BOE Meeting 2/10/26

001I need a motion to approve the minutes of the regular board of education meeting of 23 2026. John Anthony. All those in favor? Okay, that's everyone. >> Dr. Farrell. Okay, good evening everyone. It's good to see all of you, especially our Santa Pacars that are in the room. Um, thank you again for joining us tonight. We have four comprehensive, informative presentations scheduled for tonight. As such, I will um defer and pivot to Miss Goble to give her statements and then we will jump right into our presentations. Good evening everyone. Um, this week my report is on South Bay Elementary School. I visited South Bay on January 29th and I got the chance to sit in on theiru student council meeting run by Mrs. Russo. The student council of the fifth grade students was searching for

002quotes about kindness to read on the announcements in preparation for their kindness week taking place this week, February 9th to 13th. In addition, the student council sent out thoughtful ideas of ways to spread kindness through the school to help promote the week of kindness. These crafts include thank you notes to teachers or staff members, rock templates with inspirational quotes to post around the school, and a kindness chain where each student wrote a positive message on their own link which got stapled in a chain to be displayed in the school to be displayed in the school. Sorry. The members of the student council were overjoyed to get the week started and spread kindness through their school. >> Awesome. I think the high school has uh plans for PS I Love You coming up too. always love

003walking around and seeing all the messages and the hearts on the clockers. Awesome. Thank you. Okay, so at this point I would like to invite Mrs. Carreri to come up to one of the microphones and of course bring with her her little learning ambassadors to present to our board of education. We are a friendly bunch. There we go. Perfect. Click this one on. >> Um, so first let me just say I may be the principal but these are the leaders of Santa Elementary here tonight. Um, we have something called the buddy program that we run through recess. So this is really a brainchild that we just started this year that branched off from that buddy program. It's usually done during recess um and more about playing. Um and these students really came to us at

004our SPT meeting and wanted to expand it and do more than just play. They wanted to make crafts, spend time, read books with some of our gardeners. Um so I'm going to get started and introduce some of them and they have a little bit to say about what they've been doing. Um they came up with the name Little Learning Ambassadors. We call it L for short. Okay. Santa, whatever we need. >> Um And also too, we have one of our kindergarters here from our 812 program that we're super excited that enjoys the program as well. So, he's here to show you a craft um that we are >> fifth graders. >> Let me introduce everybody first. >> I want to make sure you all get your due. This is your big time here. So, I

005want to make sure you all get your due. So, some of our fifth graders, Miss Mia Delasio, Mr. Dylan Contr Ariana Kunai Olivia Connor Kip, Chelsea Bennett, and our little kindergarter, Luka Crannle. >> Hi. >> I also want to introduce Miss Z, who is our teacher in the 812 program. Um, and this is Miss Sell, who is our behaviorist, who worked with our fifth graders to make sure that they were trained and properly ready um to really go in there and do things with the little ones. Okay. All right. >> Fifth fifth grade leaders plus kindergarten buddies, read together, create crafts, help and mentor, build friendships. Little Learning Ambassadors is a program where we as fifth graders get to visit kindergarten classrooms once a month. We read with the students, help them with activities and

006crafts, and act as positive role models. It gives us a chance to be leaders and helps the younger students feel more comfortable and excited about learning. >> Why it matters? Builds leadership, teaches responsibility, supports younger students, strengthens our school community. This program is important because it helps grow as leaders. We learn how to be patient, responsible, and supportive. The kindergarten students get extra help with reading and feel proud of having a big kid big kid buddy. It brings our whole school together and it makes everyone feel connected. Leader training. Before visiting kindergarten, we learned how to be patient, show kindness, help younger students learn, and be positive role models. Before we started working with our kindergarten buddies, we participated in a training to help us prepare. We learned how to be patient, how to show

007kindness, and how to support younger students in a positive way. The training helped us understand that being a leader means setting a good example, and making sure everyone feels safe, included, and supported. >> What we love most, we love making new friends, helping others learn, seeing our buddies smile, and being role models. Our favorite part is building relationships with our buddies. We love seeing their excitement when we come to visit. It feels good knowing we're helping them grow and learn. Little Learning Ambassadors has made us more confident and proud to represent our school. Thank you for supporting this program. And then here, you want to show your craft? One of the crafts that we made together when they came in. made a positive affirmation jar. >> Can I see? >> You want to go show?

008>> Let me see. Come here. >> I love it. That's awesome. Can you show my friends over here? >> Yeah. Dr. Neville wants to see it over there, too. I am so proud of all of you. I mean, could everyone give our ambassadors a huge round of applause here? >> Definitely. Definitely the I mean true leaders in your building. Absolutely. Miss >> and really just they're great. I mean it you know this really all came from them as a branch. So we had just started itum only been, you know, once a month that we've been able to do it. Um, when we celebrated Global Play Day, they came to me and said, "We want to add more to Global Play Day." So, they went in again. Um, and they've really been just doing so wonderfully

009these kindergarters and they go into all the four classes. So, they really do. So, what's the best part? >> What do you enjoy the most? >> Playing with the kindergarters. I know that's my happy place. When I want to hide somewhere, I go into the kindergarten class. If I could, I would love to on behalf of our team here present a little, a little certificate of appreciation for you being here and for you teaching us, right, about everything that you're doing at Santa as little ambassadors. I mean, this is only the beginning. >> Only the beginning. Definitely, you guys started this off and now you're going to have other leaders, right? Continue in your footsteps, right? And continue to grow this wonderful program. Awesome. Awesome. By the way, next time that they're visiting kindergarters, can

010you guys invite me? the date of our group. Is that okay? All right. Dylan Ariana, Olivia, Conor. All right. And Chelsea. All right, scooch. All right, let's get some pictures first of them and then I definitely want >> All right, come on. You got to thank Mola for being here supporting our students tonight along with Mrs. and of course all of our amazing parents and guardians in the audience. So, thank you for sharing your little ones with us. Great job everyone. Yes. >> Yes. Dr. Wright, is your presentation going to be equally as exciting? I mean, >> it is. It is. It is. It is. It definitely is. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Has. live mic. >> There we go. >> Testing. Testing. >> All right. >> Perfect. Good evening everyone. Um, hard act to

011follow, but I would try to stay the same energy and part of the course. Uh, my name is Dr. Leonard Wright the third. I am the director of K through2 student data and IT and I am here to present um the instructional technology service midyear report. First and foremost, this is a breakdown of my current department which comprised of eight individuals including myself. Um we also have um six support technicians four uh which we contract through Boseis and two in house. Um this is the team. First I want to go over a department overview where you know we have constructed my department to serve in four separate capacities. Um even though each of these capacities could be looked at separately I think as together they serve as a cohesive unit. We have instruction security data

012management support services and instructional curriculum framework. First let's start with the infrastructure and security. Of course, we're talking about um our network defenses um you know our connectivity whether it be through internet and devices pretty much all the backend cyber security modes for our department. It's fine. No worries. Connectivity is very important guys. There we go. So, data management, a very key component. When we talk about data management, we talk about things such as uh New York State uh reporting, um ed law 2D compliance, which is a very major issue in New York State, and also um the data which we use to make the decisions here at West Babylon, whether it be on a curriculum basis or just um simple structural support. also support services, which kind of sounds exactly what it says. When

013we traditionally think of technology, we think about supporting the students, supporting the schools, but now it's important to understand that we're not only just supporting uh students in classes, but now supporting the whole district, right, with everything, whether it be the technology that connects to the HVAC system and everything else. So those support services that we provide. No worries. Connectivity is important. Okay. So now let's talk about the fourth one which is the instructional curriculum framework. This is more of a developmental phase of our department. Now when we think about technology oftent times people don't think of it being embedded as part of our curriculum right so you know you don't ask a math teacher like so how are you mathing these days right so now understanding that the part of our role in technology

014is to not only see where this is going right we see artificial intelligence we see all these things that are arising that will change the framework of how we teach of how our students learn and the skills that we provide them to step outside once they graduate. So this is ongoing and in progress and we will mention uh various details about this throughout the presentation. Got it. So um year to date of course uh some of our more recent updates we have a new district website which I am very proud about. Um the district had worked very hard to ensure that we uh get a website that's reputable to the school and uh up to date with the latest standards. Um so we did a great job with that. We also um have acquired things

015such as of your of course your smartboards and your Chromebooks. Um but more importantly um incident IQ which has systematically been the data capture for not only just technology support but also facilities management and everything else like that to support our systems. Um we have other um categories such as linewise which is our monitoring system for how we monitor the students and their activities on their devices which we also this year launched custodial which is the parental access to that same capability. So now partnering with the parents to you know continue to watch our kids. Some statistics right parent square is a very very important useful tool is our number one communication at law 2d compliance system which now we are keeping in connection with the community. That's what we do. Anybody in the community

016could either, if they're a parent, of course, they automatically get this, but any member of the community that resides could have access to all the information that we have in here. They just simply have to put in a request for that. And this is the number one source we use to communicate with our community, parent square. So very uh active 99% contactable rate, meaning we have at least one contact either via email or phone number. um which we have signed up a lot of our parents in being engaged with that. Some of the other statistics we have um our custodial stats which um we talked about that program where the parents have the ability to monitor their kids. Now 21% may not seem very big but you got to remember it accounts for every parent

017in the household. So that 21% could probably be a greater number if we're looking at it from a household perspective. So that number is actually pretty good considering that we are just beginning that and it just started in November. So 21% is pretty strong. And of course the year-to-date traffic activity on our new website which has been booming and continuing to do so. So I think the community is using this as a main source of getting all the information necessary for the district. Okay. So of course some of the budget updates from this year. Um again, you know, looking at some of the numbers and what's going on with uh the finances over in my department. One thing to key highlight is that we will be transferring um two line items over to the appropriate

018departments, it cyber security. Of course, that's automatic. So, we're putting that over in the operational budget. I really don't do anything with that. It gets paid, always gets paid, and will be continuous. So, we're making sure that stays where it belongs. That's not nothing that I'm doing with that. So, I don't want to take credit for spending that money. Um, more so, uh, the state aidable line for the new security cameras and equipment, we put that over to the more appropriate facilities department because a lot of that does tie into the infrastructure, what they do, not so much. I do support those services, but I'm not necessarily making those purchases. So we did move that over to them and some of the other um categories such as hardware aidable which is a state driven number

019right that depends on however the state aid uh reflections come out. So that number is not even determined by the district that's determined by the state and some of the other um budgetary items. So since we did move some things, we made it more systematic for what would be appropriate for my department in order to expense properly um for all the things that we need to support the district. Some of the other major categories um of course um there is a new category that thanks to the lovely business official that we have and Mrs. Galante um giving us every opportunity the state gives to help support our school district. There is a software aidable line item too that will be potentially $50,000 that the district will have to be able to spend across any type

020of software. So that again another state aid number not even um driven by the budget more so by the state and of course some of your major uh our contract renewals that we have for some of our major systems um our operational supports whether that be maintenance on the system and everything else. my conference budget, which I use as a district-wide support service. So, you know, my conference budget isn't just for me. Um, and actually that number was 1027. It's actually zero. Um, because I'm supporting our libraries and some of our staff members to attend some of these important conferences that they want to know and get up to date on our technology. So, it is zero, but as of three days ago, it was uh 10:27. So, and of course, our biggest expenditure is

021our Bose services. Now the good thing about that by putting more of our services into Boseis um we have a 60% uh aidable rate. So we really only pay we get 40% aid back for whatever money we put in. So I think that's important to highlight and we are looking to get more of our services into Boseis to be consistent with that over time. Now, some of the new things, of course, uh we have some very important imperative needs. We do recognize the Smartboard need across our district. That is something that is on the radar as well as Chromebooks that is steady to keep current with uh inventory structure and cycle that will keep going to ensure that we are providing teachers with the latest um instructional support as possible as well as the students.

022Um we do plan to outfit a wireless upgrade project. We do plan to utilize -ate funds in order to do that. Um, currently right now we are on the tail end of the latest cycle which ends in June. A new rate cycle will begin in July which will last for about five years. - almost like fiveyear cycle. So we will be entering into a new cycle. We don't know exactly how much funds that is. It's a projected number. So we will know more information about that in July. um cyber security posture here at West Babylon. We do absolutely need to make a concerted um concerted effort in a proactive cyber security system that is not only monitored but consistently proactive in defending the protection of our data and services here at West Babylon School District.

023So that's definitely more important. um the instructional technology plan which is due of June this year. That is something that we are currently in the process of working on in my technology committee. I invite all of you to join if you have any proactive insights and want to know what's going on. Uh Trustee Medina has definitely been joining us for those conversations. I think they've been absolutely phenomenal and I think the district understands what it needs and so now we're using those conversations to make a plan for how we need to get there. And last but not least, um you know, still in the infancy phase, but you know, what can we do about approaching AI in the school district, right? We already have Google services and Google does have a product that's surrounded by

024AI and not only that, um you know, more compliant than a lot of these other uh systems that you hear. So that's definitely something that we're looking into. Connectivity is important. I will repeat. Okay. So, we spoke about the -ate cycle. So, currently right now we are at the tail end of the previous cycle that was the for the past five years. Um, one of the things we do intend to do regardless whether it be in this current rate cycle or the next - cycle is to upgrade the network. Right? That's one important u we talk about connectivity, we talk about the importance of a wireless upgrade. We're going to try to utilize the ability of the -ate funds to do that. Now the two key factors about there's two ways that you can approach

025a - project. There's one way which they call the service provider invoice where you know the whole cost of a project which is 100% and we pay our attable ratio which would be 40%. So, if I'm need a million dollars, I'm only paying 40% of that million dollars, but I still get a million-doll project. So, that's as simple as that is. Or you can go the additional route, which is paying the whole thing in full and then getting the 60% back. So, those are the two approaches with -ay funds. That's how that's utilized. Um, so we do, again, the wireless upgrade would be one of the -ray projects and some of these are estimates and that would be just to cover the entire district. Of course, it's a five-year cycle, so you don't have to

026pay it all up front. You can attack it in phases and everything else like that. So, that's what we are strategically planning to do. And of course, any questions? I think that's a rather accurate image if you don't say so myself. >> So, um, any questions, thoughts, comments? >> Every time he shows off his skills, he I only add him to the list of now you need to teach me this. >> Correct. Correct. I had a few questions. >> Absolutely. >> You had mentioned uh anybody in the community having access to the information from parent square. Correct. Meaning they would actually have the app itself. >> Correct. Or they would get an email. >> So a little bit of both. So there is say if you are not a parent and don't have a child.

027Everybody that's a parent automatically that's automatic. Um, but if you are not a parent and provide the proof that you are a resident, we can give you access to probably more of the districtwide messaging. So if you know we want to give communication about board of education meetings or anything else going on in the district, they have the ability to get that whether that be through the app or email. >> So it wouldn't be school specific. >> Not school specific community. Correct. More community based. >> So that specific group, right? Um I'm generally the only one that for the most part right will click on that right so um when it comes you know like sharing information with regards to different dates budget votes um right so it's our our parents plus community we started

028that pre um actually parent square when we were still with school messenger where we put something online saying if you'd like to receive messages you know so school closures right and things like that >> okay uh I just had a question on slide 10 uh account >> account account 26 2630.45. I just uh >> 2526 was $2,000 and then >> right >> 2627 was $25,000. Um why so low this this cycle and then so high? >> So what ended up happening previous to my arrival? Um the budget was still precated on a previous budget that was done which did not include one of the new services that we acquired. So we basically inherited the budget without calculating the cost. So what we did to balance that out a little bit. Um we kind of recategorized

029a lot of the line items. So some of the categories that you see here is not what they were called previously. So we kind of recategorized them and then moved the money around in order so that they fit the appropriate category. >> Okay. When when uh Mr. had mentioned being proactive with security and having being monitored. I thought two years ago after we had that that situation, we had signed up for all these services that we're going to be providing that >> it's continuing to enhance as the world of technology continues to correct. >> So if we're bringing in new new uh companies, is there anything leaving or or are they just upselling us into something else? >> So I I do think there's one important thing to acknowledge. So you know we have the

030district has made a decision um to switch uh with our stag augmentation which is our technology support provider. Um the one thing that is important to know is that by kind of going in this direction I am now lumping the cyber security aspect into boseis which was never done before. the district was actually paying that cost upfront which takes away the aidable and also takes away the ability to kind of keep that consistently in terms of monitoring it. Boseis now holds whoever wants to provide that service accountable and we also get the adable back for that. So that's why you probably see some of the increases. >> Okay. So the outside service companies we were using I remember they came and did a presentation >> right >> were not using them. >> They were not

031using Boseies. We were paying them directly. >> Well we're no longer using them. So we're no longer using them. Correct. >> Okay. Okay. Now in reference to the Boseies, we get we we get 40% back or 60%. >> 60%able. So yes. So we pay up to 40% but if we go through Boseies direct for any services what ends up happening is that we pay the full price for our item and then we get that 60% eight back. >> There's an add correct there. So 10%. So add 10% for both. So 10% to get your 60% back. >> Understood. That comes back the following year. >> Correct. The following year. Correct. >> And depending on the what right like sometimes if it's a smaller then it doesn't make sense to kind of go through the process

032but larger scale it 100% makes sense to go through. >> Okay. And then just my last my last question. Uh you had mentioned the wireless infrastructure. >> Yes. >> How far behind are we? I know we had some issues today. I don't know if you that was planned but >> we had some issues today. So, um, I'm not going to say I I don't think it's a matter of being behind. So, um, the APS that we currently have are approaching end of life. So, I think it's more so of not so much falling behind, but staying current with the current infrastructure. So, that's where we are. I mean, it does work, but as you can see, >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I I I I didn't know if it was a situation where we're running on

033some old technology, but you're saying if you're having before equipment starts to fail, you're trying to be proactive. So more so upgrading. Right now we're working on you know uh basically 5e u we're trying to upgrade to six as well as make sure that we can get another five years out of the new APS that we're going to put in. >> And that's for the entire district. >> That would be for the entire district correct >> over what' you say five years. >> Five years. So I give five years life cycle for most APS give or take. >> Okay. Is there grants for that stuff or >> so the process that um Dr. Wright shared beforehand in terms of the rate correct right that >> has been the funding source that historically right we have

034used for >> this type of infrastructure change because we're talking big dollars right so it's already kind of built in that we >> get the financial support so we're paying kind of the difference right and we generally uh instead of paying for the whole thing and then getting the reimbursement we here's the smaller portion of it and then the higher portion was paid by them. Um but yeah through rate is how we historically have made these huge purchases. >> And also um just to comment on that too um the new tech support provider that we have also um does uh grant projections in writing at no extra charge. So they keep their eye out on potential opportunities that come along. There was an opportunity in June, but I got here in August. So, you know,

035we'll we'll we'll keep our eyes open moving forward. >> Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you very much. >> No problem. >> Dr. Ry, good to see you again. >> Absolutely. >> Um, so I think Chris already asked a question for me. I'm just going to kind of glaze over it again. Um, a 2630 4491 IT cyber security. Um, you're transferring that. You're now you're putting that to Boseies. Bose is going to be responsible for that line. >> So that's why you see the increase in the Boseies number, right? And 60,000 of that will be for cyber cyber security. Correct. Okay. And then when you're talking cyber security, you're talking about Sentinel One, >> correct? >> Okay. Those agents work in Chromebooks. >> Correct. >> Okay. Okay. >> And also on top of that, we also

036have Line Wise already. So that's almost like it's almost going to be a redundancy, but it'll be a more proactive approach to be in front of Linewise where Linewise kind of picks up on whatever activity is going. We're trying to put something in front of that to make sure that even if the activity is possible, we kind of stop it before it gets >> right. Well, I think well I mean I don't know linewise. I haven't used it before, but Linewise is more of a notification type system kind of keeps track from us on the parent level. Correct. What they're doing whereas Sentinel one is going to be that antivirus, anti-malware kind of protection, right? >> The entire suite. So that's exactly what we need. >> And we don't have that right now on we

037do not have one system that does all of that. >> Got it. Okay. Um, are the wireless routers that we're using right now? Are they all Arubas right now too or are they >> correct? They are all >> So, it's the same infrastructure when you say upgrading the network. >> Are you talking just the Wi-Fi adapters or are you also thinking about the network stack? >> So, some of our network stack has over time already been replaced, but this one is focused specifically on the APs and the cabling infrastructure. >> Got it. Okay. And then for the dollar amount that you propose here, just under 555,000, >> right? Um, that's if we wrote a check today and replaced every single piece of equipment district. So like to your point, we could lay this out in

038a rotating fiveyear plan. And so like we do a set year one, a set year two, and then once we're done with set five, >> that set one that we did five years ago will just be systematically replaced. >> 100%. >> Got it. Okay. All right. >> Thank you. >> That's exactly the plan. >> Good. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I That's how I would approach it. No, >> Dr. when we see this the 6% the 6 and a half% increase for the it >> is that's without any of the aid coming back so is does that get offset the following year >> purely in terms of here the aable categories then we get the following year >> correct >> and also it's important to highlight that out of that 6.5% about 100 grand of

039that is those state driven numbers so it's like it's really not 6.5% but 6.5% increase overall Okay. Yeah. >> So, can I just ask just to be clear that new software line >> that's aidable. So, that previously was kind of interdispersed and now we've pulled that. >> That takes a proactive business official to apply for it so that we can get the money. That's what that means. Yep. Absolutely. >> Okay. And do can you say specifically what some of that software may be as an example? >> We we never had it. So I mean it really is very broad for the state. So it really could be any software. But um you know we >> would the plan would be for that would be if the district wishes to explore new opportunities or anything like

040that that's where this will come from. We wouldn't take something that we already have in the general fund out of that to put in there because again it's state driven so it's not guaranteed but we would definitely you know try to utilize that for some of those uh requests that have been coming along. >> Yeah we get often right uh requests from again curriculum and instruction >> lens right our teachers asking for various different programs um that we have an ad in the budget. So that line is going to allow us the ability to get some of those subscriptions right for for our teachers to use with their students. Yeah. >> Well, just listening to some of the budget presentations that was an ask from some department. >> Definitely. >> Great job, Victoria. Great job.

041>> Great team. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. Thank you for having this point we are going to transition uh to provide a midyear update by Mr. Maddie on our transportation department. >> Hey, good evening everybody. Obviously you know my name I'm Michael Maddie. I'll be uh teach uh be uh talking about the uh transportation um department and uh we'll wait till it pops up. While it while they're setting up, I do want to um thank um the right hand of of uh Dr. Wright, Miss Vchauvin, for being here to support. >> Okay. All right. So, we're ready to go. Um, so I'm going to start off with some midyear highlights. Um, so some midyear highlights we've had this year was, uh, we responded,

042I believe, uh, well, to the, uh, elementary closure of, uh, Forest Avenue and we, um, revamped school, elementary school routes. In response to that closure, uh, we've improved staff morale within our department. Uh, we've improved communication with the public. So every time you get parent square, that's us. Um yeah, so we're always uh notifying everybody of any changes or anything that's uh uh pertains to transportation. We're always trying to communicate with the public and be transparent. Uh we also internally did organize a food drive for the uh Babylon breast cancer coalition which uh was actually part of my transportation team in E office that helped organize that and I wanted to uh highlight that for everybody to see that's what we're doing on the inside. Um so so personnel overview. Um so right now we

043have a transportation with supervisor which is myself a head bus driver two clerical staff 21 uh full-time drivers n 19 uh full-time monitors and three mechanics uh within that number if you see that I have highlighted one retirement run resignation one anticipated retirement so far this year we had two people uh leave as full-time drivers um and we're anticipating another retirement at the um end of in a few months and then there are um rumblings of a few more. Um so here's a staff that is starting to uh shrink. Um and that we've also had uh two retirements and one resignation in the moni uh both full-time monitors uh situation uh area and just to give a frame of reference uh the last time uh transportation supervisor have given this presentation uh in August of

04423 um there was two bus head drivers there were one clerical staff and 39 full-time drivers and 24 monitors. So just to kind of give you a frame of reference over two years of what's happening with the staff. Um so moving on to our scope of work. Uh we have uh we serve over 3,000 in district students among all of our schools minus forest since we don't have that anymore. Um but we also have 110 out of district schools which go to 24 out of district schools. These are the kids that have special um accommodations need to have receive uh special uh transportation for those schools. Um and then we have 148 uh private and parochial students that go to the various private and parochial schools around um the island. Uh we have uh and

045we serve 27 private and parochial schools. Um so that's the we that's the population we serve. Um and with those we just have to keep in mind that each of those schools technically uh tie up one route per school meaning out of district and of private parochial. So that's actually a route per school if you want to take that into a com uh into mind and some school out of district schools take do take maybe more than one route as they are going in vans if they are um required to have um uh curve to curve transportation in a small vehicle. So the we the numbers do escalate when we get outside of the district and we're transporting those uh that population. >> Okay. So uh I wanted to highlight the in district work over

046the years. Um so last year we had uh 14 well we had 17 total large bus um buses in the district and then we had 12 vans total but if you notice in my presentation I put uh 14 large buses that's west babel served uh west Babylon employees driving those particular buses so when we start uh I also put a note in the school year SUFFK transportation had two in strict routes to start the year. They finished with three. Now, starting this year, we have uh 16 total large plus routes. We're serving with uh 12 uh 12 of them with West Babylon employees and uh eight total um van van uh van routes within their district and we're uh we're serving with uh seven with West Babylon employees. And I also indicated that as of

047right now it's uh suffer transportation is uh has five indistrict routes with within west Babylon and it's increasing as I very indicated we're having anticipating more people leaving uh the transportation department. So, we're uh a little bit of a plan of action. Uh but first, I wanted to go over the obstacles that we're uh dealing with at the moment. Uh which is we have no qualified C applicants. Uh we do not have a training program. We do not have anything of any um to be able to uh bring in applicants or the applicants are just simply seeking other jobs that with that do not um that are not here. Um and then we have retirements or people are starting to retire as I've already highlighted. Uh the New York State electric vehicle mandate and then

048we also have an aging fleet as well. Uh so somewhat with our main plan of action is to continue cooperative transportation with suffic transportation as we contract those uh buses. So um like I said earlier uh I know this this hasn't been a presentation that's been given a while. So I wanted to highlight uh over the years the last uh uh budget summaries for 23 20 uh 22 23 23 24 25 and then um our current year. Um as you can see there's uh fluctuating numbers as it kind of drifts downward. uh in the contract uh salaries and um bus driver salaries and those lines. Um but as um go to the next slide. Thanks. Uh and it's also indicated here in the uh equipment uh looking at all the uh numbers here that the

049numbers are trending downwards within the district. But uh the uh biggest piece that's really um can we go to the next slide please? Thanks. Um the biggest piece is contract transportation skyrocketing. Um with that uh we have shown that we are going up and um we have uh we expected to have an expended uh forecasted expenditure of 2.7 million but um and I'll be perfectly honest that we're going to exceed that number uh with just because the way the budget was structured it was built with a structure of having all the employees within West Fabon doing the work but now we're um experiencing loss of employees. So therefore we have to bring uh bring our number um transportation over to um suffic transportation. So that number is going upwards and then um as you can

050see I was uh as I was speaking you were seeing numbers kind of tren the trend lines of the numbers it kind of looks like it's going up as the years go on as one would expect with the uh inflation and uh CPI and a few other metrics. Um but then as we get to the the current forecast total um what I did was I compared um our uh 25 26 numbers with uh the proposed budget numbers for 25 26 27. Uh you can see there's an increase of about a total line about a million dollars. uh as you can see where the pupil transportation line uh contains our uh in uh in district salaries and um that number is going down but then it's uh being reflect the change is being reflected in the

051uh contract transportation line. So we are going to go up in uh budget. Um and then um some items to consider uh when we are uh looking at for this budget upcoming year is uh due to the limited bus drivers we're going to increase contract transfer transportation budget lines while having a decrease in the personnel budget lines, gasoline maintenance, bus insurance and then uh some unpredictable variables which we can't necessarily forecast at this time is who's staying, who's going, um, and if we are bringing anybody on board. Uh, and then allocation of students to various outer district schools. Uh, as like I said, each of those, uh, out of district schools is one route. It's it that number will go up or down depending on where we're transporting all these students. So, it is a

052number and we don't know simply just don't know at this time. So, it's a very uh, hard variable to predict. And then uh one of the uh biggest costly challenges that's coming on the horizon which we uh are aware of is the New York State electric vehicle mandate. Whether we are uh whether we decide to keep it uh our fleet within the house or um pay the outside contractor who has to adhere to these mandates, the electric vehicle mandates. Um the cost is going to go up a as we know. Um so it's just uh a cost of doing business in transportation world. Um so with that said um I I know we're supposed to make requests. Um I have no requests. Um basically I mean I'm just basically >> the Eevee the Eevee mandate

053took it away from you. >> Yeah. Um it's more or less just what are we planning to do? >> Right. Right. General general conversation, right? Um >> and and we've been talking about that and obviously Mr. Matty was here when we did the Wendel, right? the the um analysis right of our facilities um you know in terms of uh changing and and and converting right our department to be able to sustain and to host right and to be to have charging stations and all stuff right >> um in addition to obviously from a actual vehicle perspective right um that mandate >> you know there is conversation there are conversations happening as to whether or not the the dates as they're currently written within the law right of 2027 and 2035 will remain there or whether

054that will be changed I can share with you and and some of you have been in different meetings with me right um whether it's school boards association or legislative right uh sessions uh where it is one of the advocacy points right for all groups right school boards for superintendent groups right administrators um for there to be at the bare minimum a shift on these dates right? Um, with regards to the requirement, there's concerns about the Long Island grid, right? All of the above. And of course, there's the cost consideration factor, right? Again, there was an extensive review for our department um and a potential possible kind of starting point in terms of a multi-year uh expenditure plan to bring us up to to to speed. Um, there are, you know, and Mr. and I um

055chatted about this because there's recent discussions about possible waiverss, right? Um for a district to apply to to kind of push off in terms of the deadline, but I was happily informed by Mr. Ant. I had that date kind of a you know in terms of the waiver piece coming up for this March, right? But in reality, it's the following March that's been clarified with the state, right? And you know, we were all >> districts were thinking kind of, you know, next month. Um, so this is a topic that uh not necessarily in terms of tonight, right? I'm thinking we were chatting about possibly similar to how we did with the the presentation with Wendell in terms of the study, >> continuing that that conversation maybe at a summer workshop, right? Um, you know, as

056as Mr. Maddie mentioned, if it doesn't go away, um, it is a cost that it's uh, and hopefully a big asterisk there. Um, ideally, similar to what we're talking about beforehand with UPK, right, um, the state comes up with funding for it. It's a hard I don't even I can't imagine what that line is when we know what our line is, right, for them to multiply that out across the state, right? So, um, and, um, there's no district that's just going to be like, "Oh, yeah, I have $12 million to just do the following." Um, so there's there's a lot that's out of our hands here, right? Um, at the present moment, the law does indicate that any purchases in terms of vehicles from 2027 have to be electric. In order for you to buy

057that electric, you also need a charging station for it, right? any vehicle that after 2027 has to be electric. Unless you uh do uh demonstrate that you are uh moving forward with the EV, then you could have qualify for the um the extension the two-year >> the waiver >> uh and then you could do two two-year extensions which would effectively make it four years but you have to show that you are >> right then that brings us closer to the deadline deadline right. Yeah. So it's gonna, you know, it it definitely um we have a little bit more room in terms of the discussion in terms of time. Um but um you know, we typically, right, because we do have an aging fleet, right? Uh so in the absence of EV, we probably would have

058been incorporating continuing to do our purchasing plan with vehicles like we've done forever, right? You know, purchasing a couple of new, you know, buses and then it gets paid off multiple years and then circling back around. Um so we are not doing that right. Um so we're going to continue these discussions and then we'll see what comes of it. I know Mr. Ant if did I capture the summary? >> Yeah I think that the major concern now is just that the the mandate of uh 2035 that's set in stone right now and has not changed and we have no indication it's going to change at this point. What the waiver is uh and the extension of that is that the current law says that starting July 1st of 2027 any purchases procurement of transportation vehicles

059from that point forward all have to be electric. Um and the non-compliance of that puts your state aid at risk and so you no one wants to be in that position. So the the consideration for the board is whether or not they want to apply for that extension. Um the deadline is March 1st of 27. Uh applications will be accepted prior to that, reviewed on a rolling basis. Um and what that would do is just extend that initial July 1st, 2027 deadline. Um in that that wouldn't be the from that point forward every procurement needs to be electric. It gives you a little bit more time, but as Mr. Mattie said as long as you're taking steps towards the transition during that time which would be part of the requirement of the extension. >> Question

060on that. What steps do we have to show to say okay we like what do we have to prove like do we have to say okay we have a blueprint for for charging stations or like what's what's the measure? >> So the waiver request will go to SEDD. Sedd has a rubric right now of certain questions and point system as to what what they're considering and and it's different things. So it's you know whether or not a budget was recently uh voted down by by the voters. Um whether or not >> the district has the infrastructure in place already or has to purchase all of it for the you know electrical charging stations. Um there's different factors that the the state has put out there saying that if you request this waiver, here's how we're

061going to look at it and there's a point system attached to it, but ultimately who gets what amount of points if that's best for SED to assess and evaluate based on an application, >> right? And I think I remember from the presentation from a couple weeks ago, did he say that the age the average age life of the buses for the EV fleet would be eight years? Is that what I remember? Is that the battery life? Eight years? >> I don't remember off hand. I don't remember off hands. I can >> I do I do remember him saying um one or two of our routes they did not have a battery capacity enough to fulfill which is one obstacle. >> Yeah. That was the biggest >> right there enough range because we asked that question

062about the range and they said the the biggest range was like 90 miles >> and use if we have if we have a a let's say athletic out in Southampton, >> right? >> How do we know they have a spot to charge? >> Right. So that was there was no answer for that. So hopefully the state takes in consideration that you can't commit to something when you don't have >> the requirements for us to meet >> that mandate you know but that's we got time for that >> in our case we have those examples right in other places of New York forget about it right like where the districts are so spread apart >> beyond the schools you know at the meeting last Friday with the legislators they said Long Island is not equipped their

063grid their infrastructure long you know PSEG the city with con they're not the infrastructure is just not there yet to charge all these buses, >> right? >> You know, >> there's bigger problems than districts paying for this, too, like you know. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> What what determines if of of a bus being replaced? Is it just age or is it wear and tear? The the maintenance issues? >> Well, so with our current fleet, we have u mostly Oh, I before we hear your question, but uh do you want to start over and now? >> Yeah. What determines if a bus needs to be replaced or not? T typically we can get a bus for our current fleet we have uh 10 years I would say 10 12 years. So it's a it's a

064time issue. It's a times it's a the years >> the deteriorate the deterioration of the bus it would be 10 to 12 years. Um again that's a variable uh as you know if you uh run a bus more frequently it's going to deteriorate quicker if and uh on top of that we have to consider our fleet our fleet we have buses that are much older. It's all not um the same age. It's uh we have buses from 2015. web buses from uh each chronological year. The most the most recent buses we have are from 2021 and there are no more maybe 2022 might but we have no more buses after that point. Um so at that point we're we can't buy any more buses obviously. So um even if we were to purchase a bus

065uh a gas bus we wouldn't probably wouldn't get it to 2027. So you kind of have this like fiveyear window where you're kind of trying to balance the age of the fleet and make sure it doesn't break down. Um so >> that's a good question though like if let's say if we are getting short on our fleet like what's the turnaround time on ordering a for lack of a better phrase a classic bus? >> Yeah. >> Like is it a year in order to get a new bus? Let's say we order one next month. Um so so with the EVD mandandy uh there's a rush to buy all gas buses right now. >> So you can't even really buy them >> because even if you find a vendor the um turnaround could be two years

066three years out >> and you're already up against the 2027 timeline unless you get an extension >> and we have to buy it from a New York state authorized reseller. Correct. >> Correct. >> Right. Okay. >> Okay. >> Um he uh Mr. Mattie had mentioned a training program. I recall us talking about that in the past a few years back. Isn't there some requirement of licensing you'd have to have to train? >> We don't have that on hand at this point. >> Not No, not yet. >> Okay. Okay. I see. Um and just another question couple questions. Uh in reference to the out of district, whether it's uh student services, private schools, that number is increasing. >> Uh yes. Right. So from a student services perspective um you know I think Mr. Maddie mentioned beforehand

067right so um >> yeah it is going up. >> Yeah. >> So when we look at as a group we look at just let's say overall for transportation we see whether you want to look at outside contracted transportation or just the overall bottom line increase. It's not really apples to apples and saying it's an in it's not the same number of routes that were running. There's an increase due to an increase in need. Not just that, you know, we had a certain number and we're up a million and we still have the same number of routes. It's it's an increase with an increase in in need. >> Different needs within that. Yeah. Different needs. Yep. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> Um in ref and in reference to the the offset, I would think >> you

068see an increase in the contract uh aid. Let me just get back there. So, I'm I'm looking at the right number. Uh sorry about that. Um I think Mr. Matty had mentioned even this year we're be over on the expenditures of contract transportation. >> We are. >> Yes. >> So when we compare the increase as shown on that last slide against budgeted expenditures, that's not what the actual expenditure is going to be >> because he's already said there'll be an increase. Correct. So it it's going to dilute we're actually going to wind up spending more. So that increase in transportation is somewhat it's still an increase, >> but it's it's it's not against what we're actually going to spend. >> No. Correct. Right. And that and that's that line of expenditure to date, right? You

069know, because we haven't closed up the school year yet. Yep. Correct. Yeah. >> Um the expenses decrease in reference to the in-house part of transportation. Sorry, you know what? I gota um you you know you see it in some in some of the itemized lines. Yes, >> you see a decrease of in-house expenses. It doesn't doesn't completely offset >> the full increase on the outside, >> but there are probably some lines I'm going to guess whether it's gasoline parts that will show a decrease. They would trail. >> Yes. >> Because you are budgeting differently. So, you won't see the immediate >> Okay. So gasoline you will budget a little bit >> heavier than you probably will need and parts because you have to the >> So >> yeah, so what's going to happen is you're

070going to see next year you might not see the numbers but over you'll see a trend line downwards of uh personnel but uh lines meaning people not being here uh gasoline uh because we're just not going to it's a contract already um contract with the uh suffic transportation already account accumulate accounts months for gasoline. Uh and then maintenance is going to go down. And then uh bus insurance is which is another is about 130 grand. That's also going to go down as well. >> Um >> so some lines such as like a salary is a hard number. You kind of know what that's going to be. >> Other lines like you're describing, it's kind of you're >> keeping a safe cushion there until you have a better track record. >> Definitely. >> Okay. I don't

071know that that makes the the million-dollar increase feel any better, but I think I think there's a different understanding of the impact on that number because it's you're comparing it to what you budgeted, but we already know we're going to be over because of the increased >> reliance on out of district stuff. So, >> okay, I'm also didn't do my last slide questions. >> I think we covered it. Oh, I'm sorry. I jumped ahead. Apologize. >> All right. >> Good. Thank you, Mr. Matt. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Newell in the audience. Mr. Matty's right-hand person. Also, >> I get as many emails uh and messages from her than I do from you. >> Yes. >> Every day. >> We get we should do at the end of the year tracking track it all out.

072>> Thank you for doing that. >> So, yes. And and you know, I know Mr. Matty mentioned it in terms of beforehand, right? One of the uh major um goals, right, that we charge Mr. Mattie and the department with right uh was enhancing our communications right and again Miss Newell Mr. Maddie, right? You've all all done that, right? For our families. Days are going to happen, things are going to happen, right? At at the forefront, as long as families know, right? Then it's just a different different conversation. So, again, we appreciate that because you both have absolutely um done that. All right. So um at this point right so throughout the last um the past several months right our department leaders have been presenting midyear updates right along with proposed budget needs uh needs and

073wants right for the 2627 school year right case in point tonight was um you know IT and transportation um and then again the last six or so budget uh board meetings right we've had various different department presentations these presentations are going to continue right throughout the month of March um as part of our uh collaborative budget development process. This evening, Miss Galante and I will review the administrative and capital components of the draft 2627 um budget and we're going to highlight several department right um priorities right that we're considering as part of the program component. I mentioned those three because those are the major categories right the administrative component the capital component and the program component. um our administrators and our board, right? Our our team, our overall overarching goal, I should say, right, is

074is clear, right, to present a fiscally responsible balanced budget, right, to our community that sustains our educational programs, addresses some of the identified um needs, right, in all these different uh department uh presentations, and absolutely remains within our allowable tax levy limit, right? And in this case, this year, our limit is 2.21%. that is um you know our allowable tax levy. So again staying within our tax levy not going beyond that right um and um presenting a balanced budget that is our overall goal. So with that being said Miss Galante is going to start us off and we'll I'll be chiming in here and there. >> Okay. Thank you Dr. Barrowly. Good evening board of education. Good evening West Babylon community. Thank you for joining us for our first budget presentation for the 2026 27

075school year. And our first slide is just a budget calendar. Naturally, we start off today is our first budget presentation. On February 24th, the board of ed will be having a finance workshop. On March 10th is the second budget presentation that we will have. April 14th is the final proposed budget presentation and the board of ed will adopt the budget on the 14th. May 5th is the budget hearing and May 19th is the budget vote. So what we're going to go over today tonight is the overview. We're going to talk a little bit about the state aid we received so far, other revenues that we have. We're going to talk about our reserves, our tax le levy limit, and as Dr. Farrellly said, we're going to go over the administrative component and the capital component

076of the budget. Okay. So, on January 20th, the executive budget came out uh from the state and our foundation aid had an increase of 1%. which equated to a little over $300,000. Um some of the state aid uh that we did receive declined decreased because it is based on student enrollment and as you know enrollment is going down. So naturally those aids will be going down. Um the legislative budget, which is the final budget that we usually receive from the state, is usually due on or before April 1st. And it is very important um for us to receive that since the board is going to adopt on April 14th. It would be nice to know what that final budget is from the state. Um there have been a couple of years that the governor did

077not hit that that deadline. um which kind of makes it really hard for school districts to know what they can what the revenue will be from the state but hopefully this year they will be on track. So in this next slide is um the state aid that we did receive compared to what the executive budget said that West Babylon would receive for the current 2526 school year. And as you see the foundation aid of 1% it equated to about $332,000 um not really um the increase we were looking for or hoping for. Um there is talk that maybe another 1% would be given within the next budget cycle. Uh but yet there is nothing definitive about that amount. Um, as we go down, your public private excess costs went down a little bit. And that

078that can only be because um, not all our students have been stacked yet because they pulled this this uh, information as of October 15 of 2025. We had to report by that deadline. And usually around that time is when the state will take all the district's information and do their estimates of their budget based on that information. So not all information is complete at that time. Bosey's aid went up from uh what we're getting this year. Textbook, software, library, hardware aid, and technology aid. Again, those are the those are the lines that have gone down a little bit. Those are the lines that are based on student enrollment. So it's so much per student in your district is what you get for those lines. um supplemental um public ethics cost is the same. So is

079the high tax aid remain the same. Building aid went down a little bit because your building aid, you know, some of your projects are rolling off your building aid from from years ago. So naturally, your building aid is going to go down once we submit um for new projects. Then your building aid will go up again. Transportation aid again is down um a little uh based on when we reported um in the summer our transportation aid remember now we have we're reporting more contract aid than ind district aid so I think that had some effect on your transportation aid and as you see your total state aid compared to what we're getting for this year is actually only up 31,35 $54 because you had some increases and you had some decreases. So that's why I

080feel it is very important for us to hopefully get that second run from the state before we adopt the budget. Okay, reserves. Why do we use reserves and why do we need reserves? So we our reserves we use to offset budget expenditures. Um, we appropriate uh certain reserves in our annual budget to help fund costs and allow the district to number one stabilize our tax levy, absorb some of the costs of u increases that we receive and it's also good for financial planning. The common uh reserves that we have been using in our budget most of the time is our workman's comp reserve. you are self um uh supported in in workman's comp so you should use your reserve unemployment insurance reserve which is not really that high eel reserve which is used to for

081the payouts and then there are the two retirement reserves ERS and TRS that we use to help the increases in those pensions. So when we close our books in June of 2025, the first column shows what was left in those uh reserves. Workman's comp, unemployment, teachers retirement, employees retirement, and acred benefit uh employee reserve and your capital reserve. And you had a total of $16,668,000 approximately in all your reserves. This year in 2025 in the budget we said we were going to use 1,550,000 out of those reserves. So if we do use all that money that 1 million.5 when we close our books and if we don't add any money into the reserves when we close our books in 2026 your um estimated reserve balance would be 15 million approximately 15,118,000. Okay. Um, I would

082say, um, you will probably not use all your unemployment reserve. You will probably use all of your workman's comp reserve. And again, it depends on the retirements that come in for the uh, teachers retirement and employee retirement. And you will use your EELR reserve um, for anyone who will be retiring. All right, let's talk a little bit about the tax levy. So, what is the tax levy? Um, it's the amount of money a school district collects from our local property taxpayers in a given year to help fund the annual school budget. It is not anyone's individual tax bill. It is not your tax rate. Instead, it is the overall dollar amount that district needs to raise through property taxes after subtracting all other revenue sources such as our state aid, federal federal aid, our reserves,

083our fund balance, any grants that we get, fees and rentals, and interest income. Once the board of education determines the tax levy amount, it is presented to the voters through an annual school budget vote each May. It represents the total local share of the school budget. Under New York state law, a district calculates the tax levy limit, often called a 2% cap, and we'll talk a little bit about that on the next slide. Though the actual limit can be above or below 2% depending on several formula factors, for example, your pilots, your capital exemptions, and your growth factor. A district may propose a levy within the cap which will require just a simple majority voter approval or it may propose a levy above the cap which requires the 60% voter approval. Here's we put in

084a slide of the history of West Babylon's tax levy from 2013 to the current year 2026. And as you see it, there's a range there of zero to 4%. And but but in on an average it would say maybe three and a half% um the tax levy history. So this is the formula that is used um to calculate the uh tax levy limit calculation. And if you go down to the first the fifth line that says allowable levy growth factor 1.02 that's your 2% cap. That is where that came about. That tax cap was capped at 2%. That line can never be more than 2%. That's your um consumer price index or your CPI. So if your consumer price index one year is 3.5% in this formula it can only be two. If it is

0851 and a half% one year it will be 1 and a half% in this formula. It could be lower than two but not ever higher than two. So that's a little what has made this whole thing a little confusing for people because they think when their own levy should not be more than 2% and that is not the case. That is where the 2% comes in. So again just quickly going through the formula you have to you know add in last this current year's pilots and take out this current exclusions and then you subtract next year's pilots and you add in the exclusions and you come up with a proposed tax levy and the proposed tax levy was is at 87,923,724. That all equates to a tax levy limit for the 2627 school year of

0862.21%. Um, basically, if you go back to that slide with all the levies from 2013, you're basically a little bit on the lower side of of your average um tax levy for those years. And that 2.21% 21% equates to an increase in the tax levy of 1,898,922. The next slide uh shows um the revenues that we're projecting for the 2627 budget compared to this uh current budget. So if you see total state aid um the difference is about a million dollars from last year. Um and then all our other revenues like our payments in lie of taxes or those are your pilots have gone up. uh your Forest Avenue. If you remember when we did the budget last year, we weren't sure what was happening with Forest Avenue and we had only put in a

087revenue of about $450,000 because we didn't think we were going to be renting or leasing the whole building. Well, it came out that we did. So now your uh revenue for leasing Forest Avenue is um $775,000. Um interest and earnings uh we're in expecting to be a little higher than we anticipated for this year. Performing arts center, your pack center has been um uh great in bringing in revenue. So we we increased that revenue a little bit. And then there's a whole bunch of other smaller revenues that are other revenues. appropriated fund balance. We are not going to use or appropriate any appropriated fund balance for the for the 26 27th school year. We will be using some reserves. So far um we're thinking of using um 250,000 from our ERS reserve, 250,000 from our

088TRS reserve, 850,000 from our workman's comp reserve and 50,000 from our unemployment reserve. And again there you see the tax levy of that 87 million 923 compared to the 86 million of this current year which gives you that 2.21% levy increase and the total revenue. Now projected budget again is uh a little higher than our revenue at this point in time. So do we have a balanced budget right now? No, we do not. Okay. And what is uh what we're working on now is the program side of the budget. Um Mr. Payne and Mr. Hanley uh are working on uh sections and programs and enrollment. All that has to be come into an equation to see exactly what we're what's needed in the program side of the budget for next year. So at this point

089we do not have a balanced budget but um we are working on that. Okay. So, let's start with the um as Dr. Farrellley said, the budget has three components, administrative, capital, and program. So, tonight we're going to do the administrative and the capital. So on the first slide after um that you will see encompasses a few of these uh budget codes and the 1010 budget code uh the board of ed budget code includes you know any kind of uh memberships budget vote prof professional development that is needed our district clerk codes superintendent co codes and all of the necessary conferences dues material materials of supplies, memberships, things that are needed in that area. Also in administrative, there is the business office which includes the assistant superintendent for finance. We have an accountant. We have a

090treasurer. We have two senior clerks and four account clerks in our business office that do payroll, cash dispersements, benefits, and purchasing. And also included are all the professional services that we uh need, the software that we need, educational data uh services, materials and supplies and all the services we do get from Boseies. >> Miss Glende. Yep, there we go. Thank you. Um also included in the administrative component, okay, are um these other codes that are also um salaries for our contractual people. Then also our claims auditors, our external internal auditors. We have our treasurer, our deputy treasurer, our Boseies cooperative purchasing >> bond council, uh, our fiscal advisors, our labor council, our board council, all those things are in. As you could see, this slide will give you all that. So, board of ed is

091up a little bit um due to the fact of the election machines that the board of elections uh we have to lease them from them now. Um they're not dealing with the election machines anymore. Uh district clerk again, the supplies and her training is in there. District meeting went down a little bit. some of those uh expenses got shifted up to the 1040 line. Chief school administrator is up a little bit again supplies contractual obligations. Um the business office actually went down a little bit um because of our Bose services where um as a lot of the administrators and directors who have been uh presenting uh have stated that we are shifting some expenses to different lines that um it kind of just makes more sense for the people who have to um operate those

092lines to know what their expenses are. So, a lot of times when we're doing comparisons now, it's going to be a little skewed. Um, but if you ask the question, I could tell you why it is skewed. Again, our auditing um services, treasurer, deput treasurer, purchasing, a lot of those lines, fiscal agent, really not much changes in those lines. We did do a little bar graph as a visual. Uh so you could see um a lot of categories are basically flat if up just slightly or some of them are actually down um from prior years. Um the darker blue on the left is 2627. The middle bar is 2526 budget and the last bar is the 2425 actual expenses. So also in the administrative uh component are legal services personnel bond council. It incorporates our

093deputy superintendent and HR office and his uh assistance and all the things that they need to operate there. um human resources all the um software that's needed OLAS and ASOP for attendance public relations central data processing which are a lot of BOSIE services all of our the district's uh insurance is under unallocated insurance and also uh the Bosey's admin charge and again you could see all those lines here no um dramatic increases on any of these lines lines. Um actually the um one of the items that um Dr. Wright was talking about in it um his insurance for cyber security actually got shifted in that unallocated insurance line. So that that drew that up a little bit. Plus, we talked about insurance a lot last year because our increase in insurance was about 24%. Um,

094this year, the increase in your insurance is between 8 and 10%. They're just giving us a range right now, which which again is high, but not as high as it was last year. So, uh, that was kind of good news in a in a way. Um and again all right there you go the um our blue bar graphs for our legal personnel central data processing both fees once again and the insurance you can see you know it is it is very visual now that your insurance line has gone up significantly over the past two years. Okay. And we're still in the administrative component and we're going to uh wrap it up with the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and all of the materials and supplies and Boseie services that they need there. Um and

095if we go to the next slide, you'll see curriculum supervision is up slightly. Then line 2020, supervision, regular school. That's actually down. And what drove that down a little bit is that's where your principles, assistant principles are. And now with the closing of forest, you're down one principal. So that kind of drove that line down. And then research and planning is uh that Bosey's report um as far as the district uses for to project enrollment out. So bottom line for your administrative component, um it's increased from it went from this year 7,890,000 and for the 2627 school year it will be $7,972,000. And there was a slide for the last few budget lines. Okay, now we start with the capital component. The capital component um deals with our building and grounds, all of those employees

096and their salaries and the building and grounds maintenance crew maintenance and operation uh their salaries overtime, their supplies and equipment and repairs, uniforms and things like that. And also in that uh capital component line of 1620 is our security and the personnel, school resource officers, all the supplies uh that they need, cameras, equipment and their professional development. Also on the capital line is all our financial obligations that we need to fund um the school. meaning that from time to time you will go after a bond to borrow a bond. You borrow bands. Those are bond anticipation notes. You borrow every year your TAN tax anticipation notes because your tax money doesn't come in to mid January. Meanwhile, you're operating your school year from July. So, you need some u some funds to get you through

097from July to December. And also your leases. You have leases for vehicles. You have leases for buses and you have your energy performance contract. So operation and maintenance that's up uh again because we we did transfer the cameras of $35,000 in one of those lines. We also increased um building and grounds supplies and materials because um the board would like the department to do more projects in house and to do that they do need additional funds to buy the materials to do these projects. Um so that's why what's driving that increase. Um and then I I split out again. We broke out some lines and these are some of the lines um that you will see broken out from now on. We broke out your debt service instead of it just saying debt service and

098everything on it and leases and just everything on it. Broke it out between your bonds which went down. The district did refinance the 2015 bond last spring and saved about $400,000 by refinancing. Um there are your bands. And then your borrowed your tan. And then you have your leases for your vehicles and for your buses. And then you have your energy performance contract, which is phase one and phase two. Phase one, 2026 27 is your last year of your energy performance contract, phase one. That that is all paid off now. and then you'll just have phase two unless the district decides to go out and uh see what they can do with energy performance contract and start a phase three. So your total uh capital component um for this year that we're in now is

099$13,412,000 and for the 2627 school year it will be $14,321,000. Okay. And there you can see again the bar graphs of all those um lines bonds actually is down a little bit. Your bands are down. Your tan is just remains the same. You go out and you borrow about the same money all the time and your building and grounds and operations is slightly up. Um some of the increases that are included in the administrative and capital budget components um that we put into the budget uh right now were two more employees for building and grounds to be uh cons to be used for outdoors for the grounds like a grounds crew. So two FTE employees would come out to about $89,000. We start we put in a line for architect fees um which you didn't

100have. Architect has to do your five-year plan um this year in 2627 and then also your legal fees. We increased your legal fees and then again the voting because of the board of elections and the changes in the voting machines we had to increase that by $10,000. Um Dr. Fairly, you gonna take it over now? >> Yes. So, >> looking forward, right, our next formal budget workshop is uh March 10th, right? And and on that particular date, we're going to dive deeply into the program budget component, right? And we will also talk about any update, right, and anything that we're hearing from a revenue perspective, right? Miss Galante shared before um information with regards to state aid um you know kind of where we're at right now in terms of the use of some reserves

101right um so some of those lines based on information we receive and based on where we're at with the whole budget right we may be recommending some some some changes there so although we're going to dive deeply into the program component I did want to take a moment to share some of the um some of the program component uh that we have included in the current draft budget, right? As was mentioned by, you know, Mr. Matty, kind of each of the different department leaders, uh, Dr. Wright, the budget is a constant evolving, you know, process, right? Um, every day as we're getting additional information, we're making changes, um, the day-to-day changes in terms of expenditures this year and also again our our projected needs for for next year. So, this current um budget draft, right,

102maintains um our increased K5 academic intervention services, if you recall, we increased that from last year to this year. Um obviously our full day kindergarten program, our district-wide current athletic programs, um our club and co-curricular programs, our mental health professional student supports, senior high school course elective offerings, right? Of course, that's enrollment dependent. um CT Bosey's high school um the student offerings the same amount right that we have allowed you know in the last couple of years that remains the it it maintains a sale um the enrichment elementary enrichment program that we started this year um is is part of this proposed uh draft budget our IT um programs and enhancements that we talked about um are also here you know one of the pieces is although this is our first formal budget number one

103but in reality as a result of a lot of the different department meetings. Some of these topics you've already heard, right? Because they were part of those program um presentations. Um the physical wellness um high school program, right, the weight room, fitness room access, right? Uh this maintains this and that recycle, right? Our replacement plan in terms of the Chromebooks and smartboards again that that Dr. Wright mentioned beforehand. Uh some budget drivers, right? Um that are out of our control, right? you know there there are increases right that um you know we we have to contend with not just us but other school districts as well health insurance increase they are you know uh we don't know the second half of the year right um so based on the information that we have received um

104school districts throughout are projecting an increase of anywhere between 12 and 15% right so for us um we accounted for a 2.1 increase in health insurance costs TRS um the 82 24 uh% increase is about you know almost about you know 600,000 or so ERS increase and uh the transportation contract transportation um that was mentioned by Mr. Maddie obviously that's included in there as well right I'm just highlighting some of the increases as we talked about the indistrict transportation lines right those have been adjusted has been reduced um as Mr. Maddie mentioned transfer to capital, right? Um this has been on and off in terms of um various different budget years. We are looking to this current proposed draft um includes a transfer to capital to address our PA system at the senior high school.

105Um I'm sure uh Miss Gold exactly can attest to. Um yes, it is terrible. But separate from that, right, um you know, it's a safety issue, right? really is um a priority area that we must address right for next year. We're currently Dr. Wright is helping us with this process. We have various different vendors coming and and meeting with us and presenting um their proposal. So that would be in a transfer to capital line um that we would address um the senior high school as as a priority. the program component. Um again, our our draft budget, right, currently includes some of the um wants andor needs, right, that were have been highlighted to the administration team and to our board of education, right, throughout all these various different department um meetings. It doesn't necessarily mean

106that this will end, right? That it all of it will be um included in the final draft because at the end of the day, our goal will be to establish a balanced budget within our tax levy, not exceeding the tax levy, right? So, some of this may change, but as it sits right now, uh these are some of the pro program components um that u I would like to right uh you know, hopefully be able to maintain in there. So uh from a music department perspective, we have a music department presentation coming up. Uh we have talked about that a number of times. We had a multi-year purchasing plan for music equipment. Um our music department chair um you know shared um with with all of us a new kind of three-year plan. We had

107him reook at that. So we're looking at a year one instrument budget of 20,000. Um technology department. Uh this was specifically right some of the areas that were um identified um there 5,400 the library department 2500 that was the in terms of some of the additional supplies the sale the students accelerated and learning program that we started this year at the elementary level. Um in a previous slide I mentioned continuing that if you recall yes we did add the program from a personnel perspective but we did not add a budget right to in terms of materials and supplies. Um, so this proposed draft budget includes a budget line for that program. District-wide field trips. Um, this would be to double the current amount that um, you know, was initially budgeted for this school year. Uh,

108so that each elementary school instead of 2,000 um would have 4,000 and the senior high school, junior high school um, 6,000 each. Right. Again, four school district um, sponsored uh, field trips. other component areas um that we currently have in the draft budget. Uh some of these we don't necessarily have a choice with, right? And and some we do. Um AEDs outside, that's a requirement, right? Um we will need to build our buildings and grounds department will work is working, you know, with Mr. Hanley. Um and um Mr. P, right? In terms of athletics, we are required to have AEDs outside. So we have to obviously build a place for them to be housed. Um and also the AEDs. So that's in this um the alternative senior high school um evening program. We talked about

109some of the instructional technology pieces. Um the junior high school academic center, right? Um the and the next two items you'll hear in an upcoming curriculum and instruction um presentation meeting, right? Uh our benchmark elementary reading program. As our board knows, we have been in a multi-year right um installation or or um implementation, I should say, right, of our uh reading program at the elementary level. So, this is next year's required programs and MTSS LinkedIn software program. You'll hear Mr. campaign talk about that during our CNI um presentation specifically looking at um you know the software program to analyze and house all of our student data and to help us make informed decision um with regards to student programming and and various different MTSS. This is all the pre right um support services from a

110tier one, tier two, tier three intervention. Um but we'll talk more about that during that presentation. Other areas that again in our draft um program component of the uh of this budget um senior high school uh region summer administration. So that's not senior high school summer school, right? That's three days to administer regent exams for students that maybe um fail their regent exams, right? need to um retake it. Uh that's currently there. Summer incoming K orientation program that we have done beforehand. This is um kind of a a tentative number because it is still being worked on. Our student services department is having all their annual review meetings, right, for our students with special needs. Um those that those budget lines, right, are still um not finalized per se uh because again those meetings are

111are happening, right? So by the next meeting and which is a month from now, right, we'll have more solidified kind of tuition and related services um budget lines even though again we know that that also can quickly change, right? Um in terms of those needs, but just as an FYI, right, our um budget for student services is approximately, you know, 30 $31 million. professional development. We do not have a an increase or um particular budget line per se increase right in the proposed uh budget. I we added it there because it is an area of need. It is dependent on title two right we use title two funds to provide professional development for um our our faculty. If there is a change in what we receive i.e. all of title two not being received, right?

112That would be a major challenge for school districts um because we would need to dedicate some funds for professional development and and two in particular that immediately came to mind were the secondary science changes right and and elementary reading program. So upcoming. So I in essence gave you a little prelude right of of some of the things that we have been talking about I guess a summary of the main highlights or wants slash needs right from the various different departments. Um we do have uh on March 10th we will have a student services uh midyear review and proposed budget presentation. um that will help us also obviously solidify by that point, right? Those budget lines that I referenced in terms of student services. Um Mr. Payne will provide us with a a mid-year um same

113thing review and proposed budget. It'll include some of the topics that I just mentioned here. And um art and music department, although again we already know some of their needs, so we've incorporated those um in the current draft right now. Uh in addition to that uh we have a board of education finance workshop uh that is scheduled for February 24th. Um it will it's not doesn't necessarily isn't the same kind of format. It's it's a workshop. So there are no decisions made. There's no voting happening, right? It is professional development, right, for our team that will focus specifically on um fi the finances, right, and and looking at these reports, right? Um and the nice piece is and Mr. knows this. We're in the same kind of email thread that the presenter is including some

114of our information into his presentation. So, it makes it a little bit more relevant because it's using our own numbers as well. And then again, March 10th is um our next budget presentation like this, right? Um that will include uh more of the solidified program component numbers which could include um all of these areas and could include some of these areas, right? because at the end of the day we um by that point right um we're I want us to and we will be right much closer to a balanced budget within our tax levy because again that is not you know we will not be seeking right to go beyond that. Um I think at one point in one of these slides we were at like about a 3.1 million. I think now we're at

115like a 2.9 or so million. Again, each day those fluctuate based on, you know, and we have we have a couple of pending um items to to adjust and we'll receive that information in the next couple weeks. So, that is where we're at team. Um I any specific priority items right that either were presented by a department leader or that you know the board um has been thinking about that we haven't incorporated um as part of this this process that you'd like to talk about you know we can certainly do so of course obviously at any of these meetings um any questions at this point Mr. Merary >> we still have the on CT. >> Yes. >> Is that >> right now? I have it the same. >> Right. So, um >> waiting list. >>

116Yeah. So, I don't I don't know um yet. Right. The high school is in the process of developing their schedule, right? When Miss Galante mentioned beforehand the team working on kind of sections and things like that. So, that's kind of tied with that. Um I could certainly come back to you to share with you. Okay. Right. like you know we have x number of students on the wait list right and we can we can talk about that um I'm not sure if we could potentially have that for the March one but maybe right because again that the schedules are being created and students are you know going through that process now but I'll certainly circle back around to you to share with the board here here's our number and here how many students let's say

117were on a wait list write that I think there are probably many priorities especially when you get department specific. You know, everybody presents the priorities very well. The the biggest thing to remember for everybody here is that it's two months before the state probably gives us an actual number of what we're going to be getting. You know, it's they're say beginning of April, but history will tell you it's probably later. So, it's the biggest variable. >> Been pretty on time, right? Not last year. >> Yeah. No, before that. Exactly. Yes. What we're hearing and actually Mr. Mer was with me at a meeting on Friday, right? Um >> it was a pretty, let's say, let's put it this way. Everyone indicated that they have in essence no reason to believe. They felt pretty optimistic that

118um the state aid picture that we have been given that we will receive an increase and some have even gone to say uh you know a >> 3% increase right um but they definitely felt pretty comfortable in there's going to be an increase it's a common piece and it's also an election year right and all those other factors into the mix. So um I'm going to be optimistic that that'll be part of that as well. They said the same thing to us last year though. >> They >> in the same meeting. >> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. But that's correct. You keep >> Yes. >> Um, a lot of the I think a lot of things we've talked about through the course of the year of the wants were already incorporated in here. >> Um,

119yes. >> I know you made the point to say draft and I think that's a key thing to keep driving that this is just a draft because as Miss Galante mentioned, you know, we have um a gap there in reference to >> I was going to ask you to tally how many times I said draft to make sure that you were counting. It's it's because, you know, it becomes now >> this is where we're at. This is what it's going to be. And that's just not the case. >> Um, >> is it safe to say when when if somebody's going to look at your your projected budget number as it is now? It's a snapshot in time. >> And it is a combination of things you've added back already and wishlist items. I mean, would

120that be the best describer? >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Of that number and and evolves every day, right? >> Evolves absolutely every day. >> I have to say some of the lines that you actually saw tonight may have changed already. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> No, understood. We went through that last year when numbers were being brought up and they've changed since they were posted on Friday. So, no, I I get that. I just I just think it's it's, >> you know, everybody, you know, coming from the year we had last year. Everybody, you know, they're going to see that variance in the in the revenue versus the projected budget and panic like we are two years ago. And I don't think that's the case. >> No. But I'm just trying to >> also describing that the

121changes in the lines this year is moving items around to the proper department. >> Understood. >> So I think that is critical because a lot of times when I sat down with the budget uh people and said like you know where where what line do you do you pay e school out of? And it was like I don't know. I don't see it. It was in a line that they don't have access to. They should know everything that they have that they're using because when that BOSI bills comes in every month, we we divvy it up and we send Dr. Wright his his charges. We send transportation their charges. We send building and ground and just to verify them >> and and sign off on it that yes, we are using the service and yes,

122you can pay it. You know, we don't just pay the bill without getting all that information. So, this will make it much easier for them to say, "Yep, I have this, this, this, go ahead. It's good." You know what I'm saying? >> Um, and that was one of the things that, and it also will be good for the board and the community >> to be a little bit more transparent like the transportation. It's not going to say contract transportation anymore. It's going to say transportation out of district, transportation in district, and transportation private and parochial. You should be monitoring all that year to year, especially as you keep going more on contract just to see where your cost is going up. Is it private or parochial? Is it out of district and why? You know,

123things like that. So that is that is uh driving the lines changing too all the time. >> So but at the end um and when you budget for the following year and then you start comparing it'll make more sense. I think it it adds some clarity into defining those >> transparency. Clarity and transparency for everyone, >> right? Um, you know, it was good to see the um the the uh music instrument reinstated into the budget. I know something we started a couple years ago, maybe more than a couple uh then we halted that. So, it was good to see that and and the enrichment program >> and some other things. I had some questions on the earlier slides. I didn't want to interrupt when you were going there, but on like slide five where we

124do the proposed state aid for uh West Babylon, >> if you could just give us a refresher on what the private public excess cost aid is because it does show a decrease. >> That that's all uh dependent on your stacking >> for all the students that you stack. And by October 1, I don't think you you have to have everyone stacked by then. They suggest that you try to have everyone stacked or stacked to at least the the threshold and then you can always add but I'm not sure how it's done here in West Babylon. So >> what's meant by stacked? So basically students with special needs right um there's a certain threshold right um and when they exceed the threshold by threshold I mean in terms of the quest right to support the student

125academically socially emotionally or whatnot right that gets factored in and then we receive some aid as a result of that >> so it's formula based >> right for right students with special needs and the services but they have to meet a certain threshold there certain documents and reports that have to be submitted um so we feel pretty comfortable right that when this comes around and then they'll be using the updated numbers and that that's going to increase. >> Okay. The the building a decrease is that related to bonds that we no longer have. How how is that calculated? >> Projects. So in other words, if you had a project that you did, let's say 15 years ago, >> right, >> and you were aided for 15 years, now that project is falling off, >> right?

126It's done. >> Done. >> Okay. Okay. >> You don't get any more state aid on it. In the in the reserve on the reserve um template, you had the word capital, >> right? >> Is that the capital project reserve or is fun? >> Capital that's your capital reserve. >> Okay. >> That's that's the reserve that if you want to use the funds in that reserve, you have to put a proposition on your May ballot and tell the community what you're using that money for and they can vote yes or no on. And that's the prelude to a future board meeting, >> right, >> where we're going to talk about what priority areas we want to use the capital reserve for and do we want to add a proposition to expend some of that fund some

127of those funds for whatever. >> We don't have a fund balance on on this particular sheet appropriated that we would use for appropriated >> we don't have anything right now >> because there's not I know you said there's no intention right now of using anything but we don't know that balance yet. I know that's something we working. Okay. >> Correct. Yes. >> Something's got to be calculated. Uh I'm almost done. I'm sorry. No, good. >> My stupid notes. Okay, it was already there. Um, hold. I'm on slide 80. >> I mean, for the record, our our board of ed finance workshop, there are 102 slides. >> I saw that. Yeah, >> I know. Yes, >> I was going through I was going through them thinking I was getting to the end and then I said

128I clicked on it to highlight it and I was like, "Wow, I have a lot more to go." And my lunch was over. Um uh could you just specify in the curriculum supervision what I know you it me it mentions it what what's in in >> so principal salaries >> account 2010 okay that's got >> no curriculum 2010 is um Mr. Payne's area that's Mr. Oh, um I was on I was on slide uh 20. Thank you. Well, for some reason on mine it's 23, but I don't know why. >> So 2010 is curriculum. So that is Mr. Hayes area and all his uh staff and everything he needs. >> Okay. for that. >> Um, in reference to the uh EPC contract, uh, it's the projected the 1 million286 number. How does that work again?

129Because it's supposed to be an inherited savings, >> right, >> associated. So, where is there an offset? Where would we see? >> So, um, the offset is we'll you'll see the offset on on a lot of times on your utility line because you have your solar now. >> Okay. and your last building I think just got connected. >> Okay. >> Late late fall. >> So actually when you see your line by line eventually we have lowered your electric line by about $150,000 because that's what we're anticipating in saving this year. >> Okay. So next year with all of them on all year long your solar you should even be saving more than that. >> Okay. um in your heating units, whatever ventilators they did, you should see all that uh savings in your utility lines

130really. >> Okay, that's what we'll that's what we'll have to look at. >> And the other piece is if um remember the the team, right, they do that analysis with uh Mr. Ljas's office, right? The monthly piece to ensure, right, that we are hitting that mark. >> Exactly. Yep. And then in the on slide 28, it mentioned possibly the addition of two employees for buildings and grounds. I know we talked about that >> a couple weeks ago, >> right? >> It has a figure of $89,000. I'm going to assume that's without benefits. >> Yes, >> that is without benefits. And just as a background piece, part of that presentation, the request was for four, right? So the, you know, again, the draft of where we're at, right, is uh the inclusion of two, but that

131does not account for benefits. That's correct. that salary. >> Okay. And the summer incoming K orientation program, um, is that something we don't do? Is that totally new? >> No, we've been doing it, um, we use grants, right? Um, for a couple of years. I think we've only been doing it for two or three years. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> So, this is to reintroduce it, but now using the general fund. >> So, what is that? Something that happens in August or I don't know. It's been a while. Okay. >> Summer. Yep. Okay. That's it for me for right now. >> Good. >> All right. Yeah, sure. >> When presented to us last month about sports right now. >> No. So what we did was we rolled over, right? Um making the assumption

132of all of those teams running, right? So all the stipens or whatnot and then based on enrollment that's going to change, right? In terms of each year, um and then you know, as we did this year, right, since we didn't run some of those programs, then we utilize some of those funds to do the fitness center, right? Like to Yeah. So, we roll over as if we're going to have all of them and then we adjust accordingly questions. Okay. All right. >> Okay. So, we will continue obviously uh >> for everyone else. >> I mean, >> all right. Thank you team. Is it warm in here or is just the presentation? >> It's warm in here. It's hot in here. Yes. >> All right. Uh at this time, uh statement of residence on agenda items

133only. Any resident wishing to share a statement must state their name, address, and any organization they represent. They can also write this information on index card and give it to the assistant superintendent finance and operations. Comments about individual students or employees are not permitted. Each resident has up to three minutes to speak with a total of 15 minutes allotted. Responses will be given after all statements. Any questions needing further research will be addressed at the next meeting. Okay. Okay. Need a motion to approve the consent agenda. Steve, Patty, all those in favor? Okay. Is everyone Okay, that's what I was practicing before, I guess. Uh, no policy review today. Uh, old business follow-up discussion on UPK. >> Okay, so just um during our February 3rd board of education meeting, we provided an update on our

134UPK program. Um at that time we reviewed the state's anticipated increase in UPK funding uh the restrictions right tied to the use of those uh funds and the spacing limitations within our elementary buildings that uh impact our ability to expand UPK sections for next year. We also discussed that in an effort to proactively look for additional spacing opportunities for UPK families inhouse, uh we established a committee to evaluate space uh within our high school that could potentially be converted to UPK classrooms. Um this possibility right brings of course important considerations including the financial right investment that would be required to retrofit retrofit the space. Um and then there were some broader concerns that were raised um during our discussion with regards to housing a UPK program within the high school setting. Fully understand uh we

135fully understand the concerns that were posed during the discussion. Um I just wanted to see if there was any further conversation needed. Right. Is there an interest in our team continuing to investigate um the high school as a potential UPK? Because again that was that was all it was was investigating that possibility. Um if so right then we would of course then dedicate additional time to further analyze the feasibility the cost the logistics and the programmatic right um implications as an aside regardless of the high school option right um and you know obviously the offering of the two or three or four sections inhouse right we will continue to explore external UPK partnerships um and placement opportunities to support our families and of course maximize um access right to the early childhood program of of

136UPK. So that still will happen right in terms of us exploring those um outside options um in-house we will offer as many as we are able to based on space right um that we have at the elementary buildings. Is there any interest in in having our team continue to investigate the high school as a potential location >> next year >> for right I am just referring to for next year. >> Just for next year, we'll hold off on the following year for right now. So, first up, >> I have no interest. >> Okay. >> The no interest. >> Got it. Um, do I dare ask the question? Is there an interest in the following year or would you prefer to hold on that conversation? I think we can hold, but I'm still against the high

137school option. >> Are there more of those? Because then that would completely close that door for us, right? >> Yeah. I mean, as far as the high school options concerned, I think it's exploring um you know, adding additional space in house, right? I understand definitely that concept >> irregardless of the year or the mandate. Not comfortable with a high school. >> I'm not comfortable with the high school. >> There's other high schools that do it. >> Yes. >> I think it's going to cost us some money, >> right, >> to get involved with this. I think we get a minor or some kind of a breakdown of what it might cost us to get involved with it in a few months or someone wants. >> I I honestly don't want to even spend the architect

138fees. I don't I don't want to spend that. I need more money on the research or your time and the team's time of committees and meetings. I've seen your calendar. We got a lot more to concentrate on. I I personally for me if we want to go further then we have those discussions. I don't we had an almost unanimous decision not to even go further with it. I don't want to spend any more time or money on it. That's just me. >> Nor do I want to see you and the team do the same thing. >> No, understood. And that's why I'm having the conversation, right? Because if there's an interest then we'll you know the team the committee will right >> outside outside services great if if somebody comes up with some brainstorm for

139the junior high that's a different conversation or something you know I I just feel like >> we're going to spend tens of thousands on drawings and ideas without even chipping away at a piece of concrete >> I was referring to our department let let them do some research into the project they come up with a Walmart. >> I I I don't know what without testing a single thing like any number they give us is going to be lower than the actual cost. >> Sure. >> I know that by tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You know, they can give us a very good this is my opinion and please guys jump in is like before we even remove a floor tile that number is going to go whatever that number is. It's going to

140be higher. And I just I'm looking at this. I don't know why I'm going to start. I just feel like so much time went into what they prepped to show us already and I don't hear anybody saying I'd still want to consider it. Why? I don't know why I'm going to go. Well, I know he's raising an interesting point trying to get more information, >> but quite honestly, >> and I'll just be very straightforward. >> When I when I heard that the only buffer between high school students and the prek students was going to be somebody sitting in a hallway. >> Oh, and doorways. I'm I'm just not >> I was kind of like I don't I can't I we're opening up it can't >> my Yeah. My concern is the security as well. >>

141We need further guidance from the state just like >> Yeah. There's too many variables. >> They don't have their finger on the pulse of what's going on with infrastructure. They don't have their finger on the pulse of what's going on with all districts in regards to >> Yeah. I mean, I think our team could tackle anything, but whatever that estimate is, and we've all done work, even on our own houses, >> once you once you disrupt something, here we go. >> And it's 50 grand for this test. Oh, that tile there, you know, asbestous test, it's just going to be >> hundreds of thousands. We don't have it. >> Understood. >> But what Anthony says, we're going to use something >> of course. Absolutely. Yeah. But besides even that aspect, just the high school from

142just some things I my gut tells me I just would not want to go down that avenue even if the estimate was on the button. I just for me >> I just wouldn't want to see it. >> Okay. But again, we can go right. >> Okay, >> Katie, >> I just wanted to add that I think we just are looking at this in just a numbers right now perspective and just thinking about getting your eyes on children developmentally at a young age could change numbers in the future, right? So, just thinking from a perspective of having educators seeing children at four and five years old versus them when they get into kindergarten. We all know the plasticity of the brain and what goes on before age five and just I do think that we shouldn't

143just think right now numbers would be not great when long term you might be making significant changes to a child's education and what that could look like long term for us as a district. So I just don't want to be so close-minded and thinking in that perspective >> and just I have read some of the research in terms of that model and it is kind of wonderful. I know that you have your own opinions on that, but I just want to just say that >> I the variable side of what we're allowed to spend from the state funding. >> Sure. >> There's >> but like again before spending all that money because if the state comes back and says no, you can't spend >> the the money given. >> Well, now we just wasted $30,000

144on this fee and that fee just to see if it it can happen. I just feel like we we and it wouldn't happen for next year anyway. Not a I'm not opposed to what you're in reference to what you're saying, >> but I think it's too early for us to commit and we don't even know how we could use the money. >> Sure. >> You know, >> but in general, the general consensus I have I'm sensing is no in terms of the high school. >> Yeah. >> Right. And so, which is fine. And again, we're going to explore all the outside pieces because we absolutely want to be able to afford again and the the general gist of all of this is getting children into seats for right like absolutely right. finding ways to do

145that in the absence of additional space, right? It will be three, fourish sections at the elementary building, right? And of course, we'll explore the outside pieces, but it could possibly just be that, right? And then 140 people on a students on a wait list, right? And 60 in a program, right? You know, it it could be that, right? If we don't have the outside pieces, but we will explore internal rocks and, you know, and and and reach out and do an RFP. Smith, right, to explore all those options. So, we're good. Like I said, I just wanted to say, you know, um see if there was any interest there, right? Then, of course, obviously our team will continue to dive into that. Um so, that's all I had for old business. So, thank you for

146the feedback um on that and we'll obviously again continue to provide update there. New business, I just had a I had a an ask question for the board. number of years ago um one of the I don't remember the exact name of the program but they did uh one of the Boseies programs they did their uh graduation here in the pack right um I can't think of the specific program but nonetheless they're asking if because their current site kind of fell through um if they can host the Manor Plains Bosey's graduation program in ARPAC um they reached out to the high school Mr. kind of check the calendar to see if you know it would even be feasible right and there are some potential dates that it could be feasible. Um but it really would

147be a a board ask especially if they are not u because it would be the request would be not uh basically waving in terms of the facilities usage fee right to utilize the pack. Again, by way of background, just wanted to share with the board that a number of years ago they did, this is probably going back now because I remember going as director of student services to the graduation, right? Um years ago, they did have that that okay um so the question is can manner planes Bosey's program graduation happen here um without the facilities use fees to use the pack for the graduation? Um so it would happen on a day right the only day that we would the only days that we would offer would be um days that the pack is already

148open that the school is open right it wouldn't be on a Saturday to incur additional kind of people coming in costs right uh That's that's right. Yep. Yeah. But those pieces, right, um I would then suggest right in terms of obviously if they needed someone to operate kind of any of the tech pieces that that would be a fee, right? This is specifically in terms you like it wouldn't be for us to incur cost. If they need someone to do something special with the lighting or something like that, they would have to pay for that those ancillary costs. It would be the use of the actual