001This is a special presentation from the Brighton Central School District Board of Education. >> Good evening. Welcome to the Brighton Central School District Board of Education public meeting for Tuesday, April 28th. This meeting is called to order. I was also asked to note we have new artworks. We want to thank all the art classes who participate in this wonderful program, but we have new artwork tonight for everyone's enjoyment. As is the case with every uh public meeting, we have the opportunity for public participation. Rules are always the same. We allow for about three minutes and you'll get a yellow card at about the 2 minute 45 mark. And um we'll ask that you wrap up comments by the three minute mark. With that said, I've got three people who have asked to speak. Dan Goldman,
002would you raise your hand, please? If anybody else would like to speak, you can uh get a card to Dan and he'll get it up to me. I'll go in alphabetical order. Uh Kim McGary. >> Hi. Um I have a few Can I ask questions? Is that allowed? Like >> yes. >> Okay. So um my first question is did Cornell ever get engaged with the decision making on the turf? I know I got an email saying that someone was going to reach out to Cornell. Does did anyone follow up on that? So, we haven't yet because once the soils were discovered, we've been only talking thus far with state ed, Department of Health, and DEEC because we don't know the next step forward. And I'll let our deputy superintendent comment in a second. We don't
003know what questions to ask anybody yet. We need to have a few more data points found and presented to those organizations before we can start to figure out what next steps are. >> Okay. So haven't so I want to be clear have not reached out to Cornell yet because we don't know what questions to ask them >> but it's on our radar. >> Okay. So as a followup I noticed in the upcoming um capital reserve proposal that's getting voted on. It says that part of the vote is the contingency um to address some of the situations with the turf. I'm a little bit confused because it seems like the reason the turf is going forward is because it was voted on in a budget and therefore it's legally binding. But what I'm hearing you say
004is that you don't know what you're doing, but as a voter we're supposed to approve funding to support it. >> Again, I'll ask the deputy superintendent to comment in a second, but I can address at least part of that question. The vote itself is certainly legally binding. You're absolutely correct. We don't know yet what we're doing because we haven't yet got all the data points and run all that information through DEEC, DO and state ed. So when you say we don't know what we're doing, you're kind of correct. We don't have all the information yet that we need in order to figure out what the next steps are moving forward. Let me finish. >> And then whatever those next steps are, those three regulatory agencies have to approve those next steps. I just before blue
005is there anything else is there anything I said incorrectly there anything you want to add? The only thing I would add is the construction contingency is for the entire scope of the 2024 project. So that includes the elevator. So that construction contingency wasn't immediately identifiable for the soil. Now we know we have unforeseen condition. So we marked at least a portion of it, not a specified amount or anything, but we realize a portion of that construction contingency because it's an unforeseen condition would be applicable just as it would. >> Yeah, I guess it it seems like so as a person from the public um we have talked about debundling all of these separate projects into one funding vote. So, I get that there's like the regular school budget and then there's a capital reserve. But
006what I'm seeing in the capital reserve proposal, there is not only new projects, there's stuff from the 2024 and then there's also the stuff from the um soils. And so, I guess I'm wondering why aren't those debundled? Like, why are we voting on the soil and the contingency associated with that when we don't know what we're doing? Why is it all getting lumped into one single vote? Because as a voter now, I have to say, do I support what's happening with the turf and elevators and like they seem like they're separate things? And I feel unsure about the next steps forward with the toxic soil. So far, there's no plan on what's happening with water, not just groundwater, but the stuff that flows through the soil and stays at the like close to the surface,
007but travels through the soil. Like, there's no plan. We don't know how much money we need. We're being asked to vote on it, but then the vote is legally binding. It seems like we're rushing into this vote because as a voter, especially when it's for millions of dollars, we don't know what we're voting for. So, I guess my question is then, why is it still all getting bundled together? >> Sure. I'll do part of this and anybody else can chime in. >> Yeah, I'll I'll sit down because I know I'm out of time, but >> that's okay. That's okay. So, there's sort of three levels of questions there. Typically, with any sort of capital project with any school budget, you bundle everything together, just using simple numbers. State ed would say, you can either send
008me 40 projects, each of which I have to approve, or one project each with 10 things on it as an example. They still have to approve all those things, but it comes in one sort of package. The other thing from a community perspective, and this is different than having anything to do with the soils. I'll get to that piece in just a minute. We have had in the past where people will say, "Well, I'll approve, let's say, I'm an arts person. I'm going to approve anything that's related to arts, but I'm going to not approve anything related to athletics, and I don't care about a generator." So, part of this is us putting all these projects into one piece. It's 13.6 6 million is the number that's out there that includes a contingency and I'll
009come back to that in a second but that 136 has uh covers projects in three different schools and it's because we need to look at these all and say these are all important we prioritize these we approved these as a board to go forward for approval by the community but that's different than saying and I think when I counted what was in here if you if you looked at individual items I think there was maybe 16 or 18 individual items and I would never just speaking for myself endorse 18 different projects for approval on the ballot. It's bundled in one set. It allows us to decrease costs a little bit by using efficiencies with the contractors. But this is really important. I want to emphasize this. Nothing in the 136 addresses the mitigation of the
010soils because as you pointed out correctly, there is no plan right now for the mitigation of the toxic soil. Let me finish. Please let me finish. um the contingency that's there, the contingency that's there could be used for it potentially in the future. And that's what uh the deputy superintendent just said. But if you look at all the items detailed in the text that went out um in the >> I'm going to I have it right here and it does mention the soil as part of the contingency. That's what I don't >> Yep. So you're saying it's not, but it is. A substantial portion of the requested contingency is expected to be allocated toward the mitigation of contaminated soil identified in the athletic fields behind Brighton High School. That's like a direct quote from the
011email that went to the community. Like that that seems like there is a divide on what is being said. So a a substantial portion is going to it, but then none of it that we're voting on. Yes, this is exactly what we're voting on. And you're saying a substantial portion of the requested contingency that 13.6 million. So I I guess there's something something is not it's not clear and it feels like there when you look at the list this is embedded in the text. It is not listed as a bulleted items. Whereas in the other things like oh an allocation to get this project done from 2024. That's on the bulleted list, but this is a substantial portion of the contingency, but you're saying it's not coming into this vote and it's not part of
012that 13.6 million. Explain, please, because there is something wrong with the math or the numbers or the way the emails that are written to the public. They don't match. >> Yes. >> Who go? Okay. No, no, that's fine. >> It's not like >> No, no, that's fine. W. Okay. So, the contingency is a percentage of the 136. There's a contingency in every capital project. It's the just in case. It says if you crack a wall and you find asbestous, if you get into plumbing and you find lead pipes, you understand you're going to have to address those things. That's what a contingency is. >> While we while we don't have a plan yet for the soil, we know it's there is going to be need to be some money expended. So our expectation is that
013the contingency which is always a a percentage of any project will likely be used to do something about the soil on the 28th of April. We don't know yet how that's all going to be handled. And so it within the contingency we may yell me we may well use some of that money that undeclared money to address the soil in whatever fashion the DEEC the DO and state ed says is appropriate. Now before I say anything else I'm going to let Lou speak again and then I'm I'm happy to have anybody else here speak. So the contingency is undeclared. It's not for a specific thing. So we sit there and go if there is contingent if we have money available in the contingency we would expect to apply to whatever the solution is for the
014soil which on the 28th of April we don't know yet but Lou you're going to do a better job than I am because you're more intelligent. >> So what I said before is that construction contingency is from the 2024 project. So now that we've identified an unforeseen condition with the field, we have to expect that some of that condition target. One of the things that we said preliminarily in the very first presentation was changing from the storm water retention basin to an underground. In a previous meeting, we estimated that to be an $800,000 change. So that may be a change that's required. So that's the basis of us saying that a portion of that construction contingency is going to need to be responsive to whatever mitigation or whatever design have to come as we evaluate
015this condition. So it is part of it said it is part of it for sure. We just don't have a dollar amount quantified within that $3 million. I expect it is going to be a substantial amount though just based on what we talking >> what what stops it from being instead of part of the contingency an actual like planned out part of a budget. This is like a new project because remediating soil is not the same as just installing turf, right? So why is it getting wrapped up into contingency rather than being included as a line item in the budget? >> We always put contingency before we identify the >> I know I I know what contingency is. I work in these in big projects and so I understand why you build them and I
016I totally get that. But like in my line of work, if you find something huge that's different, you're going to go back to the community and you're going to then like right now saying, "Oh, we're going to put the underground in." Like I as a water scientist have so many questions about that because what is what is that? >> No, no, but I but I'm saying that like as a voter we're kind of told that if we vote yes on something that is legally binding. So we can't say so you're kind of holding it against us. You're telling us like we don't know what we're going to do, but you're going to vote yes and then we're legally going to be bound to do whatever even though we don't aren't telling you what we're going
017to do. And so I understand I understand how these projects work. You have to go through the approvals, but you as a community as a school district present the options to DEC do. They don't dictate what those options are. We come up with a plan and then we give it to them and they say yes, it checks all these boxes. And right now I guess I'm just I hear you guys saying, "Oh, we have to wait for them to tell us what to do." But that's not really the case. And so It's I don't I just don't think that it's fair to bundle this in and then basically hold it hold it to a legal standard without us knowing, right? Like I had an image of what this her field was going to look like.
018I I have three kids, a husband who traveled and a son that was sick. Like I do the best that I can, but I'm going to admit I don't always get into all the details. I've learned of my mistake because when I picture a softball field, it's a softball field, right? Not the entire green area. So, as we dig into these details, there are no details. And that just feels unfair to the voter to then say it's legally binding. Like, it just doesn't make any sense to me. I think there's a lot of people in this room that are confused by that same sentiment. And I don't feel like the response is really addressing it. It's saying we're still moving forward. We're still going to vote on it. It's still going to be legally binding
019and we're still not going to tell you what we're doing. >> Yeah. >> I mean, does anyone else on the board have anything to respond to that? Because I don't think it's fair that only Larry is speaking to this like I feel like does anyone else have thoughts and feelings on this? >> I'll add one other thought and then I'll let the board speak. You're absolutely correct. There is not a plan to vote on. We do have to create the plan that is then approved by state at DEEC and DOH. So a minute please let me >> included in that list of approval. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So I >> Lauren N sorry Lauren O'Neal. >> Can I just ask one follow? >> I tried three times to answer and you interrupted me. So,
020no, I'm going to move to the next speaker right now. Okay. >> I just have a question about communicating with the board because I sent an email and no one has responded and it's difficult for me to get to these meetings. Can I just ask how are we as the public supposed to communicate with the board? >> Yeah, you you sent it to us yesterday and it will respond. It will be responded to before the end of the week. >> Okay. >> Miss O'Neal. up. Um, hi, I'm Lauren O'Neal. Um, so it's I have the same concern about um contingency um authorization. So on this form that's online um it has contingency written twice. It says constru construction cons contingency reauthorization and that's uh 3,362,000. And then there's construction contingency. So, um, can you tell
021me the difference between those two? >> Sure. The reauthorization applies to the 2024 project. So, that's the construction contingency that relates to that whole scope of work that was approved in 2024. >> Okay. Can we stop there? >> Okay. >> Well, let me just finish the answer. The other construction contingency is for the new scope. >> Okay. >> So, that's a percentage of the new proposed scope. >> Okay. So on the on this document that has this is the new scope, right? So you have the 12 corners project, you have the French road project, and you have the high school project, but you don't and you have it listed one, two, three, you know, and you're given detail, but on the phase 2 construction contingency reauthorization, which is at three million, a little over $3
022million, there's no explanation. So if you could just tack on, maybe that would help. um Kim what that three million is being allocated for. So we can vote on something because right now it's there's no explanation for that 3 million where there's there's an explanation for the other six million. So I my most sincere answer is I can't apply that retroactively because it's being applied to the whole percentage of the project. So to go through it now knowing what we know would be disingenuous to just apply those percentages to the construction as it was presented back in 2024. So it's it's it's it's that construction contingency. The intent is to bundle it to the whole project scope from 2024. I understand what you're saying. I understand the request. I just don't think it would be
023an accurate accounting at this point because of all our bids have been already awarded and things like that. So it's it would be >> but this is no there would be a fair analysis. Okay. Okay. So, also on the preliminary um budgets, there was state aid of like seven million. Where did that go? >> The state. So, >> yeah, like this project on this slide, there was a state aid. >> When you say where did it go, >> like this? Well, I don't know exactly what the number is going to be on the referendum because I'm so confused. But I think the referendum is going to be 13 million, right? 13 cents. >> Okay. So, this one capital project had a subtotal of 10 million with 7 million of estimated state aid. So, how come
024there's no estimated state aid towards this 13 million? >> It is. So, when you're we're voting for the expenditures of the project of 13.6 million. A portion of the local share is going to be funded with the withdrawal from the capital reserve of $3.5 million. The remaining difference is state building and that's what'll plug the local gap. So there's no additional tax. >> Well, that's exactly what this is. It's the un the unfinanced balance is 3 million. >> So your sheet on your my left hand side, your my right hand side, this side is just a project expenditure sheet. It's not marrying revenues and expenditures. I still don't understand the difference. >> Okay. >> I'd be happy to stay after and show you and show you the accounting and how to follow the the accounting
025the presentation of the financial. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Monica Smith. >> I'm the short one, so I can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I just wanted to say that um I think everybody in this room, I think the I think the board and I think the residents of Brighton all want what's best for our children and for what's happening in the school. And I think that the residents have been hit with information that's really hard make things hard for them. And I think the board has been hit with things that have made things hard for them. So basically what I'd love to see is I'd like to see just a better understanding of all the information's out there. I don't think as I will speak for myself as
026a resident that I don't clearly understand everything that the board understands and I would just ask you to think about that when you're speaking or listening to the residents. So, one of the things I'm trying to understand a little bit more of so that I can be a better citizen and respond better to what you need is to understand um what it involves when you're voting on a referendum. Um, I tried to look in the bylaws to see what all the rules are and what all the processes for voting on a referendum. And I really can't find it in the bylaws and I was wondering if you could help me with that and it might help the residents. >> Can I ask you to clarify your question? Do you mean what it means when the
027board votes to put a referendum on the ballot or what it means for the voters to approve a referendum? >> Both. both. What's the entire process? >> I can handle or you guys can't. I'm being told I should talk less. >> Do you want to go first? >> You're good at explaining it. >> All right. So, you're my timer. >> Okay. Go. >> Over the course of probably 18 months to two years, the board takes in information about what capital projects are necessary. We do that through things like the building conditions fund. Um we have been talking about what our lineup of work is regarding capital projects for I don't know probably a decade now beginning in when I joined the board in 2015 over a decade in 2015 with phase one. um we had
028a general scope of of things that we thought we would like to do and as we are able to um issue more bonds. Uh we work with Lou Larry works with the what what is your acronym? >> OACM owners, architects, construction managers. >> Right. We've been we've been working with a group of architects and construction managers for many years to talk about what the scope of work should be, especially based on building conditions um and what the conditions are on the ground for our for our kids. For example, one of the one of the um line items on this particular referendum is the skylight system at 12 Corners. That's a that's a a need that has become known, right? So, we discussed that here. Um we decide to go ahead with the projects because the
029work is necessary. We engage in the seeker process. Uh we put the vote we we develop the referendum together. We vote on that to be put on the ballot and if it is approved then we go through the process with drawing up the plans with the architects and moving it to state ed. But much of it is based on things like our buildings conditions. >> Okay. So, just to go further into my question, in some of the meetings that we've had, people keep coming up and asking why we can't have another vote on it. So, I tried to go into the bylaws and see what it said about that, and I couldn't find anything. So, that's what I'm trying to figure out is is where in the bylaws um someone said it wasn't in the
030>> bylaws of this of of the school district. That's about much of what we do when it comes to this process is governed by state edet, right? And their their process, >> right? But where in the bylaws? So that the last meeting the superintendent said we can't there's nothing in the bylaws that says you could vote revote have a revote on something. Was there anything in the bylaws that says you c that you can can't have a revote? I mean, I didn't find anything in the bylaws about voting again. If it doesn't, you know, if just just curious >> because people keep referring to the bylaws and I went into the bylaws and I can't find anything. I I I personally don't remember anybody referring specifically to bylaws or or policies of the school district,
031right? We've been talking about regulations from state ed. >> Okay. So, the last meeting that somebody said to the superintendent, why can't we have another vote? And he says it's not in the bylaws. >> I don't think that I was at that session, so I can't speak specifically. >> That's what he said. Yeah. Um, boy, I don't Everything about the vote is tightly regulated by the state. How it has to be communicated, how it's set up on a ballot, uh, the the minimum standards, you know, hiring of election tellers, all those things have to be approved. I'm not the least bit conversant in our bylaws, so I cannot speak intelligently about that. But the whole voting process is very much governed by state is it dictates where you have to advertise for the vote. >>
032Um how it has to be communicated the number of signatures required on a petition for a candidate. All of those things are prescribed for us not developed by us. Well, that's very important information and I really would like to see more communication on the process of how this is done because I see a lot of of emotion and a lot of contention and I think that information is a good answer to helping people work together instead of creating a board versus the community. That is something that I don't think is good for Brighton. >> Yeah. >> For on either side. >> Either side. >> You know, as as a resident, um I'm not happy with what happened. as a board, I'm sure you're upset with what's happened, but somehow or another, I think if we
033get more education and and better understand when we're voting and why we're voting the way we do and what the outcome is and and and what the state is saying about all the the rules and regulations of how that's followed. I think it would help us all. >> I I Yeah said differently, facts really do matter in these situations and I appreciate that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. See no one else. I'll move on to the next agenda item. Uh next up we have approval of tonight's agenda. You've all obviously had a chance to review it in advance. Any questions with regards to tonight's agenda. >> Motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Moved by Karen. >> Seconded by Clayton. All those in favor? >> You also had the opportunity to
034review minutes from the April 7th business meeting and the special meeting on the 21st. uh which had to do with the Boseies elections. Any questions, edits, comments with regards to either the April 7th business meeting or April 21st April 21st special meeting that you have received? >> No. Could we just mention um the the content the subject of the April 21st special meeting? uh so to do with the election uh the approval of the uh Bosey's budget and candidates for the Boseis board >> and we had a special meeting for that specifically because uh the state requires that we vote on the 20 on the 21st >> correct okay >> well whatever the date they set their vote to right so we had to come in for that specific reason >> I wasn't present am
035I able to you need to abstain with Carol >> excellent >> okay uh so we'll do each of the minutes separately >> excellent Okay. So, for item 4A, April 7th business meeting uh minute, a motion to approve. >> So, moved. >> Moved by Susan. >> Seconded by Karen. All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion to approve the April 21st special meeting minutes. >> So moved. >> Moved by Clayton. >> Seconded by Christina. All those in favor? >> Next up, we have principal reports. as as uh it feels like we haven't heard from the principles in a while. So, I'm excited to get updates from all of them. And as we always do, we get an update on an item from the um blueprints. Tonight happens to be staff supports. Uh given that it's the
03628th, we should probably start with principal tab. >> That makes sense. >> Okay. >> Oh, no. >> High school's up there. Once high school goes up, that was the last one ever selected. >> Keep us on our toes. That's what we like. >> That's a good picture on the front. >> It's probably my favorite picture. Wow. Um, it is pure joy. Um, and uh I will talk about it uh because our PE uh staff has done some uh life sports. So um so we took advantage a couple of our classrooms took advantage of um current events with Artemis rellanding um back in we followed their orbit but this is Mrs. Bat's kindergarten class and Mrs. Pora's second grade class that worked together to do the classic egg drop um but they studied how the uh
037capsule would come back in as it re-entered and the many parachutes that would uh be used. So, the second graders helped the kindergarteners. They worked in teams uh and went out to our playground to do the egg drop. Um and we had several successful uh astronauts land back um on Earth. So exciting. Uh we had uh some guest musicians come over from FRES. Uh really exciting to have peer-to-peer contacts. Um, these are some of the FRE musicians who are able to introduce themselves, but also more importantly their instruments to the second graders. Um, it's all part of our transition planning that we do as we get ready for uh our second graders to move up to French Road. Um, but really that's one of the things we don't have. We have a lot of music
038learning, but we don't have instrument learning in school uh at Council Rock. So really getting to know what those instruments are, both orchestra instruments plus band instruments that the students will have um access to. And I loved hearing from the students. We've had teachers come before and demonstrate, but I think it was really powerful to have the students uh demonstrate for the students. So in extended studies with Mrs. Yammen, uh with all of the first grade classes, uh they did a study of um I don't even know what it is, but art. not my not my thing but um art. And then each student was able to uh recreate uh storytelling through kind of the small parts. So they had all different things they could do to build uh together to and again they worked
039uh collaboratively with each other on this and this was all the way through. So this is Miss Moors or yeah Miss Moore's class I think uh first grade but all the first grade classes participated in this one of our awesome things that Mrs. is able to do to extend all kids thinking. So, here's the lifetime fitness uh in PE. We had local dojoos uh represented uh doing some karate and taekwond do. Um and then we did some of the rhythmic cardio drumming. Um I will tell you if you want to get your sweat on, get in and do some rhythmic drumming. The kids really loved it. Um and I want you to remember that because there's a connection uh that comes up in a bit. um outside of PE class. So, uh our first graders,
040all of them visited the Rochester Museum and Science Center um specifically to go to the planetarium connecting directly to their science unit on what makes the light light and what makes the dark dark. Um so, it was a great way to culminate that unit and all of our kids got that experience to be able to go to the planetarium. This is Katie Fallon, our instructional technology uh technology team leader who is teaching our kindergarteners their first real lessons in coding. Um because of our Steamfest, we were able to get these these are called Indie Cars. Um and it's like race cars that are with color coding, but it's the very first steps to learn to code. Um and it's really awesome to see our youngest learners uh start to pick up some of those skills.
041uh that I'm sure they'll be using uh as they move through school and life. Uh I talked about the second grade transition. I'm probably stealing some of Miss Kaggin's uh thunder, so you'll see some crossover here, but we are getting ready. Uh we already did our bedtime and books with the principles. So, the two of us read books with our second graders online um for them to be able to see it at home. Um so, they got to meet Miss Coggins. They got to meet her dog, Oliver. um and we read a couple of books. And then uh coming up next Monday, uh she and some of the French Road staff will come over and present to our second graders um about all the opportunities they have. I believe students are coming over to talk
042to them. Again, looking for that peer-to-peer connection, but talking about what they're can be excited about as they move to French Road, what they might be nervous about. We've got questions that we'll answer and the students will answer that, hoping to allay any fears and really make that transition as smooth as possible. And then um later in June, we've got parent time and bingo for the kids. So the parents are able to be in the building and ask those questions. And then the very next day, we'll take a trip with their teacher with their class. So trying to have the comfortable possibly go into uh the less comfortable where they walk around the school, ask questions, they'll meet up with a third grade class. The third graders will be able to tell them all about
043their transition. So all in an attempt to kind of take the mystery out of the transition uh and assure them that they will be okay both the students and the parents. So we are in the middle of open house along with ice cream social and bookf fair. We had our first night uh last night very well attended and excited by the kindergarteners. We're off tonight for the board meeting, but we've got uh first grade coming up tomorrow and then second grade on Thursday. and then put me to bed because it's gonna be a week. Um, but really great. Um, again, our vendors, Nine Cone Cone, um, and, uh, I have to remember what the, uh, unreliable narrator is our book fair. Um, and just really great um, lots of great responses last night. Smiling kids,
044uh, and happy family. So, we were really excited to see all that. So, this is that connection back. So, this is a story. So we had some visiting musicians from Mary Kariola. So we have a intern who comes from Mary Kariola and he works in our lunchroom. His name is TJ and he's a rock star for us. Our kids all know who he is. He serves on the line. He's just fantastic. He came to me about two months ago and he asked me um he said, "I perform in a group back at school. Is there any way we could come perform for your first for Council Rock?" So I'm I said yep. and I had him, his teacher email me. So, we set this up. This is their performing group. They've got cardio drumming that
045they do um as well as singing. And TJ's in the middle and he sang a solo for our whole class. And you would have our whole school. And you would have thought that rock stars were there. Um because the kids were just so into it. It was really great to see our kids embrace them, to see TJ really shine, and to have him take that initiative to ask was was really great. So, it just was one of those amazing feel-good moments that everything kind of comes together, and it really brought forth to life the stuff that they were doing in PE. Um, their teacher was so surprised. Our kids knew the electric slide, um, which are what they teach, and the kids knew all about cardio drumming. So, it was really great to have them
046there. >> Cool. >> Upcoming events, uh, as I said, ice cream social book fair and openhouse are happening this week. We've got bike and walk to school week next week. Um, so I just ask all the community to keep your eyes on the road or out there for our bikers and our walkers. Uh, we've got teacher appreciation week also next week. Uh, later in May, we will honor all of the amazing volunteers through both PTSA and beyond who volunteer um to make our school amazing. Um that is on the 20th. No school on the 25th as we celebrate Memorial Day. We've got our play day that will happen on the 5th, but if it happens to rain, it will be on the 8th. And then we've got even more things coming up as we wrap
047the year up, which is hard to believe. So questions? >> None. It's great to see happy faces on all your pictures. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Uh Dr. Edmonds. Good evening. April was a very very quick month. I don't we don't normally get to say that, but it has flown by. It's kind of crazy. Um at the start of the month, we had Mr. Dozer took uh some of his sixth graders over to the Gables. They did a performance at night um with the residents there and they did an old TV shows theme. They ran it like a game show so the audience had to guess which TV show they were playing the theme song for. Um and they got a flower or a plant for their apartment or room once they
048got one correct. And everybody loved it. The kids loved it. Mr. Dozer loved it. But most importantly, all the residents loved it. And Mr. Dozer has a sixth grade band right now that has uh well over 100 students in it. So it is awesome. Kudos to the students. Kudos to him. Um but I think he maintains that number of students by doing activities like this outside of school. So um he's always looking for opportunities to uh engage with the community and I love that. We also had uh as we do every year um our Washington DC trip which was an absolute hit this year. We used a new company this year and it was as seamless as could be. Miss Elkins took over as the leader from Mrs. Camp who had done it for 25
049years I think. Um and everything went super smoothly. The kids had an amazing time. Uh you could see lots of smiling faces here. And while they were in DC we also had a handful of students who stayed behind and did some hometown exploring for three days. They went to Menden Ponds Park. They went to the zoo. They also um went to the museum and science center. And so all of our seventh graders were engaged in collaborative team building activities for three full days regardless of which activity they decided to participate in. Kudos to Miss Jagger and Miss Cunningham for organizing all of these staybehind activities. Uh there were tons of logistics involved, but again, lots of smiling faces and the weather was actually perfect for our days here in in Rochester while the rest were
050in DC. We finished out our um chorus or I'm sorry, our concert season with our chamber orchestra concert led by Mr. Glendy. Um all performed super well. And then we also just had this past weekend, Friday and Saturday, our science Olympia team represented us at the state tournament. They made it past uh the regional tournament and as a team they took 27th in the state. So, um it is nothing short of phenomenal what they did and they continue to improve their results each year. We had one team that took ninth place um that was Juliana and James in meteorology and then we also had another team that took ninth place in Mission Impossible which is uh the um mouse trap kind of uh schema there. So that was Subin Luke and Ben. Um every year
051Miss Elkins helped by her husband Mr. Elkins. They seem to be getting more and more students involved in science olympiad and um it's great. They went to Syracuse and spent a couple of days there and had a great time together but also representing us. We also had this weekend our eighth grade semiformal. We hosted it. Uh thank you Dr. Hall for allowing us to use the high school while the uh high school play was being performed in the TCMS auditorium. It actually worked out perfectly. It was really really nice. kind of goes in line with our five goes six. You know, we have that transition night that will be coming up at the end of May where the fifth graders get to hang out at TCMS for a night. So now our eighth graders got
052to hang out at the high school for an evening. And um it was I was just saying to the principles before, it was just a night where I could stand back and just watch the students be. They just were with each other and there were so many smiles and it was just a large mass of students all together existing in fun and excitement. The DJ was great. Kudos to Crystal Ellis and Tama Wagstaff for organizing an amazing night. Um, just so much fun all around. Um, in terms of our staff supports, I there's a lot of words here. I'll leave this for all of you to read, but we continue to work um to build our um our staff sense of morale, but also their sense of collective efficacy. They're feeling that when when they
053feel like they are prepared and able to do what they need to do best for our students, then we know that our students come prepared and feel like they know what to do best in the classroom. So, that's what all of this focuses on. Not only our teachers, but you'll see our security team, um our clerical staff, and so much more. Just working on building um everybody's sense of like we can do this. We've got this and our students do too. In terms of upcoming events, we are finishing up testing season right now. New York State uh math assessments are tomorrow and Thursday. And then we have our MAP uh assessments as well. We've got a few activity nights. We have our Spanish trip coming up for our eighth graders. On Friday, uh we have
054our survivors play coming back again, which is an account of the Holocaust for our eighth grade students. Uh, next week of course is teacher appreciation week. So we'll spend the week celebrating them and uh talent show at the end of the month and then as I mentioned before our activity night for our incoming sixth graders next year. >> We go from a quick April to a jam-packed May. >> Yeah. Great. >> Questions for Dr. Ed? >> Awesome. Colleen, it's kind of nice being in the middle. I have a little things on both book ends between um Council Rock and French Road or um the middle school. Um this in presentation mode. Um similar to what Mr. Tapen said, "We had our musicians go to Council Rock earlier this month and they got to perform to
055see a lot of the same pictures thanks to Dan Goldman." Um, but the kids had a great time going up and performing for the kids coming up next year in third grade. Um, additionally in music, we've had a lot of music things happening this past month. If you look all the way over to the right, we had Dennis Dantis. He's a parent in our building. He's also a professor at Eastman and he came and met with our music classes about digital composing. and it's just a wonderful opportunity to bring in families, bring in the local school um with the Eastman School of Music and really work with kids in what they're learning right in music class. If you go all the way over to the left, this is Lee Wolf. He is a doctorate student
056at Eastman and he performed with our fifth grade course at ice cream social last week. So, it was really neat having somebody who is entering a professional field of music for their career of choice and being able to engage with our kids. And then right in the middle we have our new band director, Megan Stampout, and she conducted the all county uh band in Betavia, I believe it was, um last week on April 18th. So, she was really excited to take the lead and lead our kids in that. Along with music, we also did the pacer. I don't know if you remember the pacer from when you were a kid in physical um education. It's when the kids are working on how many times they can pace across the gym. You hear the beep going.
057The kids were running out of the gym, sweating, going to get water. They were so proud of themselves. If you look at Mr. Goodwill in the back, I'm not sure who was more proud, the kids of themselves or their teachers. Very exciting. And some of our kids who don't often get in the spotlight for sports and recreation, they were coming out and had beat their paser scores from the fall and they were really proud of themselves. So, it was a lot of fun to see the kids just have a sense of pride in what they were doing with their physical fitness. Last week, we also did our safety drills for transportation. The kids love it. You can see their faces. They're jumping off the back of the bus as they would in an emergency. Um,
058thank you to Mr. Moy who did change the date because this was originally scheduled on our ELA state test and I said this might not be the best way to start the day. So, we did pivot with the secondary level. So, we're thankful for that. Today was also um bus driver appreciation day. So, we were able to go out and give the bus drivers some muffins and just thank them for everything they do for our kids. You never know where learning is going to pop up at French Road. I was walking the building last week and um Mrs. Holith was teaching cursive in the hall. They were just doing some flexible seating outside. The kids were totally engaged. They're learning how to do their signature and learning the different cursive letters. Almost a lost art,
059but so important to sign their name when they grow up. Um they were learning out in the hall by um the third grade hall. When I walked around the corner, we had kids out in the courtyard. So, it's just been fantastic seeing the kids learning outside of their classrooms. um with the help of Katie Fallon as well as Liz Files, the kids did a tinkering lesson. It was a follow-up of the Hugo Cabbra um module with ELA as well. And if you see our fourth graders, they're literally are taking apart different pieces of technology. Um and it fit really nicely with the novel they had just finished as part of the ELA module. Um the room was full of buttons and keys and wires and safety goggles and it took about two days to work
060through this in the fourth grade classes. So, it was a lot of fun to see the kids hands on. Um, I had a fun little story to share with the kids that we were tinkering with one of my little appliances at home. So, we were talking about something they're doing in fourth grade. How it's a real life application when you grow up. Um, much like Council Rock, we're also in the middle of our art show. Um, I was missing a picture of Karen and Christina who were helping sell ice cream and work with our sprinkles and all of that this past week. Um, last year we added two things to the open house um, night and that was we added an art show with our art teachers. There is a fifth grade gallery walk in
061the gymnasium and then we also added our chorus concert into the evening as well. It's just a way to limit parents needing to come in multiple times over May and June with it being so busy. So, it was fantastic. The fifth grade chorus started again. We had Lee Wolf playing on the double base. They had the art show in the gym. We had ice cream in the gym after we did a transition and the classrooms were opened up. So, it was a great night. Lots of gratitude, lots of thank you. Um, so we're excited to do fourth and third in May. Mr. Tapin also mentioned we're in our two go3 transition right now. Um my dog did make a cameo. He bumped in the background the whole time. So he got picked up with my
062arms. I had no one else to entertain him that night. Um but we did do a readaloud. I think we had 40 or so families up on the screen. So it was great seeing all the families on the team's meeting. Um I'll be there next week and then we have all the events that Mr. Tapping talked about happening later in June. And the events coming up, we're at the Red Wings game tomorrow. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain. saw 90% chance of rain. So, we'll see how wet we are as we play out on the fields. Um, state testing starts tomorrow. We have our second color run on the 5th if anyone wants to come throw color at kids. It will be a lot of fun from 5 to 7 at French Road. Um, we have
063our ice cream socials for third and fourth. We have the rest of our spring concerts and then we have our superintendent's conference day at the end of May. So, things are going very, very quickly. Um, I also don't have a picture, but Mr. Thomas is with us in um, lie of Mrs. Wheeler's absence and it's been a lot of fun having him back. He knows everybody in the community. Everyone he walks in, he has a connection and a story, but it's been great having him and he'll be with us through the end of the school year. >> So that's it for Fred. >> Awesome. >> Welcome. Thank you. Questions for Colleen. >> Thank you very much. >> Tom Hall. Good evening everybody. >> Good evening. >> So this was the first year or the earliest
064we've been able to bring kids out for flex um on March 9th. If you can remember back there it was almost an 80 degree day. Sun was shining. Kids came out. I grew up on a dairy farm up in rural upstate New York and when we'd let the cows out in the spring. You might remember this, Dr. Gaspino. They would just run and gallop and these kids were all over even though they've been outside. It was one of the best days >> and then it snowed >> thereafter. But we're out and now the nice thing about Flex, it's almost like a recess uh for kids when it's really nice outside. They can be behind the pool pavilion eating lunch >> um on the on the softball field out there playing ball, but just doing a
065lot of great things. And you know we started flexually for the first time outside energy and sustainability. This course will be 20 years old uh next year. Uh I remember when it was presented here at the board of education as a new course and they presented about some of the things that they are doing. >> Um it's come a long ways over the over its life with a couple different teachers. We're now in our new tech facility. Uh that is an incredible space. the kids have all sorts of room to move and grow and the machines that they're using but for energy sustainability for this particular class I was observing they were making these um mock small generators uh for hydroelectric power and part of that part of the design is coming up with the
066fins and how the design of their fins and how much water would go over those fins and how much water would get pumped. through and they'd have a contest as part of that class. But a lot of hands-on real world um design and building together and as teams. There's two people per team and that's what they ultimately had to create and then they they'd operate it and see uh which which um model uh generated the most power. Our future teacher club took a day for read across America day. They went over to French Road. Read to one of the I think this is the fourth grade class over at French Road. Uh so our high school students always love meeting with our younger students. Future teacher club is a great opportunity to see if kids
067really do want to become teachers someday and read books throughout the day at ReadAcross America Day. Um and enjoyed it a ton. Want to thank Mr. Green and Miss Kendrick for helping organize that day. our key club. Uh so going from you know classes to service clubs to future clubs. This particular club is um based on Kuanis Club International. Key Club is their um smaller studentrun group. Very active uh student group who've won all sorts of awards as they present down in Albany every year at their main conference. Miss Doyle is their adviser. You can see several different members won distinguished awards. Um, we support them. They do great stuff. And I I know these are these are the the the young women who will be running Kowanas of America someday and doing all sorts
068of philanthropies um well into their advanced years, I'm sure. March Madness, so kind of a fun um social club. Our Brighton on board uh opened up the upper and lower library to play board games. So, no electronic games, all traditional board games, just having fun, food, and uh you know, companionship. Our first ever Women's History Month assembly, uh presented by Women's History Club at Brighton High School, um their advisor, Miss Mallaloy, and Sarah Zinc, who's the president of Women's History Club, brought in several incredible speakers, including one of our board members, Esther Wy. And these are all Brighton uh graduates who've worked with us um in in u in the various fields and spoke to our students uh just before the April break. Bright Police Department followed by our fire department is coming in and
069meeting with our functional skills class, our 1214 group. U just learning out what is an emergency, when do you contact 911, how do you contact 911, and what do you say to the operator? And it's great to bring our officers in and the fire department members in to work with our students um who do need this information. And it was a great back and forth, a great community partnership. If you haven't seen Spelling Bee, well, it's too late. It's over now. But I'll tell you, I have not laughed that much in a long, long time. Uh if you went to this event, thank you to Dr. admins for allowing us to use the middle school since our auditorium's pretty much being used as a a storage area right now and rehearsal space because all of
070our music classrooms are under construction. But we had this uh the play there. It was amazing. The kids did a great job. So many laughs and the the kids just had a wonderful time and Dr. Gaspino's son is quite an amazing actor along with all the others but uh just amazing all around. So, thank you and Colleen Perry was their uh their uh advisor and director and did a fantastic job and all of the students who participated on the uh on stage and of course in the music and lighting behind the stage. Springfest 2026. Um Miss Bertino, it's quite different from your springfest of years past. Um we're actually trying something brand new. We're not going to have many classes in the morning or a big speaker that everybody has to go to. Uh we're
071trying something new thanks to Courtney Stern who's our college career workbased learning um internship and job coordinator. She has arranged for almost 50 different um two and four-year colleges coming to the high school. So there'll be a 45m minute session that every 9th, 10th, 11th grade will get to rotate through. There'll be people from the community for summer jobs, interviewing for students for summer jobs. Um everything from um the military through uh trade programs will be on hand for students to get to see for almost an hour, I guess. And then the second rotation, a group will go to our auditorium for a a fun presentation from magician from RIT. Something just lighthearted before exams come up and then they'll be voting on officers in their class and watching some videos to choose their next
072student council. Springfest and then the Tampa show. Lots of events coming up towards uh May is one of the most uh probably active on the calendar. Junior prom, senior ball, all the senior events, springfest, then we have this giant concert, lay miz, over two days. If you want to come on the 26th and 27th, never seen before. Wind ensemble, orchestra, and select choir coming together as one large group uh because of the uh construction that's going on and they're doing lay so you will have to get to that. >> Any questions? >> I don't think there's an unscheduled day in May for you. I think there's something going >> most of them are triple tap. probably going to bed Friday. >> Unless I'm out of bed now. Come on. >> I do want I I
073neglected to ask Dr. Edmonds this, but I direct this question at the two of you. I did have a neighbor as stopped me the other day and asked me how the cell thing how the cell phone thing was going and um meaning no cell phones, no in the schools. And I said, I think really well, but I'll ask the question. So, is there a way to answer that in a few sentences without like two hours of all the stuff you've had to do in the background? >> Well, um I would say overall extremely positive. I think our policy here is that all cell phones were supposed to be put away, not seen, not heard, and they're supposed to be put in their lockers. I think the vast majority of students keep their phone in their
074backpacks. We don't go searching. If we don't see them, we don't hear them. They're not using them. >> We don't ask But you don't see them in the hallways generally. You don't see them in the cafeteria or lunchrooms. And you don't see them even outside at flex when everybody's on their own. Um and classrooms. We haven't, you know, again, that's that's the area that mainly we don't want to have cell phones being a distraction and we certainly don't see them in the classrooms. When we do, the administrators part of our policy is the teacher just has to notify us. only the administrators can enact and we are going to classrooms to pick up phones and they go into the BHS hotel for the day. If they're mid year we had to change up a little
075bit when phones were found period seven or eight because it was only going to be like a 30 minute in the hotel they come back for a whole another day to spend in the hotel. That helped out a lot. So we saw fewer phones at the end of the day too. >> Can you tell us more about the hotel? So, we started out with this giant like roller cart. We didn't know how many phones we were going to be collecting and we had many, many bins that has since gone to our functional skills class. They use it for supply delivery to classrooms. And we've gotten smaller box units that we can actually lock up. And there's probably any on any given day from one to five residents in the hotel, >> which is honestly a
076really small number. >> I mean, those are the ones that we see. There's But there's room for >> but again we we are on it and kids know >> that's cool >> in some of those >> some of those edge cases where whether it's it's wristwatches or or iPhone watches or we knew we had a couple of kids who may have had medical conditions that required some monitoring. You were able to work through all those appropriately. I mean, I think we may have three students who have passes to care of their phones for mostly like diabetes and and glucose monitoring, insulin monitoring. Um, but that's pretty much it. So, >> cool. >> Dr. Edmonds, I'll offer you the opportunity. Just I would love to hear from a middle school perspective. >> I just I think
077you know this is our fourth year actually that we've had the no cell phone policy in the building where students have had their in their lockers. And I would say this year we have far fewer um cases where we have to, you know, address a student with a cell phone. All the students have been phenomenally great and also so have their parents. The I would say um the parents are in support and families are in support of the ban because they also recognize that it allows the students to focus on what they're supposed to be doing while they're in school. So um anytime we've had to call which I'm telling you is few and far between. Um they've been very supportive >> and that heard the other positive result was much noisier cafeterias. >> I'll
078take it any day. >> Any day each other. They're enjoying they're just being with each other and I'll take it any day. I just want to also just thank the community members that are still here right now and this is the crux of what our district is all about and I know these meetings have not been fun but um seeing what our teachers and buildings are doing and our music departments and our students most especially they're so incredible and the opportunities that they take on like so thanks for watching and seeing that tonight it's really appreciated. >> Good point. >> Thank you as always to all the principles. Um just love all the work you all are doing for our kids. So thank you. Uh next up, and this is always a big sort of
079everybody wants to start planning next year's vacations. So we have uh both we have the approval of the 2026 2027 board of education meetings and that lines up with all of the appropriate religious holidays have been handled and things like that. But that is out there. Uh once approved tonight, it'll be available on the website as soon as Dan puts it up. I'm looking over at Dan in the corner. He'll put it up on the website. so become available which will include the many religious holidays and superintendence days and things like that. >> You've had a chance to review the uh the uh board of education meeting calendar in advance. Are there any questions with regards to those meetings the dates? >> No. >> Motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Moved by Karen. >>
080Seconded by Carrie Lynn. All those in favor? >> I >> we have on here um uh for the consent agenda a bunch of fundraising activities which as always are great opportunities to eat in our community whether it be at Five Guys for the kids tomorrow reads ice Italian ice and frozen custard uh for Brighton track and field. Friends of the arts in Brighton VHS concessions on May 19th and the BHS morning show again at five guys in Monro on May 12th. Also, we have in the first one, the Friends of the Arts in Brighton spelling be TCMS selling curated selection of summer arts scholarships. Um, and that was actually a day or two ago. So, we've got to sometimes approve these in a rears a little bit. Questions with regards to the fundraising activities. >>
081Just that I'm sad I missed out on Five Guys for Okay, >> there's opportunities upcoming. Yeah. Uh, motion to approve. >> So, moved. >> Moved by Susan. >> Second. Seconded by Carrie Lynn. All those in favor. >> Um, Bill was not here tonight. We always love Bill writing things, but I am grateful for Loose, Eden, and Mike behind the glass for making uh this meeting available to more people. So, we thank all of them. >> Well done. >> Just a great job. We're going to give a positive report to Bill. You stepped right in there. You had a loud voice. So, thank you very much. You got us started. Next meeting is May 12th. It is the budget hearing and the business meeting in this room. Anything else for the good of the order? Motion
082to adjurnn. >> So moved. There's a delay there. >> I know we're all having fun. >> Moved by Clayton. >> Seconded by Karen. All those in favor. >> We are ajourned. >> This has been a special presentation from the Brighton Central School District Board of Education.