001Good evening and welcome to the June 17th, 2025 meeting of the Spackenale Union Free School District Board of Education. I ask that you rise and join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Okay. Item 2.01 is comments from the public on consent agenda items only. Do we have any public comments? Any board comments on the consent agenda as written? Last one. Don't remember what number it was. It was just added last minute 3 3.21 61 69 allocation 21 I think so. Yeah, 621. My agenda says 321. Yeah, 321. Oh, 321. Yeah, I see it. Yeah, you're right. Y for the Catholic school.
002We have a grant for uh 61 and 619. I believe the portion uh is suballocated and reimbured to the school district. So this one in particular state school. Yeah, they requested it and we just got it in my Thank you. Thanks for the clarification. So I have a motion to accept the consent agenda as written. You have a second. All in favor? Pass this 4. That brings us to 4.01. I'll Oh yes, absolutely. Please do. Please do. So with the consent consent agenda. We did just approve uh our new assistant principal at of the high school and our new principal at the high school seems to be podium area. So, would you like to say a few words, Mr. Lewis? Uh, sure. So, uh I just, you know, I have the honor of announcing Miss
003Sarah Moy as our new high school assistant principal. Uh it has been a rigorous process and um Sarah rose to the top of that and we are so grateful to have her. She has uh years of experience and I know that she's going to be fantastic in the role. Um really looking forward to it. We met um briefly occasionally through the years with uh AP coordinating and AVID and a couple other different things that assistant principles all kind of share throughout the county. Um, and we've always had a pretty good relationship, although we've never really directly worked together or anything. We've always been able to communicate. And when I saw that she'd be interested, I was very excited for that. And I'm more excited that she's here now and approved. And we're ready to get
004started. So, I'll let her come up and congratulations. Hi, everybody. Um, I just want to take a moment of your time to thank the board of education, the administrative team, the faculty and staff who participated in the thorough um, and really rewarding interview process. Um, I I really I did enjoy it. Um, and I'm really truly looking forward to starting this position at Spack and Hill High School and I'm I'm really grateful and I can't wait to get started. So, thank you all so much. Congratulations. Item 4.01. Do I have a motion to take from the table agenda item 3.17 from the June 3, 2025 board meeting? So move. I have a second. Second. All in favor? I passes 40. That brings us to 4.02, 02 which is the first reading of policy 5135 that
005is in relation to the table previously tabled agenda item 3.17 June 3 20254 uh Richard I believe you had raised some questions there so uh why don't you get started or did you get any satisfaction to your questions well I just was seeking uh yeah I was seeking just some clarification on one part of that policy, but it was just one line. Um, looking for it here. Right. It was um part of the third paragraph, one of the bullet points under the third paragraph. Um just in context again that it uh the introduction of that bullet list reads that um in accordance with law and board policy parental and guardian consent is required before requiring miners to take part in surveys which gather any of the following information. And the bullet point that I just
006was uh a bit clear about was one that reads religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student with the students with the students parent guard. So I just wasn't clear what that meant. So actually that was a an oversight of two attorneys which you should say is religious practices affiliations of the student who the students carried on just like the first bullet would do you mind just repeating that one more time sure um so that bullet point should read religious practices affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student students Um, so if you just look at the first bullet as far as that I I completely understand one word um the conjunction rather than the preposition makes it very clear. So on the second I revised it. So now it reads or Yes. Right.
007That would still be uh just the first reading. All right. So then I'll entertain a motion to accept the first reading as amended. So move policy 5125. Thank you. Have a second. Second. All in favor? I pass this 4. Thank you. with that everything was so easy. Uh 4.03 is in relation to adopting a proposed policy number 2254 the exeicio's lead member of the board. Um I had read some of this and in advance of the meeting and then I just had some questions and in terms of uh you know the way this is going to work for the board particularly I was uh interested really in seeing you know we have this uh civic readiness that we've been touting and promoting here at the school and I didn't see how the new policy that
008as it was written had included a process where the students actually have to vote on the member that represents them. Just like the community represents us, you know, we represent the community, I should say, we get voted in. I wanted to see the student get voted in or some process where the students have much more of a say. And in addition to that, uh, being that it's a specifically affects this board, I thought it would be appropriate for, you know, at least two board members to be part of that process as well. Um that that's that's pretty much uh the comments I had other than the fact also that the last um paragraph also talks about orientation and training program and I think the board members should be involved with that as well. Um, I
009did uh read over some of the response that we got for that and I was uh in agreeance. I did like seeing that it does say um not not in our policy. Whether or not it needs to be in there, I'm not really sure. Uh but that is going to be somebody from the student government. So, it is somebody who's elected into Did everyone get a chance to read the email and respond? Yes. Yeah. Um, so that was good to see. Um, because I I question the same thing where I didn't see it in the policy. It's just somebody that we're picking or is being mispicked or is it somebody that was picked by their student body? So, um, that was good to good to know. Um, and I think it did say something at
010the very end of that that the end of the policy does say that whatever the training is going to be the superintendent, the designated needed uh the board I think I remember right there. No, no, no, no. In the in the current policy policy um I think it was in the last sentence. I don't have that up right now, but pretty sure it said something like that. This board was going to be needed part of the uh trading process. Um yeah, I wouldn't I mean I'd be sitting on the on the board. I would say it'd be nice to have some kind of um board members there during like panel interviews. So, uh, well, yeah, I'm a little confused because my reading of both the email response and and the policy as proposed doesn't refer
011to any kind of a vote on on part of the student body. My reading of it is that so what it would be is um there's uh votes uh that occur or there's voting that occurs in May and for uh senior rising senior class officers and senior class representatives. So those students get voted on by their peers and then what we had worked with Ken Mer was very helpful. Then we were going to ask those any of those students who were voted as leaders among their peers if they had an interest in this and ask them to apply. Mhm. And um if you see the email uh they had to answer a few questions and provide reasons why they wanted to and then they would have been interviewed by the proposed student proposal with the
012principal superintendent and a board member. Okay. So it could be multiple people and then based upon that interview that that interview committee will make a recommendation on which person and so yeah so that I guess I understand that uh I guess my yeah my only confusion was when it says meets with rising senior class officers and student government represented. So those would have been previously determined. So you're talking about a pool or a body of students and then amongst that tennis uh rise to that level and from there one one would emerge from there but they would have to apply if they're interested they would have to apply right by way of these questions. We figured if no one was interested in them, we could just open it up to the student body. Really easy
013process, right? Those 10 are all part of student government anyway. And they get elected into student government by their chosen by their peers. Just elected, correct? We're just elected as their juniors being elected for their senior year. So there will be the leaders of the senior class which we thought that would probably be the best way to start with having a senior as part of it. And that's the way you'd envision the policy from the beginning, right? Yes. Um you know not that an underassman would be fine, but if you senior then more people would get a chance if it's only one year versus a second row or something student after that experience. Yeah, makes sense. We're trying to look for a mix of just recommend so many so many different ways. Some districts just
014have the kids. We thought we need a little more than that. Um I was I really wanted the principal to be heavily involved because he really knows kids basically for three years, right? Um even more so than myself or a board member because of just that. So that was uh the reason why we also waited to we have a a high school principal. anyone was wanting involved in the making of the criteria and the his thoughts in order to uh okay then how does the rest of the board feel about I had mentioned about having two board members involved with that process I think one board member Yeah, I'm inclined to think because if it's two then it then board member representation is basically equal to the administrative representation principal and superintendent. I can see
015kind of a problem with that frankly. He's a member of the board though, right? Well, there two members of the board. He's he's becoming member of the board. Oh, you mean that he meaning? Okay. Um, so I would almost say that having a more decision on this is I mean my thinking goes back to the what you just mentioned that the principal primarily and the superintendent more so than the board knows the students. So I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea that the board would have equal say out of the four people as it were equal representation determining I mean I I you know if I were a board member on that group I mean I would I mean I'd be working from a position of you know almost ignorance you know of the students
016so I feel uncomfortable making that decision. I also can see you know the potential where you know their conflicts of interest can develop. You know students may know board members board members may know students in a in a way different from the way the principal and superintendent do. It seems to me the decision should be made based on how the student is known uh within the school community. Thank you. So that's why one makes more sense. Yeah. The issue with it if he were to go to two would be that it could be a two two vote or something at that point too. So if if the principal and superintendent would remain on there. So then they would have to almost bring in a fifth person or eliminate one of the two. So yeah, I
017guess my thinking about that is that's to me that doesn't seem desirable. I guess again it leverages uh the decision-m authority away from the people who know the students best. Seems to me I think they're resenting the ones that are best. That's but then on what basis would we decide against that question questions that are listed I can't imagine there' be a situation where somebody that's being you know presented by the principal superintendent but few board members are really say the second one board working with the You mean the the principal and the superintendent or the students the students respectively? Yeah. Once they join the board. Keep in mind also whatever number of people on the board still recommend to the board that the board would have. Yeah. So five recommendation one is one. Yeah.
018I mean I think that's a good point. I mean the board acts as a as a buy. I mean we don't act individually. So I guess for that reason as well I don't see any any value in having two members of the board on on this selection committee rather than one. when the board is acting to your point. That's a simple body. Have we had that opportunity to do that when you recommend or not? Okay. Um, so without Joanne here, um, I think to Jeff's question before then, do we need to advise this to include some more of the information from the email into the policy in terms of the process of the selection? That would be up to the board. As I indicated in the email, the policy was the way it was written
019was recommended by attorneys, but you know, I I read through the policy and it it conforms almost word by word for word, but at least that's recommended policy. seem pretty straightforward to me in that respect. I think the criteria is not in there, right? Oh, that point that part in particular you're talking about then the high school principal meets with the rising class keeping it open and gives us one of those students is not interested. Yeah, I'm always ly I think it's always good to envision ways the policy can work against you as well as you. Yeah. So you put in there first choice try to get some there to select somebody outside I personally would like to see somebody that's been selected by themselves. Okay. when we hope for a criteria board that so
020envisioning a situation like that where where you you none of the people so identified here was interested or applied or deemed ultimately I mean that's a possibility too and I mean it could be that none none of the people from that group even if they applied would be deemed that desirable well they might not apply or or or of those that apply Maybe the the principal and the superintendent would think that they're not desirable. So then we'd have to go to a plan B and wouldn't you talk about that with the board? We could always change it. So we run this this year more open. It seems to kind of marry all the best components of what I've seen in other policies. Again, some places just have the vote, some just have appointments. Yeah, this
021was a topic at an earlier Dutch County Schoolboard Association meeting and and the sense I got from that was that there are, you know, people are feeling their way through this and most school districts, you know, we're buying by a July 1 deadline as a union preschool district. We had an extra month from my understand. Uh I'm unaware of that. I think that was the case. I think that was the case. Um, but anyway, I mean, I made that point then and and Kelly laughing, but yeah, I mean, but the point was that we've talked about it at the at the meeting and the sense I got from that discussion. So, people are doing it different ways as you say, and they're really trying to see how it goes. We want to table this until
022we have to person or two or put in that show. I guess the big question is is the laws effective July 1. So what does that mean? Do we have to have the policy on the books by July 1? Again, my understanding was that is universal district. It's not required for us till August 1st, but don't go by. That was my understanding. I don't think I don't whatever. I'm not I don't know that it could be true, but uh um our attorneys were saying if you could have it by July 1st, that'd be best. I think they said we have a meeting July 8th and kind of work if it was that that day. uh the students don't have to come to board meetings in the summertime because they're off. So, it really wouldn't affect
023a ton of time to come to Hawaii home. Um so, we did have some leeway with that. If if there's really a a two two uh difference, then it might make sense to to wait until you have the dip. Um the other part we might be able to uh talk about here whether you want the criteria in your policy or not talking about that here. Um you know or if you want to talk more about whether to have two or one conversation tonight it's not two two decide that and put it in or we could wait. Well, like I said, if we are going to talk more about two two versus one, you know, two versus one school members, I'd like to understand better why what the rationale is for having two rather than one.
024My only thought behind that was that it's it's a member that's going to become part of our board. And I thought that it's we should have a say in that. That's all. But wouldn't we? Well, we would be getting presented one person at one point. we wouldn't be in the interviewing process which would allow us to maybe steer it one way or the other. So the person only has one. Um I was thinking uh these people or the students were chosen by their peers to be student government. Um so um Mr. Lewis uh Paul would interview and the board member interview these students knowing that they were chosen by their peers. Um I don't think that they going to qualify because they were chosen by their peers, right? you know, um so they were chosen
025because they're tailored, they're intelligent, um you know, um they can represent a body of the students. Um so, um the thing about one board member, it makes sense to me because we have to come back to report you guys anyway to tell you guys, you know, you know, answers your questions, you know. um with um Mr. Lewis all um I believe one member is fine because we have to come back to you guys and we both have a body. So um that's my reason for having I can support that as well particularly if we just add some of the language about how they would get to that point of being selected which is within the email. So, I don't know if you can do is there an answer to do we need to have the
026policy on the books by July one? You said July. Do you think it would be okay or I I just don't know if that to vote on it to adopt it on July. So, we we could take feedback. I'm going to ask for clarity first and redevelop the draft Senate and iPad 38. What I'm hearing is is written as it is with with Mr. Lewis, superintendent and one board member. But if you would like to see some of the criteria in the policy, um I would probably say we would remove the questions we would ask just that first part. heard that before. Part one, part two, part three steps. Yes, that that could remain. So the in part one, I believe I don't know if I did say you did say uh the preamble on
027the wall talked about that would be the members of the student body that were voted on. So we just put that into the policy. So what I'm what I'm thinking is all right. So it'll be the principal, superintendent, and the board member. That's the way it's going to be selected in the criteria. What I think I can do is I can go back to Alison. Um, it's going to be part of the policy, but it's going to be called like 813.1 like a show like an addendum like an addendum. It'll be Yeah, it'll be both. Both will be under the student board member, but one will show the policy and one will show up the process. Really the process. The process. Would that be okay? And that would be referenced in the debate policy. Still
028having some kind of language in there that nobody on. Yeah. Yeah. I think that I think that would need to be added. Yeah, I'm going to add that in clause says if no candidate is determined through this process then either through volunteer or or process it might be opened up abroad. I don't think they need to spell it out but so for me um in terms of policy um when we get audited um it needs to be clear what the policies are how we go about so that is required on this policy itself. So then we'll do is we will come back on July 8th seeking adoption but the board will see the student draft long before that right and could could comment accordingly if there is something on it that's not any any questions
029and we could always have discussion if I I'd also just suggest that in that last paragraph Uh if we just remove the words if necessary which so the superintendent will establish procedures for the SFCR student member with the board of education to implement this policy. Yeah. Yeah. It's ambiguous. If necessary means that you, you know, technically can just go do it without us. But um I would just like to clarify it's necessary. It's just it just leaves a question. I'd rather just get rid of the question. One one further clarification I guess I'd like is is the um part of the email then that's going to be incorporated. I understand will consist of that that preamble you know those two sentences this again the description of the process those couple of sentences with a another
030clause or sentence added that if no candidate surfaces there further further further process what I got and then one two and three parts one two and three would stay as they're written here if so just want to my understanding is that part three is the recommendation. So the way the process would work is it's correct that that the uh committee consisting of a superintendent, the principal and one schoolboard member would listen to the questions, listen to the interviews, participate in interviews and so forth and then as a group would offer up a recommendation to the board. So that wouldn't require that the board has to hear the answers to all the questions of the interview. I don't know that that would be it would be similar to board. Yeah. Yeah. That's the way that's what
031I would understand. That's the way I think should work. Right. Any more discussion on this board? All right. What I'd ask for then is a motion to lay item 4.03 on the table until the July 8th meeting. We have a second. All in favor? Passes 40. All right. Okay. That brings us to item 7.01, board correspondence. We do have a couple of respondents to address here. Uh, one was the summer work program. Um, which we provided an email response to the person that wrote that email. The other was in relation to uh some items within the Todd Middle School handbook and principal Dohy has been uh looking into that and we'll get back to the proposal of that in the mail as well. Uh 7.02 comments from the public on non-aggenda items. Public comments on
032non-aggenda items. Okay, that brings us to 703 comments from the board. Just a brief I have one brief comment. Um the final meeting of the Duchess School Board Association was Thursday the week before last. Um whatever date that was first first Thursday of June, whatever. It's the final meeting of the of the season uh held at the Milhouse uh Brew Company as it had been in the past. It was enjoyable event. Um the feature uh for many of of us there was um as had been the case I think two two years prior a number of students from local districts uh who participated in the sealless civic readiness um program were there to talk about their projects. That was really in nice to see. Uh we had a student from Beacon uh student from Arlington
033actually they were in pairs so two students from Beacon two students from Arlington talk about their projects you know very interesting uh to see how that's grown and kind of matured over the last couple of years uh really interesting ambitious projects that these students had developed on their own and participated in reminded me in some ways of the kind of thing that Eagle Scouts have to go through kind of projects that they have to devise and you execute the plan and so forth. And the students uh talked about how much they got out of that experience. It was really really nice to see that. So that program across the county I think is really bearing fruit. It seems like you know clearly and uh a lot of enthusiasm about it on the part of the
034teachers from the district are there. So, uh, nice to see what establishment is that. Oh, the place where the that was that the Milhouse Brew Company. Yeah. Yeah. It's nice. Yeah. Food's good. Food's good. Drink's good. Enjoyable evening all around. something to add. Um I do um last um Yeah, that's great, right? Surprise. I I I did. I was just wanted to make sure before I put my footwork on, but um no, I I just wanted to say congratulations to all our graduating students. Very exciting for all of them. Um, thank you for all of our administrators, our teachers, and our students for a great year, our families, and our community for another great year. It was uh great and uh we'll be at graduation this year, but I know some of our board members
035definitely will be and very excited for water in particular. Wish their children go across the stage. Very cool. Um, so yeah, thank you all. It was a successful year and I enjoy being on board with it. Uh the only other thing I'd say is uh I know we've spoken about um or at least it was brought up uh the policy committee was recommended by uh one of our auditors brought it up before. Um I think uh something that we should revisit um on having a policy committee uh put together to help out with stuff like this help us um put some of these together. seems like more and more. Yeah, sure. Yeah. I mean, it's a lot of work. It's endless part, fast part, part share labor. Share the labor. We can help with that.
036Well, Jeeoff, that was well said. I I can't say anything more about what we mentioned about your appreciation for the the teachers, administration, all the support staff, everybody. Always makes our year successful and congratulations to all of our grads. It's just such a great time of the year. So happy for them all. And with that, I'll turn it over to uh 7.04. comments from our superintendent. Nice segue uh from what you guys are just talking about, but it is it's that time of year. It's the end of the year. It is the last board meeting. Uh we're dangerously close to the end. Uh we really what's left is just a slew of moving ups and graduations. starting with the high school graduation this Saturday and then next week we have a slew of moving up
037from prek, fifth grade, uh, second grade, and many others. We can do all of them. Um, different things going on all next week. Um, so hopefully weather holds. Um, most of them are outside. Um, I think all of them are outside so, uh, Saturday's going to be fine. Uh the weather looks like it's going to be okay uh for our 9:30 graduation. Mr. Lewis, is that correct? You're promising good weather. Promising. So, uh just looking forward to that and just, you know, congratulations to our retirees. I know we did that last meeting and it's just again to all the hard work everyone has done and thank you to the board for another successful year. Um no more meetings this school year. So, uh, our next one will be July. Doesn't seem like much. Where's the
038uh um the prek moving up? Where's Where's that Okay, that brings us to item 8.01. The board will vote to adjurnn to executive session for the purpose of discussing the superintendent's evaluation. No further business is anticipated after the executive session. We have a motion to enter into executive session. Sure. We have a second. Second. All in favor zero. Thanks. We'll see you next time. [Music]