001I just have to read a disclaimer before I before we go. >> Yeah, sure. >> Can we start? If you want to call toward and then I have to read something. Go ahead. >> We are. >> Okay. >> All right. Good evening everybody. Welcome. I'd like to call to order uh for the board of education uh for the committee of a whole meeting uh for June 3rd, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the administration building at 70 Connor Road, Coleneck, New Jersey. Uh Dr. Garbe, if I can have a roll call. >> Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Vulpi. and by uh resolution that was approved May 21st, 2025, um I will be acting uh as the board secretary in its capacity of roll call votes uh for the evening and board meeting of June
002um 3rd, 2026. Roll call. Mrs. Camera >> present. >> Mrs. Horowitz. Mr. Rico >> here. >> Mr. Rugetta >> here. >> Mr. Scales >> here. >> Mr. Scarpa >> here. >> Mrs. Vulpi >> here. >> Mr. Walsh here. >> Mr. Wickber >> here. You have a quorum. >> Great. Uh, thank you very much. Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 231, this meeting has been duly advertised in the Asbury Park Press in a schedule of meetings dated January uh, 23rd, 2026, notice of which has been filed with the deputy clerk for Colts Township and the requirements of posting of notices have been met. Uh, at this time, if we could rise for the flag, please. Thank you. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
003it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, great. Thank you. Um, okay. If we could all take a look uh at the information items listed there. We have two. Give you a minute to review that and then we are going to uh go right into uh comments from the public. Uh if anybody would like to get up and say a comment uh you could do so now. Just state your name and address for the record. Okay. All right. Seeing none, um I'm going to ask for a motion for the action items for approval. Uh there is 1 through 10. 1 through 10. Uh if I could get a a motion to >> Kevin motion. >> Second, >> Jason. >> Okay. Uh great. Anybody have any uh questions or comments
004on these particular items? Okay. Seeing none, I'll get a roll call for items 1 through 10. >> Items 1 through 10, action items. Roll call. Mrs. Camera, >> yes. >> Mr. Rico, >> yes. >> Mr. Rugetta, >> yes. >> Mr. Scales, >> yes. >> Mr. Scarpa, >> yes. >> Mrs. Vulpi, >> yes. >> Mr. Walsh, >> yes. >> Mr. Wickberg, >> yes. >> Motion passed. >> Okay, great. We're moving right into our board liaison reports. Uh, I know Mrs. Harowitz is absent this evening. Um, I uh I don't know if she sent anything in. Oh, great. She did. Okay. So, I'm gonna uh defer to Dr. Garbe for the parent information forum uh updates. >> So, I want to I know that Mrs. Harows will probably give uh we had our volunteer um MPTO last
005meeting, general meeting was today. Uh the volunteers of the year were there were four of them that were celebrated. I'll let Mrs. Harowitz report out. So, it was a really very nice function. many accolades and thanks and appreciation to the board who will be recognized at our June 17th board of education members uh meeting along with many other people uh that evening. But one of the things you may have read about, I gave a little bit of a teaser and a hint at our last board meeting, but featured in community magazine um recently is their legacy gift. And as you know, that's a multi-year fundraising gift that's bestowed to the district. Um and for you specifically, uh the principles are very much involved with regard to uh what they want, which are additional pieces of
006things, um for our district. That amount that we are being bestowed is $185,000 is coming to the district >> through the terms. And so that's a a little over >> so awesome. [applause] That is so >> it is humbling. It is um just incredible. I I told them today and I've said it many times, I am so incredibly grateful for the generosity and the hard work and dedication of these volunteers that in our PTO and the fact that they, you know, there were uh new faces that were in um the audience today and and participating in the meeting and it was just really the the culture that is that surrounds that PTO and what they do is unbelievable. And so it's a little over $60,000. Um it's earmarked right now for a potential aquaponic se
007um uh uh system in one of the science labs at Cedar Drive Middle School, a library refreshment at C at elementary school and some really cool um outdoor work at Connor Road Elementary School in the playground. So more details to be presented on that, but a lot of pride, a lot of thanks, a lot of appreciation, appreciation, and it is the largest legacy gift that's ever been given. um by a PTO. So, >> wow. Well, thank you. Uh we just want as a board, we want to say thank you so much for all that hard work. I know I think Phyllis, you must have done PTO things. I've done PTO things uh for years when my daughter was younger, and it is u very demanding, a lot of work, a lot of volunteer hours. I
008know a lot of my girlfriends are still on the PTO um doing our eighth grade uh dance and ice cream social and so forth. So, I just want to sincerely thank all of the PTO uh leadership and all the moms that come out uh tirelessly to work and and raise those funding for our children. It's absolutely wonderful. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. And they gave an overview today of some highlevel things. And this, you know, and and of course they did $25,000 in miniigrants this year that that's outside of this. They fund several class activities that are a zero cost to the students. You know, trips they give money to. allocate their they sponsored two parentmies this year um co-sponsored those. So those are the types of things. So this th that fun those funds
009are on top of what they already do. And just to give perspective, I think it was $42,000 raised just from the readathon this year. Um and 54 I believe was the number from the gala. And that's just this year's endings for it. So um it's it's phenomenal. It's humbling and it's I'm just so grateful for that partnership with our district. It really is something spectacular. >> Um question um our liaison you know how they they had some amazing ideas are are they able to contact the PTO for some of those mini grants. Is that something that >> So we don't do student the the right now they're staff mini grants that hasn't ever been part of the conversation and I don't I mean I can bring that forward to the PTO if that's something they
010want to do but we kind of leave to them how they want. It's usually meant for the teachers for it, but >> but if they know students have some ideas, they might they might be interested in in Yeah. I mean, I don't hear those ideas. Yeah. I don't want to speak for them, but Okay. Wonderful. That's great. So exciting. >> Great. Thank you for that awesome update. Um, did you have anything else for Sarah? Are you reporting out on anything else? Okay. All right. We are going to move uh right into the Colts Township Schools newsletter, Mrs. Cameron. >> Okay. We are up to 22 community subscribers outside of all of our families. So that's very exciting. Um just my bi-weekly just reminding residents if who do not receive the newsletter via email to go
011to our school website, Colts Neck Township Schools. Uh we have a link to subscribe. It's under our board of education tab newsletters. And I continue to encourage residents to learn about all the wonderful things that we are doing. and the next edition will be p published after the last day of school. So, thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Mrs. Camera. Moving on to the uh sports extra extracurricular uh activities, Mr. Wickberg and Mr. Ragnata. >> All right. Thank you. Um the sports foundation is pointing out that there will be uh track uh boys and girls uh grades one through eight uh track and field uh clinics going on this summer. There'll be Wednesday nights from uh 6:00 to 7:00 and beginning July 8th and be July 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, and August 5th, and August
01212th. Um, and the cost is 125 and it's for again age um grades 3 to 8 and it'll be at Coleneck High School and you can register through team snap or just go to Coloss Foundation uh for more information. And um this Saturday is the uh fatheraughter dance. I just want to um wish every everyone going have hope you have a great time and um hope it's a success this year and it's less uh less drama than there was last year with uh with tickets and everything situation but um hope everyone has fun and a great time. Uh Rich, >> great. >> Nothing. Okay, thank you both uh very much. Um moving into the um Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I important. We forgot we're doing our um meeting with the sports foundation on Tuesday. What
013was that? 6 6 PM. So, uh I'm hoping you both are able to join you. I know you were tentative with a commitment, but if you can, me and Rich will be there. >> I should be able to I should drop my son off at hockey, but I should be able to as soon as I drop him off, I should be able to make it. >> Okay, fantastic. So, the three of us will be attending with the Sports Foundation leadership uh once again to continue uh strengthening our relationship with them and uh you know to basically um find out what we what we're looking forward for the new year. So, um I'm looking forward to that. Um moving right into the Cold Neck Township uh committee, Mr. Walsh. >> U pretty [clears throat] short meeting.
014They had a financial audit of the books, our township books for 20 end of 2025. They were in great order. Um the ten has a little bit over $5 million in surplus. We lost about 805,000 decreased in surplus over the past few years. We currently have a debt service of 32 million and that's through issued bonds capital you know for projects uh throughout the years road improvements and all. They had [clears throat] a proclamation on Tourette's syndrome awareness and tick disorder and that's actually going to be celebrated on June tomorrow, June 4th. Township U is going to recognize the Tourette's syndrome awareness. We had they had a high school student who has Tourette's syndrome actually speak to the committee and tell him a little bit about his life, everyday life in the school system and
015how that syndrome affects uh people like himself. However, um you know, he's saying thriving in a school system and just really talked about how his Tourette's syndrome affects um the school community. So, and he's well received in the high school and he's doing great academically. A smart kid. They approved this the selling of 34 federal key which is uh under the uh extending affordability control meeting obligation for round four. They sold at a maximum price and turning that unit back into affordable control affordable unit. They approved the capital improvement. They approved the ordinance for a capital um improvement dispersements over 2,800,000 for 2026. uh vouchers. They spent over $300,000 of our tax money and they broke down different areas like uh police purchase of new weapons they had to purchase for over 48,000 and lawyer
016fees 85,000 for one law firm 11,000 for another special counsel and that's all for affordable housing issues lawsuits against the township homeowners of mocking bird assuming the township is lawuit shoots at the grand that was 22 units. They're suing the township. So the um our tax dollars are a lot of it's going for attorney fees. So they just, you know, broke down the different costs for different different law firms and their uh their what they're providing for service services for the that affordable housing issues. And then of course, Memorial Day was great. Me and Ang walked a mile. Fun. >> We walked the >> Memorial. >> Yeah, we walked. >> Yeah. I think um just to give kudos to what's his name? Mr. John Solder. >> Yeah. He John Sorder is the you know chief
017of the fire department. Great guy. And he >> organized the first run walk. Um and this in in partnership with the sports foundation I believe >> be mistaken. It was something. Yeah. They >> recreation department. It's always nice. People in the community came, they walked, they ran up to the hot set up to the firehouse where we had the Memorial Day service and it was a well attended and really reminded the whole community in this town what Memorial Day really means. We had the commander of the base speak. He was great. Captain Smith gave a great speech. Our mayor gave a great speech. U just recognizing the serve, sacrifice and blood for our veterans. We have Earl Station in our township and he just spoke of how well our school community supports Earl Station and
018very appreciative the new captain came as a relief. I'm sorry I forgot his name either. >> Captain >> just really showed how much our our township values our our servicemen, our base and our children in our school community. and he he recognized that. And that's it for the committee report. >> Okay. Uh great. Thank you, Mr. Walsh. Um we're going to move to Mrs. Camera for the COC 250th celebration uh committee. >> All right. Thank you. Um the next meeting will be tomorrow, June 4th. I will be attending and so will Dr. Garbeay for a couple minutes. Perfect. Um okay, I won't rehash Memorial Day. Thank you, Kevin, for doing that. Um we now have the con the calendar contest has come to an end. The winners will be announced at the July 3rd fireworks.
019Um from Conover Road Primary School, we have 11 um entries. Uh Conover Road Elementary School 38 Cedar Drive Middle School zero and Coltneck High School has six. So I'm still encouraging our middle school students to get involved. Uh the winners will be announced at the July 3rd fireworks. Um again, our seniors will receive $200 for the cover. K to8 winners will receive $100. Checks will be donated by the Colts Neck Historical Society. And I do want to point out one of our third grade um contestants is from St. Le from St. Leo. So I love that um we have Coleneck students who attended other schools still participating. Just wanted to share that. Um, our board of of education video contest is under the same tab. Um, we do have our first submission which is really
020exciting. So, I'm just requesting that we post it on our school website and share it on social media and as well as maybe play it for the students during morning announcements so that hopefully they get excited. >> The video that he submitted >> the one we have. >> Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. So, if we can share it on our social media website, but then play it during like morning announcements one day next week, so that way other kids might then >> get involved. It's just an idea. >> Okay. >> Just to get Yeah. Maybe they'll get more excited then. >> Yeah. >> Of course. Of course. That's why. Yeah, definitely. Whatever you have to do. Um, so just a reminder, we have our patriotic theme field days with Conoverride Road Primary School having field day
021across America on June 9th and um, Crest Elementary School stars and stripes and games on June 12th. Um, our 1776 flags are to be displayed starting the Monday after Flag Day. uh Tuesday, June 30th at our Colts Neck Library. They're presenting History Alive, New Jerseys Revolutionary Neighbors. We again have our board of education website with the 250th tab for township events, Mammoth County events, national events, and um just for our residents, join the Colts Neck New Jersey 250th Facebook and Instagram page to see highlights. And that's everything. I'll roll right into recreation parks. Mhm. Okay. Um, once again, any recommendations, please email Colby C m- a rqes at coltsnneck.org. Especially parents involved in the sports foundation. These are your tax dollars going to future activities for both kids and adults. Um, they're looking for new
022ideas. Um, to register for all recreation activities, um, you could use the community pass. We have layered road pickleball memberships, tennis memberships, court reservations. We have the recreation program such as the summer camp coming up that is from Monday, June 29th to August 6th. Um, the Colts Neck Sounds a summer concert series is starting. I made this too small. I can't see it now. Zoom in. Sorry. And the first concert >> is tomorrow night. Thank you. vintage jam. I think that's what it says. So, get involved. I mean, it's it's wonderful all these things that recreation does for our town. Okay. And that's everything. So, thank you. >> Uh, great. Thank you very much. Okay. Moving back over to Mr. Walsh for the Colts Township Seniors. >> They had their lunchon today. They have again
023the concert in the city park town hall. I think it's 7:30 7 to 8:30 I believe. I'm not sure the times. 7 to 8:30 town hall conside. Y >> every Thursday different bands and um have upcoming trip to let let the good times roll shore club spring lake um which is on June 16th. They're going to claw Lakewood on July 22nd and that's pretty much it. Now Battle of Mammoth I don't know if you the reenactment is June 20th and 21st. >> Oh >> 9 to 5. So if you want to see something really 250 stars and stripes and that's where a revolutionary battle took place in >> June 20th to 21st from 9 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm. The kids will probably get a kick out of it. >> Reenactment >> and that would
024be on our website. Okay. Under the Mammoth County events. >> That's it. >> Uh great. Thank you Mr. Walsh. Um moving to Mr. Scarpa for their uh naval weapons station early on. >> Uh yes. Thank you. So, first off, I want to recognize and honor uh Memorial Day. Our freedom is not free. And uh we we certainly appreciate the service by our families and those that have fallen. So, it was a wonderful celebr celebration of their honor at the fire house. So, always remember the fall. Uh secondly, few months ago, I had the opportunity to go visit Naval Weapon Station Earl. A great opportunity and we recognize the fact that they have a Naval Federal Credit Union facility on site. thought this would be pretty cool. Why don't you come up with a liazison opportunity
025or an assembly opportunity to bring that over to the schools? So, I'm happy to report that this coming Friday, June 5th, Jessica Bertillini of the branch manager of a Naval Federal Credit Union via the weapon station will visit Peter Drive Middle School and she's going to present to seventh graders two assemblies. It's an extension of the financial literacy related arts class. It's called managing your money. It's age appropriate for seventh graders and it's lived in two specific assembly for the seventh grade. Uh the first one is session four period 4 and session two is period 6. So uh opportunity presented itself. Thank you Miss Jones for help seeing it through. But we have a new uh assembly coming to the school this coming June 5th for managing money. There's a lot of folks out there
026that need help desperately in this space. So maybe the students can turn around and help their parents because I know some of the parents are struggling out there on that piece. Uh third, uh Mrs. Jones is very very involved in the transformation going on at the base. Obviously there's a new chain of command coming in place and that will be in July. So she's working very closely with leadership to making sure that that transition goes smoothly. It's also a time of year where a lot of folks, a lot of families are leaving and new families are arriving. So, Miss Jones and her team are working with the administrative staff to ensure a a smooth transition. So, thank you very much for that partnership. Uh it's still it's a very very important program in our town,
027but just to highlight three key pieces of of uh reputation. So, thank you. >> Yeah. Great. Thank you so much, Mr. Scarper, for all that. Uh okay. I have nothing for the school boards. Um, you know, it's the same thing. We have our uh uh that seminar down in Atlantic City in October. Um, but at this time I have nothing. Um, before we move into the committee of a homework session, I I'd like to take the time um to recognize uh sixth grader um Gerardo Franco Hernandez um that was lost um a few weeks ago. Um and uh it's extremely upsetting actually, but I just want to take a m moment of silence to remember him. Okay, great. Thank you. I just want to um send uh our heartfelt um condolences to his parents and
028pray that we served him well while while he was here. >> Okay, we'll start the uh committee of a whole session. Um why don't we move into uh the ad hoc? Uh we have nothing under ad hoc. We have something under Sorry, >> Mr. Mr. Rascal. >> No, it's all good. There's a there's one question during um the township um committee meeting last week. I can't remember this lovely woman's name, but you were there, Mr. Scarbo, where she got up and and asked about like the impact to the schools. Um, I'll go back and try to address her um personally if I can, but one of the things that she was asking for um was like, do we know about that information? And the answer is yes, we do know about that information. We know
029about the impact to our schools. We know the expected tax revenue that we should be getting from Lavana Square, but more importantly, this information has been on our website for over a year now. So, I think we've learned as a town, unfortunately, um sometimes people don't read or learn about things unless there's a pretty substantial rumor or something going around town. the information is there and it's been there and we work tirelessly very very hard to make sure that we're presenting everything and being as transparent as possible on the impacts of our schools. So if anyone has ever has any questions and I'll post it, you know, on the community page as well too, but we're prepared and we've got all the information for you as a resident to be armed with all of the
030data that is currently available. So, if you go to our website, the board of education website, if you click on affordable housing, we'll have a entire spreadsheet that shows the impacts of all rounds that are going to impact our schools. But more importantly, we've done a very substantial analysis of what we think the impact will be from an operational perspective, a class-size perspective, and then more importantly, a revenue perspective. So, please go to that website and you can look at that Google doc and then if you have any questions, you know exactly where to find me, but I wanted to just to thank her if she's watching um for asking those questions and bringing up in front of town hall um because they didn't know that we have it on the website either. So, >>
031yeah, I'm going to add that piece. You know, I was very appreciative of [snorts] that question and thank you Mr. Scales for bringing this up. You know, there's a certain thing called threshold dynamics that gets associated with school finances that a lot of folks don't fully appreciate and Mr. point. Please read the information is out there. We went to some great extent drop very very specific points that detail what we could anticipate if we achieve 10 2020 200. So just keep it very simple. If you have two or three new students come in, it's not going to wholly impact our facilities. But if you have two to 300 come in, it grossly changes the dynamic. So it's not a one for one parallel. And that's that's out there. So, please educate yourself and if you
032have a question specifically around the impact of the buildings and the financial structure, come on down to our lovely meetings, have a have a forward conversation because we do want to engage. This is right dialogue to have. Keep in mind fluid dynamics associated with thresholds is critically important when you're looking at school finances. >> Great. Thank you. Um, okay. uh buildings and ground safety and security. Moving right into that, uh Mr. Walsh, >> I'd like to bring up we just had a meeting with DCL and the opportunity to improve our infrastructure. >> I don't know if you could put your mic closer. just had a meeting with DCL prior to our school board meeting and they brought up um a opportunity for us to replace old boilers, old systems, old HVAC that were not part
033of ESIP. And it's a great opportunity because they're offering JCPNL will be offering rebates through this program substantial each year to uh the freight expense the outlay of um money for the program itself. If we're looking at a 5-year program, 0%. The opportunity needs to be really uh seized on. We need to move fast because the revenue of the pool and pull the money that's in that program through different districts are is going to dry up. So, we need to move on it quickly. We plan to have a presentation on June 17th to the public, be transparent, show them exactly what need needs to be replaced. It's a replacement one for one. one boiler, one big HVAC system. Um, this eliminates the need for the go out for a referendum. We can work with our
034school budget and and um look at a long range plan. So, replace these now rather than waiting 10 to 15 years and cost us triple the amount of money and then have that finance opportunity, the 0% for five years. I'm going to let Dr. Gar Bank really go into the details. U so you had some meetings with them but if you can give the board an overview Sure the public >> thank you because it's a very comprehensive you know summary of it and we were all sitting there so if there's anything omitted that you know I delete I leave out this is an opportunity that actually DCO has partnership with us if you know DCO is our energy management company that we worked with for our EEP right that we've had a deep rooted partnership
035with them for years they actually came to us and said there's this opportunity with a direct install which is very popular in in public schools right now because like you said it does go address certain needs that were not eligible for the projects or included in EIP project. This is a program that has been traditionally falling after going after an EIP to gather and kind of catch net things that were not included in um the initial EIP project. That being said, it is a JCPNL uh rebate type of program that is build actually through your energy bills. That's actually what it happens. There is a cost. It's not like the ESEP where it's a netneutral type of thing. There is a payment as Mr. uh Walsh stated. It's over a case of five years. It
036would be part of whether we handle it through our budget or financing or however we want to do it. Um but it is a way to address these priority projects. We know as you note in the update and we've kept you know informed. We had several issues with primary school HVAC um this winter. heating was at its worst capacity. It's worth conditions there in certain areas and HBAC as well. That's an older building. I know everyone refers to the primary school as the new building. It is not a new building. It is over 20 years old and it is add capacity with many, many young people who inhabit it every single day. So, that is part of it. There are also elements at the elementary school that are remaining as well. Um, and we found
037out today they even came back to with even more that would be included at Cedar Drive, some other areas. Our boilers are certainly there as well. They are at end of they are beyond life expectancy some of them and approaching. So those are all things if we move forward with this that would mean every single HVAC system would be replaced within the next in the whole district within the next two years. That is a huge mark of legacy and a huge improvement even in my 11 years as superintendent to have everything done and to be able to reset on a schedule of improvement with the long range facilities plan. So you're keeping everything in the schedule. There was a question asked about roofing because roofing is something that would not necessarily be included that we
038would want to look at. It is still a priority project. Any roofing areas that were not addressed through the EIP with our solar installs um would be something that they would be able to continue to address as they replace rooftop units going forward. So there are a things a number in that area they would estimate approximately $1.3 million over the course of five years. And then they'll get into the more financing piece of that. Mr. Morasco is still working with details directly with DCO regarding um the procurement process. All of those things that will appear in a resolution. It's another way of financing. It's another way of addressing projects that is available to uh public schools and um outside of that of a referendum that that you know we can just move forward. It is
039timely to exactly what you just said because there is only a certain pool of money that JCPLN offers. And by putting forth a resolution on the 17th, it what they refer to it as it puts us in the queue. It puts us in the spot to be able to take advantage of the funding that is available to public schools for our eligible projects. >> I would also add we have fallen 1.6 million that service falling off next. >> 1.7. We'll get that 1.7 public. No. um which is a great you know that that service is going to fall off and then I think this would be a great opportunity to invest in our schools for our kids and our um in our school community. We move the coal center for a great school. So let's
040make them let's keep them great. >> Yeah. I mean we've said many times that you know here and even out in the public it's the you know it's a community asset. Our schools are is a community asset and being able to invest in them and keep them up and going and running to hear that you know heating's not working somewhere air conditioning like oh come you know. So, I think that it's a I I do um as superintendent recommend this is an opportunity for us to jump on and explore for the betterment of our of you know just really our facilities. It's an opportunity. >> So, I think that you're welcome. >> So, we're scheduling the presentation and we'll have the resolution on the 17th. >> Great. >> All right. Uh is that it Mr.
041Walsh for >> That's it. >> Okay. Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. There was also a conversation about potentially looking at multi-year enrollments and Mr. Scale uh Scales had alluded to demographics imprint and stuff like that. So we're at that point with regards to all of this planning that we're doing to to kind of sense the board's interest of whether or not we want to move forward with any kind of update to our current demographic study. to your point and in communications we've had you know there's a positive and a negative and I don't know if that's it's based on the totality of information that we have right now that we've had with from the NJ DOE with the um with the survival cohort model that's applied through the Ruckers association as well which is the most
042current information that the DOA gave us um demographic studies are what they are but they lag behind to your point so I don't know if it's the right time you know for that um is it part of our facilities planning I I think from the from where we are looking in the conversations and in talking about our utilization versus capacity, we've had conversations here that we have a capacity to hold more students here. It may be reconfigured. It may not be set up the same way. However, we do have the capacity to be held to to about 1500 students and we're at about a little over a thousand. So, we have that capacity. Um, do I think at this point in time we have to think about is a demographic study going to tell us
043anything different than what we already know with the information that they have available. Plus with I do believe in round four it's uncertain yet whether there's going to be age restricted um is that part of a conversation housing Mr. Scales >> bank on anything. >> Correct. Correct. So everything that I'm looking at still has on the low low 150 high that 300 150 to 300 or some around that right something around that around that lens. So I think >> the only issue is the it would be the buses >> correct so buses and someone and again there was Mrs. Bulby and I have had good conversations about well what are some of the expenses and we talk about the facilities bus is $130,000 you know in terms so that is something with regards to and
044just one and remember that laws it has to come off it has to be replaced has to come off the road every 15 years so every 15 years we are on a schedule of our 20 buses of our fleet that have to come out of commission we do one two three a year we had when we had the um funding the additional funding they came through um a few years ago we went and bought four so we jumped a year ahead so we would be able to save we look at different models of doing that but huge benefits of having our own bus fleet >> but also the financing that comes along with it at that point in time >> larger issue too is like if you were to reconfigure the schools like right now
045we have enough buses to do two runs >> right so let's just say we move the schools to and the mi and the middle school now has the most capacity and we just moved that to say three through eight >> you would have to reject the entire bus route. >> So we have to look as well. >> We would we would but we're still moving between like 600 over 600 students a day on this campus. >> So with a capacity of 700 over there, we would just be shifting around the tiers of busing. And that's the beauty of the routing systems because you you know who we're picking up, where we're picking them up, and then you it's basically it's it's the it's a very very cool system where it tells you what's the most
046efficient routing that can take place. So yes, you are correct. there is everything that goes into it, but we on a daily regular basis we're moving over 600 students just to this campus alone. So, and there's more you know we that it does take into consideration then um you know the you the utilization of our fleet which we do take opportunities to have joiners you know that go um uh to Marboro and share those revenue sources with them. So we will have to reexamine them because obviously we have to keep our resources and allocate them give priority allocation to our our students community >> just it's another piece. It is another piece. Yes. And [snorts] it also depends on the needs of the students that come in, right? That's the other piece of it too
047because it might not be a direct correlation of every It depends on the needs and we all know that students come to account for is the proposed three units, three different subdivisions, three different projects that could be built in our town if we lose the appeal >> through the court system. >> That is when >> when they're going to be built in some way or form. I don't know what kind of scale, right? >> I don't know what the court outcome is going to be, but as a school district and long range plan, we need to anticipate for three to 500 students. So that's my strong opinion. >> Yeah. So my so to that point is now until those things are finalized, we may want to ask ourselves, is now the right time to get
048an updated demographic study to say where we're going to be projecting out to 20 30 or 2035? You know, >> in different ways. I I I I definitely appreciate the need for study, but I struggle with the lag associated the fact that we are a build. I don't think it's going to capture that element of the bill. I think we're actually not going to serve ourselves well enough by procuring the study. So I would say probably not now, maybe after the first >> folks start moving in then we have a greater appreciation. So maybe not now but later on. >> Just to your point about the build that's 2035 in the spirit of us continuing to look forward and that's what this board does and administration does it proactively engages on a go forward calendar
049you have to appreciate future bills out now we're likely not all going to be here in 2035 maybe some will but um we do appreciate the fact that some will be around and they have a responsibility on that and that means another potential round so let's not lose sight of that this buildout is only through 35 >> once two or 35 passes it's a new ball game and then you're up against new parameters. So that's what we are thinking about that right now to hold off because there still >> yeah and I and I don't think for the immediate within the next five year let's say within the next five years are we having conversations about adding anything? No, I I don't think we are, you know, I mean, changing things, yes, you know, and
050enhancing and improving as we always would with any kind of, you know, long range facilities plan that we're looking to do, but um additional space might not be within the scope of the next five years where you're going to get the best data from based on what the actual realization is of the influx of students. So, I I tend to if I were, you know, ask for a recommendation, I would say it may not be the right time to get an updated study. >> It's going to come in too low. We know this living proof is the grand now is that it's just >> the previous one they did was too low. >> So, do we know um I don't even know if you're allowed to say, but there's a building open in >> Lana.
051>> Have we had any registrations yet from that one? >> Yeah. >> So, something to think about, you know, because then we could now we know >> I know people are are are >> then we could use that now times 15, right? And then use that total. Does that add up to what we predicted? Right? So that's the first measurement. Then then you can compare it between what I've put in there, what we put in from a study perspective and then what the original one said. And now you got three data sets to at least manage and then as these buildings come on, it's supposed to be every three months another two buildings come on. Then is that a trend? are we noticing let's just say 10 students per building five students per building then
052we can at least build upon an analysis >> I I mean what I can share is that without addresses or things like that that I do not believe is correlated to has any correlation to this is that >> it's a positive thing we have our kindergarten registration going on and normally around this time we have her in the 60s and have to say hey do you have a kindergarter come on in and register don't wait till August let's get we're up to 93 >> we're at 93 but that doesn't mean they're not correlated has no relation to that things. >> But in terms of the the just what we're looking at to know in June that we have 93 and we've planned for a certain number for September, >> that's the you know that's the
053those are the conversations >> and the the also it's like if you look at our just our town in general like t like today I mean you probably can attest to this two farms went up for sale with just today and then if you think about all the renovations that we've done in town as well a lot of it it's been a generation ational shift. So in noticing in the kindergarten all the just the established homes that have been renovated and updated, older folks have moved out and younger families are moving in. So it's not it's not just the the overdevelopment and affordability. It's literally it's a generational shift of what's happening in town that's going to impact the schools. So that's why I'm always concerned. I think it's always good to build in a
054little inflation into our numbers because you have to you have to you have to prepare for those things, right? The DOE, they're not they're going to come back. It's going to be low. They're not going to account for what you just said about kindergarten. And then even preschool, right? Did we break the the record for how many seconds the >> No, we did not. But we also have a rotation, you know, as we've been working with our lays on. We have a rotation coming up, too. And those are things that are not factored into a demographic study. take estimations on that. I think it's clear we just >> we're going to have data sets that at least as a board we can study that's public information that's available and like you said won't share but
055>> you'll know right and then we can show you compare of analysis and then we go from there >> the immediate internal just for the sake of the conversation and as a committee of a whole the immediate impact if and I'll just go in kindergarten route for a minute and this is a hypothetical situation hypothetically right now we have five sections of kindergarten that's what we're planning for for next year is five right so at the end of the day if we could if I turn around and say it's August, our RAM meeting in August and they lead up to conversations and I say I have 130 kindergarters hypothetically speaking I need another section of kindergarten >> that's the going to be the recommendation to come forward and then we would have to >> you
056know move things and internally we move it around we put it together and that's what we do so that's what will happen we'll anticipate and have a better rhythm of things as we start to see changes and fluxations I'm not saying that's what's going to happen we may have just have a very astute and diligent first kindergarten group coming in that they're ready to say, "Hey, here we go. We've got it all registered, which we had our preview today and that would be great and it was wonderful. It was absolutely the the primary school did a fabulous job with it." Um, but that being said, you know, it could it those are the type that's what the that's how it's managed, you know, in the immediate in the immediate future. >> Yeah. >> Data data
057data >> data data. >> Sure. >> Okay. Okay. Um I think that concludes uh that portion uh for buildings and grounds. We'll move right into communications. >> Mr. Scarra, if you have anything there just actually to speak about the maturity of the program, I want to uh when we first started, we we addressed the need for newsletter. It's been a great great program. So kudos to uh Phyis for running a fantastic program for highlighting the rich of this district. There's so much going on and before this there was no real trailing a trailblazing opportunity capture the spirit. Now if you go back you look at the last five six seven it really shows a pathway of how this district has progressed this year. Now multiply that three, four, five years out. So you established a
058great program. So thank you very much for putting that time into the into the communication strategy and that's what this is all about. Communication is critically important to the infrastructure of any institution including a board. Uh so we appreciate that work. We appreciate the go forward opportunity of dialogue and about our financial needs. I love where this is going for this opportunity for the um the facility program. It's an opportunity to reset. It is all about communication and dialogue. June 17th is a great opportunity to come on out come on out and hear more about our facility needs and our potential to work through these opportunities and challenges because there are challenges. Uh but we can do it we can do it as a team do it right level communication. So more holistically that's my
059interest in communication. >> Great. Uh thank you Brian. Um okay moving right into curriculum with Mrs. Camera. All right. Number one, it's always a lot under curriculum. School performance reports. So, a district letter was sent out by Dr. Reynolds on May 28th. The New Jersey Department of Education has officially released the 2425 New Jersey school performance reports. Parents can view the full interactive summaries directly at uh new jersey.gov.goveducation. It's on her letter. Um, these reports have been completely redesigned into a user-friendly dashboard-based format. So, the layout makes it easier for families to view visual representations of school data and filter the data for both local or state comparisons. Um, so we have our district data and then we have each individual school at Oh, >> point and and you're absolutely right, but we we've held
060off after the board meeting when we could talk about it and so their letters will actually go out tomorrow. >> Oh. Oh, so we wanted to hold until No, that's okay. We That's okay. In terms I wanted to just make sure so people weren't like, "Wait, I didn't get it." So, [laughter] absolutely. >> Okay. Wonderful. So, you will be receiving these letters tomorrow. Okay. Um, at the last meeting, Dr. Garbay had highlighted some impressive numbers of how well our performance is. So, we really do encourage you to go on this website. And a shout out to our teachers and staff for helping our students achieve these goals. Um, I also encourage parents to explore your child's dashboard and share your feedback or suggestions. There's a NJ DOE school performance report feedback survey um that is
061on the letter because they're looking for feedback from parents. Okay. So, any other comments for number one? Okay. Two, uh, Conover Primary Road School has chronic absenteeism and they're on a corrective action plan. So, we had this with our middle school, you might remember. >> Okay. So, we are addressing attendance at Conover Road Primary School. Um, this I'll just make sure. So, Dr. Garvey shared an important letter. This one you shared already or is this one going out, too? Okay. This one is also going out. I got I I get the letters ahead of time, so I'm sorry. No. Um, regarding Conover Road Primary School, based on student attendance data submitted for the 24-25 school year, the New Jersey Department of Education identified the primary school with chronic absenteeism. So, what does this mean? Uh,
062the state defines chronic absenteeism as a student missing 10% or more of the school year. So, that equates to about 18 or more days. And that doesn't matter if the absences are excused or unexcused. So because our schoolwide percentage exceeded the state threshold, uh we are required by law to take action. So in accordance with state statute, the district will be developing a correct a corrective action plan to improve regular student attendance. So the plan will be reviewed and revised annually until our our absenteeism rates drops below 10%. So how can you help? You probably as a community are hearing this and you hopefully you want to help. So a vital part of building this action plan is gathering input directly from our families. So Dr. Garbeay will be sending out a parent survey which
063I also previewed and we're asking all the parents from the primary school to complete the attendance survey sent out by administration and the deadline to submit feedback is Wednesday, June 24th. Um, so really we're I'm just encouraging the board, we're encouraging families to monitor your children's time away from school. Obviously, if you're facing circumstances that impact regular attendance or if you have questions about how the district can assist, um, you can reach out directly to the principal. Um, Mrs. Bar, >> I do have an update if I may. So the good the the the performance reports are so infor give a lot of information about the district and and whatnot that you know are echoed and presented really Dr. Reynolds presents on that data in October because it's the 2425 so we're in 2526 and
064the performance reports are coming out uh now. Um but the good news is our own internal monitoring is that our our absenteeism at the primary school has actually dropped this school year. Um we will still be presenting our action plan in September. U Mrs. Bar, Mrs. Milano, Mrs. Reynolds just like Dr. Riby did um you know earlier this year. So we'll be um that'll be all part of it. But it is good that we didn't even know we were on a corrective action plan yet and we were dropping uh our chronic absenteeism. So it's just something and thank you for speaking to that in detail about just monitoring and communication. >> Okay, moving on to number three. So transitioning from the 2024 envision math to 2027 envision math. So, our teaching staff will currently have
065access to the new Envision Mathematics 2027 curriculum resources. Um, however, Dr. Reynolds has determined that our students will continue using our existing Envision 2024 program for the up upcoming 2026 27 school year. So, in Mammoth County, there are some other districts that are that are that are already switching coming in September. Bradley Beach, Freehold Township, Enelpipin, Englishtown, Little Silver. Um, Dr. Reynolds decision was based on two factors. I had a long conversation with her about this. One was just fiscal responsibility. Uh, maximizing the inventory of textbooks and student workbooks our district still has in stock. And the other one was professional development. uh providing our instructional staff with an additional year to fully learn, collaborate, and prepare for this shift to the new model before it's rolled out to students. Um I listened to her.
066I I personally just, you know, for transparency, I disagreed. I was in favor of immediate adoption to kind of match the pace of neighboring districts, but I I do really respect her her rationale. Um so some key updates in the 2027 edition. Um, it continues to focus on hands-on problem solving and visual learning. Um, so what's new? The lesson structure is a little different. There's a less investigate, let's build, let's model. Um, sounds a little bit more hands-on, applying more learning to real world problems, which I really like. Um, what I like most though is there's actually fewer topics. So, what does that mean? It means more learning time, right? because fewer topics means there's less review, there's less assessments, so there's more instructional time. So that's and as a teacher, um you don't feel
067so rushed to get through everything because at least for me, I try to get through the curriculum by state testing even though technically I'm teaching math till June. You're you still want to get those lessons in before state testing. So I just like the idea that it gives teachers and students more time for instruction. Um, so I'm just saying, oh, it is supposed to be easier for parents to understand that I won't know until I teach it myself. I'll be teaching the new program next year, so at least I can give some information. But based on my um my inservice on it, the lessons are labeled clearly. Um, it's supposed to um showing students the concepts that they're learning for parents. Uh, they practice the skill, they apply the knowledge. So hopefully it's a little
068bit more easier because the website is not very uh user friendly the way it is now. And um they're saying it's better access for all students. Uh learning materials are now included in the printed resources, not just available online. So um you know, I'm excited for this transition and I guess I can report from my personal experience any of the struggles or um advantages in this new program. Okay. Any other feedback? Yeah, just a question. You great, eloquent, everything that you said, but the one key point about easier for parents to understand. Um, because when I saw this, the pre-aggenda, I clicked on it, was trying to find out like, wait a minute, is is my is there going to be different equations now that I have to like relearn and retach myself. Do you
069know any of that yet? is like the way our method of math is any of that changing to where now me as a parent I have to go in and like completely revamp how I get to a specific number. >> No, it's it's still going to be based on on um the state standards now and and the common core principles which it seems like one problem like 8 plus 7 instead of just knowing it's 15, it's still that turn eight into a 10 and then subtract two from seven. It's still sometimes it feels like multiple steps to get to something that should be one step. >> And do you know like does Envision like it's might be a billion dollar idea. So if they steal this from me it's fine. But is there a way
070that they have like a parent portal or section that like teaches parents how to do this or >> Well, that's what they're saying. This this newer program will have will have that for parents. It's again I I haven't seen that part of it yet, but it's supposed to be more user friendly for parents. hopefully with exactly the example problems. >> Yeah. Because you still get the same number, just how you get there. Yes. Is what I'm >> concerned. Yes. And so what really this new math is, you're learning eight different ways to add, right? And then you're learning five or six different ways to subtract and and the idea is and I do understand it now more that I've taught it for many years that you you are building greater number sense in the long
071run. >> No, totally. Like I like you go through these things and you're like wait if I was taught this when I was young I would have been like but awesome. All right so you answered my question. >> Okay. >> And in your district did I I don't know if I >> we are starting it next year. That's why I was already trained on it >> preview of it all. >> Yes. And um >> thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay. Um any other comments for number three? Okay. All right. So number four is the middle school reading assessment program. So I think I shared a while ago back my my personal story with Jonas and the reading level and it made me kind of think that while we have great assessments going on from K
072to five, our reading program for middle school um probably needs to be revisited. So um Dr. Dr. Reynolds and I spoke about howl has these level up diagnostic um which we already have. We have so is really great for like skill gaps and targeting specific standards. But I'm really looking for something that's going to increase reading stamina, improve comprehension, grow Lexi levels, um and expose students both to a lot of non-fiction and fictional text. So, I do think it's something that maybe we should do like a um like actually do a curriculum meeting like you do at finance and maybe look into um and I know the achieve is very expensive but to look into some other possible programs that will complement but really have that that those other goals that I'm looking for for
073our middle school students, right? because we we want to make sure, you know, we want to support them academically. And I think the EXL is great, but it it's very it's very skill-based and um it's really not what I'm looking for for reading stamina and increasing comprehension. So, um >> we can set up we can definitely set up a meeting. We can go over the score and reading >> uh and that trajectory at the middle school, what we've had in ELA, you know, so this way we can see the the upward trajectory we've had. Yes. Especially since a few years ago we added an intervention program um because we wanted to move that needle in grades six, seven and eight for people who were you know we wanted to move that needle. The conversation I
074think that you were referring to was with regard to Lexile which we do get from NWA map right um but >> which I would love to eliminate but [laughter] >> as we go forward too I would love to eliminate that >> but the element of that is that it's it's so ingrained in our data data presentation but we can have a cross reference because also um yields this this level up has that so we can have that which is more designed and will provide you with your skill plan >> as you're talking about enhancing the skills that's actually customized for the results exactly what the students need. So, if you're moving in levels and students, we're going to do a little bit of a revamping and we can totally do this because I would love
075to have conversations with the teachers who are in it firsthand and they they work directly with the students about it and with our uh literacy coach, Dr. Ronald, everyone who's involved in that, >> um that we can be saying to ourselves, what is it that we're what do they feel we're missing? Because we still do a a a reader workshop. >> Yes. >> And writer workshop uh foundation there. We don't have like a basil program, right, that we utilize. So it is incorporated from many different resources. So we can totally do just like we've done with the math and assessments. We can do a comprehensive overview definitely of it to see the the different things that we're using. >> Right. So just for like parents, so most of you know that we we have a
076new reading program and writing program for our Kada K to 5, but our middle school program is still right. I'm assuming Lucy readers. No. Oh, good. We >> It's loosely based on I thought Yeah, >> it's loosely based on Lucy. Yeah, exactly. So, but we still do a it's readers and writers workshop, >> right? But it's bas it's her units though still >> sort of. Yeah, it's been customized through the years and upgraded through the years for that. So, we still have the thematic approaches. We still utilize like the mentor text that whole concept because in application it's still utilized. It's still getting good results from our our students so that they can apply the skills no matter what type of text they have. So, they have their you know that the whole kind of
077concept. But like I said, we can do a complete audit, >> right? It might be time to revisit that because it is a little outdated and I know we've had some negative feedback with some of the parents on some of the especially the social um I think it's the eighth grade the first unit in eighth grade the social issues unit >> that's been moved back it's at the end of the year now uh to for conversation we did that last year in conversation when we that unit was redesigned for the end of the year now >> okay so yeah so I think it is time to revisit the middle school reading reading program um and so that would be great so if we could form a subcommittee and really look into that maybe for the
078following school year and with with teacher input of course >> and just we can have more conversation about this obviously but in terms of a reading program like we don't have a basil reader so it's not like a textbook where you open up it's like we have they use multiple novel sources reading text mentor textbook type of thing so um if we do the inventory of the of of the resources that are there and the application it would be curriculum and fitting resources in so we don't have like a reading program we have a curriculum that we follow yes with basic with different things. So just the two we whereas to your point being a writer and being a reader are comprehensive programs that are very scripted that's not what we utilize at the middle
079school. It is much more of a workshop model. >> Yes. So look evaluate that. >> Yes. Yes. And we could look at the data too on the workshop model because that's very it's very mixed. Um her whole program has really from where it started has been knocked down considerably. But but the changes your teachers have made just from having three students go through the program and seeing the slides. I I know they're not using her language. They're using some of her language, but they're they're not following the script because they're they made it much stronger. So, but it is something at least for our our newer staff that are coming on. They haven't really been trained in the program. So, they're sort of thrown in. So we want to, you know, it might again just
080just looking at some other both reading programs, reading curriculums, some of its semantics, and really just seeing what's, you know, what's the best fit maybe moving forward for our middle school students. So all right, so that is one through four. >> Any other comments? >> My phone. >> I hate to go backward. Sure. >> Um, I'm happy that they're going to incorporate a parents portal to show us how to do it, but I feel like that isn't that kind of a problem [snorts] to teach the parents how to do the kids homework. >> Some of some of the problems, you know, brought back PTSD. [laughter] This is third grade math. There's no way this should be this hard. I don't know if we could simplify this way to do it. [laughter] >> No, I think
081that's a fair point. But just to kind of like I I said this of you ago too like you know do what like look at the top performing mathematical top right we have that data and find out what are they using like how do we find that >> research [laughter] whoever like do we know who >> I mean in terms of the top schools that you can go and do you know we look at Mammoth County we look at there and we're we're utilizing many of the same programs at the top school of the top performing schools >> so and you're looking at >> even county >> so if you look elsewhere is I mean the math program is is >> it works it works so I don't want anyone to be and I totally
082understand it because >> as someone who may as someone who may be >> older [laughter] sitting here when it was first introduced as a as a curriculum person looking at you do sit there and say you know 2 plus 2 is still four you understand that concept however however what and to your >> yeah as Mrs. Tamara will say is it is about the thinking about mathematics rather than the just the regurgitation of facts and I think that we that I can only I will only speak for myself as a product of the 70s in elementary school that it I know you're going to side eye on me I know so as you so when you're saying that though it is about you know and there is elements of factual memorization knowing your facts and
083being able to have that direct quick recall but it is about deeper mathematical thinking and when we go into enrichment and things like that is they take it to another level of problem solving I had um in the in the spring I passed Mrs. Becker with some students in the hallway and I will say they when they were talking within I was could you could you explain that to me again? You know, it was one of those things that was so impressive to listen to just the the language and the the the shared language of just the mathematical thinking processes that was there. And so we want that to transfer to their application. And that's what that that spiraling of the curriculum and really that tight-knit programming is about. So I agree with you. It
084is not something and I do well but here's what I would encourage is that we have made several attempts through the years to have math nights for parents and things like that. We don't get good attendance. >> So we do have and so there are there is an element and we are um our teachers our our math coach they're very much willing to to help and and put together whatever we think may be helpful in terms of resources. there's the information that goes home from Envisions about that helps talk about what their child is learning and and it it it is a lot of that ongoing communication for it. So, I do agree with you. If if you think you're going to sit down and open the book and say, "Hey, how do you do
085math?" You know, the way that we do, it's you're not thinking about it the same way, you're not applying the same way that you're looking at it. But, um, we will continue to do as much outreach and support of our parents who want to sit, you know, and work with their >> their kiddos at home. And we we love that, Le. We absolutely would. So, we will keep that in certainly in the forefront of what we >> Thank you. >> of course. >> Okay. Um, since we >> So, I'll wrap up curriculum. So, thank you. Yep, that will wrap up curriculum. >> All right. Uh, great. Moving into policy. U Mr. Scales. >> We got finance. >> Finance. Oh, I'm sorry. Did I miss that? >> Oh, yeah. We we covered that. Okay. We covered
086it. >> Great. Um, okay. U Mr. Scales. >> Uh, policy is I've been going back and forth on this. Um, so essentially what we're presenting today, it's a it's a resolution for um urging relief for the rising insurance costs and and health care costs for um public schools. And when I look at it and I read it, I was like, "Oh, well, wait, we don't need to worry about this. We have a $12 million slush fund, right?" So I was like, "Oh, that's easy. So I could just go and I'll draw from that 12 million and then we have to worry about this resolution. But just for everyone who's listening, we do not have a $12 million slush fund. >> I'll second that. >> The money is not there. So when it got me thinking
087when you presented this to me and I said when you normally have a resolution, it falls on on deaf ears, right? And what this is, it's the school boards association. We're coring all the local Mammoth County schools in order to all use this resolution to make our voices heard for the state of New Jersey and the governor. But while I was thinking about this, I'm looking at it and every time Colts neck does something to the state, we get penalized, right? So because we are financially healthy, when we have our name attached to something, if we attach our name to this resolution to the schoolboard solution, could it potentially hurt the rest of Mammoth County from their voices being heard? And I think it might, right? Because if we go and we say, "Hey, we're
088Col New Jersey and we're asking, you know, we want to we want relief for our health care costs." Someone on Mikey Cheryl's is going to look at this and go, "Well, no, this is this is cold snack New Jersey. We're just going to take more money away from them. We're going to use this Robin Hood, you know, algorithm that they're using. We're just going to You guys are taxpayers. You just got to deal with it. You know, we're we're not going to deal with it." So, my proposal and question to the board today is number one, if you have a chance to go through it, go through it because it's it's intuitive, right? There's the resolution's got a lot of really really good points, but I'm thinking if we attach our name to it, we
089potentially could be hurting it because of our financial success. So, I don't know if you want to add anything to that, Dr. Garvey, but that's essentially what this resolution is. It's to just make other school boards voices heard so that school boards association has a little bit more of a, you know, bandwidth to try to get this approved. >> Yeah. Yeah. And Dr. When I brought this forward, Dr. uh Dr. Thihan had emailed uh Mrs. Bulpi and I to share with the board as as an option for when if when we it can be customized some boards are taking it as is some are doing that and it's really in response to something that boards of education and superintendent and business administrators have really been voicing a concern about which is you know these uh
090you're seeing 30% increases annually which in totality exceeds the 2% cap which is why every year we are afforded an opportunity for a healthcare waiver which brings brings people above the 2% that the allowable 2%. That's why in the papers you would see people going to 11% 12%. Because they were afforded the opportunity to take this health care waiver. Um and the laws right now as they are as public employment laws, if you have over 50 employees, you are required to provide health care for them. So, with regards to and it's it's a it's a huge component of our workforce and uh you know benefits for our for our staff members and all of the things but the legislators um have to be more involved about about the controlling and working at the table with
091the health costs because it's it's something that either that or they have at some point they have to relook at the funding formula because these these these increases are not upholding with state aid. So if the state is saying you have to provide healthcare right because you have over 50 employees of like districts like ours or many many districts throughout the state and we're going to allow you to do this then rather than continuing to do that and putting it on boards of education to say yeah well this year we need 11% otherwise we can't you know pay for this or otherwise I'm cutting an afterchool program a sports programs up for just to provide health care to my staff. You could reook relook at a a funding formula that is well overdue and be
092able to compensate through state aid or bring something to table because it's going to collapse. The system is going to coll it is not sustainable. It is not sustainable what's happening to public schools with with healthcare right now. >> You add the state affordable housing mandates unfunded. The system is collapsing as far as premiums increase. I see no end to it and impact on our school district >> and even the um the state employees health benefit plan that was that was put into place again in concept understood but they are also being impacted by these astronomical percent increases. I just want to emphasize as uh on the finance and I'm going to defer to Jason and Brian. Our financial help >> enables us to deal with these issues without cutting programs, laying off teachers or
093taxes. >> Having our class sizes um burst at the seams. So I praise the school board. praised this past work of our school boards who thought about the financial health, kept money in the reserves to always keep our kids that give the best education. So, and we're dealing with a lot of issues, but on as far as our our financial stewardship, thank you fellow school board members and thank you to the school community, the parents >> for supporting our school board. >> Absolutely. fellow school members and prior school boards as well that support the program. But it's a start. It's a start to the conversation. Just by having a reserve opportunity doesn't mean you can cover all things. And what you're describing here are very real um expenses that we see on a very shortterm
094window over here. You know, that we're going to have to deal with. So we can engage the conversation by having some level of reserve uh available to us. We certainly can't combat it in its entirety and that's the narrative that needs to be described. So I'm very interested in this piece here and how it positions and where we position ourselves with this. Thank you for escalating this. I'm sure we're having conversations. >> Yeah, I think it's it's a good it's a blueprint. Um there's just some things in there that I were red flags that I again it's just we have a we have a target on our back because we're actually penalized because of how financially healthy we are. We saw it, you know, we saw that, you know, we don't have a $1,700 check
095to write to the public. Doesn't exist. We don't have $12 million to draw from. >> Yeah. Actually, state >> how much reserves we have just for educate our community. So, we're very clear on >> how much reserves we have. >> Change now. >> If you add up all the different accounts, >> yeah, there's different categories. you start the conversation there two to three different categories some level >> but there's also no but I think it's it's important to understand there's you know how to draw on reserves for inflation and insurance costs too it's not as easy as it sounds >> Mr. Mazer confirmed by email a couple maybe a week ago about the exact number six million something >> but to Dr. Garvey's point like >> if you look 6 million 6.4 million >> if
096you add all three. But three the thing is though is that >> in reserves. That's not the surplus component of it which will be which is influx because we've appropriated some we've done that. So we will know our new balance when it comes out. that the just to reiterate what we had talked about many times the number that was referenced by John Swisser when we were talking about that was the endofear audit reserve surplus total total >> of those things much of which was already allocated for this school year and had been already brought down I want to say by September it was nine >> I want to say it was in the nine million I don't have it in front of me but uh and Miss Rasco could provide that in more detail upon
097his return to the next meeting if we wanted that >> because the the one important component like again Sounds like there's money available, but half of that 6.1 or whatever it is is federal impact aid that we get because of the base, right? So there's only a small amount of money for us to even think about drawing on, but you'd have to move money from one area to another. And then what could happen next year, right? So we have 100 students possibly coming next year and >> you know that money is going to be critically needed to >> but someone like blue blue cross blue shield or Etna and you know all of a sudden has a little bit of a collapse as well because to your point about the system health care costs could
098explode and there's always writers in those contracts where god forbid there's a material change in anything right it's important for just the the teacher population the unions everyone to understand and to really like rubber stamp what these numbers are because when you hear things that are are are offered in the public and someone tells you that a district has this amount of money available and then that gets people thinking right it gets people to say well why do we need to enter a resolution what are we worried about health care costs it's important to understand the facts and understand where it is because then when you go to ask for something from a particular district you're asking it thinking there's just this unlimited amount of pool of money when in fact there isn't that amount
099of money to pull from. So again, talking very circular, but back to this original one is that that's one thing we need to think of. Let's let's look at the verbiage, see if it's written correctly for Col, and then how can we use it so it's not again negatively impacting our counterparts in these other districts because again, if we have our name on it, people are going to think, well, Colt Snack's just, you know, wagging their tail and asking for more money and they've got $12 million. That's not true. So, >> okay. Um, >> that's it from uh that's it from policy unless you have something to add. >> No. >> Uh, okay. Uh, negotiations I think. >> Yeah. On going with that with Mr. Scarper. Okay. Uh, nothing in transportation. Nothing uh for uh
100personnel actually. Did you have a comment on that? Yes. I'm sorry. I remember this. Sorry about that. as as uh in the action items there was a revised I gave an explanation for the revised uh job description provided a little more detail just to give you an update we are on the hunt for a new payroll manager uh a bookkeeper position um it as as was accepted the resignation of our current one was at the last board meeting um that being said um the position becomes vacant July 1st so in the event that we have not secured someone we may be coming for a service of some kind or a co-shar or something to maintain payroll for the for until the right person candidate is found. We also are very aware that we are in
101a very competing competitive market right now. That being said, I we know for a fact that in our direct area at least four or five people are looking for the same position. >> So within districts, so um you know we're looking at our candidate pools. We will always do our best to you know secure the best candidate for the position, but just we're in a very competitive market right now. So we might need to evaluate some things there as well. >> Okay. Thank you for clarifying the language of the job description. >> Yes. >> Uh okay. Um right now we're going to go into comments. The second public comment of the evening. If anybody wants to get up uh add to the conversation, questions or comments on anything, you could do so. Anybody want to
102get involved? Okay. Um seeing none, we'll close that. Um I want to open to uh the board to new business. Anybody has any comments? I do. >> Excellent. Go ahead. >> Okay. So, first um I recently um learned about this. U many of you know about National Honor Society. There's actually a national junior honor society. It's a nationally recognized organization for middle school students. It focuses on five core pillars. Scholarship, of course, that's your strong academics, service, helping others in the community, leadership, character, and citizenship. So, um I just want to throw it out there. Maybe it's something that we can look into and start for next year because I know we already kind of do our own version of it with um recognizing our students for high honoral. So maybe we could just like
103coordinate it with uh n the the national junior honor society. If we do stu certain students are selected to receive a $500 college savings award and in recent years 500 students nationwide have been selected annually from these middle school students. So if I could or vote please. So this is not the first time we've entertained and looked into Junior National Junior Honor Society which other districts have around us as well. Um it has not been it's not something that has gone forward from from us. We've we've actually it's been in prior budgets um with regards to to coordination. There is a planning committee. It's not just one adviser. There's there's a there's a long application to be accepted into the school part of it that type of thing. We have visited it at least twice
104in my tenure here as a superintendent. So, it's one of those things that just does it doesn't take off from the through the lens of operations. That's why we've looked at other things to recognize and honor them. We certainly can look at again. I don't know from a time perspective of it, it would be something it's not something that but there is a cost for it. I want to say about $5 to $6,000 a year for it. There's also a planning and application. There's a review committee. There's all the different things which is not which are all part of it which you can certainly look into it. However, it is something we have explored and hasn't come to fruition based on our internal exploration. Doesn't mean it's dead in the water. Doesn't mean that it's
105not worth talking about for next year, but I don't I do not believe we would be able to just based on the structure have it for next year. We wanted to talk about it as part of that ongoing process for the year after. We could certainly look at that. >> I think it's a great opportunity, especially getting our students more involved in community service. Um I noticed my my own daughters are in it for high school and they have done more community service since they've been involved in it than ever before. So there there are some wonderful things to look at. Um and then building on the financial literacy that Brian had mentioned before, there is something called um the stock market game. I don't know if every anyone ever heard of it before. So
106it builds like real world financial skills and there's a summer program. It's from June 29th to August 14th. So maybe with um the summer homework, we could include that in our um our homework. And so kids will get their own, you know, virtual portfolio. They use real market data. They make investment decisions. They explore how markets and economic events um impact the economy. And it's interactive. It's hands-on activities. Um cash prizes you can earn and uh registration is required. So if that's something maybe Dr. Reynolds, we can I you know, you could talk to her about making available. And they have different it's not just summer. They have different programs throughout the year. But being that we're going into summer, it just seems like um maybe they'll take what they learned in the assembly and
107now they could apply it. [laughter] So those are those are my my two new suggestions. [laughter] >> Uh anybody else want to add add to new business? >> Okay, I have some new business. Um, yesterday, uh, I get a call from Cedar Drive. Of course, being parents, we always have a heart attack when we see the school number come in. And I was extremely upset because I haven't had the school call me in a long time. So, um, I pick it up and it's Mr. Mercer. Mr. Mercer. And, um, he such a polite polite man. Um, he asked me, "Mrs. Vulpi, we didn't receive your um uh permission slip for Giovana to take the sexed class and um in the prior years I have written my daughter out of those classes because I found them
108inappropriate and I wanted as the parent wanted to be the one to discuss that with my daughter. Um being my Giovana who she is, she's very very mature. So I told him, "Thank you so much for calling. And I'm so sorry that I forgot to respond to that. So I want to give Mr. Mercer kudos for following up with me as a parent to make sure that it wasn't an oversight, which it was, to give me the opportunity to hear my voice whether or not my daughter was allowed to participate in this class. It was just an exceptional um uh chain of events that happened. And I don't know how to explain it, but I was so impressed by his actions that he included me, made sure my daughter was protected if I wanted her
109to be from that particular topic. Um, being that she's mature enough, I allowed her to take the class. Um, but I just wanted to give kudos to Mr. Mercer for honoring our parental rights, doublech checking whether parents, especially me, I've been busy the past few weeks that he reached out to make sure. So, I just want to be uh give a shout out to Mr. Mercer for doing a fantastic job protecting my right as a parent uh to make sure that my kid uh had permission uh you know to take that class. Uh that brings me into the actually I roll right into this. Speaking of parental rights back in November um let me get the date actually November 19th uh we had our parental bill of rights. There was a lot of um you
110know communication and public you know discourse as Brian always says and I remember making statements. Yeah, I remember making statements and I don't want to give too much oxygen to this man because I can't stand him. Um he basically came after me uh in the uh public in the media or you know newspaper regarding how I govern and my viewpoints and so on. So I had made comments uh regarding Mr. Gotsman uh that evening of November 19th and you guys could all refer back to this meeting since we live stream and everything is recorded. So my comments um I stand by completely and I will never ever uh redact anything I ever say on this board. Once I say it, I mean it and I stand by it. Um which leads me to report out
111that I was charged with an an ethics complaint. Um yeah, an ethics complaint was filed by Mr. got meant against me um with uh in reference to the comments I made and I am happy and I'm proud to report that I was fully exonerated from from this listen this I'm I'm I'm so proud of it I got elected to this board not to be silenced I got elected not to be silenced and people in this community elected me along with all nine of you because of our stances and our conservative values um and the fantastic job we do on this board. Um so to Mr. Gotsman, it was a good try, but you failed. You'll never ever silence me. So I just want to report out if anybody wants to see this uh you're more
112than welcome uh you know to request it, it'll be on file uh in our office. So if anybody wants to add to that, um you're more than willing to do so. I know Rob, you're very happy to hear that. I could see it. Um, and like I said, people that want to file ethics complaints against me, um, it really doesn't faze me at all. Um, once again, when I say something on this board, I mean it and I will never retract it. So, those are my final comments for this meeting. Um, if anybody else wants to add last minute, uh, anything last minute? >> Yeah. Well, like I said, I I I always come out on top regarding my comments. >> I mean, just one comment. I >> I was appalled to find out that
113the two of you are married. >> Oh my god. I know. I We've been lying about our marriage for for decades. >> I just want record. I had no idea. >> Yeah. >> And I'm very upset that you didn't tell anyone and you hid it from everybody. >> I I know. I'm I'm so sorry. I apologize to the public for hiding my marriage uh to Mr. Walsh. >> As the other partner, I encourage all parents in this community, married couples, to get engage with our local government and volunteer and serve our community. It makes it a better community. That's right. >> That's right. That's right. Especially if you care about things, uh get involved and don't let anybody silence you. Uh because that is our right. Um all right. Ending with that, we I want
114to make a motion to move into executive session. We have a number of items uh here. Uh we have a personnel um uh item regarding the superintendent's evaluation and the procedures about that. We have a litigation confidential student matter and we have negotiations on the school business administrator. So uh this will probably I don't want to say it's going to be an hour. I hope not. I know let's say 45 minutes. No more. No more. We're going to try to spearhead everything. >> No action. >> Um yes, no action will be taken. We're going to conclude live stream and if I could get a motion uh to move into executive session. >> I think Vinnie was ahead of me. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> All right. >> Yep. Thank you guys. Thank
115you to the public for coming. We appreciate you. Yep. Thank you. Okay. >> All right. >> Yep.