001course I took right then I said that. All right. [laughter] Uh good evening everybody and welcome to our legislative advocacy and community engagement committee meeting for the month of June. Um we have a fair amount to go through um and so we'll sort of jump right in. Um the first thing we're actually going to discuss, we're going to skip around on the agenda a little bit. Um is our delegate assembly. Um and so Miss was our um representative, our delegate for the delegate assembly, which was on May 16th. Um and so um I had asked her if she would put together something to sort of give us a recap about the assembly. And so I'm going to turn it over to her. >> Okay. Um I was lucky enough to attend the delegate assembly and
002it was very interesting. There were six resolutions uh for a vote. Um, the first one didn't pass. Everything else passed. The first one was uh concerning ranked choice voting. It would allow the school districts to utilize rank choice voting if it was adopted by the state of New Jersey. That did not pass. >> I think it was just too confusing. People didn't understand what it was. >> What is it? >> Rank choice is very confusing. It's >> Yeah, it's hard to explain when you have so many candies. New York did it last election and your top two and then you throw out. Yeah, it's it's it's a numbers game. >> It is what it is. Yeah, >> cuz I learned about something for the primaries, not to like switch topics a bit, but it was
003about like the alphabetized candidates versus like something with the counties or something, but that's not choice regular elections if they do ran choice, but they don't have it in New Jersey yet. So, >> okay. I guess it'll stay that way for now. >> Okay. The second round solution did pass. said, "No immigration efforts are permitted in school buildings or on grounds and grounds equals to and from >> on buses or at any events. Bless you." >> Thank you. >> So that was very contentious >> and there was a lot of discussion but it did pass. >> Um I didn't I didn't understand that you know grounds includes everything >> you know. So okay that's in pass. And then um the third resolution um was in reference to pilot which is payment in lie of taxes.
004>> Now school districts it says it was the wording was changed. It said stu school districts shall be involved in discussions pertaining to pilot agreements and share the funds in an effort to offset expenses regardless of whether the building is industrial or residential. Mhm. >> Students should prosper along with the rest of the community. >> Yeah. >> So that was that was interesting which it makes sense. >> Yeah. Right. >> But that's a change because I spoke to the mayor about it. I wanted to know if we were part of the pilot program because that's what everybody was talking about. He said no and it had to be just a warehouse. Now you're saying >> whether it's no matter what. >> Okay. it was being built >> that um this the school district will be
005involved in the in you know the discussions >> because >> I have a question about that. >> Yeah. >> Um if I understand correctly historically those payments include taxes had to be used for recreation or parkland. Are you aware >> not anymore in there? I think it's this pilot program. >> Yes, it's structural >> and they change structures. favorite. >> I think it used to be that way is when we spoke with Woodbridge, right? >> That's what I was just looking at where Woodbridge because the Woodbridge had I just pulled it up the article um that they entered the township from the board of ed. This was almost 10 years ago. Um and the facilities project was to renovate and refill refurbish dozens of community facilities and multi-use athletic fields that were on school properties.
006Um it said this project is outreach to attract new corporate businesses and industry through the use of the payment of taxes. the pilot program. Um, and essentially a typical Woodbridge home or business would have their tax bill divided four ways. Less than 25% to the township and nearly 55% to the board of education with the remainder split between Middle Sex County and the local fire district under a pilot. The tax bill is reduced about 20% to attract the company to Woodbridge and the reduced payment is split with 95% uh going to the township and 5% going to the county. this for this it said that the board of ed didn't receive any of the pilot funds but then I remember Dan Harris coming to one of our legislative meetings and I think later on in
007like 2018 they started working together to have pilot programs that did benefit the board of education and so I I actually had reached out to him he's no longer on the board now he's a councilman um but because the things that he was sharing at that meeting it was almost a year ago now were so interesting um about how they were able to make it work right Um, and I felt like if someone in our county can do it, then like we should be able to do it as well. Um, I don't know if each town has their own ordinances that maybe that was the reason why we couldn't benefit from it. Um, but I still feel like >> if there's a way, then we should try. >> We should try and I called the
008mayor on it to see if we have part if we took part in any kind of pilot programs. He said, "Not at the moment." And we are at capacity with all of our uh warehouses. They're all up to date. So, they couldn't even put in for that. >> So, they have to put in if they want to renovate, I guess, tear down and do some things to it. Then, if they get the pilot program, it it can come to us. But there was nothing in the town at the time that actually served that. So, >> yeah, I was trying to find this 2018 one. Since 2018, Whippers has provided nearly $200 million to its public school district from pilot programs payments and they said that's more than the rest of the state combined. Um this
009was an article from 2025. So um I would love to know like it says um pilots explained um up upcoming Woodward pilots. Um, so some of the things they did was there was a million square foot warehouse um that they had that uh there was uh a hotel um a residential complex. So I feel like residential I mean I've seen other things too maybe not warehouses but other commercial buildings that have happened but certainly residential as well. >> Um so >> but it doesn't necessarily have to be residential. That would be the increase. >> Was that resial? I thought >> Yeah. Why not industrial, >> right? Industrial. >> Well, so the resolution doesn't change the law. It just changes the school board's position on what they'll advocate for at the with the legislators. But perhaps
010then this is a situation where like a an actual resolution like from our district perhaps I know we had had like the impact fee resolution um but maybe one targeting pilot programs um whether it's to the township or to our our legislators just asking for >> change at some point because if Woodbridge was able to use um pilot resources to >> you know for the school If I I fact check me on this, but if I recall because we had a conversation, they were able to do it because there were shared use recreational fields. >> It it was either it was either one way or the other way. The the municipality and the district shared recreational use deals with football, soccer, whatever. And because it was wreck owned, maybe that's why. So I believe the
011way it was explained, excuse me, was that the district was able to benefit of the of the recouping of the municipal revenues because of the ability because of the way that they shared the similar >> not unlike our tennis court. If the right if the town got um revenue in lower taxes and decided to put money into tennis court, yeah, of course, >> right? My guess it was something similar to that because at the time we had kind of asked I think that was the whole point of the meeting was after the referendum we had asked if they would me if they could advise us to a method to take advantage of of of such a revenue recapturing mechanism and I believe they had saved uh they had shared with us it was because they
012were able to work under the partnership with the municipality which is why those monies were able to benefit the district. Um, Gail, do you know if I know schoolboard has all of these different trainings that they'll come out and do for us? I know we've spoken about having those. Um, and I know it's a challenge for us to get them on the agenda, you know, or schedules, I should say, but I'm wondering if there is a training that goes into pilot programs or things like that because I feel like this is something that we've spoken about for a while and I feel if we can get more information about it perhaps from school boards um, and then maybe we can really have these discussions that could possibly benefit, you know, both the taxpayer and the
013school district. It can't hurt us. At least we get information. >> I did I did ask Mary and she I had asked her to do an epics training over the summertime when it she said you were down for May. I said we can't right now and she said she understood. So, um I can ask her about that, but I mean I do want us to do either an ethics training or um what else would anybody request for the summer, >> right? I mean there's there's a whole bunch of the topics I've seen on there, but perhaps doing a board retreat and then we can do See, that's board retreat would be a timeconsuming thing. I I think you'd have to do I would say to do a sat a Saturday morning >> for a board
014retreat because you need more time. Maryann's going to come to the meeting >> and if she does ethics or pilot, >> she speaks at the meet just before our meeting >> and it doesn't give you enough time if you're going to go into something more deeper like and I agree with that. I think a board retreat would be wonderful and but >> some people don't I don't know if they work Saturdays or can't give us a time. It doesn't have to be the full majority, >> right? >> Okay. It just >> you have to have six. >> You have to have at least six. And I can check with Maryanne if she can do something like that, but it would have to be uh a Saturday. >> Okay. >> You know, and she told that
015she did tell me because I asked her about it, >> right? I mean, depending on the Saturday, as long as I don't have anything, I'm happy to come. I I know we'd have to check and I know everyone has their own schedules, right? So, you have to make sure we can get at least six people on whatever day it is. Um, but I do feel like there are several trainings that either would be good for our board for purposes of, you know, serving what we're doing here or possible programs that we can use to benefit for the future. >> Um, and we can look at that list. I know. I think it's actually right around that same spot on the website where I found the calendar. I just looked at it yesterday and and she,
016you know, >> I told her I would get back to her with something to do over the summer. I would like to do a board retreat. I think this the board needs it and with um different topics, right? >> And I don't know what she would go with if she would include ethics in it and what else we would like to be have her speak about. So, um I mean I think a Saturday it's tough in the summertime because people go away and you know might have to be like back in September and October. >> And there's one about goal setting. So if we're doing our goal that might be nice and >> we've done a good job with goal setting here and I think we've done a good job um about following them and
017and keeping them up and the four years I've been here I've never thought anybody had any problems with that. I mean, I just feel like it's like using data effectively, right? >> Yeah. If she can give us more information about anything, but >> I do think one of the things that like in my time on the board that we've not done as well is sort of assessing our board goals, right? We've all set our goals. Um, but we don't necessarily I mean, you know, we try to make them write those smart goals, right? The I'm going into my teacher brain here, right? But I don't feel like we always assess what we've done as a data component. >> Like Charlie Zer likes data. >> Charlie, he wants to know that if something is there, he
018wants the data. I think he's he's right. >> He's right. He wants to see data. So that >> right. So that might be what the talk about. That might be the um like the retreat. M >> I mean since we would do the goals >> in July you have the whole month of August >> right >> you know really it's with summer and vacations I don't know but if we did se beginning September is going to be tough so it would have to be October >> and then you got school boards conventions before or after I I mean now >> really our calendars are so jam-packed we would just have to pick a date and do it >> I mean if I do it in one of the like because we don't always have a
019lot going on for our committees. No, for >> In July. So maybe in lie of having a committee meeting because we already have that time set aside and most of us are on at least like one committee that would meet that night anyway. So it's blocked off. So we would have like a two to three hour chunk where we could get into some of these things and then it's not taking additional time away from you know personal life. >> Would everybody in on this um committee be able to give a Saturday short retreat? >> Saturday morning is fine. So I think that would be good like 9 to 12. Yeah. >> 9 to 12. Whenever Maryanne feels that she Okay. >> Summer honestly easiest for me once we get into the fallest >> assessing goal
020progress. Okay. >> Great. And there's other ones on here like you can even like I don't know if you wanted to do this but you can even send out different things that are listed and if other people have things on here, you know, there's one about like education reform initiatives. There's one about effective year round communication which like I feel like for this committee would be really good. Like I think we do a good job. I always feel like there's ideas out there that can, you know, we always try strive to improve and like find new ways of, you know, getting even more engaged. Um, there's also one specifically about public and community engagement, which again, I feel like we do, but I just think, um, there's a lot of different options on here. >>
021Let me see what Maryann says about which is the hot topics that she talks about, right? And what boards are really looking for, right? And if it's what we're talking about here, then we're right on. So, >> okay. All right, sounds good. I know we drifted off a little bit. Um, >> yeah, that's fine. It's fine. >> Okay. And the fourth resolution was it requested new policy language in the school funding formula to take into account when the ability uh for a municipality to create ratables is limited due to restrictions in land use. >> This is what we were talking about. So, there are some legislators up in the Highlands section of the state um where they have almost like we have a negative impact on the funding formula from the way that they calculate
022our our our local wealth. They have a similar issue that um because of the the way that their lands are the water or something, >> right? There's something that they like it affects them very negatively. Um because I actually have a friend who's a music teacher up in in West Mur actually. So, you know, I've seen a lot of her posts and um their legislators have been pretty forthcoming about trying to advocate for changes. Um you know, even going so far as to suggest different allocations for all of the districts in the that area, right? I don't know if it's county specific, but um all there's like maybe 20 different school districts that they've suggested like can use additional funding because of the negative penalty that's come from this. Um, so I know like that
023was probably the catalyst for that resolution. Um, but it obviously would benefit other districts as well. >> And there's also I I had a town meeting next week which is a county meeting for all um leaders of NOSA and actually I read an article and I don't remember where it was. Civility starts with us and that's going to be a new initiative and actually there was a district that just adopted it. >> Right. Yes. Sparta and there was someone else that had already done it. So, >> so we're going to talk about the there are two districts that passed it to be their speakings. So, we know more about that. So, that's a new that's a new topic. >> They actually invited the legislative committee to come to your to the to the same meeting.
024So, right email um it's going to be talking about the fiscal cliff. So, the superintendent from West Windsor >> and Westfield are going to be talking. Yes. Um, and it's also going to have representative from Brown and Brown discussing the future of healthcare costs. Um, and then the civility starts request thing. Um, that's been a discussion from schoolboard for a little while. It actually came up in the fall from our legislative meeting. Um, because there was a discussion about how there's nothing regarding civility in the code of ethics. And I had mentioned we actually had put an optional clause in there that like essentially it's more just to hold us accountable to ourselves, right? like the state, it's not a state mandate. So, you know, if someone chooses not to follow it, that's, you know,
025not anything that they can penalize a board member for. >> Um, but they had asked me to send that to them, um, to see sort of what it said. But they have a whole new section on the website about civility um and just trying to work together and um you know also like you know the trust between the elected board members and the community um and how sometimes you know everyone is entitled to their opinions. I think, you know, no one will disagree with that, but the way sometimes that people um share like the rhetoric that's used against disagreements gets to a point where there's a lot of people who would never want to volunteer for a position because you, you know, nobody wants to have to deal with some of the things that we've
026seen over the last several years, right? and sort of talking about trying to leave that civility um so that you know everybody can have your disagreements but in a civil way. >> Well, that could be part of it also be uh Saturday with this issue. So I think that's part of ethics and ethics towards each other >> which is I that was my concern about fabric with ethics towards each other towards each yeah towards each other. >> Scooby snack make me >> uh it was Sparta and Great Meadows in Warren County. Those are the two that have passed the civility resolution. >> They just passed it. >> Um you know I don't think it I think it would be good to pass but that's ultimately not my choice. Um I think we've been >> speak
027about all of our issues. >> Um and then the website has several resolutions, not resolutions, resources, including the resolution about the positive benefits of stability, which you know, it goes into a lot of detail, but um >> it's kind of a no-brainer. We need civility. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Or Vanessa. >> No, it's fine. >> I told her that we might go into V. She like, "How deep should I go?" I was like, "We'll probably go deep." Right. >> Okay. The fifth resolution was um said additional policy language as needed to the NJSBA's manual of positions and policies on education that supports equitable pricing, transpar transparency, and cooperative purchasing opportunities for instructional materials and digital educational resources while preserving local board authority over curriculum decisions. Now, what this was, it was um it was basically
028that everyone should have the same pricing. You know, if you're going I guess through what this the the state or whatever they they're they're, you know, their recommendation is but it should be the same across the board. Now, say one school district shouldn't get one price >> while another school district gets a different price. You know, they there should be some balance to it. And there's no, they said there's there's really no transparency. You don't know what South Brunswick paid for, I guess, you know, for materials. >> Oh, wow. >> Yeah. >> I know that there's like the co-ops. I know we're part of some of them. I know that there's several different ones, though. So, I don't know if different co-ops get different pricing >> because if that's consistent across the board. So I
029so I believe the co-ops when they get their uh pricing they receive pricing from whoever is quoting them based on probably their volume of sales right so one co-op based different than than another co-op for similar items but again that's why we belong to multiple co-ops >> right >> when it comes to dealing with private businesses right so if you're looking at a textbook company or something like that um I don't know what the other districts are, but we can when we go to negotiate, when we go to um you know, purchase something, we're a decent sized district, so we're buying a decent volume. >> I would think, as in most things, when you buy volume, it's probably cheaper than when you buy one, >> right? So maybe what they're saying is if you're a
030small district, you're being negatively impacted, not have the purchasing power of a larger district. I don't think it's about the co-ops. I think it's about >> probably those oneoffs like subscription pricing or you know we >> we have 7,000 students we get a 7,000 student price as opposed to% >> because they don't scale their their goods based on individual district needs. We run into this problem with with apparel. um it would be much more effective for us to buy apparel at $10,000 or 10,000 pieces rather than individual 50 to 100 chunks, >> right? >> Um there's just no need for purchase. Whereas like the city of of, you know, Atlantic City, for example, is going to get a better rate than us to scale, >> right? >> Um then you think about like a cranberry
031or rose park or something like that. They're not going to be able to reap the benefits I get at the negotiating table when I'm bringing that type of volume to like a raw hill. >> And they tell you that they don't negotiate, but they do. >> Right. And I guess there's just a lot of things that >> can't necessarily be purchased through a co-op, right? That it's >> the more and more briefly the STEM items. Uh the more unique the item, the more challenging it is to get good at good cost. Correct. Or from an approved vendor. Um, and I always use there's a great example that I've used like with welding gas. Like if I could just go to like the guide to hardware store and get it, it would be so much easier.
032It's probably cheaper and you have to go through like improved vendor and everything. So >> yeah. >> Okay. >> But again, any cost savings and streamlining would benefit all districts. We'd love to probably get the pricing that Newark does or whatever if we're buying the same textbooks or whatever. >> Um, just like a small district. we would love to probably get what we get, >> right? >> So >> that makes a lot of sense because the districts that are also not getting money from the state, if they leverage this across the board, that might save all the districts that losing or not gaining a lot, but we'll save by doing something like this. >> So it does sound like >> and they should just take it all the way. Make sure that small districts get
033the same type of follow-up support that we would get, right? Yeah, we get better customer service at small district, >> right? >> Yeah, you're exactly right. >> Like trainings like that. So like we I would if I I called if I called for a training, we would involve a small school, >> right? Right. >> That's not fair. It's small. >> They should all be equal. I mean, they're trying to give the same u opportunities to their students as we are. So >> yeah. And I think that is the whole point of having the co-op >> to give any purchasing power for pens, pencils, um band uniforms, transportation to districts across the board, right? Because there is no uh price is the price, right? They got the price from whoever they're working with and they're passing
034along that price whoever's uh you know involved in that co-op. So I think there is an attempt to do that, but maybe this is referring to something else that's maybe >> not necessarily under the umbrella of that possibly. >> Mhm. >> sounds good. >> Any any cost saving opportunities for anybody I think is >> Oh, you're all we'd be all in on. So >> and you said they passed that, right? >> Yes. Yes, they all passed. >> Okay. And uh last resolution of resolution number six was um pertaining to uh vocational technical schools and they they they have to be represented equally as colleges and things like that and it has to be presented to um students and families the same. That's basically what it was. >> Is this this is the resolution six? >>
035Yes, that's what they spoke about. >> Okay. Yeah. So, like I was just reading it because I actually thought it was really interesting because it says the resolution proposes updating the policy to increase their representation for sending districts on county vocational school boards of estimate while maintaining county oversight. It calls for transparency, accountability, and more predictable tuition setting practices. Um and so then the resolution subcommittee um they recommended approval of it but then they said that um they would uh have a resolve clause which is sort of just a small change in it um that that said like it's um that the governance and advisory structures for the county vote school district should reflect shared responsibility between the counties um and the local sending districts. Um and that the school school board representation believes governance
036models for the county vote should encourage the creation of an advisory structure. Thanks for the booklet by the way. Um [laughter] that allows the local districts to review tuition meth methodologies, long-term capital plans and fiscal impacts. Um, and so I thought that was kind of interesting because, you know, we sort of discussed the whether like how the county can sort of play a role in relieving certain costs for, you know, school districts. And I know like we have some great, you know, votech programs. We also are lucky enough in our our district to have a lot of these programs in our, you know, our home school, which I know >> compared to some other districts, you know, they don't have that. Um, but this one to me it seemed to sort of go to a
037lot of different places. Like I wasn't really sure what a lot of representation. >> There was a discussion on that. >> It was basically because they said they're not represented. >> Okay. >> As well as if you know mostly they said that um kids are are guided toward college. So they don't so that >> you're talking second postsecary education, >> right? instead of they should get as much encouragement to attend a vocational school which which would allow them to have. >> So I I so I think I understand. So you have um there was some there was an article years ago which is likely unrelated to this where schools were being criticized because they were not um they were not promoting and informing the public enough about the hazat assistant which would be someone that
038potentially want to the armed services and the thought would be you know grew up in the 90s sav >> yeah but there was a thought that if you didn't go to college you or you did something wrong. right >> now that that sentiment is thankfully has has shifted I think and I particularly I think we've done a nice job in Monroe of shifting oh sentiment um but not all districts are doing that right >> um and there were some sentiments that districts were not only not being forthcoming but they are also repressing information to protect data points like uh placement into um for your schools which is at for at one point in time was the only step that matter There was a part of that discussion that was even um targeted towards community colleges
039which was also being a tick mark as a failure as a prestige >> and schools were were not uh were were and I remember was when we were I was taking personal finance there was a thought that a participation in the community college or accounting college was seen as a failure. >> Yeah. >> And in fact two-year schools I believe were delineated as a data point. Yeah. >> Um I don't even I don't know if it still is but um there was a movement to stop delineating mean sex went apart that needs their name or middle sex community college. >> Middle sex college is phenomenal to go to county college. >> You know you want you want to save money you go there if you you know and then they get a certain GPA they
040just go to that four-year college and that's where good degrees. I just want to applaud you guys because I I'm looked at the in-depth research on this and I don't think that's where they're going with this. Um because it's talking about the county vocational school districts and then it talks um it says the maximum tuition rate that a county vocational school district can charge a sending district is calculated separately for different programs. Um and that the tuition rate may not exceed the net actual cost per student. um talks about how their >> Edison magnet is not treated the same as East Brunswick, >> right? And then it says that like sending district obligations. It goes into each resident district board of education um has to ensure that resident students may apply to county votech schools.
041Um presents an obligation to provide this votech with opportunities to present which I I know we have. Um and then it goes into resident district board of educations must pay tuition and transportation costs. But that was affected by enrollment and that reserved our point was that it it's all I think it depends on what sending districts. >> Well, that's what I wanted to find out because I don't think we pay tuition for the vote. >> We pay we pay for the pay transportation, >> right? But not tuition because it says tuition and transportation costs for any resident student attending a county vocational school district unless the student attends a vocational school in a non-resident county. and the res the votech in the same county offers the same program and or the student attends the marine
042academy of science technology but lives outside of mammoth county um like so like certain things but it's going into the cost of the county vote of like the tuition and I didn't >> probably broad in general >> that's what it sounds like >> not everybody does the same not not every county is run the same way >> so there are some counties where the funding district may have the pay sort of like what we have to do for charter schools essentially Okay. >> And I know years ago if you went to wanted to go to Middle Sex, but they didn't have the course that you wanted, but um what's the the one down here? >> Right. But those are county colleges. >> County College, but then you could go there and still pay the same
043amount because >> excuse me, little six years ago didn't have it, >> right? So, >> but I think like the confusion and this is where I was getting confused like this isn't about college at all. It's essentially about like the East Brunswick Magnet School, right? or like the Edison mag like these different vote schools that are high school kids >> um as opposed to like what you're saying which is also like valid point but I think that's where I got confused but maybe sort of what Dr. Leman said where there's like >> the same treatment. >> It sounds like there's a a call for transparency but also there is this peace and bot access in there. Um, you know, that was the second thing you talked about was about us making sure we're bringing in
044the the opportunities and presenting that. >> Yeah, because we actually I take calls from uh I took a couple calls from the schools making just saying, "Hey, what do you need from us?" I ended up routing it to evaluates um to get kids aware of the programs. You know, they so it just basically um empowers the counselors to make students aware of the programs outside of a minor high school that would potentially be aware available to children. Um my presumption just listening to this now and it's uncomfortable truth, not all magnet schools are treated the same, >> right? And you have the magnet school of medicine that is looking for a certain type of student and you have magnet schools right that are better looking and they're likely is a disproportionate allocation of talent personnel
045resources and attention >> and my guess is that's what and my guess that's >> right I think the tuition part was what got me confused because I've never seen >> that's yeah and that's where like that's why at first I thought the same things as what you were saying, but then when I looked into it, it's like it was said it's all about these the vocational schools for the high school. It also mentions like that sending districts should have representation on like the county vote boards, but do do we have that? >> I think they do. We have representation as like but I know there's representation on the uh board for the uh county for those schools for >> I don't know if we had anybody >> right but we're sitt on the county >>
046no but I know that they do have outsiders sitting on their board so um I don't know I mean middle sex my gosh I tell people all the time when they ask me I go there that's a a great two-year college And for Middle Sex County, my daughter went there for two years and then she transferred to Ruckers. >> I think you can go for four years now, >> I think. So, depends on what you're what you're taking. You can go four years. I mean, that's uh somebody's on the board there from um >> what's his name? >> Andy, I think it was more about the track like because you can there they we offer a lot of vocational courses here, right? >> Not a lot of schools offer as much. >> Yes. [clears throat]
047So they're not like guided toward going to a magnet school. >> Perfect example. We don't want cosmetology here. I bring up we we want to make sure that students are aware. This is this is the act of the county schools of us, right? >> Make sure the students wear if they want cosmetology, they can come here. >> Yeah. And we do that, right? You know, if there's something that we can't do here, >> um we those counselors at the middle school specifically, >> they do a fine job of making sure those students are aware. >> We're very fortunate. And I'll give you another example. >> We are fortunate >> the district um we do have several students that go to Edison for their magnet program, >> but they still participate in our co-curriculars because you
048know they're in fact uh we just celebrated one of them not too long ago you know and he is a tremendous contributor to our program. >> Um so it's uh but but my get my presumption is that's not at the >> right. I think that's what I was seeing although like besides the tuition part which was confusing me because I didn't think we did for the high school Bex any tuition from our district um just the transportation costs that you know you had mentioned but it's that eighth grade making sure that the students are being given opportunities to learn about all of the programs that they can go to and not just sort of what you were saying being targeted to certain ones more than others. um and making sure that you know and I
049think you sort of talked about this even like last year that the students and like the parents are aware of those options and um so I think like the voteexs are like you know we want to make sure that we're all being given as much attention as possible so that students can consider us for their you know where they're going to go to high school. Um and then the tuition part which again I don't think is applicable to us. That's what that sounds like, which you're saying, but also >> making sure that they have enough information to go on to college from the magnet schools. And that to me is what that resolution sounds like. I mean, I could be wrong. >> Only once I read the details of it. >> Well, you'll read more
050details. I'm just saying what what Vanessa read. It just sound like we're trying to be equity for the magnet schools in order for them to go on like they're not going to go to Middle Sex for cosmetology. I would think. I don't know if they have it there. I really don't know. >> No, but they could go. No, they would probably go study in high school and then go get their certificate, >> right? I know I know in my town they they start working while they're in high school, >> right? >> Because I know somebody from Miltown that she didn't want to go to college, a friend of mine's daughter, she's in cogntology out of high school. So, she finished a little and then she's doing it now. what what we do now just more
051of a curriculum discussion but since it's the you know we when we talk to our high schoolers about particularly because I supervised the CTE programs is we first identify um is there a certification >> yes >> um that you will need in most positions now yes what do you need to get that certification is it four-year school >> if not is it two-year school and then the conversation well what do you need to do as far as your growth after you start to work some people need to go move out of the house but that conversation has evolved along alongside of the job market of course >> you know again I don't know what people are studying these days in undergraduate but hopefully lined up with a job that's going to be around >> right
052>> uh that those options are shrinking so uh students are actively pursuing certificate programs now us more expeditiously which is why you're seeing such a push now for vocational thing >> and certifications and I would like to see clearer pathways and more statebacked uh and state insured pathways to certification programs at a young age. Yes. >> Because right now we are just bound by the legalities of adulthood to get these kids really trained. We have to wait. I would love to see a way for the schools public schools >> by way of public funding to uh get kids certificate programs sooner, >> right? And instead of making them pay when they graduate without certification, go into whatever they want. >> Don't make them go spend $100,000 on a, you know, unnecessary. >> Right. Thank you.
053>> All right. Okay. Sounds good. Anything else? All right. Well, thank you for recapping all that was. I appreciate it. Of course. Um, so then the next topic on our agenda is um just the legislative update. Uh we had a schoolboard legislative committee meeting on May 30th. Um and so I had shared um with the committee um which is also available to the public um just a couple of the things that were shared with us um at the meeting um which is kind of fun because this isn't something that's sent to the entire like everyone that's in schoolboard association. So, like it's fun to sort of see some of these more targeted legislative updates that, you know, maybe aren't on the um like that brief, that capital brief that, you know, they they publish. Um
054and um so just kind of going through it really quick. I'm going to go uh into the one that says uh legislative committee update. They kind of look exactly the same, but it's uh it's more of a PowerPoint presentation, I guess, if that makes sense. If if you're if you have it open, it's 20 the 22 page one. Um but this is sort of what they sort of use at our meeting to provide the updates to us. Um so they started off with an update on the budget. Um and they you know they shared links to the different hearings um so we're publicly on there um as well as other resources for the budget. Um, it also had the link on here to um the Q&A from the New Jersey Department of Education, um, the
055commissioner's testimony um, and the analysis uh, that was done by the OS, which is the Office of Legislative Services, I think. Okay, cool. Um, and so then they said the next steps is that the governor would hopefully sign bill by June 30th. Um, it also mentions an appropriations bill. That's obviously something that we hope to see something in. Um, we never know for sure until it's presented. Um, but I feel like if it hasn't already been introduced, perhaps it's worth us sending a friendly reminder about asking for assistance. Um, and then it mentioned a couple of highlights. Uh, it talks about fiscal training for board members. Um the school funding modernization says the funding formula is nearly two decades old and it's no longer fully reflects the current educational cost for student needs and it
056mentions that they're going to undertake a comprehensive modernization of the formula so that future funding decisions are based on updated data on sustainable fiscal capacity. Um, you know, one of the things that I had actually brought up, I don't think I think it was at our the March meeting that I had there is that it would be really good for them to have a committee of, you know, schoolboard members with the Department of Education working on this sort of like they have different task force um so that they can have that voice on there as well. um because a lot of times they might have a representative from like the schoolboard association, but they don't necessarily have that direct um I guess impact or like information that someone who's in a school board would have
057that knowledge. Um so I you know I guess we'll see what happens. This is not the first time that we've heard it they're going to look at it. Um but it is the first time that we've heard it from this commissioner with this governor and so you know that's all we can do is hope that we'll see something. Um it also mentioned um the NJ4S and Spark. Um so uh we actually had a curriculum meeting um regarding MJ4S um which provide different services for like mental health and um >> basically mental health services for our students >> and we're going to continue working with them as they transition to Spark and whatever Spark looks like. >> Yeah. Let's see. I got a feeling Spark is going to push the resources closer to home more locally.
058Uh DC well NG4s is more regional. So I think uh the whole thought process is getting those resources closer to home, maybe more uh more locations and or even taking the funding and allocating it directly to school districts to utilize. So, uh, that's kind of what we've heard, but again, they're that's a work in progress at Spark program, which is why we're going to continue going with MJ4s until they transition. >> Right. And then, um, we go down. So, page, uh, eight, it says noteworthy bill movements. Um, so then page nine, it has bills that are about school funding. Um, it just sort of gives a little update. So there's one about ending permanently the use of census based funding for special education. Um so these were this was approved by the Senate Education Committee
059May 11th. Um it talks about Renaissance school payments which is payments for non-resident students. Um this was a passed by the assembly like the full assembly as well as the the senate education committee. Um as of years it hadn't been passed by the whole senate yet. Um and it also discussed the transportation for homeless students. Um it says require state to bear partial cost in transportation certain homeless students to school. That was also done by the state the senate education committee on May 11th because they were busy that day. Um then the next part is about labor and staffing. Um if you have any questions or any comments just interrupt um just because I don't want to take too long on shitty we don't need to. Um it goes into job posting requirements. Um, and
060it goes into a lot of details about like what students should not be done, but essentially just saying that the employers should remove job posting once position was filled. Um, it also, you know, mentions like different fines and other things that school districts would need to do in terms of posting jobs. Um, some of these probably are already done and then they're just putting them into law. Others might be changes. Then um there's a bill about the employment of reemployment of retired business administrators which would allow retired school PAs to become re-employed uh for periods of longer than two years because I'm guessing right now that's not allowed. I I don't actually know but >> y >> okay um just looking really quick uh there's uh the next one is the link to subsidize school
061meals application. Um, this is something we've talked about here. Um, this is on page 12. Um, so it's on the governor's desk. It may have been signed by now, but as of May 30th, that's where it was. Um, and it requires public schools to post a link to the subsidized school meals application and certainformational videos related to the application uh in a prominent place on the the district website. Um, so I know we definitely have a link to it on the website. I don't know if they're suggesting that almost like with the notices for meetings, it needs to be like click here like a almost like a window in itself that you know you have to go to like a drop down and then see it on another page. Um I also and I I
062think uh Mr. Moralda, we had actually spoken about this at like a previous meeting um about possible helpful videos and I remember you had said doing something similar to videos that were done for another thing but I don't remember what that was but sort of helping assist you take a look. My guess is they're going to write this into law. are going to provide some videos as well be some standardized videos from the department of you know child affairs or something like that that will guide parents and multilingual multilingual versions through you know the importance of filling this out um that would be my guess it would be uh they've done similar things with chronic absenteeism right that's a huge focus on the in the state right now so they have videos that districts can
063use as they uh you know try to address those concerns So, I would think when this goes into place, they will support those resources >> as opposed to leading individual districts up to uh creating their own content. >> Okay. Um, sounds good. Uh, oh, the other one that I found really interesting um was the discussion of uniform uh spring break. So, I actually found like it was very interesting that they're targeting like spring break and not like a full catch. >> I guess it's like, you know, let's try to see how this works. >> Yeah. But this actually um was then brought to the Senate committee um for a second reading. Um, and you know, I feel like there's multiple perspectives on this because I understand it's hard like there's times and I know like
064our administration but not required to be implemented, >> right? >> So, they wanted to basically pick a week that is is the suggested week to promote districts to have a common week, but you don't have to use it. That's basically kind of what they said. >> Okay. Did you realize too that a lot of your teachers like teach in Monroe but live in another town like I have in my family, >> right? >> My daughter teaches in New Brunswick and my grandson goes to East Brunswick. So when they don't have the same time off and spring break, >> I I mean I love having them, you know, for the week, but I mean that's there where and you do have a lot of teachers that don't live in your area, right? So for that reason,
065I could see it. And they they mentioned that in there about uh >> coordinating families opportunity to have >> I I can see that. >> Yeah. For a very one time I had to deal with that when I was teaching in Raleigh, but luckily I also had Dave who was teaching in Monroe. So we aligned with Sam's calendar. But you know it's like I we've got people here that deal with that too, right? Like it's uh you know and then you especially if you have two parents who are in education, right? they maybe work in different districts that they live in and then you know there's there's three school calendars you have to deal with and they're all different and so it's definitely a lot but it could be hard to be aligned as well.
066So >> mostly teachers with their children they're all welcome >> I like that >> um so that was sort of the gist of what was discussed at that meeting. Um, I had shared something that we got. I don't know if everyone got it through the schoolboard association, but it was um the advocacy agenda from the National School Board Association. I found that kind of interesting. Um, we talk a lot about like state advocacy and state legislation. Um, we don't talk as much about federal stuff and so what was on there was pretty big stuff, right? like um you know just sort of ensuring that you know it's funding the you know IDA right the uh individuals with disabilities education act and you know retaining educators in the workforce and stuff but I do think and
067I know like we we're going to talk about goals um I don't know if I'd want this to necessarily be our committee goal but maybe worth discussing looking more at federal advocacy and like legislation because I feel like that's something we haven't done as much of at our on this committee. Um, which I've been on since this this has been the one committee I've been on every single year. Um, and so I do think it would be good for us to look a little bit more at that. Um, but also knowing that the chances of us having an impact on changing things is much harder. So there's probably a reason why we don't do that. Um, but I did just I wanted to share that and it's on the agenda so the public has access
068to it as well. um just because I found like some of the things on there um you know were worth looking at. Uh and then just the last thing I put on here was a community engagement date which I sort of just kept very broad. Um so I did find out when I came in. I haven't gotten it yet but we um have information in the moder news which um thank you Mr. Oliver for putting that together. I didn't receive it yet, so I can't tell you what's in there, but um I think it's great that we have this partnership that it's been a year now, right? >> It's been uh wonderful. Uh it's been a pleasure collaborating, uh with Miss Kennedy's office across the street. >> Um and I think what's nice is that
069it's it's one of the unexpected benefits of it has is is it's given us an opportunity to kind of streamline some of the things that we've been focusing on and that we know are important to the community. you know, the Apple dark project was um important not just, you know, for the sake of teaching and learning, but also to show that the town and the school district are committed to first singular purpose. >> Um, but it's also an opportunity for us to to convey information that might not necessarily be easily conveyed. >> And I have to be honest with you, I don't remember what we submitted. Oh, no, I do. >> Because we submitted >> kindergarten and kindergarten and we uh spoke about algorithm. I believe we covered the rec recent partnership with Princeton University.
070>> Oh. >> So, you know, we we we have we usually will get seven to eight topics um that we have because it's it's quarterly quarterly. >> Yes. >> And then I'll I'll let Miss Kennedy know what we're thinking about and sometimes you give some feedback. But then what we try to do is just like any other journalist try to run a story that uh we think the community would be interested in hearing about. You know, it's not always be nice. I could if it was up to me it'd be all about wrestling and robotics. You know, we we um try to, you know, spread whatever information that would be useful to the the constituents and we know that that's a different audience that may not be going on Facebook or reading one of the
071many millions of emails I send out under Kelly's public >> and it hits all the senior areas because I got it in my my mailbox today. So, everybody that lives in the senior areas got it and the front page was on Apple and when you went back farther it was on kindergarten. And I heard there was a stunning photo right on the front. >> There was like >> I hate I hate pictures. >> Um >> and it was on the front. My husband said, "Oh, your picture." I saw >> tremendous media value. >> Excuse me. >> I said tremendous media then. Front page top. >> People pay good money for that. >> I didn't know if there was more people want my autograph. I mean, you know, but uh and the article inside about the
072full day kindergarten was just was great. So you're really it it really put us on the map with this edition. Well, and what's nice about process is that that full day kindergarten article was literally just an adaptation of our presentation, right? Mloud's presentation that committee and we just put it into narrative for you know because not everyone tunes in. So if you notice even the sequencing of the way that the article was structured >> um we went right through through the deck. >> Um and then you know what we'll do is I think the next time I'll probably have to submit August 1st I believe first September publication. What we normally try to do is preview the school year, >> uh, put out an athletic schedule and things like that just so everyone can be
073ready to go. >> And, and Mr. Tay gave a wonderful report tonight from VGT, so give everybody an update of how things are going through the summer and what's being completed in September. I think that's important for people to know that your schools are be we're being proactive in this district and that this is going to be completed, this is going to be completed, you know. So to me that would be a nice topic for it. So I mean Mr. Tay gave a good report on >> Yeah. Yeah. And then and that's something that Dr. Lyn and I talked about because we there is a latency period. So a lot and a lot happens between October 1st and August 1st. So that's kind of what but yeah but my guess is that the public will
074want to hear full day kindergarten's going and what that looks like. >> Yes. >> And what's next? Exactly. >> Now we have to turn the page. Is there any part of it that like if somebody wants to get more information like to sign up for our newsletter perhaps like so like the Falcon Talents because you know there might be people that see what's on there that say like I'd love to learn more about what's happening in the school district um just to like provide a way for them to sign up for that. I yeah I I think I normally put a boiler plate at the end of the article but a lot of times I'll be cut just for space but that you know that's not a a terrible idea simply uh >> I know
075like I like looking at that newsletter like and there's a lot of really good information about all of the schools they do like a number of articles for each school I will say the only thing I have noticed the pictures I don't know if there's a way to change it because you can't like click on the picture and then like it's hard to see them and there like because there's so many of those probably like I can show you but there's a lot of effort and effort sort of ends up putting them on there because you can't see them on the actual email. >> Well, I will say this, put a pin in all of your thoughts because we are exploring an alternative to Falcon's Talents for next year. Okay. You build a new platform
076which should be a little more >> um media friendly. >> Okay. >> Um but again, the Falcon Talents is is more of a summary >> um because we do it monthly, I believe. >> Y >> much like the the challenge with Monro News, sometimes the content feels a little stale, >> right? But it is nice to kind of see what do we do this week and that's why we still continue with the newsletter because so many things happened so fast. I already I already forget what we did today. >> Um we have to start thinking about >> there's a lot also could be a goal part of the goal, >> right? Because I mean that's definitely community engagement around that was mentioning that. Yeah, it's community engagement. I mean, I would never like I wouldn't
077want to step on like what you guys are doing in the school district, but I definitely think that that falls under the scope of, you know, what we're doing here as well and trying to engage the community and make them aware of what's going on. >> Well, we do have some metrics uh for that. We look at subscriptions. Um I I get, you know, but who signs up for our newsletter? Uh >> you know, we we've we've added uh over the last two years, what did I say? We did about 1.5,000 new Facebook followers which >> because um it's hard to get new people just like in kindergarten. >> Um so we've tried we we've shifted my next goal is to get more people on the sports uh management Facebook page because if you notice
078we've gotten out of the business of reporting on athletics on the official Facebook page. This is too it's impossible. Uh but we you know our goal will be to get more people on that and we can track to see who's looking um and who's unsubscribing right >> um but the senior community still becomes the impossible not to crack. So we are literally hitting them from every angle print media, >> digital and newsletter. So we'll continue to get creative. >> Yep. And then I just think continuing to you know try to reach out and engage in the community. I know um you know I was asked actually I can talk to a little bit more about the factor but just to you know come and speak at a meeting sort of about education like legisl legislation
079education and sort of like budget and funding right and things like that and just making people aware of you know what's going on um because the more foreign people are you know especially when it's not for like we sort of discussed it like a reason right like just telling them what's happening in our district and maybe how they can help us you know, right? Or support or things like that. Um, the better, right? I always say like music knowledge is power. I think that's the sentence, right? >> Would it be better to even get a handout that if you go to speak at these places with what we've done so people can actually >> like a brag sheet? >> Yes. >> And I think that's great. >> I mean, oh gosh, did you did you
080see what they did? Because, you know, you're talking >> and I know I'm more of a visual learner, so I'd rather go home and read about it. >> Yeah. So maybe if we had a prepared handout and say I'm at a Rossmore committee meeting or something I belong to I can say interested in school here this is what we've done >> right >> so I'm just saying and I know it's going to be a lot more work but a lot of people need to see something better >> so like when you think about like a profile sister profile >> yes >> the problem a nice problem >> is that where do we begin and where do we end >> I because I could I could write I could put together a a dissertation on performing
081arts what the district has done just in this year alone and so then then it becomes but then what you know let's talk about culinary arts and or let's talk about vocation and and and and again it's like building a school calendar and if we're trying to be concise and and that's where I think it it to be honest with you in this book if you don't mind >> yeah go for it >> this is where the portrait of a graduate project okay becomes essential because then we simply say this is what Monroe is right and and and you can you can look at it and and and through whichever lens you want, but every student that comes out of this program or this um organization, sorry, this school district is going to represent these
082values these walls. Now, you want to take a deeper dive look, we can have that conversation, but I think that all kind of starts with, you know, us not being Edison, right? Magnet school that is, you know, we're not STEM. We're really good at STEM, right? Like that's not what we're all about, >> you We're not West Windsor plane burough south where yeah they've got exceptional performing arts program a little overrated but the uh the that's just that's just a slice of what we do here right >> so it's hard for me or the district to speak about Monroe to a community in a singular way rather than just saying we are a whole child district we treat every program and every division the same and we think we're really good at all. Uh but
083to your point that sounds like a really broad stroke and here's some snake oil for sale like uh you know so I get why >> I can even like bring it up to the senior center because I'm on that commission and where they have we could ask them to put a thing where it says about the schools >> and leave pamphlets orformational pages there all the time or I could take it to Ross where there's all notices and I can put some in and we can try to go to all the seniors. So >> big picture strategic plan connected with portraits of graduate, >> right? >> If we're looking for quick hits, I think we could >> go back to our uh archive of articles >> for the the community newspaper, the Monro News, right?
084>> We again make an intentional effort to share a broad piece of information, right? And a lot of those are under the eye of not necessarily time-sensitive information like there's no deadline for to write a response, right? It's a it's an informational article, right? Um so we have so it would just be maybe assembling something like that and then in connections to strategic plan >> than the you better off saying, hey, we're going to Rosmore this week. Let's craft a message for Ros >> because that would be easier for me to do because I know that community fairly well. Whereas if I was going to Stonebridge, it might sound a little different. >> Yeah. All right. True. I mean on this committee everybody there's representation from practically [clears throat] five or six different places so
085I can give it to them whatever. >> Yeah. You can even I can even see if Nancy the director can have you come and speak >> to the committee >> and all and we don't we don't get together over the summer and we only meet every other month. So in September and tell the committee what they can take back to their where they live. >> So then we don't have that paper. >> We don't have that paper the handout. That's how this all began. >> It has a hand out because we're we're supposed to bring our newspapers to these meetings so that they know what we're printing out because I mean the script that they have over there is tremendous. There's a lot. >> They do a lot. >> And um but maybe if you
086spoke to the the group, they could give you more ideas of what they think their >> Tell me when and where. >> I'll tell you. I'll talk to Nancy. I'll just >> tell Nancy. >> I think that's the senior center. >> Yes. Yes. Metro. >> No, Mr. Hack is cultural arts. >> So, who are we speaking of? >> Nancy Park. I don't know. I can't remember what her last name is. She took over a couple years ago from Karen. >> Maybe that's what I'm thinking of actually then. Yeah. >> But I'm sure she would love to have you come to speak and I'll I'll mention it to her. >> Well, like because like even just before what we did out there is so much better than any email or one. >> Exactly. Yes. >> Together.
087Uh but uh I also tend to ramble. So one shooter is not a terrible idea. But the uh the getting back to the for graduate, if we do this properly, that process in conjunction with strategic plan should should inform >> at least where we're going, >> right? >> Um what we've done, >> it's hard to keep a scrapbook, you know, because it we move so fast. But but I that's why it's almost like timeliness of the right >> of the discussion. We're more than happy. I I honestly think going out >> going out is always easier than bringing them in. >> Okay. >> Especially in this time. >> I'll mention to Nancy that >> because the the committee meetings are very short. >> Ny's like she's very meticulous and it's like okay, we're done. If
088we have a speaker um she's a short speaker, you know, and we have to be I don't mean snatcher. I mean speak shortly. >> Don't give a lot of information. That's what you did there. So we don't start getting them to come and say >> call it now. >> All right. Anything else from the committee? All right. Thank you everybody. Have a good night. Dangers.