laws of 1975 open public meetings Act this meeting is called to order to discuss regular board business please be advised that adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the Jersey journal and the Star Ledger notice of the meeting was filed with the office of the Town Clerk and posted on the district website roll call Dr boy here Mrs here m l here Mr M here Mrs pedig here Mr Suarez here Mrs Torres here Mr ruso here president here Pledge of Allegiance I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all approval of the minutes I need a resolution to approve the regular meeting and the Clos session for October 16th 2023 so move second discussion roll call back to Boy Yes Mrs B M yes Mr M yes Mrs P yes Mr Suarez yes Mrs Torres Mr ruso yes president yes okay um observers on agenda items so I have two people on the the list so just so you know in case um you haven't been here before this is the time where we just speak about things that are on our list for tonight otherwise if you have anything else that you want to talk about we have a section later on in the night that you can do that so are your items agenda items or are they for later later later okay maybe later okay okay so then we will go on to committee reports first up is Athletics and Student Activities Mr viscuso everyone received their copy of the athletic committee meeting I just want to explain one thing that hundreds of high schools in the state of New Jersey uh new jersey.com uh have a list of 50 best we come out 47 is really really great and and that goes back to championships the amount of sports you have what you have for boys and girls everything was big compil this we about number 47 that that was great that's awesome first was the grandma po okay um boy soccer team lost a heartbreaker in the state championship and the girls they won up for the 15th time the county championship and our athletes of the monn Diego Steves cross country uh he's a five time south Hudson team champion third in south Hudson and 11th at the county championship and the Girl Isabelle MOA girls volleyball she was the captain leads the team the killed with 129 163 digs 125 service points and 19 Aces congratulations to those my report thank you next up curriculum and instruction Dr Boyd on curriculum and instruction uh the prek program update reviewed plans for private providers and expansion to more qualified private providers presently Carney partners with two private providers and one head star program there's an early childhood advisory committee to address family needs Liberty Family Success Center offers programs to strengthen families include health and well-being the Board of Health provides health services and food pantry founder addresses food insecurity um in other words the prek program is really a wraparound program for the students and their families plans to increase family engagement include lunch and learn a virtual Series in Spanish and English to develop problem solving skills and the importance of routines inst structures families can participate in Pre and kindergarten orientations digital communication will continue to be utilized Carney has adopted creative curriculum for preschool which offers specific strategies to address all students needs special needs students and IEPs are included nurses provide services and one challenge is attracting certified teachers prek to 3 now each School in the district has a data team to analyze and strategize for data Improvement School faculty members comprise the team the dual enrollment forensic science class had a field trip to NJIT and Patty has to far and L a field trip to the marine coastal science building which and there was a film made using a real data model extra math that's with an X helps students develop fluency in math and Carney has a steam team about to enter a Statewide contest Carney will rewrite Ela and math standards for all documents teachers will undertake the task and there are two books our Subway baby and honani who Warrior are being pilot piloted presently and last month I omitted um a gr a $17,500 grant which Kathy Estrella was responsible for writing uh it's for drumming it will expand the music department and it will Al also discuss culture excuse me that's thank you next up facilities Mrs Torres Mr P I just like to thank the board because we have a lot of projects underway HVAC in the uh four elementaries and with one bid going out for Washington school that I hope would be this summer uh we have roof projects at Lincoln High School in Franklin and the window project at Garfield tonight we have for a board vote the High School third floor bathrooms the first floor additional culinary classroom at the high school exterior locks throughout the district and the renovation of classrooms at Franklin school so like I said there's a lot of projects that are are on the uh the docket tonight and hopefully it all goes well and we'll get them done thank you thank you next up Finance Mr sorz yes to Mr welcome back me last Thursday um as Mr mentioned tonight's approval we have for f architect to start the process we have a couple of resolutions to submit to the state our yearly submissions for the drrs and the preschool enrollment I also have an approval for a transportation R for one of our students as well as a grant award and some donation thank you next up negotiations Labor Relations and Personnel Ms Lynden felzer no report for negotiations and Labor Relations for personnel um all those items are on the agenda except we do want to make note of one retirement William Mullins teacher of physical education um after 24 years of service to the CRI any public [Applause] schools and that concludes my report thank you next up policy Mr M yes we did meet this month we have a few revisions uh for first reading uh as well as a few for second readings that will adopt this evening after the vote um the board office is doing an excellent job um working with our provider to make all of our policies um accessible on the uh District website and we should have that in early 2024 which will be great thank you okay next up repor of the superintendent Mrs car Mrs incarna sou thank you president Paris uh I'd like to begin my report by acknowledging one of our students our high school students uh 11th grade student Bruno rera who is here with his family and uh we received an email from a Carney resident of Miss Kimberly elfik who wrote I am writing to commend the actions of one of your students who deserves recognition I am not certain if he is a student of Carney High School uh on November 1st at approximately 2:45 this boy was riding his scooter in the area of forest AV and Cel AV when he saw an elderly couple having difficulty navigating their many stairs from their home to their car the Elder woman was trying to hold up her much larger but physically disabled and wheelchair bound husband I am a neighbor and saw out my window I then saw Bruno put down his scooter and offered to help carry the elderly man to his vehicle I then got across the street to help and Bruno and I were able to get the man into the car so that he and his wife could get out to enjoy a dinner together they were both extremely thankful and called Bruno an angel for stopping acts of kindness and sacrifice are often overlooked Bruno's actions of stopping to help with without thinking are both a testament to his parents as well as the school system with so much going on in the world the act of humanity from such a young Source was very heartwarming I'm hoping this letter of appreciation for being a kind human can reach his parents Guardians mentors Educators as they should all be proud to have a role in contributing to a fine young man so in honor of your uh work as a Good Samaritan Bruno we are presenting you this certificate of recognition this evening that recognizes uh and you're demonstrating admirable actions in assisting local residents during their time of need so if you can come up and [Applause] [Music] accept yeah come up come up come picture [Music] [Music] onile [Music] [Applause] so thank you Bruno for being uh an exemplary uh student and making Carney High School in our school district proud right great job so with that I'd like to request that the board approve part one Personnel items a through Q so move second discussion roll call M yes M yes Mr Mna yes Mrs Pig yes Mr Suarez yes Mrs Torres yes mrus yes president yes I'd also request approval of part two non-personnel items a through G so move second second discussion roll call sorry Dr Boy Yes Mrs Burke yes Miss Linda feler yes Mr McKenna yes Mrs pedig yes Mr Suarez yes Mrs Torres yes Mr viscuso yes president yes with the exception to the outside placements for little friends and that concludes my report thank you president Paris thank you next up report of the business administrator board secretary Mr fastion and don't move discussion roll call Dr Mrs B yes Miss Linda feler yes Mr M yes Mrs P gr yes Mr Suarez yes Mrs Torres yes Mr vuso yes president Paris yes part one i' like to approve letter F payment of bills don't move second discussion roll call Dr Boy Yes Mrs Berg yes with the exception of check number 1697 as of a conflict Miss L fer yes Mr M Yes except for any check made out to the Comcast Corporation as I have a conflict M oh yes I'm sorry I was waving goodbye Mr Suarez yes Mr Mr yes president yes with the exception to any checks written to little front fac second discussion roll call Dr Boy Yes Mrs B yes m l Fel yes Mr M yes Mrs ped yes Mr yes Mrs Tes yes Mr yes president par yes for part three non-personnel portion to approve from a to R so move second discussion roll call Dr Boy Yes Mrs bur yes Miss Lind fer yes Mr McKenna yes Mrs pedig yes Mr SAR yes Mrs Torres yes Mr viscuso yes president yes that concludes my report okay thank you next up report of the board attorney Mr Lynden fer everything was handled in close okay any board members have new business no okay so this is the time for observers so the first person on the list is Jennifer Campos you just have to state your name and address for the record and then um my name is Jennifer Campos U my address is 376 Davis Avenue and my question is in regards to school security um I have two sons at fragrant school and I noticed that there's no um um either a retired police officer or police officer in present um within the school is there any opportunity in the near future to have either uh officer around the school area particularly inside the school there is a retired officer in the school at the front the officer there he's a retired police officer County police officer okay is there any opportunity for Ivy Street to get more security back we have one off off right now that's working in the back end or I should say Wilson avue side but you're looking on some for Ivy Street side yes um I usually go through the entrance through Ivy Street um to pick up my two boys and I noticed that it's just very open um there is a parking lot that is um open to public and to neighbors across so that is a big concern of mine because I do notice the classroom especially my son's classroom is right right there once you walk in and and I just feel like it's just so open and I don't I do see U Mr Mike the security guard I do not see anything else besides that right by that kindergarten area the circle the preschool area preschool the preschool guard there also yes right in the front I do notice that I'll take a look at all right that'll be great and then I do have another question follow um in regards to um lunch and learn um for the preschool is there any opportunity for um for any um this I know I'm a teacher myself in Hudson County and I don't have opportunity to have any like parent engagement especially not at lunch time is there any opportunity after school to have some parent um engagement especially for that preschool I know that um they actively work to provide opportunities throughout the school year for parents to be involved in some way sometimes during school hours and uh is that your concern that it mostly happens during the day virtual things that are happening but unfortunately not a time that I'm not allowed to go in so is there any other opportunity after school for parents okay I can pose that to our preschool supervisor and see if we can come up with yeah last year they had great programs and it was really really nice to have the kids and the parents to come into the school and we used to do like little projects and I thought that that was okay after school right and I I think they're doing that again if I'm not mistaken but I'll look into it and we'll get back to you directly thank you so much thank you next on the list is Annabella Santos yes my name is Annabella Santos at 133 Morgan place my question is uh my daughter's an eighth grade student and uh she's complaining she can't go out to lunch she's a good kid very good kid um is there any way that they could give incentives to you know like better kids kids that aren't troubl makers so they can go out to lunch because she feels like she's always in the school and last year as a seventh grader she was looking forward to the time where she'd be an eighth grader and she could go out to lunch and you know and then when they said that no more eighth graders couldn't go out to lunch anymore she was a bit upset and she asked me to come here and ask if there's an incentive something that the good kids could do like a three strike rule where if you have three strikes and then you're now you have to stay in the school something that won't hurt the good kids but they'll teach you know the troublemakers a lesson I think there's a misconception that the reason why the students aren't going out to lunch is for troublemakers or or something that the students are doing wrong themselves but really it's a security uh reason uh the same when you mentioned the concerns that you had uh or wanting to be sure there was proper coverage that was really the concept behind keeping the the students in during lunch um it's not that for the troublemakers if they're getting into trouble this is to prevent anything happening to them during school time that could present a safety issue to the students I know that uh the counsel have a walking club that they do a few times a week uh and so they can walk with the counselor uh present and go around the block they can make some purchases if they'd like to in a local store Etc uh but they're supervised right by one of our staff members um but really the the uh and we have other programs during uh that lunch time that students can participate in there's chess club there's a Lunch Lab for any help they need with their studies uh mindfulness so there's quite a few few things uh and we have use of the uh Garden in the center campus that they can go outside when the weather permits uh but really uh the reason behind that was um for their own safety and so uh we did have a couple of things that concerned us last year um again keeping them safe and also if there is an issue while they're out which was the case with the high school last year we're not able to account for the kids or where they are in the community and that is very important to us as well so that was really the reason behind it um so that they could be secure while they're under our care yeah because she told me it was because last year's eighth grade got into a lot of trouble no while they were out that's what she told me so I just said let me come by cuz she asked me to and just to figure out what was really going on and another thing um my children were on the IEP very good program um that's all I have to say thank you thank you any other observers who would like to speak R yes good evening my name is Dion Robalo d y n r El 196 Oakwood Avenue um I I have some concerns about the curriculum especially for the my third grader at Skyla so I just wanted to find out how can we propose additions amendments and any changes to the curriculum I think that there are some topics that would be better help for all later students maybe the middle school and high school and we can probably introduce some other topics that would be more relevant for their holistic development at that can you be more specific is is it uh part of the health curriculum or okay so um so we follow the state standards uh and guidelines of what we're manded to mandated to teach at each grade level however with the family life and health curriculum you do have the option to opt out uh and so uh you can look at the curriculum you can look at what uh is taught at different points in the year and if there's any topic that's question able to you and that you want your child to uh not participate in then you can opt out and we provide an alternative for your child during those lessons thank you um how can I get a copy of the curriculum I did ask the teacher but I haven't gotten as yet so I'll take your information once the meeting is concluded and I'll be sure our director of curriculum reaches out to you personally and she can share whatever it is that you'd like to look at thank you also I know it's coming from the top but um there are always petitions to make change I'm not trying to step over anybody's domain everyone has a right to choose their way of life but I think I'm I'm not sure how it is how it was pushed into the curcular L so I'm just concerned that you know a few uh are forcing their ideology on the masses so I think it would be how how can I make the right action or core action plan so that those who may not be you know knowledgeable enough to request can you omit my student how can we you know sorry how can we um make the right action plan so that we are all in informed before these decisions are made and we have a say in making those decisions we can have a referendum of how many people would like to have these critical issues as part of the curriculum rather than I'm not sure it was pfed but I feel like it was um so how can we act have the right action plan for especially for this topic and any sensitive topic you know whether it be security uh yeah I I hear the floor so um I think one of the first steps though is to share those documents with you and share those particular topics and what exactly is taught certainly you can go online and look at the State website and and the standards themselves but then you can also uh look at our curriculum uh I'm pretty sure a letter goes out at the beginning of the year informing parents uh and we can follow up on that to make sure that that happens so that you have the opportunity to opt out yes um we opted out but I oh you did opt out step okay you know so but I I think if you take a look at uh it I think sometimes also it's um a lack of information and sometimes uh it seems worse in the parents mind than when they actually see it by grade level in topic yes so um if we talk afterwards and I connect you with the director of curriculum and once you take a look at it then we can have another discussion beyond that okay if there's any particular areas of concern thank you appreciator thank you um I just saw a couple people come in are there any other observers who would like to speak before we close our meeting I have a question you just have to state your name and your address my name is mar at 300 Beach Street um I understand that the board of education is getting $68 million from the state of New Jersey and I just wanted to know how spend that money $68 million is that for for the state funding there that additional I believe that's additional money Newark is getting 1.1 billion and you're getting 68 million new I I'm not aware of any new funding that we got usually you know we do our budget every year and um that's something about it sounds about right what we get every year for a school budget um we collect the tax lby and that um in regards to the that amount for next year I don't have any numbers for that yet I can send you the article okay yeah afterwards if you don't mind I other question uh I know there's a minute are available how early can we get them before coming to the meeting uh they're usually posted uh the day of the meeting right so you should be able to see them on the website before prior to the meeting can can web schools www.car schools.com under the Board of Education tab thank you very much any other observers motion to adjourn second all in favor hi mean of the