001Mhm. >> Good evening welcome everyone to our Wednesday March 25th Board of Education meeting at this time. Would you please rise with Dr. Scanlon and lead us in the pledge. Thank you Mr. Monahan changes to our meeting agenda. No changes. Thank you so much. Okay, so I will turn it over now to Dr. De Bresky. To introduce. Thank you. Um I would like to introduce our athletic director, where is he? Mr. Finerty, there you are, to start the show. Thank you. Good evening. I'd like to thank the Board of Education, our central administration, and the community for taking the time tonight to honor some of our athletic teams and individuals who competed from this past winter. Ward Melville had a wonderful winter sports season with most of our varsity teams making the playoffs. We had
002some great team awards including league, county, and even state championships. On the individual level, several of our student athletes were also league and county champions. They competed at the state level. They even earned all league, all county, all state, and even some all American honors. Our girls fencing team won the county championship for the third time in a row, and our cheer team won their third state championship for their third consecutive season and their fourth state championship in 3 years. In addition, eight of our winter varsity teams were recognized as a New York State Scholar Athlete Team. Tonight, we will specifically honor several students and teams for their athletic achievements. First, I'd like to introduce our girls basketball coach, Kate Gordon, and our boys JV basketball coach, John Carlo Sartori, and basketball player, Jaclyn Engel.
003>> [applause] [clears throat] >> Good evening. Tonight, we celebrate a student athlete who doesn't just play the game, she defines it. To be a great basketball player, you need skill. To be a legend at the school like Ward Melville, you need something more. You need heart, a relentless competitive spirit, and the ability to fill those to lift you people around you. Jaclyn Engel is that player. During the 2025-26 season, Jaclyn didn't just compete, she dominated. Her list of accolades reads like a career highlight reel, yet she earned them all in one single historic year. All league, all conference, all county, recognized as top 100 player for the season, MVP of the league, too. Jaclyn established herself as one of the premier guards in Suffolk County, finishing the season fifth overall scoring with an incredible 18.6
004points per game. Whether she was dropping 27 points to lead a comeback or locking down a um lock down defense of the opponent's best player, she was an engine and made the Patriots go to the to win the league two championship. But if you ask her teammates, they won't just talk about her points, they talk about the leader who stayed late in the gym, the competitor who never backed down from a challenge, and a teammate who celebrated their success as much as her own. Jaclyn, you've left an incredible mark on Ward Melville basketball. You've shown us what it looks like to be a true triple threat, a scorer, a leader, and a winner. Please join me in congratulating the 2025-26 League Two MVP, Jaclyn Engel. >> [applause] [applause] >> In addition, I'd like to highlight
005why our girls basketball team has been so successful the past 2 years. Coach Gordon here has led our girls basketball team to one of the best seasons they've played in a long time. They won their league championship with a record of 19 and 4, which is the best record since 1982, and made it to the county semi-finals. Coach Gordon has accomplished a lot for our girls basketball program in a short amount of time. In just 2 years, Coach Gordon has transformed our girls basketball program into a playoff caliber team who can compete with the best teams in the county. More importantly, Coach Gordon has instilled important values with their team such as dedication, teamwork, and commitment. You have shown our girls how to maximize their potential and how to play with passion. Congratulations, Coach Gordon,
006on being named Girls Varsity Basketball Coach of the Year. >> [applause] >> I'll do one more. And one more award for basketball. Uh up here we have John Carlo Sartori, who is our JV boys basketball coach, and I'd like to congratulate Coach Sartori, who is also a graduate of Ward Melville and played on our basketball boys basketball team as well. He just finished his first year as our boys JV coach and did an excellent job coaching this team and helping our varsity team as well. Coach Sartori is a dedicated and enthusiastic coach. For the past winter, he was a positive role model for his players. It is always great to have an alumni come back to work with our student athletes and give back to the school where they graduated from. Congratulations, John Carlo, on
007the JV boys coach of the year. >> [applause] [applause] >> And now I'd like to call up our girls track coach, Tom Youngs, and our girls track runners. >> [applause] >> Is that a stopwatch? Are we on the clock right now? >> [laughter] >> Uh Dr. Scanlon, Board of Ed members, Kevin Finerty, thank you for having us tonight. Um I'll keep this quick. It's opening night for the Yankees, so I'll get home for the first pitch. Uh most dangerous athletes are the ones who are at peace with any outcome. The ones who have already settled it for themselves, wins and losses go down the same drain. Their sense of self isn't rooted in results, it's rooted in the process and the daily effort they put in. They are fearless, confident, and free. Qualifying for the
008prestigious Millrose Games, earning all league, all county, all-around honors, qualifying two relays for the state championships, and capping it off with the second team all-American honors in the 4 by 4 relay, these are some of the achievements accomplished this season by Aliyah Leonard, Julia Schmitz, Lena Moy, Gabriella DiCaprio, and Elizabeth Wright. For Aliyah, Schmitz, Lena, Gabby, and Lizzy, excellence is not a destination, it is a process of becoming. Becoming a fierce competitor willing to leave it all on the track, becoming a supportive teammate on the good days when records are broken, and on the challenging days when disqualifications are issued, and becoming a confident leader fueled by self-motivation and self-determination. They each understand that the real reward isn't just a shiny new medal, a faster time, or a coveted New Balance Nationals backpack. Sorry, Gabby.
009Instead, the real reward is that they have become a better version of themselves through dedication, perseverance, and the commitment to each other. It has been an absolute pleasure working with this amazing group of student athletes, and I look forward to running it back again next year. Congratulations. >> [applause] [applause] >> And now I'd like to introduce our varsity boys track coach, Ryan DeLuca. >> [snorts] [applause] >> Good evening, everybody. Up in of you we have JJ Alcindor, Andrew Semth, and Anthony Anatol. JJ had suffered a serious knee injury towards the end of the football season and unfortunately missed most of the indoor season. He returned to practice around January 8th. 10 days later he raced for the first time at the league championships. Didn't win, but ran a really solid time and and grew some
010confidence in his knee. Two weeks later he won the large school championship in the 55-meter dash. A week after that he won the county championship in the 55-meter dash in a new school record of 6.4 seconds. Also qualifying himself for the state championship. >> [applause] >> Where he finished sixth overall in the state and earned all-state honors. Andy Semth, a couple victories of his this year. He won the league championship in the 1000 meters in a time of 2 minutes 33.2 which was the fastest time run by any athlete in section 11 this winter. >> [applause] >> He won the mile at the Molloy Stanner Invitational. He was part of the large school championship winning 4 by 800 meter relay and he won the county championship in the 1600 and finished second in the 3200
011only being beaten by his teammate. Andy was one of three runners who qualified for the state championship in two individual events. He ran personal best in both events at the state championship and ended the season as the fastest 1600 meter runner in section 11 with a time of 4 minutes 18.34 and he's the second fastest 3200 meter runner with a time of 9:19.79. >> [applause] >> Anthony won the league championship in the 3200. He was part of the large school championship winning 4 by 800 meter relay and he was the county champion in the 3200 meter relay and came in second in the 1600 only being beaten by his teammate. >> [clears throat] >> At states Anthony was also one of three athletes to qualify for two individual events at the state championship. Anthony finished
012eighth in the federation and sixth in public schools ending or earning all-state honors in the 3200 with the fastest time in section 11 this winter at 9:13.8. >> [applause] >> Anthony after a tremendous couple of years has earned himself and will be attending and competing at for the Cornell University next year. All three athletes in front of you also extended their season by qualifying and competing at the Nike Indoor Nationals where their combined efforts broke our school record in the distance medley relay. Congratulations gentlemen. >> [applause] [applause] >> NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR BOYS wrestling coach Garrett Schnettler. >> [applause] >> I'm here tonight to recognize three outstanding members of our wrestling program and their accomplishments at the state level. This year we had three wrestlers represent Ward Melville with incredible toughness, discipline, and
013pride. Jaden Barron became a county finalist to solidify his qualification for the state tournament. While there he reached an incredible milestone by by earning his 100th career win at the state championships. Hunter Phillips placed fourth in New York state setting the record for wins in a single season and becoming only eighth grader the only second eighth grade state place winner in Patriot history. The school's first in over 15 years. Chase Phillips qualified for the state championship in impressive fashion winning himself a county title and going on to place fifth in New York state. These young men have represented our school with tremendous pride, resilience, and dedication. We are extremely proud of all they have and will continue to accomplish. I'd also like to take this time to sincerely thank the Board of Education, Mr. Finity,
014and the entire athletic office for their continued support of [snorts] our student athletes and our wrestling program. This support plays a major role in making outstanding achievements like this possible. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CHRIS GORDON, OUR boys varsity swim coach. >> [applause] >> Good evening. This is Bryce here on the left and Landon on the right. This season Bryce Baranowski, Landon Emrick, Brendan Miller, Gordon Kamarov, and Ayush Mojumdar led our team to the League II championship. These outstanding athletes also qualified for the 200 yard medley, 200 yard freestyle, and 400 yard freestyle relays at this year's state meet at Ithaca College. By winning the 400 yard freestyle relay at the section 11 championship they earned all-county all-county honors. The team finished third on Long Island securing all
015Long Island recognition and with their top 20 relay finish at states they achieved all-state honors as well. A special congratulations to goes to freshman Brendan Miller who broke school records in the 200 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, and 100 yard backstroke. Claiming three out of eight individual school records. All in his first year. >> [applause] [applause] >> And I'd like to now introduce Joanne Siskindis, our boys fencing coach. >> [applause] >> Hello everybody. Today we're here to recognize William Dryer and Yannick Reyes. They are two of our well accomplished athletes on our men's fencing team. Will is our one of our saber fencers, Yannick is one of our foil fencers, and both of them took first in county championships this year for individuals. Both of them work extremely hard inside and outside and they dedicate
016a lot of their time inside practice to making sure that our team is growing as a unit. Their ability to show leadership is beyond a coach can ask for and Will, which is one of our seniors that we are graduating this year, was one of our captains here and truly took charge of his squad and moved a lot of our new athletes forward to show that next year we're going to have even more growth and more winning hopefully for individuals and our team. Yannick Reyes has been on our team and his growth has been phenomenal. His ability to adapt and change and read his opponent has grown immensely throughout the years. And both of them have truly been an honor to coach. >> [applause] [applause] >> And now I'd like to introduce Jenny Siskindis our
017girls fencing team. >> [applause] >> I'll move this. Good evening. I just wanted to congratulate the ladies on an incredible season and on winning the county championships. This achievement didn't happen by chance. It's a direct result of your dedication, your relentless work ethic, and the way you supported one another every step of the way. Your sportsmanship and camaraderie set you apart and it's truly brought this team together and carried us to this moment. I'm so proud of each of each and every one of you. This team is something special and you earned every bit of this success. >> [applause] [laughter] [applause] [snorts] >> I'd like to now introduce our three-peat competitive cheer and four-time state champion cheer team, Georgia Curtis and Maggie Hurley. >> [applause] [applause] >> We are honored to recognize our cheerleading team
018for an extraordinary season filled with dedication, resilience, and incredible success. This year's team was especially meaningful as we had 12 amazing seniors whose leadership and dedication helped guide the team through another history-making season. In December, the team began their championship run by capturing not one but two regional titles. From there, they advanced to UCA Nationals where they made program history by advancing straight through to finals for both routines, skipping the semi-final round both times, something that has never been done in Warren Melville history. Competing against the best teams in the country, they went on to earn an incredible second and fifth place in the nation. >> [applause] [cheering] [applause] >> Their momentum continued as they went on to win the county championship and finish first in their league, demonstrating consistency, teamwork, and excellence every step
019of the way. All of their hard work, long practices, early mornings, and commitment to each other came together as they went on to win the state championship this past March. This team is not only talented but they are hardworking, supportive of one another, and they represent our school with pride, sportsmanship, and grace. They truly embody what it not only means to be a team but a family as well. A special thank you to our families and community members who always show up, whether it's close to home or miles away, your encouragement means everything. We would also like to thank the Board of Education, our administration, and our athletic director for your continued support of our program. Congratulations to our cheerleading team on a truly unforgettable and historic season. We are so PROUD OF YOU. >>
020[applause] [cheering] [applause] >> IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR parents for all their support, our student athletes for their hard work, and our dedicated coaches. On behalf of the athletic department, thank you for providing us with this opportunity to highlight these great achievements. It gives me great pride pride to be our district's athletic director. Thank you very much. >> [applause] >> Mr. Finity, once again, we want to thank you for your leadership and everyone, the coaches, your entire department, a lot of support that's gone on behind all of this and you've really proven that we have taken it to a whole 'nother level in this district for our athletic program. Thank you very much. >> [applause] >> Absolutely. Thank you so much and while we have more accolades and good business ahead, if
021you want to follow your athlete out, we will forgive. All right, we turn it over now to Dr. Biscari. We're up to item 5B on our agenda. All right, so we're going to keep the love fest going here. We're going to go from our superstars outside of the classroom to our superstars inside of the classroom and we have two categories of teachers that are going to be recognized tonight and I can say that all four teachers that you're going to meet tonight are humble leaders. They're leaders by example and the the first category that we're going to address are the master teachers in the master teacher program. So, the New York State Master Teacher Program established in 2013 recognizes outstanding K-12 public school teachers and counselors and sustains a statewide professional network of educators dedicated
022to professional growth and development. Master teachers and master counselors are educational leaders committed to sharing best practices and to creating engaging and inspiring learning environments for all K-12 students as well as support for teacher and counselor preparation programs. So, here tonight to introduce our master teachers, which this again is um it's a self-motivated program that that people have to apply for and it's a it's a rigorous process. I believe at this time we have approximately 11 master teachers district-wide and we continue to grow and we're very proud of of our newly inducted master teachers and here to talk about their teachers are Miss Keen and Miss Levine. >> [applause] >> All right. Good evening. >> [clears throat] >> I'm truly honored to be speaking in recognition of Mrs. Catherine Kaminsky, an exceptional fifth grade teacher,
023for her acceptance to the master teacher program. Yes, I see some hands clapping. That's >> [applause] >> On behalf of myself, our assistant principal Mrs. Castellan, and our entire Nesaquake community, I share how proud we are of all of your hard work and all of what you have accomplished. Miss Kaminsky consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to her students, to her colleagues, and the greater school community. A valued member of our fifth grade team, Miss Kaminsky collaborates thoughtfully with her colleagues to ensure the success of all students. Her contributions to the science curriculum writing committee reflect her dedication of advancing high-quality instruction while her participation in the Eureka Math Pilot Program highlights her willingness to embrace innovation and refine her practice. Additionally, Miss Kaminsky is a member of the 2024-2025 cohort for the Institute for Practical
024Education Educational Science through the Association for the Cooperate Cooperative Advancement of Science Education. That was a mouthful. >> [laughter] >> As student council advisor and TVPVSA Awards Organizer, She cultivates leadership and responsibility, fostering a strong sense of community among her students. She also serves as our school's Superbowl point person, leading this important initiative with organization and care. She is an active presence beyond the classroom, generously giving up her time to support after-school events such as milk and cookies night, Gelinas paint night, and our upcoming multicultural night. I got you for that one. >> [laughter] >> Above all, she consistently places students at the center of her work, demonstrating care, dedication, and high expectations in all that she does. Her impact is both meaningful and lasting, and she is truly exemplifies the qualities of a master
025teacher. We are so proud of you, Catherine. >> [applause] [applause] >> Good evening to our Board of Education, Dr. Scanlon, and the Three Village community. It's with great pride to stand before you this evening to recognize an exceptional educator from Gelinas Middle School, Mrs. Jennifer Vecchio, who's been named a New York State Master Teacher. Mrs. Vecchio, a dedicated 6th grade special education teacher who exemplifies the very best of our profession. Each day, Ms. Vecchio brings a deep sense of compassion, patience, and understanding to her classroom, ensuring that every student feels valued, supported, and capable of success. Her welcoming smile sets the tone for nurturing environment where students feel safe to take risks, build confidence, and grow both academically and socially. What truly distinguishes Ms. Vecchio is her unwavering commitment to helping her students reach their
026full potential. She meets each child where they are, tailoring her instruction to their unique needs, and empowering them to overcome challenges with resilience and determination. Her ability to connect with students, foster independence, and celebrate their achievements, both big and small, has had a lasting impact that extends far beyond the walls of her classroom. Being named a New York State Master Teacher is a testament not only to Ms. Vecchio's instructional expertise, but also to her dedication to her students, her colleagues, and the Three Village School community. She's a true advocate for all of her learners and a role model for inclusive student-centered education. We are incredibly proud to have Ms. Vecchio as part of our Gelinas Middle School family and the Three Village Central School District. Please join Please join us in congratulating both Mrs. Vecchio
027and Mrs. Kaminsky on this well-deserved and prestigious honor. >> [applause] [applause] [laughter] [applause] >> CONGRATULATIONS. I'M A sympathetic crier, so I just needed a second to >> [laughter] >> pull myself together. So, our next category, and for those of you who know me, know I'm a sympathetic crier, too. Sometimes it just cries spontaneously, also, so I don't need somebody to start the chain. But, we also we have a phenomenal teaching staff here in Three Village, and we're extremely proud of our teachers. And and last year, the Professional Development Committee decided that we were going to start recognizing exceptional teachers in our district. So, we nominated two teachers last year for the New York State Teacher of the Year nomination. And what that does is it gives the person who we nominate a packet of about
028like 30 things that they have to fill out and send up to the state. So, it's not an award right away, but I'm hoping that the recognition tonight is some sort of is the achievement that you're looking for in the recognition that we think that you're phenomenal teachers. So, administrators nominate professionals inside of their buildings, and the Professional Development Committee gets together, and we read over those nominations. And the Teacher of the Year is typically described as a teacher who demonstrates instructional excellence and innovation, builds strong inclusive relationships with students and the community, serves as a leader and model for other educators, and represents and advocates for the profession at the state and national level. So, we put these two people's names forward to the state, and it'll be up to the state um in
029determining whether or not they are the New York State Teacher of the Year, but they're our New York State Teacher of the Year. So, at this point, I'd like to invite Mr. Jansen and Ms. Hydrick up to speak about some of their faculty. >> [applause] >> Is this on? Good evening. On behalf of myself, our Assistant Principal Worter, and our entire Mount community, I am really excited to be here tonight to speak about Ms. Gage, our first grade Teacher of the Year nominee. She represents the very best of our school community and the strong, dedicated educators we are fortunate to have throughout our building. If you've ever stepped into her classroom, you can feel right away that something special is happening. It's warm, it's joyful, and yes, it's a little bit magical. Students are engaged,
030confident, and willing to take risks because they know they are supported. She sets high expectations and provides thoughtful small group instruction to meet the needs of every learner in her class. Ms. Gage values literacy instruction and is committed to her own professional growth. She recently completed a micro-credential course on the science of reading through SUNY New Paltz. While most of us are listening to our favorite playlist on an outside walk, not Ms. Gage. She is often listening to an educational podcast to continue growing as an educator. She brings that knowledge back not only to her students, but to her colleagues through her work on the District Literacy Committee. Ms. Gage also builds strong partnerships with families, keeping them informed and involved in their child's progress. She invites them in for writing celebrations, giving students the
031opportunity to proudly share their work so families have a chance to see that growth firsthand. And of course, I need to mention the cookies. On those cold winter mornings when the staff needs a little lift, Ms. Gage often brings in warm, homemade treats. It's a small gesture, but it goes a long way in fostering the sense of community and connection that make our school feel like a family. Ms. Gage is a dedicated educator, a supportive colleague, and a positive presence in our school. She brings out the best in her students and contributes meaningfully to the entire learning community. We are so proud to recognize her as our Teacher of the Year nominee. Great job, MS. GAGE. >> [applause] >> GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SCANLON, and the Three Village community. It is a
032special privilege to stand before you tonight to celebrate one of our own. I'm incredibly proud to announce that Emiliano Giuninati has been nominated as New York State Teacher of the Year representing R.C. Murphy Middle School and the Three Village Central School District. My perspective on Mr. G is a little bit different. I started my career at Murphy just 2 years before Emiliano arrived in 2007. Back then, I was a science teacher, Mr. Vizzo was at the helm of the Murphy ship, and Emiliano was the new energetic face in the world language department. I've watched him grow, lead, and inspire throughout my time at Murphy. And now, as his principal, I can tell you that the magic he brought on day one has only intensified. If you walk into Murphy, you'll find that room 109 is
033more than just a classroom. It is the building's unofficial front porch. Because of its central location, Emiliano has turned that doorway into a space where every student feels seen. Every morning before period one, there's a literal gaggle of students gathered around in 109 smiling and laughing. What's most remarkable is that many of these kids aren't even on his roster. They are simply drawn to him as a mentor and as and a sounding board. In the hallways in between periods, he's a constant visible presence. He greets everyone with that infectious smile we all know. His colleagues are equally drawn to him because he perfectly balances his high level of professionalism with his genuine friendship that lifts the morale of our entire staff. From his top-notch instructional techniques to the school-wide basketball and volleyball tournaments he organizes,
034Emiliano just doesn't teach Spanish, he builds community. He's the first to volunteer for our ENL dinners and world language nights because he believes every family belongs here. Emiliano, you have been a staple of Murphy for two decades. You represent the very best of what it means to be an educator in New York State. We are so proud of you, and I personally wanted to have shared the journey with you from our early days in the classroom to today. Congratulations on this well-deserved nomination. >> [applause] [applause] >> THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. Same thing if you have to run, you're not going to hurt our feelings. There's great stuff still coming, but you don't have to stay. >> [laughter] >> All right. Uh, we will turn it back over to Dr. Viscari to get to
035our school news. Okay. Good night. Congratulations. Uh, this time I'd like to introduce uh uh Ms. Levine again with our Nassakeag representatives coming up with uh school news. >> [applause] >> Hi everyone. Our names are Blair Barnes and Ethan Benici from Nassakeag and we are here to share some of the exciting things happening across our elementary school this past month. Students and staff from all over the district celebrated PS I Love You Day by wearing purple to show kindness, support mental health, and remind everyone that we are not alone. In classrooms, students took part in fun activities based on this year's theme, Be the Light. We talked about ways to be kind, help others, and brighten someone's day. Our hallway Our hallways were filled with positive messages reminding us to support each other. We also
036celebrated the Lunar New Year in many of our schools. Students learned about different traditions through read-alouds, art projects, and even parades. It was a great way to celebrate different cultures and learn something new. Students from the World-Wide Mission to Fresh Organization visited student councils to teach us about helping others by supporting dental health in communities in need. We collected toothbrushes and toothpaste and other dental hygiene items and learned how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. We also had a visit from the Ward Melville Ward Melville Muslim student organization who taught us about Ramadan. They shared They shared traditions and information. It was fun learning about holidays and traditions. We also had an exciting visit from students studying American Sign Language at the high school. They taught us some basic signs and
037showed us the importance of communication and inclusivity. It was so much fun to learn a new way to talk with our hands. Finally, our school has recognized World Down Syndrome Day. Students took part in activities that helped us learn about acceptance, inclusion, and a celebration what makes everyone unique. It's been an amazing month full of learning, kindness, and celebrating what makes our school community so special. >> [applause] >> Okay, so our secondary representatives for are going to talk about school news cuz we did everyone from elementary at this point, right? Yes. You guys want to come up from Murphy? Yep. Thank you. Marking our first year competing as a middle school team, our Science Olympiad team A earned first place and our team [snorts] B earned fifth place out of 36 teams at the Science
038Olympiad regional competition. Murphy took home 26 medals including six first place medals and are now preparing for the state competition in Syracuse, New York. Our Murphy math team, also competing as a first-time middle school, placed fourth out of 25 teams at the MoMath competition in Brookhaven National Lab. Murphy is proud to share that Mr. Jimmy Naughty, our Spanish teacher, has been nominated for Teacher of the Year. Mr. G is truly loved by the students and staff. We are all cheering him on and hope that he wins. He certainly deserves it. The R.C. Murphy musical performance of Guys and Dolls was performed in front of our fifth grade Mount Ararat students. Performances for the community are March 25th through 28th. Our Murphy staff was ready to flip some burgers and serve our students their dinner orders
039at the McDonald's in Stony Brook. Our students and families enjoyed having their teachers serve them their dinner. A portion of the proceeds was donated to our school. Murphy held an ALS fundraiser pie-in-the-face contest. Our staff were pied by students to raise money for ALS. We raised $550 for ALS Ride for Life. Students participated in Coin Wars. Students filled jars with coins to donate to charities. Each grade picked their favorite charity. Sixth grade was Team Bella, seventh grade was St. Jude, eighth grade was ALS. We raised a grand total of $406 in coins. >> [applause] >> Thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Um, we're going to jump over to the high school now and unfortunately Katie, our student representative who's always so busy, has a dance thing tonight. So she asked if Dr. Backus
040read her report for her. I'm sorry. There's one more from uh a representative from Gelinas as well. >> there was. I just didn't see anybody. What happened? >> the format a little bit, but yes, Gelinas is represented as well. >> Gelinas. We always need Gelinas. Come on up, friend. Good evening. My name is Vincenzo Pastor and I'm a sixth grader at Paul J. Gelinas Middle School. It is my honor to present to you the happenings at Gelinas. I'd like to thank Principal Keen and Assistant Principal Cordina for giving me this opportunity. Last month in February, the fifth graders from Setauket, Minnesauke, and Nassakeag visited our school. They got the chance to tour the building and learn about our academic offerings and extracurricular activities. Our students competed against each other during the flick football frenzy in
041our cafeteria. This activity aligned with the Super Bowl. The students had a lot of fun. The top scorer from each grade level went against our Dean, Mr. Mascarella, for a final game. There were winners from the sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. A special thanks to Mr. Frohland and his sixth grade technology students for building the field goal posts as well as the site-based decision-making committee for having the idea. In February, we also held our volleyball tournament in our gymnasium. Students created their own teams and could include teachers on their teams, too. Congratulations to Las Spicos, the sixth grade champions, and the Banda Eight Elites, the seventh eighth grade champions. Thanks to Ms. Grippa, Ms. Schmidt, Mr. Youngs, and Mr. Still, our physical education teachers, for helping to make this event possible. On February
04213th, members of our National Junior Honor Society participated in chalking the walk for PS I Love You Day. They wrote affirmations and uplifting messages by our bus circle. Our students were encouraged to show support and empathy to each other that day and reinforce the importance of kindness, connection, and caring for one another. On March 13th, our student government hosted the skate night at the Rinx in Port Jefferson. It took place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Rental skates, pizza, soda, water, and hot chocolate were included in admission. Our seventh graders also saw a performance of Hamilton in our auditorium. It was broadcast live from Broadway. Mr. Ellers, one of our history teachers, chaperoned this virtual field trip. Our students were very excited to be in the room where it happened. Speaking of Broadway, our eighth
043graders went to see The Outsiders in New York City. They enjoyed the show and the real world connection to their English classrooms. Another big thing going on in our school was the hate speech lesson. It took place over the last few weeks during everyone's English class. All sixth, seventh, and eighth graders learned what hate speech is, how to identify it, and what they can do about it. It was a very enlightening experience for our students. Yesterday, we held the geography bee in room 201. Every history class sent their top two contestants from the class round. There was a wide variety of categories ranging from the United States to world geography. Congratulations to Noah Allen first place, Vincenzo P in second, and Alan Jay in third place. Finally, the most exciting thing going on at Gelinas
044is the play, Annie. Our cast members have been preparing for this for months. In fact, today the fifth graders came up from the elementary buildings to watch the production. Other performances will be tomorrow at 7:00 p.m., Friday at 7:00 p.m., Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. A wonderful time is guaranteed for all who come. We hope to see you there this weekend and thank you for listening to my presentation. >> [applause] >> Thank you so much. You did a great job and again, I apologize for the oversight. All right, Dr. Beckwith, turn it over to you. So, Katie has provided this update to me about from Ward Melville High School. Good evening, members of the Board of Education. I am super excited to share a few highlights from these past few weeks. On Friday,
045February 27th, under the leadership of Dr. Scanlon and two district PPS staff members, student volunteer ambassadors for the superintendent's task force gathered at Ward Melville for the first of two training sessions. They are preparing to visit Murphy and Gelinas to lead important conversations with their peers about discrimination, racism, prejudice, and bias. They also met again today for a follow-up training session to continue strengthening their work. I'd also like to recap the senior trip to Universal. I had the opportunity to attend and it was truly an amazing experience. We spent 4 days in the parks, enjoyed a group dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, and made lasting memories riding attractions with friends and even some of their teachers. It was definitely a highlight of my senior year and I know it was a highlight for many
046of the other seniors as well. A sincere thank you goes out to all the staff who helped make this trip possible. Our robotics team, the Iron Patriots, recently unveiled their 2026 competition robot as they prepared for their regional competition at Hofstra University, which took place Thursday through Saturday, March 19th through through March 21st. The showcase event was well attended by community members, sponsors, and administrators. Students provided a detailed presentation on the robot building process and demonstrated the capabilities of this year's robot, highlighting impressive engineering, creativity, and teamwork. In the arts, on Sunday, March 15th at 2:00 p.m., our honors symphony orchestra hosted Sunday at the symphony, a free concert for the community followed by an instrument petting zoo for the younger children. In addition, on Friday, March 13th, the district's third-grade students traveled to Ward
047Melville for the annual third-grade concert, providing them with a wonderful musical experience. We are also proud to celebrate our varsity cheer team, as we as we saw today, who won the New York State Championship this past weekend. This marks their third consecutive championship in their traditional cheer and their fourth state title in the past 3 years, an outstanding accomplishment that reflects on their dedication and hard work. Our mock trial team has also had an impressive run advancing through the playoffs and moving on to the final four this week. Their commitment and preparation have truly paid off and we wish them continued success. This past weekend, the Ward Melville Science Olympiad team competed in the state championship against 60 of the top teams across New York. They earned first place in remote sensing, second place in
048astronomy, dynamic planet, and rocks and minerals, and third place in anatomy and physiology and the bungee drop. The team placed sixth overall in the state and team member Jason Yin earned an incredible five event medals. Additionally, our Model United Nations Club recently participated in the High School Model United Nations Conference, where students engaged with peers from over 70 countries in in meaningful debate and collaboration. Seniors Michael Retock and Alexander Gambinsky were recognized with the award of merit for their outstanding performance. Finally, spring sports are now in full spring full swing with swim with scrimmages and swings and scrimmages and games underway, marking an exciting start to the season for our student athletes. Thank you so much. >> [applause] >> All right, again, I know it's late. If anybody needs to sneak out now, you are
049more than welcome to. Thank you for being here and thank you again for your great reports. We appreciate it. All right, we're going to move on now to 6C on our agenda. We will begin with an update from our audit committee, Dr. Kerman. Good evening. The audit committee met and this is what we have discussed. We reviewed the financial reports for October, November, and December and found nothing abnormal in them. We reviewed claims auditor's report for October, November, and December and there were no findings there also. We discussed recent recent changes in tax exemptions authorized by New York State. Discussion on this will still be continuing for a while. And we also, of course, more importantly, discussed our various budget-related topics since budget election is coming up. We discussed the tax cap, we discussed the
050state aid, and we discussed the inflation and its impact on costs. And I have to also congratulate Mr. Carlson for winning a SCOPE award for doing a wonderful job as our district superintendent of finance. So, thank you, Jeff. >> [applause] >> Thank you. By the way, Dr. Kerman received an award for his board service as well. So. Indeed, and congratulations to both of you on that. We appreciate it. We will go to our facilities update now for Mr. Vizzo. >> Yeah, we met last week and we talked about the current year capital projects and we said that this year we're working on the Nassakeag floor slab repair and the parking lot repair. We've received the approval from the State Education Department and the work will begin this summer. Now, as far as capital projects for
051next year, well, it'll be approximately, at this point, $3 million. We're talking about the Setauket cupola, we're talking about the Ward Melville pool machinery room, diving board, starting blocks, bleachers, etc. Needs major work in that area at the pool. On Nassakeag, the mini gym, walk-in freezer, and of course, the Murphy cupola and the Minnesauke cupola. Those are old. Everything needs revamping. And we talked about the bond vote, that the bond went down and we're going to be having further discussions regarding possibly lowering the total cost of the bond and I say hopefully having a revote. Thank you. All right, we go to our items for board discussion and for the budget conversation, we turn it to Mr. Carlson. Thank you. First couple of slides are a bit of a recap from previous meetings. We've been
052started discussing the the budget back in November. Some of the the information comes in dribs and drabs that we need to build the budget. We're at the point now where we have the budget pretty much put together. There could still be some more tweaking. Where we are in the schedule, we have one more meeting after tonight, April 15th, at which time the board is scheduled to adopt the budget. Of course, the deadline for the New York State budget is April 1st. We'll see what happens with that. It's has on occasion been completed on time, but not very often. So, sometimes last year wasn't until May. It's always nice to know what our state aid is going to be prior to the board adopting the budget. But we'll see. We're not Well, I'll talk about state
053aid more in a minute. And then the budget hearing, May 6th, and the budget vote, May 19th. There's a recap that So, the tax cap, there are few factors. One, the levy growth factor, that's what can be can't be more than 2%. That piece of it can be less, but it's based on the rate of inflation. And for this year, with the inflation rate being 2.63%, we're limited to the 2%. There's also tax base growth factor, which accounts for recognizes additional construction in the district. That's a 1.19% increase. That's unusually high for that for that factor. It's usually maybe one or two tenths of a percent. So, that that's a 1.19% on top of the 2% already. And then, as Mr. Vizzo mentioned, our plan at this time is to raise capital projects in light
054of the the bond referendum not passing from 1 and 1/2 million dollars, what we have in the current year's budget, to 3 million dollars for next year. And with all that put together and plus there's a bit of a decrease in building aid, which factors into it's the tax cap, our tax cap for next year is 4.5 4% and the budget that we're putting together will comply with that. So, we got a bit of some good news from Dr. Scanlon and Dr. Biscari met with somebody from the State Education Department about the pre-kindergarten program and one thing that was unknown as of last meeting was whether we would get continue to get state aid on our half-day pre-K program. In order to get that, we need a waiver. So, and we didn't know if in
055the in the new budget that would state budget, that would even be possible. But with Dr. Scanlon and Dr. Biscari advocating for that, we got news that we will be able to get a state aid on our half-day program again next year. So, that was fantastic news. So, I added that to what the slide from where we were last time with state aid. Still, we're hoping for a little bit more on state aid with the final state budget. I know we said that last year, so just remember back to last year, the governor's budget proposal had a 2% increase to the foundation aid. The State Senate and State Assembly were both pushing for a 3% increase. We were fairly confident that we would get some more state aid with the final budget, which is normally
056the case. However, we didn't. This year though, I don't we're not we're not counting on it, but I I would have to say I'm a little bit more confident that we'll get a little more state aid this year with the final budget for a couple of reasons. One, the governor's budget proposal only has a 1% increase in foundation aid, not two. And still the state Senate and Assembly are both recommended a 2% increase. But more than all that is the entire state legislature and the governor are all up for election this year. So, that's probably gives us the best chance to get a little bit more in state aid next year. Um so, we'll we'll see. Hopefully hopefully the state budget will be done prior to April 15th, but we'll just have to wait and
057see. Either way though, we're we're putting the budget together with governor's budget proposal amount for state aid. So, uh I changed the major increases slide to account for the retirements and other other cuts that we've made, which I'll talk about in a second. So, still biggest increase in the coming year is health insurance. Medical costs we've talked about before out of control. Hopefully something can be done. I don't I don't know what exactly, but but hopefully something. Capital projects we're increasing by the one and a half million dollars. Contractual salaries and this is mainly because of some of the changes that we're making well retirements that we have and most of those retiring positions do not have to be filled. So, that's a significant savings. Contractual salaries is not that much of an increase year
058to year. And [clears throat] the other benefits that's retirement system the ERS and TRS the two retirement systems, social security, worker's compensation, Medicare, separation pay that's retirement incentive and unemployment insurance. By the way, there was a question about unemployment insurance. Why is that going up so much? Well, the state more than doubled the weekly maximum overnight. Went from $405 to $869 something like that. So, just out of the out of nowhere more than doubled overnight. So, So, the budget reductions we had 21 teachers retire. There are some other staff around the district that retired, but it's not as much of a significant budget savings in those. The 21 teacher retirements and then 18 of those do not have to be replaced. So, when you add all that together, it comes out to um 3.8 million
059dollars. And then as we had discussed last time too, we did a 25% across-the-board reduction to all uh budget codes that have discretionary spending. Equipment, supplies, that kind of stuff, contracted services. And that that was over 3 million dollar reduction. So, with all of that put together, so now the difference from last time if you remember we were that had that gap of 1.8 million dollars. Well, half more than half of it was filled with the governor's universal pre-K state aid amount, right? That we we can count on now. And then if you remember last time we had said we had identified 11 teaching positions that did not need to be filled, now it's 18. So, those two combined plus a couple of changes reductions on the administrative side and that closed closed that gap.
060So, the budget where we're at right now complies with the tax cap. Doesn't mean it can't get changed, but we would wouldn't need to cut anything else in order to comply with the cap and it would result in a budget to budget increase of 2.87% and as I mentioned earlier the tax levy increased 4.5% chiefly because of the increase to capital projects, reduction in building aid um and the tax base growth factor along with the 2% levy growth factor. >> [clears throat] >> So, if the budget does not pass, same options as always, put the same budget up for a revote, revise the budget, put that up for a a vote, or go straight to contingency. Either way, if we do not have a budget passed by the voters, it means no increase to the
061tax levy at all. And from this budget that we have, we would have to reduce 8.1 million dollars from that. What would get cut? We don't know. That would be up for discussion if and when we get to that point. So, uh that's all I have for my presentation, but I'll sit down and then happy to take any questions. Just to add on as we've been discussing the um Long Island Museum has added a a proposition to the budget vote for this year. It's not affiliated with the district. It's a one-time proposition that will be voted on by the community. Just to clarify that that is coming from them. They they met the requirements under regulations for getting the proposition onto the ballot. So, it will be included with our budget vote, but it's not
062that money is not attached to the district in any way, shape or form. Thank you. All right, we open it up questions about the budget. Any questions this evening? Okay. All right, thank you so much. We will continue on now to our public comment period. We would ask you to come up to that microphone over there. Millie Alcamo and forgive me if I mispronounce that. Please state your name when you get to the microphone. Good evening. My name is Millie Alcamo. My late husband, police officer Joseph Alcamo, died in the line of duty March 26, 1992. Tomorrow marks 34 years since his passing. He was just 31 years old. At that time, I was 8 and a half months pregnant. Just 13 days later, I gave birth to my only child. In 1997, I moved
063to this district and I made this my home. I raised my daughter Stephanie here. She's now a teacher serving students at the Patchogue-Medford community. And she's been teaching for 11 year 11 years. She's been married and continues to live in this this district. Now, my grandson will be attending Arrowhead Elementary School in just a few years. This community has been a part of every chapter of our lives. Recently, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to support families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The town of Brookhaven has already adopted this benefit. I am here tonight to respectfully ask that this board consider opting into this program, which would provide 50% property tax exemption exemptions for line of duty families like mine. This is not just about financial relief, it's about
064recognition. It's about honoring and sacrifice the sacrifice that was made and supporting the families who live with this loss every single day. This district has been my home for nearly 30 years. I am proud to be a part of this community and I would be be deeply grateful for your support. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> [applause] >> Thank you so much. All right, we're going to continue on now with our consent agenda. Do I see a motion? So moved. Second? Seconded. All right, we begin with Ms. Germano. B, C, and D are the minutes from the February 25th, March 4th, and March 11th Board of Education meetings. Thank you. And beginning with E, Mr. Carlson. Item [clears throat] E is the appointment of independent auditor. This is in compliance with the request
065for proposals that we did last year. We have to do a RFP at least once every five years, which we just did it last year. So, our recommendation is to appoint EFPR Group as the auditor for this coming up year. The next item is to establish health and welfare services rate. This is for the rate that we would charge to other school districts for um residents of those districts that attend private or parochial school located within our district. And then the item after that is the flip side to that. That's for with two other school districts. This is for three village resident students who attend private schools located in those districts. They provide the health services and bill us. That kind of both sides of that. Item after that is donations. We have one donation,
066a check for $1,000 from the Three Village STEM Enrichment Foundation to the Ward Melville robotics team. And item I is declaration of surplus textbooks. These are for condition that they're in and and obsolete textbooks. Thank you so much. Any questions about any of those? Okay. J, recommendations of the Committee on Special Education Sub-Committee and 504 Accommodation Plan meetings as stated. And K, recommendations of the Committee on Pre-School Special Education meetings as stated. And for L and M, Dr. Biscari. Thank you. There two dual enrollment agreements with LIU. One is for this current school year and one is for next school year and it allows our students to get credit through LIU with some of the courses that we offer at the high school. Thank you so much. And beginning with N, Dr. DeBruusky. Thank you.
067N is the approval of the MOA between the Three Village School District and the Three Village Registered Nurses. We now have a contract with the nurses that extends out through 2030. Um, is the approval of the uh what we call the Jewel Agreement between Three Village Central School District and the employee named in the attached confidential schedule A that was discussed in exec session. >> [snorts] >> P, personnel items, instructional. We have four um instructional resignations in the form of teaching assistants. We have 15 instructional resignations in the form of substitute teachers. Um, one instructional rescission of an appointment, somebody who requested a full year uh leave for next year has changed their mind and decided to come back. Um, seven instructional substitute appointments, the appointment of several spring coaches between the high school, middle
068school, and one volunteer uh as well as one individual for athletic supervision. And we have the appointment of annual extra assignments as well as several several hourly extra assignments. Uh personnel items, bless you, non-instructional. Uh we have three non-instructional resignations in the form of special education aids. 15 non-instructional resignations in the in the form of child care assistants, substitute food service workers, sub clerical, and sub monitors and SEAs. In addition, we have four non-instructional appointments in the form of child care assistants, uh five non-instructional changes of status, uh two non-instructional substitute appointments with sub custodians and a sub food service worker, uh 20 non-instructional hourly extra assignments that have to do with the um curriculum unit for the budget coming up, and we start our summer recreation prep and assignments for 2026. It's here, believe
069it or not. Uh so we have the appointment of those hours. Um and that's about it. Thank you so much. All in favor of the items inside of our consent agenda? No opposed, no abstentions. Thank you so much. Do I see a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. Second? >> Second. All in favor? All right.