meeting was provided in the notice of January 4th 2024 said notice was posted at the entrance of the Board of Education offices mailed to the Nutley Township Clerk sent to T Nutley sent to the Nutley son on January 4th 2024 and posted on the district website uh please stand for the flag salute [Music] uh Miss Greco please take a roll sure Mr balamo here Mr baglia here Mrs danek Martin Dr Delia here Mr franel here Mr kazinski Mrs Quirk here Mr Scotty here Mr Ferraro uh can I get a motion to approve minutes make motion second yeah roll call please yes Mr baglia yes Mrs danuk Martin yes Dr Julia yes Mr fragels yes Mr kazinski Mrs cork yes Mr Scotty Mr feraro uh I think right now we're going to move down the board's can move down to the uh to the to the chairs because we've got several presentations including some acknowledgement of some retirees [Music] uh good evening uh tonight I have the privilege of recognizing our district retirees who have dedicated their careers to nle Public Schools we have with us tonight Christine tusen Leslie lelli and Tracy McCormack each principal will come up in a moment to speak about the staff member in addition to the teacher several others of this year's retirees could not be with us tonight we would also like to congratulate Janette and drula from Lincoln School John alesio from the Middle School kathle uh Kirsten Tano from a middle school par professional Bob theilla a middle school custodian George Francisco a high school custodian Nancy Cunningham our payroll uh department and uh Charlie Baker from Transportation uh before I call Mrs been Aus I just want to say many of these retirees I have known uh for a long time in District um and while I could speak to some of the things they've shared with me over time I think the principal is the most significant person to do that but I do want to say that I've connected with all three here tonight and I do appreciate all of them uh so much in this District let's call Brook pidz to talk about uh Mrs T thank you Mr B I am honored tonight to recognize Miss Christine Tores who retires after an incredible 30 years at Lincoln School her dedication and passion has touched countless students and colleagues leaving an indelible mark on our Lincoln Community Miss torgerson's classroom is more than just a place to learn it is a Haven of warmth and support her students know they are valued and cared for whether it's a cheery greeting at the door a listening ear during a tough day a warm comforting hug or a silly game to celebrate a success she Fosters a sense of belonging that makes learning an adventure throughout her time in Nutley her passion for teaching led her to different grades from nurturing kindergarten to guiding first and second graders as a dedicated reading specialist her expertise in phics and the foundations program especially her love for tapping out words empowered countless students miss toreson piloted new programs and mentored future Educators she extended her contributions to after care programs and science activities bringing joy and learning to families her leadership spanned teams like Skip and the chess club and she even hosted Governor Corine for a read Across America event Miss terson's impressive background includes a BS in Psychology teaching and supervision certificates and an MS in reading her Legacy is one of love care and unwavering commitment to education Chris we are grateful for your service and wish you all the best in your well-deserved retirement we will miss you dearly at Lincoln School we hope your days are filled with exciting new memories hugs with your grandchildren and lots of relaxation congratulations [Applause] my journey in Lincoln School has been one that has been amazing and fun and enjoyable that my love for children the way I care for them and the way I have worked very hard to make sure that I've have done as much as I could for Lincoln School and Nutley School District I have wonderful gray Partners um I've come very close to I'm going to say Jen faroh who I'm going to miss very very much um over my time I've had other other grade Partners I've piloted many programs actually a piloted program with Mr B years ago and I have to say one thing um mrb was my daughter science teacher and she is now a science teacher at her 7th 8th and 9th grade and she he has given her the passion and the love for Science and that for I will thank you forever thank you [Applause] [Applause] like to call Mr frania y call principal uh to talk about Mrs liy good evening I'm honored to speak on behalf of Leslie lelli in the fall of 1999 Leslie lelli was hired by John kicho as a sixth grade teacher at yanac Cost School in 2015 Leslie became a third grade teacher and remained in that position for the remainder of her career in addition to her classroom experience earlier in her career Leslie was the adviser of the peer Tutoring Club which involves sixth grade students tutoring first and second grade students at lunchtime she was also an adviser of the girls empowerment club and the first anti-bullying specialist at yanaka school Leslie displays a multitude of characteristics that make her a successful educator she possesses one of the most important traits a teacher must have patience her calming classroom management style and her shark fin yoga relaxing strategy helps to redirect and refocus her students Lesley is is successful at developing lessons that are aligned with our curriculum and our standards she incorporates a wide range of instructional strategies and her lessons and activities are differentiated to meet the individual learning needs of each of her students students are always engaged in Leslie's class and Leslie is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure all of our students reach their full potential she sets high expectations and she interacts with students in an honest and straightforward manner Leslie you made a positive impact on the lives of many many students you have a big heart and you are kind which is what we need more in this world that that kindness was passed on to your students and I am certain they will always remember you as a warm and caring teacher I hope you get to do all the things you want to do now in retirement most importantly spending quality time with your family and your beautiful grandchildren Leslie I wish you nothing but peace and happiness in the next chapter of your life congratulations on retirement we will miss you thank you Mr Fran and finally I like to call Mrs Lori LaGuardia Spring Garden principal with Mrs McCormack thank you Mr van and welcome every Everybody why is it that teachers always speak in front of kids and not adults right that's what we like so congratulations Tracy McCormick she's over there with her family 31 years of service to the Nutley school district and you've come full circle I've just learned that she started student teaching at Radcliff School in first grade started there student teaching a little bit of basic skills landed at Spring Garden in fourth grade and will end her career as our beloved first grade teacher a fun fact about Mrs McCormick she loves superheroes she'll say what's your superpower I teach so with that her classroom's always decorated to the gills with superhero and Wonder Woman's her favorite you can even find a batcave in her classroom for the reading Corner Tracy has been our guiding star much like a superhero in disguise with the power and knowledge and wisdom of experience she taught her students to solve problems with creativity and perseverance even with students Beyond her grade level her charge with the green rangers has always been her passion and I know there will be a calling in the Environmental Center one day for her there and at Spring Garden she can always come back she didn't just just teach her students how to think critically she also instilled the superpower of respect she was big on respect Tracy's the kind of person that could be silly as the next one but then commanded that respect with her students she showed them how to treat one another with kindness and empathy fostering a community where everyone felt valued and heard in her classroom every challenge was met with confidence and every obstacle was an opportunity for growth and just like a superhero Mrs McCormack has touched countless lives leaving a legacy of problem solvings she was would always say I have a solution not just the problem and she taught that with her students as well she's a compassionate loving and caring individual and her impact reaches beyond the classroom and her lessons will continue to inspire us for years to come as we celebrate Tracy McCormick's retirement we do so with immense gratitude and admiration thank you Tracy for being our hero for your dedication and for your unwavering commitment and growth your leadership amongst your students and peers is greatly valued and cherished forever we wish you all the best with your family your daughters your husband and your parents and extended family you deserve it congratulations and we thank you [Applause] thank you Mrs Loria now I'd like to recognize our Governor's educ of the Year New Jersey Governor's teachers and Educational Service professionals recognition program highlights educational Innovation student achievement and the rewards of teaching and important Services outside the classroom environment that lead to Student Success each year this award seeks to to attract public attention to the positive aspects of our educational system tonight each of our schools will honor one teacher and One support staff member of the Year from Nutley high school I'd like to welcome principal Dennis Williams Chris Rosati and Mike oio [Laughter] up good evening everyone this is a great time for all of us to talk about what we have in front of us and we have a lot of value in front of us Mr Christopher zadii is a 25y year veteran teacher who continuously reflects and improves his practice in his classroom our freshman receive lessons that help them build their skill sets proficiencies and critical thinking as a world history teacher he is integral in our building and helping freshman transition from their middle school experience he also has developed elective courses that reflect his passion for learning his archaeology class is a favorite with students and through his connections with former students he's been able to provide Hands-On experiences for his classrooms for the past few years Mr Rosa's archaeology classes have participated in professional digs and site surveys at the van rer Homestead and in yanako park in Nutley and just a testament to how uh powerful his impact is out of the classroom he was doing a dig in yanako park with his classes and a former student stopped in the middle of the street yelled at his name and tried to join the Dig so definitely has that impact they don't forget Mr radi um but more importantly right he's able to use put social sciences in actions he's also followed his passion for Latin by gaining certification certification to teach the language at a secondary level this has proven useful to us as he was able to build fill in vacancies in that department over the last few years outside the classroom his impact reaches students in other ways over the years he's been a wrestling coach class advisor testing coordinator and has been many important committees inside the building he continues to be a vital voice after 25 years with the NHS skit team and he always has a positive contribution for the NHS School climate committee but most importantly I think Mr rosadi has gained the respect and admiration of his peers and his students through his unstinting service to our country da after 911 Chris and I were sitting around a table and he told me he was joining the US naval reserves and 22 years later he's still proudly serves after postings in Iraq and Afghanistan these are but a few of the attributes that Mr rosadi brings on a daily basis to the teacher of the year table and it is my pleasure and honor to present Mr rosadi as the Nutley High School Essex County teacher of the year [Applause] picture everybody I don't think Mr oio is here Mr oio uh Mikey come over here I didn't see you're hiding he's got a tie on that's why I didn't recognize him um Mr oio is part of our CST of VI member of our CST team he exemplifies Grace Under Pressure daily as a case manager for highly needy students Mr oio consistently delivers Professional Services in a maners that instill confidence um that multiple needs are going to be met during meetings he ensures that all state holders are present and heard during staff meetings he ensures that program needs are articulated and at all times he has what is best for students in his heart over the past year Mr oio has inherited the title of senior member of the NHS CSD team and has taken on this unofficial role with Augusto he has initiated professional development sessions for staff on the intricacies embedded in IEPs these meetings have been well received as Mr Osio has been able to demystify the language and anticipate staff questions with a PL by taking on this responsibility has given voed to the tcst and allowed for the new staff to gain their footing as professionals his input here in that faculty meetings has been invaluable his diplomatic approach to contentious parents challenging students and exhausted staff members in quizzical administrators has helped NHS navigate through the daily challenges as we face as public Educators his continued efforts to help the most needy does not go unnoticed we are glad to have him on his team Mr Mike oio [Applause] thank you from the Middle School I'd like to welcome principal Joe Materia Kristen Miller and Steve kachu [Laughter] [Music] good evening everyone tonight I have the pleasure of introducing two very special people from a building full of special people the remarks that I'm going to share this evening were not crafted By Me but by receiving information from their colleagues um as they made nominations for these distinctions so I put these words together these are words at a representative from the John H Walker Middle School staff discussing how great these folks that you're about to hear about are Kristen Miller has been with the Nutley Public Schools since September of 2014 um and hit the ground running teaching mathematics at gesh Walker Middle School from fdu she acquired her math Education certification and also her master's degree Kristen is a leader in supporting teachers and students as a teacher she pushes and challenges and also in representing teachers as a representative of the association make sure that everything is exactly the way it should be on a daily basis colleagues always share that Christin goes above and beyond on a regular basis in order to provide additional help hours for her students as well as her teacher fellow teachers and sometimes even the new principal in the building oftentimes Kristen reaches out to administrators providing feedback for support of our students her colleagues as well as the overall Improvement of the building as a mathematics teacher Kristen challenges her eighth graders in order to prepare them to continue their application of mathematics as well as the overarching reasoning skills that are so necessary in the math classroom she is one of the teachers that teaches the accelerated program at the middle school and works with some of the highest performing math students to prepare them to implement those skills at the high school level in the classroom Kristen not only supports her students but also invites them to embrace grappling with difficult Concepts as it pertains to co-curricular activities Kristen also finds the time to advise yes a club about math called math counts Kristen challenges her students and this is the most important piece she challenges her students her colleagues and most of all herself in order to grow and learn which I believe and John H Walker Middle School believes captures the Ence of a true educator John H Walker Middle School is honored to be represented by Kristen Miller for the Governor's teacher of the [Applause] year and the second special individual that I'll be speaking about tonight is Mr Steven karacho who's our school social worker at John H Walker Middle School once again commentary crafted from his colleagues I'm just putting it together he has clinical training as an lssw working with adolescence to navigate through the most challenging situations that students can face on a daily basis for the past 10 years he received his training in Psychology from monair State University and his lure and master's degree from Ruckers University since sept oh [Music] hello and apparently he has an assistant this evening as well since September 2019 Mr kacho has been working in the Nutley public school as a social worker with his homebased at John H Walker Middle School colleagues unanimously share that Stephen goes above and beyond for his colleagues and students I think of Steve as a rigorous and imaginative thinker he's also really funny um but that's another story he's constantly brainstorming ways to help teachers Provide support for specific student needs he does this automatically sometimes even if it's unsolicited which I think renders him so special Mr karacho expands upon his skill sets as he not only works with students on his case load but he also works with students that may not be on his case load he may work with students that are gened students there's no such thing as a as a classification for a student for Mr karacho if it's a kid in the building that needs something he just makes himself available Mr karacho is around all the time for folks he sometimes can just see if somebody needs support whether it's a student or a staff member he embodies the characteristics of a successful Educational Service professional and social worker with a smile and an open mind Steve is either ready to answer a question or able to read the room and he does this really well sometimes he'll text something funny during an intense an intense situation and he can just make everything go away stepen Cacho has a kind demeanor which is also balanced by his abil ility to hold students accountable in order to prepare them for the road moving forward John H Walker Middle School is honored to be represented by Steve kacho for the Educational Service professional of the year [Applause] from Lincoln School I'd like to welcome Brook benus back to speak about Jennifer pharaoh and Christina Bida [Applause] all right if Jen and Christina could join me our Lincoln School Community is thrilled to recognize Mrs Pharaoh as Lincoln School's educator of the Year Mrs Pharaoh's Journey began in 1996 Jen is it okay that I just said that I should have asked you 1996 and for 27 seven years she has worn many hats which are all Fabulous by the way from middle school math teacher to nurturing kindergarten teacher and her Halloween costumes if you have missed them you are missing out she is the ultimate cheerleader at Lincoln School she C she is touching countless lives with her energy and enthusiasm her remarkable adaptability has seen her seamlessly transition across great and subjects always with a heart focused on student growth she crafts meticulous routines that Foster student Independence while her deep understanding of individual student needs ensures that each child thrives her creativity and Boundless Energy transform learning into an adventure all delivered with a smile unwavering dedication a bit of fun and some Rock and dance moves Mrs Pharaoh's truth strength however lies and our staff knows this and anyone that knows her in her resilience facing a personal battle with cancer she returned literally the day after her last chemo treatment I found her in the basement of Lincoln School I said Jen why are you here she said well my doctor actually advised me to not be here but I'm here and she made it and stayed steadfast for us with our students and Jen I'm going to ask everyone to give you an Applause as I pause for [Applause] that just witnessing her classroom brimming with positivity and songs is a testament to her the way she connects with her students her students Thrive under her care and it reflects the warmth and support that she gives them Mrs Pharaoh's dedication however extends Beyond individual students her willingness to do whatever it takes is well known whether it's supporting colleagues with her endless enthusiasm or tackling unexpected challenges during the Lincoln fire she had to move into the teachers room and she literally had her classroom set up in one period charts carpets desks everything her iconic school spirit outfits are a mere glimpse into the steadfast commitment a commitment reflected in every aspect of her work Jen this award is a mere token of the incredible impact that you have made on the nutly community and our time here together at Lincoln School though it's been short I've known you for 11 years your dedication enthusiasm and spirit Inspire us all thank you for all you have done for Lincoln School we are lucky to have you on our team [Applause] all right next we have our Lincoln School Community thrilled to recognize Mrs Christina bashat our incredible support staff member of the Year girls and if you want to run up at any point to hug Mom it is okay for 10 years Mrs bashad has literally been the Beating Heart of our school support system she too wears many hats school psychologist case man manager counselor evaluator friend but she wears them all with the same dedication and compassion she is warm patient and an advocate for every student who walks through our doors challenges don't face phas Christina she is a rock navigating the most difficult situations with calmness and resourcefulness actually one of her colleagues so aptly described her as the one who runs into the fire not away from it and that was not a pun although it did sound like one that was not intentional um her door is always open her phone is always ringing with calls from parents and staff seeking her expertise she does it all with Grace and a work ethic that inspires us all she has a remarkable ability to remain calm and collected even in the most stressful situations providing a sense of stability for those around her Christina is a leader on various school teams she has been on our intervention and res Referral Services team as a trusted member on our threat assessment team where she shares her knowledge and expertise gener generously collaborating with colleagues to ensure every student gets the support they need her colleagues trust her judgment and rely on her knowing that her advice is always rooted in experience and empathy but Christina's impact goes beyond beyond our school she also trains staff districtwide and ensures every student receives the support they deserve Christina has a gift of making everyone feel a little bit better and that is invaluable in the world we live in her positive energy contagious laugh and unwavering commitment to our students and staff make her an indispensable part of our Lincoln School Community Christina this award is a small token of our immense appreciation thank you for giving your all every single day Lincoln School is incredibly lucky to have you on our [Applause] team from rackliff I'd like to welcome principal Mike Carney C Andrews and Tonio [Applause] howerin congratulations to all recipients and retirees what an what an amazing night thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Radcliff school as well miss oh howan there she is this howerin serves as a power professional to some of the most amazing kids in our district she is warm welcoming and fun her greatest Talent is working with students who are having a particular tough day her calm nature allows her students the opportunity to stay the course while dealing with some pretty challenging behaviors Mrs o' hallerin is well known not just to the students in her classroom but to all students in the building I think that's fair to say as you as you may know not every day is a great day for all kids some days are pretty tough students will ask to see Mrs o'halleran when they are having a particular tough day as recently as today we had a student who was having a significant behavior and as part of that student's plan she gets or he gets to earn Mrs o'all her calming nature and sincere demeanor help students reset as they prepare for the rest of the day in short there is no job that is too difficult nor does she use the word no she's always quick to ask what she can do to help her work is not overlooked and I am happy to stand up today and recognize her as Radcliffe's service professional of the Year thank you [Applause] [Laughter] Miss Andrews miss Andrew is a sixth grade teacher at at Radcliffe I've had the privilege of witnessing the outstanding dedication passion and skill that she brings to the classroom each day her Innovative teaching methods engage students of all learning styles fostering a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom her approach to teaching connects with students imagination and constantly creates teaching moments her classroom is a safe space where they can challenge their own thinking when she can conferences with students during their change maker project you can hear the rich skill set she has helped those students develop it's really a a sight to behold when when you're listening and you're hearing a dialogue going back and forth between you know teacher and student and and it's and it's so and it it it really um highlights all that we hope our students will accomplish but beyond academic achievements Miss Andrews demonstrates a deep commitment to the personal development of her students and to all the students at Radcliffe Elementary School she is not just concerned with grades but with cultivating well-rounded rounded individuals who are equipped with the skills and values necessary for Success both academically and personally for examples Miss Andrews successfully created and implemented a schoolwide program for social and emotional growth her program launched an initiative that impacted every classroom we ran assemblies monthly based on the program that she created on behalf of our students I really do thank you for being a master teacher thank you [Applause] from Washington school I'd like to welcome principal Doug Jones Kelly Hollywood and Kelly serika [Applause] yes Kelly is the name for this year's awardees welcome and good evening I'm going to talk about our Governor's teacher of the year first Mrs kellywood Hollywood Leman she's a second grade teacher at Washington School the mother of three Mason 10 years old Quinn 6 and Frankie sitting there with dad's phone three and thanks Rich for coming Kell began in the district 19 years ago as a strategies teacher she became a kindergarten teacher and finally found her true calling in home in second grade as I'm certain each one one of us in the audience tonight can remember that one teacher who made the biggest impact on our educational life Mrs Hollywood is one of those teachers the one the kids remember for a lifetime yes it is true she is caring as you would expect but when I asked some of the students about her this is what they said Miss Mrs Hollywood was the best teacher ever another said she helped me learn to really read better one student told me she is helpful and kind another says she always smiles and she makes she made me see I could do math one said I will always go back I always like to go back and visit her even though she's one floor down when she sees me in the hallway she remembers my name finally one student said three words that say it all I love her few teachers achieve that kind of success a true professional and awesome teacher as a collaborator she is part of and has helped build our team at Washington school and yes she makes a a difference in children's lives I am so proud to have her represent Washington School this year congratulation congratulations Mrs Hollywood Leman the next Kelly on the list Mrs Kelly cerniglia with an i is the school counselor at Washington School Mrs cerniglia began her career in Nutley 24 years ago she's the mother of four boys and are they here they all four there we go Jackson 16 Kaden 15 Gavin 13 and Tristan 10 and thanks Phil are you here too Phil oh Phil's not here her husband she has served as a fourth grade teacher a first grade teacher a kindergarten teacher a third grade teacher a fifth grade teacher so with the exception of second and sixth she almost has taught every age group her real gift in educational calling is the role of school counselor in today's age when social and emotional learning is Paramount to developing and fostering growth in children she stands at the Forefront of Excellence she is a leader among her peers in counseling and her background in the classroom gives her amazing Insight her calm nature and kind heart helps reach kids they know she cares about them and she's there to help the tougher the circumstance or more challenging the problem she finds a way way we at Washington School see her in action every day whether it's mediating a third grade friendship drama a student struggling in a crisis or a parent looking for additional resources we know she is there to support support each of us with her teaching background and Mom experience she is the best person when the going gets tough Mrs cerniglia is also our anti-bullying specialist intervention and referral services coordinator student council advisor after Care supervisor and Washington School ambassador's advisor just today the Washington School student ambassadors hosted our friends from the Phoenix Center school together they provided a field day event for our friends and Mrs cerniglia guided those student leaders she leads by example and models kindness and compassion what is probably most important about Mrs cerniglia is that she takes her role at school personally she makes it her goal to help aid and assist students teachers anytime she steps up and is there in a pinch she is by far the best of the best she is Washington school's greatest C councelor congratulations Mrs cerniglia [Applause] from Yano i' like to welcome principal Frank Francia Pamela magiano and Rachel [Applause] Oppenheimer good evening again this year's yena School Educational Services professional of the Year award is presented to Rachel Oppenheimer Rachel is in her third year at yanuka school and seventh year as a power professional during her time at yanuka Rachel has supported our students as a Ono one we were very fortunate to find Rachel and welcome her to our district it was late April a few years back and Yano school was in need of a power professional for an individual student I Was preparing to begin the search process and to my surprise received an email from Rachel that she had just moved from Long Island and was looking for a power professional position in New Jersey and that she now lived near Nutley I immediately invited her for an interview and knew right away that she would fit in at Yano school since then she has been a major asset to our team it is clear that Miss Oppenheimer cares for her students and that is evident through her warm and respectful interactions Miss Oppenheimer implements a wide range of strategies to provide academic and behavioral support in and outside of the classroom she always creates an amazing connection with her students and her students look up to her Rachel is flexible and accommodating for the benefit of all her students and has had a positive impact on each of her assigned students her knowledge and expertise in this area allow for her students to have an equal Educational Opportunity Rachel is a team player and is always willing to assist in any capacity she works collaboratively with teachers to ensure that instruction is effective and appropriate for her students I I know that Rachel will continue to help change the lives of many students and I look forward to working with her for many more years congratulations Rachel I present Rachel [Applause] Oppenheimer the anaca school teacher of the year award this year is presented to an outstanding second grade teacher Pam magiano Pam is in her 23rd year as an elementary school teacher in the Nutley Public School District and is in her 17th year at Yan yanuka School Mrs magiano has always had an excellent rapport with her students and parents and consistently promotes a positive classroom environment that makes learning fun and engaging her classroom environment is bright safe and a comfortable space for students to learn and grow it is absolutely one of my favorite classrooms to enter Pam is an exceptional role model for our young students and treats them with respect every day she is always welcoming and happy and her students are always smiling she cares deeply for her students and is an empathetic educator Mrs magiano Works closely with her students to understand their strengths weaknesses and learning styles this helps her to plan activities and differentiate instruction to meet the learning needs of each of her students Pam will do anything for her students our school and our District Mrs magiano is able to work independently as well as collaboratively to help achieve the goals of our school her positive approach and calm demeanor are important Assets in the field of Education she is a leader amongst her colleagues specifically the yanaka second grade team Mrs magiano is always challenging her students to be the best they can be both academically and socially Mrs magiano is well respected among the staff and the school Community I have the utmost respect for Pam and the impact that she has made as an educator she is a colleague and she is a friend I wish Miss magiano continued success and I'm proud to present the anaca school teacher of the year award to Pam magiano our Spring Garden recipients could not be with us tonight so we'd like to recognize Ashley capetta and Mar marela pno that was really nice I want to thank all the principles for coming tonight speaking on behalf of their their staff and faculty um want to thank all the teachers I know it went a little long but I think you're well worth it we have great staff in District and we appreciate you thank you for all you do um for our students in our school Community thank you uh this concludes our recognition ceremony so the board can come up back up to the stage and you're more than welcome to stay but you're also more than welcome to leave at this time thank you that's it's going to get hot after for for we're now yes all right thank you uh before we move on to the superintendent report I'd just like to say thank you to all of the retirees those who were both recognized here and who were not here as well as all of those who received rewards um we're blessed to have you uh we thank you for everything that you do and um again to repeat what Mr B said the students and the community were very fortunate so thank you again uh I'd like to move it to the superintendent for the superintendent's report please thank you Mr Vice President uh I would like to start my report by recognizing our prek uh preing kindergarteners across the district that went through promotion exercises last week and today at all of our buildings I attended some of them they were very nice I'd like to thank the teachers and principls for making such a special event uh not many districts promote uh kindergarten students in the fashion that we do uh what a great way to begin a week of promotions and graduations uh tomorrow we will begin the day with e8th grade promotion on the oval at 9:00 am sixth grade will'll have a promotion ceremony at each building later in the day not high school will graduate on Thursday the graduation ceremony has been moved to 10: a.m. in the morning although a very difficult decision to move a graduation ceremony the expected challenging heat index on the field Turf Thursday evening coupled with the results of the community survey that supported this change will give us the best way to celebrate our 2024 nle high school graduates on another note this past week the district has received the anticipated loan from New Jersey Department of Ed as you will see on the board agenda the accounts that have been held are being approved this evening and payment will be forthcoming to all vendors and service providers you also see on the agenda several grants that have been awarded to the district to support students the district is receiving additional monies for AP Computer Science and climate education work on the Lincoln School auditorium is set to begin on June 27th we are anticipating the space being renovated and available for the use beginning in September this the district summer programs will begin next week extended school year will support over 170 students in three locations the district's Target instruction program called strategies will begin next week and support students from grades K through 8th grade in additional academic areas the high impact tutoring Grant will continue to support students in small group sessions for third and fourth graders also a nutly tradition the let's learn program sponsored by the academic booster club will begin at Nutley high school and this gives me an opportunity to thank Chris oia I saw her here she might have left for not only organizing and running the let's learn program but also for also supporting our prek raising radar initiative this spring by helping us manage the St Paul's prek Annex thank you Chris I would also like to pause for a moment to remember Rick Moore Rick was a driver in transportation that has worked in the district since 2006 Rick passed away this past week everyone remembers Rick is helpful and kind i' ask you to remember him at this time I would like to wish everyone involved in our school Community happy summer I hope you can take some time away we will be working in the district throughout the summer to prepare for next school year I understand how challenging this spring has been in many ways and I look forward to a sustainable path forward center around our students for the 2425 school year thank you Mr Vice President thank you Mr B miss lansa the assistant superintendent report thank you Mr President I want to congratulate all of tonight's retirees and New Jersey Educators and support staff of the year thank you for your years of service and commitments to the students of Nutley I wish you all the best for those who are retiring or moving on as the year winds down our teachers have been hard at work wrapping up school year and making memories with their students parents please keep an eye out for our annual summer online learning resources letter which outlines District funded and free online resources students can use over the summer for additional practice and to minimize the summer slide our summer programs are set to begin next week just a reminder of the dates extended school year will run June 26 through July 25th middle and elementary strategies will begin on June 24th and end on July 23rd and let's learn and our high impact tutoring will begin on June 24th and end on July 12th I wish you all a restful safe summer break we look forward to welcoming staff and students back in September for another year of learning in together thank you thank you Miss Lona uh we'll move to the committee reports I'll start with Miss danuk Martin in academic um thank you Mr Vice President the academic committee met on Wednesday June 12th at 6m in attendance were myself Miss Quirk Dr deia Mr B Miss loans solo and miss meus Mr B previewed the June board agenda resolutions field trips professional development and personnel with the committee Miss L cons solo shared the middle school program of studies preschool handbook and the elementary handbook with the committee Mrs lcen solo highlighted updates to the Nutley high school program of studies and she also discussed the parent student and faculty surveys for social and emotional learning curriculum she also reviewed the instructional technology tools for the 2024 25 school year the committee also discussed a formal presentation of programs under review for July as well as looking at policies and procedures regarding the use of AI in the schools the next meeting of the academic committee is scheduled for Wednesday July 10th thank you thank you Lisa Mr kazinski uh Administration [Music] please yes sir Mr President thank you um the administration committee met on June the 12th um Mr B reviewed the June board agenda resolutions including legal agreements Financial resolution Solutions and personnel with with the committee Mr B and Mrs makus discuss the status of the NJ doe loan and the penny accounts payable in process of paying all the debts Mr bny discussed the Penning facility projects our next meeting is scheduled for July the 10th thank you uh thank you Charlie uh Mr fragels can you uh please provide the committee update for finance uh thank you Mr Vice President I'd like to move Finance resolutions 1 through 33 as written I don't have it so uh Finance resolution board agenda Mr B previewed the June board agenda are those got it apologies so the finance committee met on Tuesday June 11th at 1M in attendance for Mr baglia Mr Ferrara Miss Deana and miss makus not Mr fragels which is why I'm confused about this paperwork uh the finance the Mr B previewed the June board agenda resolutions including special education provider contracts Professional Service reappointments Grant monies received and the person personnel with committees Mr Vena and Miss makus shared that the district would receive the loan from NJ dooe shortly and the finance committee discussed the accounts payable and settle settlement of debt Mr B updated the committee on facilities projects including the restoration of Lincoln School auditorium which is projected to be completed by September as well as the culinary arts room at Nutley high school and the St Paul's playground and that's it thank you Mr brael we now move to the portion of the meeting where we allow members of the public to address the board it is in this section we will allow comments on reports resolutions of all schools related matters our board regulation number 0167 a lot 20 minutes for these communications each person so be limited to three minutes and we ask that you try to stay within this requirement speakers may speak more than once only after others wishing to speak on a topic have been heard all statements will be directed to me as the chairperson and to no one and no one may address board members individually please be reminded that your statement is too lengthy abusive OB seen irrelevant or redundant your participation may be terminated comments concerning District employees Andor students will not be responded to please remember to state your name and address each and every time you address the board for questions where the board may not have immediate answers the board will take information and respond at this appropriate time before we begin we've got a full agenda and we solve an exact session so we're going to to try to keep to the three minutes and the 20 minute a lotted time but if we have to go over we'll address it but does anybody have any questions please come up [Music] Venus Hernandez 274 East Pake Avenue I want to address the lunch program of going back to panium or what however you call it uh you guys said that you guys did a survey you guys met with uh principes and students and teachers one of our biggest issues at I'm PT Council vice president first chair and one of our biggest problems that the pto's had and we have mentioned it at several of our meetings is this lunch program the K the elementary school food is Frozen it's never cooked uh Mr B knows this we have mentioned it at several of our meetings and this is one of our concerns I see that only two places have put it in I ask you please do not approve them and look for other sources our elementary school kids are getting food that's frozen it's not cooked and this has been our biggest concern this entire year we've mentioned it at several of our PT Council meetings across the board of several of the PTO has brought this to the attention to our superintendent and you know xba uh thank you so much for your comments um as as you mentioned we had two bids put in uh one bid was for the current provider the other bid was for a company that doesn't have any other companies in New Jersey and is from the Southwest um the concern um is that U going into the school year uh we need to address your concerns but also make sure we have food services in an appropriate manner um it is recommended uh that we meet and actually bring in pomptonian to talk to PT Council about their concerns yeah uh we're with them for another year then we go out for RFP again and take Collective bids encouraging more people to bid okay well then I just ask you please make this one of the things my son is graduating he's going into the middle school but I want to make sure this is fixed because it's not healthy for the children to get uncooked frozen food when they go to get a cheeseburger they bite into it and it's literally Frozen imagine your child eating frozen food and then now they have no lunch they can't eat so I just ask that you know this needs to be it's very important that this is addressed thank you and this has been one of the biggest concerns with a lot of the elementary school PTO thank you for your comments I know this provider will meet with all of our stakeholders to find out exactly um how to improve on this year and then they're giving a one-year contract to make that Improvement or we will go out again for more more providers I appreciate that thank you hi good evening everyone uh Denise beloo 136 Center Street um one quick question and then something just to piggyback off of um what Venus spoke about um the first question was regarding the grants um I was going to specifically ask about the computer science grants but it sounded like there was at least one other if not more that were approved for next year um I don't know a lot about grants but are are they renewable is it going to be ones shot deal how does that work um well first I can talk about the grants the two grants that we applied for competitive applications uh was AP Computer Science uh or computer science which we are using to train teachers in an AP uh course and get materials for that course at the high school the second one was a climate grant that was open that we received I believe in the order of 40,000 and then there was more money as available so we reapplied and got additional 35,000 this money is used for mandatory climate education standards that we must teach uh for supplies to write curriculum to do things in that nature for to meet that to fulfill that requirement um I am not sure if they're eligible for Renewal many grants are not with the state they come from New Jersey asked I was wondering if it was going to be we're going to be stuck with the build to foot if we accept this grant now and try to these programs going when we do budget for them we do apply for them we are very cognizant that they're not used for Staffing or things that are renewable in our system they're used for one-time cost to help build a program such as curriculum writing or materials to support that curriculum the other Grant I could speak to is our high impact tutoring Grant uh which is not renewable to my understanding we we re amended this Grant on this board agenda to allow us to use it for the summer to help students because we have money left over in the grant but that will not be a renewed Grant to my understanding okay that's helpful thank you um just to um visit a little bit about the renewal of pomp Tony and I understand you only had two vendors um apply um I I was just I was really surprised when I read um the board uh has contracted with P pomptonian in Prior years which provided services in an efficient and satisfactory manner with positive feedback received from students and parents um I don't know what students and parents you spoke with obviously not Venus nor I but um there I I just wanted to call to the board's attention some of the other concerns regarding um the food program uh the payment seems to be a big concern for a lot a lot of people um people are getting uh students are being charged different prices on different days for the same items I speak from personal experience at the middle school level but um I've heard other people talk about that as well um sometimes getting double charged for items on the same day um and I've actually heard of of students uh being charged for lunch on days they were absent from school so I I mean those are clear problems that need to be addressed I hopefully you know those will be addressed moving forward um there has been which is um a fairly big concern for parents with um children with uh food allergies or illnesses that require us to be really on top of what they're eating um there has been erroneous nutritional information posted on penton's website numerous times um you know they've been good about it when I reach out usually they get back to me within within 24 hours which is great um sometimes I'm still getting erroneous information though I was told that there was no carbohydrates and teriyakis sauce which and this was from a nutritionist so I mean that's that's a clear issue um I you know I'm just wondering who provide the efficient satisfactory and positive feedback that you got for um tonium I mean I I understand that the committee was comprised of two Board of Education members and two principles um did they eat the food did they try the food did they talk to parents did they talk with children how did this become the decision I mean I understand you don't want to go with somebody in Arizona but yeah um they did not they they it was an interview of the service providers um throughout this process I think that's what we're looking to do a little more thoroughly in the next cycle is is involveed them maybe even bring them to a board meeting have some food available um in the next cycle but you know because um the other provider was from um the southwest and because appreciate that concern to to answer your other questions um elementary schools are where we get the majority of the complaints uh with regard to the food um it probably has to do I'm assuming with transporting from the kitchen to the building uh from the Middle School itself the food itself um I do think um you know some of the positive aspects come from where they're housed and they can prepare food we hear positive things from our middle school as well from our high school so I think it depends on location that's something we're looking to fix the quality of the food itself yeah but I mean obviously from a financial standpoint but I mean you really got to keep on top of things I'm looking you know every other day at my kids meals account I was like did do you have two lunches I would agree after talking to colleagues in other districts that there's more the district can do to bring pomptonian into the district let them hear from the community such as yourself let them present what they are doing and um and then go through this process again so so it's the panonian staff that are the ones who ring up the food and handle the yes School uh what the my schoolb website um I believe so yes okay um and this is for one more year this contract contract for one year okay the only thing I'd like to add here is we we've heard particularly about the I've never heard about the double ringing and double counting that's more problematic that that that adds on already concern certainly been in the elementary schools we've heard about temperatures of food being problems we were very upset that we or disappointed that we only got two beds and we used a third-party service to run this RFD we didn't run this RF ke the district we used a a credible service in New Jersey and unfortunately we only got two off two bids one of them being a uh a group as we meant out of Arizona they have absolutely no Supply in New Jersey and then we got tonian so as as was recommended by the committee it's we we're going to we're going to go up for one more year we're going to bring them in we're going to hold them to it um I think everyone deserves a better product and we certainly can't have our students being charged properly for yeah and I mean sometimes I have called my kids out did you got two Donuts today yeah Ma we did sorry and you know it's that that that part of it's fine but when a you know when a parent gets charged for a a child's lunch and they were home that day is that's an issue thank you so much I appreciate those answers they're helpful is there anyone else I seeing no more questions seeing no more questions we'll move on to uh are you coming up Mary alen Baker 97 Mapes F I just wanted to see if anyone could speak to the decision to move three fifth grade classes at Spring Garden into two sixth grades when they've been three since kindergarten uh yeah I attended the PTO meeting uh the other night and similar questions came up um right now we have a bubble going through Spring Garden where you have three classes coming up uh currently we have two teachers there um and while we are uh moving uh preschool um additional preschool classes to the Middle School uh currently we have two teachers slotted for that um in in in those classes uh so right now those are the resources we have for those classes we are currently going through the district looking at the numbers in all of our sections making sure I was going to ask that are they going to be consistent right are we gonna have 22 at yanuka and 30 at Spring Garden the equity so the equity is important we're going to do um we're g to use every resource we have to reduce that um without adding resources because we don't have the ability to do that at this point um but we do have the ability to look at class size and Equity across District we do have the ability to look at variances and people that do come from other sending districts we do have the ability um do you look at discipline referrals do you look at hibs do you look at what has gone on when there was 20 kids in a classroom and I I don't want to get really into the details of it but I wish Miss LaGuardia was still here because there's a lot of issues with this particular grade level when there's 20 kids in a class that the school and the staff has not been able to manage the behaviors and the bullying and I'm a little concerned because I'm also under the impression that the school counselor will not be there full-time right current right so now we're going to move 60 kids who have had a lot of difficulties over the last few years into two classes without any less supports than they've had so I'm just asking if there's still conversations taking place is there still going to be consideration that yeah we'll work throughout the summer um please keep in mind that at this point the district will not um be adding resources to our budget and we will not be doing things we we'll look within our school district to find ways to address exactly what you're talking through so is there an opportunity for a third teacher to be hired is what I'm looking to hear from someone currently not right now so most likely they are going to be two sections most likely yes but the district will continue to work to look at all available options to reduce Us in making that decision does the board look at all the hibs and all the discipline referrals was that something that you sat down with the building principal and discussed what we're move like how do we do that right yeah so I have had many conversations with L Guardia regarding the Staffing in the building we have talked about certain aspects of that maybe not um exactly every grade level U but I know we're going to continue to talk through what so then the the group before because there's three sections going up Spring Garden it's not like it's been news that there wasn't going to be the need for three so are you going to now do this every year yeah we do this every year we look at section size we look at our resources what we can do across the district right but I'm just saying next year there's going to be three you're G to combine again you're going to keep combining like you never thought we never thought it was a good idea to have two sections until the mismanagement of the money I think that's where the frustration comes into play I can understand your frustration I know it's um it's something we're looking at I think um you know I talk for about how this is going to work we look throughout District but keep in mind right now we're not in a position to add a teacher to the budget um I will say that that doesn't stop us from looking at every Avenue every resource ways to reduce CL I speak for a lot of parents in this particular grade level that anything that was undocumented is going to be documented so every time a boy says something inappropriate it's going to be documented because I think that that's we mishandled that so now we're suffering and our kids are suffering because was it documented and I think I would like to have a meeting with you and Miss lard to see exactly what you are aware of that came out of this group of kids because it's a problem and I can't imagine board members and a superintendent who's been in this District a very long time would want to do that to a group of kids who obviously need to be spaced out they C they're not going to manage with 30 kids in a classroom yeah so what's the next step for parents like what would you Happ to meet with you and speak with mror I'd be happy to sit and go through all of your concerns and ways the district can support that like I said you know are we happy about this no are we going to look at every Avenue we can within our district right now to address this yes we're going to work throughout the summer to to move forward to to try and find a solution to this but I I would be more than happy to meet with you or anyone regarding this and I think there would be a lot of interested parents I'm interested thank you okay thank you any other questions seeing none we we'll move on to uh moving resolutions academic disas right uh Miss Dan Martin can you move academic resolutions 135 um yes Mr Vice President I'd like to move academic resolutions one through five as written second discussion roll call Mr Balo yes Mr baglia yes Mrs D Martin yes Dr Delia yes Mr fraginals yes Mr kazinski Mrs Quirk yes Mr Scotty Mr Faro I'd like to move on to finance Mr frels thank you Mr move on to Administration Mr kazinski discussion Mr balamo yes Mr baglia yes Mrs danek Martin yes Dr deia yes Mr fraginals yes Mr kazinski yes Mrs Quirk yes Mr Scotty yes Mr Ferraro so let's move on to finance Mr fragels thank you Mr Vice President I'd like to move Finance resolutions 1 through 33 discussion Mr Balo yes Mr baglia yes Mrs danek Martin yes Dr deia yes Mr fragels yes Mr kazinski yes Mrs cork yes to all except a number 21 that's a no Mr Scotty Mr Ferrara thank you Mr balama can I have uh uh Personnel yes Mr Vice President I'd like to move Personnel resolutions 1 through four discussion discussion yeah U to the chair um Mr bagle I'd like to see if Mr Bia wouldn't mind uh walking through the process that was involved for the recommendation for the business administrator on the agenda item four more than happy to um and I invite Mrs makus to join me if anything she uh helped throughout this process uh we posted for business administrator early may it was open for three weeks we received 10 applicants seven which had the appropriate experience and certificate uh from those seven we screened everyone with a phone call we screened all 10 with a phone call um and we I shared the resumés with Miss M who helped screen the candidates for the first round which was composed of a variety of stakeholders uh from around the community and the district uh this 12 person panel um we invited three per three of the best candidates based on um their resume conversation as well as their audit reports from other districts uh to this panel where we asked them a series of questions uh during this time uh I'm sorry two of the members came one rescinded before the interview uh from this there was a clear uh individual um that uh stood out we moved them to a second round where we asked some scenario based questions um with Miss makus and myself from there uh the candidate met the entire board and went through the process of vetting uh with each board member having the availability to ask questions um and move through this candidate uh so all in all there was a screening and then three rounds involved with the selection uh of the business administ I think that's good yeah we received 10 résumés seven of which were [Music] viable thank you any other discussion roll call Mr balamo yes Mr baglia obain Mrs danek Martin yes Dr Julia yes Mr fraginals yes Mr kazinski yes Mrs Quirk yes Mr Scotty Mr Faro uh be it uh now we'd move on to any old business for the board any new business whereas the Board of Education will be discussing matters exempt from public discussion pursuant to njsa 104-112 now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education recess to close executive session at this time to discuss Personnel anticipated litigation and service contracts be a further resolved that as result of this discussion will be made public by inclusion on the agenda at the subsequent meeting of the Board of Education or when the reasons for discussing such matters in closed session no longer exist can I get a motion second thank you