##VIDEO ID:G0PWcZFi7wY## good evening and Welcome to our reorg meeting uh the time is now 7:03 we're going to call the uh meeting in order uh let's actually stand for our Pledge of Allegiance pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all the reading of our um meeting notice the New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to ensure the rights of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meeting of public bodies at which any business affecting their their interests is discussed or en acted upon in accordance with the provision of the Act and the the Verona board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published in the Star Ledger and posted in the township of Verona the Verona Education Association posting of this meeting is uh setting forth the time location and the agenda were posted at the Verona Board of Education Office and the Verona Public Schools uh District website copies of uh tonight's agenda resolution has been made available to the public via the Board ofed website at this time I'll do the roll call Mr Waka Mrs brazel yes Mrs Farrar yes Mrs prisco here Mr Boone we have Corum next the official results of the annual School elections held on November 5th 2024 it's for one it's two seats for uh one three-year term uh the first uh board uh member for reelection um Mrs Pamela prisco uh uh received a total of 5,330 votes uh also for reelection uh Mr Christopher Waka uh for a three-year term with 4,163 votes at this time uh I will call on our mayor uh Taro who will be officiating this waren end of the uh re-election of these uh two uh board members good evening everyone I think we'll start with Mr Waka on up you're first in my folder at least I'm sorry I lied Pam was but we'll start with you anyway all right repeat after me you might want to come over here so you get on the sound I Christopher Waka I Christopher Waka do solemnly swear to solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and this state and to the governments established in the United States and this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people so help me God so help me God and secondly I Christopher Waka I Christopher Waka do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of member of a board of education for the office of a member of a Board of Education and that I am not disqualified as a voter and that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to rs19 4-1 pursuant to rs19 d4.1 nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime or offense nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime or offense listed in njsa 18a 12-1 listed in 18 njsa 18 a-121 and that I will faithfully impartially and justly and that I will faithfully impartially and justly perform all duties of that office perform all perform all duties of that office according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God congratulations Mr appreciate it and thank you the guests here you go thank you I'd like to note that we we don't get plaques so somebody that's it as hold for you all right Mrs prisco I don't have my glasses so I can't see that but I could read I Pamela prisco I Pamela prisco do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and I will bear true faith faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and to the governments governments established in the United States and this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people so help me God so help me God and secondly I Pamela prisco I Pamela prisco do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of a member of a board of education for the office of the member of a board of education and that I am not disqualified as a voter and I am not disqualified as a voter pursu to rs19 col 4-1 pursuant to rs9 col 4-1 nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime or offense listed or offense listed n njsa 18a col 12-1 n njs 18a col 12-1 and that I will faithfully and partially and justly and that I will faithfully and partially and justly perform all the duties perform all the duties of that office of that office according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God congratulations P thank you very much if I could just take a moment of privilege since you gave me a microphone um I'd like to recognize the deputy mayor mavo is also in the audience um and I would like to thank congratulate Chris and Pam um and Pam being your third term and uh and Chris on your re-election and thank all the board members for your service it is a um being a Schoolboard member is a difficult and oftentimes a thankless job uh and this board has done exceptionally well over the past several years uh and really leading a direction in this town based on education and the best interest of our students in our community so so thank you all and I wish you a very successful year on the board have a good night thank you so much thank you for being here thank you congrats again um so you're with us another three years and and it's uh we're we're happy to have both of you uh for the extension so we're moving on to nominations and uh the election of a board president for 2025 I needed motion uh for a nominee I would like to make a motion and I would like to nominate Denise fala for president of the Verona board of education for the year 2025 I'll second do I have a second I'll second all right so is there a motion any other uh nomination all right so I need a motion for uh to close uh the nomination so move a second all right so we'll do a roll call uh nominating uh Mrs fella as uh board president commissioner uh Mr Boon yes Mrs Ferrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mr Waka of course yes motion carries congratulations I get a whole table to man oh yes thank you no take over the meeting okay no not well thank you everybody I appreciate your support and um I hope I will um live up to Pam and her uh stud guidance of us over the last few years um so now we will have nominations uh for board vice president if we could have a motion to nominate so um who were you nominating oh sorry I thought was motion sorry sorry to Nom out motion to so I'll nominate uh Miss krisco as vice president second I'll second okay do we have any other nominations okay can we have a motion to close nominations mov and a second can I second it second sorry okay and then I guess we'll have the roll call for vice president yes uh Mr Boom yes Mrs uh Ferrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs Bella yes Mr Mr Mr Walker yes motion carries so congratulations prisco thank thank you everyone the appointment I mean I will but not okay and oh okay I mean know we can just do a Consolidated for the rest of it does anyone have an objection for that okay well um no they're appointed by the right even if they don't want those committees they don't have to do it okay so we will now have I guess a motion for the appointment of committees and chairpersons by board president that would be me um so we have a motion for that I'll so moved I'll second okay and then we'll do roll call for nine yes sabon yes Mrs Ferrar Mrs prisco yes Mrs fella yes Mr Walker well we we'll put him as absent yeah yeah yeah motion carries and well there's no members of the public but does anyone have public comment on the agenda action items so I guess we'll move on to the reorganization action items um which is point 11 29 there's 29 yeah one through 209 yeah um so I move action item oh so can we have a motion for to move action items one through thank you and a second I'll second okay and so I guess we'll do roll call please aaka okay Mrs Rella yes Mrs Ferrar Mrs pris yes Mr Bo yes motion carries okay so now we will move on to the regular meeting agenda um are there any board member comments that is that is that is one L there we go it doesn't have to be can I just board member comments yeah yeah I just want to say thank you to the both of you um Miss Fisco you've been Wonder Wonder F job as president for the past two years Miss Gali have done a wonderful job as BP and I'm happy to see you as president I'm so happy to be a part of this board and start a new year together you're here yes thank you and uh reflecting on the year of Mrs prisco's Services president uh what I always admire most about her is for her um the fact that she believes maroon and white and uh the spirit of the community is is really infectious um in a good way um and um she brings that level of enthusiasm to every meeting and U I thank her for that thank you I'll keep it up ain't going anywhere so um if there's no other comments we will move on to our superintendent report thank you congratulations to the two of you I will say having worked with other boards in the state it's pleasure um to uh work here with this board um board superintendent relations are very important and it's uh it's been a a good almost three years two and a half years already I unbelievable but it went fast so for tonight I have um uh just a couple um updates uh the election day in June was changed from June 3rd to June 10th and while um we didn't have that day off on the calendar for students um we like to have that as our first give back date so I'll just draw uh everyone's attention to the fact that the calendar has been updated to indicate that June 10th is now election day and if we don't use all of our snow days or in Clement weather days that will be the first day we give back so that the students um it's very difficult to have um elections in our schools um because security is tight and and uh law dictates that the um police officers can't be within a certain yardage of U or feet actually of of a polling place um uh Mr Cruz may talk about it as well but he and I have a meeting next week with the county office to do the midyear budget review so we are uh preparing those documents now um they're fairly lengthy um this is a new system for them this year we're going to be doing it in a group with it last year we did it just with Mr Ferrara who is the um uh County a business administrator excuse me um I just want to go out of order here for a second we I don't normally talk Staffing in January uh but we do have some staff shortages uh in addition to the fact that we always have par professional par professional shortages um we have a special education uh position at Lanning that we are interviewing for and we have a health and physical education position at Lanning uh that's also tenure track and we are uh back to the drawing board interviewing we had uh several finalists that we offered the position to and um they wanted uh $100,000 or more so um we're not getting new Young teachers applying here so uh everyone that's been applying for these positions has you know 15 years experience and they want to make what they're making at their or more than their current District so it's been difficult um to find um to uh find candidates uh for these positions that are not at you know 100 plus um, per year we also are taking applications again for the business teacher now uh this is the second looks like it's still the same position that is open we did hire a business teacher and Mr vogle um uh recall resigned so we now have another opening we are not getting candidates for that position but we do have a backup plan for we have a long-term sub in there right now who is a certified teacher and he can stay um uh for the year um but for September we have a backup so because this position really is the financial literacy we can advertise for a social studies teacher because under the law social studies mathematics or business can teach financial literacy so if we're not getting that that those candidate um applications from certified business teachers we have a backup we would much rather have a business teacher so that we could diversify those classes because teaching financial literacy all day long is um is you know not as appetizing I would think than having like accounting or economics Etc we are in need of a tenure track school psychologist uh we are in the final rounds of interviewing for that so I should have a candidate on the next board meeting uh we have two leave three leave Replacements that we're looking to fill um a school social worker at hbw and two Elementary position at FM Brown so um talk to your friends and neighbors who have teaching certificates and tell them Verona is a great place to work the people that work here love working here so um get people in here I am also in discussions again uh with mallerie's army founder Diane Grossman to get dates uh unfortunately she got very very busy in October um with that being anti-bullying month um and basically at that time said her schedule slows down you know after the holidays so it's now after the holidays and we're looking to get three dates uh one for the high school students one for the middle school students and a parent evening so that is um coming your way uh hbws winter concerts are next week on the 14th and the 15th the fifth fifth grade band and choir on the 14th and everybody else on the 15th um I am working with um Dr Miller and um Mr warts is actually pitching in and the the principles on completing the uh civil rights data collection which is uh just to tell you how big that report is I have completed Brookdale and Forest and I still have only done 1% of it they send you an update Verona Public Schools has done 1% um it the high school is the big U Middle School and High School are the big uh data collection so when I get to that well I'm we'll get it done obviously um and I guess uh oh next week I also have a meeting with Chief Kieran um to come in and discuss and sign off on the un uh Universal memorandum of um memorandum of agreement with law enforcement and that is uh something that's required of every school district in the state and um it's a little different than it's been in the past last year was the first year with the new memorandum of agreement and so um Chief and I will sit down and go over and make sure that we're good on all points then we'll sign board president signs goes to um the uh I'm sorry I just saw my thought the County prosecutor and um the executive county superintendent so they it have to be original signatur so they'll go make the rounds to all of the required offices across the state and then we'll put that on the agenda next uh when that gets done for board approval and um last I just want to uh do a quick um discussion for the board there's been some uh some talk about our uh marching band and the director's position um Mr cogdal sent something out to the parents of our band students indicating that Mr Lynch uh gave his intention not to apply for the band director position in uh the fall um and just want to clarify that we posted that position immediately and we have applicants and we are definitely looking to continue with the marching band um for those that know me know I'm a supporter of the Arts and having a marching band in a day where marching bands are not as common as they used to be sets Verona apart so um we would love to encourage our students to come out for marching band um we are looking at potential potentially changing the way marching band is um um I don't even know how to what to call it right now you have to if you're in concert band you have to be in marching band we are taking um survey information and looking at some data digging to determine whether or not um that policy is hindering students coming out from marching band we currently are um seeing a reduction over over a 10year period of about 49% 42 I'm sorry 42% of students um enrolling in band at the high school our numbers across the district are stronger in the elementary and middle school so we're we're looking to strengthen that program and so uh just to be clear as that process goes forward we will be transparent with what it's going to look like no decision has been made had been made um with Mr Lynch Not applying for the position for next year that may push that decision in One Direction but when that when it's made we'll we'll let uh the board and the public know and um that's all I have for this evening you and then um if we can have what readying moving on um we have our student report uh Mr Ryan G gal whoa sorry I you oh okay so uh good evening of course and so i' hope everyone here has had a a good winter break and a happy New Year and I just want to firstly uh express my congratulations to both Mrs Vella and Mrs prisco on Vice on President and Vice President respectively so but okay however back to the high school so before we left off on break Wednesday December 18th was the VHS uh Winter concert and that following Friday was the VHS of Pep rowy which was dedicated to many of our numerous effect activities during the winter season and with our winter sports programs we were continuing to Prevail with a strong and determined Athletics program consisting of basketball cheerleading ice hockey track wrestling and swimming and all these fantastic programs are definitely demonstrating True Grit and Triumph in all these competitions matches meets Etc and specifically uh both our boys and girls basketball team have done exception well with victories against West Essex and Cedar Grove respectively furthermore our swim program so far this season has a grand total of six records broken with notable notable record Breakers being actually composed of two freshmen Victoria SLU and Charlotte rowand and the swim team is also sending 10 swimmers to the Essex County swimming championships it's like I guess you like upper echelon I suppose but of course there um upcoming senior nights for each respective sport I do believe that tonight is the boys basketball senior night so and from January 27th to the 31st Verona child is uh collaborating with the Verona schools district uh for the third annual inclusive schools week a celebration of inclusivity and acceptance in the school communities uh they strive to celebrate and create inclusive learning environment dismantle barriers to participation and of course promote equity and so for uh inclusive School schools week there is a t-shirt fundraiser being held for that and today uh VHS administered the map growth EXA testing for the underclassman freshman and sophomore sophomores enrolled in the algebra 1 and geometry courses and we also had for the yearbook the club photos taken for the numerous amounts of Club and extra extracurricular programs so that's all thank you thank you very much and then moving on um it's public comments for agenda action items although there are no members of the public right now so I think we can just move on to routine matters um can I get a motion to approve the minutes from the last board meeting December 10 2024 moved and a second a second okay and if we can have roll call please uh for the record Miss Walker abson oh sorry yes any discussion okay now can we have roll call yes uh for the record Mr wer is absent Miss uh Miss Mrs fera yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs frella yes Mr Boon yes motion carries I'm gonna skip six because that's again public comment on agenda action do we not have a board secretary we do I don't know what happened this this Monday I don't know what happened okay so do we have a board secretary report oh yeah oh that's not what I thought you said wondering no okay we'll move on com after twice yeah okay do we have any um any discussion items or New or Old business that any board member would like to discuss or bring up okay I did want to um mention and unfortunately Mr Walk is not here um we at some point there was a a discussion of um potentially moving our meetings from every from by month ly so twice a month to once a month um I know we did just approve a calendar for this coming year but I thought that might be something that the board may want to consider um it would bring us more in line with what other Town boards have Ed do um you know I I think that we would have to look at all the ramifications um because it could be potentially some issues with the payment of bills we'd have to um authorize Mr Cruz to pay bills um if we didn't have a meeting um it doesn't mean that we can't call a meeting like if there's something comes up and we need to have a meeting we can have a meeting um but I think um you know I'm happy to continue with the twice a month if if that's what the board wants but I think that there has it is an abnormality um for uh twice a month meetings especially with a board this size and this besid and the fact that you don't do most boards have a um two meetings a month because one is a work session and the other is an action uh an a regular meeting or an action meeting you guys have two action meetings it's it's it's unusual we I shouldn't say as a board and for the public it's important to note that we also once a month meet as a committee right so we're so by having the two meetings it's a meeting three times yeah a lot and most of the work is done in committee anyway so each M of the board is on two committees so each committee is supposed to meet at least monthly um so that's four mon meetings that each board member is responsible for currently um so but my my concern and I do recognize that it is a bit of an abnormality and look I'm always one for fewer meetings whether it's in work or or in this situation but uh given the enormity of the budget that we are responsible for um my gut tells me I rather ER on the side of over transparency with the public even though we don't have uh anybody from the public here this evening um yes yeah that's very important Point um I just feel that airing on the side of over transparency or as much transparency as we can provide uh ensures that public trust I think um we do have a very strong relationship with our community I think we have very good uh feedback with our community and I rather keep as many doors open as possible that's my initial reaction I'm not putting a flag in the ground one way or the other but I think that's something that we should consider and look I I recognize that we're all we all have busy lives and we all are putting a lot of work uh into this outside of these meetings but I just think from a transparency standpoint I prefer the two meetings they consider something going back to how it is currently even noted on the calendar where there's an agenda meeting or you know is it session versus a regular right so if we had something like that and we had our say just for argument sake the first meeting of the month is is the you know the agenda meeting and then the second meeting is on the calendar so if we do have any anything if we have anything big coming up anything big happening we know that that date is locked in and then if we don't we don't need the meeting if you wanted to do a work session meeting that would precede the Action meeting because what a work session does is it's actually a preview so you get the a regular meeting agenda at the work session and that's the time that the board members can ask questions and have discussions that's that we thinking of it more as like a backup a backup like a meeting that we need to have to move agenda items and then the second meeting for if we need it or maybe we can do that every other month so it's because I I understand your point Mr Boone about the transparency and you know I respect and understand that so I'm just wondering if there's another we have one in December one in June um what two in June one in July one in August and two in every other month right bless you I my my thought on this is I I mean there are some meetings where we don't really have that much so we could either look at the agenda that's coming up and just hold it off to the next meeting or if they I like your idea of having the two dates but then the second meeting as a if necessary like we should know that we have to be here but then if there's nothing really urgent that doesn't need to meet until the would be to to make sure that whatever meeting we choose is is standard so the public knows that they can expect to have a board meeting on you know the first Tuesday of the month or the whatever we decide and then the second right so I just think that it's important that the public knows which meeting will always be and I know during budget time we'll have to have two meetings no matter what so I think it's really just looking at the months that are kind of a quieter like the summer time you know maybe I don't know okay thought I said I just wanted to maybe have the discussion and we can um look at it closely and if someone wants to propose something you know go forward with that um I mean I think our next meeting is what the 20 January 2 we don't really have anything pressing for January 21st and maybe we just keep that and then meet on February our February meeting the if that's only concern that I see with that is if we're hiring we might have to do what we do in the summer which is allow me to hire if we don't have a meeting I mean that's up to the board right yeah okay we can fible we can consider it we'll see what we come up with when we put our heads together okay um Mrs brel I just wanted to comment when real quick on the um discussion items I just wanted to piggy back on um Mrs tppi about our um our band and our marching band and how we all fully support the marching band so we just want that out there that we are going to do whatever we can to make sure marching band stays intact so go and as a former Mar Maring band member myself I will say yes marching band is important um so now we can U move on to any correspondence no correspond no correspondence okay um so now we'll move on to agenda action items can I get a motion for A1 through A7 please so moved okay and second second second okay and any discussion none can we get roll call please Mrs Ferrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mr Boone yes motion carries thank you and moving on if we can get a motion um for Resolutions B1 through B5 so moved and a second a second any discussion nope okay and can we get a roll call please Mrs Farrar yes Mrs uh Mrs prisco yes Mrs Vella yes Mr Boon yes motion carries and moving on to Athletics and co-curricular and I get a motion for C1 through C6 um I have a question um C4 and C5 in the right order think it was changing the name correct right right and then we approved another one right are we resending in the right order is what I'm asking be honest with you I don't know that we had to resend it we just need to correct so we should probably table just deal with so I need I still need a second for the motion and then we need a new motion to table [Music] C4 I have that right okay so can someone does anyone want a second okay okay and can I have a motion to table C4 so moved okay and can I have a second I'll second okay can I get roll call for the tabling of C4 Mrs Farrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs brazel yes Mr Boone yes motion carries and do we have any further discussion of C1 through three and C five and six okay hearing none can I get a roll call for approving C1 through three and then C5 and C6 so oh sorry come on you're messing me up still you're looking for motion right no I think I we did a motion did a motion we did a motion now we're looking for roll call I just have a quick I'm sorry to I'm just looking at the calendar oh that was on B pass it yes Mrs pris go yes Mrs frella yes Mr Boom yes motion carries okay moving on there is nothing under facilities so moving on to e finance can I get a motion to approve E1 through E8 so moved and a second I'll second okay and can any discussion okay can roll call please uh Mrs Farah Mrs prisco yes Mrs Pella yes Mr Boon yes motion carries okay and then moving on to governance and policy can I get a motion for F1 move a second any discussion no okay and can I have roll call please Mrs Farrar yes Mrs prisco yes Mrs VZ yes Mr Boon yes motion carries okay and then I'm opening the floor for public comments um although there are no something say Okay seeing none um I am now asking for a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn yes okay all those in favor I I okay so we are adjourning the meeting at 8 at 7:45 wow um the next meeting is scheduled the next regular meeting is scheduled for January 21st um with a confidential session at 6 p.m and public session at 7M in the Vera high school learning Commons thank you very much everybody thank you