001All right. At this time, we will stand for the pledge of allegiance. Okay. So upcoming um today we have the uh 2025 2026 uh presentation on HIB and on February 9th we'll have the Lake View School staff and students present on the no screenathon and riding the waves of the learning experience with positivity. And uh now we have the superintendent's comments if you're ready. Aren't we on there on the HIV for the first half of the year of 2026 202526 school year? Um, okay. Just like we always do every year, twice a year, we have to um go over our numbers from the stu student safety data systems and HIV harassment, intimidation, and bullying. This is from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. Um we had zero cases of substance abuse. Remember this is
002from up till December 31st, 2025. zero cases substance abuse, zero cases of weapons, six confirmed HIV, eight HIV investigations, and one predetermination. We had zero instance of vi of vandalism, one incident of violence, report of suspension with students with disabilities. Other than violence and vandalism, there was three zero cases of restraint. That's new. Restraint is when we restraint or seclusion is when we um do when we have students who need like a timeout basically in the ABA class, right Sandy? If you want to fill it in on that, >> it's if they're using the CPI particularly restraint techniques, there's only there are certain people that are trained in the district to do that. So if students have that in their IEP that they may be that may be used with that student, that may happen.
003But in this case, we did not have any cases. >> We had zero cases. Um, police notified for HIB, five police complaints filed, zero. In school suspension, six out of school suspension, zero. And our trainings and programs from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. 27 different par uh parent, student or staff trainings and 69 different programs throughout the year that included teaching and learning, student relationships, safety, parental support, physical emotional environments, and morale in the school community. And that's the report for the first half of the 2526 school year. The next thing we have is a there any questions or anything? >> Yeah, Dr. Moore, if I may. Um, the restraint seclusion statistic that is now on this presentation. Is this something that's required by the state or is this something we added on
004our own? >> No, the state required that we start it in this year. So going forward anytime anytime there's a just like this like we report all the other instances twice a year we have to report this as well and it does get inputed into a system called the student safety data systems report and trend. >> I I feel like the restraint and seclusion at least the the words being used um almost is like a a form of uh punishment. Uh I mean I don't know Dr. if you can clarify what those terms might actually mean uh in this context here. >> So this is the so it's crisis management. So there are stu CPI uh sorry crisis prevention. So students who have significant disabilities and may act out in violent ways have a plan
005in place of how to curb that behavior if it takes place. So certain people are trained in the district to be able to do the safe restraint techniques. It's not timeout by themselves or anything like that, but there are safe techniques that can be used to keep the child from hurting themselves and others. And then that once that restraint it is put into place, then there are protocols after the restraint that needs to happen. And then there's a like a whole followup with their care team. So it's a fairly drawn out process. uh and it's we don't have to luckily we do not have to use this very often but it is to keep students from harming themselves or others and it has to be in their plan for them to use these techniques really.
006>> Thank you for that explanation. Um Dr. Forte, do we publicly make these slides available on our website? >> Yes, they're always posted on the website. Can we maybe include that description of what those two terms might be in terms of self harm etc in case uh you know just a random person walks up to um the the slide and then suddenly uh you know cause an uproar um when it uh when they might just simply need a clarification of what these words might mean. So >> sure it's a good idea. Thank you. Now we have our goals. Sandy, would you start that? So, we're mid year and the first goal is to increase achievement with all of our students with the focus in math and science. And just some update of some ongoing things.
007We are really in full working mode with a lot of our projects. Since our last update, we have continuing to use the data to determine which students need MTSS or multiple tiers of support. Tier one are supports in the classroom. Tier two are those that go out of the classroom for interventions but are not through the special services program. We are revising grade three math. Uh, and as our K5 math contract is ending, we reviewing additional programs, whether or not we're going to stay with our current program or look to another our elementary program. We implemented Magma Math in the middle school and we purchased FRA 2 as an add-on for reflex math. So some of our students are really excelling with their fact fluency and have already gone through all the multiplication and division
008then moved up to you know addition subtraction multiplication division moved up to fractions but now they're even to a higher level. So we did purchase that add-on so those students can continue with it in from an enrichment perspective as well. We happen to have a number of our second grade students that at the benchmark were already had were already almost um mastering every of every standard in second grade. So we decided to make a hybrid program. So some some students are actually attending a third grade math class while others are receiving half a second grade and half of third grade content um with that. So there are some students that have been moved up or to an enrichment situation for their math. Uh we are implementing our new 3 through five reading units and we
009added Heggerty K2 which is phenemic awareness. That was one from our data that we had wanted to add. We found that that was an area that needed bolstering. And then we also added bridge the gap, which is a phenemic awareness targeted at students in grades three through five, but really that's not a large number of students. So those students who didn't master their phonics phenemic skills in K2, they're still getting some additional support, but that is not for all students. Uh and we're reviewing six through eight social studies programs for adoption next year. Uh this year the state you know we found out in the summer that they mandated a literacy K3 assessment uh and so we have completed thea we chose the acadians it's like dibbles you know they're just testing certain phmic awareness
010skills and we finished the beginning of the year the middle of the year is underway and the parents will receive a report at the beginning of March uh and that is part of the state mandate is that parents receive the report on different phenemic awareness skills. Uh and then you know we'll also be followed up quickly with conferences. So we'll have the report and conferences in March. Okay. Goal two is me. It was continue to discuss investigate report on um and decide on solutions and challenges two challenges in the area of instructional space class size and that was a uh finance ops goal. And um I'll give you an update of where we're at. We finished those two laboratories at Riverview in the prekk classrooms. That was for possible kindergarten expansion if we need to
011additional classes. We moved several students from Lake View to Riverview. Not not kids that were already there, but areas from Liver Lake View to Riverview. We passed the funding question in November of 2025. We um did investigate other viable op opportunities around town including St. Peters decided to pass on that. And the last one is we did approve a study by EI in August of 252. We've we did receive the final um study and that was including how to if we were going to expand Valley View and Lake View and we have um we have that report to go over with the uh operations finance operations committee at the February meeting. And that's it for that goal. Uh Dr. Cole is back up for goal three. So, one of our big goals uh was really
012looking at our special education offerings and Mrs. Johnson conducted a thorough audit of all our instructional aid schedules and how that how the they were being used, the progress of those students. It was a very thorough um audit and based on that we anticipate a possible reduction of 3.11 FTE of instructional aids. The CST has also implemented procedures for a revised ESY eligibility. During COVID, we loosened all of the eligibility because we did receive additional funding from the federal government. All of that funding is now gone. We do have to go back to the stricter eligibility requirements for summer programs um because we just don't have the funding. It has to be in their IEP and based on specific eligibility. Not everyone is eligible to come to ESY extended school year. And so Mrs. Johnson
013worked with the CST to tighten up the the procedures, revise them somewhat to make sure we're using that uh those funds efficiently for the summer. We are also working on a possible additional program and identified uh an emotional regulation impairment program as one that would be helpful that we might be able to keep some of our students uh inhouse and we would like to do that. We always want to keep more of our students in Denville than sending them out. So we're looking at the feasibility of the program for 2627 based on personnel and again and funding and the number of students that might be eligible to be in that program. U so in that uh in that review we're looking at a possible reallocation of salary from the aids and out of district tuition
014to help fund that program. But again, we're just considering to see if we can do it by next year. Okay. Go. Goal four was to work on a a succinct list of SEAL skills and how that was spiraled and reinforced through the years. We're actually moving quite well along that. We have our goals and our purpose of the document. We've identified all of the skills and which grades it would be introduced, reinforced, and assessed. We have are developing our assessments and our reflection from students. So, that's sort of all in process at this point. And once we complete the document, it would be brought to the board for approval. Our middle school administration and counselors are will be attending the restorative justice training uh on February 12th, which is one of our PD days. Uh
015this concludes my portion, Mr. or Dr. Forte, sorry. >> Okay. And goal number five was the district will have an updated or new website in place by the start of the 2627 school year. And u we've been working on this for a while. We did um upgrade to a new template. It's been live since right before Christmas. um it went live on December 19th and we will um be looking for some feedback on that and then if if that is not satisfactory there's a way to budget for if if there's a way to budget for funds for a new website um that would be something that we would do during budget time. So that website with the new template is live now and I know that we will be discussing this in the IMP committee.
016So we'll uh wait for some feedback from them and then uh see how it goes going forward. It is going to be a tight budget. So um whatever we do is going to be tight as usual. Um but I just wanted to point that out. But it is live and ready to go. So um let's see how it goes. Thank you. That's it for us. I do have other things to talk about in my comments though. That was it for goals. Does anybody have other questions or anything about goals? >> Dr. Moore, if I may. Um, thank you. Uh, Dr. Forte, Dr. Cullis, thank you for these updates. Uh, it's truly uh, great to see all the progress that's being made. Um, Dr. Forte, in the meeting that you're going to have with regard to
017the EI Associates proposal, uh, does that include sort of like an update of the second floor of St. Mary's or the Riverview annex? >> That's already that's already going because that that's this is like down the road. >> Okay, great. >> That's stuff we already did with the passage of the referendum. >> Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't sure what where we stood then with the second floor of the Riverview annex. I was just wondering if you can give us an update. We probably should be uh approving, right, Demaris? Approving the the construction of those second floors. Uh I guess what around Oh, in the budget during the budget, right? >> Uh this will be included in the 26 27 school year budget and we have received some quotes for that um update upgrade and we are
018just vetting through the quotes and cleaning it up a little. >> Great. Thank you. So then those classrooms would be available for the 2728 school year then. >> Correct. >> Okay. Um that is all the questions I have Dr. Moore. Um but I do want to say that the governance committee will be meeting on uh first week of February. So we'll be happy to give uh board goals updates in a in a February meeting of your choice. Dr. more. So, >> I think I think by March we should be getting pretty close to what we're going to do with the annex. Um, if you could remember to put those whatever whatever our final quote is to the board so that they understand and then we'll put it it'll be in the so because of this
019question because of the funds that are going to be used it's going to be in the budget. So, it's just really some cosmetic stuff to the second floor. There is going to be a larger electric electrical project as well that's going to have to be completed. All right. I have some more stuff if anybody else has anybody else have a question before I move on. Okay. We um couple days ago the mayor reached out to me asking me about whether or not um the rumors about buses possibly getting pulled over by ICE were if there was any credence to that. I said, "No." Um, and I called the police chief who was luckily just had a meeting with the New Jersey director of ICE that morning. So, when I talked to him, he had just
020come from the meeting and said that the ICE in New Jersey is not planning on doing any of that stuff. So, um, I'm not sure where the rumors came from, but um, there it's it's not something that has any uh there's nothing to it as of right now. Um, but I have had a I did open up a dialogue with the mayor about that and with some of the clergy. It may have come from clergy in town. Um, so we're going to just keep an eye on it. Um, Riverview graduation lead graduation February 20th. Mark your calendars if you plan to go at 2:15 p.m. It is in that thing that Sandy made, but I figured I'd highlight it. Riverview lead graduation at Riverview Annex February 20 2:15 p.m. Another one, it's also in the
021folder, but I wanted to highlight it. A couple other ones, Valley View Musical on March 20th and March 21st. March 20th is 7 PM. March 21st is 2 and 7 PM. So, Valley View Musical, March 20th and 21st, 700 p.m. on the 20th and 2 and 700 p.m. on the 21st. Valley View Honor Society. We just had that. If you want to talk a little bit about that in your thing, that's fine. Uh, Valley View Vikings Wrestling, we're going to talk a little bit about the athletics for the year. We They finished eight and four. They had a county finalist in Finley Dworth. He led the way with 12 pins on the year and o second and second in the county tournament in the heavyweight class. Satan Fricks took third at 112. Brady Flynn p
022placed fourth at 102. The girls basketball finished the regular season at 8 and5 and the highlight was the hop top scorer eighth grader Payton Meerhoffer set a record um with 19 points in a single game. She ended the season with a total of 128 points and the mi the middle school girls team is the fourth seed in the county tournament and the first game is at Whippony 5:00 pm on the 29th. Boys basketball is currently undefeated composed of 11 eighth graders, four seventh graders and the team earned the number one seed for group three in the middle school in the middle Mars County middle school tournament. will open up the tournament against Madison in the opening round February 2nd, 5:30 p.m. at Wharton Middle School. So, but all three teams for the for the um
023winter have had some success. So, I just wanted to report those things to you. And anybody wins a county championship or anything, they'll be here at the end of the year. And um that was it for my report. Okay, if there are no uh questions or comments, we'll move to assistant superintendent comments. >> We're definitely hitting the busy season. We have many, many events every week. We did just have our Valley View Junior Honor Society ceremony on uh the 22nd and we had 22 eighth graders inducted and it was just so great to see them and especially since I've been watching them since they're in kindergarten to see them up there. So proud of all of their accomplishments. It was really great to see them. Uh, we also just chose the unsung hero from Valley
024View and that is sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association and that award is going to Marcus Nesparos. Screenagers, our next chapter addressing youth mental health and the digital age is this Wednesday at 7 p.m. We because of the cold we are going to move that virtually, but you must register to receive a link to the Google Meet. We are not allowed to just put it out as a public uh viewing. It has to be specifically through our district. So I will send out another instant message tomorrow for the last chance to register for that and then you can join virtually on Wednesday if you would like. The marking period ends this Friday and report cards will be available February 6th. Hard to believe, but pre-K registration, I mean pre-registration for kindergarten is opening
025on February 2nd. That's next week. Uh, right now our kindergarten numbers, Lake View 81, Riverview 91, total 172, that's three up in January. We had a total increase in our numbers of 15 starting the new year total across buildings. This concludes assistant superintendent report. And just a quick question. Do we we normally do uh some sort of uh presentation right for the unsung hero awards or >> we don't typically do anything with that? >> No. >> It is something we could add to our list of people to acknowledge maybe with the sports at the end of the year if you guys want to do that. Okay. >> Any comments, questions? Okay, then we'll move to uh business administrator's comments. >> Just one comment. The ethic disclosure form was emailed uh to everyone recently. Um when
026you get a chance, please complete it and send it back to me. If you have any issues uploading it, downloading or submitting it, uh let me know and uh we'll help you out. Thank you. All right, then uh we'll move to the uh open public discussion section. Uh this portion of the meeting is open to any individuals for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda or matters that they find is important to the board of education and is governed by board policy 0167. And we will open it at uh 7:58. Okay, seeing that uh no one is online and no one is here in person, we will close it at uh 7:58 as well. Okay, the next section is the old business action to be taken. Uh the following resolutions have been recommended by
027the superintendent of schools to the board of education for approval. Um we have a the uh reports um treasury of school monies and board secretary reports and b the education reports 1 through 7 um 4 through 7 are hibs and se c is the minutes force 15 2025 >> I'll Second >> roll call. >> Just a reminder, if anybody was absent during the December meeting, please abstain. >> Mrs. Adelis. >> I can't remember if I was here or not. I'm assuming I was here. I would say yes. >> Miss Estino, abstain. >> I abstain. >> Mr. Anderson. Uh, I will abstain. >> Mr. Capello. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kim. >> Yes. >> Dr. Moore. >> Yes. >> Uh, now under new business action to be taken. Uh, Mr. Capello, could you take us through that?
028>> I'd be happy to. Uh, if there are no objections, under personnel, I would like to move items one through eight as a block. one uh includes new hires, resignations, retirements, employee leaves. Uh number two is a revised substitute list for the 2526 school year. Number three is the approved master staff list. Um certain tabs for the 2526 school year. Number four is uh the moving of the head custodian to overnight custodian. Uh number five is approve Wilar Merinda as the acting head custodian at Riverview. Number six is to approve the board uh approve uh employee for leave of absence. Um actually looks like that has several parts to it. Uh improving uh for leave of absence for different time frames I guess. Uh number seven is attached separation agreement and number eight is another
029uh separation agreement. >> I'll second. Any comments or questions? Uh just we have uh looks like well I guess retirement retirement sick day payouts. Uh looks like we have uh an instructional aid Laura Bunham and uh Christine Odell are getting paid out for their retirements. Okay. Roll call, please. Mr. Delos, >> yes. >> Miss Esteno, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Capello, >> yes. >> Mr. Kim, >> yes. >> Dr. Moore, >> yes. >> And now under instruction and program, uh would Mrs. Eststerino take us through that? >> Sure. If there are no objections, I would like to move items one and two. under personnel. One has to do with workshops and expenses both associated with the director of technology and director of maintenance and security. And number two is the attached
030list of field trips for the 2526 school year. >> I'll second. >> Questions, comments. >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Delos, >> yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Capello. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kim. >> Yes. >> Dr. Moore. >> Yes. >> So, there's nothing under governance. Uh, moving to finance. Uh, Mr. Anderson, can you take that? >> Sure, I'd be happy to. Under Definance, I'd like to move items number one through four is a block. This includes our checks list. Uh, item number two is an agreement with Kid Therapy LLC. Uh, item number three is to approve the donation from Riverview parents Susan Lefranca and Christine Hong of a custombuilt mobile cabinet to house Riverview's Lost and Found built by Eric Peterson from Peterson Makes LLC, Danville,
031New Jersey. And finally, item number four is for the uh board to accept the waiver for the sanitation certificate 2025 2026 school year in the amount of $200 from the township of Den Dville for Riverview and Valley View school licenses. Second >> questions, comments. >> Just a thank you for the uh donation. >> Yep. Same. I saw it. It's awesome. >> Roll call. >> Miss Delis? >> Yes. >> Miss Estino? >> Yes. >> Mr. Anderson? >> Yes. >> Mr. Capello? >> Yes. >> Mr. Kim? >> Yes. >> Dr. Moore? Yes. Okay. Under operations, uh I'd like to move for approval the following uh resolutions. Uh under transportation, we don't have anything. Under buildings and grounds, we have uh the retroactive approval of the attached uh contract from CDWG to replace outdated classroom smartboards in the
032amount of $69,766. Uh the next item is to approve the attached quote from Integrated Power Services to repair all three boilers at Riverview in the amount of $7,340. And the final one is to approve the attached quote from Altech to repair two unit ventilators at Riverview School in the amount of $1,200. >> I'll second. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? Dr. Moore, if I may, um, in reference to the smartboards for, uh, just under 70,000, do you know the number of smartboards that will be replaced? >> That's 14 smartboards. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> So, we did a walk through through all the schools to make sure the stuff was up to par and we found a bunch of smart boards that need to be replaced with smart panels. So since they're able
033they're attached to the building, we're able to use reserves for that. We decided to get moving on these sooner than later. Um and Dr. Cullis and I did this walkth through a while ago and and so what is this the third one now? Dear third goound, I think >> that is the third goound. The first was a smaller quantity and the last two has been about 14 smart boys. So, we're doing a lot this year and then there's a lot more next year that'll be in the budget through reserves. And then we'll be we'll be up to date. And that includes FM systems, things like that, too. And we also purchased a lot of new uh um document cameras, if you know what those things are. It's kind of like a modern-day overhead projector. >>
034Um so, we're just trying to upgrade the classroom technology to uh just keep up with what we've been doing. and um the the older smartboards, what happens is after a while you can't really see because the the the projector isn't strong enough anymore and then to upgrade the projector doesn't really make sense. So basically they get something that looks kind of like that like a real big screen in their in their class and it's interactive. >> Thank you. Oh, Dr. Moore, if you don't mind, I have a quick question on the um boilers at Riverview. Um, I thought I remember hearing something not that long ago that their what's their lifespan, I guess. Are we kind of getting close to when they'll need to be actually replaced? >> Yes, we actually have one boiler on
035the budget for the 26 27 school year that we need to replace and soon enough going to be other ones as well too because we having a lot of issues especially with Riverview School. >> Right. So, is this is this kind of to keep us kind of >> through the winter? not stop gap, but >> uh we needed to uh to go through the winter uh to order a new boiler. It was going to it's going to take a while plus it's going to be included in the budgets. We'll have to pass the budget first >> and then uh proceed with the quotes. >> Okay, >> great. Thank you. >> I just want to make sure you that nobody thinks that these are really old boilers. They're not they're like approaching the their re their
036time where where they become obsolete, but they're they're failing prior to what you would expect, which we're not crazy about, but we're going to we're working with our vendors to replace them with something hopefully better that won't that will last longer. Hopefully, we get 20 years out of them. That's our plan is to get at least 20 airs out of the boilers. Okay, if there are no other comments or questions, roll call. >> Mr. Delillis, >> yes. Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Capello, >> yes. >> Mr. Kim, >> yes. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> So, now we'll move to uh good to the cause. Um, if there's uh any uh committee members that want to share anything from the committee meetings, you can feel free to do so. >>
037Can I share my highlights so far? >> Sure. I have um the SS SSDs HIV data was presented new smart panels for all schools. Um Dr. For Dr. calls reviewed goals for 2526 and the donation to Riverview. I'll word it all. I'm just giving you the highlights. >> Anything else to to add? >> Uh yeah, Dr. Moore, I mean um do you want the governance committee to give an update on board goals on the February 9th meeting or the subsequent meeting? Um, do you have any preference? >> Do you? >> Uh, we can give an update on February 9th as to where we are, like a status update. So, >> yeah, let's go ahead and do it then. >> Okay. So, uh, um, Dearis, if that, Miss Gross, if we can include that on the
038agenda for February 9th as well. Thank you. Just as an other comment, I know we have on our list of events, the Valley View Dance is this Friday. Um, on the 30th, it's also Riverview's movie night featuring K-pop Demon Hunters. Any other uh comments or questions before we move forward? Okay. This is the portion of the meeting that is open to any individuals for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda or matters that they find is important to the board of education and is governed by board policy 0167. And we will open it at uh 8 Hello. There we go. Uh, my name is Dave Lure, 9 Wildwood Terrace. Uh, I have a question regarding uh, power conservation. Every time that I have been in Riverview for the last couple of years, uh I
039have been walking up and down the halls doing various events and it seems like there are frequently uh smartboards and other electronic devices on in the various classrooms as well as the marquee uh marquee displays that are up uh near the entrances and in various places. It seems a great waste of money to have all of those things on when the vast majority of time there's nobody there. Uh is this possibly something that we could look into and maybe save the district, you know, a couple hundred dollars on the electric bill and wear and tear on the devices? >> Uh thank you for your question. Is that something you want to >> Sure. Um Dearis, would you look into that? >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Dr. Moore, if I may.
040>> Sure. >> Uh, is this something that maybe the green team might want to look into as well as another goal for the green team as well? >> Maybe like through the education. I know through the EIP we did this system that shuts everything off, but we had a lot of problems with that. So, Dearis will look into it. And Dearis, just just um consider the green team possibility. Maybe there's like an educational component to it as well. Uh, sorry to take more of your time. Uh, apparently, uh, it is not just Riverview, but it's also Valley View and Lake View. It's a a common occurrence across all three schools. >> Thank you again. Okay, seeing that there is uh no one online and no one else coming forward, uh we'll close the uh portion
041of this uh open meeting at uh 8:13. We do have need for executive session after this meeting. So I'd like to move to convene in executive session in accordance with section 8 of the open public meetings act. The purpose of this closed session will be to discuss negotiations, legal, security, and personnel issues. Minutes of this session will be made available to the public when the need for confidentiality no longer exists. I'll second. >> Yay. >> Yes. >> Nays or abstensions. And oh, and we will not be voting afterwards.