know I'm probably running short on time um is just just about kind of prek expansion again it's wonderful that it's expanding next year um and I know that you're you know you've submitted a couple of Grants um I guess one concern I have is just what if the grants aren't approved do we have some contingency plans um I think the grants were for and I again I could be remembering this wrong but I think they were for 60% so is there a plan for the district to make sure that um the other 40% is covered and just what happens if we don't get that Grant so I'm sure you're all still discussing this I'm sure it's you know very uh on top of your mind but I just wanted to kind of make the public comment to hopefully we can get more information about that um just as you continue so thank you very much great thank you Abby um anybody else on for public comments online okay um we close public comment uh we're going to move on to board action items um for curriculum and instruction I would like to approve items one [Music] through have a lot this is the most I've ever had one through 12 second again uh Dr batty Miss Calon yes Dr Coleman Dr Pixley yes Miss puce yes Dr schoolman yes Miss stano yes Miss vardaman yes Miss Vorhees yes okay finance and Facilities item one through 2 actually one through 26 that includes the two readings the additional uh travel and and spense line and the number 26 on school based service contract second Miss cassal done yes Dr Pixley yes yes Miss prce yes Dr scholman Dr scholman uh yes Miss stano yes Miss vman uh I abstain on number 21 and vote Yes on everything else Miss Vorhees yes personnel and Communications I'd like to move items one through 42 second Miss calan yes Dr Pixley yes Miss puce yes Dr scholman yes Miss Daniel yes Miss vardaman yes Miss Vorhees yes and policy I move uh one A and B and two CD and E under policy second Miss cassal done yes Dr Pixley yes yes Miss pruce yes Dr scholman yes Miss Danel yes Miss bman yes Miss Vorhees yes all right um board leason reports does anybody have a report from a council or committee or group yeah I'd like to this is Sarah from The Ether again um just just like to um very much congratulate the ceg uh group for an incredible fundraiser on June 14th they had a video game contest it was extremely well attended they had music all night uh our very own Dr Susa a lot of board members showed with our mayor as well Elsie um and you know just to commend the group overall over the past year they've grown their membership um more diverse uh families from underrepresented groups and some of um the area of Focus for next year is really inspiring and I think just the culmination of this event at the end of the year bringing everyone together it's really a um kind of shows the commitment from the community and all all those that showed up so just super congratulations to everyone involved and all the support um that you provide and I think also they were they honored some of the retiring teachers as well so it was a really special kind of moment and um just really big congratulations to them all was it was a beautiful event sorry okay no I I didn't get to go because I I had STP but I really wanted to um all right any other yeah so I just wanted to congratulate to the human Relations Committee for their juneth celebration which um the whole town came out for was really great we had a some great singing and spoken word and uh dance coordinated by some of our students themselves so it was a really really uh nice event and a lot of representation that was that was really good as long as we're congratulating I'll do the same thing to the Highland Park Education Foundation I did not go to their event but I understand they had a highly successful event a barbecue and um and and it was also a fundraiser to help them help our schools so congratulations to them the food I went to all three oh I was gonna say I went to all three of those events and they were all awesome yeah seriously they were they were really great okay um just for my president report I would like to wish all of our staff um to have a wonderful relaxing restful summer um I know that we uh we expect a lot from you during the year um but we we are so appreciative of all the work that you all put in throughout the year and for those of you working during the summer we hope it is uh fulfilling and lucrative and uh you know that you you find happiness with the kids even when uh you know it's hot and sticky best way to put it so thank you again and thank you like Marilyn said for volunteering um to work our summer programs and um moving on to Old business um I have one thing I just want to say which is that I want to thank everyone on the policy and equity and Excellence committee um as well as Christina for all of the work everyone did on the law enforcement resolution that was something that we said we were going to work go back and find and um go through and figure it out and we did and so I just want to thank everyone for all of the work everyone did that you know we we we kept our word and we said we were going to do something and we did it so any other new old business I'll just say too that I um I know a lot of us attended different events at the end of the school year like I made it to the ble concert and the middle school high school concert they were just awesome and to see the progression from the ble beginning band to the high school band I the Jazz whichever it was just amazing to know that that um that happens and um also congratulations to all those teachers that make that happen and three amazing graduations my first time making it to all three they were all they're all beautiful and so much work goes into each of them so so it's wonderful that we have that in our town and those Traditions keep going it's great okay any new business I will move to a journ second now we all sa all in favor have a good night good night and happy summer