001Good evening everyone. I apologize for our lateness. Um I call this meeting to order at 7:16. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Uh, Mrs. Leva, can you please read the emergency? Sure. >> Good evening and welcome to the December 8th, 2025 meeting of the Patrick Meford Board of Education. In the unlikely event of an emergency, please use the exits located at the front and rear of the auditorium. Please also be reminded that smoking and the use of vape products are strictly prohibited on school grounds. This evening's meeting includes two opportunities for public comment. The first comment period is designated for remarks related to the consent agenda and/or tonight's presentations. The second comment period is open for comments on any topic you wish to bring before the board. Please note that the public comment portions
002of the meeting are for comments only. If you have questions, you are welcome to share them. However, the board will review and respond to those questions after the meeting in a timely manner. As the portion of as this portion of the agenda does not allow for dialogue or immediate responses during each public comment period. Each speaker is allotted three minutes with no sharing of minutes. Please state your name and address before beginning your comment. You will receive a 30-cond warning and you'll be asked to conclude at the 3minut mark. Please refrain from discussing specific students or staff members. To protect individual privacy, such concerns must be directed to the appropriate administrator. All comments should be directed to the board president. Thank you for your cooperation. >> Thank you. Um, first up for presentations, we're going
003to have Dr. Louisa introduce our the newly elected Saxton Middle School GEO officers. Never mind, it's Mr. Petraino. [laughter] So, I have the honor of just acknowledging some of our students at Saxton, um, who were voted by their, uh, classmates for a number of different roles. Um, to make sure that we have more student voice and student decision-m here at Saxon, uh, we had students run for different positions. They had to create videos. We had a grade uh schoolwide assembly in this auditorium uh that all the students were able to watch the videos and then vote on those students. So the following students are here today. Uh we have Ariana Cortez as president. Uh Moises Hernandez as vice president. Uh Ava Smith can't be here, but we have co- co-treasures Ava Smith and Valentina Parageni.
004and Vanessa Miller as our secretary. So, they're going to be working with both Miss Methin and Miss Traa uh throughout the school year and representing the school and we look forward to uh a number of different things they're going to be involved with this year. Right. >> Congratulations. >> I just wanted to really congratulate the group. I know it's really difficult sometimes to stand in front of your peers and publicly speak. So, I really want to congratulate you and it is an honor for you to be representing Saxton Middle School out in the community for all your service projects. So, congratulations. Well done. Yeah. Congratulations everyone. Next we'll have Miss Pulis to celebrate Brook Haven recycle poster concert winners. So if the students can join Miss Pulis up here. Thank you, Miss Kennedy, and the
005board for inviting us here tonight. I have the pleasure of recognizing two outstanding health students of mine who were recently selected as the first and second place winners of the Brook Haven Recycles poster contest. The contest encourages students to think creatively about environmental responsibility. These two rose to the challenge with both talent and enthusiasm. Their posters not only stood out for their artistic quality but for clarity of their messages. Each of them captured the importance of reducing waste, reusing materials, and protecting the world around us. Their work reflects an understanding well beyond my classroom that small everyday choices can make a meaningful difference. Experiences like this can help our students see themselves as leaders, problem solvers, and stewards of the environment. We all hope for a sustainable future. They were recognized at the Brook Haven
006Town Board meeting just um two weeks ago and their posters are being displayed in Brook Haven Town for the next several months. So I have Christian Matutino was the runnerup and we have Kai Lee Thomas was the winner out of all the schools in Brook Haven Township. So please join me in recognizing and congratulating the two of them. [applause] And just as a side note, going along with recycling, uh the Patrick Medford High School Interact Club just last week won the third third place in the Rotary Interact recycling bin design contest and we won this beautiful plaque and they won $200 which they donated back to buy Amazon gift cards for needy children at the high school. Oh, thank you. again um congratulations. We have uh very talented students and I really want to thank
007their teacher, Mrs. Pulis, because if it wasn't for our teachers who really actively encouraged our students to participate in these competitions, we wouldn't be here. So, hats off to Mrs. Pulis and hats off to your creativity and really proud to represent Brook Haven Patrick Medford winners. So, congratulations All right, congratulations again to all the students. Next, we're going to move on to Dr. Cohen. All right. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Uh my pleasure to announce our employees of the month. We have three of them tonight, but unfortunately, two of them couldn't make it tonight. So, I'll read a little bit about two of them and we'll celebrate the one who's here first, who is Lori Banwell, office assistant in guidance at the high school. Come on up, Lori. [applause] For each of our employees of
008the month, we have a token gift and a certificate of appreciation. So, Lori, uh, you received this nomination for going above and beyond to help keep our school looking beautiful. I learned a lot about you, Lori. Actually, it was reported through the nominations that uh when our landscapers fail to take care of overgrown bushes or branches blocking parking spaces at the high school that Lori takes it upon herself to go out there and prune these uh these areas during her lunch. I don't know, Frank, but not doing a good job there, but Lori's helping out. In addition, you volunteer your time to garden in the courtyard and decorate the office to create a warm, welcoming environment for everyone who comes in there. Your kindness, initiative, and pride in your workplace make you an invaluable uh
009member of our team. We're delighted to celebrate your contributions tonight and recognize you for employee of the month. So, congratulations. [applause] And also, um, not here tonight, but just to let you know, I'll read some of the highlights. Um Danielle Steinberg uh chairperson for health PE and athletics was also nominated as employee of the month. Um she really has established herself in her new role as her first year as chairperson and she has done a lot uh to establish herself as a dyn dynamic and impactful leader evident in her organizing the new health PE and athletic newsletter, implementing the student advisory committee to elevate student voice, launching the new athletic workshop series and leading numerous professional development work workshops. She has become a valuable resource to staff working as a true collaborator and we truly
010appreciate all of her uh efforts and everything that she does. I will be sure to uh get to Danielle and give her her token gift and certificate of appreciation. I see that Mr. Cracker is recording me. So, congratulations Danielle. Next up, also who couldn't make it due to a prior uh commitment tonight is Frank Jira, custodian at Barton. Uh Frank uh did receive this nomination from uh multiple sources and it was reported that he consistently assists students with special needs in the cafeteria. He always lends a helping hand to ensure they have positive experiences, especially when they're having a bad day. It was also noted that his kindness and care um was evident when a student had gotten sick on one of the school buses and he took it upon himself to go on the
011bus and assist the driver in cleaning this area. That is above and beyond his responsibilities. We contract for buses. That's not really his responsibility, but that's the type of guy he is. So, we really appreciate his extra efforts and we'd like to recognize him as employee of the month tonight, too. And I'll be sure to get to him as well. So, now I'd like to invite up Mrs. Kennedy and the board to take a picture with Lori, who Mrs. Marone has been eyeing as she's been sitting here. before we move on. Christian, I saw your dad bought your art project. So, if Kai and Christian, you want to come back up with your art your um art pictures, we'll take a picture with you guys with your um and Mrs. Pulis, too. There's um no
012ex official student member report due to um Charlotte being sick. So we wish her um speedy recovery. Um next we're going to move on to public comments. Um the first public comment section at this time. The floor is open for comments related to the consent agenda and or any of the evening's presentations only. Each speaker is limited to three minutes with no sharing of minutes. Please state your name and address before speaking. Please reminded that if you have a question, you may share it and the board and appropriate administrator will get back to you after the meeting in a timely manner. All right. Next, we're going to move on to the consent agenda. Um there wasn't one section removed. Um 9.11 is going to be removed for discussion after no 9.11 9.11 I'm sorry 9.11
0139.11 sorry 11 it's the recommended approval of additions and deletions to and fund programs of studies. So that one's going to be removed. Um, so can I have a motion to accept the consent agenda minus? >> I'll make a motion. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Consent passes with two absent. All right. So, next we're going to move on to the item that was removed, which is um the adding on deletions of programs. I know Trustine Kuban had a question about the deletion of the Wilson program. >> Yeah. So, my question was, um, are there any students currently, um, I was trying to like think this through myself because I don't know where we're at with Wilson, but are there any students currently getting Wilson that, let's say, are maybe in the
014fifth grade going to middle school and will not have the opportunity to have Wilson now that it's being removed from middle and high school or have we already phased it out at the elementary school? So, um, that was really just my question cons thinking about how the progression of Wilson works that it's not by grade level. Are there any students that are currently in the program that won't have access to it next year? >> No. >> Okay. >> So, last year they phased we phased Wilson out completely from elementary was still offered at middle. This year it's completely out of elementary and middle school. >> So, are there and so then there are no kids currently in elementary or middle school receiving Wilson. Correct. And any students at the high school, >> they're not receiving
015Wilson. >> They are not receiving Wilson. Okay, >> we moved it fully tably. >> Okay, that was my question. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> All good. Yeah. Okay. [laughter] >> So, can I have a motion to um accept that? >> I'll make a motion. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Okay, that carries. >> Um there were no actions arising out of exec. Next is information items policy first reading which is the following policies will be could circulated for a first reading. If there are no changes the policies will be included on the January 12th 2026 board of education agenda which is 5153 threats and violence as it relates to students. Next up we're going to move on to superintendent and assistant and superintendent reports. All right. Good evening everyone. Um before I begin,
016I'd like to um at least congratulate after our consent agenda, we have our new assistant principal of South Ocean Middle School who was approved last night. I'd like to introduce her. She's in the audience tonight. She was approved, right? So, uh Katherine Foreman, if you can stand up and kind of give us a little wave. So, Ca Katherine is joining the district. She will serve as our new assistant principal at South Ocean Middle School. We're very very excited to have you join and I leadership team. Um Katherine at the end I'll introduce you to all of our trustees. So thank you for being with us this evening. Congratulations. Welcome aboard. So we have a busy week this week. We have our elementary conferences that are going to be taking place on Thursday and Friday. So,
017um, I did send a message out to our community just advising them that our metal detectors will be in use for our conferences as well as all of our concerts and that's also beginning this week on the 9th. So, happy to start our holiday concerts this week. I'm looking forward to joining the board at many of those events. Um, I know I've spoken to the community multiple times about the Emerald Legosi um, foundation um, for the culinary garden and teaching grant that we're looking to secure. So, we did have an on-site visit from the um, representatives of the grant and it went very well at Tmont. So, we are in the final stages of submitting our grant which will be taking place within the next two weeks. We're very um excited and very optimistic about
018receiving this grant and once again this would afford the district to pull a kitchen for a farmtotable program in our elementary schools and it would be a half a million dollar grant. So hoping to be able to share with the board in early January if we are the recipients of the grant. So very excited about that. Uh Dr. and I attended a half a day workshop out in Riverhead with all of the uh superintendent from Suffach County and it was really focused on our CTE programs and some of the best practices that are happening in the local school districts. So we learned a lot. We were very excited about what we have here here in Patrick Medford as we feel we are a little ahead of the curve but we also uh learned some new
019things that we're excited to debrief and and look to bring back to our district as well to enhance some of our programs. So that was a a great um opportunity for us. And at this point I really want to take the opportunity to wish the entire community happy holidays, happy new year. This will be the last time we get to see the community before we break for the uh winter recess. So, have a wonderful holiday with family and friends and wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year. I'm going to turn it over to any of the assistant soups. I just wanted to wish everybody a happy holiday and a wonderful new year. hoping everybody has time to celebrate with family, you know, reflect on their blessings and have a wonderful holiday season. Thank you.
020>> All right, I do have a little something, some good news to share before the holidays. As of December 4th, NICED released the district's accountability designations. I'm pleased to share that all schools are in good standing. We do, however, have two subgroups identified as PTSI, which means potential um for a targeted subgroup. We will monitor those closely throughout the year. The first subgroup is students with disabilities at Medford Elementary and black students at South Ocean Middle School. Mrs. Kennedy and I will be submitting appeals for both of these subgroups. The appeals are due this Friday, December 12th. In addition, I'll be collaborating with both principles um to provide supports for these sub subgroups to ensure that they do not become PTSI 2 for the uh following school year. Good evening. I have a couple quick
021updates uh as I like to share with the community each month. We talk quickly about uh the status of the bond projects and I'm excited to let you know now that we as you know that we've been talking about the high school upgrades for the athletics has been moving along. But now we've had our kickoff meetings for the uh secondary schools for the upgrades for the uh sound and lighting in our theaters. So, that project uh has been kicked off and we're happy to hopefully start that now in the winter months upcoming, but we are getting all the bonds and uh insuranceances together from the vendors that were awarded. We also had our first uh phase of the unit ventilators and our HVAC improvements and we were able to not only get Bay and South
022Ocean on there, but we were able to get ACD approval earlier than expected on Eagle. So, we went out to bid on all three of those with the anticipated start time of this summer. So, a lot will be coming now in the next few months, but it's it's exciting to see now all three phases of the bond moving forward at one time. Um, with regard to Bay, uh, last time I reported to the community, we had discussed of the discovery of those u materials that needed to be removed from the property. Uh, they were asbestous containing materials as deemed by the state. Uh and we did uh safely remove them from the property right uh before the Thanksgiving holiday. We had the students on remote instruction for those two days and and the staff as
023well. Uh and we safely removed them and carted them off the premises. We are now exploring different options with the board. We have our architects presenting different scenarios for their consideration. And so in fourthcoming months, we'll look at what uh we'll explore and discuss with the community what that looks like in terms of our next steps as well. And then the last thing I wanted to quickly share is, you know, in this in this time of giving, um you will notice if you ever look at a board agenda that we have donations on there on a month monthly basis. Uh and I see them and we usually get, you know, three or four or five each month. But I thought it was really notable to share that this month alone we had 16 donations that
024totaled almost $9,500. And I point that out because I'm always amazed by the generosity of this community. Um and it's not just um at this time of year, it's throughout the year, but that is a significant thing and I just really wanted to give a silent shout out to all these people who don't look for recognition but really truly deserve it. They really understand the meaning of the season. um and it's exemplified how they turn back and give to the community. So truly want to thank everyone. >> I I do want to follow up. I'm um I know the board last last month we gave a very comprehensive uh presentation on the data and really again it it's really goes without saying that coming off a list of school improvement is an accomplishment that it's
025not just one person it's multiple people and it we were really proud of some of the data that we shared with the board last month and I think this proves to you that we're certainly uh moving in the right direction so I I really need to again once again thank all of our teachers who worked tirelessly throughout the school year and our building leaders, our academic directors and our principles. It takes a team to accomplish that. So again, thank you for everyone and really proud that we're in good standing for all 11 of our buildings going into the new school year. So thank you to everyone. Thank you. Next, we'll move on to committee reports. Um, buildings on operations. Uh, Trusty Creek. >> Okay. At the meeting, we discussed Mr. Maisy discussed the RFID blocking
026paint. Some schools were looking into it to block cells phone signals um in bathrooms. It's not we feel it's not safe for the fire for fire and safety and rescues and our district has never sought to use those materials. So, and we are in complete compliance. Mr. Nunan updated the 2526 interfund projects that we had completed which I always say is on the main page of the district website, the little box that says capital projects. Just click right there. You can see all of that. Mr. Maisie updated the EPC, which is the energy performance contract, which he just spoke a little bit about status, and that includes the electrical upgrades and solar panel projects. We discussed the Bay Elementary School Capital project update, which as you know, uh, we've hit a hiccup and we are
027working very diligently to figure out a plan moving forward with that. I don't know, did you want to speak to that one, Mr. Maisy, or community. Yeah, I just I think they've uh in my last report, but I'm happy to go into detail if you'd like. >> Okay. Um and then the next meeting is January 6th. It's a joint meeting with meeting with the finance committee and we're going to go over topics that have aspects of both buildings and operation since they're so incon interconnected financially. We're going to go over the EPC again, bond projects and bay capital reserve. That's it. Thank you. Um finance, I know the meeting is December 11th. Um districtwide technology, your meeting is um December 10th. Extracurricular, we were supposed to have a meeting on December 11th, but we have
028to cancel that due to the Chris Kringle. So our next meeting is January 7th. Um instructional and student support program, even though Mr. Sler isn't here, Mrs. Maroon will do the report. >> All right. So the committee met last week. Um, we had a follow-up presentation to last, uh, meeting about the K to5 humanities initiatives. So, uh, Mrs. Emily Wernernau, the director of elementary humanities, did a nice presentation, really informative to the group. They were super, um, appreciative of her time. Um, she focused a lot about the movement away from pattern-based programs toward explicit instruction. We talked about, um, the science of reading and how there's six reading competencies along with the five core strategies. Um, we also discussed the five-day reading routine um and how this ties into those six competencies in the big
029um and oral language funological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. We talked about how um text companions are being embedded throughout the units because that was one of the questions from um one of the committee members about the need for authentic reading experiences including uh leveled reader in small groupoup instruction. And then she followed up with um project-based inquiry which is something that part of portrait of a graduate will be diving more into with a lot of our departments. Um all of this is going to be uh communicated with our elementary families during parent teacher conferences you know in addition to the communications they've received already but it will be reiterated um and dove a little bit deeper per student at the conferences this coming Thursday and Friday. And our next meeting is January 22nd.
030Thank you. Um, legislation, I know your meeting is December 16th. >> We didn't have a meeting yet, but we will have a meeting on December 16th. >> Okay. Thank you. Next up for board discussion, I know it says exofficial policy, but since our ex official student isn't here, I would like to table that for the January meeting. And then an update on the superintendent search. um it closed where we had 31 um applicants submit and then um the firm is going to pick 12 to schedule informal interviews with them um before they bring them to the board and then we'll also screen them. Um next move on to public comments. At this time the floor is open for comments on any topic you wish to address to the board of education. As a reminder, please
031note that the public comment portions of the meeting are for comments only. If you have any questions, you are welcome to share them. However, the board will review and respond to those questions after the meeting in a timely manner as the portion of the agenda does not allow for dialogue or immediate responses. Each speaker is limited to 3 minutes with no sharing of minutes. Please state your name and address before speaking. Uh, next we move on to board of education comments. Trusty Kot. >> Well, Mr. Maisie stole my comment. I've been working really hard trying to um in my new role here, but um I just want to say happy holidays to everyone. And I also was very moved to see how many donations came into the family center this month. Um and I just
032think it's it's such a testament even hearing how um the students with the recycling program donating, you know, their their winnings back. I think it's just a testament to our community. So um just I I just that really kind of touched me. So, um, wishing everyone a happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. >> Trusty Kger. I'm on. >> Okay. Congrats to Saxton's new go officers. Uh, we're looking forward to seeing what you guys do. Congrats to the artists who won the recycling contest. That's amazing. Um, looking forward to the concert season that starts. It's one of my favorite times of years. I love watching the middle school. and then the difference in the high school and then going back and seeing the elementary in in January and seeing the progression. It's
033truly amazing what they can accomplish in that little bit of time. It's amazing news that all our schools are off of the state lit states slits. It's been a long time coming and I think it's a testament to the hard work from everyone involved. So, um, I say congratulations to ourselves because that was a lot of work and I hope we continue to move in that direction and then for everybody to just enjoy your holidays with your family and friends. >> Thank you, Trusty Smith. >> Um, happy holidays. Hope your Thanksgiving was lovely. Um, I want to congratulate uh all of the hard work that was uh needed and put in for our teachers, our administrators, our directors, kids to pull us off this list. That was a that's a was big lift and thank
034you very much. Um, I'd also like to uh one of the things that we just voted on with the program additions was a theater technology program. I am so I've been asked this is great. That's my degree. That was my first career. That's what my husband does for a living. Theater technology. I'm so excited that we've we've added this in as an option for our young people. Um, also art and business, big deal. There's a bunch of other read the the the uh agenda online. Um, it's really a lot of really important good programs. Um, that's it. Thank you, >> Vice President Hedi. I just wanted to say again congratulations to all the students that were recognized tonight. Um and have a very happy, healthy new year and holiday. >> Yes, congratulations to all the
035students. It's nice to see um all the hard work you guys are putting in. Um I hope everyone enjoys all the concerts that are coming up and I just wish everyone a um happy holidays, happy new year and enjoy all this time with your family. Well, >> can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? All in favor I the meeting is adjourned at 7:53. Three.