001president of the Board of Education. We are so happy to have our Cherry Laners here. Once a Cherry Laner, always a Cherry Laner. Um and really having students come to the board meetings is just our favorite part of any board meeting. It's so uplifting. It really reminds us about what we're here for and it is just such a nice change from some of the very difficult work we have to do here. Seeing the kids perform cuz they're always fantastic. So thank you everyone. Thank you parents for participating in this process. Thank you everyone for being here tonight. And we're going to get started. How are we doing back there, Sherouk? Is my microphone on? It doesn't sound like it's on. Is my microphone Oh, there we go. Okay. All right. Are we live? Okay, very
002good. All right. Good evening, everyone. We are going to recall to order the regular meeting of the Suffern Central School District Board of Education for Tuesday, March 24th, 2026. May the record reflect that all board members are present and we will begin with 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. That was excellent. I think we have some experts on the Pledge of Allegiance here with us today. All right. Our next item is student board member report. Good evening, Joy. Good evening. So today at the high school, junior prom tickets are on sale for the junior prom, which is on April 17th at the Clown Plaza. Today at
003lunch was also the AVID college fair, which is when students in the AVID program research a college or university and create display boards where today they presented them to the student body. There was also the musical the last weekend and this was a great success with a lot of students being involved in the cast and also in the pit as well as other roles. After school on Wednesday is the create event with the French Honor Society and also the art Honor Society. Um Tomorrow on Wednesday, there's also a peer leadership workshop with the freshman and the theme is a friendship bracket and this is reflecting the March Madness which is going on right now. Um Thursday 6:00 p.m. is the world language Honor Society induction, which is in the Suffern High School auditorium. Spring break
004also begins next Monday and all of our students are very excited about that. Tonight was the parade celebrating the hockey, gymnastics and track and field teams for their involvement in state competition as well as national competitions. Outside of the high school, um Montebello Elementary School is excited to share that a fence has been installed on school grounds as a first step in creating a school garden. Students in the garden club are excited to continue working on this project. Additionally, fifth grade music musicians welcomed families into the school for curriculum night with a concert where they played the theme song from Superman. Last Thursday, March 19th, a team from RP Connor that included Principal Binaghi, Ms. Maha, Ms. Marshall, Ms. Duffy, Mrs. Perez, Mrs. Gomez and >> [laughter] >> Sorry, I just met her. I had
005to find her card. Dr. Balbuena proudly presented at the NYSABE New York State Association for Bilingual Education Conference on how collective leadership and data-driven MTSS station model support strong outcomes for multilingual learners. Additionally, this week second grade families are being welcomed into school for her informances on folk dancing. Cherry Lane was so proud to host Suffern High School students in two ways last week. First, students in the Future Teachers Club spent the morning observing our dual language classrooms and then participated in a Q&A with teachers and Principal Aguilar. Additionally, the National Art Honor Society students visited the art classes and shared their love of learning of of learning art with students in such creative ways. Kindergartners in Ms. Digga's class wrapped up a special PBL unit on Native Americans this week. Each team was given
006a Native American group to research. They learned about all the special customs that made the tribes unique as well as general information about each. For their final presentation, each team made a tall totem pole to teach others about the group out of class out of classroom art materials. Each part of the team's totem pole stood for something important the students learned. They also made mini totem poles to share about themselves. At Suffern Middle School, the third annual Leaders vs. the Law basketball game to support scholarships for the middle school end-of-year trip is on Thursday, March 26th at 6:30 p.m. at the middle school. Suffern Central faculty will take on members of the Ramapo and Suffern police departments featuring some of our very own former students in a fun and competitive match-up to see who brings
007home the trophy. The sixth grade March Madness behavior challenge wraps up this week with the last bingo game on Friday. All this month, students have been recognized for their positive behaviors in class with tickets that that then act as entry to a lunch bingo game. It also puts them in the running for free cookies and extra bingo cards from Principal Address. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Okay, thank you so much and welcome back, stage sensation Robbie Schwartz. Okay, we're going to move on to the minutes of the regular meeting of March 3rd, 2026. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the minutes? Do I have a motion to approve the minutes? Mr. Shapiro, second. Mr. Andert, all in favor signify by saying I. I. Anyone opposed? Any abstentions? Okay, Superintendent's comments. Thank you very much.
008Good evening, everyone. So great to see the the room packed here with enthusiastic participants and parents. We have two student groups that we are going to be highlighting today. I'm going to start with art and then we're going to move over to our Cherry Laners to do a little performance about Newsies. I know I heard the exhale. The anticipation is there, right? I love it. But as many of you know, March is Youth Art Month and tonight I'm pleased to introduce our Suffern Central art teachers to share a little bit about their efforts this month. The creativity and love of art that is cultivated each day in our schools is so evident in our hallways and at the recent art show and across New York State. And Ms. Burgess is unfortunately under the weather this
009evening, but her fearless colleagues are here to carry the torch and highlight the incredible work of our students that are motivated and facilitated by our teachers. So good evening. Thank you. I'm reading on behalf of Tracy Burgess, the high school art department chair. On behalf of the entire art department, I would like to thank you for continuing the tradition of celebrating the importance of art education tonight and throughout the entire month of March. I am very pleased to share as we close out Youth Art Month this morning, Tracy received notice that Suffern Central School District has been named a community of excellence in the visual arts by the Vision Endorsement Committee of the New York State Art Teachers Association. This award is given to districts who demonstrate rigorous, comprehensive and equitable programming for all students
010on all levels. The art department is very proud to receive this award and we know that our program is this strong due to the support we received this award. Excuse me. Due to the support we received from all district stakeholders. So thank you for supporting the visual arts at Suffern Central. To lead our presentation, the members of the National Art Honor Society student executive board are here to share with you how Suffern Central has been honoring Youth Art Month. I would like to introduce Kennedy Leon, who is the chapter's Youth Art Month chair. >> [applause] >> Hello. As Ms. LaPetito said, my name is Kennedy and I'm the Youth Art Month chair for our Honor Society chapter at Suffern High School. Youth Art Month is an annual national celebration of the importance of art education
011in schools that began in 1961. Schools all around New York State and across the country have been celebrating by making art, displaying art and connecting with their communities. This year's Youth Art Month theme is the world needs art. One of the missions of the National Art Honor Society is to share our passion for the visual arts with our community. Over 3 days this month, 40 Art Honor Society members traveled to the middle school and all four elementary schools to share their love for art making. We taught social emotional learning lessons that dealt with topics such as making mistakes, accepting differences and working collaboratively. We Images were created by groups of students in response to a variety of books read by different grade levels. Through these collaborative art projects, we observed our younger students creating with
012excitement, our eighth grade students asking questions about life at the high school and even our teachers engaging in a art making alongside their students. In all, we successfully made art together in 16 classes across the district, demonstrating that art is a common language, no matter your age. I would like to introduce Dilia Neil to tell you about our recent district-wide art show. >> [applause] >> Hello, and thank you, Kennedy. My name is Dilia, and I'm the gallery director for our National Art Honor Society. On March 6th, we held our district-wide art show at Suffern High School, which also included two extended viewing days on Saturday and Sunday. On display were over 550 works of art from our kindergarteners through our seniors. We are very grateful that at the opening reception, refreshments were sponsored by all
013of the PTA PTAs in the district. The reception was very well attended, and students brought multiple generations of family with them to view their artwork. Smiles were everywhere as students proudly wore their I am an artist sticker and pointed to their artwork. Families then joined our National Art Honor Society members [snorts] in creating art at our activity tables and enjoying the refreshments. Additionally, many many more families viewed the gallery over the weekend and interacted with both National Art Honor Society and staff members on both Saturday and Sunday. The district-wide art show has become an important tradition here at Suffern High School to celebrate art education within our schools. I would like to invite Aurelie Reason to speak about the New York State Youth Art Month Flag Design Contest. >> [applause] >> Hello, and thank you,
014Dilia. My name is Aurelie Reason, and I'm the president of the National Art Honor Society. Each year, the New York State Teacher Art Teachers Association holds a flag design contest for Youth Art Month. For this year's contest, students needed to not only express the theme, The World Needs Art, but also represent New York State. Um NYSATA reported that 111 art teachers submitted flag designs this year, totaling 3,786 students. Tonight, we would like to highlight our six students who whose flag design submissions were recognized for strongly representing this year's theme, The World Needs Art and New York State. We ask that each student come up to the podium when called to receive the certificate from their art teacher, and the students' winning designs will be showed on the screen. Hillary Ortiz, please come up to the
015podium. >> [applause] >> It's my honor and privilege to read this for you. Hillary is a seventh-grade art student whom I've had the pleasure and opportunity to work with in both elementary and middle school. She is proudly recognized for receiving honorable mention in the Youth Art Month Flag Design Contest. Her exceptional design features the eye of the artist as a central focus, surrounded by art materials and rich symbolism representing New York, including the city skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Hillary's creative and artistic vision are evident through her remarkable attention to detail, particularly in her thoughtful exploration of color within overlapping elements of the composition. Her work demonstrates both technical skill and imaginative expression of the theme, The World Needs Art, making her artwork a meaningful meaningful celebration of artistic identity and creativity. Congratulations, Hillary.
016>> [applause] >> I'm also going to read for Ms. Burgess, and it is quite an honor because I've had the opportunity to not to see this student not only through elementary but through middle school and to see him excel in high school. Noah Collina, please come up. >> [applause] >> Okay. I'm still proud to talk about him and his artwork. Noah [clears throat] Collina is a ninth-grade student in Introduction to Art this year. Noah's artwork was chosen for a special recognition certificate because he expressed the need of using art skills for the designing of famous landmarks around landmarks around the world with an emphasis on our own Mario I'll never get used to this name. I still call it the Tappan Zee. Um >> [laughter] >> I still call it the Tappan Zee. Excuse me.
017Cuomo Bridge. Noah not only created an image that included how art is used across the world, but he also highlighted a career that relies on artistic abilities. Unfortunately, Noah was unable to join us tonight, but he will be celebrated in our class tomorrow. >> [applause] >> And now, I hand the podium over to Ms. Ross. Good evening. I am Mrs. Ross. I am an art teacher at Suffern High School. Uh it is my pleasure this evening to honor Ryan Schoonmaker. Ryan is a junior at Suffern High School. He clearly expresses a deep connection and love for the making of fine art. His creativity, skills, and passion are very clear when it comes to creating his work. His pieces are interesting, original, and made with care. He's not afraid to question his art or constantly think
018of new ways to improve it. His flag design for Youth Art Month was nothing short of vibrant and unique. Keep up your passion for creating and the great work, Ryan. >> [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Mrs. Weeks. Um I'm very pleased to recognize Maria Sworko, a freshman at Suffern High School, for outstanding achievement as a high school special recognition winner of the Youth Art Month Flag Contest. Through her hard work, dedication, and creativity, she has designed a truly beautiful and inspiring flag. Maria included imagery of icons from across New York with bright, beautiful colors to exemplify this year's theme, The World Needs Art. Congratulations, Maria. >> [applause] >> There you go. You're all done. Okay. All right. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming out. Uh my name is Mrs. Inhaber, and I
019am the art teacher at Sloatsburg Elementary School. I'm going to be reading for my student as well as Mrs. McKenzie's student cuz she unfortunately wasn't able to be here tonight. I'm happy to announce that Lehanche Patel is receiving special recognition for his wonderful flag design. Lehanche is a second grader at Sloatsburg Elementary who took a creative approach when developing his design. His artwork truly demonstrates this year's theme, The World Needs Art, and represents many different cultures coming together for an inclusive and compassionate message. Congratulations, Lehanche. We are so proud of you. Come on down. >> [applause] >> And now, I'm going to read for Mrs. McKenzie, and I'm so glad to present for the student who was actually my former student as well, and I was able to see her bloom and grow from kindergarten
020onward. Um and this is what Mrs. McKenzie had to say. Mahala Eben is a fourth-grade Cherry Lane art scholar, and I'm delighted to announce you're being recognized for her Youth Art Month Flag Design. Mahala consistently shows creative approaches to her work, as well as demonstrating impeccable character within the art room. Mahala's design visually illustrates this year's theme, The World Needs Art. Congratulations, Mahala. Come on down. She's here. >> [applause] >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. And to our art students and students of the the high school art National Honor Society and our teachers, if you could come up in the front here, we would love to take a group photo of those students who are being recognized this evening. Just incredible artwork that we've seen on the screen, really a testament to our
021young artists and their teachers. >> [applause] [applause] >> All right, everyone. If I can have your attention for a moment. Public service announcement after this next performance, we're going to take 2 minutes and for those of you that don't feel so inclined to remain here for the entire remainder of the meeting, you're feel feel free to exit the room. Those that anybody wants to stay you're you're of course welcome to do so as well. But I am super excited right now to welcome our students from Cherry Lane Elementary School who are here tonight to promote their upcoming musical Newsies. Yeah. >> [applause] >> Newsies You can come on up. I'll I'll I'll talk while you're getting into position here. I have a I have a feeling this is all very carefully organized here. Newsies is
022a historical musical drama that centers around New York City newsboys and the strike of 1899. Students in grades 3 through 5 have been working hard for the past few months to put together this production and tonight they are here to share a song. The musical is Friday, April 24th and Saturday, April 25th. We welcome our Cherry Laners. Take it away. STRIKE! THE NEWSIES OF LOWER MANHATTAN ARE NOW OFFICIALLY on strike. What next? I guess we've got a union. Yeah! Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothing. Are we nothing? NO! Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us. Do they got us? >> No! Even though we ain't got hats or badges, we're a union just by saying so. >> [music] >> And the world will know. What's to stop some other kids coming along to
023sell our papes? Just let them try. No, we can't give other newsies. We have to stick together. What's it going to take to stop >> the wagons? Are we ready? Yeah! What's it going to take to stop the scabs? Can we do it? >> Yeah! >> [screaming] >> We'll do what we got to do until we break the will of mighty Bill and Joe. And the world [singing] will know. And the journals, too. Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer, have we got news for you. See, the world don't know. But they're going to pay. Set the hawking headlines we'll be making them pay. And our ranks will grow. >> [music] >> And we'll KICK THEIR REAR. YEAH! THEY'LL KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE. IF THE CIRCULATION bell starts ringing, will we hear it? NO! What if the
024Delanceys come out swinging, will we hear it? >> No! When you got a hundred voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the world will know. That this ain't no game. That we've got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim. We've been down too long. And we've paid our dues. And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news. And the die is cast. AND THE TORCH IS PASSED. AND THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT THE STREETS WILL RUN WITH BLOOD. RUN, RUN, RUN. And so the world will feel the fire and fight. Finally know. YEAH. >> [cheering] [applause] >> YEAH, TAKE A BOW. TAKE A BOW, NEWSIES. That was a fantastic performance. I'd also like all of you to gather in the middle and if we can have our board members stand
025around you and gather for a photo. That was an incredible performance. >> [applause] >> Okay. Uh we're going to go back now to the remaining superintendent's comments. Um and then uh and everyone of course is welcome to stay. This is a meeting that's open to the public. So, if you get tired of being here, you've had enough school board, you can leave, but we're happy to have you, as always. >> And it's really nice to see our middle school folks here uh representing. Good job. >> [cheering] [applause] >> I know that uh I know that the middle school folks have the stamina to remain for the end of the meeting when I think you're going to be uh making some comments on um on the great things that are happening at at the middle school.
026So, thank you thank you so much. I have a couple of uh additional comments for superintendent comments. Um First of all, Robbie, tremendous job, main cast member. Bye-bye, Birdie. >> [applause] >> Okay. >> [clears throat] >> Uh you you were fantastic in all of the performances. I believe that you were even doing the matinee performance. You're stepping in for somebody who was ill. That's what I heard. That's what I heard. Yet, the show went on. There were power failures, surges, all sorts of excitement. I have to tell you, I know many board members attended and and our administrative team as well. Um just a phenomenal job. Great production, making Suffern proud. Really really the pinnacle. Well done. Um I also want to take a moment to acknowledge um our 4 by 200 um boys relay
027team on being state champions, as well as our hockey team. >> [applause] >> Those two uh those two athletic groups, along with a wide variety of record setters from this year's athletic competitions, were acknowledged today uh in the middle of Suffern after riding on That's always the highlight. Riding on the uh the fire trucks, disrupting all the traffic in the middle of town. Really fun stuff. But a big thanks to uh Mr. Guccione, who organized this in once again with Mayor Curley and the folks of uh the Village of Suffern for putting on a great parade and barbecue and just tremendous acknowledgement for Coach Schelling, um Coach Pashley and all of our uh folks that work with our students every day in our athletic programs. Really a nice point of pride. Um our superintendent's conference
028day took place last week. We had an individual uh Coach Jim Stroker, who came in to spoke to our teachers speak to our teachers about the challenges that we face as educators and how important our job is and that um that experiences come at us that are sometimes hard to deal with, but it's really about how we respond to those experiences and those events that help define those outcomes. He did talk about that all extensively. It was a very motivating talk. A lot of teachers and staff members walked out of the auditorium feeling energized and appreciating the message. The afternoon was focused on a number of work sessions for staff and workshops. Really a productive day for all. Uh this Thursday, we are going to be welcoming 40 educators from the region to observe our
029two-way dual language station models at both RP Connor and Sloatsburg Elementary School. Dr. Balbuena and her team are gaining great attention throughout the region for our two-way dual language program and we are looking forward to welcoming those educators into the district on Thursday. I have here an important update uh for the residents of the Suffern Central School District from Mr. Romanowski, our elections clerk. This year's Suffern Central School District budget and candidate vote will take place on Tuesday, May 19th. If any resident of the school district is interested in running for a position on the Board of Education, petitions are now available. Petition packets may be picked up at the Suffern Central School District Administration Building, which is here, but in case you're not sure, 45 Mountain Ave, Hillburn, New York between the hours of
03010:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday on days when school's in session. Two seats on the Board of Education are up for election. Completed petitions must be received by the elections clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20th. If more information is needed, please contact the Suffern Central School District elections clerk. Um and you can find that phone number and the email on our website. And finally, it gives me great pleasure and I'm very proud to share that I'm going to be recommending Ms. Benatti as the next principal of Suffern High School effective July 1 at this evening's meeting. Ms. Benatti happens to be here this evening. And Ms. Valtidi, this is news to you. This is exciting. You just realized it now. That's why I'm sharing this news. You're welcome. News
031flash. Um she is a respected and accomplished instructional leader who has served as the principal of RP Connor Elementary School for the past decade. Over this last decade, Ms. Benatti has led with integrity and empathy, guiding staff, implementing strategic programs, and continually assessing student need to ensure high-quality instruction. Throughout her career here, she has remained deeply engaged in the Suffern Central community, expanding learning opportunities through service learning initiatives and partnerships with outside organizations. She is known for fostering strong student leadership programs, being a dedicated advocate for teachers and staff, and is an exceptional communicator. Ms. Benatti, I believe, is a proven leader with heart, vision, and a deep commitment to our students and community. And I'm confident that under her leadership, the high school will continue to provide meaningful and challenging opportunities for all learners.
032And of course, this news will come with some difficulty to the RP Connor community, as she has served as their dedicated leader for the last decade. But she, as I We've had many conversations about this, will continue to focus her efforts on the RP Connor school community throughout the end of the school year, while working with Dr. Adler at the high school to ensure a smooth transition in July. And rest assured that the district will begin its search for the next principal of RP Connor and details on that process will be announced shortly. Thank you, Ms. Benatti, for being here. >> [applause] >> And in an effort not to hold um the large crowd of folks, dedicated Suffern Middle School uh staff members, uh not to hold you up for too long, uh we are
033going to um open up the opportunity for you to speak uh during superintendent comments. So, Ms. Marina, if you want to organize the efforts and and Hey, if you're looking to stick around, that's fine, but if if you'd like to speak now, the mic is yours. Uh you're more than welcome to speak now. All right. Good evening, board members, and uh and of course, our administrators. >> [laughter] >> Uh my name is Matt Jones, and I'm a special education teacher here at uh Suffern Middle School in the Suffern Central School District, as you know. Uh you may have seen me around athletics teams, heard my voice on the microphone in the gym, at a basketball game or two, or seen me work in the theater arts program. So great to see our Cherry Lane guys
034here. Uh it's uh cuz I'll be seeing them pretty soon. Um However, it is truly an honor to stand before you and speak about our great SMS this evening. In a moment, you're going to hear from a variety of different staff members who will be highlighting our different grade levels and departments. But first, I wanted to give you a glimpse into what makes our middle school such a special place. At the heart of our building is something powerful. Something that goes beyond curriculum, assessments, and daily schedules. We are a family with a strong school building culture. We know that being a part of our community family is to be solution-oriented through struggles, understanding that there's always a solution that just needs to be found. And that sometimes being uncomfortable is how we grow as a
035school community. Our teachers and administrators work hard hand-in-hand every single day, united by a shared commitment to our students. There is a strong sense of collaboration, respect, and support that can be felt in every hallway and classroom. We lean on one another. We celebrate each other's successes and step on and step in to help with whatever is needed. We have a strong sense of togetherness that is felt by everyone in the building, students, teachers, and administrators alike. That teamwork creates a positive and consistent environment where students and staff thrive. What makes our school truly exceptional is the people, our students, our teachers, and support staff. And of course, our building administration. We are a mostly veteran staff that have seen the ebb and flow of schools over weeks, years, and for some of us decades.
036Not me yet. But I'll get there. What comes with that experience is understanding that change is a part of schools. And how we attack and work with that change in a supporting manner is through our school our strong school culture. I know in my classroom leaning on my team when the winds of change come swiftly by is paramount paramount to our success. My colleagues are going to speak about a few of the big changes that we saw this year at SMS and how it affected their classrooms and how we are fine-tuning our processes to meet the opportunity for growth given to us by this change. So, the first colleague I'd like to call up is Ashley Connigson. >> [applause] >> I don't know if I really need a microphone. Kind of loud to start, so
037we're going to Oh, I do? Okay. All right. Sorry, I'll probably blow your eardrums out. Good evening. I'm Ashley Connigson. I'm a sixth grade teacher at the middle school. This year marks my 30th year in the district. I'm one of those decade people. Over those years, I've had the privilege of implementing many programs and initiatives, each designed to support our students in new and meaningful ways. And this year was not for the faint of heart. Not only have we had the joy of implementing synergy, but we also have a new MTSS protocol, LinkIt, a new schedule, and something called Flex. However, something felt so different with the introduction of our Flex block. We were not just given another program, but a powerful opportunity to truly refine our craft and meet students where they are. Flex
038has allowed us to work with smaller, flexible groups of students providing more individualized instruction and support than ever before. It has opened the door for both enrichment and skill-building through engaging experiences like math IXL, group jams, critical thinking challenges, math Olympiad problems, logic puzzles, and fact fluency games. At the same times, Flex gives us the space to revisit essential concepts offer targeted review tied to common assessments and provide extended opportunities for students who need additional time and support to demonstrate their learning. But what makes Flex truly special goes beyond academics. In this time, students are building marshmallow towers. In the process, they're building relationships. They're stepping aside outside of their comfort zones and into a classroom community where collaboration and confidence grow side by side. They're also developing their academic voice. Through structured partner work,
039students practice forming and expressing their opinions, refining their communications as they engage with different peers. They explored powerful quotes from Martin Luther King and JFK as well as authors such as S.E. Hinton and philosophers like Laozi. These discussions encourage students to think deeply, reflect, and connect ideas to their own lives. Flex is also a space for hands-on exploration and creativity. Students have participated in labs like Saving Sam, created Oobleck, researched potential landing sites on Mars, tested their skills in flight simulators, and collaborated to build everything from towers to friendships. And on Thursdays and Fridays, something truly special happens. Our students have created and run their own Dungeons and Dragons group. It is difficult to fully capture the energy in that room. I think I'm loud. They blow me right out of the water. Students who
040are often quiet and reserved step into a character. They find their voices. They're laughing, collaborating, fully engaging with one another. In many ways, Flex has become a safe and welcoming space where students feel comfortable just being themselves. Of course, Flex also serves practical purposes. At times, it's used for catching up on assignments, studying, organizing materials, or simply getting the extra help students need. These are essential skills that contribute to student success, and this time provides direct access to teacher support when it matters most. Flex is still evolving as all meaningful initiatives do, but what we are already seeing is so much growth, not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Suffern Middle School is truly a gem, a place of learning, growing, and blossoming. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Good evening. Um, board members
041of the Board of Education and administrators, uh, my name is Daniela Sepulveda, and I am the Italian teacher at Suffern Middle School. Before I begin, though, I have a message for Robbie from my mom who went to see the play. >> [laughter] >> And she just since you're here, I'm going to tell you she absolutely loved it and said you guys were phenomenal. So, you can bring that back to everybody at the high school. So, I'm here to I'm pleased to share some of the exciting and meaningful learning experiences taking place at Suffern Middle Schools, um, with the Encore classes. In my eighth grade Italian, um, class, students recently completed an engaging project-based learning unit centered on UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This project also served as a wonderful introduction to our travel unit, um, helping
042students build background knowledge about important destinations in Italy before exploring travel more more broadly. They researched locations across Italy such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome, the Duomo in Florence, the ruins of Pompeii, and the currently active volcano Mount Etna, to name a few. Students explored their cultural and historical significance and presented their findings to our faculty and administrators in our beautiful library in a gallery style format. Students shared that they truly enjoyed the independence of choosing what aspects to focus on, of allowing with the material. Myself and Ken Wojahowski, our PBL facilitator, provided guidance to the students and gave them the proper tools to successfully present their chosen heritage site. This provided a refreshing departure from our day-to-day and encouraged deeper student-driven learning and also allowed them to experience presenting to an
043audience outside of their peers. They were nervous. But they they they really they knocked it out of the ballpark. >> [gasps] >> I would also like to uh give a special thanks to Ken Wojahowski whose support and encouragement to think outside the box led to this magnificent project. Having Ken collaborate with us to integrate PBL projects into our curriculum, not only in the middle school, but across the entire district is truly invaluable. In eighth grade Spanish, students have wrapped up their travel unit. They created projects using the target language to plan a trip, describe destinations, and identify essential items needed for travel. This unit helps students apply language skills in a practical, real-world setting. In seventh grade French, students are currently preparing skits set in a restaurant. They are practicing conversational skills in the target
044language as they role-play ordering meals and interacting in everyday situations, building both confidence and fluency. In Family and Consumer Science, students continue to enjoy hands-on learning as they prepare healthy meals. Not only do they gain valuable life skills, but they also take pride in and enjoy the food they create. In the world of Suffern Middle School Tech, egg buddies have bravely been risking their lives at the mercy of student egg cart projects' ability to take on high-impact crashes. The seventh graders learned about different vehicle safety features and were then posed with the task of having to build safety features into a vehicle that would protect their eggs. Students even drew faces on their egg, gave gave them names, and read bios to their peers to represent these eggs as living things they needed to protect.
045The eighth graders are engulfed in their rocketry unit currently learning about the history and aerodynamics attached to rocket tree as they engineer rocket designs in their online WhiteBox portal. They are also building their own physical rockets at that they nearly finished with. Their launch days are quickly approaching. Once the launches are completed, the students will edit videos from their rocket build as they have been documenting the entire process with Chromebook pictures and videos. This project is a blast for all students involved. >> [gasps] >> Across all Encore areas, our students are actively engaged building real-world skills and experiencing learning in dynamic and meaningful ways. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Hello. Uh, hi. I'm Liz Medina Martin, and I'm a seventh grade English teacher at Suffern Middle School. And any good English teacher is part storyteller.
046So, please allow me to paint a scene for you. A bright-eyed young girl sits cozily in the corner with her first piece of nonfiction in her hands. She devours this book over the course of just one week because she sees something of herself in the narrator. A small cluster of three students circle together to ponder the the and regulations of a writing contest being run by Young Writers USA. As they crowd around the Chromebook, their faces glow with the anticipation of possibility and potentially becoming a published author. Cheers come from across the hallway where a class of over 20 students sit eagerly around chessboards taking on the challenge of becoming masters in the game. They celebrate each other's victories and learn that the value of good sportsmanship extends beyond the sports field. Two floors above
047them, colored pencils, markers, and positive messages are strewn around the room as students craft greeting cards for veterans who selflessly served our country. Meanwhile, down in the furthest corner of the building, a small group of student volunteers patiently folds and hangs and sorts donated clothing and toiletries knowing that their work has profound purpose and supports students in our building who have needs. This is seventh-grade flex. Bravely, our building administrators embarked on an unknown journey this year which required them to trust their teachers as well as the bonds that those teachers build with their students. The direction was simple. You have the gift of time. Use it wisely to help your students however you see fit. And the result? Students from the Suffern Middle School have helped build and maintain a resource called the Mountie Closet.
048>> [snorts] >> This helps teammates find clothing, kindness, and support when their families are in need. Students have also made greeting cards and postcards that have been delivered to assisted living facilities, veterans groups, and oncology wards as they are given the opportunity to embrace citizenship on more than just a building level. Teachers have leaned into their passions and shared with the their students. Whether it's Mr. Molinaro's chess club or Mr. Walder's Rubik's Cube Challenge, students are cultivating interests beyond the computer screen. This year, over 300 Suffern Middle School students participated in various writing competitions. And today, I am proud to tell you that 140 of them are now published authors through Young Writers USA. >> [applause] >> Their work is being featured in two books, Fright Club and Unsolved, both published by Young Writers USA.
049And that little girl who devoured her first piece of nonfiction is one of our multilingual learners who is now on her third memoir by author Rex Ogle. She had never had the time or opportunity to try on new books. Now, she's found an author that speaks to her heart and has ignited her love for reading. And in turn, two of her very good friends have joined her and they're reading the same books in an organic literature circle that was created by friendship and common ground. Flex, quite honestly, defies definition. It is a unique opportunity for students to get to know who they are as individual learners well beyond academic subject area. It allows students to build relationships with each other as well as with their teachers. It gives them a chance to prioritize what matters
050to them daily. Whether that's catching up on missed work due to an absence or working ahead on a project to make sure that it's done well. It isn't just study hall. Rather, it is a study in trust. We are grateful to our building administrators who trusted the teachers to create what they felt students needed. We, in turn, trust our students to organize their time, explore their interests, and make the most of a multitude of opportunities. Education works best when it addresses the needs of the learner and flex challenges our students to become self-aware, assess their own needs, and then self-advocate for those needs to be met. It gives them a chance to connect with peers beyond a cell phone or computer screen. While it's structured, it's also freeing. And for those children who have hated
051having tasks dictated to them, it allows their interests and choices to drive the curriculum. Flex gives our students agency, choice, and a voice. And we are so grateful and so happy to see them use that voice and become the best versions of themselves. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> I should have thought of that storytelling thing. That was a good one, Liza. Tough to follow that. Uh hi everyone. I'm Russell Rice. I'm an eighth-grade social studies teacher at the middle school. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight about what has become a very meaningful part of our school day, our flex period. As you know, flex is new to our schedule and we weren't sure exactly what it would look like. I'm happy to say, flex has become more than just a block of
052time. It's developing into a dynamic, student-centered experience that supports both academic growth and personal development. Three minutes is not nearly enough time to tell you about all that's going on, but I'll do my best to highlight some of the things happening in classrooms around the building. During flex, our eighth-grade accelerated math and science students benefit from something incredibly valuable, time. They're given an additional period to carry out lab investigations, practice complex skills, and review challenging content. This extended time allows them to engage in the kind of deep thinking that prepares them for not only Regents exams, but advanced coursework at the high school as well. At the same time, flex also prioritizes student wellness. Many students are learning practical anxiety-reducing techniques such as meditation and controlled breathing. Others are building positive habits through gratitude journals.
053In many classrooms, this time has become device-free, intentionally designed to encourage mature socialization and meaningful face-to-face conversations, skills that are more important now than ever. This is also where the Heroes and Cool Kids come to motivate our sixth-graders and our rising freshmen. Flex is a space for collaboration and support. Peer tutoring allows students to learn from one another building both confidence and community. Others use the time for test preparation, reinforcing skills, and improving performance. On some days, learning takes creative forms, board games, puzzles, chess tournaments, and even geography bee activity challenge students' critical thinking in engaging ways. In science and math, students are exploring hands-on and innovative approaches. Some model scientific concepts using LEGOs, while others analyze authentic scientific journals and real-world data. One group even designed their own towns to explore parallel lines. In
054English and social studies, flex fosters independence and a love of learning. Students engage in independent reading, strengthening literacy skills, and cultivating lifelong readers. Activities like scavenger hunts build teamwork and problem-solving. Acting out plays deepens understanding of literature and history. We are equally proud of how flex also supports essential life skills. Students take time to organize their materials, clean out binders, and develop habits that lead to long-term success. We're also seeing powerful connections to our Leader in Me program. Monthly lessons centered around the seven habits of highly effective teams take place during flex. One teacher even decided to take it further and developed a project that includes interviewing community members who exemplify these habits. Through this, they are not only learning leadership principles, they're seeing them in action. Finally, flex strengthens core academic skills across disciplines.
055Students practice reading comprehension, expand vocabulary, and develop strong claim, evidence, and reasoning skills, tools that are essential for success in all subject areas. In short, flex is a time where students grow, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and creatively. I'd like to end by thanking our amazing middle school administrators for their unwavering support and respect. None of what I just described to you would be possible without their encouragement to try new things and their trust in us to provide the best possible environment for our kids. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you very much to our middle school educators for coming here and sharing some of the great work that's taken place at Suffern Middle School. We really appreciate you you being here. And Ms. Marino, that's as we have said before, perhaps we'll have
056other buildings come in the future and and do the same type of thing highlighting some of the great things that teachers are doing. So, thank you very much. And thus concludes my superintendent's report, probably one of the longest on record. You were going to say that, weren't you? I was thinking it. Okay, thank you very much. And thank you so much to all the middle school teachers for being here tonight. It's so nice to see some of you again who who taught my son in middle school. And I'm so glad to hear about all the wonderful things that are happening there. Um and now we are going to move on to our first public participation section. This is on action items only. Action items are on our agenda tonight at 2.01 through 2.14. Is there
057anyone here from the public to speak on an action item? Okay, it looks like not, so we will close that portion of the meeting and move on to our action items. Uh prior to asking for a consent agenda, is there any item that any board member would like to pull? Yes. I'd like to pull 2.01 um parts three and four. Okay. Anyone else? No? Okay. Uh then at this time I would ask for a motion for a consent agenda to approve action items uh 2.01 through 2.14 with the exception of part three and part four of 2.01. Do I have a motion? Moved. Mrs. Hodge, second? Second. Mr. Fraser. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Anyone opposed? Any abstentions? Okay. Uh in that case we are going to move uh to 2.01 parts
058three. Uh do I have a motion? Moved. Mr. Donnelly, second? Second. Uh Mrs. Hodge, discussion? Madam President, I I'd like to read something. Okay. Okay. I wish I had those teachers when I was uh in middle school. I won't tell you when. But it was a number of years ago. Good evening. We are a school district that has a great deal to be thankful for on so many levels. Suffern students receive a quality education not just in academics but in all areas. Art, as we saw tonight, music, as we heard tonight, ath- athletics, technology, community service, leadership. All of this has been possible because of our teaching staff, >> [applause] >> the principals and assistant principals, lunch monitors, teacher aids, guidance counselors, security personnel, the building and grounds department, nurses and clerical staff, and our
059custodians. We should be thankful because of what our school district offers, but we are not perfect. Why? Because we are human, and humans are not perfect. With the current principal of the high school leaving as of June 30th, the central administration was tasked with searching for a new leader. Not an easy task. An interview process had usually been the practice in looking for the best candidate. This time, no interview process took place. And in my opinion, this was a mistake. After reviewing the potential cand- candidates, a decision was made that a current principal was the best choice. I have known Kelly Bernardi for almost 20 years. As the RPCS principal, she has been outstanding just as she has been in the other positions she held in the past. But like the rest of us, Kelly
060is human and therefore not perfect. Her learning curve at Suffern High School will be short and shallow in most areas, but much longer and much steeper in others. If you're listening to me, you're probably asking what point is Paul trying to make? Well, this is my point. I fully support Kelly Bernardi, but I do not support the process or lack of process that took place. Suffern Central is better than that. Thank you. Any other discussion? I'll hold my comments till uh All right. Uh board member. Okay. >> [clears throat] >> All right. Uh then uh I'm just going to move on to uh part four. Do I have a motion to approve part four? Motion. Moved. Mrs. Hodge, second? Second. Mr. Shapiro, discussion? None? Okay. All right. Uh we're going to have to vote on
061these at the same time because they're uh they kind of go together. So, do I have uh Okay. At this time I'm going to ask for a vote to approve part three and part four of the professional personnel report in 2.01. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Is there anyone opposed? Any abstention? Okay. Very well. Then we're going to move on to our regular public participation section. This is on any district-related business. If anybody is here to speak on any district-related business, please approach the lectern. Please keep your comments to 3 minutes, and please give us your name and do not refer to anybody in the district by name whether staff, teacher, or student. Is there anyone who's here to speak from the public on any district-related business? Okay, looks like not. So,
062I'm going to close that portion of the meeting and move on to board member comments. Are there any board members with any comments tonight? Mr. Donnelly. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Just to piggyback on on what Paul has said, um >> [clears throat] >> I have a real problem with the lack of interview. Um you you you just you don't know what you're going to find out about a person in an interview. The passion that comes out, things that you don't know about the person, the things that you think you know. But you sit there and you you you talk to a person for an hour and and you see the passion rise in in the want this so bad. We didn't get that. We didn't get that, and that's a failure in this
063system. I feel sorry for faculty. I really do. Uh what is the What do they think now? What We we don't even interview people. It it's a real issue for me. Um I I have no objection about Kelly. Believe me, this is not about Kelly. Uh but I I think there's an legions to our faculty to have interviews and and spend the time and and and give them their their time to to express themselves. Thank you. Thank you. Any other board member comments? Mr. Shapiro. Getting back to my normal self, if you can call that normal. Um I think the superintendent and I must have shared notes cuz I was going to mention Bye Bye Birdie. I was going to mention Robbie, you already did. Thank you very much. You already mentioned the boys two
0644 by 2 200 relay. Thank you very much. Trying to think, what else did you mention? Um Oh, I do want to mention that um Dan, Randy, and Rich really did a great job. I mean, 3 days of putting on Bye Bye Birdie, it it was absolutely great. Um How did How did you like Ed Sullivan? You know, is Do you actually know who Ed Sullivan was? I doubt it. But that's okay, Robbie, if you want to tell us yes. Um it was it was a great a great show. Um To my fellow board members, I just want to remind you that um May 27th, the Rockland County School Board Association is having their an- annual dinner at My Ex- Seaport. It begins at 6:30. And Joy and Robbie, not only are the two of
065you going to be honored there, so therefore you're both invited, but your parents are invited also, and um it's all paid for. So, please, if you would >> [laughter] >> All right, you want to be invited? We could maybe pay for you, too. I don't know. >> [laughter] >> When I mean we, it's maybe it's me. I I I don't know. But um so, please, you know, have your have your parents come come as well. It's really a special night. Um Also to my fellow board members, tomorrow at 1:00 in room 236 at Suffern High High School, Kim Wojahowski is uh uh wrapping up a uh a program that she's done with her class, and she would like to have as many board members come at at as possible. Uh I'll be coming, and I
066I let her know, and she got back to me. She says, "Invite other board members, and also invite your friends." And I said, "You're assuming I have friends, cuz I don't." But I am inviting the board board members. And finally, 8 weeks from tonight, what's 8 weeks from tonight? Vote. Yes. Vote. Last year, Less than 2,300 people voted. That's ridiculous. If each of those people who voted, if they're still in the district and let's assume that it's down to 2100. If each of those people brought one person, we would double the amount. We'd have big deal, 44. 42, sorry. 2 * 20 40 4200. We would have double the amount. If you know neighbors who might not be able to make it, maybe if you're going to vote, see if you can take them with
067you. Um make sure that they're registered. It's really important. I mean, voting is of all the things, of all the privileges that we have, we need to exercise that privilege and it's and it's voting. It's so so important. It really is. Cuz if you don't vote, then don't complain because you didn't vote. But if you are going to vote, you see, now you can complain. My wife votes and she always complains about me, so it works out perfectly. Any anyway, 8 weeks from tonight, big night. Let's let's vote. Thank you and I'm done. All right, thank you very much. Um so, I just have a few comments. Um I was lucky enough to see the performance of Annie at the middle school and Bye Bye Birdie three times at the high school. Uh the two
068different casts and um this is my first time having uh my own child participating in the production, so I was really got to see the time commitment and the dedication involved from beginning to end and they were all just fantastic. I'm always impressed and I would just really encourage everyone who has students in the district to participate in the theater program. Everyone I've talked to um has said even though it's a big commitment, they always wish they had done it sooner and no one was ever sorry that they went ahead and joined it. And truly, you learn the most important lesson, which is despite whatever obstacles you run into, whether it's sickness or power outages or any other problems, the show must go on and uh they did a very able job in presenting, really
069more than able. So, wonderful wonderful show. Um I also went to the art show and I was equally amazed by the level of talent of our students um in all forms, whether it's painting and ceramics and sculpture. They're just doing work in the art department and if your uh art teacher has an Instagram page, please follow it because you really get to see beautiful close-up detail of what they're working on. Um and if you don't have uh time to go to the art show, you get to see what they're working on all year, which is just fantastic. Um finally, I want to say congratulations uh Ms. Benatti. Thank you so much for being here tonight. >> [applause] >> Uh thank you so much for accepting this appointment. Uh I think uh we really look forward
070to having you at the high school. RP Connor's loss is the high school's gain, but you're at least you're not going to be too far away. Uh so uh and so anyway, congratulations again. Um our next meeting Yes, yes. Oh, you have comments. Okay. Did you ask me? I I I asked all board members, but if you've thought of something, that's fine. >> monopolizes the microphone. >> [laughter] >> My second spoke twice. Okay, Ms. Bryant. Uh good night, everybody. I want to also um piggyback off of uh your last comments and saying congratulations. Uh we appreciate you and we are here to fully support you in almost any position that they put you in because of how awesome uh educator you are. Um so from our perspective, uh you have our full support in leading
071our high school from now till infinity and beyond. Um secondly, uh I find that no one mentioned the middle school Annie program and um the middle school Annie program. Well, I missed that cuz I was taking notes. So, as a middle school parent, I'm just want to to to tout my middle school crew. Um they did a fantastic job. Uh represented. Uh they showed up >> [applause] >> in full force. Uh my my old viola family of of castmates were there front and center. Um so, congratulations to that entire crew for spectacular shows. Uh thirdly, I was given the privilege this past week to um [snorts] be part of Colleen Annunziata's avid class um with the MBK program, um a career talk series that they're doing there with the high school and I just want
072to commend everyone who put that together. Um it was a a small session of students who um really wanted to be uh s- learn about life after high school and what that may be and I just want to publicly thank the team from MBK and um Ms. Annunziata for inviting me to come and contribute. So, that's it. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> [applause] >> All right, any comments from our student board members tonight? No, okay. Uh yeah, I I want to say I know uh hope I'm not stepping on Dr. Gunderson's feet when I say that um it is really remarkable to have a middle school musical with a orchestra pit composed of middle school students. Um they were amazing and you know they're really great when it sounds like the soundtrack that you hear
073in your head that you've heard a hundred times of all the Annie songs. Um so, thank you to our music teachers um who organized that. Thank you to Ms. Picard for her fabulous set design as always and and Ms. Who are we pointing to over there? Who am I missing? Oh, that's Mr. Jones. Yes. Okay, and Superintendent's closing comments. I'm still going between It's a hard knock life and the sun'll come out tomorrow. Um I just want to congratulate once again Ms. Benatti on a unanimous approval by the Board of Education. We are so excited for you to start as high school principal come July 1. Um it is going to be a smooth transition and to the RP Connor community again, we are going to be sending out information about how we move forward
074on that front. But, congratulations and thus concludes my Superintendent comments. Okay, uh our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 7th uh right back here in Hillburn, uh which will be right after the spring break. So, hope everyone has a healthy and good spring break, a well-deserved for our teachers. And at this time, uh do I have a motion to adjourn? So moved. Ms. Bryant, second. Second. Mr. Frazier, all in favor signify by saying I. I, very good. We are adjourned until April 7th.