001All right. So, at this time, I'm going to ask everyone to stand for the pledge of allegiance. So, tonight we have a uh special presentation from our uh uh school audit team, Brian Co and Man Lee. Um, and I'm just going to ask you guys to to come up. And you have the floor. >> Okay, it's fine. Why you stay you stay? Hello. Uh, I'm Brian Co from Miss Savvata. This is Man Lee. Um, thank you for having us here again to talk about your audit. I did give a small handout to everyone. I'm just going to briefly go over a couple of items. So, first we're we right now your audit is done. It is not ready to be issued. We're waiting on the federal government to issue the single audit compliance supplement. Right
002now, they're projecting it not to be released until next year. So, we're currently in a holding pattern. Um, we're going to get everything done what we need for the oddsum. We're waiting on the state to issue a um some sort of memo whether they want us to issue just the state single audit and wait for the federal or if they want to wait for the whole thing. We'll figure that out within the next two weeks of what they decide to do. But your numbers are not going to change. Everything on this little report and everything in your audit is going to be consistent except for a couple of uh letters in the back of the audit about the federal single audit. All right, so I'll talk about your general fund fund balance. So general fund
003fund balance increased by $920,000, which is great to see. Uh incumbrances remain pretty consistent. Capital reserve increased by 600,000. Unemployment went up a little bit. Your emergency reserve was established this year with uh 300,000. uh the excess that's used every year to balance the budget as fund balance anticipated in a succeeding year is consistent at $200,000 and your unassigned fund balance decreased slightly by $112,000. Now that unassigned fund balance is about 2% of your total expenditures plus an adjustment for your un uh budgeted state aid such as u extraordinary aid and non-public transportation. So that 920,000 is broken down into the numbers below. It's created by excess in revenues, meaning revenues that you received but did not budgeted for and unexpended budget appropriations, but that's offset by surplus dues from the preceding year, prior year
004incumbrances, and budgeted withdrawals from your reserves. So, what we want to see is those revenues and unexpended appropriations being netting out against that budgeted amount that you used to from your prior year's fund balance to make your budget so that it evens out or creates an increase in your fund balance. We don't want to see a decrease in fund balance because you used an excess of fund balance from previous years. On the next page, we go over a couple of your reserves. Uh you can see emergency reserve was set up this year. Uh capital reserve was about 5.45 at the beginning of the year. We withdrew about 1.3 and then we transferred back 1.3 per board resolution and then we had unexpended balances from that withdrawal also to bring your balance for $6 million. And
005this can be used in your long range facilities plan. Uh your your capital plan uh anything in that plan can be this funds can be used for. And then your maintenance reserves started at your maximum of 1.5. We withdrew from the budget, withdrew by resolution. Some of those funds were unexpended. We brought them back in along with a small transfer at the end to get back to your maximum for your maintenance reserve. So that's your general fund. On the last page, I go over your food service fund. So, this is the first year you had food service. June 30th, 2025, we had just the milk program before that. So, the 2024 column is milk and 2025 is food service. So, we had a good year, a $9,000 change in net position positive. We did contribute
00679,000 from general fund, but those were startup costs. And you can see the year before we were already contributing 65,000 every year to fund those lunches that that were unpaid for by students. So we also transferred in some salaries from the general fund for uh lunch coverages as well. So really, you had a good year in your food service fund. You you net it out that it's working out for you. And I believe the program is being expanded this sh uh next year. >> We are trying to spend 26 27 school year uh to incorporate possibly the the two other schools. >> Yeah. Yeah. So so you had a good year there. We're looking forward to see how it goes this year. Um yeah. No recommendations in the report. We'd like to thank Dearis and
007her team for the hard work that you do and for putting up with us as the auditors. We really The auditors aren't everybody's favorite people, but it's nice to see some smiles when we come in. Any questions? All right, great. Well, if you have any questions throughout the year. >> Well, um I guess I guess the one question on folks minds is the um the fiasco that happened in Monontlair and I understand we have some provisions in place to help kind of uh protect us from that and maybe you could just give a little mention of that. >> So, so you're doing a number of things to help keep your fund balance stable and your expenditures within your budget. So when something extraordinary comes out, you don't just pay for it. You have to find
008something else that is going to take its place. So you have statutory expenditures that you're required to do. If new district, new students come in into the district, they are placed outside the district and you have to pay for those things and they're the district's responsibility. You know that you can't just willy-nilly keep spending that money. You have to choose something else not to do. And uh Dearis is great in communicating with me about anything unexpected that comes up throughout the year. So that's your number one thing is you have a consistent business administrator who is communicating with us on a a monthly or sometimes every other week basis depending on what time of year it is, what's coming up, and we work as a team and figure out what has to be done if
009something comes up or a lo local public contract law question. we work together and that communication and your consistent school business administrator is a big deal that's was not happening in other districts let's say. Um, another thing you have is you have a strong fund balance based on the size of your district. Your fund balance is where we want to see it. Um, other districts are sometimes bigger and they don't even have as much fund balance as you have and they really should have had that fund balance that that's your fund balances for a district your size. They don't even have the fund balance that you have and they were unprepared for unexpected expenditures. [clears throat] >> Does that answer your question or give you >> Yeah, I I think so. Are there any additional
010questions around that or >> We talked about a couple other things too. We do the budget to actual with you. We um we do training with the staff about purchasing. Everyone has to review the purchasing manual that the Maris puts together. We have had people who have tried to purchase things without the proper procedures and they have been dealt with. And um also something else I think is really a big step that Dearis does is that our vendors receive a letter from Dearis stating that the board would not be responsible for any any uh purchases that aren't accompanied with an invo with a uh purchase order. So part of the issue in the other district was that there was expenditures being take there was purchases being done with that weren't following the purchasing guidelines and
011our guidelines are pretty strict and we we have um really honed that down right over the last few years. So um yeah we feel like there's a decent amount of stuff in place and I know you did too when we had our conversation. >> Yeah. Thank you. And uh uh thank you both for for coming out and uh thank you Dearis for being an excellent uh business administrator and protecting us. [applause] >> Yes. >> Just so you know those re the recommendations means like they find something that we should not be doing or we should be doing better or we should be doing differently. So, the fact that he said there's no recommendations is really a pretty great thing. And I believe that there's other lot of districts that get a lot of recommendations and
012we haven't had a recommendation in a few years. And it's really because of what you first said talking to you as we go along. Right. When we knew that the when we knew that and I know I was kind of nuts about this when we knew the the medical insurance was going up, but we were on the phone with them saying, "You guys got to figure out something for us. Help us." And basically what you're saying is right, right? something comes in, it's unexpected and you don't have the money, you need to cut something else. And that's basically what we do. So, thank you. >> All right. Well, if you need anything throughout the year, we're around all year round. Reach out to us. We're not just here during audit time. So, let us know
013if you need anything. >> Happy Thanksgiving. Okay. And uh that leads us to uh superintendent's comments. >> Okay. Just two quick things. One is um we are finalizing our updated website with the um with the current vendor. We expect a launch date of right after Christmas. Sandy brought to us another idea which we thought was pretty cool. We were investigating it. It's a chatbot that Sandy learned about from visiting another district and we're looking at that as well. There is a cost and we're in a tight budget. So, it might be something has to be budgeted for next year, but we are looking at possibly adding it this year. So, basically what it would be is like a little chat bot, like if you ever seen it in something where you could type in a
014question and I'll take you through the website. Um, also we just want to let you know that those Acme gift cards we get were used um over this last uh few weeks. We've passed out over $1,000 worth of gift cards that we got from the Albertson's Foundation for families in need in the district. We um I think tonight you're going to be approving $1,500 more dollars in donations from the um Albertson's Foundation. Albertson's like the I guess the parent company of Kings and and Acme and there's a lot of other ones throughout the country. But um this has been something that's been going along. If you ever go to Acme and it says like do you want to round up or you want to donate a dollar, that's where the money comes from. So it's
015it's pretty cool that we get this amount of money. I guess we've gotten I think we're coming up on like this with this one it'll be $9,000 worth of gift cards over the last few years and we've been you know I just want to make sure you guys know that we're using them and um the staff is very happy that they're able to help some of the families that are in need. That's it for superintendents and uh do you have anything for assistant superintendent? >> Not at this time. >> Okay. How about uh business administrator's comments? >> I just wanted to thank the office staff because I don't want to I cannot take the credit for myself for this audit. Uh they are the backbone of the office and they are the one that put
016the order audit together and do most of the backbone work. So I thank you the office staff and uh great work. Thank you. >> And one of them's right in the back there. So that's one of the people that she's talking about, Rebecca. Okay. Uh the next uh item on the agenda is the uh public discussion. Um, that's the portion of the meeting that's open to any individuals for the purpose of addressing resolutions on the agenda or matters that they find uh of importance to the board of education. Um, I'm not seeing anyone online or anyone in the in the room. >> Are we opening up at 8:46? >> 7:46 >> and we can close at 7:47. >> Thank you. >> Next item on the agenda is old business uh action to be taken. I
017guess I'll take that. Um, I uh move that the following resolutions under old business um A uh the uh Treasury of Monies and the board secretary reports, B would be the education reports 1 through six, and C would be minutes from the October 13 meeting and the October 27th meeting. >> I'll second I do the roll call. >> Any comments? >> Comments, questions? >> Roll call. >> Dr. Moore, >> yes. >> Miss Delos, >> yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Cass, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Okay. The next item on the agenda is new business. If uh Mrs. Eststerino could take that. Sure. Um I'll be speaking on behalf of Dino for personnel. Uh I move to approve the following resolutions under personnel. The first would be new hires resignations,
018retirements, employee leaves. That's letters A through D from retroactive home instruction to a resignation cheerleading co coaches and cashing out vacation days. Um number two is the substitute list. Three, the master staff list. Four, retroactively approve an employee for leave of absence under FMLA. And then number five, a leave of absence under New Jersey Family Leave Act. >> I'll second. >> And addendum, we also have E and F to number one, retroactive uh resignation and a replacement start date for an instructional aid. >> I'll second that, too. Any comments or questions? >> Roll call. >> Dr. Moore. >> Yes. >> Mr. Delles, >> yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Cass, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Okay. The next item on the agenda is instruction and program. I'd like to move
019the following resolutions under instruction and program. Under number one is um the New Jersey Association of School Businesses and Officials Conference, uh the powerful strategies for motivating hard-to-reach students, uh New Jersey Buildings and Grounds Association conference, and a uh NJTOL conference uh in New Brunswick. Under number two, we have the uh attached list of field trips. >> I'll second >> I can I make one friendly amendment or request where uh on number on letter B it says using utilizing title two funds. It is not utilizing title two funds. Can that be crossed out? So, someone would have to be okay with that, I guess. >> I agree. >> Thank you. >> Roll call. >> Dr. Moore, >> yes. >> Misselis, >> yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Cass, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson,
020>> yes. Okay. Under governance, uh, if Mr. Ellis could take that. Uh, >> my pleasure. Uh, I move to approve the following resolutions under governance that we, uh, adopt the following policies and regulations as a second reading. Uh, P5600, code of conduct, P-5516, use of electronic and recording devices, and P2363, student use of privately owned technology. For a second reading and adoption. A second. Are there any questions or comments? Roll call. >> Dr. Moore, >> yes. >> Miss Adelis, >> yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Cass, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> And we have uh item D, finance. Mr. Anderson, if you could take that. >> Sure. Sure. If there are no objections, I'd like to move under D finance uh items 1 through 12 as a block. This includes
021our bills list a uh resolution awarding contract to Artic Wolf Security package licenses. Uh item number three is for the uh board of education retroactively approve the attached quote from CDW-G to replace outdated classroom smartboards in the amount of $15,96 paid from maintenance reserves. Item number four is that the board of education approve Stephanie and Mrs. Stephanie Anderson, FCS teacher at Valley View to accept the donation of approximately 28 bags of flour, 128 recipe booklets for the students to keep, 128 dough scrapers for the students to keep, and 64 bread bags to patch package loaves of bread to donate to a local charity. Students in the FCS class for semesters 1 and two will be able to make two loaves of bread, one to keep and one to donate. At number four is that the
022board of education approved donation of $1,500 in gift cards for Acme and Kings Market to be used by families in need from the Albertson Market Foundation. Item number six is for the board of education to approve the revised agreement with Sensory Garden Occupational Therapy to provide physical therapy and occupational therapy services uh at the rates listed in the agenda from November 17th, 2025 through December 17, 2025. Item number seven is for the board of education to approve the agreement with Kid Therapy LLC to provide occupational therapy services at $88 per hour from November 17th, 2025 to December 19th, 2025. Item number eight is for the board of education to approve the attached agreement with the uncommon thread to provide the training trained behavior technician for student support at Lake View School for the remainder of
023the 2526 school year at a cost not to exe exceed $51,870. Item number nine for the board of education to retroactively approve the attached quote 3033 from educateme.net net for classroom audio, instructional and technology, communication, and emergency notification and response to replace the outdated FM systems in the amount of $17,721.80 paid from maintenance reserve. Item number 10 is for the board of education to approve the attached agreement with Barbara Miller PT PA for the 2526 school year to provide physical therapy services to students at $110 per hour as needed and physical therapy evaluations at $475 per evaluation as needed. Item number 11 is on the recommendation of the business administrator. of the board of education approves the membership in the following purchasing co-op co-op which is the interlocal purchasing system tips and number 12 is
024on the recommendation of the business administrator of the board of education approves a membership in the following purchasing cooperative which is PEPM and keystone purchasing network KPM KPN excuse me >> I'll second any Questions or comments? >> Roll call. >> Dr. Moore. >> Yes. >> Mr. Delos. >> Yes. >> Miss Asterino. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cass. >> Yes. >> Mr. Anderson. >> Yes. >> The next item on the agenda is E operations. If Mr. Cass, you could take that. >> Glad to. Under operations transportation number one, I'm asking the board to retroactively approve the attached transportation services agreement for student 20384062. Item two is building and grounds. There'll be no actions to be taken on tonight's agenda. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? >> Roll call. >> Dr. Moore. >> Yes. Mr. Delis, >>
025yes. >> Miss Asterino, >> yes. >> Mr. Cass, >> yes. >> Mr. Anderson, >> yes. >> Next item on the agenda is good of the cause. >> I have um [clears throat] three highlights. One would be the district auditor presented to the um to the board the audit for 2425. The board approved the resolution to replace several smart panels in the district and the board approved res revisions to three policies to provide clear guidance to the public and staff regarding the use the student use of mobile devices in schools. Information from the district will be sent to the public shortly. any other additions to um I just wanted to extend a thank you to all three schools in the district for the Veterans Day assemblies. I thought each school had a unique twist on how
026they you know honored the veterans and how they represented um everything from struggles to successes, poetry, singing. It was just it was a really nice experience throughout the last two weeks. Just one other thing. Um this is the first board meeting after our successful referendum. So I just wanted to bring up that we um did uh win the referendum by 1600 votes which was about a it was a little bit more than 60%. And if you remember the last time there was a question in Dville it used to be the super majority and it lost. So, we still would have won by 60.5% which was good. Um, and I just wanted to make sure everybody knew that the uh referendum passed for the public that's here and uh we're excited about it and we want
027to thank everybody. We did send a letter from James and I to the to the public. So exciting and we're ready to move on with their projects. I just want to tag on on the bets day celebrations. I was able to make uh two of them and I've gone over quite a few now. It's just a phenomenal event uh to see all these young kids sing the patriotic songs and the the resuscit recitations were unbelievable that they can can do those recitations without reading them. Um, so they spent a lot of time rehearsing, I'm sure. And it's good to uh reconnect with some of the uh veterans that I know, but I only see them about one time per year. So, it was it was a a fun time and a job well done. And
028that along with the 9/11 remembrance that we do uh keeps our kids informed of the history in America and a lot of the sacrifices that people have made to give us the great country that we do live in. I'm just going to tag on to as well. Um, thank you to all the teachers, administrators who put those things together. Um, the students for for working so diligently at the Veterans Day. Um, we also got a presentation at the Atlas distribution um, for the Rotary at Lake View and and uh, Riverview. So, thank you to the principal and vice principal of both of those schools. Um, and thank you to the public for voting um, for voting for the referendum and congratulations Don and me for winning and heading over for another term. >> Yes, congratulations.
029Um, does that mean the atlases have gone out? >> Oh, yeah. >> Uh, so we distributed them last Friday. Um, so all third graders get it. So you can all look forward to when you're you have you don't have a third grader yet, right? >> Not yet. >> Next year he'll get he'll get one next year. Okay. >> My son got one last year, the oldest. So he was very excited about it. Yeah. And I I'd also like to add that my oldest son is still singing all the uh patriotic songs around the house and it's really nice to hear and >> Yeah. So, next on the uh agenda is anything uh uh to do with the committee reports. If anyone has uh anything to uh uh speak about or update regarding uh the committees
030that you're a part of, and now would be the appropriate time. [snorts] >> Dr. Moore, can I just go back to one thing for the good of the cause if that's okay? >> Sure. Um, I know we we don't often hear, well, we do maybe sometimes, but we don't often enough hear about the successes uh of our students after they leave our district. And, um, a couple years ago, we had the Valley View girls soccer team came here. They won the county, um, which was fun. And that same group of girls just won the state sectional last week. So, um, they're moving on to the state semi-finals on Wednesday. But uh it's the first time in 16 years that Morris Null's girls soccer has won the state sectional. So it's a super tough sectional. They've
031got four of the top 20 teams in the state that are in it. So it's a it's a really big accomplishment for them. So it's great to hear about their successes both in the classroom and then outside also. And there's a bunch of those kids that are graduating going to D1 schools to play soccer or D3 schools. So they're playing in uh college also. >> All right. So if there's uh nothing else to add, we'll open to the public. >> We'll uh go to the uh open to the public uh section. And again, that's the portion of the meeting that's open to any individuals uh for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda or matters that they find is important to the board of education. Um and we'll open that at 802. >> Go
032ahead. And again, it doesn't look like there's anyone online or anyone in the building. So, we'll close at 8:03. And there's no need for uh executive session. >> Move to adjurnn. I'll