001Good evening. Today is Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025. This is a special meeting of the board of education of the Tahoe Union School District. Can I have a motion to begin the meeting? Scott second. Lewis. All in favor? First order of business is the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. Okay, welcome everybody. Um, first thing we're going to do is comments by the board. Anybody have any updates? No. Okay. Um I just have a couple of things. I want to just say thank you to all the people who volunteer their time for our interview committees. Um these committees are made up of various stakeholders depending on the position. It ranges from students to teachers to admins to parents. Um and I just want to thank everybody who participated in that.
002your input was extremely valuable and we really appreciate you taking the time um especially in the summer to do that. I also want to thank everybody who um participated in the policy committee. Um their participation and feedback is also extremely valuable tonight. We will be um reading and adopting our internet um enabled device policy and I really want to thank everyone for their input again um during the summer. that um committee is also made up of parents and teachers and union reps and administrators. So, I really just thank you so much for all of your input and helping us to get this important work done. Mr. Roberts, do you have anything superintendent report? >> I do. Thank you, Madam President. So, a number of things I just want to start a lot of things been
003happening great things here at Tahoe. Um wonderful things to provide some updates this evening. So, we have several important staffing recommendations this evening that I'd like to bring to the board's attention for their consideration after an in-depth and exhausted exhaustive process starting out with over 90 plus applicants. Days upon days of our hiring teams coming together convening rigorous interview process. I'm pleased to recommend an outstanding candidate to serve as the next principal of Tucker's middle middle school high school. Mr. Christopher Fiori is going to be the recommended candidate today on the agenda for the board to consider to appoint to that position. A little bit about Mr. Fiori comes to Tuo as an experienced principal, administrator, and educational leader. Previously serving as a tenure high school English teacher, chairperson, athletic director, assistant principal in neighboring
004East Chester for many years. Mr. Fury also was a tenure principal at Frank Kerry Junior Senior High School on Long Island for about seven years, uh, where he successfully met the educational needs for approximately 7 1700 students and over 225 staff members uh bringing in new and innovative programs and educational opportunities for his students and families. Over the last two years, Mr. Fiori has served as principal at the Naranzit High School in Rhode Island. We're pleased to have him coming to Tuo to return home and to bring forward levels of student achievement here. Uh Mr. Fiori has earned his administrative certificate from Mercy College. He has a masterers of science and secondary education in English from Iona and a bachelor's of arts in English from form university. Mr. Fury is excited to return home to
005New York and serve as the next outstanding instructional leader and principal for our students and families here at Tahoe Middle School High School and we're excited to welcome him Mr. Also uh with today on the agenda we have our recommended director of curriculum instruction and technology. We've got another very important administrative position that we've been diligently work at filling and then going through our hiring procedures these past few weeks during the summer. Uh we're looking to secure the outstanding candidates and to serve as our next director of curriculum instruction technology. This this position we had over 70 qualified applicants for the position. Our hiring team narrowed down the field uh comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, and support staff. spent several days uh interviewing and refining the group to to the most successful candidates to move
006forward. Uh in addition to doing 20 screening interviews, we then went to a group of six committee interviews and then final interviews with the superintendent and also the board of education to review our final candidates for both positions and we have great candidates to move forward today to appoint to recommend for the board to appoint. I'm pleased to recommend Dr. Melissa Quackenbush to serve as the next director of curriculum instruction and technology for the school district. Dr. Crackenbush separated herself as a candidate for many reasons, demonstrating that she's a resultsoriented administrator, 15 plus years of leadership and experience in developing and implementing innovative education programs that drive measurable student achievement outcomes. Uh she has extensive experience as a strategic curriculum developer with expertise in supervising instructional programs, evaluating uh educational materials, and fostering professional growth
007among other things. She's a collaborative leader and looks forward to working with our administrative staff, teachers, parents, and students to align curriculum and move the agenda forward here at Taco. Dr. Quackbush also of my interest as a experienced grant writer bringing additional resources to many of the school districts she's previously worked. Much of her professional work came in the New Jersey public school system, the director of curriculum and Hasbro Heights, director of curriculum instruction and Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School and as a district supervisor. ities at Paramis public schools. A long educational background from a doctor of educational psychology from Old Dominion. She has her EDS advanced postmasters degree from Liberty University, a masterers in reading from the University of South Florida, and a bachelor's in English education 6 through 12 Eastern University. We're
008excited to recommend Dr. Quack Bush on the agenda this evening appointments. A little bit more to talk of my report. The policy we have recommending today. Many people may have heard information about the governor's uh bell-to-bell cell phone policy ban that's happening in all New York State schools. So this evening, the board will be asked to conduct a first reading and adopt tuck policy 5695. That's the internet enabled device policy. Uh this policy is being moved forward and adopted this evening and hopefully with to ensure that our students in our district is in compliance by the August 1 deadline that's been provided by Governor Hok. So, the governor's bell-to-bell cell phone ban was included within her recent New York state budget and was turned into recently signed into law requiring all New York State public
009schools to comply with this new mandate designated to eliminating distractions within the school setting from students having access to their cell phones or other internet enabled devices. The policy has gone through our committee as president Helen said for view and is going to the board this evening and with input from all stakeholders that were participating on that committee including teachers, parents, board trustees uh and other stakeholders. We also I was fortunate to meet with our own student group from many of our student leaders of our go group and to discuss the policy with our student leaders. Uh they had their own thoughts on the policy and making it successful. That was the highlight of my week. Um, following the the approval of the policy, uh, we're going to be posting the policy on the website,
010sending a number of communications out to families about the details of the policy. So, our policy covers the the framework of what's going to be in place at the board approved, but the real communication about what we were doing to make it successful for our students, answer the parents questions, uh, to ensure that it's it's rolled out and implemented successfully. So, that was very helpful for the policy committee giving us suggestions, things to think about. We're going to continue to gather input from parents in the community of how to roll it out successfully. And those future communications will have a lot of those details for parents as well as frequently asked questions. How do I get in touch with my child? How do I what happens in this situation? But the design of the policy,
011we do have to create a secure location in our school buildings at the secondary level. Just a little glimpse of what we're looking to accomplish. We'll be using the lockers as our secure location. That's our plan at the high school, middle and high school. And then at the elementary school, we're going to be doing a more uh reasonable approach with it inside the classroom and just having a secure locked area that can be students can place their devices or whatever they may have um you know when they arrive in the classroom in the morning and then get at the end of this day. So more to come on that you know communications policy will be linked on the website once approved. We look forward to really working with all stakeholders to make sure it's successful.
012Thank you very much, Mr. Roberts. Um, tonight's agenda is a true reflection of all the work that has been done in the summer and um, there have been extensive meetings and I just want to say thank you to Mr. Roberts for his swift action in pulling um, our new team together. These are really important um, agenda items and they need to be put in place as soon as possible so that we can off successfully and um thank you for doing that your work before your appointment and um in the last 23 days since we've been our superintendent you've really moved forward and also my fellow board members for cooperating with all of our meetings to get this done. Thank you. Okay, so let's get on with the um business of the board. Appoint a principal.
013Resolved that the board of education of the Tahoe Union Preschool District on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools appoint Christopher Priori as Tahoe High School Middle School principal to a three-year probationary appointment in the tenure area of principal effective August 4th, 2025 through August 3rd, 2028 at a salary of $198,500. Motion Scott is Lewis. All in favor? >> Congratulations. Resolve that uh sorry appointed director of curriculum of instruction. Appointed direct director of curriculum instruction and technology. resolved that the board of education of the Tahoe Union Preschool District on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools appoints Dr. Melissa as director of curriculum instruction and technology to a four-year probationary appointment in the 10year area of director of curriculum instruction and technology effective July 28th 2025 through July 27th 2029 at a salary of $165,000
014second. All in favor? Welcome back to first reading in adoption of policy 5695 internet enabled device. Resolved that the board of education of the Tahoe Union Preschool District hereby conducts the first reading of policy 5695 internet enabled device policy the internet enabled device policy. I'm going to stop there. Um do I have a motion second um discussion? So, I just want to say that um on the agenda is the first reading of policy 5695 and the board will be asked to also vote to adopt the policy within the same resolution. This doesn't follow our regular practice of conducting at least two readings followed by adoption. However, an expedited adoption is permissible with the majority of the board in favor of approving the policy after the first reading. I want to take this opportunity to confirm
015with each trustee if you are all in agreement with the vote on this policy as listed on the agenda since it is time-sensitive matter with the August 1st, 2025 policy adoption deadline date issued by the governor. Agree. Okay. Resolve that the board of education of Takaho Unifree School District hereby conducts the first reading of the policy 5695 internet enabled device policy and hereby adopt that policy as attached. Governor Hosel signed into law the statewide ban on bell-to-bell internet enabled devices for school districts effective the 2526 school year. The statewide ban is to ensure distractionfree schools in New York state effective immediately. The New York State Legislature has amended the New York State Education Law to include a new section 2803 which prohibits the use of internet enabled devices during the school day and on school
016grounds. The amendment comes as part of the 2526 executive budget. The new legislation prohibits the use of internet enabled devices by students for the entirety of the school day, including during instructional and non-instructional periods such as home room, lunch, recess, study calls, and passing in the hallways. The legislation requires districts and voices to adopt a new board policy by August 1st, 2021. All in favor? Thank you. Appointed teaching Resolved that the board of education of the Tahoe Union Free School District on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools appoints Christopher Girardana to a 4-year probationary appointment as a math teacher at the Taco High School Middle School in a 10-year area of mathematics effective September 2nd, 2025 through September 1st, 2029 on a step four NA of the TTA salary schedule. Motion Scott Second. So
017all in favor congratulations. appointed coach. Resolve that the board of education of the Tahoe Union School District on the re recommendation of the superintendent of schools appoints Enrique Rosario as a strength and conditioning coach effective July 24th, 2025 for the summer 2025 and fall 2025 seasons. Compensation at a stipend of $5,180 per season prrated based on work completed. Motion Scott second. All in favor approve an amendment to an agreement. Resolved that the board of education of the Takah school district approves an amendment with ANA maintenance for the 2526 school year increasing the hourly rate for services provided in line with CPI at 3.4%. Motion Scott second. All in favor? Yep. Go ahead. construction. >> Yes, absolutely. Um Oh, all in favor. Yes. All right. All in favor. Okay. Um, closing comments by the board. >>
018Congratulations all of you. >> Congratulations. >> Welcome to our school. >> Okay. Comments. Superintendent. >> Great. Thank you, Madam President. So, uh, congratulations to our administrative appointees. Uh, great to have you as part of the team and look forward to having you join very soon. This is wonderful. I also wanted to to thank our tremendous staff working so very hard each day here in the summer. Uh, sometimes as our students go off their vacation and some of our staff get to spend some time with family. Still have 12 month staff here that's really uh, working hard each and every day. Our custo staff, our clerical staff has been tremendous. just kind of point that out of all the construction going on. So the audience may have seen it coming in today. They they literally take
019every room, keep clean it, prepare it for our students, and they're going to do that from now until August on top of other duties as well. So just want to recognize their work. All of our offices are continuing this staff is in and out, clerical staff, our administrators, a lot of the hiring and to our teachers as well coming in each and every day with curriculum work, volunteering on committees. It's just been tremendous. So couldn't ask for a better team that's surrounding the work of of the district and putting all that goes forward and our parents also for being a part of the committees uh the policy committee the interviews a lot of hours uh your volunteers was tremendous and I'd be remiss if I didn't extended the board as well the additional steps that
020you've taken to expedite uh the processes at your evenings with interviewing a lot of hours from the team just to really make sure that everything's in place for the upcoming school year and to surround uh myself as the with a great administrator to support the work of district. Greatly appreciate it. Uh congratulations to Mr. Gardano. I didn't get a chance to say before. I want to wait till you're appointed, but uh we're very pleased to have you join us as a math teacher. Um great things for our student achievement and engaging them in learning. And I know Mr. Gosan is going to be tracking you down for your coaching expertise as well. Uh I'm sure at some point so we look forward to there. And also last month, thank you to the board approving the
021strength and conditioning coach. is going to be a tremendous asset to our students, all students, uh whether they're on athletic teams or not, and also to our coaches and the teams to support them in developing their skills uh to the next level and promoting healthy lifestyle for all our students. So, a great addition to the programs that exist here that the board invested in the last budget cycle and we're pleased to get it into action and uh more details will be forthcoming with the uh appointment of the strength and conditioning coach and we look forward to see him do great things for our students. Thank you. Okay. A motion to adjourn the meeting. Second. All in favor? Thank you. Have a good night everybody.