Cold Spring Harbor BOE Work Session 4/28/26

001We have a motion to open the meeting. A first, Alex, a second, Lisa. All in favor? >> Okay. Pledge of allegiance. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, this meeting is open to all, but the specific topic we are looking to discuss is the future of the arts department. We are here to listen to the thoughts and ideas and recommendations brought forward by the arts booster club. Please understand that all the usual restrictions regarding public comment apply. This is not the forum for any comments regarding students or staff. Should you wish to raise any issues on these topics, please submit them to the superintendent. Thank you. All right, let's start off. Um,

002welcome. >> Thank you. Thank you all for having us. Um, I didn't know what this forum was going to be like, so we prepared a sort of a statement and then we could just talk casually, but I'll just >> Great. Sounds good. >> Okay. So, thank you all for um being here and on behalf of the arts uh booster club of Pulsing Harbor Schools, we want to thank you for the opportunity to have this meeting to address the topic of the arts in our district. We appreciate you taking the time and having the open-minded spirit to begin a new fresh dialogue in this subject. We think we can all agree that there is one thing that unites everyone in this district, students, parents, administration, and board members alike, and that thing is an unwavering commitment

003to excellence. In the mission statement of the Colts Carver Educational Foundation, it clearly states, "The corporation was created to raise funds to ensure the legacy of excellence in our public schools. The official motto of our very own district athletics department is a commitment to excellence, which speaks to the standard our our talented athletes are held to. It's hard not to drive through the campus of the junior senior high school and not observe some banner or sign that speaks loudly and proudly to this creed of our schools. So, it should only logically follow that a creed of excellence and a commitment to a Barrett district should infiltrate every sector of our students lives, not just some in particular. And if the bedrock foundation of our school's reputation was built on the achievements in the academic academic

004and athletic sectors, it only begs the question, why not build this mountain of achievement even broader and higher than before? But where, what, and how? We are here today to present our conviction to you that an opportunity is at hand. A unique opportunity to make the arts at Cold Spring Harbor over time every bit as relevant as those fields in the district that are firmly and strongly established. In order to do this, we have to assess what's already been done, what hasn't been done done, and the lessons we might all learn from mistakes that may unintentionally been made in the past. We are privileged to have a beautiful state-of-the-art performing arts center, affectionately known in the district as the PAC. Brand new lighting and soundboards the board of ed recently invested in are fully set

005up in the control room, patiently waiting to be properly used by trained, capable hands. Multiple productions take place in the space every year. Yet, strange things happen in the course of these productions. Sometimes, the sound goes out entirely right in the middle of a singer's beautiful solo. Often, the imbalanced sound controls generate a cacophony of noise that drives those in attendance to clench their ears winsing in pain. This is something we've all grown frustratingly used to, but most likely shouldn't have. Sometimes the lights go on, sometimes they don't. When they fail to go on at all, children are in danger of slipping off the stage, not to be able to see where the cliff off to the abyss of the floor below is. Sometimes curtains don't open. Sometimes misplaced or misoperated sets cause students to

006get injured. Sometimes staff missing or not trained properly in how to manage all these moving parts, lose their pool, and sometimes students get hurt. These problems aren't new, but what we do know is that they are untenable. A group of dedicated parents have banded together to tackle them head head on. We are unified in our conviction that our kids deserve better. Our district deserves better, nothing less. And because we all know what better is. We've seen it on the fields and in the classrooms of our schools for years. We know what our district is capable of when together we set our minds to create something great. And we know what is within reach when dedicated parents and administrators and board event members work in tandem to generate new educational goals, some of which are only

007possible in this unique playing field we call the arts. And on that note, I'm honored to see the podium to my dear friend Shelley Williams. Shelley, we are so lucky to have this woman in our community. She has decades of experience as a leader in the field of professional musical theater and she will talk to you specifically about solutions um that we can make um so that our uh I'll say solutions for how to make our vision of excellence in the arts at Cold Spring Harbor what is ultimately possible a potential future reality. Thank you. >> Um thanks everybody for for having us here. It is uh been a long wanted dream to be in conversation. Um in my world it is all about collaboration. All we do is get around a table and talk

008about solutions and solve problems and look at things that once feel impossible and create the possibility for making them possible. Um I am a Broadway director. I have worked on five Broadway shows as a both as an actor and a director. I have been in the business for 33 years. So I know this industry inside and out. I'm also a bestselling children's book author. So the world of storytelling is my world. And I was so excited to come to Cold Spring Harbor. And you know coming from Brooklyn where our school didn't even have a any kind of an auditorium. We didn't even have a gym. We had to go across the street to another facility. And we did our dance programs on the street outside. they blocked off the street. So to come here and

009see all that was available for the arts was very exciting. To see the course course offerings and our extracurriculars was really exciting. As we went from the elementary school which has a very comprehensive integration of all the kids play instruments and the fifth and sixth grade musicals are done so well that when you get to junior high it felt like there was a real drop off. And then when you got to high school, it wasn't even a plateau. It was the kids that that were almost as good as they were in the fourth grade. And there wasn't any increase in their ability to tell a story in their sustaining their notes in a, you know, in a in a in a way that I would expect these young people to be performing. Um, I work

010with high school students. I coach the Jimmy Awards which is the best of the best of performing arts kids throughout the country. I work at university levels. I was an adjunct at NYU Tish School. So I I have taught at every level and I see kids and coach kids at the high school level all the time. And so I know what medium is. I know what is below medium and I know certainly what our kids are capable of. We have a lot of infrastructure in our school that's just not properly utilized. Um, and I'm talking very specifically in the theater and I would say department, but we don't have one, right? We have someone who directs a show, but the mechanisms even within that are definitions that I don't even recognize. Um, so we want

011to be in conversation with you about how we can strengthen this program. And I will first ask you, what is your vision for students who are artistic in this district? >> Well, I would think that we probably all feel like they we want them to, like you were saying, not be low in medium. We want them to be, as you said, excellent. We want people to be talking about our plays, wanting to come to our plays. We want kids to be happy. We want them to be able to tell a story. We want them to be excited to go to theater. Um, whether it's for like you said an extracurricular or if it's for play whatever it is. Um and of course we want all of our infrastructures to be used properly. So you know

012we're really excited to hear your suggestions. >> That's great. Is there any like you know fiveear vision? Is there any kind of a you know there is a the portrait of a student that New York State put out in 2025 in the portrait of an artist from K through 12. Are there metrics that you have that you have insisted that we want to see this accomplished by this for our teachers? We want to see our students be able to have these opportunities with internships and scholarships available to them. What are the I I look at this you know because I do this for you know as a business for my life. there are artistic standards. So I just want to know from an educational perspective, what are the artistic standards that you are holding up

013any of your educators to inside? You know, >> we would hope that our administration is holding them to the highest standards as a as a teacher, but I also don't want it to be something where kids feel they're not good enough to be part of the arts. So we don't want to be too hard on the way or, you know, saying, "Oh, you're not doing well with this, you're not doing well with that." Right? So I mean, my my own daughter plays the trumpet and she's always embarrassed that she says she's one of the worst players in the band but she has fun and so that's what it's about right so um you know I wouldn't I would say that the standards for a um a theater a music whether it be band viol you

014know orchestra chorus would be the same standards we'd have for academics we would want them to strive for excellence you know some kids just don't have it like I never had it I could never sing my parents would tell me please stop so It's just sometimes it's just you are born with that talent like an athlete, right? But we have to try to um incorporate everyone whether they have the talent or not. So I don't necessarily know if there's a specific you in terms of the play. I guess it's a little different than maybe looking at a band student, right? Um or an orchestra student. It's very different I think. I mean you you know have a lot more experience in that. But I would say that our academic standards which we want to strive

015for the same across the board. Well, and I agree that the open enrollment for we have open enrollment for AP classes. So, making sure that the arts are open to everyone is important. But also, I think what we need to look at and try to figure out how to make this more of an appealing program for students is that drop off, right? Why is there that drop off? Because there's a marked drop off. the kids who are loving the shows in sixth grade are coming into the junior high, right, and say, "Well, no one does the shows anymore. I can't do the shows." You know, and I we've talked about this, like I was in every play possible until I went to high school and then I was singing too much to be in the

016>> like there just too many you got to pick things at some point. But um I mean I'd still jump up on that stage today, but um the um kids they're not losing that passion for being on the stage. They're coming into the junior high and for some reason whether it's social schedule sometimes too just there's only so many things you can do. How can we make it so that that's available to kids so that we're getting that bigger population of kids to do the shows too to keep the talent, the interest, the audience attendance, all of these things that make for a robust theater program. You and I talked the other day and I remember coming to a show um maybe seven or eight years ago at the high school and it was outstanding.

017What a production that was. And I I think it has fallen off and you've talked about this for years. Why is it that people are going like the senior citizens are going to other towns to watch shows at other schools and they used to come here >> to see our shows? So, what can we do? And I think hearing you say >> there are these rubrics that we should be talking to our administration and our teams about. We've got experts here who can talk to you about that. Also, we don't tell them what their rubrics should be, but we say to them, >> what do you think we should be doing? But we also should be coming to experts in the community to say, how does this reflect what you're seeing kids in other schools

018do? >> Yeah. Too, right? >> I think we also wanted I'm sorry, Mark. >> We want to answer your question. Um, I'm not aware of any standards or metrics. You're speaking my language. If you don't know where you're going, you're not going to get there. >> Thousand%. >> Um, also at the last board meeting, I said parents often come to complain, but they don't come to participate. So, thank you for coming cuz we don't know what we don't know. If you have an air of expertise and you come and you put forth ideas, that's how they get adopted. Um, I don't if this has been going on for a while. Frankly, I don't know why we haven't seen you before because >> I directed two Broadway shows. I was a little busy. >> Not you.

019Not not you. >> I'm the expert in the room. I was a little busy. >> But, you know, we hear like, oh, this been going on for a while. Well, >> I'm always two ears open. >> I haven't heard though these issues. She >> I heard one >> Sandra come to meetings >> about this. You've been on the board. >> Oh, before I was on the board. >> Also CBC. She's a >> Okay. Yeah. I mean, it hasn't gotten to my ears cuz when I hear of a problem, it's frustrating. Um because the it shouldn't be happening. I don't know why. Um and I we need more goals. We need more metrics. We need the right people in the right seats. So, that's what I'm here to learn about is what we're doing wrong, what

020we need to do differently. And um I'll turn it over. You were going to say something. I just want to add back to with something Kate said. I think I also want to tease out those who don't have that natural ability. >> Yeah. >> Because there are plenty of kids who don't know or they're >> I'm not I I didn't know I was tonedeaf until I met my wife. I thought I was fine. But that's fine. I will still sing in a car with her and that's okay. So, but that's I I think give them that love of music and arts and whatever. They may not be able to produce or sing or do all these other components, but they could still appreciate or have a different role in it. They don't need to be

021this main person on the stage. So, if we could support them there, I would love to do that. >> I think, you know, one of the things I can tell you is is your students are your best ambassadors. So, one of the things with, you know, the Music Man cast, um, I will say one of the good things that came out of that show is that the cast has gotten incredibly close and they are bonded almost like a gang, right? And I said to them, you know, you have a real opportunity here to create community with both the junior high, with Westside and Lloyd Harbor, and this is how you build a theater department. And so I was sharing with them something that Broadway shows do is when you open a show, every show on

022Broadway sends you a note that gets like put up on the callboard that's like, "Break a leg. We're so proud of you." And everybody signs it. And it's such a like it's such a sweet thing. So this year the Music Man cast did a sign to Greece with all the cast signed it that just said, "Break a leg." It's a small thing, but it's a way to say you're going to be one of us next year, right? And so next year we'll have the junior high do that for the elementary school kids. So you're building >> to sign >> just to sign to cast. It just says break a leg and everybody signs it and writes little notes if they know someone in the cast or whatever. And it's just the way that we continue

023to create community amongst, you know, the 28 blocks we're all spread out on on Broadway. There is a way because we have four different schools that perform in our school. There is a way that you create an arts program that isn't just you go from one to the other to the other that you really are creating community in these k with you know with these kids and you create safe passage for them. A lot of kids come to high school and they feel lost and arts you know the arts program is where they find their community and making that the safest place possible. There were a couple things that I you know pointed out. I I'm very happy to say that Mr. Mr. Damboski has invited us to do monthly meetings and so Mr. Damuski

024and Miss Leensky and Miss Oswald and Mr. Gorini we all sit and talk about both the music and the art and as we will talk about a little bit later for me it's about the integration of all of these art forms and all of these clubs that we have and the actual realworld nonAI taking jobs that are in this industry. Um and so we have you know big conversations about that. Um what was I hearing about before? Uh Tusky the arts. Um >> you were saying integrating >> Oh >> programs the evolution right from the building >> Broadway. You're talking about Broadway. >> Yeah. I don't remember. >> I don't remember where he was going. I would I would like to just add one thing if if >> I think it's important for us to

025remember what it was like when we were growing up and what was important to us and who who were the influential people that made us better and if we have those kinds of people in the art department. You know, I was an athlete growing up. I was an okay athlete until I got a fantastic coach and then I was able to play basketball in college. Would I have played had I not? No. I would never have had the opportunity to be to to do that. So, one teacher, one one shift can really change the trajectory here. And we're obviously we're not looking for a full right turn. You know, you you move a couple inches and before you know it, two miles out, you know how much further you are from where you would have

026been. So just think about the the the people that changed your life growing up. What were their attributes? What are the things that we want to instill in the kids? What are the things that we need to look for in the people that are influencing the kids on a day-to-day basis that make them want to come to chorus that make them want to come back to band? that make them want to play in the orchestra and continue the love that they have for drawing, singing, whatever. >> Yeah. >> And then ultimately bringing it all together into one storytelling format. You know, storytelling is one of the most fundamental tribal things that we have as a as humans, right? It's why there's cave art. It's why music is thousands of years old, but it's it's ingrained

027in our DNA. So, if we can figure out a way where they can tell a story using all of the parts to tell a story, that's that's what we want in our kids. the creating of costumes, the creating of the sets, the create the the playing of the music, the singing, the camaraderie that it brings. Ultimately, that's what we want to get out of the department. >> And obvious sound, the whole crew um and it was incredible, right? So, I get all the importance of that. I just saw a YouTube where Billy Joel was talking about one teacher changed his life trajectory in music and he still is close to that teacher to this day. So I that's important. So in terms of what we need to do better as a district, we need you

028know >> good direction in terms of this is not being done well. This needs to be done better cuz we honestly we could be here for 20 hours telling stories and and we need to know >> like brass tax, right? >> What we're doing wrong that are >> but also how not just like you're doing it wrong like we need like a road map. >> So So this is these are I just wrote down I remembered what I was saying when I sat down with Dan Busky and we talked about this. I was like, "There's a couple things that you're doing that are like this is what we've always done, but this isn't the way it's done anywhere else." Right? So, in the casting process, there is not equity in the way that we cast.

029We announce a show very, very late. >> It's like the show gets announced and then two days later auditions. In the professional world, >> huh? >> That doesn't make sense. You need to get prepared for your audition. >> Exactly. Yeah. >> And so what it does, it advantages all the kids that have singing lessons and are very proficient and it disadvantages all the kids that might be outliers >> who might need a little bit more time to work on it, who might be like on the fence and need some con convincing. And I've said to them in the professional world now when I do an audition for you know whether it's a tour or a Broadway show what is mandated by the union is that you provide recorded music for multiple roles. You provide the

030actual sheet music and you have I think it's like 10 days notice before anyone can come in. So they're not given music to per like in sixth grade at Lloyd Harbor. They're told like learn this song for your audition. >> Probably in sixth grade harbor they're teaching you the song just like they're saying prepare this song or this song, right? That's >> from elementary school for >> and Lloyd Harvard they did when my daughter was sixth grade. >> Yeah. Songs love call backs of a specific song. The other thing that they did that I thought was really beneficial, which I think is lost when you get to junior high, is they had you say how available you were. And if you weren't always available because you play travel sports or you were in an outside

031other program, they could still find a part for you so you could still be in the play. Like Payton had a singing role in Peter Pan. She was Mrs. darling. So, she had a small song because she played travel hockey, but she also loved the theater and it was so great because she was able to do both. >> And all of those accommodations even happen in the professional world. Right. Right. So, >> then we get more kids participating because 80% of the students also play sports here, which is great. >> Right. >> But there's a lot of them actually two out of three of my kids have said, "I would do the play if I thought I could make it work. about making it's about creating the accommodations and knowing how to cast the show

032properly. So in addition to casting it way too close to the margin and saying to a lot of people >> this is not we're not creating opportunities for you and we're disadvantaging you if you do not have the means to go learn this on your own. So it is you know inequitable the way excitement to know what it was like if there's a release of all the slate of all the shows. It should not be a secret, right? It's like of that too >> when you get the right. >> Is it possible to announce it sooner? >> Of course it is. A lot of schools do like a buildup to it too. Like the last couple schools I've worked in, it's been like what's the show going to be? You can guess and they have

033like nine different shows and then I never actually white out the name of the show and the contract. I never >> we don't. >> Someone told me why back when I Okay, I guess then that was fine. But it's easy. It's actually less work. We just hear the shows and we sign the contract and everybody finds out. >> Like literally as the president of the board, you have to say, "Could somebody tell me what the show is before I sign the agreement?" Because it's that secret, right? >> What I'm hearing is that we should give um an earlier notice >> and we should do you mentioned 10 days >> before try out. >> Yeah, I mean it could be a week. It could be but yeah, I would say 10 days is a great amount

034of time. I think it's two weekend >> because I just I I I just want to It's more than just knowing the show 10 days. It would provide recorded music and sheet music. >> Yes. >> With at least 10 days. Yeah. >> Is there anything else? Please. >> So like when the when the anybody who wants to audition, you know, whether it's a QR code or whether it's a link, you go to that link, it has all the drop down links for the music, which is like a shortcut, 16 32 bars, not a whole song. And maybe if there's like a scene, you choose the scene and you choose the song that best suits you. >> So if you're an alto, there's an alto song. If you're a soprano, there's a soprano song. If you

035just want to audition for the ensemble because you're doing a sport, you do the ensemble sides. And I have that. I'm auditioning for the Whiz in three weeks. And that's exactly what we have out there. We have all the leads and then an ensemble. >> The dialog model are included as well, just >> Okay, so Kim's taking copious notes. I am going to come back though and confirm we don't have any questions, >> right? But I just want to make even if there's additional stuff. >> I want to make sure we have it downpacked. >> Yeah. >> No pressure, Kim. >> I got it. I got it. >> I did. You did. No pressure. You got it, >> Lisa. Okay. Do you Thank you. Um, do you think there's a preferred way like that kids

036should be informed of auditions? Like do you think some kids aren't hearing it because it's in morning announcements and kids don't hear it because they're in gym or they're not listening or they're not paying attention which of course my kid always pays attention but you know um or should it go to the parents should go to the parents everywhere. I think it should go everywhere. It should go everywhere. And is it is it how it's done now? Like Yeah. Is it not being done that way? >> The school No, it's not. No, the school announces it like in like parent square. >> No, but yeah, now they do. >> When tryyous, I must have gotten a thousand things. >> No, we don't have a thousand. Um, we don't have somebody sending out a thousand. So,

037maybe that's something. >> You don't want a thousand from this. I definitely don't want to copy a copy that either, >> but you know like like you know like current blast you know like so that parents are pushing their kids like we like to sing >> like we did for for music van I think it was on our Instagram like we saw we sent it in I don't necessarily know if I saw additions >> we were we were putting it in story for I think like five days we were having the only huge sign at the of the drive. >> Well, let's talk about that. >> What I think is important beyond just >> your group, your parents are looking there. It's those students who may not naturally be the theater kids. Those are the

038ones who need to make sure we reach out. It could be posted in Canvas. You can't help but see it other than click close. >> It could be on the doors. I mean, I think I think what we've identified there's many ways is that it needs to be w more broadly circulated, right? And and in addition to that, >> oh I was I'm sorry. One other thing I was going to say is I also think that when because all the fifth and all the sixth graders will have done the shows before, it should be assumed that they will all want to do the shows again. And maybe in that sixth grade welcome to the school packet are the dates of the play and the musical. So the kids they the children from the very beginning

039know that this is available to them. So maybe have the ambassadors of the older >> I was going to say I love the idea of having student ambassadors and I think you know kids want they'll look up to those kids. >> Um and I love that the kids in Music Man wrote to the kids in Greece but now they've done Greece what if you know and they're done. What if the kids who did Music Man come down to, you know, have a meeting like anybody interested in theater next year, come meet us, you know, like we'll come down to Lloyd Harbor and we'll, you know, and stay for half an hour and you can ask us questions about the theater program, you know, and Westside as well, obviously. >> Yeah. >> Um, yes, absolutely. >>

040You know, to get those kids to even the sixth graders to get to know some of those older kids so they even feel comfortable, you know, go like that's where I want to be next year. >> And I know those people. >> Exactly. Exactly. Like I know Papadano. She's pretty cool. >> The one thing we also got is we got the Music Man kids to be on the crew for both Greece and Lion King. >> Oh. >> And that was Cinderella had already happened. Um, but they did. And so those it was so funny. I think we were in the school and my daughter Sasha worked on Lion King and one of the littles came up and was like, "Sasha," and she's like, "I did your makeup." You know, it's it's so cute to see

041that little girl have that connection and and that's the kind of thing that you want to happen. You want someone to know when I get to the big high school, I know this person, right? >> Creating community inside the theater department >> is vital for some kids. It really is a lifeline, especially in a school that is so sportsheavy. These kids get lost. And the thing that they learn inside theater, whether they go into it or not, in terms of being able to look people in the eye, hold a conversation, have the poise to comport themselves in front of a group of people, will serve them their entire lives, whether they're doing a presentation, whether they get that interview for a college, these kids have confidence. And when so many kids are failing in their

042ability to even look people in the eyes anymore because they're so computer driven, these theater kids are thriving as listening, as cooperating, as finding creative solutions to things like it is a phones down, you know, uh activity >> and that will serve them always. and what they are doing together, you know, listening to each other, you know, the the the reaction and action, the way they're creatively thinking about stories outside of their own, the empathy that these stories give them, sorry, >> is just so such important life skills. Um, the other thing that we talked about, you know, when I watch the show, I'm always looking for how are these kids telling a story? And the thing that I've noticed the most and because I've asked them, you know, my daughters are I'm like, "Have

043you done scene studies? Did you talk about the characters? Have you talked about the dignity of your character? What their objective is whether none of that is happening." >> Well, that's what I was going to say is, you know, I and we've talked about this. I'm married to a um division one lacrosse playing theater major. So, okay. So, I'm spanning all the worlds here. And he actually stopped playing lacrosse in college to do more theater. And um every time we go to a kid show, he'll say, "You could tell the dance teacher's directing this or you can tell the music teacher's directing this because the acting is just not there." Yeah. >> Right. And so who is directing our shows? And then can we have a director, but also musical support, choreography support? Like that's

044how a really solid theater program runs. >> Yeah. >> So, and What kind of and I don't kill everyone but like what kind of we don't even really offer theater. >> No >> during the school day. >> There is a theater. It doesn't happen. It doesn't >> it doesn't run >> because it's but it's a that's a chicken and an egg situation possibly. Right. >> Something so important and I I do apologize but >> unfortunately I have to leave because our son has the show. >> Go ahead. Um so we just yeah we just wanted to add something >> so a sports analogy uh build the dreams if you build it they will come this is really about >> actually he will come >> just so what we're talking about really you can get all

045the students that you want from the fifth and sixth grade up into junior high junior high school but if you don't have a good foundation for we don't have a good arts program and not saying theater arts in general music, the the physical arts and graphic arts, the um creative writing and storytelling an arts program, then regardless of the amount of kids you have, the kids aren't going to be interested. the kids aren't going to want to participate in the events and our school will maintain the reputation that has today which is actually to be honest a laughing sound other schools laugh at the Boston Harbor. I know. I think that's why we're here though. We're trying to move. We're trying to fix theater arts. >> Exactly. >> Our arts department is pretty good. >>

046So when >> when we're having people direct the kids, teach the kids, do this kind of pre-production work, is that our faculty or do we have outside people come and work? One big part of this and and this is what we're talking with the administration about is that >> there is a title for director choreographer. It they have it called music vocal director which actually should be music director and technical director and there are no job descriptions. >> Who who does it though? our faculty >> it has to be in people to the faculty first >> and if no one takes that job >> then it can be >> so that's the high school does it have to be faculty first >> it doesn't district law we were told >> no that's just how it's

047for most clubs and activities it gets posted internally because 99% of all clubs and activities are filled internally because most you know when I can get somebody from Brooklyn coming in to the chess club. It just doesn't happen. Anybody anybody can sign up. >> I'm pretty sure Brian when I had a meeting with you, you had said to me that it's a district rule that it has to be offered to faculty first. It also has also a rule that just also has >> it's a past practice that it is offered internally first. >> But is it a is it a district law? Is it >> So here's something I I mean jump in five times here. So the the biggest problem we found this goound is that one person took on multiple roles which caused

048a huge problem. Okay. So that right there is a policy defect that needs to be corrected. If we if if it's standard to offer it first to the the faculty and then outside of the faculty, that's fine. But offering it to the faculty and then having the faculty member take on three roles in one position that is a is a match. >> So what about coaching positions? Do we just offer like anyone could be the varsity lacrosse coach in Colart? >> But don't we really look for people who know how to coach varsity lacrosse? So why are we not looking for somebody who's really a talented >> theater director to direct the shows? And I will say before I have the scoop, um it is what sets like us apart from other districts in terms

049of theater. So if you take like Scioset, Jericho, um I'm kind of losing some of the other com >> they they have actual positions that are just theater director, whether they're members of the faculty, but that is their position. Um you know, I just know from our own kids directors that they've had they have positions in school districts just you're directing or they have an outside person and you just can see the difference because we go see shows all over the island at all the different high schools and you can see the difference when you have somebody who really understands direction and school for it um and you know they're also educators like intertwined in there and how that impacts the show and the attrition versus expansion of the program. So, it just attracts the

050kids. And when we're talking about how do we get more kids, it's really bringing in somebody who knows how to build up the >> And it's a twofold. It's a twofold, right? >> If I want to have filet minion and asparagus for dinner, that's great. But if I open my fridge and I only have eggs and celery, I'm making a salad. And and we have to look at the kids that we have and not say I'm going to do the music man and not sure and not sure if we have guys who are going to participate in the music man and then cast you know a lead. You picked your show for the show based on based on the population who's doing the play. >> Who picks the show? >> Who picks the director? The

051director of the show. >> And the director that they pick out of thin air or whatever. I mean, and if the person has three titles, are they getting paid? So, this is crazy. I will say you're right, Marvin. >> And I I get frustrated that we have coaches, not it's not just in in your world. in the athletic I I don't think we have coaches that are the best and I'm always like let's go out and find the the best and bring them in and let's go and uh >> Okay, so they coach three sports >> because that's what this is. It's three full-time roles >> taken by one person. Can you coach three sports simultaneous? >> It's not the first time it's happened which means no one could watch in the store, right? And

052that's where it's like this there's many times and it's been kind of common practice that like you can be the director >> watching the store. >> Well, you know, we need a poncho. >> No one is watching the store. >> We don't have anyone to watch the store. That's the problem. >> There is no one like the arts. I mean the the sports has that person. They have someone they're accountable to. They have someone who's looking out for the program holistically. They have someone who is really mining the store holistically from the entire district. >> So we don't have that at all. There is no saying or or I'm sorry Adrian that that's when when she said like a position in the district that's the director. That would be what you're saying right now. >>

053They're saying in their school >> like a school might have a theater teacher who's also the theater director whose expertise is theater. >> She made I don't know. They made it sound like >> or they bring in a theater director >> and would that be the role that you're saying right now? >> No. >> Every No, I'm saying we need a bunch of art like the arts. We need an arts person that is doing what sports is doing or chair person. >> You're saying a fulltime person >> fulltime as a long-term goal. But but in the short in the short term you need someone who's mining the store because what has happened is you have paid fulltime salaries meaning every time there is a rehearsal. >> Yeah I know >> there should be someone who

054is there. >> Yes. And often and when you look at the salaries when you look at the breakdown I had this conversation I was explaining to someone the other day is they were like well the musical director only gets like half as much as the director and the choreographer gets a third of that and I was like that's exactly the way it is in the professional world because the director has six jobs right they're doing pre-production they're interfacing with the director I mean the musical director the choreographer the lighting designer the set designer the costume designer they are overseeing the entire production and having a vision for it and rehearsing every day the musical director is there every single rehearsal. If there's there's three rooms running at the same time, there's acting happening in one

055room, music happening in another room, and choreography happening in another room. And that's why our shows are never finishing on time. That's why the kids are so stressed out. That's why they're getting pulled out of classes KP seminar to finish a show that should have been finished two weeks ago. And when I look at that first time, >> how did Mr. McKe do it? He >> How does it run so he >> Because they hire somebody else. >> Who hires them? >> I don't know. You tell us. >> Oh, I I don't know. >> Like I like Miss Shanahan's not hiring. >> I don't know. >> You know, like who is it that >> Mr. Yeah. Like who's hiring those outside people? >> It goes through the building principles. >> Mr. building help find who

056those people are supposed to talk about specific a nice thing get good bad or indifferent we're not supposed to but I hear you so you're saying that we need to find basically when we put out these jobs we need to be a little bit more a lot more specific >> we need to find people who do this this is their specialty not just you know do you have the time to do it great >> and do it with young people, not just like you can't just pull any director off the like very specific the temperament to work with. Yes, of course. >> Okay. >> At least >> I asked I asked if they know people. >> Yeah, of course. >> Well, that was going to Yeah, I think that's about you know people, but um

057I think it gets a little sticky when we're doing this in public, but wouldn't it be possible for them to send those? >> You could share them. >> Absolutely. Appreciate that very much. But we can tell you there wouldn't have been a choreographer >> if we didn't get involved >> the two days before this show started. >> There wouldn't have been a choreographer for >> That's such a massive undertaking. Every show >> is every show is a major undertaking and it requires the same amount of work. If I'm doing a show with two people or I'm doing a show with 32 people, the infrastructure is the same. And what's happened here is there's no infrastructure. >> So there's no, you know, when I was like, what are the metrics for a musical director playing the

058piano? >> Yeah. >> Kids should not at the high school level be learning songs from Spotify and tracks. That is an embarrassment for a district >> of a district of this level. the musical director should be playing these plunking out these notes and teaching this. It is subpar. >> It is because they're doing better in elementary. >> Okay. But it sounds like the the answer to this is hiring right people. >> Yes, that's what we want. We want people that are not from the school. We don't want these to be offered to you want people. >> Do you have very specific job descriptions you could share? >> That's great. >> Okay. Sorry. I only I didn't know so many people. >> That's okay. Just make sure I get one. >> Let's give them to even

059to Joe. >> You guys can make a >> Yeah, I can make >> We have everything to like in a board. >> Yeah, I can share this with the board. >> I share with everyone. >> And how how early can we start? Because I'm just trying to like backtrack the uh Right. So So say like the music band was in dece. And when did they find out it was the music man? >> Just before Thanksgiving. >> So >> they out just before Thanksgiving. >> So but there's time. You have to get the license and that takes time. Yes. >> Right. And you have to hire >> We talked about this with Mr. Mr. Dusky yesterday. I was because we I've sat down. I've talked with someone from the arts department from every school except for

060Gus, but I've talked to so I've kind of just wanted to get like a feel of what their needs are and how we were talking about how arts booster club could support them. So we had a conversation specifically about rights with Miss Bafuka and she was explaining the process because the student production rights, you know, she inherited the the drama club at the very last minute, right? And so getting the rights can take up to six weeks. um it and so it wouldn't have happened. I was able to make a phone call and got the rights and so they're able to do the show. But our typical rights, they asked for them in September and then after six weeks got denied because there's going to be another production of the show somewhere and then they

061had to start all over again and get a whole new set of rights. And I was like, you guys are starting way too late. >> But is there this might be a stupid question, but the only person that I can't answer. If you are getting the rights too far out, is that a problem too? Like can they expire? No. So, so would you get the rights two years ahead of time and still do the play? >> You can't do two years ahead of time, but you because you won't have a budget approved. So, the earliest you can get rights is going to be July 1st. >> Whenever the whenever you approve the budget is when you can trigger the right. >> Well, we just approved. >> Shel, I have a question. >> July one. July

062one is the new Yeah. >> This that's the second time I've heard of that happening and once here and once in another school recently. >> Yeah. >> So is it something that can happen where you get the rights and just as soon as they're approved all of a sudden it's going into production? I mean it >> it's it's no because they would say >> shouldn't there be like a pending >> they would so if you don't get the rights it's because the rights there's a professional theater that is doing it in your vicinity and is prohibited they are not going to pull the rights from you if you have it that professional theater is going to say you know we really don't care the gold harbor we're going to do it anyway at theater right

063like that that's how it goes right but if it's the other if they have it we cannot do it within a certain radius. >> Okay. And so he should have been aware of that though in advance of asking for the rights. Is that part of the problem? >> You never know until you ask. You ask for the rights. Can you just >> probably deny you want X? They say you can't have X. We go then we have a second or something. It sounds like >> you mean but you may not wind up. It's the same six week process. You you should have a few shows in mind, right? >> But you can only ask once. So I mean you could ask for two different licensing house. You could ask at Concord and MTI but >>

064I don't remember being rejected. It may have been the director asked them can we do show X and they said all right it's right at Angleman. So the answer is no. I don't think if it came to us we did the paperwork and they told us >> yeah they won't do that. >> I think they already like the director already did all the work and said you can't do the Lion King because next door is doing the Lion King. that it's been longer than just from what I understand based on certain productions for schools. Like I know that when we went through it at a former district that I was at, uh they were only releasing frozen to a certain number of schools. >> Yeah. Not over, right? So, so there are certain based on

065whatever it is that you're doing that there are limitations with >> and and you have to wait for somebody like Disney to tell you that they are giving it to you and it's a big deal and so in those cases those are unique. So it's not for every type of play that we decide or music. >> So the big thing is we're all the bottom line is it's all about the calendar, right? We are starting everything way too late for this year. If we start in July, is that do you think that's what you're suggesting >> this this year? What we talked what what I talked with him about yesterday was on July 1st, you should be prepared to do the rights for the play, which is coming up first in the calendar, the musical,

066and the junior high musical. >> But before you do that, don't you have to have the director know who's going to be directing each show? because they're going to make that decision as to what plays going on and also we have to have the calendar meeting right so this stuff doesn't overlap and you'll know you'll have the pack right so that has to happen even before that then >> right July one >> there's two ways I'm sure director for each though there's two ways that can happen the answer to that is you can if you don't know who the director ctor is going to be. You have a conversation with the educators that are familiar with the talent and you as a district say we're not sure who the director is going to be next

067year. You know, Mr. Dusky would say, you know, Miss McCleas, Miss uh Miss Mr. Gurini, you know, Miss Bud Fukco, Miss Dr. Goshin. Talk to me about the let's get like an average range doing the junior high kids that are moving up and making sure how many do we think what is it male to female presenting like what where are we in the numbers we're looking at you're like okay so if it's going to be it should be a female heavy show we have some really great sopranos we've got some great outto and here are a cannon of shows that make sense and also thinking about what the kids would be interested in the kids would love to be able to say if you're thinking about five shows like let us weigh in on the

068five shows and they are your best ticket sellers. You are not selling tickets because the kids are too embarrassed to tell their friends to come. >> So, hold on a second. >> So, you are not and and they are the people who are going to sell the most tickets. They are the people who are like, "Come see me in the show, grandma. Come see me in the show." And they're not doing it. They don't feel good about what they're putting on stage. >> So, how to implement this? Go ahead. I'm sorry. Finish. So, the way that you do it is if you in my world, a show exists before I'm hired for it. So, I get hired. There's a title. I just got a new show and it has a cast and I'm going to

069cast it, right? It's not always you get a director and the director picks the show. Sometimes the show exists and then you hire the director for the show. >> So, we could get the title. >> It can go either way. The one thing that you want to be mindful of is because we have in we have a pool of talent that we're working from >> that we're not picking a show that does not uh would not be helpful for the pool of talent that we have. So that's the only thing you want to be thoughtful. >> That was kind of logistics >> been trying to talk for so long. >> I wonder how to do that. Use AI. You get the Do not do that. Do do not do that. Do not do that. Do

070do not do that. But I'll tell you it it is not. You want an expert to do it. We want to get away from pieces of paper that spit out things that actually aren't accurate. I'm correcting AI all the time. >> So if you tell them I have Sopranos and this many female and whatever, what are the top 10 shows? It wouldn't tell you a list of the top 10 shows. >> Yes. But it may not actually hit the metrics that you want which is I have seven sopranos and I have this and I have a person who has you know who's on the spectrum who has a longer learning possibility. They're just like the we are talking about human beings and human beings should be making these decisions. So >> okay so just because

071it's now 5:30. >> Yeah. >> What do we think I know it goes fast when everyone's chatting right? >> Um it's lots of amazing ideas and suggestions. Should we go through Mark? Is that what we were about to do? No, I just I wanted to say before we get into the roundabout, so these logistical issues certainly need attention. The bottom line is money and resources. So I want to understand how many people are involved in this theater. We and how many are involved in athletics? We have a $2.3 million athletic budget. >> Music, >> Alison, you sent me the budget. So I want to understand to make sure that this is given the proper financial backing so you can hire the right talent. You have obviously um a community of people that are willing to

072put the work in to work with the those people to make sure and and report back to us what we need to do >> because um we always hear this is a a district that supports u athletics over the arts. that should not happen. I don't want that to happen. I I think I I don't I think we even had a conversation about that where I said I will work so that doesn't happen. So, here I am. And um I I I want I want to get a breakdown of the numbers. I mean, >> I can tell you for the music man, there were 51 students in the cast, pit, and crew. And for Greece, there were 49 students in the cast, pit, and crew. And I can also tell you there's a number of

073students that would not participate because of the personnel and there's overlap. >> There's an overlap in the crew only. They're like they also I know my kids too when they got to middle school and high school they started to be so more self-conscious about like where their friends were and what their you know I I >> that pipeline and if we had like you know in these departments in these last couple years >> and there are a number of students that said they would come back to the arts with a change >> and I I've said this before that we have we're at a little disadvantage Judy cultur is the kids start here in seventh grade, >> right? >> In most middle schools, you start sixth grade. And what don't they do in se sixth

074grade? >> Athletics, >> right? >> They don't get that first chance or clubs and activities. Their first I can tell you for the 10 years when I was assistant principal and we talked to sixth graders, everyone wants to be a varsity fill-in- thelank athlete >> and it's well, you still continue on here, but that has that allure >> is the athletics for whatever reason it is. You could have a big sign at the end of the driveway that says auditions for music man. Do you play a sport? Have we got a spot for you? You know, like some like, you know, and tell them flat out like as these, you know, like you play a sport, it doesn't matter. >> I don't know if it has mattered in the past. >> Make it not matter.

075>> There have been kids that have done both. We have a lot of kids, >> right? It should be both. We had >> Allison has the budget um that we had for you know >> you had hockey players in the music. >> Yeah. >> NBA wrestlers >> but it should be it should be clear that they don't have to choose. >> They don't have to choose >> and maybe even seek out those kids. >> They practice they practice at 4:00 still at least one day a week. So they figured it out. Yeah, >> one day a week. It's different. >> There's always a creative solution. We're a Yes. And business. Alison, you've got a >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Uh in terms of just This is just the m these are just the musicals. Um

076that uh this year we've spent $111,857 roughly >> for all four musicals. >> Uh for the junior high school musical and the high school musical, yes, I have Lloyd Harbor, Westside. I have all four. How much of it was for the high school musical? >> Um, >> is that mostly >> that might take me some time. >> The rights were 5K and then you have the salaries for the four people that have salary >> and then >> that was in the I you know what I looked that up because it's in the um it's in the minutes from all the board meetings. >> Yeah. >> How much they get paid. >> Oh, we have we have >> we have it. So you have production cost, salary and then rights licensing fees. Is that what comprises

077that? >> Yeah, rights and licensing fees are usually around >> design construction. The construction budget for the high school >> and that is split between both the tech needs of the technical steam STEM >> and the the school. So, it's $10,000 total and some of that goes towards the construction of the bus. >> Are you asking for junior high school and high school or just high school? >> Just high school. >> And you're think, sorry. Do you think it would be helpful? I think it would be helpful, Allison. If we not tonight, not while we're sitting here, but if we put together with you and the administration and talked about it as a board looking at like a one-year plan and a three-year plan for how to build and grow this department out appropriately, >>

078that great. >> So, what do you think about that? >> Wonderful. as without going into the numbers and details. I I would like >> here which I think Joe probably >> with every area we >> while we're doing that >> it sounds like you're talking about >> well or at least if we had a >> having one or two board members meet with >> yes >> there is there's something within your body >> we can do that right we have the we actually have a community committee for buildings and grounds where it was opened up to the community and there are community members and board members and The diligent committee is the mechanism within your charter that you can use. >> Yeah, that's an existing committee. >> The tech committee is the same too. It

079has it has community members on it. >> Yeah. So your goal is to make sure the productions are better and then the kids are properly um being >> instructed and you know motivated um supported that your your main concern are productions not the not the inschool curriculum as much. I think that actually >> it goes hand >> if I may, especially for the children who really still love theater but cannot get it in their schedules to have theater offered during the day would be fantastic for them because then they could keep up with theater and whether or not they can make it into the productions then maybe they'll continue with it on later. >> So, we're going to pass out a bigger goal sheet. Yes. Oh, you said >> well I as I'm adding it

080up, what I realize is that um we lumped together the chaperone costs for all four productions together. So it is a little hard to break out. >> That's a good guy. Um but I could give you a rough estimate that it was it was probably somewhere in the neighborhood of somewhere between 70 and 80,000 >> for the high school >> for junior high and high school. >> Okay. I'd be curious about what it just is for high school. That would not I wouldn't be able to do that tonight because the chaperone sheets alone would take over. >> Our goal is to never have chaperones for the high school musicals. >> It should be for older kids to be adults and not have little kids >> community service and that type >> I think you were

081talking about. We had a lot of chaperone hours because we had fifth and sixth graders in the high school musical which took a lot of instruction time away and direction time away and it was just a disaster. >> I'm sorry. So there were supposed to be people there chaperons. >> After the fact they added some chaperon did we get budgeted for chaperons that were supposed to be there during rehearsal time or just technique? >> Technique. >> Just technique. >> And there wasn't and there there were none. You're talking about during the day or after school? after school. >> So, so the the So, it would be great if we it'd be great to know what that budget is, but the goal is to not be spending money on chaperones for a high school musical. That's

082nuts. There are plenty of ways that we could be enhancing the art and not doing that again. Um, what I just passed out is actually what our big initiative is, which is to create and prepare our students for any kind of professional careers that they could want with a a collaborative arts education. We have so many every uh club that we have in this school is included in this comprehensive form that talks about all the ways that our kids can have opportunities inside our school. And because theater is the only art form that is the nexus for all seven art forms, it creates an opportunity for our kids in photography to be taking the pictures for the program, >> making the scenes >> to do the marketing that you know and we've had this conversation

083with the set. >> Well, the set isn't really embedded now in the broadcasting program. So, I just like so in the broadcasting program. So the broadcasting course, the set is is now going to be part of broadcasting next year. That was a change that we already made before ever having this meeting. >> Yeah. Uh so JT will be teaching the broadcasting course comprehensive experience where the kids will kind of immerse themselves in what's coming and then be part of the build and then be part of what it takes to film and then learn all the different components >> from a holistic standpoint like bird's eye view down into the subcomponents and everyone will have a goal. So I just don't want like like I don't want to take that part like now. That is the

084exact kind of thing that we are going for, right? >> And I think Kim, I think these are this is like amazing suggestions for ideas of how to make this happen. And then obviously there's also experts who know what's happening already curricularly in school. So it's putting everything together. >> There's a lot of jobs that adults are doing that our children are not getting the opportunity to be mentored in. And so they're not getting, you know, for something as simple as making the show poster >> could be something in a kid's portfolio to go to college. >> And right now we're doing clip art from the internet. And I'm like, we have so many great artists in the school. Let's offer them that opportunity. We have a professional photographer that comes in. Let's have a

085kid sit next to that photographer and have a learning opportunity. >> Again, there's no coordination. There's no and there's no director of the >> of the uh of the moving part, >> right? There's a sports media club where the kids do the pictures and the broadcasting. So why isn't there >> or yeah >> a theater someone we need someone that owns this right as a as a at a high level right that's taking this as our example a very good concrete examples that you know maybe they get changed or you know augmented or whatever but to take something like this and actually implement it right >> you know holistically across across the uh uh the school system you know and it's not happening in in a coordinated way. Even down to the fact of like,

086you know, we didn't get brought up specifically, but when we were talking about um certain positions, it's like how do you get first of all, I know I know Shelby took a look at the the um the job description for we're going to use the example of the the um musical again. The job description for director, musical director, and whatever were all wrong. Well, there wasn't any. >> Well, or there were there were actually weren't any job descriptions. So, like who owns that? Who who's going to own that? That's why you need, you know, someone that that that can be responsible for that and hold other people accountable, right? >> Because what ended up happening, there's no job descriptions. People get put into the job that shouldn't be in the job. And then this district

087wasted we we bought we bought three salaries and got less than a third of the work, >> right? We could be a lot more efficient, >> right? And I heard you specifically at the last meeting talking about when when it was the budget meeting, right? And I was like bingo right there. It's like where can we find savings, right? Where can we, you know, of course as a board that's what you're going to do like where we we we need more money here. We need more money there. >> I missed the last meeting. I was really excited. We did a lot of that, >> you know, but but uh but um you know, that's the point. The point is that there's a lot to mind, you know, and and you need someone that that is

088their primary directive, right? Can I just say just one thing to add to Scott saying the one of the primary goals of this person is to draw the connection between the education that's happening and the extracurriculars and make that connect because that's where the magic starts happening. It's not just in the extracurricular sector, just in the educational sector. It's bringing people in from the from the classes >> must be frustrating, >> streamlining, but someone has to oversee that. Someone has, someone has to >> Someone brought the kids from the art honor society to come do makeup, which I thought was amazing. Like they came and they did makeup. >> That was incredible. It was other it was a great experience for these older kids to come in >> and it's those kind of connections that

089like we have all of this in the school. >> How are we too >> I remember when Claire was in sixth grade older >> so there's there's two other things before we walk out the door that Mr. Dan Musky specifically said can we make sure it's like how can we be allies to you? What is it that we can advocate on your behalf? One was the calendar for the pack like the calendar before the calendar gets voted on. He just asked that everyone who has stakes in the calendar sit around a table like this and really have a conversation because everything happens at the pack. Everything happens in the high school at the pack. And this year the calendar was bananas. And he was like there were things if even if there was a conversation

090about we need this for this program oh we also need that for that program these two programs should be closer together like just sharing resources just it's there's too many moving parts between all the schools and he's like it's a lot. >> What do you use internally for the are you using like school dude or something? What are you using? >> We do we use school dude. We have it. We have it. >> That can be tricky too cuz sometimes things are pending and not approved and >> it's also not helpful because it has a box of and he explained this. What do you need audio visual? And there's a box that you check it right. Do you need >> two night microphones or 28? >> You have to put it in the write up

091in school dude. >> And that's not what's happening. And he got caught with a giant program that articulated none of those things. And he goes, "Have we just been sitting at table?" >> Yeah. You need to say eight mics, eight stools. You need to try to use it also for my events. >> Then it gets to like the the bigger thing which is not having a pack manager is extraordinarily hampering so much of what's happening every single time anything happens in that building. Since I've been in this five years I've been here, I've not been to a show or a demonstration or whatever you want to have in the path and not seeing some sort of technical, you know, problem, including a show where the lights weren't on on top of the kids. >> Literally,

092the kids work so hard and the lights aren't on. And then when we inquire about it and say, "What happened?" It's like, well, the requisition got put in two weeks ago and no one did anything about it. You know, >> nobody stories, right? >> It's another one of those like nobody's >> no one's minding the situation. >> No one's owning it. And it also leaves us vulnerable for the theater directors when they come in, there's no go-to person. Who is who is actually doing the lights and who is doing the sound and who is managing the tech, which is your big which is your biggest. If something isn't working, people have to report it to Eric and Eric will be on working. >> Eric is the ground, >> but someone's got to report it to

093them. There's no one who's actually checking to make sure >> is everything working. Did everything get put back? >> It's a job. It's a building system. I mean, like how they check. I I know that there was there was unnecessary anxiety with trying to get the clue set down because there was a concert going on and they weren't sure, right? Like it was >> Yeah, I think like I said, so much goes on in the pack. Believe me, I mean, if you come to CPC, I mean, it is the >> 50 hours. I'm not kidding. Putting to together the calendar, but it's not just the production day of the show. It's tech week. And is it a longer tech week? And then and then you throw in a snow day and everything is just Yeah.

094>> and things get adjusted. It's Yeah, it's a challenge. And you know, we try and do the best and map out where we can. And I think you said it. We got every White Harbor and Westside use it, which in most schools you stay at your elementary school, middle school. That's where you do it. And it's but it's beautiful. It's a great place to have. It's a great family junior high too at the same time. >> The most expensive computer in your entire school in it. And no one knows how to use it. >> And that's embarrassing. It's embarrassing. That's what Mr. That's what we were told. It was the most expensive computer in the in the >> No one knows how to use >> and and a three-hour tutorial on how people know how

095to use >> for the scenery >> for lighting for sound. >> I mean, we brought in advanced sound to do training. Who installed it? >> There's a three-hour training on a very expensive system. Can people turn on the lights? Can they turn off the lights? But do they know how to work the system? Can they design a show? Can they design a concert? The answer is could you do calculus after three hours? >> This is someone's actual job that people get paid six figures for. That is not a threehour tutorial. It is job description is in there. >> I mean that's what I'm saying is like it's it's it feels like you have spent money in a good place but after 3 hours could you drive a car? >> Right. >> Like this is you're

096throwing money. time. So, no, >> it's it's checking a box. >> It's actually not doing the job. >> So, people know people have sat there and they've done a three-hour tutorial, but this is a very expensive piece of equipment. And I can tell you by seeing the shows after the trainings, no one knows how to work this. No, no, we all we were all at the last performance in which >> does the group think that the um to replicate what we did with the facilities committee and do it with an arts committee where we had five members from the community join with board members and administration. We meet >> we kind of did like a process where we didn't come. >> It's not everybody you five it's five people from the community that speak on

097>> we did open it up to the whole community. So it wasn't just we didn't just open it up. We said anyone who would like to write into us why they should be part of the >> committee and what your area of expertise is and you may we may get somebody who is you know a lighting board expert who wants to be on the you never know. So we found people who really have amazing facilities >> done by by an expert or >> just humor me is it something that like kids could take a class and then be graded on for how well they >> so kids learn to do the lighting for high schools across do they you know get someone knows how to teach they can learn how to do the goal is

098our children should be learning skills So at my school, they learn this, but there's no one to teach them. There's no one to guide them in that. So everyone in there is kind of figuring it out on the fly. >> Great suggestion. >> So my question is, given that we just approved the budget and we know a theater director is not in there, a pack manager is not in there. We're talking about implementing this. This is for the next school year. Who would be the point person, Joe? Who would be for this year given the model? we have the point person for some of these things that we've been discussing today. >> You know, and thinking here we would need multiple people depending upon what it is. I think Mr. Grineri would have some expertise

099he could help out here. >> I said Eric would be very good on making sure if there's something is wrong, you need to say something to make sure like everybody we sit in a meeting, you don't tell the right person that it's not working. Not going to get fixed, right? >> You got to go to that right person and everyone needs to have their hands. that if you're in the show and we have a uh just a guest speaker and somebody realizes the lights out, you got to tell someone because you may not realize that, >> right? They got to go. I mean, at the end of the day, you could go to maintenance or even Mr. Dan Busky, you could say, "By the way, he passes on to the right person." And you know,

100stuff breaks and you got to fix it. That's the way it is. But like you said, you got to tell the person and then they could get it done. >> There's so many moving parts with this field. I mean, in the long term, the the investment is worth it to to consider because you need people not only understand how to put put all of this together together, but communicate with each other to actually affect change and, you know, improve the district. It's it's it's a question of people in charge. >> So, what is this what is this fourth budget? >> So, 2.3 million's athletics. and school or is that >> the for the district? But I was going to ask why do we have to wait a year to implement some of these like is

101is there are there any ways to fund certain initiatives cuz you know this this mismanagement disorganization >> this is kind of where I >> Well, Heather was saying wait a year because she wanted to figure out who we'd put in place to do those because the budget was approved. But what I was going to say is we always say we have money and don't kill me Allison, but in the budget for when there's overenrollment and things like that, there are there is wiggle room for positions sometimes. So, can we just talk about what a one-year and three-year budgetary plan would look like, not in the next 10 minutes, but at the next meeting. and perhaps with a com formalized committee, maybe we could get that going quickly and then look at our budget and see

102what we can do to maybe make sure we're spending the money more efficiently >> and putting the right people in the right places in year one. >> I I think you're saying looks like a full-time lighting professional >> in a full-time studio for a show. You bring them in for the show. Is there a position because it seems it's a lot of positions that obviously we're not going to be able to build this up in here. Is there something is there a position that you think we need right away and we need to direct our attention to >> a pack manager over a theater department chair? >> That's something that we're going to figure out at the moment. It's like you need more stakeholders that you know that you make your principal in your professional

103opinion. >> I I mean you know I we don't know what you're spending. >> Yeah. We also don't know what's already allocated. >> We want a wish list. >> Yeah. >> I think what we can vote on since we have a quorum is at least the creation of a committee right that will incorporate parents and like we have with facilities we have. >> Can we do that now? Yeah, >> that's fine with me. All right, so we can take >> Would you Are you okay with that? >> Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, >> okay. I'll take a motion. >> Can I add just not to you already have you guys have your committee? Yeah, ABC. I mean, is it we vote to we have at least representative meet? >> Is it so that we can talk candidly?

104>> Yeah, I'm I'm looking to make it simple for us to get >> not a public meeting then. It's just a committee meeting. People can come and observe, but it's you don't have to have a quorum of board members to have it. Just like the tech committee. Yeah. >> And you'd be opening it up to all members. >> You never take anyone out of a tech committee. People show I'm looking to make it easy as opposed to >> it open. We would open it up to all community members, not just people. >> Because like you were saying, we have somebody that's retired that did this for a living. you know. >> Yeah. >> I mean, Adrian, who left here, you know, he he's been helping out, you know, in an unofficial capacity because he knows

105something about sound, right? and he's saving, you know, you know, saving the shows from bottoming out, you know, tech techwise, audio-wise, he's been saving saving everyone's bacon, so to speak, you know, and it's like, why should you know, the the when we all got together and we've been, you know, preparing, you know, all this, you know, details for you, you know, the thing that struck all of us is that, you know, again, someone has to own it, Right? Someone has to be minding all of these things and shepherd it through the system. When you start breaking apart, well, this little piece goes to this guy and this little piece goes to this person and you know, then it just gets lost and you're drifting and and everything that happened in the music man was a

106big wakeup call, right? It was a big ref we're trying we've been refocused and we're trying to get you refocused. >> Okay, we're hearing you. >> And and and that's really the goal. It's like, let's refocus and get things back on. >> I think this is a good step. We need >> It's a good start. It really is. And, you know, it's hard to hear $2.3 million versus $100,000, right? And we're trying to figure out how to squeeze, >> 80% of the population of the high school though is participating in the athletics versus 50 kids. But let's try to >> Well, it's more than 50 kids. That's just 50 kids. >> But but in a Yes, you're right. But let's try to get them >> Yes. >> more proportionally. I mean, it's not going to

107be the same, but >> yeah, it's never going to be the same. But >> I I think you're right. Listen, how many coaches are there on the football field? And we can't get a couple of people to help with a show. And one of the things there's a guy in the 40,000 people. >> Like advocating for a pack manager benefits our kids who do the shows, but actually every single thing that happens. So, it really shouldn't be our responsibility to ask for that out of our budget. The school should actually just want the lights and the sound to work when you have a graduation. Like, it should just it should just want to work every time you have an assembly or someone's talking. It's just embarrassing. You know, one music teacher said to me, "The

108lights went out so many times in concerts. I actually thought they were trying to make me quit my job." >> Four years in a row, the lights, she goes, "I've got little kids on stage playing instruments in the dark, and I thought they were trying to get me to quit my job. That's how systemic it is. And that's just having a conversation with your departments about what do you need and like more of those conversations need to happen. But I don't want to own the pack problem as a part of performing arts because that's a district problem. >> We need we need a a person who is in charge of the arts and that's what we want for. So should we take the motion to form >> then we can get things out? >> Yes.

109>> Okay. So can I have a first for a motion um for um what would it be? Adding establishment of a >> arts. How would you describe >> Yeah. an arts committee. >> Music, >> performing arts. Um, >> let me see. We call it performing. >> Are we just focusing on performance asphalt? >> Yeah. This is more than just >> broading, right? Because a lot of this incorporates all the arts. So an arts committee >> an arts committee arts >> an overall arts department or there was an >> arts advisory committee art advisory committ >> so a motion to add um an arts advisory committee. Um can I take a first to add that? Um Lisa a second. Kate all in favor. Okay. Okay. So that and now I'll take a motion to approve the

110establishment of the arts advisory committee. Can I have a first Lisa a second? Alex, >> do we have to stipulate how many the composition of it? Like >> we could talk about it point of it. >> We can just approve it and then backfill. >> Well, we can discuss it now. I mean the same way the same way we opened it up five, >> right? Because then if we keep adding committees and it's uniform, then it is uniform. We're not giving an advantage to one group >> and it should be done the same way as we did that we'll use the same >> application criteria for that and the same procedure for that. Correct. That's >> so right. We had an application process. We reviewed all the applicants and we picked five people who represented

111different >> areas areas of expertise. >> And how often does it meet? because we're we approve this in >> July and we say how often it meets. No, the committees can meet on a monthly basis or via >> I would also like to >> to say I think we should with this committee start as soon as possible and not wait till July. >> Right. >> To start it because this needs to we need to go >> moving it now. But I'm just saying in the July meeting we discuss how often they meet usually when we and we appoint you to those committees. I'm just saying since we're creating it now, >> right? >> What do you guys think? create it and then send out a notice to the community to start to solicit the members

112to join. >> I think it could be like monthly or as needed. >> As needed, right? Like the facilities committee, we opted to try to meet once a month. We we haven't been able to do that for other reasons, but because we have a lot on our plate. If you saw the five-year plan, >> um >> that's what we want. >> We want a five-year plan. >> Oh, I'm all for that. I believe you have that. We need we need a road map in the committee to uh not how many people that are not uh community members but how many people are part of the administration and or board members. >> Yes. So it has to be it can't be more than three board members or I think that's a quorum >> otherwise it's a

113board meeting. It's three board members and then in the facilities meeting Dr. OC Mr. Right. Who else? Eric, the head of facilities. >> Um, >> and we can also call in people like if we're going to do I'm sorry, Mark, if we're going to do talk specifically elementary one meeting, Mr. Dowski may may or may not be there, but Dr. Barnes and Carissa will be there, you know, because and then we could adjust as necessary if we're doing something we know, very specific. I guess what I guess the reason why I'm asking is because the committee isn't going to go anywhere if there's not buy in and um you know uh uh uh people don't believe that you really have a year to the administration. >> No, it is and it's a system. Every committee

114has an administrator. >> It's better than >> um what very similar to what you're doing right now. It's just going to be five people >> and we can't members. We can't vote, right? Five community and we can vote. >> Yeah. No, trust me. You want to do this and it will be fine. >> That's great. Thank you. You guys stay on a policy meeting for today. >> But, you know, when we have that meeting, I'll show you all things like, you know, what a rehearsal schedule looks like, what it should look like. There's a lot of things where, you know, what a rehearsal report should look like. Every single day, you should know what got accomplished that day. Like I'm talking with you like it really is. >> We know that here in schools. Yeah.

115There's an objective. >> If these shows are $28 million, they we don't wing it. They are incredibly structured. And whether they are, like I said, two people or 40 people, it's the same structure. >> Right. So, do we have to establish which administrators on this now? >> We have to get our feelers out for who. >> Yeah. Right. >> I think Mr. Dusky's it's in his building is or or Miss Leensky >> Leensky. Yeah. >> You know, one of those two. >> Yeah. >> She actually ran for a million years. She ran the drama program at the Bath Club summer camp and she run ran the end of the year show for how many years? I mean 20 years. >> A long a really long time. So she really knows about like going out, kids

116performing. She ran the she was wonderful. And there's some smart creative solutions to all the things. You know, LIU is down the street. Maybe there's some internship possibilities. Like, we can get creative. Everything doesn't have to cost a million dollars, but we have to be striving for excellence. >> We love creative. >> Good. Excellent. All right. So, we need to vote on >> any other questions before we come to our vote. No. All right. All in favor? >> Very good. >> Okay. >> All right. Is there anything else, everybody, or >> This is great. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. >> Side note about the sign in the front. >> Oh, the sign. The sign that always looks like wet with >> it always looks like right like there's moisture in there into

117an electric >> that was on Mr. Danusky's wish list. I'm an anti-elect electric sign on the road though. I am. I feel like it looks like a casino. >> I love the I love and I was pro traffic light. Pro traffic light. Yes. Love the traffic light. But I do think that it is like so beautiful and there's so much nature there. I hate to have a big electronic site right on the road. >> But there's one in further in right there's that big booster club >> that just Yeah. >> thing that's up right now. >> Is that permanent? Was that one big one? >> Portable. >> But is it is it permanent? Like do we own that? >> They own They own it. >> I know. >> They own it. >> So we have

118to get one or we have to don't say that yet. We got we got to figure out how that's going to be used. >> My my biggest reason for talking about it is because there was no sign in front for the music. >> Okay. >> And that was real. So, >> and just because I'm anti-sign doesn't mean that wins, by the way. Just >> It doesn't have to be like the neon. You could do you could do it more more dimly lit. It's just the idea that you could you could it's marketing >> that is not being properly. Sure, we can come up with a way. >> Yeah. And and to um Mr. Monosa's point, like every time the kids open their computers, too. Like there's messages that can come out. The booster club has

119that new They bought um the sports booster club, the new thing for the >> Yeah. the floor. >> The floor and the gym. You can advertise for shows at halftime too now. Like it's pretty cool. There's some pretty amazing things. And they have kids actually a club that will be >> a and we need to depending upon the show advertise at the elementary level. There are some shows are good to advertise and some it's not for them really. Yeah. >> And continue to do that. >> Do they do they ever do like you know how the bands will I mean I know they just do this not from the older grades but like you know they'll do like a little performance the day of >> like a little prevent. >> If you finish the show

120you can >> Yeah. But wouldn't that be cute? >> So, even the seniors didn't get a show this year. But, you know, like, but we're going to stop all of that. We're actually going to get on a real schedule and do all this stuff. >> I'll tell you, Mike Novik, I had a great conversation with him. Um, he produced Glee and he was a he's a alumni here. He graduated in 97 >> and a cool direct. >> He he produced Glee. Yeah. He was and he wrote a letter to the board >> in 1986 newspaper >> about yeah the newspaper about like supporting the arts program >> and I talked to him yesterday he wrote a letter all forward to you all that's to the board that is like his kids are in lacrosse and

121he's like it's night and day >> and he's like I'm happy to help you guys out because I know what it's like to be that kid and it's not surprising that I did a show about kids that were like ignored in their high school arts program and made a lot of money off of it. So, you know, he's happy to help out, but he sits in both those worlds. He knows what it's like to have a Vino. He knows what it's like to have full support. He's watching his kids do it and he's willing to help us on this side of the arts as an alumni and as someone who's >> seen it from both sides. So, >> we're we are very lucky to have the community that we have and the experts. We need

122to tap into those more. We have right now just didn't >> absolutely that's sort of what Arts Booster wants to help with and tap into. But >> yeah, I should background going with it the AI solution >> and also all some resources, you know, a little education on the arts. We're I'm I'm an organization that's sponsoring a design initiative that shows all the jobs that happen, you know, on May 22nd at NYU. um any kid in this district. I told Miss Oswald about it to invite all of her students and it has tutorials and it has Academy Award-winning designers, you know, that are going to be keynoting it. The the guy that designed Wicket and won the Academy Award, Paul Tazwell, is going to be keynoting it and all of our students can come because

123it's a day off. Um but there's a lot of there's a lot of things that I can share with you guys that can just get you including my TED talk which talks about the process of >> building fantastic show. So, I'll show you I'll show our reservation to you. >> Can you email these to me? >> Yep. I'm going to take a motion to journ but sorry to tell you we're going to executive for purposes of legal. All right. So, I have first Lisa Alex. All in favor? All right. So, >> thank you everyone. Thank you. >> We're doing here.