001I pledge algiance 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. >> Good evening everybody. I'd like to welcome all of those here pres with us and those that may be watching at home or watching later at home. Um Michelle, do we have any agenda changes for this evening? >> Perfect. >> Uh we are at our first public comment session of the evening. Just a quick reminder, the public comment portion of the board of education meeting is designed to give members of the public the opportunity to address the board related to school district operations. The board will not permit in public session discussion involving individual district personnel or students. Persons wishing to discuss matters involving individual
002district personnel or students should present their comments and/or concerns to the superintendent of schools during regular business hours. All speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene language, lielless statements, and threats of violence will not be tolerated. It is not the practice of the board to respond during the meeting to questions posed or comments made by speakers. Therefore, while the board will certainly take any questions or comments you might have under advisement, we will not be responding to any questions. This first session is for agenda related items. We had nobody that registered to sign up for agenda related items. Is there anybody that would like to speak to the agenda this evening? >> If you want to >> I don't know if this is on the agenda or not about the UPK or
003the >> the RFP. >> It is not on the agenda. >> It's not on the agenda. So it be the other. >> Okay. Thanks. Anybody else? Yes. >> So, we've signed up to speak. Um, both me and my son speak. I don't know if it's on the agenda or not, but I still would like to read my statement. So will my son. Um, so my name is Stephanie Boyansky and I'm here as a parent who directly was affected by the inappropriate material that was has made its way into the classroom earlier this year. I want to begin by acknowledging that the teacher at the center of this situation was carried out carried out the entire weight of a failure that was not only hers alone. In fact, from everything we have seen, she appears to
004have become the fall person for much of a deeper issue within this district. A failure of oversight, misu miscommunication, and system safeguards. She was placed on paid leave, publicly scrutinized, and ultimately pressured to resign while those responsible for approving the curriculum reviewing materials. um and ensuring content filters were functioning have have faced no public accountability whatsoever. With that understanding, I'm deeply concerned and frankly disturbed that the board is now considering rehiring her as an English teacher with the same group of students that had her as an art teacher without addressing the systematic failures that this um situation has caused in the first place. Let me be clear. This is not about attacking the teacher. This is about demanding accountability from the people who actually hold the power, the leadership of this district. There are serious
005questions that still have not been answered. Who approved the curriculum and why is there no transparency about this this process? Parents still do not know who authorized the lesson or who reviewed it and what oversight was exercised. The teacher did not create the um the curriculum the district and did not create the district level protocols. She followed them. Yet she was the only one who paid the price. Why did the district's content blocking safeguards fail? And why is no one addressing that? The breach of the school's own filtering system allowed inappropriate images to be accessible in the first place. That is not a classroom level mistake. That is an administr an administrative level lapse. Why was the teacher pressured to resign when the real problem lies with an internal miscommunication and leadership failure? It is
006difficult not to see her resignation as a cover for district's own errors rather than a meaningful solution to protect students or repair trust. Why is the board now considering placing her back with the same students without publicly acknowledge what actually h happened and what went wrong? Resignment without accountability does not solve the problem. It simply pushes it further in the shadows. Most importantly, why are parents concerning concerns continually being dismissed and minimized? Our childrens were the ones exposed. Our trusts were the ones that were damaged. Our questions remain unanswered. The board continues can cannot continue to handle the situation as if it were an isolated classroom mistake. It was not. It was a system failure and system failures require system accountability. Something must change. We need transparency about who approved the curriculum and why the
007filters failed. Accountability for administrative decisions, not just classroom teachers. Clear procedural fixes to prevent this from happening again. Respect for parents whose voices should matter in decisions affecting their children. That's number one. and the teachers. A thoughtful re reassignment process, not just a rushed attempt to quickly restore the status quo. Ignoring these issues or brushing them under the rug, helps no one, not the students, not the families, and not the teacher who has made the scapegoat for problems she did not create. This community deserves honesty, responsibility, and meaningful change from the leadership entrusted with our children's safety and education. Please do not compound the district's earlier mistakes by moving forward without addressing the deeper issue at play. Thank you. >> Name is Ethan Bansky and I was one of the 11 year olds who saw
008the inappropriate images in class. I wanted to speak because this has affected me in ways I don't think the adults here really understood. When that happened, I felt scared and confused. I didn't know why something like that would ever show up at school, a place that's supposed to protect us. For weeks after, I had a lot of anxiety. I felt nervous coming to school because I didn't know what was going to happen next. Even talking about this now makes me feel anxious. I also want to say something important. I don't blame the teacher. She didn't want those images to show up. wasn't her fault that the school's filters didn't work and it wasn't her decision to approve the lesson. I actually feel bad for her because it feels like she got blamed for something she
009didn't cause. She was the one everyone looked at just because she was standing in the room the system filled. The part that hurts the most is how the board handled this. We are supposed to be the leaders we look up to, people who set the example, the adults we're supposed to admire and trust. Instead, it feels like no one here took it responsibility. Not for the broken system, not for the bada communication. Not for approving something that shouldn't have been approved. It feels like the only person who had to face the consequences was the one with the least power. And that isn't fair. If I had been shown something inappropriate at school, even by accident, I would have been punished right away. I would have been told I should have known better. But when the
010grown-ups make mistakes, it feels like everyone tries to avoid talking about it or tries to pretend it wasn't a big deal, that it was a big deal to us. The students are the ones who had to see the images. We are the ones who felt scared and confused. We're the ones still feeling anxious, and we are the ones watching the adults be less honest and less accountable than you tell us we're supposed to be. I'm asking you, the board, to finally take responsibility. Not to hide behind the teacher, not to ignore what happened, but to show us what real leadership looks like. To show us you care about fixing the systems that fail. And to show us that you care about how we feel. Because right now, I'm not proud of how the adults handle
011this. And I wish I could be. We deserve leaders who protect us, listen to us, and take responsibility when things go wrong the same way you expect us to. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ethan. It took a lot of guts to stand up there and and to talk about that. Anybody else that would talk like to talk for agenda related items this evening? Okay. Then we are on the board and staff reports uh policy committee meeting through 4th. Yeah. >> Okay. Um so today we reviewed the policy of the district vehicles um and the district sent the policy and regulations to legal and the insurance company for comment and feedback. We're just waiting to hear from them and then after we hear from them then we'll have a we'll bring it up at policy and
012review it and then I'll share it with the board. Um, we discussed academic eligibility waiver forms and proposed regulations that go with our policy and we reviewed policy on public participation at board meetings and after um being advised by legal we're proposing to add minutes per speaker. Speaker speakers will register by noon the day of the meeting. Questions proposed by the speaker will be answered by the superintendent or the designates. >> Any questions for Tina? >> I [clears throat] do have a question on public participation piece. Um all in favor of three minutes. I think that's a really good idea. Um I do have some concerns about obviously policies once you have them in place the issue there is always consistency and I just want I ask my colleagues if there's any concerns about requirement
013that people register. I know before it said recommended um and just sort of what's the thought behind changing it from recommended to require. My thoughts on that were after speaking with legal and when they when Colleen was here at the last meeting and stuff and that was one of her biggest things um other than some of their um streaming public comments and stuff. Um, so it just it's just gives, you know, everybody a little as to why they're here and and they can do email, they can call. >> I think it also potentially [clears throat] creates a situation where this the question could get answered by the right person ahead of time and or funneled to the right person. >> I think it's a good idea. It's always been a good idea to have it
014as recommendation, but we've seen situations where a very well-intentioned person makes the effort to come, takes courage to come be here and speak. And then if we're willing to say no to that person, then we have to be we're going to be consistent as a board. I just I'm concerned that if our intent is to have the input of the public before we make decisions, if we're having a hard and fast, we must not, then we need to prep be prepared to I think about the meeting we had at one of the schools where a woman got up and talked about the playground. We got up and talked about one of our programs and it would have affected it could have affected some of the decision- making in that meeting. So, I would like to
015see it remain as recommended and highly encouraged, but I just I worry about us sitting here or any president, you, John, or someone else in the future having to say no to someone who made the effort to come and speak. Again, fully in favor of three minutes. Um, I think that's a great improvement. I just worry about the message that sends when someone makes the effort to come here and turn them away. So, just my thoughts. Um yeah, >> I'd also suggest that that three minutes is met with a bit of latitude. Um not everybody can wrap it up in three minutes. Just I wouldn't feel comfortable if someone was mid-sentence or midpoint cutting them right off at three minutes. Think that they're I mean I don't you know you're sitting there right now. I
016don't worry about that. But down the road, I think decisions that you make now, just like to what Randy said, you're going to follow 10 years from now. So, it's nice to have guidelines, but kind of went from one end to the other very quickly. >> Thank you, Jason. >> I did have one other question about um where the change to um the piece about uh limiting repeated comments on the same topic. Is that new? I don't >> since the board it's underlined so I thought it was new but maybe that's >> I think it's always been in there that if there was going to be multiple people who were speaking on the same topic that they needed to choose one person that topic I think that's >> so is it new or is it
017not new >> it's underlined that's what I thought underlined me that it was new No, that's >> I would welcome some conversation on that and also that [clears throat] it says the board reserves the right to limit repeated comments. So what does that mean? In the previous paragraph, it says the majority vote. This says the board. Is it president? Is it a vote? Is it how is that decided? Seems kind of ambiguous. Um [clears throat] it was the words prior any address for identify a single first is currently last. No. Item two. Last line. Oh yeah. Read it again, Colle. Sorry. >> Just recovering from a cold meeting. I apologize. Any group organization wishing to address the board must identify a single spokesperson. Thank >> the sentence previous to that. >> It would be us.
018That's new. >> Y that was intentional to add that. That was not there before. And that's I guess those two things obviously they relate to each other but it's different any group organization wishing to address the board that's different than comments on a on a topic multiple times two different things >> I think so I think that sentence that says the right to limit repeated comments on the same topic. Okay. [clears throat] But what does that mean? I know it says reserves the right, but is that board is it doesn't belong in there at all? These are just things to [clears throat] policy is our most important thing we do. Obviously, this is going to be subject to public input. So, I want to make sure before it has the first reading that you know
019what you want to say. So will this be public read first reading till next? >> I don't know. I was hoping it would be right. >> I I'm new to this. think that I thought that this was like as you got it that this was like the first read the comments and whatever and get together and and then be on for the next meeting. But I don't know that I just all my concern is I just want the public to be aware of what it wasn't this wasn't made public was it? I want to make sure this first reading should be the ne really the next meeting to me as far as the public really it's for the public to have the opportunity to be able to digest what it says and then comment your
020questions like no >> other thoughts comments superintendent schools report Dr. Okay. Thank you. I'm going to begin with our new director of health, PE and Lex, uh, Russo. >> Hello everyone and thank you for having me here. I'm going to start off first with some of our student athletes before I give a brief summary of our fall season. Uh, good evening everyone. My name is Maddox Corey. I'm a representative for our varsity boys cross country team. Um, I've been a captain of our team for the last two years. Um, and I've seen I've been on team a member of the team for four years. I've seen it grow and change a lot. Um, but I would like to talk to you a little bit about this season and some of the accomplishments that we made.
021Uh this year our boys finished with a 4 and4 record in the Frontier League which is one of our best in the past few years just because cross country is not something that everybody wants to do. So that was a really big improvement from our last two years. Um we had a large team of seniors who I think we're graduating seven this year including myself. And we finished I think we had three finish in Watertown's top 40 all time this season. So that was really big too. and seeing that recognition for a team that hasn't gotten a lot in a long period of time was really nice. Um, section was this year, we we sent our top 10 athletes, um, which also included more than one freshman, which was really that's not something you see
022very often either. So, that was nice. And we How many did we send? I believe we sent seven of our top 10 under 19 minutes in a 5K, which for those you don't know, that's very big accomplishment and something that's incredibly hard to do. So, big props to those people that were able to accomp this year. Um just and I'd like to make it note that my time on just water athletics in general especially cross country has changed the way I view so many things including opportunities leadership and all that. So that's a big and that's really thanks to you guys and the opportunities you give us as athletes. So I'd like to thank you for that. >> Thank you. Good evening. I'm Brendis and I'm Carpenter. I'm always representing the varsity tennis team. I've
023been a part of the team since my eighth grade year as a manager and this is my third year playing as a sophomore. And we were very privileged this season to have our new courts. They were much needed. They hadn't been redone I believe in like 52 years it was. So it was really nice to have new courts to play on. And we we had a lot of new girls this season. Last year we lost quite a few seniors. So being able to have new girls on the team is really nice for us. And we hosted the Frontier League tournament and the sectionals tournament for the first time. We placed second in the Frontier League tournament. And then we sent both of our doubles teams sectionals to play. I love the sport personally because you
024make a lot of good friendships throughout the way. Even not just your team, but other teams when you go play them, you make more friends on the way. I played since sophomore year and I was second doubles and then I moved up junior year to third singles and I've lived my whole experience on the team since then. >> And we want to thank you for having our courts redone and for everything we've been privileged to have this season. They're gorgeous. Gorge. >> Yeah. Can >> I ask you three a question? >> Do you do you like the sports that you do because it's just like it's an individual sport like yourself instead of being on a team? Do you like that better or do you >> um So we call So I run track as
025well and we've always called it an individual team sport. So, while you can keep it yourself, you're still scoring points for your team and we're all succeeding together. So, I wouldn't say so much that I like it being individual. Um although it is nice to be able to like push myself to be the best I can be, but definitely I think the team is still that's really important. >> Yeah, I agree. It's really nice to be able to play for myself and have my own achievements, but also contributing to my team and making our overall season better. And being able to just like have the team overall to support you throughout the way has been really nice. >> Thank you so much for sharing your time with us tonight. Have a great day. Thank you.
026Okay, >> they're a tough group to follow up, but I'll do the best that I can. >> Okay, this is a list. Tina, we just got a message that they can't hear the people that are streaming the meeting. The they can't hear what's being said. So, this is a list of our varsity and JB teams that we have for the fall season. You know, what I would like ultimately is to have more participation where we can have more JV teams so that this way there are more opportunities for kids to play. I think we're in a really good spot, but I think we can do a little bit better. And the offerings that we have, it really fits the uh needs of the kids. Sorry. All right. Case Middle School. We're fortunate to have seventh
027and eighth grade girls and boys soccer where many uh schools in the area are limited to only one of one of those teams. We have boys and girls cross country feeds into our varsity program just along just as soccer does as well. We have football and of course girls swimming, one of our most acclaimed uh programs. Right. This fall season at Watertown High School, we had our 11 teams. We had 262 student athletes participate. at Case Middle School with our eight teams, we had 159 student athletes for a total of 421. So, you can see the impact of having these teams and what it does for our kids just as our student athletes just uh told all of you. This is gives them a great opportunity to make new friends, represent their community, and to
028really push themselves with individual and team goals. Uh something that I've started uh this fall is a student advisory athletic committee. Every two weeks I meet with varsity and JV uh players from all the seasons and we discuss best practices direction in which we'd like to take the athletic program. I talk to them what happens behind the scenes at some of our frontier meetings, some of our sectional meetings and really what I have to do on a daily basis to ensure that they have a safe environment to play and in addition to that all the things that go into making their scheduling. It also gives an opportunity for the students just like you just saw to share their experience and ideas and from that I come up with initiatives along with them. Some of the
029outcomes that we have had is first they've asked for increased accountability for their team captains at the varsity and JD level. So what I have done is in the uh winter season I put together a packet for captain candidates during our winter meeting with the coaches. I discussed leadership. I discussed you know what it takes to be a good follower as well and who should be the person that should be in charge of the team know from the students and how they're going to serve as a liaison between team and the coach and the team and myself. So oftent times it becomes a popularity contest through a application process. anybody on the team can put their name in to be nominated as a captain and then it's up to the coaches and the uh and
030the players to decide who they're going to want eventually to be the captain. So, it gives them a few questions that they have to answer along with the reasons why they want to be the captain. So, it gives them a chance to reflect a little bit. We're hoping to increase some school spirit. Uh starting this winter, we're going to have theme weeks. For instance, one week might be girls basketball, second week might be wrestling, and we're coming up with ideas of how we're going to promote our individual teams. Now, some teams are a little bit more popular than others, and that's something that we've discussed that we want to change. uh you know a sport such as um swimming doesn't necessarily get the same turnout as as football, but we're going to work very hard
031so that this way all the kids feel valued and they get to see their friends in the stands to cheer them on. One one other initiative that we're going to have is we're going to try and put together a student section for all of our home games. I'm working with a couple of kids to quarter off uh some sections for basketball games and for and for wrestling as well and to get the cheerleaders involved so that this way we can have a little bit more school spirit. Also in the morning announcements, we're going to have all the home games announced so that this way everybody in the student body has an idea of who is in action for that particular day. Something else that they wanted was an athletic study hall. But you can see
032how important their academics are to them. That's something that we put into place this week, right? Some championships and accomplishments that we had during this past season. We had 21 varsity allstars. And we had a varsity girls soccer sectional home game for the first time in many years. Our varsity cheerleading at one of their competitions, they they were given a sportsmanship award. Our girls tennis team hosted the division one and division 2 championships here at Watertown. And again, without the renovations of the courts, this would not have been possible. Varsity boys soccer with their frontier league champions. And of course, our varsity girls swimming team or how many years have they been consecutive frontier league champions? Just add another number to the batter. And we're also blessed. Molly Dickinson, individual state qualifier for varsity girls
033swimming. She will be competing at um the states this week. Hopefully, she'll come back with a couple of medals around her neck, but either way, she's made us extremely proud. Thank you very much for giving me your time. Thank you very much. How long have you been here now? >> I started at the beginning of September. So >> So it's early two months. Yes. >> But in this early phase, do you have any observations on opportunities, big dreams for athletic department? >> Yeah. Um I want it to be student centered. I want the students to have a voice and I want to listen to their ideas and I want to put them in motion. you know, as adults, we're here to serve them. It's very easy sometimes to do things from top down. I know
034what's good for the kids. Sometimes we have to put them in a direction uh where we want to make sure that they stay on a straight narrow, but ultimately I want students to know that they are here to get an education first as they go on to college. It's great if they can play an athletic on an athletic team. However, you know, that shouldn't dictate where they go to college or whatever their next steps might be. I'm looking to put together a well-rounded individual so when they leave this place, they have a really good taste in their mouth and they're proud to be a Watertown athlete. Happy to be a Cyclone. Any questions for sure? >> Thank you, Greg. Thank you so much for your time tonight. Thank you. >> Uh the next thing is
035just an update on our capital project. So I've invited them back. Our capital project team will be here in January to present to the board. Uh this morning I hosted my first grand connection. So I opened up the opportunity for grandparents to come in this morning. Had a wonderful conversation with some grandparents that were able to make it. Uh last week was World Kindness Week. Um we did a lot of initiatives throughout the district. So I just want to thank our staff for working with our students on World Kindness. um dual enrollment. I signed a contract within the last uh few weeks for dual enrollment for our students. So, we're going to be opening up dual enrollment opportunities for all students. So, there'll be more information coming out um regarding that. The other thing that
036I want to mention and this is kudos to uh Lynn and her team. We have seen an increase of 50 plus families participate in food for families. So, thank you to all of our volunteers and Lyn for your leadership on that. And today we had the opportunity with our student advisory kids to continue the conversation on rigor um rigor resilience and um relevance. And so our students did a great job on that and we're going to continue doing that. Um at the end we gave them an opportunity to talk about parking lot things that they wanted to discuss and uh one of our seventh grade students I believe he is um said that he wants to do something for Christmas. So we're planning on something where we could give back community for Christmas and more
037to come regarding that and uh the senior on the group said that they would like reserve park. Uh so those are two things that they would like to focus on. Uh but that concludes my comments. >> Michelle items for consent agenda. >> All the consent agenda items A through E are hereby approved. Have a >> motion please. Randy Randy second. No discussion. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Items for board action. A, approval of agreement. >> Resolve that approval of a fiscal sponsorship agreement uh between the United Way of Northern New York and the Watertown City School District effective September 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Is hereby approved. We'd like to make a motion. Tina and the second discussion >> question before this arena and this is our first time we
038did that with Northern Kennedy Foundation separately last year and then separately with United Way. So United Way this is their first agreement to step up and help with the finance portion of the families. >> I'm assuming legal that's correct. Was there any concern about the reference to not be able to influence legislation? >> No, because the finances are directly through United Way. So, they did not feel like our district policies would govern United Ways activities. >> Just am I reading this right? It says the sponsored organization, that's us. >> Yes. >> Shall not attempt [clears throat] to influence legislation. I didn't know. And maybe that's not maybe we don't but I'm just I want to make sure we don't get in a situation where I know we're having conversations especially at the state level and
039maybe that is a very strict interpretation that doesn't apply to us. >> I didn't know if that was a factor. I apologize. I just otherwise I would have called you ahead of time. Um >> that was not legal's interpretation of that. >> Yeah. What they're doing is collecting the money and literally writing a check to purchase. >> And have you had the fee out then 15% pay to them? >> So they haven't done this before for us. They have managed some of our money and now they're managing all of it. I'd have to look and see if there was percentage of part two options. What we know is the district cannot What do they just I'm not questioning what they just what do they provide receive the funds they funds they involved in any way
040in the actual dispersing of the senator. >> Any other discussion? All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Uh 4B, approval of personnel report. >> Uh we resolve upon the recommendation of superintendent of school, Dr. Larry. The board of education hereby approves the following resignations of absence appointments probationary instructional appointment term non-probationary instructional lead teacher permanent provisional substitutes instructional substitutes non instructional >> motion please second discussion All those in favor? Any oppose? Motion carries. Item C, approval of an administrative paid leave. >> Upon the recommendation, Dr. Larry, superintendent approved administrative leave of a non-instructional employee effective motion. Tina second discussion please. All those in favor any oppos? Motion carries. Item E, approval of an anonymous donation. >> Oh, sorry. I skipped right over. Item D, approval of an education field trip. >> Consultant. The educational
041student trip as presented to the board is hereby approved. >> Motion please. Melody and second discussion. All those in favor? >> Any oppos? All right. Now, >> yes. Good luck to her. Absolutely. Uh now we are on to E approval of an anonymous donation. um resulted in an anonymous donation for 20 Walmart gift cards in $25 increments worth a total of $500. As expected, this donation is designated for district-wide students and families in need during the holiday season. This is briefly accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> We'd like to make that Tina and a second discussion. Just like to say thank you. I know that we've got families in the community that can use it. All those in favor. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Item F, approval of a donation. >>
042A donation for three Price Chopper gift cards in $25 increments and three family meals has been received from Mrs. Julie Riker. Uh this donation is uh designated for districtwide students and families in need during the holiday season. It is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Motion please. Melanie and a second discussion. Thank you again very much. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Item G, approval of donation. Hope that a donation of $200 from weight Toyota to support the youth matter event. This donation is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Motion public discussion. I've got some more information on the matter event coming up that Dr. Amy shared with me. Thank you for supporting. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item
043H, approval of the donation. >> Thanksgiving value 6.76 cents has been received by the booster club. This donation is designated for district students, families of need during the holiday season. It is gratefully accepted and approved and acknowledged in writing. discussions. Thanks again. A lot of support for our families. All those in favor? Any >> oppose? Item I donation donation for three Thanksgiving meals has been received from a community member, Chenise Wallace. Uh this donation is designated for district-wide students and families in need during the holiday season and is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Motion please. Oh >> discussion question that is done. How do they get together? >> Any other discussion? All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item J, approval of a new club and advisor >>
044resolve that the formation of the South Together weekend volunteer club as a club at the Watertown High School with Julie Haggin as the advisor. this in a second discussion that I have a question I noticed before. So if a project tonight, does it not start until next fall or >> it would start? This is a club that we kind of would start. >> And what is there anyipulation guidelines? >> As far as when >> the principal is one that signs off on it before it comes to the board. >> The principal have any written policies on them or is it just >> there is board policy? Yeah. Who else? Any other discussion? Okay. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? The end of the resolutions. >> Thank you very much. >> We are at the
045second public comment session for anything is not agenda related. Mr. Gold, I apologize. I probably should have told you sooner. We cannot take any comments on the UPK issue due to pending litigation tonight uh and advisement of our lawyers. So, we can't take any comments on your GK program. >> Wait, what? What's comment on? How do you even know it's going to be dead? >> It doesn't matter. >> We can't take it. >> You don't have to respond, but you can't tell the public they can't comment. >> Yes. Yes, we can. >> How so? Like, how are you limiting anybody from saying anything? Like, you have no idea what they're going to say. So, how is legal telling the the community you can't make comment on a UPK? >> This is our board meeting. Will
046we set the ground rules for public comment? The ground rules tonight are we will not accept any public comments on UPK. I apologize. >> So, when are we going to talk about UPK? We have asked for sitdowns. We've asked for conversation. When are we going to talk about UPK? So, because someone's brought litigation forward now, we're not going to talk about UPK at all. and it's to the detriment of this community, to these parents, and to all of all of the UPK stakeholders. >> This is crazy. >> Is there anybody else that would like to speak to any topic other than >> Yeah, me. >> Okay. So, since uh the board wants to try to censor people and talking and making comments about different things, I'm going to be very bold and honest about all
047my comments tonight. And my first comment is going to be that I sent the board an email with information regarding education law 414 because this board decided that they were going to charge POP Warner, which is a nonforprofit organization who is literally um grooming children for competitive level JV and varsity level sports and you want to charge them for a one-time event. Initially, you said $3,000 and then you said $1,800. So, I sent the board a letter and I got a response from you, Larry. Like, this seems to be uh, you know, recurrent behavior from you. like we as taxpayers get to talk to our board president and you seem to overtake that and answer every question for everybody and it really limits um conversation and it really limits transparency. So we've been told that
048before by other taxpayers and we don't appreciate that you're responding emails but since you want to respond to emails that's fine. So, in your email to me, you told me that I misccharacterized what the board and the district's allowed to do. Well, I beg to differ because everything you wrote in your email, I completely said and stated. Education law 414 says that the district has the right to charge for usage, for utilities, for security, whatever that cost is. The district has the right to do that. And that amount initially was designated as 3,000. And then Lori Converse sent a communication out to all the board members and all of a sudden went down to 1,800. So the question is where is your where's your pay scale? Like what are you saying are the costs of
049the district? If you can just go from 3,00 to 1,800 where's the breakdown on the costs? Um, and you're you're let me just remind you that this institution is a nonforprofit. You're not a for-profit organization. So, you get what do we get back on the dollar from the state? Is it 94, 96, or 97 cents? Larry, you're not going to answer. That's okay. That that's very professional of you. So I think it's 97 cents on the dollar. Anywhere between 94 and 97 cents. So if you're charging these people $3,000, you're actually going to get back 2900 $2,910 which means it's only costing the taxpayers $90. You can go down to 94% it's going to cost taxpayers $108. So why are we gouging our children disadvantaged 50% of them are on um scholarships to play football?
050And then you quote article section article 8 of the New York State Constitution and you also thank you very much advised that if I don't like what you said I can go to my state legislators. Well I did. I went to Scott Gray and I went to Mark Walzac and I also got comment from the New York State Department of Education and their feedback to me was that yes, you can charge and no one said that you can charge. You tried to twist my words that I said it was optional. It is not optional. You have the right to charge. But what are you charging for? Where is the breakdown on the cost? Are you saying that it costs $3,000 or $1,800 a day for someone to use the turf field that our taxpayers and
051our children are using? These are our children. These are our children and you're gouging them. And when you say also in your letter that your attorneys can't decipher whether other inst other school districts charge 200 I said the average is $250. You also inferred that your attorneys don't know whether those schools are abiding by the law. So now are you inferring that Sackets and Indian River and all these other neighboring school districts are not following the law? That's obnoxious and ridiculous. No one's doing that. So what I asked the board, John, and I was hoping to get a response from you is you should be looking at that law and your article 8 is a stretch of the law. You keep citing that that it's gift of public funds. That law specifically states that it's
052gift. You can't give public funds to a private corporation. Pop is not a private corporation. It's a nonforprofit and so is this institution. So I would ask you to not twist my language and I would still ask the board to look at what you're charging these poor children. A lot of these children don't even have money to play. They have to be donated their their equipment. And I'm sorry that Lori Lori Converse is not here because this is close to her heart and something must have happened that she didn't get here. But this is ridiculous. You are getting 97 cents on the dollar and you're charging our community more. I don't understand. You tried to do the same thing to the YMCA with the SAC program. I happened to be at the board at that
053time. So because we as a majority said no, you're not doing that to the SAC. It wasn't done. It is really, really tiring that you're constantly coming after our children and saying that our children are future. It's ridiculous. That's my first comment. My second comment is you had suggested No, actually I'm not going to say that. forget it because we're not allowed to talk to about UPA. So, we're not going to do that. But in terms John, I'm going to talk to you in in terms of emailing the board. That is a very that's a hindrance. There's a lot of people who a don't even think that way. And you know, you can come in. You're fine. I just said that. I didn't think you were going to make it in here. Okay. Um, you
054know, being that in the past the practice, and maybe Larry, you don't know this because you haven't been here that long, but historically the agenda has been posted by 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. That's no longer the case. Now, it's haphazard. I had a text yesterday to find out where the agenda is. So given that the agenda is inconsistently on a timely basis, it makes it very difficult for people to plan and it makes it very difficult for people to email at the last minute. This young lady here, Stephanie Buansky, she was texting me. She was nervous that someone responded to her and said, "What are you going to talk about?" And she didn't have time to respond. And I said to her, "Don't worry about it. The president's not going to he'll allow you to
055talk." So, it's just we need to be more inviting to our community. Um, I'm sad to hear that some of you on the board decide wanted to entertain the idea of not streaming public comments and not streaming the meeting. That's terrible. That's a step backwards. We started that during CO and it's the best thing that we've done. But it's hard sometimes to have to listen to me say the truth because no one wants to hear the truth. [clears throat] So I think it's terrible that anyone even considered that. But in terms of emailing, I would ask you to please not enforce that. It's going to make it very difficult for people to come and to, you know, you might even you might not have time to read it. It's just a lot. And I think
056that a lot of the people who have the courage to come here and say something, they're saying something valid and they should not be give, you know, they should not be made to feel like they're not welcome. So I would ask you to please um consider that. And I don't know if you're going to Tina, follow in your leaders um footsteps, but I I would like some clarification on what you said earlier today with the policy that you're you sent it to the attorneys for the policy on the vehicles. Can you elaborate on what is being discussed for a policy with vehicles? I know we've never had one, so obviously this is a new one. So, can you elaborate on what exactly is being looked at in terms of um vehicles for the since we
057have five we have I believe we have five vans and we have an $85,000 Denali that we don't need in a community who's a family member of four makes $50,000. >> I got to correct you there. The district does not own a Denali. >> Who owns a Denali? >> I own a Denali. >> It's my personal vehicle. >> No, no, no, no. Don't don't even look. Don't even go there. It's a black vehicle. What's the black Denali with all the decals on it? Where are they? >> It's not a >> Well, okay. Whatever. It's a Yukon. Whatever. It's an $85,000 vehicle. >> It's a state bid based model. >> Okay. We don't need that. I was on the board when we purchased that. I don't really care what brand it is. We purchased that vehicle.
058It cost $85,000 and now there's decals all over it. So, don't try to act like you don't. So, what? It's not a Denali. It's still a luxury vehicle that this district doesn't need. So, I I'd like to know, Tina, like what what policy like what's the content of the policy for the new vehicles? >> Um, I will look into that and I'll let you know. >> You're the policy car and you don't know what you turned in. >> Well, I don't think we feel comfortable discussing a policy that we haven't presented to full public. That's actually Thank you. That's actually a very fair response. Absolutely. If you have not if you haven't elaborate and just to clarify um what Randy said earlier today, so when this new uh public comment policy comes out, it will
059be at the next meeting and so then we can all reserve our comments regarding that policy for the next meeting. Correct. Before it's voted on. >> I wouldn't ask the public to comment on something they haven't seen. >> Oh, no, no, no. I'm talking about what Randy was referring to. Yeah. So, it it what I'm I just want clarification. So, at the next meeting, you're actually going to read the policy. It'll be posted on the agenda so people can read it, decipher it, and think about what they want to say, if they want to say anything. And then after that opportunity for the public to be to give comment. Then after that, the board will decide how they want to modify it, if they want to keep it, or whatever they want to do with
060that policy. We will make sure public has access to it before it's >> Thank you very much. >> And I will say to the point of your comments, >> Sure. >> We're making every effort to have the agenda out on Fridays. >> Um, schedules happen, things happen, people get sick. >> Exactly. And and and that's why I think that this enforcing this email thing is crazy because you don't have control and sometimes you guys don't get to meet until Monday and sometimes the agenda doesn't go out and I like time to do my homework. I think people know that I do my homework before I come here and it's very difficult when you have that little bit I don't really know what's on the agenda. So I would just say that that's a little bit
061restrictive. And I would also like to comment um for those of you who don't know, you know, at the city council meetings, at the county legislators meetings, no one's emailing anybody to say, "I'm going to talk." They can get up and just talk. That's usually how it goes. Like the this district absolutely has the right to implement a policy. But I'm just saying that we're not really following the norms of this community. And at any other open meetings law that open meetings law apply to nobody has to email anybody. You just get up and talk. Like I feel like this is becoming since you've been a superintendent, everything's more and more restricted. I mean it's it's crazy. It doesn't even in logical sense that we can't talk. And the other the last thing I'll say,
062thank you for reminding me is, you know, we seem to bring legal into everything that we do here. That's been that's been kind of like the middle lane for this district. I don't know why we can't have legal at our meetings. What we have them on retainer? Why can't they be on a Zoom visit? And this way the public can under can ask questions and the public can hear what those legal advices are because some of them are a little surprising. >> There's no lawyer that's going to speak up at a board meeting. No, you can um you can be at a a lawyer when these when our tax dollars pay for an attorney and if there is a question to be asked and the attorneys on there, >> they're not going to answer it.
063>> Okay? >> They may they may they may not answer a public question. >> They won't answer a question from the board in a public meeting either. >> Why? >> Because it's legal and they do their research and make sure that they know the law behind it before they answer. Oh, so the lawyer that sits sits at the city council meeting, they don't answer questions either. And the lawyers that sit at the county legislators meeting, they don't answer questions. John, no, you're wrong. I'm not going to argue with you because I really, really like you. But no, that's wrong. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. You're welcome. Is there anybody else that would like to speak for public comment? >> Yes, please. I won't talk about the UPK because you asked not to. Um
064I guess I just don't understand part of it because we're not discussing pending litigation which I didn't know about. I came up here purposely just to you know hope that everybody would work together to make a better solution here is basically all that I was going to say for you know next year because it is about the kids. Um I understand you don't want to talk about um the lawsuit again. and they didn't know anything about it and that's very understandable even from a legislative point of view. Um we don't do the same but we will allow people to come up and talk and give their thoughts and opinions and we just remain silent and take it all in. So I think that would be fair. The other thing is too is I agree um
065with Millie if you have legal commenting on the lot you really should have them at the meeting. We do pay for that just like the city and the county does. They may not answer the public, but they can ask you guys questions, the individual that's here, and then if you guys choose to follow up on it with the attorney, the attorney should be able to give you their opinion at that time. If it's something that they that is technical that they're not too sure of, all they would say is, "We'll get back to you as a board member." So, again, I think it's something you need to look at in the future. um whether they're in Zoom or whether they're in person, we have people and so does the city. And I think as a
066government function, you need legal here just because if somebody does go down a path that you don't want them to or you don't know, legal would be here and say, "Oh, wait a minute. Don't we can't discuss that." So, right now, somebody could slip on something and say something that they shouldn't and you don't have legal here to protect you. So, I get both sides, but just a piece of advice that you really should have legal here. Thank you. >> Um, I just want to point out just this lack of transparency that's going on. We have a parent and a student over here talking about the lack of communication, the lack of transparency. This is an ongoing issue. uh this is an endemic issue and I really think that the board needs to really take
067a hard look at what's going on here. I'm also very terrified of this conversation about public comments. Um this is really, you know, limiting the public comments, creating this culture of control and um silence. Uh that's that's huge. And I would also leave this with you, John. I would go back to legal and have a conversation because this not allowing us to speak about a topic that's relatable to so many people in this district can be perceived as retaliatory. So I would go back to legal and talk about that. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else that would like to speak to public comments? Okay. Uh, okay. So, I'm not sure if this is uh exactly what I can be doing, but I'm >> Oh, sorry. I'm Payton Susa. Uh, I'm just here because I have
068a government class at JCC and I needed to like attend a meeting like this so I could document it, write a paper. >> Okay. >> Uh, I was just wondering if I could see some of you after and maybe get like an interview and ask some questions just so I can get this thing like written in better. I think you'll find some people that would be willing to accommodate. >> I'd like to talk. Was he you talking about the >> Okay. There was someone someone here came in talking about some inappropriate images. >> She left. Okay. I'd like to talk to you because I don't know anything about this UPK thing and it sounds interesting. It sounds uh like I could get a good grade on it if I put it in my paper. So
069that would be nice. Thank you. Thank you and good luck with your government. Anybody else for public comment this evening? Okay. Items for discussion or information. We have nothing on the agenda. Is there anything that somewhere is that there is um a chain of communication paper um and I don't think that everybody is aware that that is something that exists. So, we do like hearing from the public, but also some issues can start with teachers or counselors or principles. And so, we have made sure it's updated and printed out a copy here. And I've been told it was also updated on the website. So, I just wanted to make sure that that was public knowledge as well. Thank you. Anything else for discussion or information? >> Okay. Upcoming dates. The Case Musical is this weekend,
070Friday, November 21st, uh, at 7 p.m. And then again on Saturday, two shows, the matinea at 1:00 and night cap at 7 o'clock. All of that will occur in the Watertown High School auditorium. Thanksgiving recess is coming up. There will be no school Wednesday, November 26th to Friday, November 28th. And then our next meeting, we will have our finance audit facilities meeting at 5:00 in the district office on Tuesday, December 2nd, followed at six o'clock by our regular board of education meeting. Um, board roundt reflections. I'm gonna start with you tonight, >> Ellen. Um, I do appreciate the athletes coming to hear that student perspective. He's a musical. >> Um, I also can't wait to see our kids do a great job. Um, I just wanted to give a shout out to all the athletes
071um that were in the fall sports and all their accomplishments. Um, and just we have a lot of kids that do a lot of of sports from modified varsity and I don't think that they get the accolades that they deserve. Um, Molly Dickinson, hope she swings her little heart out and comes home with something. I think that's awesome. I think she said that she the only one that got to go to state. >> Yeah. >> I think so. So that's it. And I was asked to share with my couple board members. Um I was stopped in public and told that um this family thinks that we are all doing a great job um to keep it up. I like the direction that the school is going in and what the programs Dr. Shiva has implemented.
072They're very happy. Their child is very happy. feels very safe and feels very protected and supported here in school. So I told them that I would pass that on to my fellow board members and >> I really don't have much to say tonight. I got done with my student survey last week. I'm starting to connect the dots with school problems and with district problems. I should be able to come back December 2nd with a less that our students think that are a problem with our district. I would also like to thank our fall athletes. You guys had an amazing season and congratulate I would like to congratulate Molly Dickinson for making it the states. I hope you do bring back some type of medal for us. That's all I have to say and I'm looking
073forward to sharing your results. Yeah. Um I think if we can't have the conversation here and I understand I I guess based on what you have said Mr. Baldo I I still think that it's some venue someone looking over it or something I think that we have that we should have that conversation. we we didn't last year and not only to your point a chain of command a lot of that was followed and it wound up with us and I just kind of feel like we're going to repeat the same thing we're going to take it and call it something different. Um, but I think it's important when the cameras are off and we need someone moderating it or whatever to figure out what can be talked about, what can't that conversation really should take.
074[clears throat] >> I would concur. Um, understand why we can't. Um, but I'm disappointed that we can't because um, we do a lot of listening in other venues. We just did some listening with grandparents and sometimes it's just enough just to listen. I think that's all Mr. Cashman was asking for months ago was just to listen. And I I realize it's a little more complicated now perhaps, but um, just your presence here tonight, I want to thank you. Um, hopeful that we can have an opportunity just to listen and gather information so we can make better decisions. So, if we can find a way, as Jason said, that would be ideal. Um, and I said it before, but now there's been some comments to it tonight. Um, I'm all for efficiency and effective meetings and
075some of the things that are in this policy help bring that, but I can't support anything that stifles the opportunity for the public to address their lack of efficiency. So, uh, between now and then, if there's any tweaking that needs to be done, fine. If not, um, I'm going to be reluctant to support anything that has a really hard and fast that limits. Good point made tonight about, you know, the agenda wasn't out until today that might limit this opportunity to. So, I thought of that. Um, so I just want to go on the record again saying that I just think it's a dangerous slippery slope. Start to tighten this a little too much. >> Well, [clears throat] well, just want to thank Russo and for heading direction and wish everyone happy Thanksgiving. Hope everyone
076has a chance to spend time with family and friends. >> Um, I'll acknowledge we do need to have that conversation. We're going to continue to work with legal to figure out what we can and what we can't do. Um without opening the district up for additional liability. I mean that's obviously the concern. Um so we'll keep having that conversation and obviously we're getting towards um you know the new year and that's when you know we start to have those discussions about what next year is going to look like. So you know that discussion needs to happen with the vision in mind of what next year is going to look like. So it's not a it's not a hard fuel. It's not a done deal. It's it's a work in progress. So, we appreciate your patience.
077Um, congratulations to all of our fall athletes. I am so looking forward to the show this weekend. I know the kids have been putting in really, really long hours because I've been driving mine back and forth, but uh, rehearsals. Um, and um, good luck to all of our winter sports as they open up uh, officially varsity sports yesterday and our modified agenda for a little bit here. And thanks Mr. Russo for coming and presenting. Um, I'm really interested to see where he takes our athletic department. So, I think there's a lot of potential there and I think he's got a lot of experience uh and um can bring that to bear on on our athletic department to try to make us better. So, all right. Thank you everybody for being here tonight. Thank you for
078your comments. It's appreciated. And with that, this meeting stands need a motion for a journal, please. Got Randy and >> Jason. All those in favor?