good evening and welcome to the West Orange Board of Education public board meeting on Monday February 26 2024 uh thank you for bearing with us it was picture night for the yearbook so it took a few minutes and we're starting about five minutes late appreciate your patience I'd like to thank you all that are here in person and those watching at home for joining us tonight uh Miss Flowers would you please take the roll call roll good evening roll call please Mr ifer here Mr Stevenson here miss Vera here Mr Rock here thank you notice of meeting the New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interests are discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the ACT a written notice was sent from the office of the secretary of the board on January 8th 2024 that set notice was sent by regular mail to the West Orange Township Clerk and the editors of the West Orange Chronicle and by email to The Star Ledger that set notice was posted in the lobby of the administration building of the Board of Education and posted on the district website please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and the district's website at a future date please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance thank you Miss PLS uh next in consideration of the closed and public meeting of January 224 and January 30th 2024 do I have a motion to accept the minutes so move thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you Mr ifer any comments hearing no comments Miss flowers please take the roll call Mr edar yes Mr Stevenson yes vice president Vera yes president Rock yes thank you all right next good evening to our student liaison Leila abona and Kai James uh would you two please share your student Aon Report with us okay um so after five years uh on presiden Day weekend West Orange High School was honored with the opportunity to play for Disney featuring West orang High School band students from nth grade concert band symphonic winds and Wind Ensemble along with the marching band's great performance throughout Disney congratulations to the West Orange band students um for a celebration on February 15th for black love West Orange High School hosted its Black History Month celebration featuring Jubilee choir boys and girls step team and dance Honor Society thank you to all who came out to celebrate Black love and on February 19th the West Orange High School step team performed at the NJ Regional High School stepping championship in Newark New Jersey with the girls placing in fifth place and the boys dominating having a dominating performance placing first place go MERS on February 20th the West orang special education parent advisory Council hosted an inclusive dance for at West orang school for all of the kindergarten to second graders and they hosted many fun events for all of them to enjoy um there was a nework nacp NAACP recognition on February 22nd where Mr googly Elmo earned um this recognition for delivering exceptional Black History Month black history education I'm sorry congratulations Mr G um February 23rd is when they showcased History Month wax music at Redwood Elementary School where they dressed up in costumes and embodied different historical characters thank you both for that report Mr Moore it's now time for your report would you please share your superintendent's Report with us thank you president Rock very excited to Comm to commemorate Black History Month I call up to the podium our advisor for our student board liaison as well as the high school confli restorative justice and student affairs coordinator Miss Katherine Connors to announce our student performers as part of our celebration um West Orange School District celebrates our diversity all year long but this month we focus on black history West Orange High School creates spaces throughout the month to celebrate Black Culture today we have some of the best here that represents West Orange um for this evening um our first we have uh Michaela Rivera she's a published poet who recently authored a book of poetry entitled prayers to catch a butterfly she's the president of the black student union here at the high school and a student activist she's currently employed with Georgetown Law Center on gender justice and opportunities as a youth Storyteller in Residence where she produces original poems to accompany research done by the company on issues regarding uh marginalized girls Michaela received the New Jersey award um for in art education in um 2022 um and has invers of two other Awards as well Michaela also founded a nonprofit organization called Black Butterfly Rising Inc where she uplifts black girls through community outreach she's an advocate for diversity and inclusion and is a driven student leader um who uses her art to cultivate social change and in the fall she'll be going to Felman College here's Michaela Rivera reading her own my words are like seeds my words are like seeds my words are like seeds deep rooted in the hopes of generations before I am Unapologetic and bold my voice unwavering authentic Amplified by Echoes of my ancestors I cannot be silenced my my pen is my instrument I write Symphonies of Freedom black ink tattooing white paper like Words etched indelibly in tree bark my belief is in black girl magic black joy and love I speak of black Innovation intellect and Enterprise unbreakable bows my history shap me this way the Twist and bend of my branches defined by my ancestral tree the waves of my fro the curve of my hip the depths of my mind born from the women before me I come from my great grandmother Betty May born into a sharecropping Farm her dreams could not be deferred followed her North Star to a new life her daughter's path was one of black Excellence the fruits of great grandma's labor I come from Brave women whose branches stretch to the heavens reaching Limitless Blue Sky Defying Gravity and the weight of Oppression Lifting me up to Heights that could only imagine I come from Young Lords Grandpa was a revolutionary dedicated to the fight against police brutality my activism grown from his roots in passion and protest his boriqua blood watering the ground from which I Sprout I come from judges doctors and lawyers I come from artists Educators and musicians I come from resistance pain and prosperity my family tree Grand and everlasting weathering the most brutal of storms growing stronger from the rain we belong to a forest we're surrounded by a Woods of interconnected brothers and sisters grown from the same rich soil Roots woven together absorbing Hope from the sun's Rays giving off oxygen in life even in a world where they cut us down our fruits sold and made sweet in the mous of Thieves their wealth built on our backs their houses built from our flesh are thriving Orchards burned down by forest fires Black Wall Streets stripped Barren and axed into only stumps nevertheless the rings of our history ingrained in the wood cannot be erased our Circles of Life are never ending seeds flourishing into trees of a new generation fields of black progress will not be cut down we will not be divided we will not be exploited we will burst through the clouds and into the heavens with righteous pride and gentle love we will rise let the tips of our branches kiss the sky let us fill the Earth with Hues of black and brown leaves drifting to the ground nourishing the soil until it's vibrant and Lush remnants of our Roots proof of our presence forecasters of our future hear my words and let them blossom into the dream of tomorrow for my words are like seeds next we have our girl step team optimal peris uh Precision under the direction of Michelle Brown they are a group of girls who've come together to dance and to celebrate everyone on the team puts in their best efforts for to produce great sound with their feet their hands and their body they are more than a team they are sisters they strive for good grades and an even better performance please welcome optimal precision hold on optimal Precision I want to come see it we're coming around the front so you make your decis I this um finally we have our boys step team absolute was formed in March of 2001 by a group of students and now under the direction of a former West Orange um student Ryan uses um he absolute is a Brotherhood fostering self um expression through step and dance Beyond its mesmerizing routines it cultivates communication skills social responsibility and academic Excellence through Community engagement it instills confidence and character with national recognition and top Regional sandings Absolut embodies Excellence on stage and off [Music] attention we are not so sit back we 4 let's go it's come char f hold on student hold hold on students hold on I just want to say a special thank you and just know that you're a shining example on what it is to be a West Orange Mountaineer I'm proud to be a mountaineer alongside you I really appreciate you thank you so much for representing us and celebrating Black Culture beautifully well done and now president Rock I would like to recognize a distinguished member of our faculty to do this I've asked that Miss Terry trig scales join us this evening Miss trig scales is a trailblazer herself as she held the position of assistant superintendent of Monclair Public School District she served as our district served our district in her role as a member of our Board of Ed as well as the spouse of our District's first black principal the late great Errol scales please clap just like Miss trig scales Mr Errol scales was ahead of his time during the 1990s Mr scales set out as a goal making sure that there will be diversity in this District his intention provided opportunities to promote and hire staff of color that reflected the makeup of our student body because of Mr scales there's a hate and more a lony hush I'm very proud and happy to be a part of Mr scales's history as he has been a mentor to me as well miss trig scales please come to the podium along with our Roosevelt Middle School principal Mr Lionel hush and our assistant principal Miss Olivia bantis please come up and acknowledge and celebrate the dedication of our retiring Roosevelt teacher Mr Albert Austin Mr hush being able to see yourself represented in respected honored roles allows for children to dream and strive to accomplish the same it allows them to Aspire to do more be moreal typical rool them in in 1990 Al Austin became the third African-American educational professional in West Orange and as a record hope as a result became the beacon for many of the children in this town through his teaching and I quote parents he made my child love math again through his stories he has entertained and mentored many but through his presence he has inspired countless children showing them what a professional caring intelligent man of color looks like in a role you don't see many in as Al ends his three decade career and education he has made his mark on the children of West Orange that has lasting effects in the lives they forged for themselves My Hope Is that the blessings he has given to this community is returned to him tfold in his next chapter in life it has truly been a pleasure being a part of his journey Al Austin I would like to speak about Al from a more personal and collegial staff uh role because I think that uh Mr hush really spoke on behalf of your tenure and the influence that you've had over students and families but you have influenced uh the staff greatly um at Roosevelt and while I am rather new to West Orange Public Schools as we all know Essex County is a small place so Al happens to live next door to my goddaughter my my daughter's godparents so I have been able to get to know Al um for the man that he is outside of Roosevelt which is a man full of Integrity he is a family man who I consider um a 21st century Renaissance Man because besides being a phenomenal math teacher Al is an inventor he is um trademarked he's working on his second trademark he is um an phenomenal Gardener he is a phenomenal Chef he is a phenomenal husband and a phenomenal father he is a man of great faith and he is someone who as we honor Pioneers this evening um I consider a Trailblazer when I think of myself as an educator of color I think about integration and public education I think about those like Al who set the path for us um you being one of the first not only allowed for um the amazing people who have come right after you but people like me as well who are able to come to you as a mentee someone who has been able to be encouraged by you and your spirit uh your presence and the impact that you've also had on your colleagues is tremendous your presence will be greatly missed uh but I also know that we will do our very best to make make sure we keep the Legacy alive that you have imparted on Roosevelt Middle School in our community I thank you for the brief but wonderful time that we've gotten to share together and I'm encouraged I'm encouraged for your future and I'm also encouraged for the future of West Orange public schools because of you um and others before you we now have a phenomenal model of divers diversifying our staff and also um setting our sites on Excellence always and I think that you provided us with a great model of that throughout the year so I thank you I thank you for um demonstrating also that um being a Pioneer and a Trailblazer is being a well-rounded renaissance man and I truly believe that's what you are so thank you Al this is such an honor I thank you Mr Moore for um asking me to to do this and I'm I'm doing it on behalf of Errol that's um that's what I'm thinking of because I remember how excited he was when he came home and talked about the new hire um because that was his mission and with him being a first um he was so excited and so pleased and proud that you were joining the West Orange family and so it's my honor and on behalf of Mr Moore and the board this Reed's outstanding achievement presented to Albert Austin distinguished educator mentor and role model as recognized by West Orange Board of Education on this day Fe February 26th 2024 on behalf of Brian Rock Board of Education president and Hayden Moore superintendent of schools I first would like to say thank you to the school district the parents the leaders the community the spirit all that has made my life possible in this capacity I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity to serve because the first thing I did in this town was to serve to follow to listen and to act according to the job that had to be done I'm just thankful I'm grateful and this moment is just absolutely incredible for the things that I have seen that I have experienced uh the growth that I have seen in the children the growth that I have seen and my co-workers how they have affected me and uh I will miss this opportunity but this is just a change of assignment and I want to give a special thanks to Errol T scales for being the educational leader and mentor to me at Edison Middle School when I first came as the first uh as the first educator in that building in the history of the school the two of us served as ambassadors to the town Paving the way for what exists now and being there as a foundation for all that shall follow it is for that reason that I'm thankful to the district of West Orange the District of West Orange the town where the light bulb was invented to provide light and here at this time the light of education and diversity will burn for forever for that I'm thankful I just want to thank everyone for taking time out to join the meeting this evening and congratulate Al on uh his retirement hold on I want to wait for Al's consoling a few people he's really gonna be missed Al I just want to say to you real quick and before you take more pictures I just want to uh thank you and let you know that I salute you and thank you for all that you've done um you're well deserved and uh again like um Olivia eloquently said we will not forget the foundation you have set thank you um hey since our our Hib report for um president Rock our Hib report for since our last board meeting we've had one Hib investigation throughout the district I reviewed the summary and the investigation has been determined as unfounded I concur with the findings presented by the anti-bullying specialist and that concludes my report for this evening president rock thank you thank you superintendent Moore and congratulations again to Mr alustin as M TR scales would say welcome to the club where every day is Saturday uh next up we have committee reports and comments from board members Mr ifer uh thank you president Rock just a few things first of all uh I had the pleasure of attending the black hisory month celebration um I enjoyed the Poetry the dance everything and hopefully next year there'll be even a greater turnout um but it was really a special night and I'm glad that I was there um the second thing is that uh in the coming weeks I hope to I I think some several of us are going to take part in the read Across America event looking forward to that and then the last thing was uh as a parent of a special needs child uh I'm I'm addressed very often from other parents with their issues sometimes complaints uh about what's going on in the system and finally I said you know I'd like to have a meeting with Mr Moore and with uh the acting director of special services so Mr Moore uh arranged that meeting and and I really appreciate that and really leading up to the meeting I spoke with some parents and I said this is your chance I'm one of you tell me what the problem is and we'll see if we can fix it and to my I wasn't surprised but I was relieved the issues are not you know the teachers they love the teachers the services I wish we had more of this or that but everybody's very happy with the quality of Education the issue is one of the most important but one of the easiest fixes which is we need better communication that's what they told me so I shared that with Mr Moore and miss salino about there's been a little bit of a turnover in terms of leadership in the program and I was very you know pleased with how the meeting turned out and I'll let Mr Moore take it from there but the uh we all care about special needs children here there's no doubt I can tell you from our private meetings um but I can tell the parents that you don't have to feel like you know it's you're on one side and the other kids We're All in This Together everybody cares if you're not getting the answer you need there's a what we call chain of command you should go through that's the quickest way but if you're having problems the the special services want to hear from you so don't be shy and any issues I feel like there's really a receptive uh ear here on the board and with Mr Moore so I'll that's all I have to say thank you thank you Mr I any other comments from Mr Stevenson or Miss V uh thank you president Rock just want to commend the students who came out tonight and shared their their talent and their commitment to our community the commitment to celebrate Black History Month I want to acknowledge our former board president Terry trick scales uh for being here tonight and presenting as a Trailblazer Mr hush and and the faculty of Roosevelt to celebrate uh Mr Austin so just wanted to make those comments we should never take lightly uh those who trailblaze and set a course and lay a foundation and become an example and then become exemplars for how um Excellence should be conveyed to our community and to our students so thank you for coming tonight thank you anything VI president bar no right now that's okay thank express my I will say happiness and basically I really the performance of the students that's awesome you know it's almost I can see the kind of work they are doing it and you know basically I say this is the way we support our young students and not the teachers who are dedicating the time to you know to work with the students that's the only way that we can save our kids being they they are into what they really like to do and you can see the Expressions they have and I can say right now is definitely I will be part of Capo celebrations on March and you know to celebrate that because this is what we really need to celebrate when they see adults participating they are put more efforts into the kind of work they are doing and teachers and administ ators they are happy to see that you know basically I was like oh my God this is amazing amazing and you know it's to be part of the celebration a basically I remember Mr from Edison when my daughters were there and he was amazing amazing person always ready to talk to the parents you know I feel happy and you know I can say I was almost ready to cry but because it's some experience that I'm having right now and how we are not going to put time in to celebrate with the kid the students and the teachers and with Mr Aron congratulations right for my board president's report I want to share and highlight some news out a Liberty Middle School in Celebration of students and staff wore colors chosen from the African K cloth red to represent power and spirit green to represent growth and spiritual renewal yellow or gold to represent wealth and royalty and black in honor of Black History Month uh Liberty recently implemented a young men's mentorship program named Soul s and our M lingual Learners in grades seven and eight will be taking a trip to the West Orange Public Library on March 12th 2024 to get library cards and a tour of the new Public Library um finally I just want take a second to uh mention Chris Kazuki one of our students who earned his Eagle Scout award recently uh Mr Guerrero the principal here and I were honored to attend his Eagle court of honor and see him awarded with that next we will have questions from the public on agenda items only any Community member who would like to make comments or ask questions please come to the podium at this time please state your name and home address for the record then begin your comments please limit your comments to three minutes do we have any members of the public here in the audience tonight who wish to make public comments good evening everyone um my name is Amber Lewis CLE I reside 12 randoff place in West Orange New Jersey my son um Kion King cadle is um a student at Betty magdalina um he loves his teachers he loves going to school he has grown tremendously our family is extremely proud and grateful for the teachers the administrative and just the support that we received um however there's been an issue with Transportation Transportation I mean I didn't know that there was any other Forum to go to to speak to but I'm glad that you mentioned it so I know where to go um in the future nevertheless um we've been through our third bust company and um it's a little bit difficult given that we're working parents I work 6:30 to 3 PM with the Department of Veteran Affairs I am a veteran my uh Banner is on excuse me my banner is up so I not only live love and I serve but um I just would like us all to be a little bit more cognizant of the issues that parents have and transportation is one of them and I hope that you know it is addressed um today or in the near future yes Transportation has been a challenge um there we are working on it um we have experienced um a little bit of a challenge in terms of shortage of bus drivers which has hurt uh the routes which has delayed I put out a letter to the parents um re when I learned of some of our bus drivers were going to be sick I tried to put something up myself and I usually don't um put out a transportation letter as I as there is a department and vendors outside of West Orange that Ser as for transportation so they usually do the communicating but I know that my parents are having a difficult time with it I'm aware um and I'm glad it's okay that you brought it here because it gives me a chance to let everyone know I'm aw um so thank you and I am aware I promise I cannot promise you Perfection just yet um because um we need to seek a a a different solution but we're having a meeting right T Thursday and we're bringing in and we're going to try to seek a solution thank you to you and our parents for being patient as we try to resolve our transportation issue but uh full transparency we're having a little bit of a challenge with it as we're trying to improve on it now but soon I promise you or call my office I and I will uh try to help um of course special services is where to go first but right I don't want you to feel not listened to and I will tell you any uh update or status report I have in terms of that but please uh be assured that uh that challenge of transportation is being addressed unfortunately we have not had a solid solution because um the options and opportunities haven't been there for us to do so but I promise you that that is a Forefront of my mind as it is um our business administrator we will work towards it thank you so much for the opportunity and I just want to say that um Dr Cohen norok Kino the staff they are phenomenal in trying to um transparent and relate when the bus is going to be late on time they respond to emails um um Sherry from Betty Magdalene everybody is phenomenal that communication we know there is an issue but thank Youk you for allowing this opportunity to speak no no I appreciate it but I wanted to just make sure sure you go thank you good evening again Terry trick scales 85 Clark and drive I just wanted to highlight our superintendent Moore yesterday the West Orange African Heritage organization held its annual Black History Month um celebration at our new library and there were two themes to the event um one was looking at historically black colleges and universities and the other was black firsts here in West Orange and so along with our scales our superintendent Hayden Moore Not only was he recognized and celebrated a student um became him for a few minutes and uh addressed the audience is there video I don't know I'll have to check but it was a wonderful event and I want to encourage board members to please come out and participate in the West Orange African Heritage organizations we do wonderful things we have a partnership with the school district we do tutoring after school um for our young ones we have a men who cook celebration we just had a Denim and Diamonds scholarship fundraiser and we'd love to see board members um come out and support the efforts of our organization and thank you Mr Moore thank you and I thank the West orang uh African American organization Heritage Organization for the honor and it is always great uh that a community believes in you and gives you a chance to be first um but you know I do uh recognize that you could never be first without standing on the shoulders of giants and I and Errol scales and now Alon are those giants that I stood on and Terry scale trig scales by the way as well as she has help helped me Mentor me throughout my time as principal as well so I do appreciate it very much so the recognition but you know nothing I hope the message to my students are nothing's done by yourself and always pay homage to those that came before you because they did lead the path and but I know that my students Sally my border liaison over there who I'm so proud of will lead a brighter and better future than us but at least we started it and uh you guys will take it from there and that's how I feel about my career so thank you Terry appreciate you all right if there's no one else for public comment we will move on to our resolutions may I have a motion to approve the Personnel items A1 through A8 so moved thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you everybody I want to congratulate the following retirees we have Michelle frzy Who provided academic support at St Cloud Elementary for her 28 years of service Janet camper a social worker in special services for her 17 years of service Wally Paul a PA professional at BMC and Washington for his 19 years of service Venza amabile teaches Italian here at West Orange High School after 18 years of service and finally Sandra Stein a clerical Aid here at the high school retiring after 20 to purchase books and our classroom materials at Kelly Elementary School all right without any other discussion Miss flowers please take the Roll Call St Mr ifer yes Mr Stevenson yes vice president V yes president Ro yes that thank you all right and finally may I have a motion to approve reports item D1 so move thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second thank you Mr ifer any discussion hearing none Miss flowers please take the role Mr ifo yes Mr Stevenson yes vice president Vera yes president Rock yes thank you all right thank you to my board colleagues for all of that next up we have petitions and hearings of citizens for any agenda or non-agenda item that you wish to discuss you will have three minutes to speak please approach the podium at this time and state your name and address for the record seeing none oh yes uh president Rock want take this opportunity if I may also to to acknowledge Miss Katherine Connor uh for her F fabulous work with our students and getting them prepared getting them advising them doing all that she does with respect to our student organizations for this we're here tonight don't know how you do it Miss Connors but thank you so much you're at every board meeting supporting students at every board meeting supporting our student Liaisons uh and really what you do is indicative of what all Educators should do on behalf of students so thank you I just wanted to give that acknowledgement I can just add that our Black History Month dinner um I'm sorry event uh Miss Connor's also helped organize that and is so conscious of all that um all our students need um the diversity of our students so she's very special to us so I I appreciate you acknowledging her and I will second that thank you Miss Connors for all that you've done well then thank you very much our next board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 18th 2024 this meeting will be held in the western Orange High School library media center we will not be going into executive session after the close of this meeting there will be no further business discussed and no additional action will be taken may I have a motion to adjourn so moveed thank you Mr Stevenson is there a second second thank you Mr ier all in favor I I thank you all for joining us tonight our meeting is now adjourned we wish you a good night all right