Board of Education Meeting December 12, 2025

001We will get started. We'll call the meeting to order. Um, if everyone could please join me for the pledge. >> I aliance 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. >> Thank you. Please be seated. >> That's good. Can I have a motion to approve the agenda for the December 9th board of education meeting as presented? >> Everybody. >> So moved by Ashley and Laura, I believe. All in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. >> Okay. We will look to immediate motion passes. By the way, uh we will immediately go into executive. So I am looking for a motion to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing a grievance brought against the district

002by the Hamburg Teachers Association. So moved >> to move by Ashley. >> Second by Jess. Any discussion? All in favor? >> All opposed. We will enter executive. So we are going to leave briefly and return in just a few minutes. So sit tight. Hopefully we won't be long. Settle in here and reconvene. All right. Can I have a motion to end executive session and return to regular session? >> So moved. >> Moved by Mary, second by Ashley. All in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. We are back in regular session. Um, so in the interest of helping our student representative, I am going to let Max uh give us an update on what's happening at the middle school. But before we jump into the more formal presentation, sorry, high school. So go ahead, Max. Thank

003you. So um, we've had door decorating going on. It's been a really good success. Teachers have had a lot of fun working with the students. So, the voting is going to take place on Monday the 15th and it's going to go till Wednesday the 17th and then everything's gonna be cleaned up, I hope, on Friday the [snorts] 19th. So, the seniors just got back from the NYC trip, their [clears throat] senior trip. It went great. Um, apparently it was one of the most attended uh senior trips in a while. I heard that. And um the chaperrons love the group of students. [cough] We're also I was told >> it's hard to tell if you're being sarcastic. [laughter] >> It's a gift. Uh they complimented us a lot and um students had a great time and

004they really only complained about the cold and having to leave. So that was great. Um so card making is going to be uh run by the senior class. I'm still waiting on a date for when that's going to be either going to be next week or anything like that. Um there we had Thanksgiving drive went also really well. We sponsored five families for $100 each totaling to $500. So for spirit week for um uh last week of school before break um we voted to get rid of uh Monday and Tuesday. for having like days and then decided to do Wednesday, Thursday, Friday because we think that we get more people doing stuff. Usually Monday is hard for kids to come to school and get dressed up and stuff like that. So we planning on having

005white out Wednesday, best of gear on Thursday, and then PJ dad Friday, obviously. And then you're also running a after school chocolate bar which we're going to vote on details tomorrow at our government meeting. Stuff like if it's going to be free or a dollar or however we want to do that and we have to find volunteers. That's all I have. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Max. >> Understanding you have a very busy day tomorrow. So if you need to sneak away, we will understand. But thank you for the update. >> Happy taking points with you. >> That's right. All right. All right. So, we'll move into our uh presentation section of the of the board meeting and I'll turn it over to Mr. Adams for for introduction. >> Wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Hall. Uh

006our first presentation tonight, and thank you everybody for your for your patience. Our first uh presentation tonight is going to be uh facilitated by Nicole D and Jill Kerso, two of our dynamic staff members uh here in the in the district. and they've got a group of students who uh from middle school and high school who attended a conference called Unleash Your Greatness. Uh this was a two-day event. Uh it was held at Villa Maria College. Students from all over. There's over 250 students there from all over Western New York. Uh they collaborated, they lifted up their voices, they practiced empowerment, and uh they're they're excited to share with us a little bit of what they learned there. So, I'll turn it over to I imagine this will be a a quick pass to Nicole

007and Jill, but then to the students is what I'm anticipating. Now, >> we're actually going to let Emma start. >> Perfect. Hi, Emma. How are you? Hello, Michael. >> How are you? >> Good. >> Um, so I'm just going to start with an introduction about the leadership conference. So, we are fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity by the district to attend a two-day conference called Alicia Greatness hosted by Duncan Kirkwood and Erie Wooseies at Bill Maria College. The conference aimed to inspire students through leadership, personal growth and emotional learning workshops and keynote speakers. We want to thank OE and district for funding this and allowing us this opportunity. We also wanted to present for you one of our biggest takeaways from this conference which strikes us. >> So we thought a little more

008space over here. Does that work? >> Do you need us to get up and come take a look? >> We do. So we're going to do a little presentation on how [clears throat] this demonstration a high school senior. is going to be our main subject. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what it's like being a high school. >> So, I'm a senior fail. Another failure of class. So I had to look at my failures and I realized >> [applause] >> stand over here. >> Would you say the struggles that you went through in high school? >> Okay. We're gonna have Okay. What else, Michael? What else is that gone through or what else it made it harder? to accomplish everything that you've got so far. >> I would say it will never hurt

009ourselves. I'll come in. [snorts] >> What else, Michael? What else do you think would make it harder? for anybody. What would you think would be? >> I would say myself Sure. >> But talking to you. >> [laughter] >> All right. So, in this tug of war, how confident do you feel you would win? [laughter] What would make it easier for you? What would make it easier for you? >> All right. My first pick, Mr. Adam. He's never He's never He's always been at my side and he's never doubted me. >> My next person, Miss Kurt. My counselor. >> [snorts] >> We're missing >> Mr. Crangle. Does he represent anything just when I say go and then you guys >> car gonna be a problem. What we walked away with today and what we hope you

010walk away with today is for every student whether they're five or The difference between being pulled down by their struggles and being able to stand to one thing, the presence of a caring adult. Students don't need adults to remove them to remove every challenge for them. They need them to stand beside them to be the voice that reminds them of who they are and to be the hand they reach for the tug of war, the tug of war of life. small but it can be the exact shift that shifts the rope in their favor. These everyday actions are what help students not just hope you matter and your turns into strength. [applause] Thank you. >> Yes, the art department is next. >> Yeah, you you got it. I'll do a little introduction there. But I

011just want to thank Jill and Nicole and her entire her entire the entire group that came out. And I want to thank the board as well. Like these are types of programs that are that that happen because of your leadership and your support for them too. and certainly our our communities as well. And uh these folks are uh um they're tapped on the shoulder as people who are uh seen as potential leaders and having tremendous influence on the rest of the student body and and certainly influence on us as well. So thank you uh for your presentation. We really appreciate it. Uh and yes, and we get to uh invite the art [snorts] department to come forward. Uh there are there are several folks in attendance of all of all of all grade levels. Uh

012and we've got not only students of all grade levels, but we've got our art department of uh representing all sorts of grade levels, too. Uh when >> someone else [laughter] >> middle school go first, >> you guys absolutely like give me two more seconds. Well, that's not true. Uh so uh as these folks are presenting just know like part of what we're looking at here and one of our goals is the in terms of board was that we wanted to get sort of regular updates as to how our students are doing and how learning looks in our various classrooms. Uh you might remember last month uh we had the presentation on reading that went from K through five. Uh the previous month we had a report from Mr. Haran athletics and now we have our

013art department who are going to present uh on a host of things not only student creation but also some pathways uh that our art students are able to take advantage of as they as they get older as well. So I believe we're going to have the middle school go first. Is that my understanding on that? So I will turn it over and they'll introduce themselves and uh >> get that presentation going. So thank you for everybody being here. We're looking forward to it. >> Okay. Great. Over here. >> Yeah. Right up front here would be great. >> I've got little ones that are with me that share some chairs if anyone wants to sit. There you go. We have >> So I think what we're going to do is I'm going to let the students

014talk first and then I'll talk a little bit about the middle school. So this is Brena and Sophia. And if you want to go ahead and just read your statement that you wrote. >> My name is Brent. It's not just about the art. I feel that the art has taught me many things. The HMS artuchs. >> So our building has about 750 students and each student receives 10 weeks of art in sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. So, they get pretty deeply exposed to art at the middle school. Um, this year we're offering ceramics to eighth grade. So, in li of their eighth grade art credit, they can take ceramics, which is more of a concentrated course. Um, and the students so far have really enjoyed just messing around with clay for 40 minutes

015a day. So, um, it's been a really great experience and I think that in the future we'd like to offer other elective courses in other media intense areas like a drawing course or photography um, just to give the eighth grade students a little bit more versatility, a little bit more diversity in their learning. Um, and in the future, we hope to um, have adaptive art in our program back in our program at the middle school. Um, but again, we kind of build the elementary, we really work hard to segue them um into the middle school and prepare them for the high school. Um doing a wide variety of different digital media, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media. Um and we also are going to be preparing our eighth grade students for IAP, the pathway starting in eighth

016grade. We want them to start to think about those things for high school. >> [applause] >> And now we get to hear from our elementary art students as well. Thank you. Thank you. >> So, I'm going to do a little brief intro to introduce everybody. So, hi, my name is Caitlyn Elelland. I'm an elementary art teacher. Since we have some new faces on the board and in our art department, we thought this would be a great opportunity, as we said, to kind of share everything we're doing with our curriculum from preK all the way up to 12. Um, so I'm joined by my other elementary art teachers, April Hansmith, and Katie Allen. For middle school art teachers, we have Marica Connors, Maryanne Bo with us, and high school Michelle Cyrick, Jennifer Log, Michelle Cy Walters,

017um, and our long-term sub, Alina Taco, which we're happy to have. [snorts] I'm going to speak briefly about the elementary level. Um, you've heard from middle school, you've heard from high school, and the best part, the students, which is who we're all here to hear from, right? So, at the elementary level, we teach approximately 1500 students from preK to fifth grade. We rotate on a six-day cycle in our beautifully renovated art rooms, soon to be Union Pleasant as well. And our curriculums align with the New York State art standards and explore a wide range of media such as drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, fiber arts, and more. But what we are most proud of is instilling a love for art in students at such a young age. The art room is a studio space where

018we can encourage students to take risks, explore materials, practice collaboration, and self-expression. We continue to build a strong schoolwide art community through events and experiences like our fifth grade yearbook cover designs, art clubs where we build sets for our musicals, winter wonderland day at Armor, kindergarten handprints on the walls of Charlotte Avenue, fifth grade self-portraits at Boston Valley, funr run t-shirts designing at Union Pleasant. And all of these activities and more really highlight the student creativity and strengthen our bulldog pride. It is our goal to instill a creative confidence in students so they are encouraged to continue with art through all their years in Hamburg. Part of that confidence comes from the fact that every single elementary student participates in our district art show. Each student selects their own work of art to put on

019display and share with their families and the community. And if you've been, you know, the best part of the art show is watching the kids drag their families right up to their artwork. [laughter] And you know, right, they are beaming with pride and they're so excited and it's the best part of our job. So, speaking of pride, I am so proud to share our elementary students to share a couple words. And first, we have Charlie. >> Hi, my name is Charlie and I'm in fifth grade. For all six years at CAS, art has been one of my favorite subjects. It is important to me because art allows me to express myself and who I am. It helps me discover new about myself and others. Art is that small piece of school that I still get

020to be independent and do what I want to but in an organized way. That is what art has meant to me. >> Next we have Carmela. >> Art is important to me because it makes me emotions and Jacob. our elementary [applause] [snorts] get to hear from our high school folks. Michelle Cy, thanks the second time this year being able to talk to the board and some of our some of our newcomers, which is unbelievable. >> I just hung it up on the wall. >> Awesome. Awesome. Yeah, I was like, I think they need t-shirts. So, um, so we have our art teachers here, Jenelle. Um, and we have two students who I would like them to speak first because they've been waiting nervous all day, so we'll let them talk. Um, they are both from

021the um AP class. Um, but as Thomas is going to tell you, he will be our first graduate. So, yes. So, individual arts assessment pathway. My research was correct. Okay. All right. I just want to make sure. >> We're hoping that there's a seal that we can put on his diploma when he graduates. Um, so I will let them speak. >> High school. Art is important to me because art is a big creative outlet for me with my dyslexia. It helps me de-stress. It helps me de-stress because I am a visual visual storyteller and it lets me get out emotions that I'm feeling that I might not be able to put into wordsffected my life through grad school by giving me teachers who support and help me overcome my stresses and anxiety. I'm proud to

022be the first student to be graduating with the >> [applause] >> Um, I'm E and I want to go to school to be art education, go to art education. And in 8th grade, I feel like I didn't really have anything that I was very passionate about. So when I got put into studio art, it was the first time I really had something to do and that I wanted to do and that I thought realized that I was actually good at. So that was something that really put me out there. And then um it was just like all my all my art teachers, all my art classes. I feel like everything is very important to be offered to everybody that comes after me as well. [applause] [laughter] I will go a little a little bit into

023this. So I um from the district and um nice I have been able to um participate in the subject area committee meetings in Albany for the last this will be my third year. It's a threeyear commitment and we have brought so much work with [snorts] learned I've learned so much and brought so much back to the art department and I feel like that has been like our inspiration for the IAP and really getting going with it. So, we put together a little bit of a little bit of a slide, lots of words on there, but they're all in the packet and it really makes the connection between the portrait of the graduate and our New York State standards. It like this is what we So, as as an art department, we're super excited about this

024and we're super excited to get the rolling. Um, and we're we're hoping to be able to present more Thank you so much. [applause] >> Yes, absolutely. Thanks to to all of those who uh >> one more slide. >> Okay, one more slide. Sorry. >> Got to back off. I would be remiss to present my former students and current colleagues Katie and there you are. >> Go ahead. >> I have to go first. >> I saved her seat. >> She wanted to come back. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> I saved the seat like she's all good. >> Okay. I'm gonna try to get through this without getting emotional, but I can't make any promises. So, I'm sorry. Um, my journey, my career, and my passion for not only creating, but also teaching art are all rooted in

025this school district. As a kid, I struggled to find my way, lacked confidence, and never had a set group of friends. But the art room was different. It was the one place where I felt genuinely comfortable and confident, something I didn't experience anywhere else in the school. My art teachers became mentors who encouraged my creativity and supported me in ways that truly mattered in the art room. I could unapologetically be myself without fear of judgment. It became my safe space, the place I look forward to every day. Those experiences shaped my life in a profound way and ultimately inspired my career. I knew I wanted to be an art teacher as early as 8th grade. After high school, I followed that calling by pursuing art education, gaining experience in the private sector and eventually returning

026to my home district to pay it forward. Now, I strive to provide for my students the same safe space that once kept me grounded. A place where they can create, vent, explore, and express themselves freely. A place where the emphasis isn't on behaving perfectly, but on being authentic and feeling supported. I am endlessly grateful for the impact of the art department that the art department had on my life as a student and I hope every day I can offer my students the same sense of belonging, creativity, and acceptance. [applause] >> All right, close up [snorts] the show. Anyone who knows me knows that my child childhood was far from traditional. Poverty, instability, and the challenges of navigating my mother's mental health were constant parts of my life. After my parents divorced, my sister, mother, and

027I moved from place to place until we finally settled in Hamburg the summer before my eighth grade year. That transition was incredibly difficult, but something remarkable happened. My home room was placed in an art room. It became the first space where I felt safe enough to be myself at a time when I felt profoundly alone. My first true sense of belonging came from my art teachers, Mrs. Mosscato and Mrs. Tobin. They welcomed me, nurtured my creativity, and made me feel seen. In high school, I was fortunate enough to learn from Mrs. Romano, whose wit, honesty, and encouragement pushed me to explore more art classes. And that path eventually led me to Mrs. Cy's classroom. She was the first person who truly recognized not only my talent, but the person behind the art. She supported me

028through tears, through triumphs, and through the uncertainty that comes with growing up in difficult circumstances. She held me to a high standard because she believed I could reach it. It was in Michelle Cy's classroom that I realized the kind of teacher I wanted to be, one who sees the whole child, not just the student in front of me. When I graduated from college, I knew exactly where I wanted to teach. My goal from day one was to return to the Hamburg School District, the district that gave me stability, purpose, and the that I could build a future for myself. Incred incredibly grateful that I achieved that dream. Now, as a parent, that commitment has only deepened. It was a priority for me that my own children attend Hamburg schools because this community helped raise me.

029Even as my family searches for a new home currently, our goal is to keep our children in their current elementary school because of how deeply we value the district and everything it represents. Today, I'm fortunate to call many of my former teachers my colleagues, and I have the privilege of working alongside I genuinely believe are some of the most talented and dedicated art educators in Western New York. They continue to challenge me, inspire me, and support me in becoming the kind of educator I once desperately needed. The truth is, the Hamburg art department didn't just point me toward a career. It changed my entire life. Art class was a place where I learned to brea. It taught me confidence, resilience, self expression, and the understanding that creativity be a lifeline. That is the impact the

030art department had and that is the impact I strive to give back every single day. I am proud and will always be proud to be and truly it's a great day to be but to me it's more than a motto. It is a reminder of the teachers who saw me when I felt invisible of the power a caring educator holds and of the responsibility I now carry. My greatest hope is that my art room becomes for my students what it once was for me. refuge, a place of belonging, a space where they feel understood, valued, and capable. I want my classroom to be a home for the quiet kids, the creative kids, the anxious kids, the dreamers, ones who feel like they don't quite fit. I want every student to walk into my room and

031know, even if just for 40 minutes, that they matter. The Hamburg Art Department helped shape my identity at a time when I need it most, and continues to shape the teacher I strive. I know that the arts can [snorts] change a life, they change, and Because of that, every child who enters my classroom will be met with the same compassion, encouragement, and unwavering belief that once helped me find my way. The work we do in the art room reaches far beyond paint. Give students confidence, voice, belonging, and hope. And that's why we do matters. Thank you for allowing us to share our voices, our stories, and our experiences with you tonight. [applause] Thank you very much. I mean, the u the vulnerability that was just on display in these last two presentations, it's going to

032be tough to follow. >> Yeah. With that, shall we move into the next? >> Certainly. Yeah. And just a thank you to the to the folks of the art department, students and staff alike, just the the courage to come up there and share just how much it means. There's a nice connection between Unleash Your Greatness and what we just heard from the art department as well. and that flows directly into uh the uh the folks representing the building that's our host tonight. So uh I want to introduce to you uh John Crangle as principal of Hamburg High School and I know Molly Hy is going to come up as well [applause] and and we also have some uh some uh we have Colleen Collins and Cat Kery who will also be speaking at uh a

033point later and and a couple of our our great students as well. But uh thanks and we're looking forward to it and I imagine we're be hearing things like portrait pathway seals and then some other things that are the foundational piece of it as well. So thanks so much for for having us here tonight. >> Thank you for uh joining us at the high school and you're going to hear all those things and a little bit more. So uh with that said, it's important for us to recognize the achievements that our students have not just the academic achievements but the foundation the basis that creates that and that's what we really want to talk with you tonight about at our foundation. Who we are is exactly the connections relationships the belonging and through that organically

034and naturally good things will come. Hard to believe that this is my 20th year at Hamburg as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and over those two decades to be able to be a part of a a community and a school community that believes genuinely in our students what we do is a privilege that both and I get to live each and every day. I'd like to introduce to you our assistant principal talk a little bit about our building focus. that really does lay the groundwork what we do each and every day and what we're looking to do moving forward as well. >> Um so thank you for having us tonight and just to dig in a little bit more as what we do here at the school. Um what we're really passionate about is our

035building focus [laughter] >> sit up here [laughter] >> so the district vision really aligns with what we're doing here at the high school with creating care, solving, and discovering to guide everything we do to make sure that um we are keeping our students on track to become lifelong learners and future leaders. That's our goal here at the high school. Um, so we work on bringing the district vision and mission into the work that we're doing every day um through cultivating environments [snorts] um of inclusion that fosters students to think creatively, act with compassion, approach challenges with confidence, and explore curiosity with purpose through the work that they're doing in the classrooms. [snorts] These commitments align directly with our portrait of a graduate which defines the essential skills and mindsets of our students that they need

036to thrive in the ever changing world which we will to some of the work that we do um through the seal as well. Um together the district vision, our building focus is really working toward preparing our students for life beyond high school and how we can best support them while they're here so they learn those skills to be successful when they leave. >> And as Mal had mentioned, the six attributes that New York State is encouraging and almost now requiring high schools and districts do we already do here. We saw that with our young leaders. We saw that with our department, the faculty standing their office each and every day. And the six attributes include being academically prepared, being a creative innovator, an effective communicator, a global citizen, and future focused. I also have the

037privilege to serve as the co-president of the Western New York High School principles association in October high school principles met with 31 superintendent to really begin to unpack graduate plans not just for our region but specifically for our schools. We want to be proactive in our approach and to take advantage of not just the educational experiences but life experiences that we as a faculty have here at the high school. Mason was actually at her child's middle school concert across the street and I communication with our teachers that tap into what we have now for the future. With that said, one of the things that we are so used to high school is having diploma, not just our high school, but really all high school diploma diploma 2029th graders class33 arrives with that students be able

038to take pathways. additional endorsements, additional seals and addition. One of the things that we began to seals we weren't the first high school to do it. Certainly one of the early thought social studies department working the counseling center we already have here readiness for that along with the work done a really good job starting readiness year one students that apply to work on it last year students that are doing that now we say there's 52 students that are ready to do it so ideally We'll do that. explos So I get into this big. So what the seal is, it's a way to recognize students at New York State recognizing them. when they're graduating for the participation and their schools as well. So, it's a nice way for our students who are already really involved in

039their school community and many of our students are very involved in the community outside of school and recognizing the work that they're doing. Our students are not only working extremely hard when they're here throughout the day, but also after school. Whe sports and they have after school jobs. Some of them work here tonight as well. So they're doing a lot on you know the outside too as well. So it's a nice way to recognize them. Um so many of the students that are working toward the field um they can earn their points through course work that they're doing as well as the club work um you know outside of the classroom too. So most of our students are getting at least half of their points to the course they're doing here at the high school.

040They have to earn at least two points in civic knowledge and two points in civic participation for a total of six points between both sets of categories. The seniors that are working towards it based on their coursework and their performance in the course of or will have at least three points in civic knowledge by the time they graduate. And then the other points from the work they're doing whether it is through the elective courses that they're taking that are going above and beyond what they have to take the clubs that they're participating in their after school jobs and their volunteer work as well and it's also tying into some of the work they're doing in their classroom so for example participation in government Mr. does a great job of having the students work on a

041service learning project. Um, so that's something he's been doing along the way. Seal takes it to the next step. So students who are working for the seal have to do additional hours. So for the service learning project, I believe it's about earn. So I guess you might be wondering why is it important for our students. Um it really emphasizes the importance of a well-rounded student and the importance of being involved not only in your school but also in your community while taking on that role. Um it really puts the value to um part of what we want our students to do here is not only just students in the classroom but form those connections and a great way that kids in high school form their connections learn about what they're passionate about what they like

042to do is by doing the extras and doing the clubs extracurriculars doing the ways that students can earn points toward the field. So all of those things combined really just help students kind of come into their own and high school is one of those wonderful times in their life where kids are really starting to figure out who they are as a person and this is really helping them to get to that. So this year we have 52 students who are working toward this. So it has been absolutely just wonderful highlight during the day being able to work with those seniors and just kind of along the way that they're doing as well. Part of their work that they're doing for the seal is reflect. >> And with that said, it relates right back to what

043we just said maybe five minutes ago, right? We are in our demonstrating love for connections, relationships, caring graduates not just to be the next step that looks like it is to be better citizens and we have great academic remain. Half of last year's graduating seniors graduate with regen graduation rate is about 95%. Look at the senior regions results proficiency versus the New York City average. It's not even close. These are highlights academically but these highlights academically wouldn't exist unless students have talked about the importance of it. Students that do well hours organizations. Those 39 school 39 different school sponsorship clubs organizations success sustainability and not just sustainability. Yes, you're doing well, but even more importantly, students, everyone who also is a former student, right? She didn't see this slide, but she almost said that word

044for belonging leads to better experience. And we try to model character, try to model integrity, try to model caring, passion. And what better way to highlight students that choose to do this each day to make others feel welcome to make others want to be here to model those things. At this point, character club will introduce some of our students from character have practices for games for work and so forth not here right now but before I introduce them I just want to say that county did a phenomenal job for those that have been in the district a long time was almost Thanksgiving Thanksgiving drive had become a staple retirement of the advisorships known her since she was a sophomore class for absolutely amazing talk a little bit wonder our club really helps prepare students to

045be independent innovative problem solvers outside of the classroom which ultimately leads to We have two of our students here with us who are president and our secretary. So they do a lot of work. These are kids. Shadow people. Another thing I want to highlight questions just about what high school's like. to show ask you what inspired you to join. >> Question for you is talk about your experience with the shadow program. Just kidding. Yeah. So, my sister was a senior when I was a freshman and I just kind of graduated. I always saw you want to talk a little bit more. last year. And so that's one of our preparations. And then this year we had the drive on Monday. So we did our preparation on Friday. So we took all the bags and put

046all the food in there. Got that all separated, organized. And this year my mom went to Walmart as hy bags and how they I'm just gonna leave you with a few thoughts. I like to think we need students who represent HHS integity. Character club is one of the first groups we pull from and turn to. And I think that speaks volumes about the type of students that are involved and we would not be successful without their dedication. Character club really does support our building focus every day. members are super inclusive, collaborative, and really >> Thank you [applause] so much. >> Great job. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time and your continued support. Much appreciated. Thank you. >> Your team, thank you very much. >> [snorts] >> Okay, excellent presentations thus far. Um, so

047I think we will call up um Sean and Lewis, but I'll let Mr. Adams set the stage here. Sure enough. And uh first, you're totally right. We're moving to like the uh the the more the more capital uh part of the discussion here. And thanks for all of our previous presenters. But first, we're going to hear from Sean Fallon. He's what he's been presented to us. He's returner construction, great partner to us. He'll be talking to us uh about continued work and finishing work at the high school uh and probably previewing some of the Union Pleasant things. You'll see in the action items um that we've got three letters of recommendation um that are for um three three of the components within the capital project for phase four. But go ahead Sean, thanks for uh

048for spending the time and once you're wrapped up I'll I'll introduce Lewis with the building condition survey. >> Sounds good. Hi everybody. Um quick as usual I just want to touch on some of the report uh before we get photos we got in the presentation. So for phase two we we honestly are right there wrapping up the work. The only things left that are either contractual or change work would be taking this boiler room you see now where we just completed a brand new sanitary system under the slab and basically cleaning it up and doing an epoxy coated floor throughout that space in the pump room. That'll make it going to occur at that point outside all that kind of stuff. Commissioning is a big part of that. Still going right. Yeah. So really outside

049that you know we're closing out our last man as promised. Nothing else came up the last month. That was a potential $3 million value. So this is really what ourselves. 360 items. There's 63 of those. We are truly moving on towards phase four. has started here. So what you're looking at last week a lot less on some of the other ways they were getting storm water from that basement window and the platform outside the gym area above the boiler. That's where you used to have a big chimney going the roof [snorts] ticket all the way down storage. Nothing's really changed. Those final cost reports go to SED, right? >> Just real quick on the You're going to have more action item that has to do with phase four that'll happen next month. That'll be the

050telecommunications piece. Two from Danforth, one for mechanical, one for plumbing, and then you're going to have the uh parks for the playground. So, there'll be one more coming for the phase four. >> Yeah, phase four is one more nine contracts to Thanks, Sean. Thank you, Sean. Appreciate it. So, now we have Louis from Gordon Jones Architects. Uh Lewis has been uh with with us before and uh appreciate you being here. He's going to go over the BCS, which is the building uh building condition survey. This is the uh once every five years mandated uh and it's been wrapped up. He's got documents that have details upon details and give you an overview of it. You're certainly more than welcome to ask questions on on any of it, but it's not going to be like he's

051not going to get into like the granular mode with it quite yet unless unless that's necessary. Now, that next like that's the the BCS report that he's going to that Lewis is going to present is going to take us directly into discussions on pool and pools. So that'll be something that that we have together with that. But uh but Louis, set set the stage for us with with BCS. Thank you. >> You kind of did it already. [laughter] >> No, we've talked a bunch about kind of what the BCS means for the community. But I just want to take a second to recognize those art students because I was an art major in high school and middle school and to see that kind of impact out in the real world. like that's exactly why I

052because of being kind of the quoteunquote outcast student who didn't feel like he belonged and art always was that reflection. So I'm here because of teachers like that. So I just wanted to make a point to say that it was nice to see that still happening today. So um but thanks Mr. Adams, thanks board of education also. Um so what I'm going over today is and Brent made sure I keep a time limit here. >> [laughter] >> There's a lot of content like Mr. Adams said. So I'll be reviewing kind of the overarching view. You're going to see a lot of details in the actual presentation. So if the public wants to look at it, it's on the meeting minutes and also the board can reflect on it as well. Um [snorts] what we've been

053hired to do Gordon Jones as the active and current architects is to provide the building condition survey. Um and just quick agenda, I'll introduce myself again Associates. I'm the current project managing architect for the district. We'll review the building conditions ready go into the long range planning and also 2027 capital project and if there's any questions at the end I can answer plenty. That's me before I start shaking my head which is great. The stress level are sure. Um so what the building condition survey is is a detailed professional assessment of your school's conditions that has to get done every five years. Um it's more thorough than your annual annual visual inspections that get done and what it does is identify the deficiencies um throughout the district's uh facilities and we start talking about future

054projects that get developed from there. Um it's completed by a team of professionals. has to be done this way licensed architects and engineers and every year January 1st is the start date and it has to be completed fieldwork wise by December 31st which done in our case we've done the survey in the spring summer and all of 2025 we already put together a discussion with the facilities committee team which I'll get a couple minutes and it has to be submitted by March 1 to8 so over the next couple [snorts] months I will be submitting portal This is an visual of what actually happened. So, every architect has a different way of going about it, but what we've done is we've gone into every single room. We've surveyed every and documented every single space that exists

055from an architectural engineering standpoint. So, the district will be handed a thumb drive at some point and you will be able to look into every room, every finish, every engineering system and every condition that exists within each space. Additionally, we also look at the outside of the building. your site conditions, your roof. Um, and we essentially will identify any deficiencies that we see in reflection of the uh building condition survey instruments that get to the left. You're going to see the instrument survey form that we have to submit to the state for every single building. Um, those numbers are actually then followed through with the itemized codes that we want to make sure we track cost. What we have to do is submit in the instrument survey forms an actual estimate to SED telling them

056what we think it will cost to replace these items. This gets done for every building, every facility, organizational location, and we total out exactly what we think. That leads into what we call the long range fun. Every firm has a different way of going about it. But what we do is we meet with the facilities team, the board of education, uh facilities committee, superintendent, the school administration, other architects and engineers that are within our firm. Turner's construction management team is also part of that. Also the financial planners and any community stakeholders that might exist that district deems necessary for the certain work that they want to get into. Within that we have to create a categorization. So again, every firm is a little different. What we do is we mandate we create essentially five different

057categories code mandated things that are represented by New York state site reconstruction notions and that's important to identify because any site reconstruction work does not get through discussed that and then building reconstruction is fully so that's all components and then health and safety so we also look at accessibility and some health and indoor air quality component. So if we notice that a unit is 70 years old and needs to get replaced example at the high school that's something that shows and last but not least we also do district program that's a supplemental item that we like to add and what that's what that does is let the district identify components of their program that might not be sed requirements but something they want to provide cost example of that was the art elementary schools and

058that will be done at Pleasant. So bottom left that was done through the 2020 BCS and has now been completed in the capital project as well was just done at Armor and we're going to be addition work that we have going on. Then of course everyone know of the community essentially our work that we did in 2020 is now showing it dividends now. So on that note, while talking about priorities, um we create a priority list of things that um priority one being three years or less, priority two being two years or or three years or more and then also priority six years or more. That helps us uh create essentially an organizational list of when we feel that district items should be put into future projects. That also gets into the maximum cost allowance.

059It's important to understand what the maximum cost allowance is because each building has a certain set number of uh dollars it can spend within a fiveyear period. That fiveyear window is uh set on the commissioner's approval date which is essentially when we submit for permitting. So when project gets approved for permitting that's your start date for your window. So your maximum cost allowance will reset five years from that. Um these are really detailed examples but this is the amount of work that you kind of into this uh asset inventory management program that we put together based on the PCS. A little bit of enlarge detail there, but that 58.1 item as an example, that's the current staging area that we know we're going to paint out the next project meaning build ourselves out of it.

060We're currently calling it $2.3 million in the next capital project. That's something that we have have to be part of that if we want to build ourselves out of it. Otherwise, it would likely stay as unusable. So again, These are items that we've identified as components that need to be put into the next capital and these are conversations that we had facilities committee and also with the district administration. This is just showing the tracking that we do for the current capital project. So the work is not complete yet. So it's still our responsibility to identify those items as needing to be replaced and quantify. Now, we can cross these all out because they're things that we've done or will be doing rather. Why that's great is because it actually lets us keep track of what

061we've completed as a district. I'll provide community update if they ask for kind of tracking. And then this is just a summary of the different projects that we're envisioning and also the amounts that have been calculated. Again, these are rough estimates and when we start getting into the actual components and creating the project is when we would turn it over to our construction management partners. They would get finite number to put forth in the resolution. Speaking of resolutions, um so this is the 2027 capital project that we're going to be discussing. Now, um we've had some meetings. We've figured out what some of the goals are for the next capital project and not losing sight of what wasn't done or what we couldn't do in the past project, but also bringing forth some additional items

062that we know are a concern or things that we know that on that note, we got a couple things here. high school and middle school will be the main uh focus points for this capital project. At both schools, we're talking about art, art reconstruction, music reconstruction. Middle school will get technology reconstruction and then full reconstruction potentially at both locations as well as some site work. Again, middle school will be the multi-purpose field painting out that 58.1 item we discussed and also the parking and tennis court. We know that they're going to need support time here. So, there's three options that I'm presenting to you. And the reason I'm presenting them the way they are is there's a couple things. The maximum cost allowance allows for all three of these options, but also understanding that there

063are different needs for the community and we've actually met with a couple of the pool teachers and the pool instructors as to what they might be looking for. So, these these are representations of those ideas. Option A would be a fourlane code compliant pool. So it would have to turn from a four lane to an ADA access lane as opposed to a five lane pool which currently exist that is needed to bring everything up to code. When you start reconstruction in area an area with that much work, you have to bring everything up to code. The same thing would happen at the middle school. So essentially you have two pools at the middle school and high school. Each location would get one. You'd also have art and music reconstruction. So those are highlighted in the

064Yep. Sorry. Tech wing at the bottom middle school and then art wing would be on the right side. And then again highlighting that idea as well. So you'd have your four lane 88 and 88 compliant pool. The top left above the pool on the top right would be the art wing and then your music left by the These aren't fully designed. We're just highlighting the areas. Option B would be a six lane pool with an addition at the middle school and then we would reconstructed infill the high school pool for additional educational space. Still keeping into account the fact that we would have the art and uh technology wing reconstructed as well as potential growth for the music suite at the music area. And then we would still also do the art at the high

065school and music. And this is more of an enlarged plan of what the potential for six lane comp. What we try to do here is minimize the addition of number the addition amount that we do in square footage because any addition is typically unatable. So you have to pay for that in the site. What we've done in the past, we lobbyed to SED to essentially give us more aid as as much aid as possible and that's part of the preliminary submission process where we essentially sell them that the foundations really are all that we're putting in the addition space. So it's not necessarily teaching area, it's the teaching area that is in this existing square footage. So that's option B at the middle school. Option C it would be the eight lane pool ADA compliant

066that everybody's been discussing and big component for the community here. We've done a lot of different moving around of plans and spaces and we feel that this is the most viable option to reach that goal because you're maximizing the aid at that building. Also getting the actual footpint of the square footage area with art, music at the middle school as well. Still didn't fill the middle school yet. And um yeah, pretty close. And then also you would still have the 300 seating above it balcony area. We would reconstruct the locker room left of it as well as maybe a potential small toilet reconstructed area as well as a secondary entrance on that side. All that to say, this is the proposed schedule we have right now. So, we're at the stages of uh finishing up

067the VCS that'll be submitted to the portal in March of 26. We'll do our preliminary submission in 2026 for the 2027 capital project. um as well as our secret determination in July to hit the date of the public vote in October. All that is to tied to our maximum cost allowance reset date at the high school if option C is a choice that we want to go down. So those are our next steps. Looking at the presentation, what we would need is the board of education to provide direction to the AE team and the construction management team as to what they would like to submit for the preliminary submission. We begin the steps of public submission to SCD in winter 29. Public bidding in fall 29. Construction will start that fall and then we be

068completing the construction high school. All of that is tied to different areas which we know we high school a lot of content. So question start. So let's try to sort of summarize here. The most important item we need to discuss is the board's preference or the board's direction around the three pool configur configuration. Option one is we replace and repair the two pools that are that are in place now at the middle school and high school. Adding an ADA access lane and sprucing them up presumably, [snorts] right? Option two is a six lane pool at the middle school, >> which we could start in 2029 because that's effectively the >> you could start that in 202 >> 2028 because that's the >> reset >> the reset of the maximum cost. or an eight lane pool

069at the high school, >> correct? >> Which we'd have to start a year later, I believe, because their maximum cost allowances >> is March 13, 2020. >> So, who who has thoughts wants to start? My initial thought is that uh the cost of maintenance of two pools is a lot over a long term. So I am just looking at the problems that we've had with maintaining two pools over their lifetimes of generations that I am disincclined to have two pools going forward. If we can have a very nice pool either at either site, it seems like maintaining one very nice pool would help the district financially and still meet the requirements of the the students and the parents and the community. Like I think that would help us like that reduces the the choice from

070to for what it's worth. Um I think that would be a wise decision. So that is what I would throw out there. I mean it's taken me a while to get around it to it because thinking back what the original prospects were. I do like the idea of the high school pool that gets us what I know swim teams are really interested in that the eight lane pool I know is something that's was on the top of their list. Um so going through the middle school I mean it probably satisfies them maybe but doesn't really go that we're looking for. Um and I think that you'd have to tell me. I mean, just eyeball test, it looks like there's a little less additional square footage in the high school than there would be in the

071middle school. I realize, you know, we've discussed how you kind of try and build that out. Make sure that it's basically empty space. There's no mechanical, it's not a mechanical space. It's not classroom space. It's >> so in the detail, you might not see it here, but we actually put the deep pool intentionally existing. >> Okay. >> So that all the systems and existent high school has more maximum cost allowance to it as well. So while you are able to do the pool at the middle school within the MCAS the growth and the additional footprint can be offset by some of the capital reserves that been discussed but also some of the incidentals that are higher at this. So part of the preliminary submission process would be us doing the calcul to ensure that we

072hit the proper MCA. This is affordable, but also that you're not going over. So, point blank, the middle school has about 10 million less than >> wondering why why smaller at middle school. >> It's just it's based on student occupancy and also the teachable spaces. >> Okay. >> And then what you get into is doing those calculations as a whole. And the only time preliminary submissions are required is when we're doing additions like this or significantly reconstructing buildings. >> We never want to. >> I have a couple questions and I don't know if you can answer the first one. Um I know when we did the capital project and we went with the last one. Um there was a lot of talk about a certain number of lanes needed in order to be able to

073like rent it out for meats. Is it six or is it eight? So that one would allow us to host things but also potentially generate revenue by renting it out to different organizations who may want to do the same. >> And just to not to interrupt your your point, but another piece of that you take a look at the number of lanes we have now and you think of our continuing education programs which is a big users of our pools >> and you're in a better spot with eight than you are by going up six or the what really becomes a threelane pool at the high school because you got to die before. >> Okay. The second one and I don't know if you have the answers, but I know we were um at a

074meeting this earlier this school year and they were talking about how um there's a push to try and get New York State to give more for pool renovations, things to do with pools because of the community aspect of it. it's not just utilized by, you know, the [clears throat] school community, but it's really a community asset. Um, I don't know if you've heard anything about that. I mean, that was discussed at one of our ECASB legislative meetings, how there's a push to try and get New York State to give more to districts when they have pool reconstruction or pool um maintenance, high maintenance fees because it's not just a school asset, it's a community asset. >> Yeah. >> Any of those pushes we would have seen immediately. I haven't seen anything on this sorry's website.

075Okay. >> But if they something we would know about it pretty much day. >> We got to put that on our agenda. >> Yeah, we got to talk to New York State about pushing for that. >> Yeah, I mean unfortunately for to our knowledge it's based on so gyms and pools give get a certain amount of aid to them and they're standalone instructional spaces >> unlike a classroom which you can have let's say 15 classrooms. You get a ton of aid for those. >> Okay, >> they're not viewed the same way. So you have to be careful about how you go about it. Well, to your point though, if there's anything in legislation that might change or they're viewing on it, fortunately the timing would probably not line up because things tend to take >>

076longer to get to legislation and then have some kind of rectified accounting that would allow for that aid to be registered. probably in a position where realistically where that won't happen this >> and we know that this is something that and this goes to the MCA conversation if you don't use that money in that 5year window you're just wasting your dollars so we know that we have a lot of work to do still at these buildings pleasant so there's other conversations to be had but at the end of the day doing as much as possible within your borrowing amounts but also within the public financials is something that we want to make sure we understand the needs expressed. [snorts] >> Well, I know this was a big ticket item the last go around and there

077was a lot of disappointment when it ended up being pulled. Um, and I think the original plan was eight lanes because people were talking about the ability to be able to host meets. So I think if we're talking about what the community wants to see, the community wants to see a space where we have that ability. >> Can't say that we did have they were very excited about this option as well. Well, then I think that I don't know anything about swimming in pools, but swimming in pool people want this and it means a reduced like I'm more interested personally that is this maintainable >> is is the board in 50 years going to hate us? Like I you know what I mean? Like that to me is what is driving my decision is what

078is affordable, what makes most fiscal sense and what meets the needs of the community and that >> well and if we can generate revenue with That's what I mean >> versus having two that are just going to cost. >> That's that drives the decision to me. So that is what I would propose. >> Interesting time. Anybody? >> Yeah. >> What does this do with this option C as far as does that >> on the art and music wings? It would get you we would fit the >> I know they'd all fit in, but as as far as in a timeline, >> it would be done exactly at the same time as the police. >> Okay. >> And that would be tied to working with Turner's construction management team and figuring out what's going on, but

079at the end of the day, it would happen in construction at the same time. >> Okay. I don't know if that was something could be done as long as we can do it within the amount of maximum cost we know >> and it is a high priority item. Forgive me on this Tom, but like are you speaking of the art music at the middle school? Like >> I'm sorry. No, high school. >> Okay. You're saying I was thinking of the reset at 2028? >> Yeah, that's supplemental. >> All right. I don't want to get >> So for the for the I I guess I the roundabout way I was asking that was are we under that same constraint under on the the music and art updates in the high school that we have to wait

080till 29 to do that as well because we're already close to maxed out. >> We are maxed out at the high school based on what we just >> that's what we did. Okay. For this and it's it's unfortunate, but it's also a necessity to what we just did. So, >> that doesn't mean we couldn't do the work before that though. Yeah. >> And that's a conversation we can have another time, >> right? >> The reset does happen a year for prior, you could do the art and tech wing, >> potentially some of the music. I wouldn't recommend that just based on the fact that those two areas would be painted together. If you chose to go option C, you'd want to do the music and pool and fill in conjunction, which can't happen until after

081the high school pool's open. But you could do the art tech wing because you would have the MCAs available earlier. To be frank, you're going to have MCA sitting there for about four years, >> but that's like you said, it's >> to make it all fit in and you be able to maximize that space we're not reclaiming. We just need direction. >> So, so just a couple questions from my side. So, the cost difference, it's hard to quantify the actual sort of tax local taxpayer burden, but I mean, what what are we talking about an actual cost difference between a six lane pool? >> Yeah, I mean, we have the detailed report. Again, this is all this will eventually be cross reference with Turner's team, but so the high school eight lane would be roughly

08222.9 and this is all based on square footage cost. And then the middle school would be if we did the infill See? Yeah. >> So it's so it is significantly more expensive. >> You're looking for the distinction though as to what a six lane is, right? So it's an option versus >> option B's pool versus option C, >> right? So maybe I'm wrong, but I'm assuming the infill is a wash. >> Yes, the infill is wash, >> right? Either either you infill the high school or the middle school, >> you're looking at 16.2 >> versus 22, >> but that in just >> say total, correct me if I'm wrong, 16.2 at the middle school, you don't have much in the way [snorts] of MCAs left to play with, whereas you do with the 19 or

083the 22 at the high school, you have more MCAs because they're going to have a higher maximum costs. Correct. >> You have you have MCAs at the middle school at a certain level, 24 million. >> You have MCAs at the high school at a certain level, 34 million. >> You have a bigger pot of money to use for a bigger pool. They're they're they're >> unfortunate the MCA resets weren't flipped. Correct. But yes, >> I agree. >> Um and then just one other question. It sounds like the board's sort of leaning towards preferring the the eightlane pool at the high school. What what considerations have been given for what that would mean for the reconfiguration of the athletic fields? Like presumably we're we're we're moving that driveway back to the tennis court back to the

084tennis court area and then we're we're losing that what used to be the primary girls softball field which I guess now is practice field. Um, >> I don't know. It's not necessarily a cost question. It's more of a what would we do with the space? Like what happens there? >> It would be >> So, you can kind of see. >> Yeah. Like this drive right now. >> Yeah. So, you would end up re reclaiming some of the softball area to give you additional parking which is currently a necessity anyway because of the high use of the complex. So, we're talking about using this as additional parking space. >> Yeah. I mean, I I come by there in the summer and this field is getting a lot of use, too, right? There's lacrosse there. >> There's

085presumably we feel we could sort of make some space for the athletic needs. >> Yeah. If it's not like we don't use like everything right to the fences, right? So, presumably we just move this sort of stuff. And with the new lights and stuff over across the street, those spaces are going to be used. >> Oh, yeah. >> Right. And if we get that multi-purpose field, >> that's where you might need for that. >> All right. Well, I mean it unless anybody has a Yeah, it sounds like [laughter] >> by next week. >> Yeah, magically. >> You'd be surprised how thank you um John and Lewis for for that. Um as usual, no one would uh begrudge you if you felt like You need to leave. >> You needed that permission. You have it. Um

086>> right now, >> we're going to report to Brent. You did a good job. Right on. >> So, with that, we'll move into uh section >> E of our agenda. Um board briefings, [snorts] uh those speak for themselves. That was the notes from our last meeting. Uh future board of education meetings, we have uh January 13th will be at at Boston Valley. Uh E4, we have meetings and workshops. I'll I'll pause here a second um because I believe Mary was interested in attending one of these. We have correct me if I'm wrong. I think lobby day is the one in Albany and Capitol Day is the one capital conference is the one in DC. Is that right? >> Albany day. Yeah, you're talking the other way around county. >> Lobby Day is in in Albany.

087Yeah. >> Lobby Day is Albany. Okay. You're going to go >> I would like to go. You should both go. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> What's the I mean, I think you'd be most effective partnered up with the the NISSBA or the ECASB group rather than going solo. >> Yes. >> Is there a Do you know about that or >> I don't know about that. >> When we were at um the dessert forum, we um Jane had mentioned it and I told Jane that Hamburg was going to go and she was super excited um and she said information will be coming out. >> So, yeah, they will put something together. >> Oh, yeah. and they make the appointments. They make the appointments with the legislators >> and and you kind of split up if it's a

088large group or they all go together. Yeah. >> You know, but I think it without a doubt you should vote. >> Yeah. >> I don't think Washington is as important as going to >> you know >> Washington sort of like screaming at a wall. >> Yeah. All right. So, I think that's I'm good with that. Um the other the other item there was the online microlearning which again I would encourage everyone to check out. There's some good stuff there. Um budget transfers just theformational under 25K. I think we had about 15 17,000 worth of transfers there. Uh and then board committee and individual reports. So last meeting I started here. So I'll start with Jess. >> So it was a short month. Um none of my committees or any of my groups had meetings. Um,

089so the couple things I'll talk about, one is, uh, PTSA. Um, we are still working towards our membership goal and we're getting closer every day, but they are selling, um, Hamburg blankets. They have a really great one with the Hamburg H logo, brand new design. Um, they're in stock, so they're available for Christmas. If you wanted one, I know they're available on the memberhub site. Um, I also know that Hamburg High School PTSA, they are now selling flags. So, if you ever wanted a Hamburg flag for outside of your house, they can help you with that. Um, I don't know how to order those, but if you reach out to the high school, um, Liz Houston, I'm sure she can help you. She is amazing and does everything. Um, so that's exciting. And then one

090other thing I really want to highlight. So, um, not everybody knows that the PTSA is the group that handles picture day. So, we coordinate for the buildings and we went with a new picture company this year, Upstate Images. Um, we had a lot of good feedback about the quality and the photographers. Ordering process might not have been the most user friendly, but um, we uh, get commissions on our picture day um, orders and for the last several years, they've been much lower. And we went with a new company and we have more than double for each of our buildings. So, our buildings without any additional sales or anything like that, um, they had higher commissions. So that means more money going back into programming and miniig grants and things at the building level which I

091think is great. So um kudos to Upstate Images for job well done with picture day. Um and yeah I look forward to seeing what the PTSA at each building does with their their payments. >> Thanks Jess. >> Um I missed last uh board meeting because I was on vacation at Disneyland and it was great. Uh [laughter] I did try [snorts] watching it because I was in the Uber. Um but it got cut off because we actually arrived and Disneyland took a priority. Sorry guys. Uh so uh just uh events that I attended since the last time I was here. I attended the ECASB dessert forum with Jess. And Jess uh just a shout out to Jess is magnificent with politicians um in a way that I can only aspire to be because I just I

092thought we made a really good team. I didn't do. That's why we have to go to Alb. >> Yeah, I I She's very good at talking to people that she disagrees that I disagree with. Um, so thanks for being my wing, man. >> That was great. >> Um, but we made friends, which was incredible. Uh, went to the career fair. I know you all already talked about this, but I went to the career fair at the middle school and it was amazing. I talked to Bosey's representatives and the person that uh, does forensic analysis and I asked her many questions even though that was not what I was there for. Um, I talked to Tom Adams about the transportation contract, and that contract is very long and very interesting. Um, and we went to school

093visit at Charlotte Avenue during Steam Day, which was incredible and moving, and I got to see for myself how everybody is in fact doing this just nonstop. Uh, so it's not just my son. And, um, I have been having online conversations with Cam and Laura regarding superintendent evaluations. super disappointed with the inflexibility of super eval. I thought we had more flexibility with it, but we're making it work and I'll let you talk more about it. Um, as we sort of allude alluded to today, um, I'd really like to attend the, uh, NISL lobby day in Albany and I think we're going to make that happen. Um, just that was it was so much fun to do it uh, at the dessert forum and talking to all the representatives was really illuminating. So, want to get

094that happening. I just need [snorts] to know like how to do it. If it sounds like there are there is a way to do that where I'm not personally paying for it, which I mean if I had to personally pay for it. >> Randy will figure it all out. >> Ry's apparently gonna figure it all out for me. Sorry, Brandy. >> And thank you, Brandy. Um, and also I'm I feel like I'm gonna let Laura do this also, but Parent Child Connection is having a fundraiser. Um, do you want to talk about that? >> Okay. I don't want to take I don't want to do all the talking, but uh if you would like to possibly win a gift card basket raffle uh with over $300 in value uh for gift cards from Brunners and

095JP Fitzgeralds and Bray Millers and Molly and Kate and Maine and Downing and Dairy Queen and all sorts of other local businesses, you should participate in that fundraiser raffle. It is $10 a ticket for entry and it's great. And if you have any questions, you can talk to I mean, you need to talk to me, I guess, and I'll send it to the right place, but you should do that because parent child connection needs the money and you need $300 worth of gift gift cards. Um, so the only thing action items for the board is if we do go to Albany, what should we lobby uh or what do you think are things that we should lobby for? >> Yes, Dave. >> More money. >> Yes. Thank you. Good. Uh, if you would like to

096be more specific, >> change that formula and get us more money. >> All right. Write that down for me. >> Okay. >> And then I'll say Dave said this, >> right? >> And then I'll go, "Yeah, him again." Uh, [laughter] >> but no, in all seriousness, um, I'm I'm, you know, going to be super gung-ho on things like funding transportation mandates and, um, funding what did I have here? Special education. But I'm also obviously going to follow the playbooks of Erie County. But if y'all are thinking about what is it that Hamburg really needs, do tell us so that we can do a good job. >> And that is my report. >> Foundation. >> Yeah. >> Um I don't have any communities that have met. We have a finance committee coming up this week. One

097thing I have is um the nominating committee um that I'm on um that David facilitates with county school board association and um some area school board members met. We met virtually to talk about um the various awards that they give out in the spring and how to go about um nominating people for them. Um and then I do want to give um a shout out to from the middle school and Tom for putting me in touch with that Rene Jones who spoke at Hamburg Middle School um last year and has the kindness academy my school's going to be able to partner um with her so I'm grateful that you got us in touch and steam day was really nice at Charlotte Avenue to see all that excitement in the hallways with the kids and Um,

098not a lot. You know, did you see in the uh the New York State School Board uh newspaper um that uh the SED is looking at making climate change u mandatory, you know, as uh so that would be I think very interesting. I think that's something they should do as long as again it's not an unfunded mandate. But uh I I just thought it was an interesting article. They're a little vague on how they're going to do it. >> What do you mean by that? Can you elaborate? >> They were Well, they want to make a curriculum on climate change. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. You know, and so I think that's something that uh our students, you know, are active. >> You you heard that too, right? >> Are already involved in. And I

099just think it's a good idea. Also in the Buffalo News, the Williamsville School Board, the second largest school in this district, >> we don't need to talk about >> looking to get paid >> and uh >> no article. >> Yes, it was an article in the Buffalo News. [snorts] So, I was just, you know, I thought that was interesting, you know, maybe, you know, I could get back pay or something. >> You look, [laughter] >> all right, I'm not I don't think that's going to happen, you know. So, so, uh, but I was at the, uh, Ule time in the country. You see the Hammer Middle School's woodworking class, um, you know, booth. I bought a, uh, >> cutting board. >> The cutting board and, uh, been eyeing those cutting. >> Yes, I am. >>

100Yeah, they are. They're really heavy, too. >> I want one. So, yeah, I'm I use I'm going to use it as a gift. But they did what a great job they did. And uh for me um I you know [laughter] it was exciting. It was good to see the you know our students there and everything else. I've never been to one of those u time in the country before. So >> it's an experience. >> Yeah it's it's quite the experience. Yeah. So I got senior discount. So uh so [laughter] it wasn't as bad as I thought. You know I found them and then I just left. But yeah it was it was interesting. So it was very nice. So that's that's all I got. >> I always look forward to your reports. >> Makes it

101difficult to go after you. Uh much like everybody else, uh we're we're close from our last meeting. Uh no PTSA. Uh I have my my hit list to talk about your u the gift card raffle, but you've already covered that. So sorry. >> Thank you. Steam day was great. You know, it's near and dear to my heart. Um just because my child lives there, too. She's very excited about it. But to watch the teachers put in as much work as they do and to watch the community come together to always choose like a a meaningful organization like I I really like going there. I'm so glad we could all go to see that happen. Um, finance meets tomorrow. No, not tomorrow. >> Thursday. [laughter] >> And I wanted to just say I was so glad

102we got the art update. Um, art's a really great thing. I appreciate my daughter having access to that in elementary school. She is not a great artist yet. [laughter] Not yet, but she is working on it. the fact that she loves going every single week and it's something she looks forward to because we often look forward to certain things about school like the art space and going and again I don't anticipate any art awards in our future but um she loves it so much despite not being the student that would necessarily have significant success in the room that the experience itself is so meaningful so I think that's super valuable >> art is subjective [snorts] I'll hang it in my house. Send it over. [laughter] >> You just steam my walls. >> I Oh, I

103keep them all. I just >> got to send it over. >> I know you do. >> Going up. >> I had the kid that complained about when you had to do art for another project for like social studies or something. >> I get great on art. Kids work. >> I [laughter] I got one of those, too. >> Mine's an athlete, not that they're two are mutually exclusive, but her her skills show them themselves elsewhere. You good? >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, so my update, the Hamburg IDA, um, not a ton going on. We have some upcoming projects. We have some mixeduse buildings going on on Rogers. A lot of industrial projects up on like the Jeffrey Boulevard area. So, not unusual. A lot of a lot of the activity is in frontier

104schools, but still in that part. So, I thought I'd give a brief update there. Thanks to Miss Mrs. Lango for for a great uh great building visit at Charlotte that's been well covered. Uh Ice meeting tomorrow not a ton that's pertinent here. Um and the AOF so on finance academy there Miss Lawrence is doing an interesting thing this year where she's actually bringing in some of the board members to discuss sort of business specific objectives and topics presenting to the students. So, I'm happy that I'm participating in that this year, sort of giving them some insight into some business professionalism type of of topics. So, I'm excited about that. Uh, and then Mary touched briefly on the superintendent evaluation. So, I had mentioned this last month. Um, the the tool is a bit wanting. We

105couldn't really customize it the way we had hoped. Um but we did discuss over email uh the three of us about pairing back some of those um subcategories that we evaluate Mr. Adams or the superintendent in general against. So I think we have a consensus. Uh I'll share it with the with Mr. Adams and then we'll assuming you're in agreement with it. We'll sort of work towards um the way the process works just to remind everybody is Mr. Adams sort of gives his commentary on how performing in each of the areas as a self-evaluation. Give him a few weeks for that. Uh the board then provides their commentary and their feedback to Mr. Adams uh either in agreement or constructively uh around uh his performance and then we present that back to him as a

106shared document. U in the case of a mid-year review, it's a little less formal where we'll just kind of do that and then it backs up to a uh to become an annual review. So basically what we do this point is like a halfway But what we input in the in the in the process now becomes part of the final review. So we'll move that along. I'll prompt everybody with, you know, we'll have a few weeks to sort of do our midyear evaluation. U so I would expect that we'd have that report either January or February. We'll back that up towards your your final review which I I think would happen in June. So that's it for me. Um, so I guess with that we'll move to section [laughter] F and the report from Mr.

107Adams. >> Sure. Thanks. Thanks for all the the work that has been done tonight is a lot of what that's board's personship uh I suppose saying boardsmanship uh that uh in in its essence from from hearing about safety uh and uh district safety plans to hearing about plans for um use of use of funds and capital [snorts] updates and and about the about what's happening in our schools and and department. So, uh I just want to thank members of the board for your uh for the work uh that's so necessary to doing uh to doing my work. Um the leading that you do is sole purpose of making the experience of our students better. Um and there might be question about what that looks like uh in various situations, but the focus on our kids

108absolutely unites us. I think we've seen that here tonight as well. Um, since we've last met, we've had Thanksgiving and with it all sorts of initiatives uh and drives that help others. One of the most evident we heard about already with the character club uh and their Thanksgiving drive, but there's plenty of other examples. Uh, you talked about Steam Day, you mentioned Sophia the Fierce, just a great great um recipient of uh of Charlotte Avenue's generosity there. Um, and each building has their own. and our faculty actually took on uh uh again the Polar Plunge uh to help uh to help fund Special Olympics uh the toy drive led by the junior class. They're still taking donations, the family adoptions um that have gone on by some specific groups. Uh and one that I was

109uh I I was close to because of the proximity of our offices back when I was at the middle school, but Kelly Malvi uh at the middle school does a wonderful job of leading leading a holiday drive that uh that helps out just so many. Um this is the caring that we talk about has create care, solve and discover uh is is spoken of so much but it really does live. Um the present presentations that we've heard uh today uh that are going to help us in the pursuit of the goals that you decided on and agreed upon in August uh getting that fuller picture of what uh the conclusion of phase two and phase four for the discover 21 project. And now we're seeing um and having that discussion about the pool as well.

110Um that is uh and in the area of arts getting that comprehensive look K through 12. Um that means a ton to be able to hear that. I think all of us were at various points smiling and feeling um the emotions that were shared by uh the pride in our kids but also in the in the staff as well. Uh as many of you know our elementary schools have had half days. Uh that brings with it uh childhood jubilation and parental rescheduling of all sorts of things. Um and uh and and just to to see the the amount of folks who are uh who work their schedules to meet late with parents who can arrive. I saw that on Thursday night with a concert at uh at Charlotte as as parent conferences were wrapping up

111there. Uh and we'll certainly see more with with more uh with with another half day coming on Friday. Um that's true true in all of our schools. Um I want to highlight a couple things. I went to the bowling match yesterday. Uh it's great just David Rita doing his work there. just being able to uh uh parents being able to to cheer on their kids and uh just covering just the the broad spectrum of kids that we have uh in our schools. Just a tremendous program. Girls wrestling is off to a great start. That's that combined. They're practicing over at Orchard Park. And we've got our former former head wrestling coach Ken Schmidz who's a volunteer who served Hamburg's represented there. I also wanted to mention Jacob Rzudo who I don't know. Uh he went

112to a different can you imagine middle school. Uh and uh but uh but he is going to be competing. He's part of Patward's esports club and I have my little information on him right over here. Uh Jacob Rzudo, ninth grader, is going to be playing in the Eastern Region NFL Madden Finals on Thursday at 4 o'clock. That's going to be right here in the high school. If you're interested in coming and watching that, let me know and we can uh we can arrange for uh we can arrange for access. Mary, I had a sense that you'd be looking in my direction on that. So, if you can make that happen, let me know. We'll uh we'll I'll I'll meet you at the uh at the front [snorts] doors and we'll we'll try to be a

113spectator for a little bit. Uh want to thank the Hamburg Alumni Foundation for their generosity. You may have seen recently they suppressed a million dollars in fundraising for for support for our kids. Very soon we'll be selecting the uh be part of a committee that gets to select the alumni grants that they give out twice a year. Uh last week just as a as something to share, last week I I attended an open [snorts] house for workforce development that Erie Wosis has. This is a program that has existed. This is these are classes for this is post high school, but we need and we need to continue to think about what our kids next steps are. And a lot of kids has those next steps all laid out for themselves probably by the time they're

114in second grade. Uh but many don't. And this is just a tremendous uh program. There is there's there's programming for for GED. There's programming for ESL, but there's also all sorts of vocational uh highly skilled uh trades less than a [clears throat] year uh at a price point that's not college level price point. I've got the pamphlet here if you're interested. It just I I just wanted to to share that. Um it was just a really compelling thing. I I walked into one class and it was a gentleman who teaches during the school day at Potter Road. He works with some of our kids uh in in HVAC and uh there were 10 10 or 12 adult learners but you could see just recently post high school and so he does five days a week

115Monday through Friday during the day and then does a couple nights uh and the kids are getting their train there [laughter] who didn't get it during high school. It's just like there's good stuff abounding and it was just one of those things I didn't I didn't think like I was like am I going to come in here and be walking away like more energized and I was absolutely more energized by seeing what is offered and what our kids can experience as well. Uh finally, last thing I want I wanted to share um recent uh recent uh administrative uh council meeting that we had uh we had a speaker named Katarina Schlig who's from the Western New York Compassion Connection talk to us about uh well it's about grief uh and that was something that Colleen

116helped set us [snorts] up um with and uh she spoke to us about uh was like a statistic was really like alarming to me was that like grief is the grief and loss one is the is the top reason for students to not have success in school. Like that was like just like it it it it [snorts] hit me. I I'm sure maybe I've read that before and it didn't resonate. But to to hear it in that setting with the group of leaders that we have uh [snorts] it and the idea of what are we doing to help support those students who are going through through that through those losses in life, you know, what happens after what happens after the funeral, you know, what's the wording that we use? How do we how do

117we support that? And there are things that we're doing. This is one of those things like uh like Mr. Crangle was saying like, you know, they you put out this challenge of what are we going to do? Well, there's things that happen already here that are really good with that, but it put a it it it made us as a group, I think it it it uh challenges us to do more um with regard to it. So, that'll be the work that we then bring to our elementary admin uh council meetings and secondary ad and it'll become the work of our schools as well. Um but uh with that, just know strategic planning is in the works. I can tell you more about that via via email and such, but uh but thanks thanks for

118your patience. I know it was a little bit of a longer one, but uh thanks for all your all your work, too. And thanks, Brandy, for the idea of should we get something for the board tonight [laughter] and and there before you is the point set. So, I I can't I can't claim creative control on that other than being a uh Yeah, we should. I wonder how that's going to go. [laughter] And then I showed up here and there's poinsettas here. So, I'm uh I'm I'm blessed to work with Brandy and all of you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Tom. Thank you fellow. >> All right. Now, let's get to business. Uh, so items G and H at this time, any board member can make a request to withdraw a specific item from the consent

119agenda for individual consideration. Is there any such request? Hearing none. Can I have a motion to approve all consent items G2 through H4? Moved >> by Laura. Second. >> Second by Tom. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> All opposed? Motion passes. We'll move to item section I rather I one. Can I have a motion to approve updated salary schedules for part-time and substitute personnel for 202526 school year? >> Moved by Ashley. >> Second by Jess. Any discussion? That's competitive. I take it. And that's the >> Yes. The only thing that changed is that we added a retired computer a substitute. And yes, it's >> all right. All in favor? >> All opposed? Motion passes. H2, [clears throat] transportation. Sorry, I too, Transportation Contract. Can I have a motion to approve a transportation contract with

120Student Transportation of America for the 202526 school year? So, it's moved by Tom, second by Laura. Any discussion? >> I was just curious what >> Yeah. So, a very indiv ualize transportation we still have for for an >> individ asked you like do we know anymore if like do we you had mentioned you don't know if this is going to continue the >> we're not we're not sure it is it's being responsive to the needs that have come up like it's you know it's something that certainly could remain for the year but it's all about what what the I don't want to get too much into into the weeds on that in terms of an individual student. >> So my followup question to that is in the event that the students would need like we

121anticipate this continuing into the into next year. Is this something that we would do? Did we go to this particular company for a particular reason? like did we vet them or was just like we had to do something so we just >> My quick answer is they could do it and it's like and that's not I don't I don't mean to be snarky like with that but not at all they could do it. Fischer was like listen we can't right now there might come a time when Fiser is able to get another driver who is able to do it but right now this was and and I want to credit Christine's office for for the work that they did in making sure that this could happen. All right, this is working in conjunction with other

122departments as well. But I want to >> totally >> I'll I'll I'll state that department. >> Totally. Right. And so that would be my question is at what point do we >> this this feels very much like we got to do it and like I'm fine with that. What like if we decide that this needs to continue for next year? Do you anticipate us including that into like an RFP? Is that become like its own thing? Like >> can I answer that? >> Yeah. Oh, [laughter] jump. >> So, you can only do an emergency contract up to $20,000. It would have to be bid >> that. Yes, that's kind of what my question is. >> But we needed this done ASAP. And >> I reached out to I think four other transportation providers and they

123could do it. >> Awesome. Just curious. >> And actually, they've been great. >> Oh, they have a hub nearby. >> It's not that far. It's Chikawaga. It's not that far. All right. >> That's what I was curious about is just [clears throat] the You know what? Honestly, I was less curious about the students and more curious about like >> them. >> Yep. Understood. >> Okay. >> Good question. >> Any other questions on this one? >> All in favor? >> I. >> All opposed? Motion passes. I three. Can I have a motion to approve the intermunicipal agreement with North Collins Central School District for 202526 school year >> by Laura? >> Second by >> me curious about this >> very specifics. >> All in favor? >> All opposed? Motion passes. I4 PTSA committee reps. Can I

124have a motion to approve the PTSA committee representatives for the 202526 school year? >> By Ashley. >> Second by Jess. Discussion. All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion passes. I five. Capital project bids. Can I have a motion to approve the letter of recommendation of Turner Construction on the reconstruction work for the 21 capital project phase 4 plumbing trades contract BP 402 awarding the bid to John W. Danforth company totaling $1,492,200 by Tom >> second by Ashley. Any discussion? All in favor? >> All opposed? Motion passes. I six. Can I have a motion to approve letter of recommendation of turn of construction on the reconstruction work of the 21 capital project phase 4 mechanical trades contract BP 403 awarding the bid to JW Danforth totaling 2334,292 by Laura second >> second by Mary any discussion all

125in favor >> all opposed motion passes and item I7 can I have a motion to approve letter of recommendation turn of construction on the reconstruction work for the 21 capital project phase 4 playground contract BP 407 awarding the bid to landscape structures totaling $557,18784.77 cents moved >> by Ashley >> second by Jess any discussion on this one >> I have a question um is sorry [clears throat] is this uh you had I had asked about this earlier is this um only resurfacing or are we getting the new is this for >> this is this is focused on the resurfacing That's it, >> right? This is the There's That's the That's my understanding of it right now. This is where I'm like like if Brent was here, I'd be like, "Right." Uh but but that's like

126it's right. Okay. All right. I [laughter] don't want to I don't I don't want to deny the fact that you know these things too, but I also didn't want to be I know you've got your hands full. >> That's a good I know. >> Um >> so yeah, like the reservicing getting that as like getting some equity along those lines with it was important. >> Got it. if we had any followup question like any follow-up questions about the resurfacing materials like is that set in stone done um or like I could >> I don't believe so I don't I don't think it's >> okay it would be the same service that's over there >> I side note just have some questions about it but I >> sure we can just like >> throw that away

127question but I didn't want to say yes until like I >> great okay thanks Any other questions? All in favor? >> I. >> All opposed? Motion passes. Public expression. Nobody has signed up for public expression. So, seeing no further business, can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> Moved by Jess, second by Tom. All in favor? >> All opposed? We are at