001Two months >> Okay, I'd like to call the meeting of the Board of Education to order, please. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of 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. >> All right. Next Uh this is our PTA update. >> Good evening. >> Okay, so we had a busy month this month. Um we started with um I lost I forgot my other my other form. Um we had the craft fair back on the 17th, which was successful. Um The track we're not sure if it helped or hindered, but the track Well, I mean, we did have a lot of people coming from the track. Um but next year, if
002we do it, we do know to stay away from mid-April. Um So, that was a successful. We had our autism acceptance day. We um helped supply the volunteers to the elementary school. I heard that it went well. I was not there, um but I believe everything went okay. And then at the beginning of May we kept busy with teacher appreciation week. Um every day we supplied all three schools with small treats. The teachers all very very appreciative. They I got so many messages from them, especially the middle school high school, directly. And then just walking through the elementary school there's so many people stopped to say thank you. So, I'm just glad we were able to do that to show our appreciation to our staff. Uh we did have a bus driver appreciation day. I
003believe it was April 28th. We brought them um breakfast sandwiches from Big Tony's and I did not speak directly to them, but Kathy said that they were also very appreciative of that. Um upcoming we have our ice cream social on Tuesday to coincide with the budget meeting and the art show. Um it will be free ice cream until it's gone. We have three of the big Nickelodeon Sunday cups, so hopefully it'll go a little ways. Um we plan on walking in the Memorial Day parade again this year, so if anybody's interested in joining us, it will be um Friday the 22nd at 5:30. Um we did select our two senior scholarship winners. I don't know if they've announced them yet, so I'll wait until next month to share that. And then we are currently in
004the middle of planning mission day. Um we met this morning with the teachers to get their input. Um that we had a list of them that wanted to help out. So, we met with them first. We have our PTA meeting tonight following this and then I'll continue on with planning for more activities going forward. That will be on Friday the 12th. And then we have um middle school commission day or not mission day, field day on June 23rd, I believe. Um we're still planning, trying to get volunteers for that. It's a lot harder harder to get the middle school volunteers to come in, but we're still planning that. Yearbooks are currently for sale. And we're going to be trying to work with a school supply kit um um supplier to help elementary students and families
005get their supplies a little bit easier so they don't have to do the running around. So, more more details on that once we finalize um supply lists. lists All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The next item on the agenda is public input on agenda items. Thank everyone for joining us tonight. Uh we're about to start public comment part of our meeting. The first a quick reminder as a board we believe it's essential to hear your thoughts and concerns to make sure we have time to discuss your feedback and get input from the administration. We will not be able to respond to you tonight, but we'll follow up and get an answer from the appropriate staff member. Uh keep in mind that our
006board's policy is that we don't discuss student or personnel issues during this time. We take those concerns seriously and we ask that you follow the proper administrative channels to resolve. Finally, please be respectful of everyone. Let's make sure everyone has a chance to speak without interruption. When you speak, please state your name and address for the record and you'll have 3 minutes to do so. I open the floor for comments. Does anyone have any comments? pledge of allegiance No? Okay. Moving on. Uh next is the superintendent's report. >> Good evening, everyone. Uh just a couple of quick updates. Um Yesterday I spoke to Chris Lynch at the end of the day. Um I think the board's request was for non-parents to be on our parents board. So, I gave him the information yesterday and lo
007and behold we had a event today. Uh the request required a parents word to go out and I get one of my first questions, "Are the board members on that or not?" Uh you weren't, right? So, you should be added today. So, check that should should have been out in invite and so on and so forth. So, uh, talking about today, we um, you guys remember maybe a couple months ago, we had an inadvertent lockdown signaled. And uh, that's never a good thing, right? Cuz tensions go high and usually there's warnings we have to but, you know, state regulations we have to warn and send out warning that we're having it. We have to talk, you know, over the microphone or our principals do a pretty good job saying this is only a drill. And
008uh, there wasn't one after school, which is always a weird time. Uh, and then this morning it occurred prior to the elementary arriving, the elementary students, but the middle school, high school kids were here. We I can believe it was 7:32. Uh, an inadvertent lockdown signal went into action. Um, you know, from from the reports I was not here. I'm getting that early. Um, they teachers did an unbelievable job, you know, following protocol to the to the kids were great. Um, but, you know, what when that happens, our kids are smart enough to know and there's not warnings and all that, like, oh gosh, could this be real? So, you know, there's always heightened anxiety in those moments. So, um, I wanted to let you all know that that kind of uh, you know, happened
009today. Um, and I know I'm probably not popular when I say this stuff, but every time that an unplanned event occurs, we find cracks. And we found some cracks today in the system and you know, and with personnel stuff is is easy and simple as our badges that we we used to call those lockdowns, you know, so we're talking to some people and we'll have that fixed, you know, for sure going forward. Uh, cuz that's I think in those situations, that's where you can't make mistakes. What was the same cause for both incidents? >> Yes. >> Do you know what the cause was? >> Yes. Just inadvertent dialing, human error. They We have codes on the back of our badge and so but but it happens, you know. Um But hopefully it won't happen anymore.
010>> Well, I hope it doesn't happen a third time. >> Well, I hope not. Um and something that'll be coming across your desks uh soon, uh the Wasaren League um the constitution was kind of laying in limbo since I believe COVID. So, it's been in draft form for many years. So, uh some current athletic directors, uh people on the the cabinet and those the superintendent or two, couple superintendents, couple athletic directors, principal, um they've taken the time to including our Mike Kennedy, he's he's one of them, uh rewriting the the kind of like the bylaws and the uh the actual constitution, which we'll have to approve as as a member member school in that league. Um and they're hoping to get it all done by July. So, um more than three meetings or so, uh
011that'll that'll come across in the agenda for you guys to vote to attach it and you can read through it if you'd like. Um it's membership, you know, 100% of the varsity sports have the participants. There's all things One of the things they do uh stress in this one and I know they've gone away from it. You know, not that I've been here long. I've I've been here a little over 2 years. I we've had one uh Wasaren superintendent meeting. That's it. Um but then I asked Mr. Wager and I think he said he's been to one or two since he's been here. So, from where I came from, we were in the in the Suburban Council and in the beginning I thought those weren't really productive PLCs. I didn't think they would be. It
012was by far the best learning community I've ever been part of as far as sharing ideas and sharing questions. So, uh one of the goals in this constitution is calling for those meetings a little bit more often, not too much. Once a month is probably overkill. It's it's a lot to get people out of buildings, but I think they're going they're on the right track and they want to make, you know, the environment even stronger. Making sure that all the bylaws are followed, bylaws are good. So, I think that's good stuff. So, yeah. >> Thank you. I wanted to go back to the consent agenda cuz I skipped over. So, I need a motion to approve the consent agenda items inclusive of board minutes minutes of the 4/29/2016 Board of Education meeting and the CSEA
013recommendations. >> So moved. >> Second. Questions? Comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, now to our business administrators report. >> Thank you. I have a couple things. The first two are kind of related. Uh Department of Environmental Conservation did their site visit today to check out our back field as it relates to the project. A biologist and somebody else looking at trees came in to check it all out and see how that was. So, we're hopeful that that gets the DEC process moving along. They were noncommittal about their timeline and when I pushed them, they really had any answers about what their own timeline is, which I find strange. And then a little bit later on in the agenda, the phase one bids are here for the board's consideration. Going
014along with the DEC visit, the site contractor, Shaker Flats, has given the district a hold harmless letter in the event that the DEC permit process delays the start of the project, Shaker Flats will not pursue a delay claim against the school. They'll just accept that the back end of the project be extended on a day-for-day basis. This is in line with what Brody and King and King Feld was approved on it and will protect the school from a claim um not due to our own doing, but because the Department of Environmental Conservation did not do a site visit and issue a permit in a timely fashion. And then the only other thing I is next Tuesday is the annual budget vote. And we are asking voters to go to the polls without having a state
015budget. Um and it's a an awkward situation for sure, but the state budget was due on April 1st, so we should have at this point known state numbers, and we do not. Um so we're hopeful that there will be a state budget sometime in the near future. I would say that is it 6 weeks maybe, but we are complying with our obligations under the law despite all the news inability to get a state budget done in a timely manner. >> Just a question, has the village gotten back to you on their their news? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Mike. Um next is our student board member report. >> Um I'd say everything's going pretty well. Everyone's just settling into the end of the year. There's not a lot much going on right
016now. It's just kind of getting these end of the year functions up. We got to start writing the budget now. If there's anything else going on, that's it. >> Okay. Thank you. All right, moving on. We have personnel. I need a motion to approve the maternity leave for Michaela Michaela Dunn pursuant to Article 19 of the Stillwater Teachers Association Collective Bargaining Agreement as per the terms of the letter attached. >> So second. >> Questions? Comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. I need a motion to appoint the following recommended individuals for the Summer Enrichment Academy for 3 hours per day at the rates specified below for the summer program of 2026. Activity leaders, certified teachers, Natalie Hoyt, Matthew Lemoin, Cara Hair, Jacob Demera, Matt Hogan. Activity leaders, non-certified teachers, Britney Manning,
017Ella Cushman, Logan Tolman, Millie Collette. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. I need a motion to appoint Tori Torrella as a permanent lunch recess monitor effective May 14th, 2026 at $16.54 an hour per the CSEA agreement. Ms. Torrella has full fingerprint clearance. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. I need a motion to accept the resignation of Benjamin Frey as teaching assistant effective June 30th, 2026. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. I need a motion to appoint Stephanie Bisognano as an elementary special education teacher on a four-year probationary tenure track per the STA contract agreement at step two, which is
018$49,163 effective September 1st, 2026 in the tenure area of special education, all levels. Ms. Bisognano has her initial certification in students with disabilities, all levels, and an initial teaching certification in childhood ed, grades 1-6. Ms. Bisognano has full fingerprint clearance. >> So moved. >> Questions, comments? >> Second. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Second. Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, now we're moving on to action items. I need a motion to adopt the tax resolution authorizing the use of cooperative bidding for scoreboards and turf in phase one of our capital project. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions? Comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, I need a motion to accept the phase one bids and agreement with the architect as attached. >> So >>
019Second. >> Questions? Comments? >> I have a question. On the phase one bids, the attachment from Kenney King, there's a line item for the re-banding of the turf. >> Yes. >> I Is Is that still part of the project scope or is that not part of the project scope? >> That has been deleted out. The bid sheet was never redone. >> Okay. >> But the cooperative bidding authorization that was just approved reflects the pricing minus the >> Okay. Any Any branding or re-branding would be a different board discussion, right? >> Yeah, it's not It's not on. >> All right. So, it's not a question. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, I need a a mo So, this is a sticker resolution, so I
020just need a motion to approve it. >> Mhm. >> I need a motion to approve the sticker resolution for 2026 grade seven capital outlay project. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions? Comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, we have no committee report outs tonight. Um on to board items of interest. Does anybody have anything? >> I have something. I know what we do as board members in our personal lives, because our personal, you know, business. However, I have a problem with board members commenting on Facebook about STA negotiations and about like their pay. It's absolutely inappropriate and there's no place for it and it should be prohibited. It's very very inappropriate knowing that negotiations the current status. >> board member do this? >> Yeah, I'll read it to you
021if you want. It's clearly inappropriate in my opinion. I won't be listening to it, but I'm just saying it should not happen. It's It's sending the wrong message, too. >> Well, we shouldn't be talking about anything that is is talked in within executive session. >> It wasn't a comment about executive session. It's just It's a pure a comment that is clearly inappropriate. >> Yeah, I'm I mean, we should refrain from doing those type of things, yes. >> So, I would have started it out by saying that board business and affairs shouldn't be discussed on Facebook at all. >> I agree 100% that you know, it's inappropriate. Let's ban It just looks bad for us as a board. It makes us look very unprofessional and >> I agree. >> We don't need that. >> Right. Although,
022you know, people do have their own their own statements. >> Did anybody violate you know, the confidentiality of of the executive session? >> No. I I'm not I'm not putting it on I'm not on Facebook, so I don't I don't have other than marketplace. >> It's not that you know what I mean, but it's just it's it's inappropriate in my opinion. >> Well, I got I I understand your comment, but >> But just let us know what was said. >> I don't know what >> Okay. >> I think >> Give me a second to find something. If anyone has a comment, go ahead. >> Anybody else have >> Yes, come out and vote on this. >> Yes. >> Um I do just have one thing. I know Josh had sent it around. He couldn't be
023here tonight to talk to it, but there was a it was a quilting related thing um, for veterans. So, if anybody I haven't had a chance to dig into it either yet, but if anybody has a chance to take a look at that, I'm sure he'd be very grateful and you know, it's something that we could take a look at to see if we can do as a school district and then I think they gift the finished product to a a veteran. You know, they would it would be something I think >> I think they're just looking for student participation to to be a ladder. I wish that right? I mean >> I think so. >> Yeah. >> Hey Joe, can you take that and lead on that and just see what we need to
024do if anything? Um, who was involved in it and and then we go forward. >> And pull that up there. I can pull that up. I don't know if that's something we can >> That was all. I just wanted to mention it. Thank you. >> Anything else? >> Do you have a >> So, I'll just read the comment. If you want more context on what the actual post was, I'll tell you that too. But so basically the comment is so true. People like to complain about teachers, but you guys are expected to do so much more with little or no training and no increase in pay. Totally inappropriate. I appreciate all that you guys do. Thank you for always going above and beyond for the students in Stillwater. But it for it to be put
025in there no increase in pay when when we're in the middle of contract negotiations, absolutely unacceptable in my opinion. >> I think that that was me. >> I didn't say who said it, but if you want >> But that was done before negotiations started. >> Um, no, that was not done before negotiations were started. Again, I don't know what the comment was made on April 22nd, so well into contract negotiations. >> Um, if if it was a teacher That kind of comment I don't, you know, I don't feel it was inappropriate. You know, if that's your opinion, I have mine. I told her to feel free to do so. >> That's true. That's true. >> But I should not be commenting as board members. That's >> Well, no. We can. I mean, I I think
026I think you're supposed to say, you know, "The thoughts and opinions are mine and not don't necessarily reflect the opinion of the board or district, whatever it may be." But uh I'm always going to be a big fan of everyone's right to speak whatever they want to say. >> Yeah. >> Time and place, though, you know what I mean? I don't like that. >> We've had other people on the board do stupid things. I mean, I agree with you, but I guess I guess it comes down to personal opinion. I mean, >> Well, I don't think it's my my personal opinion. It's not now. >> Yeah, it's just Facebook is a devil. I wish everyone would get off of it. >> Yeah. >> I think I think it can be a trust exercise in a
027way cuz you have idiots posting all kinds of stupid Pardon my French. >> Yeah, they do. But, you know, I mean, my my big thing is always that if there's misinformation out there, I will correct it. Okay? But but then there are certain people that put things on Facebook that I don't even um don't even answer to because it doesn't matter what you say, it's not going to do any good. But I will always if there's a mis- information about school or something that we did, you know, whether I'm sitting here as board president or as just as a board member, you know, I'm going to correct that. Because I feel that we as a school district should be you know, >> And as the president, you speak for all of us. >> No. No,
028I do not speak for all of you. >> But the president of school board speaks for all of >> If I am in my capacity, correct. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. In my capacity as board president, if I if I'm speaking to someone and I'm being speaking as the board president, yes. But when I if I'm speaking on Facebook and in my you know, account, I'm not speaking as the board as the board >> Right. Yeah, you don't lose your you don't lose your personal freedoms as a citizen. >> No, we're we're in the middle of contract negotiations. Maybe they just need to draft a policy. >> Right. I agree. >> Well, no, but >> Yeah, but write it up. >> But you know what I mean? You just shouldn't be making comments about that
029that's a no pet, especially when you're a board member, you are on the negotiation committee. Just my opinion. It's not professional. Well, and it's I I personally think that it's embarrassing to be part of the board when comments are being made like that. >> Well, you know, what? There's I I would agree with you, but also it's embarrassing when we're sitting here and making comments that are not true about people, too. And so, we need to be make sure that we don't do that. >> I don't think I'm making a comment, but >> Well, I'm not Yeah, I'm not getting into it, but I don't know. I can talk to you afterwards, but I don't know about that. But, um as as far as >> Should we move on? >> Yes. As far as people
030people have a right to make comments. So. And you can't take that right away from them. >> Can I ask a question? >> We have more items of interest. >> Oh, go ahead. Um I did see that the top 10 was released and Adrian is out of town this week so I didn't get to >> Congratulations to her. She's a Um and the other nine that are listed, you know, that's a great accomplishment. Right. I wish you guys a bunch of success. Um and I I forwarded something to you guys if you can email me I will put that to you last week as a follow-up from um Chuck's presentation. I just reached out to him asking for like a breakdown of like really what does this club really entail from Chris um as far
031as costs. And so, he was kind enough to send it to me so I asked him if I could if I could share that with the board tonight. So I'll hear you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anybody have anything else? >> I've got a couple things. >> Okay. >> So one um recently was reviewing the YouTube uh channel and we have about an average of 40 or 50 views per meeting. Some more, some less, you know. Uh it seems like people view maybe a week or two later uh cuz the most recent ones were 10 to 20 views. So I think that is that's being absorbed and digested and we're reaching a lot more people than we would get in normal attendance. So I'm pleased to see that. Uh my second item of interest was
032a news article I happened on yesterday that directly impacts us in the near future and probably a lot of people missed it and I was surprised. Uh New York Governor Hochul has uh opted in. They we become the 31st state to opt in to the federal scholarship tax credit program that was passed under the one big beautiful bill last year. So what's what's interesting about that is it provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to people to donate to SGOs which would be uh scholarship granting organizations to fund scholarships for not just school choice. That's that's part of it, but for additional services, educational expenses. Qual- They actually says qualified educational expenses. That includes tutoring, supplemental services, special ed services, book supplies, technology, transportation, testing fees, uh as well as private private school tuition. Uh that last
033one could be a concern for us, you know. That could um result in decreased enrollment and decreased federal aid by people choosing to go elsewhere. I think we have less risk of that than other schools with a with a higher concentration of of private school competition. But uh I think there's a lot of opportunity here for our students to receive additional services, tutoring, special ed services that this money will allow. And and it's all essentially privately funded through grants versus tax dollars and additional cost to us. So, I'm kind of excited about that and glad that uh we've got like 30 states on board for that and uh we just want to start wrapping our heads around what we can do to position ourselves best for that and for the students. >> And that starts
034looks like the private school scholarships start January 1st, 2022. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Anything else? >> That's it. >> Are you sure? >> Yep. >> Okay. Anybody else? Nothing? Okay. All right. Next thing on the agenda is a public input on non-agenda items. Does anybody have anything to say? No? Okay. Um next um I need a motion to go to executive session for CSEA and STA contract negotiations and personnel. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? The motion carries. >> You know, last time we turned that off the speaker was like here here is a coming. >> Really?