Sure. Seems like a good idea. Do you want to start with me because I'm floating above you guys? Yes. Why don't you do that? All right. Um first of all, welcome. very excited to see a full board and um obviously excellent job relative to the election for both of you. Um so my background is I um moved to Ashland as a teenager. U my family is a family of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Came to Ashland um bought our first home living the American dream uh on Metropolitan Avenue. I went to Ashland High School, graduated from Ashland High School, and after college and law school, eventually found my my way back um to Ashland. And in moving back here, wanted to give back. Um I'm an attorney by training. I've done public policy work in various settings in different communities where I've lived, and I wanted to return and give back to the community that gave me so much.
How can we afford it?" It's time. [Applause] more. Oh, okay. There's no more cards, Kylie, for this. Okay, great. Uh, thank you for your comments. So, with that, uh, we will be going into close session. Um I have to read this first here. So we have eight items. Item one, conference on litigation, government code section 54956.9A, current litigation, 10 cases. CIVDS201183. CIV SB 220 0303 231473 23 3 22171 241 2359 231161 CI VVS 2400289 and 2500223 Government Code section 549 54.5 subsection section C and 54956.9 subsection D 2 and E1 anticipated litigation one case 2024/2501 excuse me item two p discipline dismissal release reassignment transfer leave title certificated and classified employees item three public employee appointment resignations retirement reduction title certificated and classified employees item four conference labor negotiator agency Agency negotiator Jeremiah Harrison. B, employee organization Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association. Item five, conference with labor negotiator.
I agree totally with the last two speakers that there's sadly a lack of addressing natural features in the draft of the new comprehensive land use plan. And um I hope that anything you do can strengthen that. After all, the comprehensive plan is not just a plan for built development, but it's also a plan for sustainability of all of our natural systems. uh protection of natural features should be integral to the to the comprehensive plan and should always be taken into consider into consideration in the development of the built environment. Um protection of natural features I would like to see um protected on private lands as well as public lands. The reduction in setbacks, open space requirements, and increased um building footprints have already resulted in the loss of mature trees, tree canopies, shrubbery. A prime example of that is at 904 Lincoln where a house was demolished, but the first thing that was demolished were all of the trees on the lot um because setbacks have been reduced and they were no longer um protected.
Item number two is a a long list of some more advanced approved uh, parent volunteers. Item number three is our annual contract for uh the SRO. That's our contract with the Berlin Township Police Department. Item number four is for the board's approval of the comprehensive equity plan. Um that is a plan that we need to turn in every year. We actually just had to create a new one because it's on a three-year cycle. Um and so um we have a whole committee together that put that plan together. That's also in the portal for your review. Item number five is um for the uh the board to approve on my recommendation bringing in an NJCAP um while applying for the grant for NJCAP. Uh NJCAP is child abuse prevention and they're a group that comes in um and speaks with all kids at all different uh grade levels um and talks to them about um what abuse looks like um who should be touching them, who shouldn't be touching them.
Congratulations. Thank you guys so much, and thank you for advocating, Mr. [Applause] Okay, we have no um presentations of reports, but we do have a board committee report and that's our um education and special education committee. And uh normally I would ask Dr. Danny to do that. Um ask Commissioner Suarez to read in her place this evening. Thank you, President Paris. Let me just expand here so I can have it large. On May 14th, 2025, the meeting began at 6:02 p.m. Those present were President Paris, myself at Commissioner Kenova. Uh for administration, um Miss Cusovich, Miss uh sorry, um Dr. Dr. Linda Chavez, uh, supervisor of special education, special services. Special education update. Dr. Chavez reviewed some of the current activities that are taking place right now in the special services department. Preschool child study teams are busy determining if preschoolers who are aging out of preschool are eligible for IEPs in kindergarten and their most appropriate placements.
Good evening everyone. Um, one of the recognitions that we do uh, at the Elks, which is a fraternity order, we help out homeless vets. We do special needs. We do uh a lot of youth activities like batter up uh basketball at the blue barn. I guess you know where the blue barn is. Uh and then soccer shoot. So one of the things that we do is is we're very involved in the community. We're on Eastboro Medford Road. I'm from Cherry Hill. What do I know? Um but I mean we're we're so involved in the community and we're so involved in the next generation. I mean, just to be here tonight is an honor. Seeing all that energy. These kids have a lot of energy. I call them young folks. I don't call them kids, but I could go to sleep right now. So, um, but anyway, uh, it it's a great organization.
Davis, Miss NMO, Miss Pierce, Miss Hunt, Miss Dunn, and countless others were instrumental in supporting the learning journey of myself and my classmates. In fact, I wouldn't be up here speaking today if it wasn't for one of our incredible speech pathologists, Miss Brown. We are prepared to take on the challenge of the ever evolving world we live in, thanks to the educators who worked tirelessly for our education and never give up, no matter the circumstances. It is now time to take these lessons and experiences with us out into the world before us. I'm so thankful to be here with all of you, and I'm so excited to see what the future holds and what paths we all decide to take. I carry great pride and honor as do all of you knowing that we will have bright futures and lives ahead of us and that no matter what we will never give up.
Thank you. [Applause] Next to speak will be our validictorian Brady [Applause] Mau. All right. Is that good? All right. Um, before I start, I'd just like to give a special thank you to my uh wonderful mom, dad, and brother who are out here today supporting me, as well as the family who's come from all over the country to help me chase my dreams. Um, I'd like to give a shout out to the Mountain View and Morirana Unified School District staff and teachers who have supported me along the way, and my best friend Ava, who's here from LA, skipping school, although I like skipping school, um, to be here today. Reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a hallmark moment of the education of many high school students across the nation. They call the text a classic, a must-read. Yet, I was rather overwhelmed by the verbose and excessive nature of the book when I first read it.
Johnson, Mrs. Manowitz, Mr. Ebinger, or Mrs. Sullivan and we can all be reached at 8123464483. And there have been some questions on using the online form. So if you report bullying via the online form, just want to show you what that confirmation when you've submitted um a report would look like. So there's a clip of that. You'll receive a confirmation of a successful submission that looks like that. And school principles receive those reports directly and immediately and they will follow up within one school day. And new for 2526, we will have an online reporting app called Say Something that can also be used to report concerns. How are bullying um reports followed up on is the second question. Step one is the principal receives the defined bullying report and begins to collect information for the investigation within one instructional day. Step two, within one instructional day, the principal notifies the parent or guardian of the alleged victim and the reported bully.
Uh without my education in Ashland, I would not have gone to the college that I had. Um the the former superintendent of Ashland High School really supported me and so did the principal in applying for colleges and I felt as if this is where I wanted to raise my family and give back to the community as well. Um I'm trying to remember what year this is for me on the planning board. It might be my I don't know third or fourth year, something like that. It was right. Wasn't it 2020? Wasn't it right when we did those um that zone those zoning changes? I want to say we were in the we were in the auditorium for COVID. Sounds about right. I think it's 2020. Four or five years. Time flies. Um so here we are and I'm looking forward to working with all of you.
A, agency negotiator Christine Dupri. Employee organization California School Employee Association. Item six, conference with labor negotiator, agency negotiator Trenne Nelson. B, employee organization unrepresented. Item seven, conference with real property negotiator, government code 54956.8. Eight, negotiation parties, Matthew Schulenberg, Apple Valley Unified School. And finally, A8, Security Matters, Government Code, section 54957, consolation with Apple Valley Unified School District, Chief of Police. Uh, with that, we'll need a motion to adjourn to close session. So moved. We have a motion. Anita, Anita. Okay, I'll second. Second by you canon. So we're going to do something starting tonight a little different. We're going to do roll call votes on every item. So with that, we have a motion by Anita, second by Amanda. Roll call vote. Um Anita Tucker I Long Short. I Yes. I'm sorry. Yes. She says Aquaran. Yes. And Raleigh. Hi. Okay. So that we um have a unanimous vote to go into close session.
I would also like to see the the environmental commission work on adopting a strong tree ordinance for preservation and enlargement of our tree canopy. Decada, Georgia has a really really excellent um tree ordinance and I'd urge you to look at that. Um it beautifully captures reasons for strong protections of tree canopies and adding to tree canopies. I'd like to thank you all for your hard work to uh to be protectors of our natural world in this community and I applaud the resolution. I hope that that will be uh approved tonight and I hope that anything we can do to strengthen it in the comprehensive land use plan will be considered. Thank you. Thank you. caller ending in 411. You press star six to unmute. Uh, Commissioner Curtis, uh, um, environment environmental commission staff, can you hear me? Yes. Great. This is James Deore, um, calling from Ann Arbor in the third ward, uh, where I live.
Um they they come in next year and they'll do a parent presentation. They do a staff presentation. It's a NJCAP has been around for a really long time. We haven't had it here in district. They told me since like 1996 or something. So um it should be no problem for us to get that that that grant to have them come in. Item number six is disposal of inventory. Uh all right. Section section G there. Uh number one, we have um some two uh one homebound instructor position, a summer painter cleaner position, and then a new uh teacher hire that we just wrapped up this morning, and that is for our open preschool uh teaching position for next school year. Uh under number two, we have some staff renewals that just kind of carried over into uh this month's agenda. Item number three, we have uh a Rowan student.
At all grade levels, the child study teams are working on placements and services for next school year. Supervisors are working on staff assignments and hiring teachers for vacancies. This summer's extended school year program will be held at CILAB B and school 16 for eligible students. The department is getting ready for summer testing and IEP meetings that will occur in July and August. Dr. Chavez shared referral numbers for preschool and school age children 220 and 216 respectively for a current total of 436 referrals to date. The special services department held a special education parent advisory group meeting on May 7th. The topic was summer resources and activities that are available in the community county and other counties to children and adolesccents. CPAG meetings for the 2025 2026 school year are currently being planned with topics to explore based on parent feedback. The department is also collaborating with the Clifton Health Department for in-person parent support groups with four upcoming meetings to help support parents of students with special needs.
We do a lot of stuff. And for the batters up, we do that in the spring. Please come out. Uh, it's all different age groups. It's from 5 to 11, I believe. We do a soccer shoot. Uh and we do the basketball. The basketball's in the winter. Uh soccer shoots in the um um spring. Sorry. Um so anyway, uh I would like to honor some of the the the young folks for the essays they did on America. Um I I couldn't be so proud because the way the Elks is structured, it's local, district, and state. Uh sort of like a a government. Um so we had so many winners in our district. I believe we had about eight district winners, which is phenomenal because uh no other district was able to uh accomplish that. and I and and we went to districts with our essays and then we went to state and believe it or not we had a second place winner and a third place winner in the state finals and that's a lot to be proud of.
Please welcome the class of 2025 saludiatoran Bryce Feloff. Thank you. Hey um I would like to start my time with you with this fascinating quote from Maya Angelou that I found about a year ago. Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances. Look around you. See my rhythmic movements. Hear my steady speech. Feel your heart beat inside your chest or the speed at which your leg bounces in your seat as you anticipate your name being called. Simple rhythms echo every day around you. The Miriam Webster dictionary definition of rhythm is movement, fluctuation or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements. You can even feel the rhythm in the dictionary definition of the word movement, fluctuation, variation. Not only is it in the songs we listen to, but also surrounding us at every moment. From the beating of the human heart to military chants, ocean tides, and marathon runners, the universe's dances seem to be connected by one common thread, a steady pulse.
It wasn't until I sat down and dissected the book in Miss Dudson's AP literature class that I began to understand why this book has stuck around for so long. Jay Gatsby, the main character, is a dreamer, somebody who takes impossible ideas and works effortlessly to make them possible. He's used as a tool by Fitzgerald to make the stupidest argument I have ever heard. While being the most life-changing piece of literature I've read, standing here, I have to say that I wholeheartedly disagree with what he wrote. You see, at the end of this text, Fitzgerald describes Dutch sailors who sailed to New York City 400 years ago and through the lush green landscapes believed in the promise of the American dream. Fitzgerald then compares these sailors to Jay Gatsby who saw the same promise through the green light, a symbol of his own dreams. Fitzgerald argues that as humans, we see the promise of the future and we dream.
The investigation begins promptly and must conclude within five instructional days. The principal then communicates the investigation results to the parent guardian of the alleged victim and the reported bully. Consequences of confirmed bullying may range from behavior interventions to expulsion from school. Consequences depend on the severity of the offense, the developmental ages of the targeted student and the bully, the bully's disciplinary history, and other relevant factors. Remedial action may include, but is not limited, to counseling for the targeted student and the bully, training for the bully and/or school staff, assignment of a contact person who will provide support for the targeted student, academic assistance or support for the targeted student such as tutoring, a behavioral intervention plan for the bully, a school safety plan agreement, and or a change of placement as appropriate for the bully and/or the targeted student. When permitted by law, the disciplinary action taken against the student found to have engaged in confirmed bullying will be reported to the parents of the targeted student.
And in my regular day job, I have a law degree, but I work for a company on the compliance side in a finance company. All right. Thank you. Um, welcome again. Um, I have been the planning board for four and a half years now. Um, I came in as filling in a vacancy and then had a full term. My B my training is as is in as in architecture. I've worked for 20 years in interior design. Recently I changed my line and I'm owners project managers kind of working with different municipalities on different short and sweet intro. I think I've talked to both of you individually. So, thank you for uh the introductions. It's excited to be here. Um I my name is Camil. I live on three treasure way. I live on I've been living here in Asham for about six years now from Newton first and York, Miami, Colombia, which is where I'm originally from.
We'll be back at 7 o'clock sharp uh no matter what. [Music] All right, welcome everyone. Welcome. We're going to get started here. It is 700 pm. We're going to call this regular meeting to order. And with that, we're going to uh do a roll call. Um Amanda Buchanan here, Maria Akbara here, Renee Longshore here, Anita Tucker here, and I'm here as well. If everybody could ch uh please rise and join me in the pledge, please. I pledge algiance of the stands nation indivisibley and justice for all. Thank you. Okay. So, we're gonna we have a some presentations tonight. I'm going to take a few things out of order here. So I want to move uh to amend the agenda for this meeting. So recognition presentations item D1 and D2 occur before public sessions items C3 and C4. So I'll need a motion to uh to approve that.