001of the 25 events. Again, an outstanding achievement. Congratulations to our students and to our adviserss. Um, I have gone over to uh visit them uh while they're in action at the high school. A lot of brain power in that room. A lot a lot of brain power in that room. It really is amazing to watch them in action. And lastly, I would like to congratulate our cheerleaders who res recently competed in Florida at the National Cheerleading Competition. We commend them on a wonderful season and their commitment to representing West Babylon with great pride. Finally, later on this evening, uh during my superintendent's community presentation portion, we are going to be discussing our UPK program. Uh Mr. Payne will be doing so for us. Um and we will also be presenting two new course proposals uh
002for the junior high school and senior high school. Thank you. And congratulations again to our students for these exceptional accomplishments. >> You're up again. >> Okay. Yes, I am. Which means I'm going to pivot over to Mr. P. Yes, that's right. We do not have um any of these here. Take it away, Mr. Payne. Perfect timing, Mr. Ljitus. Thank you for joining us. >> Kept it suspenseful. Um, Bob, I think I'm going to hit you up. Uh, Bob, I'm gonna hit you up to hit the slides. Is that okay? >> Yeah, I I would do it here, but I don't think I have anything. So, all right. So, we're going to talk about UPK tonight. There's a lot of um fairly recent changes that we have to kind of get well verssed in and then
003some potential long range changes that we have to discuss. So, hit it. Here's the we're going to talk about three main things here, right? And this is going to be pervasive throughout the presentation tonight, which is really dependent upon how um we're looking at um when we talk about our UPK funding. I'm not sure why there's no spaces on the top there, but there was at one point. Um really, we're talking about funding from New York State. We're talking about student enrollment. In other words, the number of families and students that are interested in our program. And then we're talking about space. I'm going to cover that for just a few minutes. Um funding. I think we all know that the UPK program is entirely funded at West Babylon right now by the state of
004New York. We do pick up some ancillary costs and we'll talk a little bit about that because that does have some bearing in what we're going to discuss tonight. Um, but the funding for the actual kids and for the cost of the program is picked up entirely by New York State. Uh, student enrollment, of course, this makes sense, right? We're completely dependent upon the number of kids that want to do it and families that want to do it. That'll determine the number of sections that we need. Um and then room availability which has been a fairly recent phenomenon for us. Um obviously there are particular criteria related to UPK uh programming. You can only put 18 kids in a room. Mr. Legitus is going to talk a little bit tonight about some of the other
005criteria, square footage, bathrooms, things like that or access to bathrooms, egresses. So the number of of acceptable rooms we have uh and as well as outside providers affects the total number of UPK sections we can we can kind of give. So Bob, you can hit it. Um, right now we're going to I'm going to go over those three pieces. We get $6,100 per student from New York State. Um, we we portion this out to SCOPE. Scope uses our classrooms and charges us about $ 109 I'm projecting this out about $110,000 per section. Um, that works out to about 6100 and some dollars per student. Um, for 18 kids. Like I said, the district does pick up other costs associated with with those programs in our building like uh custodial, nurse, and you know, using some
006of the uh the building um you know, we do >> building administrator, psychologist, some sometimes some special ed pieces, but the other flip side of that, these are eventually our kids, they are our students. So, it's it's kind of a a two-way piece. Um but all the money we get is directly passed on to Scope. We we literally take it, we hold it, and we just give it to them. Um, and therefore what we do and and I've explained this to the board in the past, we have to keep each section fully enrolled at 18. If we go to 17, we're still paying scope that 1098 800. So if we go down to 17, we've got to put another kid in in that month. Otherwise, we lose funding from the state. We got about a
007month's leeway on this. Um, so it's a careful juggling act. And as such, we try to keep a wait list of about 10 students. And 10's cutting it close because sometimes we've had a lot of people drop. Um, we try to keep 10 students before we even if we could open up another section because if we just open up the number of sections for the kids we have, we run the risk of losing money um, as soon as a kid drops out. And we do have significant students that drop out throughout the year. Okay, hit it. New York State Ed. This is just I'd say hot off the presses, but probably cool. Like a week ago, Victoria got it to us. Um, this is important. And the cool thing about this is everything I say
008really makes no difference because it's not official till May. So, you'll hear me say this like it's the truth, but don't listen to me because I have no no idea what's actually going to happen. Um, this is literally from the state of New York. Over the past la last few days, we received a number of inquiries about the governor's universal uh propos UPK proposal in the executive budget. Specifically, how $10,000 per pupil fits into the amount for 2627 uh UPK aid. We have confirmed the below information with the division of the budget and want to provide as much clarity for school district as possible. The program is in is indeed for all four-year-olds to be eligible for UPK through requirement that by 2829 districts will provide a full day slot to any four-year-old child whose
009parents have requested it. This requirement can be met either in district or through um out of district providers. So, I don't know if this is official. Remember, I'm going to sound like I know what I'm talking about, but I don't. But by 2829, there is something out there that states any child of any child or any um a child of a parent that's four years old that's a West Babylon resident is going to be guaranteed a slot for UPK. I don't know how that's going to work. So, you can ask me a bunch of a bunch of things. Um I'll do my best to answer them, but at $10,000 a slot, here's where some of the math comes in. um $10,000 this this is going to seem simple but is is more than 6100, right?
010So that's a huge increase, but it's not so much of an increase where it overcomes some of these hurdles of space and teachers and things like that. So it's going to be a juggling act. We're going to talk tonight about some of that juggling. Um but just to give you a little history, student enrollment is is a factor like I talked about, right? So I'm going to give you the history of um West Babylon UPK 2122 we had 76 interested kids. We put 76 uh kids in UPK. We received a grant amount of 410. Uh we had more money than we had students. So it was a probably a good problem to have. We also obviously had enough room. So everything was good. Life was good that year. Uh 2223 uh we had 138 enrolled
011uh kids. We had 145 people apply. Uh it was really tight. We didn't have enough money and that's without the weight list like I talked about. So, we put a weight list of about six kids. Um, we had to fill up sections. We didn't have enough money to get those other six kids in. It was really tight that year. 23 uh 24. Um, again, now you can see we really didn't have enough money because we got a lot more people interested. We just didn't have enough money to supply it. Interestingly, then the the amount went up significantly from the state. 2425 we had 126 um enrolled. We had 147 applicants. We got money that year. We got a lot of money. Um, but that was the first year we ran into not enough space. So,
012we had to cut it. And of course, we know this year where we are, um, we don't have enough space. If even if we did have enough space, I'm going to tell you, we wouldn't even have enough money to get all of the applicants that we had. We just wouldn't have enough. But way before we ran out of money, we ran out of space. So, tonight, we're going to talk a little bit about space. Um, of course, constantly referencing back to money, um, and the number of kids. So, here's space, right? Room availability. This is our current year. At Santa Pog, you're running three sections. JFK2, Tuker, one, South Bay Zero, there's no room. It's a total of six sections. I don't know why the formatting is running over, but we'll work on that. Um,
013six sections this year. Next year, and and I this is confusing. I get it, but I wanted to make sure that everyone understands. It looks like next year, and Mr. Hanley and Dr. fairly um can confirm. Um we're probably going to lose a section of fifth grade, most likely in JFK. Correct. I'm guessing here this is all guesswork. So, great news. You just picked up a classroom. Um bad news is we're probably going to need two more classrooms for kindergarten coming in, right? Um and when I say two, there might be two sections of kindergarten, but even if there's one, there may be special education requirements that are going to cause us to use up two rooms. So, we saved one room, but we're going to probably need two. So, what did I put up
014there between Santa Pog and JFK? Because it's a north south thing depending upon where the section of kindergarten goes. I put them double because I can tell you next year we're probably going to be able to house four sections in some variant of those two buildings, right? Is it going to be three in one? I hope not. It could be. Um hopefully it's two and two. Um but some variant between Santa P and JFK is going to have two and two. Um Tuker and South Bay will still be the one. um for a total next year in our elementary schools of fitting five, not six. So, we're going to lose a section next year no matter what. Um that's a big piece. So, we had our curricular committee. We've been meeting uh probably three or
015four meetings. We looked at increased sections from outside providers which we're continuing to look at and we're trying to get outside providers to agree. Um we had one outside provider last year that we ran into some difficulties as we all know. Um I think there were some insurance concerns. Um, the good news is, right, if we get this extra money, maybe more outside providers will be able to do it. The problem is though, I'm not going to be able to tell the outside provider they have the money until May, which is going to be very late in the game. Um, and they're not going to sign a contract until we guarantee them a set amount. Um, the other piece that we were talking a little bit about, and Dr. Farley and I have spoken about
016this, is these outside providers have to maintain certified teachers, acceptable curriculum. Um, it's very difficult to keep UPK teachers. um they're not they get paid less than contractual teachers. Sometimes they get other jobs um without a deep kind of uh roster of backup teachers. If the outside providers lose that teacher and don't rehire someone who's certified, we run the risk of losing funding and therefore remember the money goes through us. If we don't get the money, do we then still pay the provider? That's going to be a weird situation to be in. So there's going to be some hurdles with this. Um but we did a big piece is looking at these outside um providers. We looked at using relocatable structures. Um it just isn't feasible. Uh it's a significant I think even to lease
017them is um something like 250 or $300,000 per relocatable. That's without bathrooms, heat, utilities, all that. The committee did a great job looking at it. It isn't a viable option um for our UPK students. We talked about increased sections at our elementary buildings. I just went through the numbers for you. This is the number of the increased sections. It's actually decreased for next year. Um there is no room in the elementary buildings for increased sections. So then we looked at space at the junior high school and senior high school. We're going to talk tonight about some of those proposals and we're going to answer questions because there are a lot of them. Um we sent groups to the junior high school to look specifically at the wing down by cafeteria B by the custodial where
018the music is. Um because you need areas that have separate uh entrances. Um and you want them as far away from the general populace as possible. Um they also looked at the uh music and the tech wings up in the um by the stage there by Eagle Hall. Um and that little wing where the boiler room is for those of you that are familiar with both of those areas didn't give us enough sections for the amount of um time and effort it would take to make those usable classrooms. As well as um the area down by cafeteria B. We just couldn't close the cafeteria off. So that one right away wouldn't be a viable option. And then the area behind the stage with the band room there for those you that know the room. There's
019access from the band room to the stage. It's a unique space. So that room probably wouldn't be available. So you really wouldn't be getting much space in the junior high school. We then looked at the uh the high school um and that's where the committee came to some agreement that this is a possibility. So here's the controversy, right? Like what do we do with the high school? We're going to talk a little bit about that uh tonight. Um, but really what it's going to boil down to if we're going to use the high school, what are we getting for it and what's being displaced, right? And then I guess the the important question too is how much does it cost? But we'll talk about that too. Um, because if we even use the high school,
020we've got to talk about relocating potential resources and then what do we get for it? Um, now this new curveball is this $10,000 per student. And I'm going to just throw this out there before I turn it over to Mike. Um, this changes things a little bit for us because if SCOPE still charges us $6,100 per student, um, we're allowed to take some of that money back, uh, not the scope money, right, but the state money because in essence, remember I talked about those ancillary services we provide. We can get reimbursement for that. Right now, we can't because we're giving all the money to scope. But since there's more money now, there's there is money potentially for getting reimbursement back for all of these students, all of the UPK students we house. Uh it's an
021interesting phenomenon because we've never run into it. Um and going through this that works out to be almost $4,000 per student in a class of 18. You're talking about $72,000 per section. I'm not going to say it's going to make or it's not going to make break us, but certainly going to help us fund some of these programs or at least put it in the back of our mind. it cannot be used for construction. >> So, that's going to be a big piece. We've we've crossed that barrier there. There's going to be some pieces I'm going to talk about after Mike goes about construction and things like that. Um, it absolutely cannot be used for construction. It could be used for the nurse. Um, the um the some maybe some administrative costs, desks, smartboards, you
022know, carpets, anything else, you know, cleaning the rooms for custodial pieces. It can be used for that. Um, there are even provisions where we can potentially use it toward a playground, right, specifically for the UPK. Um, but it cannot be used for construction or setting these rooms up, which is a is a little bit of a gray area. So, I'm going to stop there for a second. This is going to be Mike's slide. Um, questions so far. We're about halfway in. Maybe maybe a third. Go ahead. Now, less. Go ahead. >> All right. I have a few questions. >> Sure. >> So, um, starting with the So, now that balance that 3,900 after the 6100 will is scope capped at that 6100 or because they know more money's available they're going to >> it's a
023good question. So right now we got a letter from them. Dr. Farley got a letter stating that their rates are I think 61.89 next year per student. Remember for a guaranteed it's not per student it's for a guaranteed class of 18. So, as of right now, unless they changed and and I don't know if I know hopefully they wouldn't, we're committed. We've we're we're already committed at that amount for next year. Don't forget, remember I said I'm I'm not guaranteeing this 10,000 yet either, although I'm talking like I am. I really can't. >> Okay. Um and then I know right now with the little ones being at the elementary schools, they get additional opportunities that um not necessarily district provided, but like the PTAs for example. So, they get to participate in a lot of
024those um additional opportunities and enrichment programs. If there's a group then that's set at the high school, how can we justify an equal? >> I can I answer that later? I have a good answer for you. A great answer. >> Okay. >> But let let me save at the end because I I I want to present that as another piece. It's not going to be the same. We're not going to necessarily be able to get PTAs in, but I think we've got an interesting answer that will address that. Uh if I could hold off. >> Okay. Okay, I promise I won't forget it. >> And then um obviously >> isn't that suspenseful? Like everyone know. >> Um especially robotics near and dear to my heart. >> Yeah. >> Um now if you get rid of
025a room like that or I guess the print area >> um where is there space for those classrooms then to move to because they're obviously then comingled with the other population, right? we have to keep them separate. >> Um, and what if there becomes an like a influx of interest uh for the secondary students to want to >> do a tech or whatever, you know, now that we changed the whole >> So, Miss Johnson, time is jumping the gun a little bit, but she she sees the map. So, what we're going to propose is a specific wing of the high school that is separate that does house these areas. And my answer to you is this is an easy answer, right? My answer is going to be yes. We would we would not get rid
026of any program in any way, shape, or form, nor would we want them to lose those resources. It's going to take some juggling, but I'm going to tell you on behalf of of scheduling a a a high school, a junior high school, which is what I'm more familiar with, there is plenty of room at the high school for rooms. I'm not saying they're the best rooms, and they would have to be refurbished, right? But the robotics space can be placed in another classroom. We could probably schedule two robotics rooms, right? they wouldn't be down in that wing. But I could fit if if there were interest there, you could probably fit two robotics labs if you gave me the money to to make the classroom with just as much space if not more from the
027classroom space we have. The high school itself, and I think we all know this from I'm going to go back from when I started, our enrollment is down significantly. So even though the high school looks filled, there are plenty of rooms throughout the day that are empty. You would simply have to consolidate them, right? You would you would hold off one whole or one two whole classrooms and use them for that. In my opinion, the print shop could go to the junior high school. There's an empty tech tech room there which has the same access. It would be more central to the district. Um so the print shop would have to move then to to that other location. And then the other only other location that we'll be proposing tonight, sorry to take your your
028steal your thunder. Um is that empty uh shop room that's currently used for storage. So that wouldn't necessitate any move at all. So really based on the proposal that we're going to make in the high school right now, print shop potentially move it uh to the junior high school. Um not saying that's easy, right? This is all this is I'm not making it seem like this is an easy move nor a good one. Um robotics lab would move to at least another classroom with all the resources that they have now. >> And are there you know I know you said we can't use any of that money for construction purposes, but are there grants available that you can apply for for these types of changes? So, I don't know of any grants, but I am
029going to tell you if the board is interested in moving this direction. We would probably um need to do a few things, right? We there's potentially some capital pieces here that we may have to look into. Um I'm not speaking ahead of myself here. It's something that would have to be discussed with the board. The other thing I would love to look at and I am looking into is the longshot chance of using title ones for some light construction like room refurbishment. Um there's provisions in title one that allow us and it's it's a numbers game too um to do minor adjustments to room to make more space for UPK if you reach a particular poverty level and you can do what's known as a schoolwide program as opposed to a targeted one. We're right
030at the cusp. We're at I think the the targeted um versus schoolwide programs 40% poverty. I think this year this previous year we're at 41 or 42. Um, if next year is the same, I would, if we're a go with this, and I can't guarantee this, we would potentially look at using some Title One money for some of these construction costs for the expansion of the program into the high school. >> Is that how like districts like Beayshore, they built like that entire preschool? >> I don't I don't I don't know. I do I do think that off top of my head, I think Beayore has a higher poverty level, so they probably have more leeway and probably a higher grant. Um, I would never speak for them, but I'm I would assume they probably
031were able to tap into other resources that we can't. Um, so >> I got questions, but I'll wait till you >> You got I'm gonna let Michael, but go ahead. >> Uh, go ahead. Just >> rock paper scissor. So, um, at the pardon the pun, but at the risk of scoping out classrooms when you went to the junior high, were there cla was there a cluster of classrooms that the committee looked at and discounted? It was just you just went to >> They went to I didn't go. Um, the committee the committee went to both buildings. Um, it was about five or six people. They looked at um some of the sixth grade cluster areas, but the problem with the sixth grade clusters, it's either above or below existing space. Preferably, it would be ground
032floor. Um which would then mean you'd have people above and stairwells that would either have to be closed off or watched. Um and then like I said, that back wing by the cafeteria and the wing down by uh the stage down by the music rooms. Those were the three areas that they looked at at the junior high school and for a variety of reasons they ruled those spaces out. So, in addition to the egress piece, there's also the bathroom component in terms of >> there's bathroom components, there's square square footage we're probably fine on. Um, and then separation from the other program. >> So, what are those requirements when it comes to the bathrooms and square footage? >> I don't know. That's a great question. So, I'm going to defer that to uh Mr. Litus
033who hopefully can answer it, but if he can't, he'll just distract you. Just a a question there of the the map that whole you're not s we're not suggesting the entire PK program is brought back to the high school. How many sections are you projecting? >> So right now, and this is this is a lot of ifs with this. Uh I would say we're projecting three classrooms at the high school using the space. And I I'm not even I'm not even sure the bathroom piece will work. That's why I'm going to leave it to uh Mike um because there's going to have to be some work that'll that have to be done. The three spaces that we would be proposing would be what's currently the print shop, >> right? >> What's currently the robotics room
034and what's currently that empty uh space. There is a bathroom. There's two bathrooms down there. Um one is in an office that's right by the doors when you walk in. Just meaning there's plumbing there. I'm not saying it's a usable bathroom. And the other is in one of those wood shops. There's a there's a full bathroom. I don't know that that's enough to even get you through, though. like I'm I would be lying if I said, "Oh, yeah, that's fine." Um it's just a potential that it could happen, but before any of the potential is explored, the board has to have a discussion about whether it's even worth pursuing it. >> Yeah. I just I'm I'm looking I don't really know how is that close. >> That's not a clear map, right? >> The rest
035of the envir the high school environment. >> So, what would happen is uh that wing for those of you that are familiar with going down that wing. Um I my suggestion and there's and there's a reason for this would be you you'd want a a par profofessional there to make sure that uh kids can't go in and out even if you put doors there. You can't lock kids in or out. You just can't lock it. Um and then in essence there would be no way for any other kids to get there. You have an you have exterior doors which they wouldn't be able to get. Those would be locked. So the only way the only mixing you would have of kids would be in that main hallway. Um and in that hallway now there's um
036I think there's a tech room. Um there's two tech rooms and then there's a bunch of offices, right? So there wouldn't it's not a hightraic area because it's a dead end. It's not I'm not saying it's perfect at all, but it's probably the most isolated we can get for these kids in that environment. >> And the in the junior high school that the the the building wing there, the um the administrative wing of the junior high school, that wasn't something that >> the science rooms. >> No, no, the where the offices are um that businesses. >> Oh, yeah. No, I would love the business offices. I'll take them. And that would be a home run. >> They used to be the science room. Where are we going? >> I That would be an absolute home
037run to take the business office. I just don't know where we'd put them. But >> yeah, that's a perfect perfect space, >> right? >> We discounted. Only reason I think is because it is it is closed off by door. It has its own entrance, >> right? >> And it's >> there's some egress pieces there that there's going to be a problem kids and younger kids. >> So, one of the things we've seen is um and it makes sense, right? Because these are little kids, normal emergency eress windows don't work. >> So even those rooms and knowing them, you'd probably have to make some modifications to make sure each of them are aggressive, if that's a verb. Um, so but that would be a good space. I do remember, and I'm going to go back in
038time here, when South Bay had the fire, we did look at when we were going to put South Bay into the junior high school. I was principal at the time about using the business office and there I mean it was just not a feas because we would have needed that space to get South Bay in that building which is why eventually we couldn't do it but there wasn't any usable way to put the business office. So I told the committee don't you don't even look at the business office. We've tried to move them before when you know and we just weren't able to. I could I could be lying but I mean I just remember from that time it was the district looked at moving that business office and it wasn't a feasible option. But
039that would be a great a great space. >> Just quickly, I don't expect you to know this number because kindergarten enrollment isn't like completely even started yet, but we had 204 applicants. What's the anticipated kindergarteners that would be going in? >> That kindergartens are looking um one or two sections more next year. >> So I mean there was 24 applicants. How many kids do we think are coming in? Like 240 or something? >> Coming into kindergarten or UPK? >> Yeah. No, kindergarten. This group. So like >> this group, this UPK group coming into kindergarten, we're looking at an increased amount, 260 something. >> You have 246 potential kindergarten coming in. Last year was 210. >> So about 40 kids didn't apply to the UPK program district if you're refer I wouldn't be able to determine
040that because you got some people coming in stuff like that, but >> and then the separate spaces just because of the age gap like they're integrated now. Okay. >> Yes. Yeah. You you right and Mike will talk more, but you definitely need some you definitely if you're going to put them in a building with older kids, you definitely need some separation some clear separations between the two. >> All right. So, >> quick question. Are we mandated to take every kid that applies or we could just say we only have room? >> Right now, we're not mandated. I think that's that unknown, right? When I said in the beginning of the presentation at some point someone, probably not me, is going to be having this conversation with you, maybe not you, about maybe we will be
041mandated in 2829. Looks like that's a possibility, but I don't know how that's going to happen. >> It's something that's that some version of it's coming down the pike. I don't know what that is. >> Okay. >> So, we're a couple years ahead of the game. >> So many districts, right, that will struggle with the space issue, >> right, >> across the board. >> And there's districts that don't even offer it now >> that that forfeit the funding. They don't have they can't do it. I So, I don't even like I know I know we're look we're getting a lot of anxiety about this impending deadline. I I I don't have that anxiety personally because I I don't even know how they would mandate every district universally do it. It just I I don't see
042it as a possibility. >> Mandated electric buses. >> Yeah. >> And they they have no plan for this. They have >> understood. Hey, figure it out. >> Right. No, but with that they're saying there there's there's the costs that you can't get grants for on you. With this, they're saying it's a fully funded program. If it's a fully funded program, then it shouldn't cost you money outside of your ancillary costs, right? That's the way I look at it. And I know the lowhanging fruit of the argument that's going to come from people is, oh, if we had any other build, you can't we can't forfeit over a million dollars in savings and revenue for a program that's supposed to be fully funded. We would just we would be in a complete opposite direction. Uh so
043it's not fully funded. And I and I think I think the problem we'll run into >> because a few years ago, I remember scope wanting an increase in the amount >> um per student and we can only give what we could give. Well, if I'm they have a balance sheet, they're they're going to see that the state's giving 10,000, right? That to say 61 minus 10 is what we have. I I find that hard to believe. >> I I do think that and this is just my thoughts. This isn't worth that much. But I do think with this increased funding, you're going to see you're going to slowly start to see some competition to scope, but even with our outside providers. So, one of the things I would suggest if we ever had space, this
044is that discussion. If we do have the space, open it up. Also, if scope goes up too much or if scope can't provide it, let the outside providers come in our building which will help them and let them run their program like we do with scope. And we'll be meeting the state's mandate of getting certain percentage of our students um covered by an outside agency that's in the district. >> Yeah. >> If we have space. >> If we have the space. This is remember tonight I said is three things, but it's going to be a lot about space. >> Yeah. I just can't I just can't see I just can't see this mandate. We we have options. we have ways to finagle. I think we're going to have to rely very heavily on outside providers.
045Um but that's for the next conversation. But um I I just don't see how this rolls out and how anybody in the state can give me some statistics that say prek in a high school, you know, has some benefits. And I know there's some part of this. >> Let me skip ahead because I think this is the piece I want to answer. Miss time Johnson. Bud, can you can you skip Mike completely and go three slides ahead and then we'll come back. >> Sorry. >> So glad he came. >> Yeah. Go to go. about one more and then that's it. So I don't know why the spacing got thrown on us. Here's the piece, right? And there are there are districts that do this. To me, this is the exciting piece which gets uh Miss
046Johnson time into your part. If we ever did put it in a program in the high school, I would love and I and I think this is an educational piece where we would want to create a program to start training our West Babylon senior high school students toward ed jobs and education, whether it be daycare, whether it be early childhood education, whether it be child education in general, right? And so getting our high school kids into these classrooms with our students, while it wouldn't be PTA events and things like that, I have heard unbelievably positive stories in districts where the high school kids are working with these kids under the supervision. This this is not a freebie, right? You this is a class. We we probably partner with a college to maybe get them some
047college credits where they'd be working with these UPK students. And Mr. Ple, I agree with you. You would not ordinarily want to put a UPK in a high school. This might be the exception why. Our high school kids would benefit as well as our UPK kids. It wouldn't be the same as being in the building. I get it. Um but the resources that we can now potentially give to our high school students and the ability for them to get a leaprog ahead with a vocation that they may want to which is there's a dramatic demand for. I think some of that outweighs it. Right. Ordinarily, I would say to I wouldn't sit up here without this piece. I probably wouldn't sit up here and be excited about putting it into a high school even for
048all the reasons I said. this piece getting our high school students exposure to this vocational field that that obviously there's demand for that there's potentially some um a lot of employment opportunities for I think that's the exciting piece for our kids and I have heard it be phenomenally successful in other districts so that's the curveball >> we had it here at West Babylon child development right >> family and consumer science >> yeah but this would be this would be that but but a whole core like not just one class this would be an entire sequence where they'd be starting to and working with kids and then and interacting with our own kids under supervision. >> I mean, I think I think if if that I think it's like the, you know, turning lemons into lemonade,
049right? Where where that is an advantage only because we're almost forced to do it. If I had heard every year since I've been here the request for that program >> in the high school, I'd say, "Oh, here's our opportunity." So, yeah, I think we have to do that and I would probably have to be something where parents have to agree to it if they're going to be assigned to that school. But don't we already have that program through Boseies? would we then be saying >> this would be like us taking the automotive program like and putting it in the high school except we're getting paid now by the state to do it >> right. But we wouldn't offer both then >> automotive and childare. >> No, what I'm saying uh yeah, combine the two program.
050No, what I'm saying is if you're going to you're going to offer a program in the high school >> that is also available both. >> No, we keep it in our high school. >> You're not paying the $16,000 per student. I mean, I think it I think it would have I'm not going to say it would have been I it would have been proposed a long time ago. It's just the costs and the feasibility probably never warranted it. This is a weird confluence of events where there might be might be I'm not trying to sway anyone. There might be enough impetus to say this might be that perfect opportunity to start something >> and I can't guarantee you the interest but I would hope there would be a significant interest over time especially in the
051beginning I think it would be something new. >> I I do know the jobs are there like we all know the jobs are there. >> Yeah. for, you know, for high school students if they wanted, you know, future employment. >> Yeah. I do you know of situations where schools are doing that? I'd be curious if the parents >> So, the best example I know is Northport where they've had a long-term program there and I visited a long time, you know, a long time ago. Um, it's been there for a long time. It is successful. It's very successful. Um, obviously, they've built it into a a big program. Um, I would, you know, again, with the board's discussion, if this were an option, I would certainly go out and try to look for other, uh, comparable
052districts that are doing it. >> I'm just curious as to the parent feedback on that where it's a voluntary thing versus, >> right, >> you know, you get into your your email that, yeah, you this is where you're reporting to. >> I feel like >> 100% would be it would be it would be an elective. It would be a college elective program that they would take. >> I'm talking about for the kids that the the prek kids. Oh, the UPK kids. Here's that's a great question. So, here's how it would work. We would still do a lottery. First picks would get their choice of their home district. What we do now, though, is once you run past those home districts, you get placed somewhere else. And if you decline it, then we go to the
053next person. So, they're already in our UPK lottery plenty of parents that aren't getting the selection that they want. This would be an extension of that. And you're right, if they didn't want to do that, they would simply pass up their opportunity to the next person on the lottery who would then have the opportunity. fine for next year if we even move forward for next year. What about if there is a mandate? How do you manage that where >> I would suggest you you still do a a lottery, right? You still do a fair lottery where everyone has an equal chance of getting the place they want and then you know the further you are away, you just you don't necessarily get that option. >> So So a parent it ends up from that lottery
054that they get assigned to the high school and they say, "Well, I don't want my student, >> right? I don't want my my chops or my child being taught by you know whatever whatever whatever the reason may be what's the alternative there >> well I think my response is this is the seat we offered you don't have to accept it >> what about the mandate >> the mandate is you have to offer them a seat >> in my again I'm not an exit that could change right I'm just telling you my piece would be for the district's perspective we offer the seat we've offered it >> right I understand what you're saying there tough one >> right Go ahead. >> Just so it's I'm clear, you know, we've had to cut some programs over the
055last couple years that we have not been able to restore yet like tech program. We still have kids that want to go to tech that we can't send the tech. How are we talking about implementing a new program? Where's the funding going to come from for this but not for >> the kids that wanted to go to Boseies? >> The funding, and this is not a guarantee, right? The funding comes out of now housing those students at and I'm making up a number, right? And I and I'm purposely telling you I'm not right on this. $6,100, but I'm getting $3,900. I'm getting $72,000 per class, which can be used to to do exactly some of what you're talking about. The problem with the other tech programs is we never got that funding. We we don't
056have an opportunity for any funding for those programs. Here, at least there's an opportunity. There's just an opportunity. I'm not telling you it's a guarantee. Like this is a false promise. At least here there's an opportunity where I could say to you there's a chance here of funding. The problem with some of the outside tech programs is not only is there no funding, it's out of the building and it's going to cost us money. >> What's the And this might be a mic question, but like an average >> like to take for example the print shop, right? And to convert that, >> what's the construction cost on >> 79? No, I don't know. I'm not going to let Mike I'm going to let Mike I I don't know. Um there's there's a lot of ifs
057here. So I presented this as this move would be seamless. There it's not seamless. like it is a big deal and there's a lot of things the board have to consider. So I may be up here telling you, oh yeah, we can just go in there. We can't. Like there's a lot of things that have to be juggled and each of them are going to be sequential. So you have to make up your mind here and that could lead to this, this, and this, you know, and it could be things that um, you know, and one of the things Mike's going to talk about, those rooms have to be tested. Right now they don't necessarily have to be tested because some of them aren't housing students, the storage area for example. But once we test
058it, we're in now. You're in for a penny and for a pound. So, if it proves that there's there's things they're testing, right, then we've got to fix it no matter what. And I'm and I'm I'm quite certain there's nothing there. But I can't guarantee that to you. >> But like I'm thinking, for example, if it cost X amount of dollars, did we price out as well maybe extend, you know, expanding one of our other elementary if it logistically is possible. >> Yeah. So, the big piece with this is that this is not new construction. This would be modifications of of of rooms. Um and you know those rooms are technically that there would have to be some things that have to be done. Technically they've already been approved by state aid as um student
059appropriate classes albeit high school students but there it's already been approved by the state years ago. Um >> right but construction costs would still be on us. Correct. >> Right. Either way. >> But there's two right two different types of construction. New construction would be subject to a whole host of new pieces where this would be modifications of existing rooms >> mostly done in house. I'm not gonna answer. Yes, >> I'm not gonna answer for >> so there definitely a lot of next necessary steps. However, we're not right. I don't want to give direction to continue down this path or continue down this path with testing with numbers. We're calling in for quotes. um you know when we're talking about in terms of sign you know like um actual construction happening right there may or
060may not likely will be a need for the state to be involved in terms of different permits right um so there's there's so many different arms right to this um but again without kind of having this conversation here even though we fully recognize there are so many different questions right we need to have some insight in terms of our group's thoughts, right, on what do we continue to pursue and to investigate, right, and dedicate time, energy, and ultimately obviously dollars to, right, you know, in terms of this. Um, so, you know, Mike is going to, right, share some pieces, but that definitely again doesn't they're not hard numbers, right? You know, in terms of >> and one of the things you're going to ask, Mike, because I want to watch this is can even if
061you said yes tonight, which you're not going to, can this even be done by next year? I don't know. Like I don't it might that might not even we might be talking about something two years out. Um so there's a lot of ifs here. >> You doubt you doubt his ability. >> Yeah. No and I think Mike can do it. I just think he'll collapse and then we won't have Mike. >> A quick question. Yes. >> Because it's probably the number one question I get is when is the registration predicted registration for prek? >> So the the predicted registration for UPK is the day we get funding. Um however, we run the lottery well before that. We run the lottery at the end of March. That's the order. Um, and we start to tell people
062based on the lottery, if there's state funding, you've got a slot, but until we actually get the money, we are not, we can't commit to anything. >> Well, I mean, as far as them putting their name on that list. >> Yeah. So, so the lottery list, I think that's going to start at the end of February, beginning of March where they get a two or three week registration period, and the lottery is around the end end of March right now. >> The actual drawing of the >> actual drawing. >> So, end of February, beginning of March. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um, and people are emailing, and that's kind of what we're telling them. you kind of, you know, looks like this is coming out now the end of April. So, we're going to work
063our way backwards from there and set that date. >> How's it going everybody? >> Hi, Mike. So, uh, two slides are basically my contribution here. And the first one is looking at leaning towards an in-house possibility. Um, as Scott said, you know, the committee looked across the district to really, you know, from my facilities lens, I was looking at the requirements of the basics, fresh air, um, two means of egress, things like that. So, one of the challenges here through the facilities lens is sort of a reoccupancy of the area, right? The the tech wing at the high school was designed for a student population, certain size, and things like that. Um, Chris, you mentioned the physical barrier, right? So, this area that's highlighted is the robotics lab, the print shop, including its storage area.
064And then because I was a little sloppy with the highlighter, it did throw in the offices for the tech shop and the um the bathroom that's down there. So bathrooms would have to be added. Um we'd have to verify fresh air intake. We do have a door buck already there. So we do have the ability to put up, you know, order the doors to size and now we've got the physical barrier. Um the print shop's about 1,200,300 square feet and the robotic shop is about 800 not including that back office area. So we're targeting 900 square foot classroom spaces for UPK just like a kindergarten. >> Um that gets us about 18 pupils about. So um that's kind of where we are here. But what is it going to take to be able to accomplish
065this? So the first thing is that um you know we have to make sure that we environmentally test the area. We can't you know be we want to make sure that we're we we take that liability off the table for the school district. So you know lead asbestous mercury things like that. Um and um you know I think that this is more in line with an in-house project. We would use our vendor services as needed. So you know if we needed to put a bathroom in and things like that. I did talk to Michael Kosar from the state education department about this just through email and he mentioned that his major concern was having that clear demarcation of this is the area for the UPK, this is the area for the high school students. Um
066so again that is our kind of like groundbreaking area. I think if we went with something like this it's going to get you two sections. Um if there's the drain tieins that are not buried I think it's open underneath that. So we could get to all the drain apparatus in the event that that's slab on grade and we have to take jackhammers out to get to the drains to tie in bathrooms. You know, that's going to be another element of this in the cost. Uh but again, it's it's all things considered, right? So right now I do believe it's open air. I was on the other side of it, but not down in that side. Um and then again, I wanted to the pictures are just showing you kind of what the space is being
067utilized for now. Um, robotics lab, as Scott said, is an after-school program. So, it's not really a functioning thing that's during the school day. And the print shop, um, Kristen, just to answer your question, we do have a print shop that does operate at the junior high school. Also, it's on the second story, uh, second floor in probably like an 800 square foot classroom. Um, the shop room that's currently available is matching, although the footprint isn't the same. the square footage is approximately 1,275 square feet. So that would absorb the print shop equipment that's there. Um depending on the weight and the power requirements we would be looking at and again you're going into a shop room so most likely there's going to be the ability for us to get two 220 you know volts
068and things like that to equipment that's that may be needed. Um it's a challenge. There's no doubt about it but I think it's a feasible one that we can definitely explore. Um again as Yandi said if this is an interest to you and we would move head move ahead with continuing. Uh Baba if you could just hit the next slide please. So this is the whole anchelada right this is the area and I got kind of a Google slide to depict the chunk of the building that would be taken right for UPK. And if you look at this this incorporates the old maintenance shop which is now a storage area. Um, it also incorporates the wood shop and the two classrooms across the hallway. This would get you all of the sections required to meet
069the enrollment demand that's currently um being asked upon the district, but this um this would pose more of an expense and more of a challenge to us to achieve. Right. So, the >> I just just so you're looking I know that looks probably less than microscopic right now. The orange area is the shop that's being used for storage. The green area is there's no way we can use those green areas. Those are current tech rooms, current rooms that are being used and I don't really think right now we have a way to replace them. >> So if we ever did use those I would be years down the road. The the proposal Mike is saying predominantly here because the committee did initially look at all those spaces would be the yellow and the orange there
070the print shop, the robotics room and the empty shop right now. Right. I mean >> correct >> we did look at those green rooms. There's no means of aggressive those rooms. So you'd have an increased cost of creating that. Um, and plus I don't know where to even put some of those classes, >> right? So, >> you you need the exit out of the classroom separate from the doorway out of the classroom, >> which each of the areas we're talking about today all have separate addresses, >> you know, out some of them are garage doors that have to be converted to doors, but they all have out. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> No, that's fine. And that that was the other part is, you know, reoccupancy, new occupancy for this. We need two two means
071of escape for the occupants of the uh those areas. So again this was the this is the Goldilock zone for us right if we kind of equate this to astronomy we are looking at um you know this would give us five total sections but again it requires major modifications especially on the the the hallway on the other side um you know there are there are windows that are emergency windows that that are probably about this high you know so just about four feet high and that's not going to work for us to get little kids out of the building in the case of a of an emergency. So um this would also require both really require this one especially requires an SED approval. So we would you know have our architect draw up the plans
072and send them up to the state for approval before we would we would be able to reoccupy or you know declare a reoccupancy of the space. Um so you know again the yellow area I think is a little bit more feasible to get us going with two uh two spaces in the immediate. Um, you know, it's just some of those variables with the plumbing and uh the timeline. That's pretty much all I got. >> So, so yellow is two, orange is one, green, I'm going to say, is off the table. It's just not feas. I just don't know where we put them in the high school. Nor do I think those spaces are as easy as the one Mike's are saying to get kids into. >> So, but if we're looking at the number of
073kids that we still can't place, right, because of space and two, maybe three classrooms, we'd still be short. >> Way short. >> Yes. >> Just to be clear, Mike's looking into that orange being eventually, right, being two spaces because it's a it's a big room. I don't know if it's big enough, right? We >> Yeah. Um, but the potential, the potential could be, if we're allowed to look into it, can we make two spaces out of that orange area, which is now that unoccupied shop, which would get us four, which would still not be enough. I'm just saying just to be clear, >> the only that it gives us gives us more seats. Um, it gets us close to that job that that goal, but it also and and I know I keep saying this,
074it gives our high school students now a viable program. You know, one section doesn't do it for us. Two, honestly, probably not worth doing too in my opinion. We can do it if we plan to expand further, but if you get three or four sections, then I think you've got a nice robust program to get high school kids in to work with kids in different settings. My question is really just the security of the wing. You know, like you're talking about four year olds that are 2 and 1/2 ft tall that are going to be in the same building as a 6'5 football player, you know. So, how can we ensure I know you said there's a tight little little overlap. It's not a big overlap. You know, it's a dead end area, but there
075still could possibly be foot traffic between high school seniors and UPK kids. How can we ensure to the parents that that wing is going to be super secure for them? And then a followup to that is how do we take out the the white noise that the high school brings like the bell ringing and all this other stuff that that wing would have to now hear and be distracted on throughout their course of the day. Uh you ne you're never going to give a 100% guarantee. I absolutely not. It's never going to happen. I do think out of I can tell you out of all the spaces we looked at in the entire district, this is your best bet of isolating. I'm not trying to give you false salesmanship. I'm just telling you this is
076your best opportunity. There is absolutely once you get down that hallway, there's limited reasons for any kid to be there. So in the entire high school population, I'm going to say maybe maybe a 20th of them on any given moment will even have a legitimate reason to be in that hallway, even the beginning of the hallway. Not to mention halfway or threequarters of the way down. It still isn't a guarantee. I'm just saying this is your best chance. As far as the bells, you turn them off there, but but you still can't isolate it. You'll never be able to isolate it completely. >> I mean, yeah. I mean, and and I can appreciate that. I just know that there's going to be a group of parents who are not going to accept that. >> And
077I think we learn and the only thing I can say to you is and and that's the only thing we do is learn from the schools that are doing it. And they they have run into the same problem. Don't repeat the same thing. Try to figure out what they're doing. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. >> Right. Um, but there are schools that are doing this in high schools for the reasons that I said. Um, and we would try to get what they did and and copy it. >> I can appreciate the program that you offered. Um, the only >> I'm not offering that. I'm not paying for it. >> No, no, no. But but that you suggested, right, and I can appreciate that. The only other thing I think takes away is
078>> the elementary school feel that the children would feel if they're in a true traditional elementary school versus in a high school. There's an element to that that's now being taken away and now you're asking the PTAs and not you generally you but generally you're asking the elementary school PTAs now to kind of get involved with a group of kids that are kind of on the outside maybe not to telling them to do it but they'll feel a sense of obligation to include them. >> Right. So that's kind of how I feel about that. But okay, >> just to my understanding, last maybe two years ago was the first year that the PTA started to include the UPK into their little world. And just in my experience, this year they've kind of had to scale
079back on what they let the UPK kids participate in throughout the school day anyway. So meaning they're not going to as many assemblies that they previously had because of scheduling. There's just numbers wise, pupil wise, they can't get them in. >> I don't I I I don't know. I mean, I can't I'm sure it's different in every building. >> We're assuming they're contacting the pupils within the building, but they might not be. So, it's just another >> Fair I mean, no, fair enough. It's just it's still it's not an elementary school, you know. So, that's the I think what the parents are going to grip on is the fact that it's not an elementary school building. You're talking about a secondary high school with very tall kids. Yeah. That are going to be I don't
080disagree. I think the the piece is this would be a unique place, right? because they're all in one center, there would be possibilities of before and after school care which we're not able to do in the elementary. There are other pieces that for some parents that may be okay and you're right, for many parents it may not be okay. I I can't You're 100% right. >> And I'm sure Mike will do a great job in converting it if this is the but you know at the end of the day it's still the high school. So >> Mike, one quick question for you. I know they talked about uh if we took away these big classroom for shop for tech. Tech's a big thing in our school. A lot of kids are involved in these programs
081and we crammed this wood shop and robotic shop and all these other shop into a classroom size setting. Is that really feasible? Are these going to be >> Let me let me take that because no, there's not one tech space that would be lost under this plan, >> right? >> Not one. >> I mean, the wood shop would be able to fit into another room. >> We would not be losing a wood shop. This is not proposing taking any tech space at all. The only classroom space that would be taken would be the robotics labs, which is only used after school. So no classroom, no high school program that's given during the day will be affected directly by this. >> Yeah. I I don't know like so right now could they grow like that space
082that that's the only place the technology department can grow is that technology room which is not right now currently can be used by students. Um so from the the the question that you're asking could they grow? they could potentially still grow. The only place they can't grow is that orange area if we use it for UPK. Um that's the only thing I can think of. >> Yeah. >> How how aggressively are we approaching outside resources going to churches, uh daycare centers and stuff like that? >> Uh you know, I don't know how to answer that. Like um we're we're presenting it as this is the opportunity. I'm not telling them to make a decision, nor am I promising things that I can't do. Right? There's a whole curricular component here that they have to follow
083that scope follows. State reports that have to be filled out. Um there are things that they have to do that I'm not going to say to them, guess what? We'll take care of this and then I'm not right. I just can't do it. Um I can't guarantee them certified teachers. I can't guarantee them when a certified teacher leaves that they're going to be able to hire someone. Right? Those are all real restrictions. So I'm not I'm telling you I'm not making false promises to these agencies because I know how difficult this will be and I know what happened this past you know past example. I didn't think of insurance. I got to be honest policy need to be had and our Lady of Grace who was willing to do it couldn't do it right. So
084I think it's it's got to be a business decision that they make and I'll help them every way I can but it really has to be them that's making the decision whether they can feasibly car you know pull it off based on the space that they currently have and the money that they're taking in. Right? because I know we looked at a few of the places and they said to me, "It doesn't make financial sense to me because I can I can keep kids here right now and I can get them for before school, I can get them during school, and I can give them after school. The parents are paying for all that and all you're going to pay me for is the during school." So, I don't even know if the 10,000 is
085enough to say that's going to make up for the before and after school. So, I I just don't know their business models. I do know, you know, and Yendi even spoke to one of the buildings. Um I I don't know financially where they are and if they could pull it off and how much space they have. >> Okay. >> So sorry. I mean I wish I can give you a better answer, Mr. Rockman. I just don't I just don't know. >> So because of the fact that we do have the space restrictions, right, we want to ensure that the board right um that the board is aware, right, of all of these different options, right? Because in the absence of us doing this, right, and Mr. establishing the committee, right? And and all of us
086meeting and going through all these different areas, right? If we don't do that, right, and we just go, okay, next year we can have four UPK classrooms, right, after when everything is set or five UPK classrooms and there will be 80 students on the wait list, right? The board obviously is going to receive that inquiry, right? Well, have you explored other options? Have you explored other spaces, but your enrollment is down? Your high school used to have x number of hundred students more. You have less. Have you looked at the high school? Right? So, we want to put the board in a position where, you know, and the admin team, right, where we've explored these options, right, and determined obviously the fiscal piece is a major component to this, right? Um up until this point
087in terms of some of these, you know, um uh actual changes, right, and the actual um physical changes to the bathrooms or the classrooms, right? The the construction pieces to that for the most part, right? It's been funded through um that's not the case, by the way, in other school districts, right? other school districts have run um you know some UPKs and they've hired full-time teachers right and kind of blended the state right with some general general fund budget um from the beginning that hasn't been the case for us right um so this is now different right because it does mean that we would need to expend some money right you know in terms of materials in terms of supplies in terms of personnel um you know the the initial proposal here um seems to
088be that our our team right would be able to um address those but we will have some outside contractors do those testing right requirements right for the rooms. So there is a financial piece to that right. Um so again we we want to make sure that the admin team and the board right um has explored all these avenues and if ultimately it does mean that and again put aside over here this will this be a requirement or not in terms of 2028 um you know 29 school year right we don't know that yet um assuming um the same parameters of you offer based on your space availability again the 2029 has been mentioned as as a requirement Um if the answer is thank you admin team right we have enough information right um let's offer
089what we're able to within our elementary schools and whatever outside right um are able to give us again it's a tough piece right because in the last slide we're asking kind of for the board to to think about some of these questions and we can start talking about them tonight and continue that in the next meeting as well um because there's so much in the air right so much is not guaranteed from the state perspective um in terms of the funding um in terms of we can go out there and and you know Mr. Payne has started this process already >> here's the number here's a this what do you think they commit but then they pull right um we could establish a system where those letters to those families say this is tentative at
090our lady of blank or this place um there's there's a lot of unknown and then ultimately obviously then those families if there is a change they get directly impacted because it's June and they're looking for a prek program, right? So, >> it's it's a tough piece because a lot of um a lot of uncertain pieces that aren't dependent on us. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think I think from a board perspective, and I'll go out on a limb and say we we would we all support prek, especially since it's being funded by us technically, but um and as many kids as we can get would be great into the prek program. There's a line though and to what we would tolerate to do that, and this may be it, may not be it. I can't speak
091for everybody. I don't know that. Um but to say, you know, there are years where we may have more sections. You know, uh uh student services may change and certain classrooms may change incoming. So, we can go to four, we can go to five, we can go to six, we can go back to four. I mean, that would that would flex outside of the of the mandate. Um but when it comes to the mandate, and you have a perspective from other superintendent, there's districts that don't even offer it now, can't do probably looking at the same thing we are. What are they saying? You know, what what how how would some of those districts who've consolidated multiple schools over and over the years, how would they react? >> They're having similar discussions, right? So, I
092can I can share with you one of our colleagues um you know, there they um had a couple of their classrooms that were rented by um you know, an outside right provider and that contract fell through and the superintendent just shared with me. actually it's a blessing in disguise because I need those CL I'm gonna need those classrooms for UPK right so everyone is definitely kind of taking a look at what's available to them um they are there are also some provisions that we would love for the state to maybe kind of open up right could there be some regional you know um >> correct >> avenues right to pursue right within certain areas um they seem to be making some changes in the right direction right in terms of the dollar um change assuming
093that that gets approved again with with New York State. Um combining those two grants as opposed to having you know a different application. Um so additional kind of leeway in how districts do that will certainly also be helpful but absolutely Chris you know across the board everyone is having the same conversations of they don't they don't have the space. Yeah, I I just can't see I again like I got I mentioned to earlier, I can't say, okay, 2028 comes and if if you don't if you don't have space for every student who applies, I mean, they're going to start having the whole funding conversation, you know, withholding funding. I mean, I just can't see the entire, you know, the entire district structure, especially on Long Island, of space and construction and and wings being put
094on. I it's, you know, article after article about fiscal stress and here we are. kind of turned a corner and it's it's I just can't see that that's going to be how it it goes. And if there's an opportunity that we sit down with our representatives uh face to face and alert them to some of these concerns, not through a letter, but through a conversation um to let them know the realities of what's out there. Um, it's an election year, so I know this idea is a big thing in an election year. And I'm sure those who are going to want to offer answers, our elected officials, they they have to they have to come come to the table as well because I just can't see this being rolled out. >> Yeah, I I listen,
095I'm going to give you my two cents for little it's worth about two cents. Um, I wouldn't do this for fear of the mandate that that I that's it's going to change 500 times before that date comes. We have to mention that to you and that's the piece from the state. But it would be silly for me to say to all of you, react to this mayday now because we know it it's going to change 80 times. Don't do it for that reason. >> Right now in back to the outside providers, I guess you re-engaged with some of them. >> Starting starting to re-engage now, right? You know, working with the the different community members to try to start to say how many kids are we going to have? Working on the numbers first and
096then I've got to go out and start to present how many sections are we going to potentially offer. It looks like I didn't put on this piece. We had 204 applicants this year. We're looking at we're we're guessing for next year. I'm trying to get the numbers first. Um like 184 so far. So now that I have that number, I can go and tell specifically how many sections I need and then how many they would potentially want to take or have. So right up until probably last week, I I really don't have firm numbers of how many we have. I would say this week or next week, I'm going to have enough to say it looks like it's plateauing at 184 um for the number of people interested in UPK for next year. That's going
097to tell me 10 sections, right? Perfect world scenario, maybe nine, right? If you want a bigger weight list and so if we house five here, that's five outside or four outside or wherever else. >> Besides the money factor that you spoke about with the outside providers, you know, they're pretend they can't lose, you know, right money. Uh what were some of the other obstacles maybe as far as requirements? that I'm going to get myself in tr sometimes difficult with the reporting and what they require, right? I we're used to it because we deal with it all the time, but some of these private agencies don't want to deal with it. >> Um it's really I mean honestly it's just a pain in the neck sometimes and I get it. Like I'm not condoning it. I
098mean condemning it. Um I'm not condoning it either. Um but it's it's sometimes difficult to meet all the demands of what they want and you're trying to run a business and you're like come on just let me do I'm doing the right thing here. So I'm going to say off the record I think some of that is a piece too. You know, there are some pieces where they probably know like it's not worth it for me for the little I'm going to get. It's not worth to deal with the headache of of running into an audit, you know, because every one of them could be audited now. >> And that's an exhaustive process. >> Right. Right. >> All right. That went well. >> No, I'm kidding. >> Supposed to be a workshop. >> I'm kidding.
099It was definitely a workshop for me. All right. We good, Mike? We want Mike for anything else? I thought you'd ask him harder questions, so I'm a little disappointed. >> Appreciate you coming out. you could stay. You're more than welcome to stay. Um >> so I think in terms of but um if we could, right? Um >> let's continue this conversation during the next meeting, right? We have a meeting on February 10th, right? Um you know, this the last page here, right? Um you know, do do we want to continue to um really consider, right, the senior high school or not, right? um do we want you know just again we laid out kind of some questions there so if the board can just think about it right of course obviously reach out right in
100the next couple days with any additional follow-up questions um I understand that there's a lot of unknown but we really would like to continue this conversation in the next meeting and possibly the next one right so that we have we have a direction on whether or not to continue to pursue some things >> yeah this is as hard as it gets because even if everyone said yes I can tell you there's a large chance that it's still going to be no based on the building and the state, you know, the state requirements and all that. So, I rest assured this is no way in shape is this an easy decision. Even if you wanted to, there's a good chance, you know, Mike will have to come back and say we can't do it. Like I
101Mike's very optimistic and I would put my money on him, but there's so many requirements that we might not even be aware of right now that even if everyone said yes, I probably could still come back to you and say it's not going to happen at the high school. Or the bigger thing too is when you jackhammer the concrete, you realize, oh, the whole freaking 100% correct. >> It's not going to be it's not going to be >> no no construction. >> I estimate this scope of work. >> You're going to break up an old floor tile and >> right >> a speck of something is going to come back. >> And I and I I do think, you know, when the community needs to hear, this is not an easy decision. And no matter
102what happens, you know, telling you to plan for a a $500,000 water main break is not the not the right answer here. So, >> Right. Right. >> Right. Yep. >> Is there any chance that the state helps us cover any of this in terms of any work that we have to do in order to make a, you know, a building or or a section UPK compliant, if you will. >> Well, I'm always optimistic. So, I will say that there is always a chance that that miracles can happen, right? But the answer is the odds are no. The odds are, you know, >> they'd be given money to every district on his island. >> Not right. I mean know I think someone mentioned right like Miss Johnson mentioned the um >> yeah ideally right it would
103be great in terms of extensions of elementary buildings right we're talking significant capital work and we're talking in the millions right of dollars to do so right >> um when you factor in the architect fees you know forget the construction piece right all of the elements that are required with New York state with any sort of new construction project like an extension we're talking millions right um so they would have to commit to having enough funding to do that across the board for everybody. >> Highly unlikely >> in its entirety. If they're going to say it's a fully funded program, then it has to be fully funded. >> It's just >> All right. Okay. Next topic, please. >> Bob, we're Yeah. Well, then that's nice. You decide. >> He's not done. >> This one will
104go much. This will go much better. >> Yes. Or I'll just fade out this door. secondary world, >> right? Mike's taking one of them. >> Good night, Mike. >> Hi, Bob. There's another presentation called New Courses. >> Got a smiley face on it. >> No, it doesn't. >> All right. So, there's only two uh you know, as of course by policy, but also out of uh respect and design, we always present new courses to the board of education. These are, I think, two relatively easy ones. Um I say that now. Um the first one, if you can hit it, Bob, um is at the high school. Um talk to the senior high school science department. Um to Mr. Olri, to his administrative staff. Um they want to propose a uh a non-regions physics class. And
105this would be um for students that did not want to take the physics regions, but still wanted to take a physical science. The only alternative for them now is really environmental um AP or environmental science. This is um sort of a different uh route for them to take. In in my opinion, this is a nice piece. There's a no-brainer here. If you if you can get kids taking science, which probably was going to be their 11th or 12th grade year where they wouldn't be taking it um and they're going to get this exposure, um it it comes at very little cost. And you're probably not going to cost you anything or if not much. If it cost you another section maybe, but you're going to probably get kids um who might have just dropped out
106of regions physics. At least now they have some place to go. Um and and we do get a sizable number of kids who drop out of regions physics that have no place to go. So this would be the new course. Um I I do think it's a nice idea. Um it would give students again just an extra period of science um that they don't have to take the regions and be dependent upon that course load. So how would it change? You'd still be covering the same topics. You just wouldn't have to pound into some of the depth um and and maybe as much of the math and you can get into some maybe some of the more fun stuff of science without having to worry about that region's curriculum. That went well. Next junior high
107school. Is there any construction involved? >> Yes. Yeah, you have to take off the entire technology wing. >> There we go. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Um, so if a student took the region physics course, right, can they take >> they could it' be absolutely it'd be silly for them to do it. This would be an easier course that would I mean it I would say no. >> No, not at all. No, you got to take you know you take one life, one physical and and usually they meet that criteria. This would be for kids who still want to take science but just don't want to go down another path. >> And we have the personnel on hand that would teach this already. >> But yeah, this wouldn't change >> wouldn't change personnel. I don't
108I don't foresee I mean I honestly and I and I talked to the high school at length about this. Um we're probably looking at one section of kids that would be interested in this. Um I two would be a miracle. Anything more it wouldn't you know anything more than that would never happen. >> Did we offer this in the past? >> We've never offered this. >> Okay. >> So you talk about a a small cost. What small cost do we speak? >> So what you potentially run into like any course whenever you create a singleton um you you run the risk of changing. So let's say um I'm going to make it let's say you had 48 kids taking regions um and then you have 12 that now want to take non-regents. You could potentially
109then have 36 kids who want to take regions still two sections and now you have 12 that want to take non-regents. So you have now an extra course. Um but you run the risk with any elective of kids that want to take it. You got to you got to still put someone in there. I think there's enough physics where you're probably not going to I I think right I'm guessing where you're not going to see it run that extreme like I just said you're running exactly two courses. Um so there's going to be enough room in each of the courses where you could probably just flow into another one. >> You had interest for some of the students. >> They're saying at the high school there's interest from the students for this. Yes. >> Okay.
110Cool. And they believe in terms of sections that it will either be even and if not even in terms of number of sections maybe an additional one. >> Yeah. Worse and you know Mr. Hanley's very good at this not at physics but at this um I'm probably no I'm probably better at him than physics. Um but the uh the idea that there's enough sections of physics where you probably if you pulled enough for this section it would really then just be decreasing the number of region sections. So you'd kind of be able to do it. Don't answer. Um, all right. Here we go. >> All right. Junior high school. This one, I think, also is relatively easy for different reasons. When I was principal, we had this class. It's a 7H class. Um, the idea
111behind this is not exclusive, but the idea behind this is um there are new changes. You're going to hear next week from me, I think. Is it next week? I feel bad for you. Um, of the new changes in science, right, and some of the professional development um associated with that. Um, the idea here is if students are taking eighth grade earth science where there are some significant changes in the curriculum and in the state requirements for the curriculum, if you can give them a science, a seventh grade honors science class where they can get some of that background. Um, as well as now when you're taking earth science, you're also missing eighth grade physical science to get some of the eighth grade components that eventually you might be missing. This is a nice opportunity.
112The reason why this is a nice opportunity is because it's not being pulled from any other class. The only other thing kids are in at the junior high school during this time is English lab. And the kids who probably would qualify for science honors probably don't need English lab. >> So it really there's no sta there's no real staffing change here other than the teachers that are teaching it. Um the kids are going somewhere no matter what. This is a better opportunity from them. The one thing I have talked to the junior high school about if they're watching they're uh committed to this. If a kid doesn't take seventh grade honor science, they still need the opportunity to be able to get into eighth grade earth science because you don't want to start cutting kids
113off. And I always felt strongly about that. Otherwise, you're cutting kids off in sixth grade as to what they're going to do in eighth grade. >> It would definitely it's certainly going to be harder for them if they don't take this. There's more work, but they should still have every opportunity to get the eighth grade accelerated. So, that would be this proposal. >> Told you this was better. That's it. questions. Are we okay with adding this um to our course guides and continuing right our our normal process and adding these as course options? >> Yeah, sounds good. >> Reason why I ended up >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Payne. >> Nothing else for tonight. That's it. >> Okay. Okay. Statement of residence on agenda items only. Residents wishing to share a
114statement. Residents must state their name, address, and any organization they represent. They should can also write this information on an index card and give it to the assistant superintendent for finance and operations. Comments about individual students or employees are not permitted. Each resident will have up to three minutes to speak with a total of 15 minutes allotted. Residents will be given responses will be given after all. Statements, questions, needing further research will be addressed to the next meeting. Good evening, folks. Chris, you told me last time that after I went through the chain of command, I could come back to you if I wasn't satisfied with the response to come and ask the board for some help. So here I am to ask the board for some help. I did have communication with Yendi and
115I will tell you the response from her was the same as the gentleman from the transportation company and quite frankly it's just it's it's not acceptable. My child will not be put back on the bus. There's no security insured as the first incident that wasn't reported by my child. She was the one who reported the second incident when it happened and that happened when a West Babylon school bus driver was driving. There's been plenty of talk about the consequences given by the building to the child who was guilty of being the aggressor. However, there's no talk of consequence to the bus drivers of these vehicles who are responsible for safe transportation of our children. It is the district's responsibility to provide safe transportation because she is not within walking distance of the school and there
116has been gross negligence to do so. There's no possible way for you to ensure that a Suffach County bus driver is going to follow West Babylon protocol as their subcontractor. They not may not be privy to each bus's seating arrangement. And quite frankly, they just may not care. The board's decision to consolidate elementary schools not only caused my child emotional distress by choosing to modify the elementary schools during her fifth grade year when she doesn't get to graduate now with her elementary the children that she went to elementary school for five years. But now you're also responsible for not protecting her on the transportation that is provided and encouraging her to be in the same space as her attacker. As adults who claim to be concerned with the safety and well-being of our children and
117hiring way too many psychologists for the district because you're worried about their mental health, you're failing at both of these responsibilities to my child. Rather than protecting your management team, I really ask you guys to strongly reconsider and put forth uh sorry about that. fur further thought into how you can do the correct thing for my child other than telling us to have her let someone know if she's being assaulted on the bus again. Because for a child to be told, well, scream louder when there's an adult who's responsible to watch these children on the bus that stand there and get hit in the head 10 times, but scream a little louder. Maybe you'll end up with getting a concussion. you're weaving in and out of the the the personal information and spec specivity of
118your situation. We we can discuss further with the superintendent in executive session. >> If you would, I would greatly appreciate it. >> We can do I cannot discuss it with you publicly. So, you know, I understand you're not happy with whatever was arranged or whatever was discussed. We we can discuss it further in executive session, but I I cannot have that discussion with you publicly. >> How am I going to have results from you guys? Is it going to be via email? >> Send the request. send the request to Indie to formally request that the the the issue you already talked to her about be discussed in executive session that you're that you're you're asking the board to make an exception to the policy or the determination she's made and she will bring it to
119our attention and we will discuss it. >> Okay. >> You will then get a response from I guess the district clerk. >> Yeah. Because it's individual, right? So they would have the discussion in executive session. So >> we we would you would not have I would not be responding to it here either way. you will get we will to discuss it in executive session >> and then you would get a formal response that way just just like we have with every request for busing and school changes. It's the same specific Yendi you should have responded to my email because those were my this was my exact email to you. You should have responded to me. I would not have had to stand here and said this to the board. If you would have said to
120me, you need to make that request for me to speak to have it done in private session. I would have done that rather than coming here. >> It's a waste of my time. It's a waste of your time. And it's not a waste of our time. >> We're here anyway. >> Not at all. The the ending was that, you know, you were not accepting of my decision, right? Um so the followup piece there, I'll take all of that information and I'll bring it to the board, right, for them to to review all of it. >> Okay. Okay. So, do you need me to send you the email to request it or you just going to do that? >> I could use all the information that you that you shared. >> Okay. Perfect. Thank you for
121your time. >> All right. Thank you. Anyone else? >> Okay. We need a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Anthony John. All those in favor? Okay. Policy review. Any old business? Nope. New business. You had enough? That's good. All right. Statement of residence. Any resident wishing to make a statement, please come to the podium, state their name, address, organ, any organization they represent. You can also write this information on index card and give it to the assistant superintendent of finance and operations. Comments about individual students or employees are not permitted. Each resident will have up to three minutes to speak with a total of 15 minutes allotted. Responses will be given after all. Statements and questions needing further research will be addressed at the next meeting. That's it. Okay. You know motion to adjurnn
122Frank John all those in favor. Okay that's everyone. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everyone. Good night when we have meeting next Tuesday.