And whereas Clifton Public Schools libraries endeavor to provide materials and resources that reflect the diversity of our students and communities while upholding a student's freedom to read. And whereas the libraries of Clifton Public Schools provide resources and instruction to support the implementation of New Jersey student learning standards. And whereas the school library media specialists of Clifton Public Schools develop information literacy skills instruction to empower students to effectively locate, evaluate, and apply knowledge. And whereas the school library media specialists of Clifton Public Schools play a crucial role in literacy development, fostering a lifelong love of reading among students. And whereas the school library media specialists of Clifton Public Schools curate literature appreciation activities and promote both content and recreational reading to every student. And whereas the libraries of Clifton Public Schools contribute to students social and emotional learning needs. And whereas it is both fitting and proper that special recognition be given to the school libraries and the role of certified school library media specialists in ensuring an environment that fosters reading and learning, investigation and research and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge for all students in New Jersey.
So we are going to have agenda items where we bring forward out of the box thinking ideas to that meeting. [Music] So I guess I'm just making that as a statement more than a discussion option. Just saying that we are going to discuss it in the same careful thoughtful manner that I think that we did before and we'll have some ideas and options to bring to the full committee. Yeah. And I I have two responses to that. The first is just that um the school committee needs to give you all a charge as a subcommittee um to actually take on a project. So um that's part of what tonight's discussion will lead to hopefully would be what is the school committee actually asking you to do as an ad hoc uh committee. But we do not have time for the um 202526 school year to engage in a a long deliberative uh process or even a short deliberative process.
And we do have our students until they're 22 years of age. Yes. And actually built in Thank you, Carl. See, I need Carl. Um he just reminded me that you we actually have a component in the IEP called an ITP, which stands for a it's a transition plan, an individualized transition plan. And the whole purpose of those two pages in the IEP, um are to look at where the student is going and to build skills. So, we do a lot of assessments throughout um interviews with the students, interest inventories, assessments on skills related to life after high school to prep them for everything that happens after they graduate. That's it. Thank you so much, Francine, and and Lauren for your presentation. Very [Applause] informative. Next, public comments. We have one public com commenter, uh, Mr. Ron Flores. Good evening to all of you. Thank you for the time.
So um it it just keeps happening and it's wonderful. Um student advisories, we concluded our student advisories for the year. We do have a high school group that's going to come together as soon as AP testing is over. Um but the elementary student advisory happened this week and um a couple of the students that spoke from Yakaloma are part of that advisory, Bella and um uh Leilani and they just have such a bright future with their ideas and thoughts and every principal attended the end of the meeting with us with um a task and a charge to go back and meet with their students and be prepared with a um set of goals and expectations for the start of next year's advisory teams. Skills USA um will be happening the next several days, over 200 students from Apple Valley Unified School District. We hope we will be sending some information um on Sunday, probably Monday, with the specifics of what kinds of awards were um achieved at that event.
Now therefore, be it resolved that the Clifton Board of Education recognize April 2025 as school library month in New Jersey. Thank you, Commissioner Ciano. So I would ask uh for a motion to approve under B, education administration items number 1 through 10. Motion I have a question on motion by commissioner Suarez. Second second by Commissioner Brunak on one of the on EA4 on theou. Yes. So, I was looking at I was looking at over um 199 per academic credit per course per academic year. I leave that to Oh, yeah. Muslvich, if you could please. The dual enrollment with William Patterson University, Clinton High School. We Sorry. Every year we negotiate different reduced rates with the different um dual enrollment programs. um and each year they vary but they are vastly cheaper than if the student were to go directly to that school. These are um typically paid by the students.
the superintendent and the school committee leaders, the school leadership needs to know and parents and families and students need to know basically tonight what is happening for the 202526 school year. We can't really wait any longer on that. And so the proposal is to continue with redrawn geographic lines, but to put a hold on moving any grades out of their current buildings in light of the fact that we may need to look at closing a school and that none of our redistricting plans um involved that possibility. Do we have any information about the economic um the financial implications of doing that? Um, superintendent, can you speak to that? I think that the I think it's basically what our current I mean, the the imp the financial implications are we're going to have to create a a budget that meets whatever comes out of the city council after the the mayor's proposed number.
I've got about three or four things to say. First of all, I want to thank you again. Uh, last month I was here talking about what's going on at Western. Well, I had the privilege two weeks ago to go to the open house and had a complete walkthrough. I couldn't believe it. I posted on the Facebook page where we have 4,000 members. Uh we're getting hits like it's out unbelievable. Everybody loves it. You did a great job. I appreciate it very much. And uh you came through after 10 years. Which brings me to the next subject. About 10 years ago, I came here and I said, "We're losing millions of dollars on the website to scammers." Classmates.com, alumni.net. net. There's hundreds of them selling our stuff and we're not getting any money. That's against the law. I spoke to Nancy. She told me Las Alamos implemented this.
And then um since we're talking legislation, Miss Buchanan, I think I would like to ask the board to consider AB um 1111, which is people transportation, school bus zero emission. Um the current law takes effect January 1st, 2020 35, which requires 100% of all newly purchased buses to be zero emissions. Current law also allows for one-time five-year extension. This bill would revise those provisions and move the deadline 10 years to 20 45 which um because of the technology, because of the lack of charging stations, because of 200 square miles that we travel to transport students, it would be very difficult in our district to make that kind of a transition and replace our entire fleet. So um they at Sandabs yesterday I'm the co-chair there was a discussion about um supporting this bill and sending letters to um in support um Rim of the World School District has recently taken a um resolution in support and I would like to offer to bring up an a resolution um to one of our future board meetings um in that Yeah, I think that would be great.
So this that one was William Patterson. We also have um Bergen Community College, Pay Community College. We have something with Felician. Um we're we're we we're constantly increasing the number of dual enrollment opportunities for our students. Things that are concurrent on site tend to be cheaper at each of these schools. um when you go to the school, you have to pay a higher fee. But regardless, they are always negotiated to be significantly lower than the typical cost of a credit at any any one of the universities with which we have partnerships. So the 199 is per the class, right? That's per class. Per class. Could we fix it to say per class? Because it just says per academic. because me reading it makes me think I could take 30 credits. Not the resolution, the actual actual verbiage on the I need to I'm going to have to I want to confirm that though it should be per class, but it is possible that it's per credit.
And that's going to involve uh significant cuts. And the cuts could be here or they could be there. But it all depends on what we decide in terms of whether we want to uh whether we think it's responsible to continue forward with our full redistricting plans, including moving students around in terms of grade levels to different schools when we are in a period of financial and enrollment uncertainty that makes it look likely we might have to close the school for the 26 27 year. And so then why would we move all those all those people around just to have to move have to change the plan again the following year member Goodwin. So I know there was a second I was hoping for a vote so the people who are here would have an answer to the question and all the families would have an answer to the question.
Well, I'm here to say this. If you guys don't do it, we're going to get Western to do it. And if Western doesn't do it, the alumni are going to do it. My attorney said this. It's a slam dunk. He'll take it and he'll take a percentage. That's how good it is. Go online and do the following. Type Western Alumni Association and you'll get about 30 different companies selling stuff. Not only are they selling it on the website, they're selling it on the Facebook page. So, if you go to Western High School alumni Facebook, you will see their ads popping up. They take a picture of a graduating class or a reunion and they say, "Hey, look, we're going to have a reunion in two months. Buy our shirts and hats. Donate, please. It's been 10 years. Do something about it. Take action. My attorney will work on this.
In fact, that is one of the ones we talked about and it was Cindy um who she took the the lead on that one and um she brought up a lot of good points for Yeah. Well, there's a fire hazard for them up in the mountains. There's all kinds of issues that have to do with this. So, and we reiterated the square footage of our district that it covers and there's just there's no way. Yeah. Well, Cindy is always the um spokesperson, but then she'll turn and say, "And Tray is in Apple Valley that has a ton of area to cover." So, I'm sure. Um, and then, um, graduations are coming and we tend to do things the same way every year, but I did want to reach out to the board and say if there's an interest in all board members being present um, shaking hands of the graduates and switching and having the um, principles hand out the diplomas, that is something for us to consider and I don't want to just keep doing things the way we've always done them without asking what your pleasure in that is.
I do need to verify that. Okay. Uh because each school sends I wish they would send them all at the same time. Unfortunately, they don't. So, we kind of are doing them peace meal as they come in. Okay. Well, I'm uh Mr. President, I'm certainly okay with pulling that and and and if we can find out the proper information before the end of the night, voting on it. If not, uh, Miss Kusvich, this could be put on next board meeting if necessary, or does it need to be done? It's we're just required once a year to, um, some of the contracts require a once a year readdoption. Some of them last for multiple years. Um, but it's not required to happen tonight at all. Uh, I'd rather just reach out to the college and confirm and work with our high school um adviserss who who work who get that put together.
So, I'm hearing leaving the kindergarten redistricting the same um but putting a pause and everybody remaining where they are currently to give the district a year to look at um the possibility of closing a school. That's the motion on the table. Correct. Is it correct? Yeah, I can reread it to you. The motion is to continue with redrawn geographic lines with the hold on moving any grades out of their current buildings for the 202526 school year. Second. Third. We have a second. We're in the discussion period. So, just checking to see if people have questions or or things they want to share before we vote. Um uh chair mayor. Um so, I heard an awful lot of people talk tonight Um, and one in particular is sticking with me, the teacher who'd go teach in up in the sky in grade 13 if it happened.
He won't take any money till we win and he'll get a cut." Uh, second of all, third of all, I mean, is, uh, I've been going to the LCAP meetings. I've been doing a lot of research, and here's some numbers that shocked me from the California dashboard. Western is 97.7 beyond the standard in math. 30 points math, I mean, reading. What are you guys doing about that? And it's been like that a long time. I work in San Die now. I'm here in NI because of I'm the alumni. They're graduating about 95 96% of the kids and they're at fourth and fifth grade level. What are we doing about that? That should be a number one priority. It is going to be for the Western High School Alumni Association because here's what I've been able to ascertain. All the tools are there and all the resources What you're missing is how to communicate with the parents, primarily Latinos.
So, think about it and I'll come back around to that um at a future board meeting. Okay, that's it. Great. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] So, we have some reports. Uh first up is California School Employees Association. I think Mr. Bradley, are you here still? Good evening. Um, I'm talking on behalf of JC Scott, president of CSEA, Apple Valley, Chapter 828. Thank you for your earlier consideration on giving further direction with health and welfare. President Ro, I must express my deep disappointment in your response and behavior towards my counterpart, President Sabers's last board meeting. blasting someone's personal business during a public meeting was not only unprofessional but borderline unethical. You asked her in response to student disciplinary issues. What do you want us to do? The answer is simple. Your job as an elected official instruct your administration team to actually issue disciplinary action and consequences.
Just real quick, on page four, uh, number letter B, it says each Clifton High School student who takes any of the William Patterson courses approved for academic credit will be charged 199. So, it is academic credit. Okay. Thank you. Not the course. In the first line, it says it on theou. All right. Thank you. Thank you for reading, Mr. Shannon. Okay. So, any any other discussion before we take a roll call? Okay. Mr. Shad, roll call, please. Miss Bassford, yes. Mr. Bruniac, yes. Mr. Mahia, yes. Mr. Ciano, yes. Mr. Wararez, yes. Vice President Santiago, yes. President Paris, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Uh, under personnel, um, seeking a motion to approve items number one through, excuse me, one moment, 1 through 31. Motion second. Motion by Commissioner Bassford, seconded by Commissioner Suarez.
I'd like to hear from the superintendent if um what she because she's has so much experience here. What does she think this is our best move for next year? I'd like to hear from her. Superintendent. So, um, with the unexpected reduction to the proposed budget that I put forth in the $ 1.9 million range, that offers significant challenges for us and considering the amount of time since July 1 that we've put forth in building a budget based on the option to be adjusting to this new reality, it is essential that we consider carefully what the impact of all of these budget budget reductions is not only this year but in the years ahead. And while we understand there is declining enrollment and um a redistricting model is not costneutral, we really want to talk about stability for the district and providing that for folks. And if these budget cuts are ultimately going to lead to school closures in 2026, which seems to be a very real possibility, um the current redistricting plan seems um not viable or chaotic.
We solve that problem in politics by changing the way we do things. We go to them. They will not come to your meetings during the week. They work two or three jobs. Weekends, they'll do it on weekends. They'll go to a folklorical conference. mariachi, free food, parades. That's what you need to do. You need to go where they're at. Like Kevin Cosner said, build it and they will come. Lastly, is this I I mentioned this last week about Western and I am the bell game. From 1960 to 1980, Western only won three games. We lost 17. The average score was like 35-6. We didn't quit. Please don't let this bell game die. It's got a 60-year history. You're up and you're down in sports right now. You're down, Anaheim. You just You just won a CIF title. You had the best wrestler in the world.
Thank you Mrs. Okra Oak Opara for standing up for President Sabers. You are absolutely right. There are several education codes available to discipline students. Yet administration chooses not to use them or they flat out ignore the behavior because they don't want to deal with it. I really appreciate you for doing the right thing and jumping into the the the defense of President Sabers. Clerk Buchanan, I sincerely appreciate all you do. It's a blessing getting to know you and I want to kindly and respectfully remind you as clerk you can intervene during President Ro's rants at any time. You don't have to put up with it. So, President Ro, I ask you, what makes Apple Valley Unified different from other high desert high desert districts when it comes to enforcing discipline? The fact that a student can blow vape smoke in a teacher's face and receive absolutely no consequences or throw an employee into a wall full force.