001session. Good evening parents. Good evening faculty. Good evening everyone who's in the audience. Thank you for coming tonight to this uh school board meeting. Tonight we have Arbor Elementary School uh a student presentation this month is a collaboration of a project between Arbor and King Intermediate Schools. Students in the container classes at both schools got together at Arbor to work on projects relating to the book WOW robot. and yours is harvest principal Heather O'Donnell to tell us more. [Applause] Good evening and thank you for welcoming us here tonight. With us tonight include students from both Arbor and Martin Luther King who were able to participate in a collaborative project that brought the two schools together uh with King students taking two field trips to Arbor in order to be able to work with our students
002at um all together. Uh the opportunity was made possible through the collaboration of the classroom teachers Mrs. McGro, Mrs. Carapinos, and Mrs. Ball as well as Miss Reyes who is the speech and language therapist for both schools. Uh tonight to introduce a video documenting the project we have Arbor students Zen S and Omari Wilson. [Applause] Good evening and thank you for having us here tonight to talk about our project for The Wild Robot. The Wild Robot is about a robot named Roz who walks the who wakes up alone after a shipwreck. But over time, Roz learns how to survive in the wild and make friends with the animals. She even becomes a mother to a baby goose. It's a story about It's a story about kindness, survival, and belonging. [Applause] After we read the book,
003we met with students from Martin Luther King who also read it. Together, we brainstormed designed what our group's ideal robot would be. We designed photo prototypes and they created poses that included features we all agreed on. The best part of the project was meeting new people and spending time with other friends from other classes. We hope you enjoy the video of our project. [Applause] [Music] Where did you guys go? To our school. I watch the wild robot. [Music] Our robot's name is pronounced bearbot. He looks like a bear and is made of golden diamond. Bearb's job is to cook and clean. He has a tail as a broom to sweep off the floor. Bear can cook about anything you ask him to cook. Could also do anything you ask him to do. He can play
004games with you too. He has sharp corn. He He could do cleaning, but he has feelings. He can be sad when the floor is messy. He will be happy when everything's cleaned or his cars are finished. Our robot's special features is a bird and the tail, kitchen tools for cooking, tools for repairs, wings for flying. Our robot name is Alice. Alice's job is to destroy the [Music] house. Our robot has labored away from super 65°. She also is queen. Hi, my name is Kevin and this is Troy. Although my name is Kelly [Music] 580 cleans up the ocean floor garbage machine. He uses a neck rocket boobs and then jeans may [Music] n in trouble. Today we have a beautiful and golden master kingdom. The our robot has it can speak up to 10 langu
005Spanish or Philippine for some reason places and import robot B voice box I rocket fingers and a mouth. Our robot's name is Tom the farmer. Our Lord established and grows vegetables on a farm. The tools he used are reef shelves and seeds in a hole. Tom the farmer is made of [Music] gold. Tom the farmer. Tom the farmer learned fruits and sells them for money. Tom's arms can change with any different [Music] tool. Tom is a robot and calling the robot. Robot's name is Logan. Ron's job is to help people in the neighborhood. Her tools are swords and a bow and arrow. She is made of cool. Lily has an on and off button. This allows her to have x-ray vision and become invisible. Our robots have a motion. She is helpful and funny and
006calm. [Music] It's fun. It job is to help people and destroy or destroy creeps. Fun is made out of a mind. It can deploy growing hooks, build it. Fun is a protective robot. Liam, what do you like about We saw S. We made new friends. We saw old friends, too. What was your favorite part of the robot project? [Music] If favorites, one of them would be hanging out with all my friends from third grade. I got to see Miguel, Abdul, Justine, Jordan, Edgar. I got to see Aldo. I don't think Edgar remembers me, but [Music] again, another favorite part I had was making the entire robot. It was really interesting how everyone had different uh ideas for it. Y so good. It really Well, one I want to tell all of you students how proud
007I am of you. Your personalities got to shine. Yeah, I I got your personalities. You definitely are a spokesperson. You have no problem with expressing yourself and but what I like most about it. What you were saying was genuine. It was from the heart and it was specialness to your friends who you hadn't seen and you guys went to two different schools. So that really touched my heart because my kids were in special education. This is why I know most of these teachers who are sitting out here because I've had interactions and dealings with them over the years. They've had some of my good kids and they've met some of my challenging kids. But at the end of the day, they look, let's be honest about this. Some of them are challenging. But at the
008end of the day, they all were able to find their identity in those classrooms and most importantly, they were able to grow. Um, so right now I'm getting ready to come up. Um, and we're going to present to each student a certificate of appreciation and recognition for the job job well done with collaborating with both schools and creating all of the interesting diverse robots that you guys designed and the functions that they serve. So now I'm going to come to the front and going to be presenting each one of you with a certificate. [Applause] And when you come up, she's going to give you a certificate. Our photographer back there, he's going to want to take your picture. So, you're going to get your certificate. You're going to say, "Voila, going to take your picture."
009And then you're going to stay up here cuz then we're going to take a group picture together. And then all the parents can take a picture. So, we're going to have to have our patience cuz we're not fast. We're a little older. We're a little slower. So, you guys got all the energy. You're ready for this. Okay. Okay, we got the assignment. All right, we're good. [Applause] Pose. Turn around. Get pose. Just like this. Right in the middle. Stay there. Stay there. Jin, you going to go right over by Tommy? There you go. Abdul Ahmad. Let's turn around. Cheese. Good job. Cheese. So good. Is that [Applause] a long list. [Applause] Excellent. Thank you. [Applause] You can stand up. Stay right there. Okay. Liam Sanchez Morales. [Applause] Nice. I'm I'm ready. Oh, [Applause] pieces. No,
010Justine Fernando. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Can't you see Conrad Jackson? Okay, now we're going to get a group picture. So, parents, get your phones out. Get your cameras ready. Zoom in. We don't have rules here. Hold up. Honey. That's right. That's right. Everybody look over here and smile. Cheese. [Applause] This is awesome. Thank you guys so much. Your robots, I'm going to feature all your robots and I'm going to make you my screen saver so that I can look again and remember you coming here tonight. parents, thank you again for the job you're doing, for the commitment and most importantly for their support and showing them that they too have a voice and they do everything that everybody else do but in their own path because like I say I have four kids who had IEPs,
011Mr. McGomery, Miss Marino, and all of them and my kids. Like I said, I prayed for them in your day, but it's okay. But um again, thank you for coming this evening and get home safely. [Applause] See you tomorrow. Bye. See you tomorrow. Bye Jordan. Bye. [Music] All right, let's try to get a group picture. I don't know. [Music] That's a Mary's teacher. You remember her? Do you remember her before? No. I don't think you think they look like a child. She He looks more like his mom. She looks she looks like her dad and her sister looks like and maybe a remote control she makes faces just want real quick picture with the teachers real That's true. It keeps coming out. Okay, rolling right along. It's time for Okay, no problem. Take time. I'm
012just too much joy. Too much energy. Yes. I'm always I'm definitely too much of joy. Okay. Next on the agenda, we have our student representative representative for this evening. Um I'm not sure Tommy, I'm sure you want to start or is Tyler start? That's right. Okay. So, we have our junior representative, Tyler West, started with our student representatives report. Thank you. And walking tonight, Tyler, hello. Um, so first off, today, um, our sack club did a chalk the walk and that was basically our club and we brought out the art club to go out in the front of the school and we wrote beautiful and thoughtful messages with chalk on the ground just to push our students to make good decisions and to stay safe while they're driving on the road. and they could just
013look at that while they're walking into school just there and after leaving the school to make good decisions. And continuing through with our sad club, yesterday um we went on a field trip to a tow trucking company and to the police department at the tow trucking company, we went and it's the company where all the crime scene cars go to cars that are involved in crashes again so we could see to make a decision to pay attention while we're on the road and not make do things like texting while we're driving and end up in situations like that. So, we saw some of those stuff and then we would go to the police station where we got a tour of the police station. We did a simulator that would simulate us drunk driving again to
014teach us not to do those things and the results that can happen if you do those things. And u moving on, we our 50 strong club partnered up with Chiefs for Christ and they went on a trip to the community food bank of New Jersey where they package food to be delivered to the homeless shelters across North Jersey, which was also yesterday. And again with our pretty strong program, they're starting a mentor program where they will choose kids to go to elementary schools and talk to the kids about whatever they need, whether it be personal or school, play games with them, and just give the kids a fun time. Right now, we're in the process of doing mentoring for um excuse me, we're doing um training for the mentoring, which I'm being a part of
015right now. So, we plan on getting two dates this year to go to elementary schools and test it out, see how the program goes, and if it goes well, we hope to continue it next year and the years following that and so on. And moving on, for students that want to pursue science in the real world, outside of the classroom, our science national honor society is hosting an interest meeting on April 21st for upcoming sophomores and juniors who love science. And on April 25th, um, our school is hoping hosting a flag football game for parents versus teachers. So, it's just another nice event for families and people in the community to come out and watch, have fun, play games. Yes. And just have fun. And on April 28th will be the start of NJSLA testing
016for freshman and juniors. And best news for last spring break is next week. Yes. So students will have a great time to relax and get prepared for the last push to get through the school year. Good. Awesome. Thanks. Um I just had a question. Um the the mentoring that you guys are doing with the club, what was the grade levels that you guys are going to be mentoring? We're doing uh all excuse me, elementary school level. So one through first grade through third grade. And then there's kids at the school that have been chosen that we will be mentoring. Okay. Now, was that going to be all the members of 50 Strong or only a select group of individuals who actually doing the training to be mentors? So, it's 50 Strongs 50 Strong's mentors that
017mentor the students. They pick students out of there and then also some students just in the school that they think would be a good fit. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Tyler. Um, so happy spring. It's a really exciting time of the year. We're almost done. Um, so on that note, college decisions are coming out very well, they actually have come out. So, I know you're all in anticipation. So, I will keep you posted as soon as I formalize my decision. Oh god. Okay. We thought it was happening. It was happening. Okay. Well, I have an idea. So, I can share that actually. Um, just cuz Dr. Lman's wearing his lucky socks, but I'm Okay. So, I will make my announcement. So, I most likely will be committing to Rowan University in the fall for a
018seven-year medical program that guarantees me a spot in med school. Good. Um, so I'm set for the next seven years of my life. Don't My MCAT is low. I just have to maintain my GPA. So officially going to be a doctor. Um, so I am very very excited. I visited this weekend and it's a really good program. So very excited about that. Um, so thank you. Congratulations. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um, so on that note, decisions are still coming out and we are all actively stocking the Pway Commitz Instagram to see where all the students are going. So that's a really exciting time of the year. Um, with that note, also APs are going on. So AP mock exams have started. Um, all the preparations I myself have taken four APs, so that's
019all I've been doing. Um, that decision, so don't do that, but it's okay right now. Um, so yeah, so that's going on. That'll be all of May. and then we're finally done. Um, so Tyler mentioned the sad event, Shock the Walk. I just want to recognize Dr. Roberto for coming today. Um, and blessing us and, you know, meeting us all and showing her enthusiasm for our event. It was really fun, like Tyler mentioned. Um, and again, we're really enthusiastic about SAP. Um, as well as tomorrow, Tyler and I are actually going on a field trip to the elementary schools to talk about SAD. Um, and just safety around driving, although obviously they're very early on. um but just kind of get spread out the safety message and just engage them in a very active way.
020So that should be exciting. Um the ICCA, which is the international cultural hub here at the high school, is hosting their annual lantern night on Friday, May 2nd from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Um I believe last year they were planning to do it, but due to I think the rain it somehow got cancelled, unfortunately. So it should be a good hit. Um a lot of a lot of talk about that, as well as the ICCA um heat show, which is on April 30th. Um, I'm sorry. Auditions are on April 30th. I don't believe they release the actual date of the event, but students are looking forward to that. I will say it's usually um May I think it's actually May 4th. So, that's something to, you know, celebrate and recognize other people's cultures. Um, HOSA
021um the med club at the high school is hosting their third annual million-doll match volleyball game, which is a huge hit at the um high school. It's on May 21st at 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. And we'd love to invite you all to show up as well. Um it's really really hype. I mean I've been there. I actually MC so I will be MCing again this year. So this is a very Thank you. It is very exciting. Um and also Woodbridge Academy as well as I think South Pinville will be coming as well um to talk about um not talk about play and the actual game. So hopefully the scout wins this year. Um as well as the spring edition of the student newspaper, the chieftain has been published online. Um I know the students there
022are working very hard on that and you know they're always trying to get the news. Um so that's something that you all can check out on your time as well. Um going on the end of March although it is April finally poetry m um March Madness the competition that all the English classes were participating in has finally ended. Um I know personally in my AP lit and I think maybe lane I think all English classes were and engaging in that and we would just vote on which poem they liked for the month. Um so it's a good way to kind of get poetry out there and spread some news that um the day of dialogue committee is once again um promoting their event um their project I wish a new project which we all focus
023on collecting um students voices and identities and voicing um how they're feeling. So that's something that's going on. Um submissions are due April 23rd. So we're really pushing for that. I know we've done tableabling events um and just kind of recognizing as we're uh participating in a competition um which will actually be in the end of this month. So that's something to look forward to as well. Um the day the day of dialogue. Yes. The equity. Yep. The competition. Um it's for the government I don't remember the exact name but it's with the New Jersey government that we actually go to a conference later in in in the year actually. I think it's May. Um FBLA I know I mentioned this last meeting the Mission Life um basketball game was a huge hit as always.
024A really big event here at the high school. They raised about $5,000 for the Embrace Kids Foundation, which is an organization dedicated to helping families, children that are battling um cle cell disease and cancer. So, it's very very important. I was there sad. We did halftime as well. Um and we had people try on the drunk goggles and do basketball hoops, which went as well as it could have. So, that was really fun as well. Um uh Tyler SNHS, Science National Honor Society. Um they also are participating in an e-waste elimination tribe. um to get students to get, you know, come and donate their old electronics um and find ways to recycle. So, that concludes our report. Thank you. Thank you. I got to tell you, it was a lot of information. I know. I
025know. I really did throw a lot at you. I was like, "Wait, what?" There is a lot at this time of the year. So, it's just getting started and we know it's all the way to the finish line. Once again, thank you both for coming out this evening and you go ahead and get home safely. Yeah. All right. Have a good one. Thank you. Um, thank you, Tom. I'm texting you something about something coming up in April. If you could share it with Tyler and SAD group, I'd appreciate it. Absolutely. Thank you. Okay. Next, we have the president's report. So, my president's report for April 10th, 2025. I would like to formally welcome Dr. Roberto here to our first meeting as our entry superintendent. Our board is very happy to work with someone with great
026experience and knowledge as we navigate this transitional period. I would also like to remind everyone that we will have a public input session as our board searches for a new permanent superintendent. Our families, students, and members of the community are invited to a meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd at 6 p.m. and PHS Anthony Commons. This session will be led by a representative of the New Jersey School Boards Association who is assisting our board with this search process. This input session will gather information to be used to set critical criteria for the background training and experience necessary for the new superintendent. Additional sessions are being held in our schools to gain input from our district staff members. I want to wish all of our teachers and students a wonderful spring break. Rest your engines in your
027minds next week so that you come back and be refreshed and finish out the school year strong. There is still work to do before summer break and we want you to end 2024 2025 school year on Ohio. And that concludes my report. But I also want to just formally let's give a round of applause to Dr. Roberto and fitted right in. And she's grouping right along with us. And we all going to break out our fans and say where them fans at in June our June meeting. H next we're going to watch it. I'm over tired. We're going to Now it's time for your first official superintendent report. Thank the balcony and just take a a moment. Um I'd like to formally and publicly thank the board of education for giving me this opportunity. I
028shared with you that in just the time that I've been here in the last week, I needed this. I will serve you. But I watching your teachers, your administrators, and these beautiful children, which children are beautiful everywhere, but the setting and the culture of the school district and the support. I have not heard one negative word since I arrived. and every word focuses on these children and board members. You have a tremendous amount of support from the faculty and staff. Uh special thanks to the cabinet. You're good people and you gave me so much time. You really did. And next week I'll be meeting uh the different departments at as a whole. And right now I'm going and visiting each school. It has been a pleasure to follow in Dr. Rali's leadership path. It is
029a pleasure. I as a colleague I have to acknowledge him and the two words that come to mind with Dr. Gali are his authenticity and his natural leadership. He doesn't manipulate people. He just does it and you want to follow him. and I can feel it in the district. So, thank you. Visiting schools. I was at the uh uh shore school for with the municipal alliance of the sixth graders are getting cake uh because they were superior. And our children learned about vaping, social media, and the marijuana. It was an excellent program. While we were there, I got to meet our mayor and the police uh the councilman and the police. As uh Tyler and Todd me said, I went to SAD today while they were doing the um uh chalk walk. I met so
030many kids. Gabby, the leadership of the SAD group, the kids in the art room, uh our principal was there and the teachers. And that's the sense of community you uh feel. One of the things I was very proud of in the district was my first day when I was pulling into the district and the electric sign was there and it proudly announced the honor the month and what we're honoring during the month. New Jersey Jewish Heritage Month, Autism Awareness Month. You know, you can teach being inclusive, but you have to model it and send messages to kids. This is who we are. And I was so proud to see those items. I want to thank the parents who have emailed me. I got uh um some emails from parents welcoming me and a couple of
031the parents said I taught them. Uh one parent said uh my daughter was in your school and still remembers you and that was a while ago and two of the teachers here I taught. So it's a lot. I uh the Piscato police I have a meeting with them this week. uh their leadership and uh also um we continue meeting as we continue planning. But I want to thank everybody for agreing uh welcoming me to the district. I remind you to check out the superintendence report. It's online and it's at the back table back there. It's filled with a lot of things. Tonight we just saw one thing. Those children tonight, no teacher prompting them, show the power of public education. We influence children. And as Miss Cherry said, every child. It's not just pick and
032choose. And on my email, I always quote Franklin Rosebell, which I hope you all aren't too young to know who he was, but I love reading his books. And my favorite quote is, "We can't change the world for the child, but we can prepare the child for the world." And if we model good for these kids here tonight, they'll influence the world. They'll influence it positively. And also, they had a petting zoo. I don't know if you're aware of that. The third graders will have an opportunity that everything is in the superintendence report. Again, thank you. I'm humbled, but I have to tell you the work in the service of children is nothing better. So, thank you very much. And Gary, thank you in the back. One more item. I have to mention one more
033and I'm so sad. I I regret it. We have a little a student in our school, Omar. I spoke to his mom today. What a wonderful woman. And when I called her, I said, "I'm not calling as a superintendent. He's calling as a mom." And I said, "Because what you're going through is hard. Omar needs a kidney transplant." And he's a student at the Shore School. There's an article in the superintendent's report and he's been in the newspaper and interviewed and he's been on television. These are hard things. I can't just reflect on we know what that family's going through. But the message as your interim superintendent, Omar, don't worry. You've got 7,000 kids and,00 employees supporting you and the whole entire community. So Omar and his family were here for you and it's not
034by convenience. So we wish you well. I know I speak for the board. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Also listed in the superintendent report, there will be a funday that's being hosted by Omar's family on April the 26th. It's from 10 to 2 and I'm sure some of us will definitely be in attendance to the representatives of the district. Um, next personel and labor relations, Miss Nancy calling. Yes. Thank you, Madam Ch. Uh, Madam Cherry. Um, getting a little emotional there. Be resolved that the following motions identified as items A through C be approved as presented. Second. Mr. Secretary, can you take the role? Dr. Connor, yes. Mr. King, yes. Dr. Nelson, yes. Mr. Patel, yes. Mr. Smith, yes. Mr. Ster, yes. Mr. Salado Cowan, yes. Mr. Start, yes. Mr. Curry. Uh, committee reports.
035We're going to start off with fiscal planning and operations. Dr. Connor. Uh the fiscal plannings and operations committee met on Wednesday, April 2nd to discuss the 2025 2026 budget, capital projects, and uh more uh on the budget. County approved the tenative budget, including some minor adjustments to the preschool education aid budget. Budget will be advertised in advance of a public hearing on April 24th. Uh work on the 2025 6 budget book is ongoing. U Mr. Ala explained the tax levy incentive aid and recommended not pursuing it for 2025 2026. The committee supported the recommendation. That is something new that the state is offering and that is that you can go above your 2% cap if you qualify. Um David Olber explained you know that at this particular moment in time I'm not recommending that we
036pursue that. We did um facility capital projects Skyway High School interior alterations. The contractor provided a schedule with a targeted completion date November 2025. Demolition work is scheduled to begin during spring break. Sky High School Anthony gym acoustical upgrades. The contract to reboot existing conditions and alternative acoustical panel has been identified and approved. Bleacher demolition begin the last week of school. delivery of new leisures is scheduled for August 12th with installation meeting 3 to four weeks at that community meeting. He also had some uh pictures of what they may look like. Uh we picked a nice it's a black color that goes in. It's um that's the color of the B. It looks very nice with it that fits into that. Skyway High School intercom PA clock system district administration reviewed the revised quote from
037the vendor and returned it for further refinement contract award and directed recommended tonight. It's item J in your uh under fiscal is the recommendation. Um it came in at about 1. It was a lot of money but uh it's going to be worth it. Um came in at 1.8 million. David had actually estimated two and a half. So, uh, we're in good shape there. And, um, it's much needed. It's the, uh, you know, se since we put those two buildings together, it's had separate, uh, public announcement system. So, now and very disjointed. So, now it'll be quite uniform. Solar panel removal. Alba Energy is working on bid specifications and removal of the solar panels at at the high school. The district is targeting possible bid award at May 8th toward me. Painting services for mythium
038board installation. There were five biders for painting services for mythium board installation codes were reviewed and are being finalized with the vendor. Contract award resolution will be on April 10th. That's tonight's meeting uh with work being scheduled for the summer. Food services update. The district began negotiations on a contract renewal with Nachios for the 2025 2026 school year and it's awaiting proposal on the guaranteed return. Serving line equipment uh requirements for sure schools are being reviewed for possible good report completed the summer. Um and David shared with us some of the uh pictures that of him serving some of the food out in our school and it was quite because sometimes they do a theme day and things. New Jersey school business legislative update. Dr. Connor me noted that the Senate budget committee hearings began.
039The committee discussed special needs transportation and uh the big one coming out of the Senate Education Committee is the teachers pension and annuity fund reimrollment uh changes legislation. Business office update. Um again, great idea investment account. The committee reviewed the current balance on the March 2025 um NJ asset rever rebate management statement uh and the current interest rates. Uh to to date we've we we've made um about a million dollar. So it's been a very good uh copier contract with paper cuts. Our previous five-year copier lease agreement terminated in November. the existing copier. We replace the cell with copier each building to offset the elimination of most printers. The district will also be implementing a paper cut system to be better manage uh the district printing. The um New Jersey school insurance uh group safety
040grant um something I was actually on the board of trustees of that a few years ago. They give out safety grants um to schools um and the district received notification of the ability to apply for safety grant funding from from them. Um the district used funds to replace and add uh security cameras in the past. um as simple as also some of the funds can be used for uh if we have cracks in our sidewalks and some uh you know uh from the winter um that simple replacement of that that concrete can save an an accident and possible uh you know someone uh a lawsuit. So this was it's a great effort and we're taking advantage of this one. Wellness Committee. The committee conducted a walking challenge during March and is meeting next week to
041select its winners for the PTO day rep. Uh Fellowship Farms preschool operations. That's that's this building. Mr. Vera informed the committee about the proposed um expansion of preschool to add 10 classrooms at Fellowship Farms um with the relocation of the um students um acquiring life skills and program to a yet to be determined location resolution accepting a school's development authority grant that will cover 40% the estimated cost for the alterations. It's on tonight's budget. I believe it's item or but uh and madam president that is the report of the fiscal planning operations committee. Thank you Dr. Conters culture climate and community relations. Uh the culture climate and community relations committee met on Tuesday March 18th 2025 to discuss the positive messaging community partnerships and wellness initiatives. Under positive messaging u Mr. Miller shared a slideshow
042presenting what the monthly themes were, quotes, social media posts, marquee images from uh the ends of January through mid-March. Um the February themes um surrounded around Black History Month and the March themes were centered around women's history month. Um, we also reviewed what the upcoming month's themes were going to be, um, that we're highlighting, including autism awareness, um, and acceptance month and New Jersey, uh, Jewish Heritage Month for April and, um, Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month for May. Um and the community partnerships. Um the committee voted to revise uh goal number two related to the community partnerships removing the language um to be focused solely on partnerships with Ruckers University since now our committee actually partners with many other groups besides um just through Ruckers. Um so the goal now reflects the participation including
043those outside um organizations. Dr. Gray shared information about some recent community partnerships such as the 75 girls from the high school that participated in the women's future leadership academy at Rucker's business school. The 30 boys from across three middle schools that participated in the youth summit at Rucker School of Engineering. The PHS Future Educators Association received training from Junior Achievement to leave to lead the high school heroes program to teach age appropriate lessons on financial literacy to third graders at Nwood Eisenhower um elementary schools. Dates are being scheduled for both Grand View and Grandville later this school year. uh financial reality fair for the PHS students will take place in May through a recent establishment of a partnership which is a new partnership with the Affinity Federal Credit Union. Uh the committee is still exploring
044possibilities for partnering with the local um Boy Scout troops to build outdoor libraries at schools across the district. under wellness. The Haven family nights um was held on Thursday, January 23rd in PHS Commons. Several committee members did attend and shared their feedback in partnerships with Piscatoaway Community Outreach Commission. The committee is helping initiate an evening presentation to inform parents about potential signs of youth substance abuse. Um, I just want to stop in that moment for uh to give you guys an update. Since the uh on my last meeting on March the 18th, we were able to secure um the high school um path center on Tuesday, April 29th. We will be hosting the in plain sight um you know, coalition uh is coming in. we were able to secure that. Um, we brought this up
045in this committee back in September when we met. And to actually be able to uh complete that um task before a full school year is over is really an accomplishment and a testament to both Dr. Gray, our administration, um, our team, all the parents on the committee. Um, I just want to thank everybody for that. Um, it's not a committee works in with all of its parts. It is not my idea. It's not the board's idea. It's what the community brought to us. Um, many of you who may have remember or have children who are older, this is a something we had many years ago prior to our um, you know, pandemic. We um we had the um the coalition um come in and really give us information about in plain sight where you can
046see vapes um different um you know things of that nature. So um since had not been brought to our high school in many years um we were able to get that secured for April 29th. That's a Tuesday. Um I believe the time will be at 6:30 um for families and students uh from grades fifth grade um all the way up to 12th grade. The flyer will be forthcoming um once we get our esteemed Gary Miller on that and um I just wanted to make sure that um everyone here knew about that date and that we were able to secure that. Um I guess it sort of falls under new business but it was part of that wellness. So, new business. The committee members shared information about um green light grants initiatives which provide more equitable
047funding for school safety. And that is my report. Thank you. Uh curriculum committee met on Monday, April the 7th, 2025 to discuss school performance reports, STEM 2D program at the high school, science and reading and more. J&J STEM 2D program was presented by Jessica Pritchard and Robin K. Supervised volunteers for J&J will visit the Scatteraway High School to work with students in the engineering and health sciencemies. It will allow professionals in the field to bring their expertise to our students. This opportunity was brought to us by the health science academy parent. In engineering and capstone course will collaborate with academy coursework for an outstanding partnership in health and sciences. The volunteers will speak with the students on a cohort level, give a career profile and doing a hands-on minds on activity. We are hoping to
048increase exposure to students that may have interest but are not in themies district and service day which took place on March the 31st 2025. Um we had a very successful as stated by Dr. basketball. We had a very successful day with a large variety of sessions designed for our educators, including a literacy kickoff with McGra Hill. McGraill open court/study sync was presented by Dr. Bask Albanese Cornwell of MCR Hill. We looked at a variety of options to move forward with the science of reading and are bringing Mcgroy Hill on board. All teachers have materials in hands already. McGroill Open Court worked with grades K through five included a blueprint for delivery of systematic teaching and learning the differentiation for the reaching and relearning. A sample lesson structure includes foundation skills, reading and responding and language
049arts. The pathway to fluency includes letter letters, names, shapes, fondicted awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, word analyst, dictation and spelling. There is also reading and responding with knowledge building themes and scaffold writing instructions. Professional development will be given for all our stakeholders. 2023 2024 school performance reports. The community will receive a letter this week detailing how the access NJ DOE school performance reports. They will reveal progress at the district and individual schools. The report is available on the district website. New to the report this year are chronic aphotism, seal of biliteracy, participation in visual and performing arts K through 12, and a six-year graduation rate. This getaway is doing well across the areas. Opt out. The process for specific comprehensive health and physical education lessons. We have been transparent and have had less than 3% opt
050out in the past. We will send a letter each year informing the families about this lessons in the time frame. Go get gifted and talented. This is something that's near and dear and so very important in Dr. Baskerville. In the past, we have had no or very few multilingual learners or students with IEPs in these programs. This year, we have identified 52, yes I said 52 special education students via the goat assessment. We are proud these students will be able to continue reaching their full potential. That is so critical and so very important to special education and to the students who have now been identified and can go forward with advancing and being challenged more but most importantly showing them their worth not allowing them to say because I have an IEP or I'm a
051multi- language learner that I'm not capable or comparable of achieving more than anything anybody could ever have imagined. So I can only imagine the families that this affected once they were identified, the heartstrings, the tears, the happiness, but most importantly the proud parents of these students for the work that they have put in that it will now be acknowledged. So I have to say that part even though it's not written on paper, it's okay. Yes. Um the visual performing arts was given by Rebecca Staki. Miss Stalaki shared some of the events and achievements in the virtual and performing arts in March. We are proud of our district's accomplishments and excited to see what the rest of the year brings. What this report doesn't reflect and most reports don't reflect because it's just a little snippet
052of it. What we do in the curriculum committee, the envisions, the participation of the teachers and the parents and the directors of the departments is unbelievable. some of the brainstorming that's done there, some of the ideas that are created there, but most importantly, everybody is there and they're giving it their all. They're excited to be there, but most importantly, they're excited to see the district success and the advancements that we continue to take under Dr. Baskerville's leadership because this was his vision. This was his baby. This was his let's go see, let's go through this special testing and look at what came out of it. So now these 52 additional flowers that has their own flower pot to sit in and grow at their own pace their own way and whatever they create from it.
053They were given that opportunity because of his out the box thinking. That's what Piss gotaway is about. Out the box thinking not just saying status quo and following a path and putting a check mark by everything. Everything doesn't need a check mark in order to be successful. What your success shows is based upon what you see sitting in front of you. your student success, your parents engagement with the student success, but most importantly identifying students and making sure if they're not engaged, let's get them engaged, which is what we're doing because now these students have been identified and now they're free to fly and continue on the path that no one knows where it's home to lead them to, but they're being given the opportunity. If you're never given the opportunity, you can never know.
054So, I'm super proud of us and like I say, hats off to you, Dr. Dave, for what you do. [Applause] the um 2025 25 board goals. Um when we put them out under the bucket inspired, which is our fourth bucket, we did include this as a goal to um have an emphasis on programs to seek those gaps. So, it's nice to see that we are we're doing what we're uh you know saying we're going to do. Yeah. not just words on they're actually words. They're not just words on this paper. They're one of our goals. Um the other thing is that um myself as a you know as a retired scientist um you know Colgate here in Scatoway it is so nice to see that our science department chair um you know we talked about
055parent engagement J&J this J&J uh arrangement came because it was a parent of one of the students and we had had it in the past where we would go out to you know we have a lot of companies in Piscato right away in the area um in this area and we used to have some some robust programs but to see us again going out to seek opportunities you know in the health sciences with with parents that work at J&J are willing to come in our schools and talk to our students is is another is another great thing and then the last thing I wanted to say is that um you know kudos to the curriculum um committee and Dr. background and especially on um you know language uh arts where we're now going with Carro
056Hill which is the science of reading which is a more it's a science it's a purposefully progressive program the K through five that includes all of these things rather than being isolated on one thing in front of another and so um just kudos to everyone so uh that's all I would say thank you Dr. comments. Um, next I'm going to need a volunteer who wants to read the approval minutes. I will. Okay. Thank you. Be resolved that the following minutes be approved as submitted. Oh, special meeting March 11, 2025. Do you have a motion? The executive session. Executive. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Executive session March 11, 2025. Motion. Have a second. Second. All in favor? Okay. Are approved. There's another one on the back side. Business meeting March 13, 2025 and executive session March 13, 2025.
057Motion. Motion. Second. Second. All in favor? Okay. That's approved. Public comments from the floor. The board of education recognizes the value of public comment on the educational issues and school matters of community interest. In support of this position, the law establish a period of public comment at every board meeting. Individuals wishing to speak must state their name and address. Comments are limited three minutes duration, but an individual may speak a second time after all others who wish to speak on the topic have been heard. The board may require that the individual register to speak prior to the beginning of the meeting. Participants may submit written material in support of their position. All statements and or questions shall be directed to the presiding officer and no participant may address or question board members individually. All speakers
058are required to express themselves in this civil matter and due respect for dignity and privacy rights of others who legal rights may be affected. Please note, while it is not the board's intention to stifle comments on matters of legitimate concern to the school community, the public should be aware that if their statement violates the rights of others under the law of governing defamation and or invasion of privacy, they may face personal liability to the injured party. If speakers are uncertain of legal ramifications of their comments, the board urges them to seek guidance before from their own legal advisor. Uh the floor is open. Is there anyone sitting in the audience who wishes to come forward in public comments to come make a statement or to say something? If you do so, please come forward, state
059your name and your address and you are free to speak. And I see no one coming forward and no one raising a hand. Can I have a motion to close public comments? Got a second. Public comments closed in operations. Dr. House resolve following motions identified as items 8 through L be approved as presented second. Mr. Secretary, can you please take the vote? Mr. King, yes. Dr. Nelson, yes. Mr. Patel, yes. Dr. Connor, yes. Mr. O'Han, yes. Mr. Chair, yes. Motion carried. policy. Miss Smith, it resolved that the following motion identify this item be approved as presented. Mr. Secretary, can you take the role? Dr. Nelson, yes. Mr. Patel, yes. Miss Smith, yes. M. Staffer, yes. Dr. Connor, yes. Mr. King, yes. Mr. Sado, yes. Mr. Jerry, yes. Curriculum, Mr. Patel. Be it resolved that the
060following motions identified as item A and B be approved as presented. Second, Mr. Secretary, can you take the role? Mr. D, yes. Miss Smith, yes. Mr. Stafford, yes. Dr. Connor, yes. Mr. King, yes. Dr. Nelson, yes. Mr. Sado, yes. Merry, yes. Mr. Sky, pupil services, Dr. Nelson being revolved that the following motion identified as item A be approved as presented. Second. Mr. Secretary will take the role. Miss Smith. Yes. Mr. Stafford. Yes. Dr. Connors. Yes. Mr. King. Yes. Dr. Nelson. Yes. Yes. Mr. Sado. Yes. M. Trey. Yes. Administrative and auxiliary. Miss the staff. be resolved that the following motions identify as A through C be approved as presented. Second. Mr. Secretary, please take the role. Miss Smith, yes. Mr. Stafford, yes. Dr. Connor, yes. Mr. King, yes. Dr. Nelson, yes. Mr. Patel, yes. Mr. Sado,
061yes. Mr. Sherry, yes. All business. I see Dr. Condis has his uh notebook out. No, I'm um on old business. Um yes, I want to just uh take a moment to um thank the board um for sponsoring the women um to attend the uh second annual NJSBA second annual women's leadership conference. both myself um three of us were able to attend um Dr. uh Gail Nelson um Miss Anika Stafford and myself. Um the event um was held on Friday, March the 24th, and both myself and Miss Stafford are uh able to claim that we've been at both the first and the second annual. It was a great day for uh women um empowerment, leadership um and so on. some of the um our keynote speaker for the day was Miss Melissa McKinty of SHI International
062Corporation. Um and she shared with us about evolving from an educator to an edtech leader and um her experience through that and struggling in the real world and how it's worth it. Um some of the breakout sessions included um burnout to balance and how to be a whole person and approach your own mental and physical health. Um I attended a great session on um building consensus on your board and other impossible tasks. Um there were uh many different um you know breakout sessions all things from like how to be how lessons how to learn to lead like a woman which was uh very exciting and as well as um leading with courage which was my absolute favorite. Um making your voice count. Um, never would never ever would I have thought that I needed uh
063this lesson since I really have no problem with speaking my voice, but it was super encouraging. Um, the woman who led that was Dr. Melissa Simmons of East Orange School District. Um, and she was she's actually a retired VA. Um, and she gave us a lot of information about leading with courage and your voice and just really timely and important messages that also will help our uh, esteemed gentlemen of the board as well as women. Um, but seeing it was held in the month of March and it being um, women's history month, it was it was very exciting. was um just a great thing and I want to thank the board again for sponsoring us doing that and I hope we are able to attend our third annual next year uh in March. So that's
064what I have on old business. Um yeah, new business. Uh ma madam uh here's like here at the local level in Discatoaway few first of all is that we're all liaison to our schools. Um we got a list of events. Okay, take a look at that event and and uh make an effort to get out to the schools. This is under a heading of community engagement. Um sports senior nights. Get a list of all those sports senior nights. if you get a chance go to one of those uh as well. The other thing I'm going to uh pull the board later is that we also do every year is we participate in the Memorial Day parade uh sponsored by the American Legion and uh we march in that parade. Uh I have I have told
065the organizers that uh I spoke to Madame President to the vice president uh we we probably have enough people to do it again this year. Uh we wear we have our hats, we have our shirts, we walk in the parade, we hand out pencils, people see the board of education. It's a great event. Um at the county level, which I've been active in the in the past is Middle Sex County School Board Association has its county meeting May 21st. Um there at this particular meeting, um you know, I'm an executive officer of New Jersey School Board Associations. Sometimes I get I get to go all over the state and get greetings at these county meetings. But this particular month is where uh people get their service awards. That is uh you know it was 5
06610 15 years. Um I'm expecting myself um to probably get a 15-year one. We also honor the teachers of the year. Uh getting on to the state New Jersey School Board Association. very exciting because we often discuss about what we can do and as you can see woman in leadership was one of the ideas and look look what was happen that's happening all over the state. The other thing is I'm the delegate assembly um representative from the scatteraway to the New Jersey school board delegate assembly. Um that May 10th meeting is where uh school districts get to put in um belief statements or uh resolutions to try and get that into the New Jersey school board's overall um belief statements book that we use to advocate the legislators with. Um I again I vote for
067us but I I've never had a pathway to discuss like whether or not I'll vote yes or no. Um, I just do it that day and but what I'm trying to say is this year I'll be getting three resolutions and um I'll be pulling people about how to vote on them. I'll give you an example. Uh, a uh a district from um uh in um in in Woodbury somewhere in the state feels that esports now the students should get varsity letters. So, they want that uh in in there and then we'll go. That's an example. Um uh the the other thing is the um the work the main thing is the workshop. The workshop the New Jersey Schoolboard Association workshop is in October. Most of us will be going. Okay. And then last what I
068want to end on is that I'm extremely grateful extremely grateful to be so involved in school boards even at the national level. Um I just got finished with two trips. Uh I attended the uh consortium of state school boards associations which is rep has 25 states across the United States and um I attended their meeting in Atlanta. Um, and then following that, this past weekend, I attended the National School Boards Association meeting representing the New Jersey School Boards Association. And um, the kinds of things that they discuss at the national level are basically a lot of federal advocacy priorities. And you talked about believing in public education. The main thing is prioritizing K through 12 public education. Correct. a main advocacy piece that often we talk about is that Congress uh started in 1976 the
069individual with uh uh disabilities education act should be 40 billion but it's only at 15 billion that's the money that goes out to the states that pays for our school psychologists that pays for all of those programs. So we advocate for that we advocate for increased funding there. We advocate for um mental health services. uh we advocate for child nutrition programs. advocate for even uh there may be uh teacher bills that um that that the minimum salary should be 60,000 across the country et so that's the kinds of things that we they do there um and I'm very proud to be um associated with that um representing New Jersey school boards and with that of course I didn't want to go there and not bring any souvenir so sobody for anybody that wants one here's
070the bag I grabbed on the way You know, I want a bag. See, I thought of you guys. So, I have bags for the conference. You're welcome. I only have a few hats. I love bags. And uh this is uh I just also wanted to pass these out that these are things that had in my back pocket for national school. And um then the last thing, pass down a hat for Gail. Okay. interested in a happy and and see what often we don't celebrate too. We don't even celebrate. We don't even The last thing I wanted to say is the National School Boards Association has other things has other things associated with it and one of them. One of them is the uh let's see over the head open. All right. The other thing is
071with the National School Board's associated with something called the um Council of School Board Attorneys and we have someone in the room by the name of David Rubin who lives in Atlanta. Uh he received from the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys. With our greatest appreciation, we hereby present David D. Rubin for your generous support and willingness to contribute to the professionalism of our members. you are being honored with much appreciation and gratitude uh to David Ruben. So we [Applause] have a [Applause] more you got to do this. You got to be like this. Welld deserved. David was broken in more than three minutes. I'm sorry. I also have a new business. I also have start. Okay. Um is that I don't know if it was new business, old business. I'm probably out
072of order, but um just an update on the superintendent search and where we are with that. I know you had mentioned it in your president's report. Um, since I'm leading that effort, I just want to remind everyone and you know, um, rightfully so, Madame President, um, welcomed our new interim superintendent who's here for us, Dr. Roberto. We gave her a clap. We also acknowledged our, um, outgoing, um, superintendent, Dr. Reelli. we were able with our board to complete and compile um a survey of his efforts and I will be reviewing that um with him shortly once he gets settled in where he's at. And in terms of finding a permanent um superintendent, uh we are, as we all know, partnered with the NJSBA, the New uh the New Jersey School Board's Association, and they have
073um put out the public um notice um for the job. The deadline is going to be for applications 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April the 25th. So, that's coming up quickly. If anybody is aware of people out there that might be interested, um please go to the New Jersey school board's um website and apply. Um the superintendent um notice is there. It's been sent out to you guys. I won't belabor it. But the most important thing, especially at a public meeting like this and being taped, hi friends, is that um the superintendent search um public input session. This is your opportunity as a constituent here in Piscataway. Whether you have children in our schools, had children in our schools, were an educator, not an educator, just a lifelong uh Piscataway person, or if you're just here
074from last month, you get to come to this very important meeting on Tuesday, April the 22nd, 2025. And no board members will be there. No. Um Dr. Roberto, I'm not sure if she will be there as well. No, none of us that are sitting here will be there. Just you. Just you. So, um it will be held at the Anony's um Commons. It's at 6:00 p.m. And um it will be the New Jersey school boards. They're getting as much and any input from all of our um different um constituents as well as our what am I looking for? The word. Thank you. Thank you. I'm like, I can't think of that word. All right. And that's pretty much um where we are with that. Once that process is done, there'll also be input sessions for
075all of um the teachers, administrators, etc. And hopefully we'll be well on our way to having a new superintendent in 2026 is our goal. If we get them sooner, I'm sure that uh Dr. Roberto would not be upset. You need to get them as soon as you can. Exactly. No, I have nothing to do with that. So, so that is I I think that was supposed to be old business. I'm sorry, but I think it was out of order. It's on record. Don't worry about it. So, old and new business from your vice president, Nancy Salvado. Cowen. Cowen. Thank you. But, you know, this is an exciting time for your district. I've been an interim a number of times. This is exciting. It really is. Thank you. And with that, I'd like to make a
076motion to adjourn the meeting. Second. All in favor? We are at your Thank you. Did everybody get it back? Yeah.