I really want to help uh the people around me cuz when you help these kids, they they're just so happy and it it makes you feel like a whole new person. >> To me, one of the greatest things is the inclusion. Um when I was here at Stag, we really didn't see the students in the Ultima program. And I think just the collaborative daily impact they have on each other is something that trickles out to the rest of the school. >> When I play basketball, my friends comes out and play with me and they cheer me on. I see the tutors of my class all over the school building. It is nice to see so many familiar faces. I also see them in clubs like the hangout. This class is beyond beneficial for both um the tutors and the students. Um I cannot say how many relationships are built in this um in this little community that we have here with our people program.
Any discussion? All those in favor? Six. Next. The next one's a repeat of the last one, but the time frame I didn't get everything completed in, so we need to extend it. And this is the resolution to get the appropriation transfers made between the major funds of education, operations, and rainy day to establish the 2026 budget per the state approved budget order. >> Entertain a motion to approve. Motion by Chelsea. Do I have a second? Second by Mary Lynn.
>> Okay, Jen, also I have to mention that all the parcels here were mentioned during the engagement process. So, Nickerson Road, Mangon Road, Orban Road, Pawn Street, all of these like like some of these also came from our analysis and our improvement to land ratio. >> Okay, that's good to know. >> But many many of these were mentioned during the the open house and during the survey. >> Yeah. Okay. That Thank you. That's that's good to know. Um I think that you know regardless it's a good background um note regardless I think the select board and planning board can take any off that they feel are not appropriate or put any on. So all street and then this this parcel right here by the town force. Can you see >> cursor? Yeah. >> And the the two in the the purple and blue in the right hand side.
Uh can I have a motion and a second to open the meeting to the public for the discussion of agenda items only? >> Motion second. All those in favor. Can >> I have a motion, a second to close the public portion of the meeting? Motion. Second. All those in favor? I oppose or abstain. >> All right. So, next we do have to do the audit approval. This is for the financial audit, not the um federal audit. Um so, I need you'll see on the page five is the corrective action plan for that. As um Mr. Palmer noted, we did have the one finding. Um essentially, we have too much money in that account. So, um, there, like you said, that is a very silly finding. Um, and hopefully that does eventually go away because most districts, this is like our third year of having it or fourth year, um, from the CO fund.
She consistently goes above and beyond, always ready to assist with questions, provide coverage in emergencies, or lend a hand, no matter how busy her own schedule is. Erin fosters growth in her department, mentoring colleagues, and supporting professional development, including helping plan and lead sessions that strengthen teaching across the school. Her generosity, advocacy, and commitment to others make her an outstanding educator and a truly deserving recipient of this honor. Congratulations, Erin Jaeger. >> [applause] >> SO, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR December distinguished employees of the month. And we're going to start, I believe she is here, with our district employee, Maria Fusoni. >> [applause] >> Maria truly embodies the spirit of our district. As a dedicated and hard-working bookkeeper in the administration building, she plays a vital role in ensuring staff are paid accurately and on time. Beyond her essential work, Maria brings positivity, kindness, warmth to everyone she encounters.
Peer support changes everything for students with disabilities. It builds belonging, a sense of confidence, meaningful opportunities and meaningful experiences. Together they learn that being different is not less. It's very powerful. >> Good evening. I'm Abby Delomin. I'm one of the teachers up there that was speaking. Um, honored to be here tonight. I would like to inter like to introduce Lared Danni, one of our exceptional people tutors. I know she's a familiar face. Spends a lot of time at these board meetings. Thank you for having us. It means a lot. >> So, you were already famous. We saw your beautiful smile up there. >> So, has this made you think about your post careers? >> Yeah, I I've been thinking about speech path. >> Okay. Uh my aunt does it and my sister's training to be one right now. And so that's kind of what I think I want to do.
Any discussion? All those in favor so um next we're go down under operations we have cost containment update. >> Yes. So I've been trying to give regular cost containment updates to the board and um I just want to do that again briefly this evening. So at this time we are planning forward for next school year for staffing. Just to review, cost containment came up for us as a school system because of our declining enrollment over the last 10 years, which also also means associated funding declining as well. So, we've been working hard at right sizing staffing to the number of students we have in the corporation. So, continuing that work for this year, um we are looking at absorbing 13 certified positions. Those staff are already aware if it is a position that they are in. Um we looked at with lesser direct student impact and those were considered first.
>> I'm 90% sure that those are conservation lands. One of them was just donated to the town, I think, and we passed that la like they're working on it last fall. >> Okay. So, we should probably not those part. I mean, those are parcels that we've just I mean, the town has owned we just wetland purchase them, but it's mostly wetlands. Yeah. >> So, the purple and blue on the right side of the map I also think should just >> I don't even know that they're buildable. >> Yeah. >> And then just a quick question. Uh you can't zoom in on yours, but I can on mine. Um the little purple section uh right in the middle of town, that's like where we have um that's like where the farmers market is done, right? That's like the parking lot. >> Yeah. >> I think that's right.
So, um, item A is to approve the district audit um, fiscal year ending 2025. Can I have a motion to second for that? >> Second. >> Any questions? Miss Allen? >> Yes. >> Mr. Phillips. >> Yes. >> Miss Row. >> Yes. >> Miss Oriente. >> Yes. >> And Miss Helma. >> Yes. >> All right. And then B is to approve the um corrective action plan for our federal collaborative monitoring audit that we have. Can I have a motion and a second for that? >> Motion.
Her empathy, humor, and upbeat presence lifts the spirits of those around her. You always know when Maria is nearby as it feels like a parade. Whether supporting colleagues or singing karaoke with a microphone in hand, apparently, there's talk of a pink microphone. You got it? ALL RIGHT! SO, MARIA CREATES A A JOYFUL workplace and is well deserving of this recognition. Congratulations, Maria. >> [applause] >> Our next we have Commissioner Brzeziak. Elementary employee, Eric Bergen. Congratulations to Mr. Eric Bergen for being recognized >> [applause] >> for being recognized as elementary employee [applause] of the month. Eric is an essential employee of the school for our community. He works tirelessly each day to keep the building running smoothly, clean, and safe. Often an unsung hero, Eric is constantly on the move, responding to classroom, bathroom, and cafeteria needs, setting up and breaking down spaces, maintaining the grounds, and ensuring every classroom is cleaned daily.
>> I'm thinking of pediatric nursing. >> Oh, that's >> all service important industries. So we know you will all be successful in life. So thank you for you coming and thank you for the teachers and the amazing job you do. >> All right. Next, we have our committee reports. We'll start with education member cancer. >> Uh the February 4th, 2026 education committee meeting minutes highlighted key updates across instructional services and curriculum. Uh Dr. Huffman presented the strategic framework, semester 1 data update, noting a freshman on track rate of 90.15% and outlining various credit recovery approaches such as summer school sore and winter school. Uh following this, the new career exploration experience requirement was introduced as a mandatory 4-hour graduation component designed to bridge classroom learning with the professional world with current data showing 697 students have already completed this experience. The full requirement is planned for official roll out to all students in July following a pilot phase.
So those working directly with kids um we try to look at positions further out first. Um the major piece of those 13 positions are seven instructional coach positions that will be absorbed. We are shifting our instructional coach model. We've been using a building instructional coach model and we are going to shift to a districtwide instructional coach model. Um one thing that will be a positive advantage of this will also allow us to um tighten our efficiency and consistency across what we're doing with instruction across the district. Um that accounts for seven of those positions. Um they are both administrative and non-administrative teaching positions. Um in addition to this, at this point, we've had eight people who signed up for the early retirement incentive incentive pending official approval. Um there are 12 positions left available. If anyone meets the requirements, they have until March 20th to notify us if they'd like to take advantage of that and their teaching staff.
That's the parking lot. >> Was in that section actually purchased with >> Affordable housing money, right? So >> affordable housing trust actually owns it. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So, it is available, but it would mean >> we'd have to make a decision as to whether or not we want to move the farmers market. >> Yeah. Okay. I just got it. I just wanted to understand like how like I understand why we put these here, but I wanted to understand how viable do these have to be I mean like we can just mark up a bunch of stuff, but like how viable does it have to be to actually get approval? Like I'm fine with leaving the big sw, you know, swath of purple and blue on the other side as long as we know that that isn't actually going to happen. >> What how realistic does this have to be?
>> Any questions? Miss Allen? >> Yes. >> Mr. Phillips? >> Yes. >> Miss Row? >> Yes. >> Miss Oriente? Yes. And Mrs. Hoff? >> Yes. >> Thank you. All right, you're up again. >> All right, I'm back. >> Uh, okay. Uh, items A and B, uh, on my section of the agenda here are both for your safety and security drills at JFK and DDE. Item C is all the administrators monthly reports that were uploaded to the portal for your review. Item D, we had one uh, report of a HIV that was not confirmed. You have that paperwork in front of you. Uh E1 is to revise our district calendar. Again, due to the snow days, we we've added the days to the end of the school year. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that we don't have to cancel any more school. Um E2 is a use of facilities request.
His work is critical to the success of School 4, yet he consistently carries it out with humility, care, and a friendly smile for everyone he meets. Eric's dedication and commitment make a meaningful difference every day, and the district is proud to recognize him for his outstanding service. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> Commissioner Brzeziak. December employee of the month, School 14 represent rolling deep tonight. Elementary School NURSE, LINDA MCGRATH. >> [applause] >> CONGRATULATIONS TO MS. Linda McGrath for being recognized as the elementary employee of the month. Linda is an invaluable member of the School 14 community. While she excels in her clinical responsibilities, her impact extends far beyond the nurse's office. Linda is a constant source of comfort and support for students and staff, always stepping in to help. Whether de-escalating behaviors in the hallway, assisting in the lunch room, or responding to emergencies with calm expertise.
and um it's not in my notes, but I know that uh they're doing a lot of hard work to create opportunities for job shadowing and some other things so that um you know the students don't necessarily have to go out and find all those experiences on their own. So there is a lot of hard work being done by the admin um to help that program be successful. A significant portion of the meeting addressed the athletic cooperative program realignment uh necessitated by a new IHSA mandate prohibiting cooperatives between schools with a combined enrollment exceeding 3500. Uh this requires structural changes for several programs including girls gymnastics, girls and boys lacrosse and water polo affecting their competition eligibility for the 202627 academic year. Uh the corresponding financial impact analysis showed that while the shift to more independent programming would increase certain costs like personnel and operations, some structural efficiencies and water polo and reduced shuttle services brought the net financial impact to an increase for the athletic budget.
And then in March, we're going to send a letter of intent out to our staff. Um, we used to do this regularly about 10 years ago. Simply a letter that asked, are you intending to return to your position? Um, are you interested in moving to a different position? It just allows as we're making staffing considerations and decisions that we have all that information about what people prefer. Um the the positive thing is at this time due to the retirements and resignations we have a certified staff riff is not anticipated to be needed due to those retirements and resignations. Um for classified staff we will be absorbing five positions and we'll be working through that in the next um remainder of this semester having those conversations. Um, in addition to staffing, although staffing is the majority of our budget. So, anytime we talk about cost containment, staffing has to be the conversation that we have.
>> Yeah. I I would I would advise for your own sake, not so much for the state's sake, but for your own sake to to pick parcels that you think actually are pretty viable. Like if we think these are mostly wetlands or conservation areas, then let's do >> I would run this map by the conservation committee. Probably give you the fastest. >> Sure. I don't even think we need to do that. I think those of us sitting here are familiar enough that I would say certainly the purple section in the left near the town forest. Yeah, >> it goes right into the town forest. We don't want to see that developed. And the parcel the blue the you know the blue is that's privately owned. So they can make a decision. But the purple on the right side of the map, I would say that that's not viable.
E3 on page seven is for uh guest speaker. It's the DJ at the autism awareness bubble parade. E4 is uh some more advanced approved volunteers. E5 is to approve the NJSLA state testing security plan. This is an annual security plan that we approve each year. Uh E6 is submission of the New Jersey high impact tutoring grant. This is SNAPLA grant application I've been working on for the last few weeks. it was submitted um to the state and it is to get up to $40,000 uh for our district in order to provide a small group tutoring. And if we are awarded the grant, we're going to partner with Lata to do a virtual tutoring uh in school during the school day. So, it's just an additional thing. I'm hoping that we that we get that grant, we could really use it. Uh item uh F1 is one field trip.
Her genuine care for every member of the School 14 family and her unwavering dedication make her a most deserving recipient of the elementary employee of the month award. Congratulations, Nurse Linda. >> [applause] [applause] >> Commissioner Katz. For the December Distinguished Employee of the Month in middle school, Mr. Timothy Hayward. Congratulations to Mr. Timothy Hayward on being recognized as middle school employee of the month. Timothy has a meaningful and lasting impact on students and the CCMS community. He creates a welcoming and supportive music program where students feel encouraged, challenged, and excited to participate, leading to continued growth in band and jazz ensemble involvement. He works tirelessly to prepare students for concerts that showcase their progress and dedication, and plays a key role in the school musical as the pit orchestra director, providing students with an authentic, collaborative performance experience. He's also an awesome saxophone player. Through his consistent commitment beyond the school day, passion for music, and unwavering belief in his students, Mr.