##VIDEO ID:bVV7n789RgE## to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands [Applause] na the New Jersey open public meeting La was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advaned notice to attend the meetings of public public bodies of which any business affecting affecting your interest in discussion or acted upon in accordance with the provision of the act the courtly board ofed has has has caused notice of this meeting to be published on okay wrong dat so of January I have January 11 okay and posted on the district website at www.com published in the bo designated online media outlet and newspapers the record and the ster filed with the clerk of the B reply and mailed to all persons if any who have requested said notice please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and online public meeting act allows for remote participation at board meetings and defin whether cial or by me of communication appointment which is attended by or open to to all the members of a public body held with the intent on the part of the members of the body present to discuss or act as a unit upon the specific public business of the body roll quot please Mrs buers Kang here m kback is not here M Curry here Mr Knight here Mrs Co here Mr Lopez is not here M Morel here Mr Rino here Mrs RoR here on did you hear me the board will be convening to Executive session to discuss legal personel and other confidential matters the board will reconvene into public session at approximately 7:30 p.m. May I have a motion to go into executive session motion second motion by Miss Curry second by Miss T B it was I'm sorry Amy by Amy pen um all in favor any opposed any exensions we're now in executive session to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands indivisible andice 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 interest is discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the act the fortly board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published on January 11 2024 and posted on the district website at www.foe.com published in the board's designated online media Outlet newspaper the record and the Star Ledger filed with the clerk of the Bureau of Fort Lee and mailed to all persons if any who have requested said notice please be advised this meeting is being recorded and may be broadcasted on local TV and online at a future date the open public meeting act allows for remote board meetings and defines meeting as any Gathering whether Caporal or by means of communication equipment which is attended by or open to all of the members of the public body held with the intent on the part of the members of the body present to discuss or act as a unit upon the specific public business of that body roll call please Mrs buers K here miss colback here miss Curry here Mr Knight here Mrs K here on the screen Mor can you hear me now yes sorry folks here the board convened executive session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss legal personnel and other confidential matters we will first begin with public comment on the superintendent renewal of contract um May I have a motion to open the floor to the public for this agenda item only motion Morel second Curry all in favor I any opposed or extensions okay we will hear first from any members of the public physically located here tonight then we will take questions from those participating remotely everyone is limited to three minutes into which to make their statement thank you um to members of the board and public um just so the record is clear U pursuing State Statute uh the board has to go through a process prior to altering or amending or resending a superintendent's contract namely notice 30 days in advance of the date of set action and then a notice 10 days before that date um both notices were timely um adequately published in accordance with the open public meetings act in addition this board did pass a resolution previously authorizing the proposed new contract to be sent to the executive County Superintendent of Buren County the executive County Superintendent has reviewed and approve the proposed contract as the legality and form so now was subject to review by the board uh prior to implementation um just so the uh public in board are reminded um the substantive the only substantive changes to the contract are essentially an additional four years the superintendent is in the last year of his current contract which uh is and or was applicable October 1 2021 through June 30 2025 uh the new proposed contract would be effective retroactive to July 1 2024 through June 30 2029 so it's a 5year contract but in essence it's netting uh the district and the superintendent for additional years um the salary uh in the current year of the superintendent's current contract is $215,000 the new proposed salary for the 2425 year will be [Music] $257,200 be 2% annual increases will be 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 I.E the balance of the four years of the contract um again get approved by the board um and I'll defer to the board in public for any [Music] comments are there any members of the public who have comments on this item only uh good evening my name is angrew G 326 Bridge plaz North I have a question so I simple question like why we amending the contract instead of nothing personal but instead of going backwards you know with the contract we just go forward you know let the contract expire when it does and then just you know you knew it but why why meant the contract when then was the purpose of the contract I understand it like I can't go to my say hey I contract you know what cancel my contract and I you know that's part contract negotiations might so again I just feel that we should just keep the contract and just move like I said move forward with it thank you yeah anyone else in the audience wish to speak on this item okay Mr rero are there any raised hands for this item there are no raised hands okay may have a motion to close floor in the public for this item motion second motion Morel second Curry all in favor I I any oppos or extensions okay um Dr kabitz Will You Begin by giving your superintendence report good evening everyone thank you all for joining us uh as we St the last witing actually our countdown is down to 16 days until school begins uh this week the administrative team will be conducting their training and will training but we will be discussing academics as well as team building as well as setting our goals buildings are almost clean and as of today uh with tonight's agenda we are fully staffed except for a few maternity Replacements approximately four which should be um killed by September 3rd we have some interview scheduled tomorrow as well as the rest of the week thank you to all the staff who have worked over the summer to make sure everything is ready for our students that includes the supervisors the cleaning the custodial staff the central office staff I appreciate all the hard work that has been been taken care of over this summer uh on a personal note I would like to thank the Board of Education uh for the recent uh contract offer it's been wonderful to work in this place that I like to call home it is always a a special place in my heart it's where I began my career and I delighted to continue to stay in Fort Le and make it place to be so thank you are there any committee reports yes hello this is so at uh president R's suggestion the mayor and Council committee uh me to discuss possible transfer of land from Boe to burough um transfer of land from the Boe to the burough portly president at the meeting was mayor Mark council president s councilman s councilman Sue councilman drungle uh bee vice president Morel Mike Rino Douglas Lopez and I we discussed a proposal from the town transfer baseball field and the associated Land from the Boe to the burough the bur intends on making improvements to the land such as laying Turf and rehabing the facilities the land would remain the property the B going forward good arguments were made on both sides given that the majority agreed it can be found on tonight's agenda as item 3B personally I think it's a big deal and worth soliciting public opinion about that's it yes um the curriculum committee met twice uh in August um some key items that were discussed is the mtss uh initiative that the district has undertaken the development in that um in the mtss program uh it's been piloted in school one um first grade and will now be extanded to school two three and four among the first grade and also the um um among the second and third grade at school three um we encourage parents to inquire about the program um especially at back to school night find out more about it and you can find out how you can support the school the school leadership and the teachers in um in in it implementation and and um I know that this is a big initiative under um Dr Kravitz and and and miss spaker so we wanted to succeed and we want everyone in the district to help um and be champions of it um the district is also considering American Institute of research to help provide training in intervention in in tier one classrooms um it's been American Institute of research has successfully provided training to other districts so we're very very excited to have them um bring that to to the staff in our district um we also discuss um the math and advancement program in seventh grade it's the first time that kid children in the district are giving an opportunity to advance in in those two areas and we encourage the building supervisors as as well as our super um our central office to continue work together so that families can learn more about it um in advance and not during the summer month and only to find out you know it may be too late to prepare their kids for it so we are very excited that um hopefully this would be something that family can get more involved and support their children in in in that path um in events in in math in ela earlier um the instructional program in uh programming in basic skill courses are being ulated to um standardize to be standardized across the schools um and Miss Baker is is undertaking that effort um to to ensure that the quality and also the sub the um the support is being given equally at in every school and then um finally there are some updates to the uh student code of conduct which um is on the agenda tonight and um most of it most of the updates uh are related to to in um to items of infringement is that the right time um in infraction um we also um how Miss morale raised a request for the district to consider um modifying the code of conduct by school or by grade level so that it's more age appropriate um and and hopefully in the future we'll have more defined um C conduct for various level of student thank you any other reports yeah I'm going to jump in on what Casey said as we on is that okay sure um I I'm in total agreement of selling it to the town it's only going to improve our children's Liv lives with sports in a safer field as well as we own is not part of the deal 3.7 Acres of wood right behind us between 13th Street to 15th Street off is still well so down the line if we need to do something we all have all that room that's all thank you any other committee reports okay um do board members have questions or comments on tonight's agenda or any other topic so I have a comment on um resolution 3B um I would like to be able to get behind the resolution um it talks about exploring the possibility of amending our long range facility plan exploring a lease or other disposition uh the the fourth whereas Clause talks about certain due diligence and background work to be done so I would propose that the board strike the second weas Clause because until until that work is done and we've done the exploration and we've done the due diligence I don't think we're in a position as a board that we have determined that the 10th Street field owned by the board is not suitable or convenient and or is not needed for school purposes so I would strike that second wear ass clause and I think the remainder um is fine so I'd make a motion that we strike the second wear ass Clause as premature there's a motion is there a second to that motion yeah second roll call please discussion about it go ahead what is striking that what is striking that mean I mean what how does that make a difference in this uh practically nothing because this resolution again is not authorizing the the conveyance of the proper it is essentially memorializing the board's intent to proceed toward that um so by striking that language I me that language would be required if and when the board does decide to sell the property that's required by the commission of Education uh for the board to certify or state that it's not necessary for education purposes but for now you just do your due diligence for other matters so it's it's fine if I here right now and what will happen between now and then well this is where we talk about getting negotiations um any type of uh real property be surveys or assessments Etc that all be done even if that language state it wouldn't be the sale today so that's what I'm saying just to get the process moving get the horse kind of out the gate it's not going to this actually speeds it up versus you not approving this then nothing happens um so this lead you get closer any other discussion so the motion is just to strict that second paragraph not the entire correct correct you want to strike the whereas the portly Board of Education to the 10 I think some people just feel uncomfortable saying that the land is like unusable I think that's it I think it's just a matter of semantics and I think we can all get unusable isn't this this language doesn't say it's unusable it basically says it's not needed for future purposes so I think what Mrs coack is saying is that until the business office until the board and the administration uh look at the current long range facility plan look at your demographics your projected increase or decrease in school age population Etc um perhaps let's not make that uh uh decision that you don't need it until you look at that now presumably you're going to look at it you're going to see some contractions some increases and say that the net effect is the same let's proceed but you don't want to proceed until you kind of have more data in front that's all can I do the roll call now um yeah sure so I'll come back to you Mrs V Miss Kath yes Miss Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs kotang yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel no Mr Rino yes what did you say pass not pass what you want to come back to you m yeah okay Mrs rior yeah okay and then Mrs Ires K yes mrina no can I um can I just chime in here because I was breaking up here in my audio on my my connection what exactly is it that we were voting on is it the language that um Paula just uh was questioning yeah she wants to amend it to say everything except the second paragraph gotcha gotcha so can can I just change my vote sorry it's just having terrible connection here yeah no problem so what do you want to vote so I I'd like to vote no okay M me you just St what the uh result of that vote was right five four five yes four no so the motion pass so the motion just modified the resolution so you want to do a vote now or you can wait until you do everything else um I'll move that we approve 3B as amended second that which one she wants to move to approve freb now as amended discussion this we not want public comment on that does the public wants to talk about I mean you're talking about how important public comment is and now we're vote before the very so who move the second day you want to withdraw it it it's time Mo withraw I thought they wanted to to move ahead on the vote um I have a question regarding um full C [Music] and we still on 3 no we're on board member comments or questions on the agenda um are those different CPR training is there reason one is [Music] underc versus [Music] 9p I know they both CPR training one one is to recertify the trat um for our coaches and then the other is for um it's a different group of people bus drivers teachers nurses so one is to recertify anyone else have questions or comments on the agenda okay um so we do have a walk-on resolution tonight that will be item 20p and it will read therefore be it resolved the fortly Board of Education upon recommendation of the superintendent approves the withholding of the employment SL adjustment adjustment increment of employee number X 774 for the 2024 2025 school year and that will be 20p what numbers I going to be [Music] 20 okay I have a motion to open the floor to the public motion second motion morale second buyers King all in favor any opposed or exensions okay we will hear first from members of public physically located here then we will take questions from those participating remotely everyone is limited to 3 minutes in which to make their statement for remote participants please select the raised hand button and Mr rero will recognize you in the order of raised Hands by lowering your hand unmute your microphone and everyone please state your name and address for the record and begin your comments please limit your comments to 3 minutes anyone in the audience with want speak good evening again uh my name is Andrew 326 Bridge plaz North um just sobody know I'm the vice president CPAC we Mak a lot of progress um we met I think it was about two weeks ago the executive U leadership is CAC with Dr P a very good meeting actually meeting tomorrow morning again okay um just to remind everyone we have the uh meat and greet coming up on the 29th at at 10 10:00 10:00 right from 10 to 11: I think in this building or this building I believe the media center if I'm correct yes yes so you know we just hope that hopefully we'll get you know a nice turnout we hope some board members can come um I'm going to try and make it unforunately work but in schools new yor but I will try to make it um I checked this morning Dr well this afternoon I didn't see the fire on the website on the homepage I don't know if it's like behind the scenes somewhere but that could be posted like on the homepage like under the announcement section but the flyer we make I'll make sure it gets done right okay thank you very much okay also the 18 to 21 year program Tom at the Tom Tom Tom Hunter Road okay what is the plan for meal service for the the students because currently there's no cafeteria you know it's like one room basically so the kids students can be bust over to one the locations or will meals be delivered into that location to meals is there any other questions you have yes yeah um next okay on 12p regarding the um the contract for Dr Sharon is that going to be to fill the intro position I guess or temporary position for the special needs supervisor and if so is you know it seems like it's a lot of money I don't know long read but is isn't there someone on staff that maybe we could give like a stien to you have to do extra work to fill those shoes temporarily till the new director you know comes in October any other questions okay so Dr Amato is familiar with the district um she has a proper certification to sering that role as the room and we F rather than taking someone else from their position especially since they're the opening of the year they all have a lot of work to do it would be the best best course of action as far as the meal question I received that similar question from someone else today um some days they cooked in class some students brought um lunch from home and they had gotten the option of getting from the high school cafeteria on their way back to the building after work so the bus would take them there on days we out in the community they purchase lunch and have the option to bring it from home um a email was sent to the parents a few weeks ago giving students the option to make their lunch daily they were told the parents that they could get go to acne as a group and on Monday morning they would purchase Co cuts and things to make sandwiches so they would practice that life skill okay so that would be like the bus taking them to the well this is what they did last year and they told by the teacher at 4:50 this afternoon they were going to be doing the same thing so what they did last year like I said they would go to the cafeteria by the bus after their work shifts in the community they would stop or they would do that before or they would have the option to make I want make sure that that will Transportation you you have bad rain or light snow and stuff like that no from what I was told by the teacher that's what they were doing last year thank you anyone else in the audience want to speak how's it going how's every Kyle Sanford 809 Harvard Place Fort New Jersey I just want to speak to you guys about past meetings uh and about uh getting doing away with zoom that's one thing and the other thing is can you get a little and the other thing is and the other thing is I wanted uh we we we talked about it before about the school softball about that we're playing softball here and about transportation to up to up places where they can't get like my daughter had to walk from here here to the other field so I'm trying to find that out that said it would be done at a later date um so I don't want that to get missed but let's do the zoom first all right let's resom first Oakland Public meetings act in Ence the OPM mandates in the public right to attend and participate in BO meetings must be preserved regard regardless of whether the meetings are held in person or virtual would you like to know more meetings act they must ensure that the public has adequate access this is includes providing clear instructions on how to join the meeting offering phone and options and ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities so I know with my union if if we don't get to what's I understand you guys want to you know the meetings get too long in that if that's the issue that that's why you guys want to do a very with zoom that's okay um but in my meetings with the with the union and everything we allow if you can't get in there there's a a little drop down box where you can ask a question at the end of the meeting and somebody will email you back you leave your name your number or or the email and somebody from you know during the week or whatever somebody I'll get back to you with the answer to your question um I don't know if that's possible or if that's feasible you know when you go on Zoom I know you guys you can limit the meeting to a certain time frame whatever if that's the issue with the with the zoom meetings I just don't I just don't understand so I'm just trying to I'll make it it's hard to get you know some some people would work until 6 7:00 8 9:00 at night so all right that's it any other questions no that's it all right so the whole thing with the zoom we had a discussion last week we pulled it off the agenda and we haven't put it back on to remove it okay so it's off the agenda it's done it's been off yeah okay better thank you and to answer your question about the busing so we're still looking at you know where we can save money for busing we've discussing busing before we looking at options to have enough money to make sure that they can support all of the the routes because we know that we do it for one we have to do it for every sport so that's one of the things that we were assessing I understand but in essence if my daughter's getting out at 3:30 or 3:00 and she's going to a school sport in essence the school is somewhat responsible for my daughter just so you know this I know this you understand it's a school function thank thank you for your coming I just want to that clear anyone else in the audience hello Brian drum n Jory Lane in Fort Le just wanted to come out here and say thank you I've been working with um numerous board members regarding one of your resolutions tonight 3B in the 10 Street field um there's been a lot of discussions even predates me I think it's it will be a big victory for Fort Lee that's my personal opinion and the many students and residents in this town and most importantly the taxpayers in this town for many many reasons I encourage everybody to do their due diligence but I thought it was extremely important to come here thank president Victor vice president Morel um y liazon Mike Rino all of the board members Casey as the committee chair you know we just recently the last meeting was just past week with Dr krait as well um I thought it was a productive meeting we moved in the right direction and it's very encouraging to see everybody working together paa making sure that the due diligence is done I I encourage it I welcome it it's it's the smart thing to do not that that wasn't going to be done I'm I'm sure of it but I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you and I look forward and I'm hopeful that this is the step forward in a very long process that will benefit many residents for uh years to come in forly so thank you and um thank you thank you anyone else in the audience to speak we need place for w Ford this is going to be short but not pleasant so uh this is for every port member if uh member of the public are speaking you guys have to listen you have to pay attention last time someone was speaking from the zoom you were chatting and giggling with uh the board member next to you this is unacceptable this is unacceptable you have no respect this just shows you have no respect to public opinion sorry I'm not calling the board members I'm goinging you anyone else in the audience wish to speak okay [Music] Mr Sarah Kesha you've been promoted to panelist please mute your microphone and feel free to share your video please state your name and address for the record you have 3 minutes uh yes do you hear and do you see me good evening hello we can we can hear you um can you please allow the video to be open thank you um hi my name is s or Sara and I live at 484 Main Street Fort Le New Jersey um I wanted to Echo one of the parents um that he he spoke in regards to the zoom I have been asking for the feature to be added so we can drop um like comments or email addresses and or our phone numbers there so we can get in touch with the other parents while participating in the meeting so we need that kind of to be like a pattern I have had meetings at work as well and everybody is able to chat a little bit while the meeting is going on so we need that option edit now another thing is that also that the other parent another parent mentioned is the Via Zoom um when let's say I ask questions now and then I want to hear the answer from any of the board members we need at least a p like a minute because for me to get back to The Queeny again to hear you um it's like a a blank moment and then when for example Miss krait is talking I don't know what he said in regards to my question and then I have to go the next day to the to YouTube to re um listen to it and it's time taking so low a moment after we finish off here and then so we can absorb what happened and then so we can hear the complete um answer now um it was I don't know also echoing the other parent um while I asked questions um it seemed that when Mr krait um answered the his answer I heard it on YouTube the next day was off I asked for people that not to deal with the preparation of food um his answer was like yeah we have harassment laws in place for HIV people we know that I know that so I just don't want didn't want them to deal with our children's food and I didn't just want deal them to be like one-onone with our children that's it as far as for selling the property um unfortunately I'm against it if any thing I would have invited the town of forley to sponsor and to help but still the properly the property in the end should have been um belonging to uh Fort Le uh to uh the schools if anything I have a huge question which I have been wondered and it hurts me when I pass by the wooden area behind the middle and high school the woods are falling badly it's I don't know it at least needs an inspection and then a trimming of the trees because it's a safety matter I don't know what's happening with that area it's all grass and grown weeds there and as I said the woods are decayed and falling so I need a question I need an answer like is anyone addressing the safety I understand that you're out of a funds um it's a huge issue with our nation funding other things instead of funding our schools we're not going to get there but I just need a question is anyone a addressing the safety issue of those wood falling all over us and then the broken sidewalks there is anyone addressing that um please when you talk don't use abbreviations for example I heard the students are the STL students what that means I don't know so we need to hear Kesha um your three minutes has expired all right if you wanted to let me just one more issue I had to bring if not then that's fine do you want me to or just that's it your three minutes have gone way past so thank you okay all right all right so yeah okay thank you for your comment as far as the um facilities will have the facilities that to take a look around the high school as well as the Middle School um grounds I I think the area by the high school is pal St Parkway property not she talking about Beyond I think she's speaking behind you know we spoke last year we've done some pruning last year um3 13th Street we also thetion and right now the street has been closed and they will be PID you for the next two days so we'll take a look jelyn you've been promoted to panelist please unmute your microphone and feel free to share your video please state your name and address for the record you have 3 minutes goson you're muted I know this button's not working thank you uh Jason ke klin uh 2185 Le Mo Avenue Fort Leaf uh president of our special education parents Advisory Group cpeg um just reminding I know Andrew did already but extra advertisement never hurts um August 29th at the Lewis F Cole Media Center on Stillwell Avenue from 10: am to 11:00 am we're having that child study team meet and greet uh so thank you to everybody who worked on it Andrew Goodman CIA had Dr Kravitz and Diana Davis appreciate your help with that and congrats on the new contract as well Dr Davis and uh that's it I hope to see as many parents at the meet and greet who have children the system with IEPs and 504s thank you very much thank you thank youen Hassan you've been promoted to panelist please unmute your microphone and feel free to share your video please state your name and address for the record you have three minutes hi can you hear me yes hi I want to thank you on behalf of the Muslim Community especially the children who sorry could you just State your address and pH name I'm sorry faten Hassan Kingsland Lane for Lee I want to thank you on behalf of the Muslim Community especially the children who attend Fort Lee for including on the 2425 school calendar that Eid Al fitter is observed it was obser it states that it's observed in March it really helps the children feel seen as human beings and it helps them feel just as recognized and as important as the rest of the students in the school and the town I noticed that last year it wasn't even on the calendar and so I'm so happy that there's some progress thank you so much again I'd like to ask um when will there be a plan to have this holiday officially recognized as uh just like the others as a a day off for the children I'd like to know if that's in the works um and if it's not what can be done to get that to happen thank you yeah thank you for your comments um every year the Board of Education receives sample calendars which include a lot of the holidays I know it is difficult to to make sure that we Encompass everyone's uh holiday so you know we we're open to conversations we're open to suggestions and I appreciate yours so as we build next year's calendar which is sometime in January February that we'll be taking into account as the board bring a decision of how the how how the holiday falls and whether or not it can be incorporated but yes we wanted to recognize it for this year thank Rob religious holidays could be excused days off correct yes religious holidays are excused days every year the New Jersey Department of Education list all of the holidays that are excused for every student in the state of New Jersey so that's the list available to anyone in the state there are no more raised hands thank you can I have a motion the floor to Mo second motion back second Morel all in favor I any oppos exensions okay moving on to resolutions may I have a motion to approve items 1B through 3B as amended motion second motion back second morale roll call please Mrs buers K yes Miss colbat yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs koten yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rina yes Mrs R yes may have a motion to approve items one Cur through 8 Cur motion second motion Morel second Mrs Byers K yes Miss colb yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs kotang yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rino yes Mrs RoR yes I have a motion to approve items 1 F through 11 F motion second motion Curry second Rino will call please Mrs buers K yes M colbat yes and thank you to all the very very generous donors under 5 F Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs kotang yes Mr Lopez yes Miss Morel yes Mr Rina yes Mrs RoR yes I have a motion to approve items 1 p through walk-in resolution 20 P motion second motion Morel second Curry roll call please Mrs V K yes M kbass yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes with a big congratulations to Howard K the Mrs K yes Mr Lopez Mr Lopez I'll M Morel yes Mr Rabino yes Mrs RoR yes Mr Lopez I'm sorry we're voting on one one p correct through one p through okay yes motion to approve item one p motion second motion Rabino second pull back roll call please Mrs buers Ken yes Miss kak yes Mrs Curry yes Mr Knight yes Mrs Ken yes Mr Lopez yes M Morel yes Mr Rina yes Mrs RoR yes moving on is there any old business I'd like to thank uh all the volunteers helped out of St Ro 11th and 12th graders did an excellent job they worked very hard and we appreciate you any new business I would just like to say thank you to the Board of Education forie my contract for the next 5 years appreciate drinks okay I have a motion to adjourn motion Morel secondino all in favor any opposed okay thank you all for coming have a good night is