Board of Education 8/19/25

001All right. Good evening. I'm going to call this meeting to order. Um, may I have a first? Isa, second, Alex. All in favor? I'm going to take another motion to adjourn to executive session for the purposes of legal and personnel. >> All right. May I have a first a second? Mark, all in favor? All right. Thank you. Sorry. Right. The board has returned from executive session and there were no actions taken. Can I have a motion to open the meeting? First, Alex. Second, Bill. All in favor? Let us all rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge 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. As president of the board, here are

002my updates for the public. Good evening everyone. We are excited and hopeful as we look ahead to what promises to be an outstanding school year. There's always a special energy this time of year filled with anticipation, preparation, and a shared commitment to our students and to our community. Next week, we will be we will be welcoming back our amazing teachers for Superintendence Conference Days. As we prepare to greet our students on September 2nd, it's time to come together with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a strong sense of purpose. Recently, the board of education held its annual retreat where members engaged in thoughtful discussion and developed the goals for the 2025 2026 school year. These goals will be presented this evening following but followed by a discussion ahead of their formal adoption. As part of our

003yearly preparations, we also will be conducting our building walkthroughs next week. These visits help to ensure our facilities are safe, well-maintained, and ready to provide a welcoming environment for both students and staffs. Over the summer, our district's negotiating team continued to work diligently, meeting with our teachers association in a good faith effort to make progress on reaching an equitable agreement. Our goal is to reach a fair and sustainable contract that both supports and recognizes the vital work of our teachers while ensuring the long-term fiscal health of the district. Above all, we remain dedicated to providing the children of Cold Spring Harbor with the best education possible. As part of this commitment, the board is focused on strengthening the support we provide to our students and parents so that together we can continue to achieve excellence

004in education for all. A key part of negotiating in good faith is resp is respecting the process itself, which means not discussing specific details publicly before factf finding is complete. Doing so risks undermining the progress we have made to date and making it more difficult to reach an agreement. Factf finding which has begun will provide a detailed review of the items being negotiated between the parties. Until then, we will continue to protect the integrity of the process so that we can move forward to a fair and sustainable resolution as quickly as possible. As we stand at the threshold of a new school year, there's a genuine sense of excitement and purpose. Together, we are poised to make 2025 2026 school year one of growth, achievement, and pride. Thank you, and here's to a wonderful school

005year ahead. Right now I'm turn over the meeting to our superintendent for his report. >> Thank you very much, Heather. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight at the August 19th board of education meeting. Tomorrow, August 20th, at noon, student schedules grades 6, K through 6 and 8 through 12 will be released on the parent portal. I encourage all parents to take a moment this week and throughout the school year to ensure that their contact information is up to date, including their phone numbers and email addresses in case we need to reach out during the school year. For a seventh grade student, schedules will be distributed at the orientation barbecue coming this Monday. At that same orientation, students in grades seven and 10 will receive their new Chromebooks, and our fourth grade will

006receive their devices during the first week of school. As always, summer has been an incredibly busy time in our schools. Our custodial staff has been hard at work deep cleaning classrooms and preparing buildings. Schedules have been carefully created. The hiring efforts have been in full swing. Curriculum writing has also taken place across the grade levels and departments, ensuring that instructional programs are ready to launch. So much has gone on preparing for the start of the school year. across the district. We've w we will be welcoming over 20 new teachers, expanding our ICT program, lowering our class sizes both at the elementary and at the secondary levels. We also thrilled to welcome back two familiar faces, Miss Kim Lebertini, returning as her assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and Dr. Murdle, formerly Miss Six, now rejoining

007our world language and special education departments. Meanwhile, sports practices for the fall season are well underway. Students summer assignments are being completed I hope and rehearsal for musical events have already begun. Today we hosted new family orientations at Lloyd Harbor and Westside. And our junior senior high school new orientation will take place on August 25th 10:00 a.m. in the pack. Parents and students today were so excited to be in the new buildings getting a tour by our ambassadors and seeing what classrooms they'll be sharing throughout the school year. The parents were very happy as the students were to join the Cold Spring Harbor family. I want to thank our building principles for putting on wonderful presentations today. All the parents were so excited and thankful for the work you've put in in making the presentation

008and making them feel welcome at each of the buildings. Thank you. Our facilities and safety upgrades also took place over the summer. Security fencing and gates have been installed across the district. Additional cameras have been added along with additional security measures and building repairs have been completed in prep preparation for opening day. Next week, our staff will return for superintendence conference days which will provide important opportunities for professional development, curriculum work, classroom setup, and training as we get ready to accept our students back in Cold Spring Harbor. I continue to be deeply motivated by our outpouring of support and dedication from our families, staff, and community. Cold Spring Harbor truly is a very special place. As we enjoy these final weeks of summer, I encourage everyone to spend time with family and friends and take

009care of yourselves. And if someone who is in need, take care of them. I'm excited to announce that at the start of the school year at our junior senior high school, we'll hold an election to select our student representative for the board of education. More of this to follow in the coming weeks. Thank you for being here tonight and thank you as always for your commitment to the students of Coling Harbor. Thank you Heather. >> Thank you Joe. Um this is the first discussion section of our agenda. Tonight we will be discussing the 2025 2026 board goals. All right. Um I'll start with the first goal that we have here. Um it's attached to our agenda. Does everyone have a copy? All right. The first one is to strengthen the college application experience by implementing

010tools and strategies that promote earlier preparation, improve communication with students and families, and provide clear progress tracking. Anyone have anything to discuss thoughts on the goal? I think this looks like a good goal to me. Um certainly our college application, you know, our kids have great access to college counselors. It's a nice ratio. I I think continuing to strengthen the good work that's happening. um obviously is beneficial um and spec being specific in you know adding some tools and strategies to promote earlier preparation makes a lot of sense to me. Um the tracking I think is really important. >> Great. >> So at the end of the year how do we know if we did a good job on this goal? what should we use as a metric or um we want to be able

011to measure if we're executing on it. What are we going to use as as the benchmarks? >> So I think we can look at what we did roll out for our students. we can see whatever the tracking method is and we shared some of these whatever the tool is that our students will be using to keep track of the schools that they apply to and make sure that the communication has been clear. We have a something for the students to keep track of all the work that they're doing and what is expected for them for each of the schools. Some schools are different requiring different requirements in application and the like. So making it as easy as possible for them to keep track of where they are in the process and to make sure they're

012on track to do this. As we know, the application process for college is starting early and earlier every year. So we want to make sure our students are wellversed in what's expected of them, give them enough time to complete the applications, complete the essay writing process, to visit schools as schools come here. So I said a lot there. So there are a lot of things we could track. I think those are all things we could take into account to make sure we're giving students all the opportunities for them to select a school that's right for them and give them the tools to make sure that they're applying with plenty of time to do a good job on their application, a great job with their application. >> So, are we asking guidance to change the way

013they've done this in the past or >> some of it is looking to to revamp to look at how we're doing to see how we can improve to make sure that students are very well verssed. I spoke to Miss uh Emily a little bit Janette about updating our website to make it very clear to we have a new website have everything very clear as to how they process uh their applications for the students and not just so students for the parents to understand what's expected of them. >> Yeah, I I hear what you're asking though Mark like what metrics could we look at? And I think what gets tricky is if we say things like, well, how many kids got into their first or second choice school? Um, is that something that then puts the

014college office in a position of recommending schools that aren't as much of a reach for kids? do we we're a school where we let kids take their you know we have open enrollment for classes and then are we going to say well we want to make sure we're getting first or second choice schools so only apply to schools that you could I it just makes me when we look at metrics I just want to be careful that we're using metrics that still allow some students to really reach for the stars if they want to and does that make sense >> I I think some of it is like we have here it makes a lot of sense Yeah. >> And promote earlier preparation. So, we're moving the timeline up. >> That helps us having a

015website that's very clear and sending communications home to parents and students outlining where they should be in the process. >> Right. I think >> is important. >> I think that it's not something that can be just measured senior year. You know, it needs to be measured at the end of junior year. Do the parents and the students feel comfortable where they are? you know that okay you know come September my child or you know come the fall my child will be ready to apply to schools you know at the end of sophomore year you know does my child feel ready to step into junior year you know have a plan for the next two years I think it's a you know I mean I think it's a a process really I don't know if we

016can gauge it at the end of the year >> I'm not looking um for us to tally if >> students got in their first choice second choice that's a that's a metric that I'm I'm saying if we Break this down. Implementing tools. What tools? If they're new tools, when are they getting implemented? Strategies. What strategies? When are they getting implemented? Earlier preparation, we talked about improved communication. What type what type of steps does that like? Those are the those are the metrics I'm looking for. What if you break this sentence down? What does that mean? When you know when do we hope to achieve that? And what do we hope to achieve? and provide clear progress tracking. So those those can be measured if we're hitting them, not hitting them. That that's where I was

017going with that. >> I think working I'm sorry, Bill. >> Sorry, I agree with that. Um like everybody might have a different version of what earlier is. My version would be nth grade. Um and I guess my bigger question is is there consistency? So I understand like with the college essay there may be certain sections of um comp and lit where the essay is part of the class. Um I don't know if that's right or not but I feel like we should sort of work through and have >> and people should know what's right and what's not too. That's the other thing. It shouldn't just be what we like here here we are on the school board and we're not sure what's right or not for how the kids are being >> right >> instructed

018on their essay. Right. I >> Yeah. that that like somebody centrally should decide this is when we're going to take care of essay and it's going to be consistent regardless of which teacher or counselor you have. >> We're going to have a conversation about extracurriculars at some early point because if you get to 11th grade and haven't really participated in much, your application's not going to be as strong. So these are all optional. Not every family or child wants that. But I think the there is some difference in consistency having been through the process where you you may have a different experience depending on how you you get through. >> And I think that's working with Janette and the guidance department and the building as a whole as what tools do we have now? What

019are the messages we're sharing? How do we make those messages consistent? We make sure that everyone has availability to those messages and it's up to them to take them. like we could only we can't force you to be part of a club. When we say and you're absolutely correct, starting in 11th grade or 12th grade to join a club is a little bit late to the game where starting in seventh, eighth grade is a better time to show a long-term commitment to something that you believe in and you could work to maybe being an officer of the club and having a leadership role. So looking at all those things that we do and making sure that we put it out there. I know like this year uh Janette shared our presentations. They weren't just geared

020to say the 11th grade presentation. Only the 11th graders were inv were invited. Everyone was so they could understand like this is a good process for you to start earlier on. >> Okay. So, so I guess the I I think my ask would be to fill in what Mark was saying is maybe some tactical steps that fulfill this goal like we're going to have, you know, a program that achieves these five things and these are the grades, you know, or ages that we'll target at them at, you know, and um, you know, cover things like standard testing or not. Um, that that's changing as we speak, right? Colleges have been test optional. I think they're vastly moving away from that in the next year or two, >> right? They're moving back to wanting test and

021then having this on a website allows someone who's in sixth grade to say, "Oh, I could look at this also, right? >> Or seventh grade and say joining a club now or I could use this to my advantage to to be part of the college process." Um, and I think that's part of what we discuss at the end here. What is a reporting back process going to be? When will we do those reports? So quarterly four times a year we'll report back as to the progress that's going on uh for all our goals to the board see is that enough is that not enough and to see where we've been and what we decided to do. >> So for example what would the first the first report back on this goal would be in when

022October. >> So I I provided two options. I'm thinking either um November or an option two or October. >> Okay. I was like option one was was in November and option two started in October. So there there are two selections in here as to which path we want to take and it's they're roughly two to three months apart depending upon when we start. >> Do you think they should be consistent for all the goals or you going to need more time for certain things more lead time? >> Well, I think it's good for all the goals at least to give some updates. Some of the items that we're going to discuss later on are going to be ongoing for a long period of time. >> Some are going to be easier to accomplish and to

023to to do. We we we talked about some of the and then some might be we just do little tweaks like we have 90% of it done by the first or second report back and then it's a fine-tuning as we move along. I don't think there's anything wrong with reporting each one at the four sets uh of report back. It just depends on how far along we are with each of the items. >> Okay. And Joe, our goals help to direct with the district goals. >> Our goals help to direct the district goals. My goals, the building grows, the department goals. >> So the this goal being a board goal then is something that um obviously impacts the college guidance office. Correct. but also other departments in that if there's English teachers doing preparation for

024um essay writing if there's clubs >> right the >> it's it's clubs that interest like that goal reaches back to goose hill they do career day what they call hero date for students to realize maybe something they're interested in you may say maybe that's too early but a student might be interested in becoming a doctor or an engineer who we've had come in and talk to students. So, it really incorporates this goal all over our buildings in all of our staff. It gives students insight and experiences as to possible careers going forward. It may be I want to be an engineer. I absolutely don't want to be an engineer. At least gives them the flavor of some of these experiences so they could start that path uh in their career which which happens at all

025of the buildings which is nice. It really incorporates everyone. >> Okay. But say we roll into November 18th and we have the update and it's on this subject and they give a report. We have no idea if a goal was reached or not because we don't know what what the objectives were. So they come and say we've done X Y and Z. Okay, that's great. But does that mean they hit their goal or does that mean the board goal is being accomplished? You know, goals um without measurement are aspirations and I think what um we're looking for here is action. We need a plan and what specific tools, what specific changes to strategy we need. And maybe I don't know we don't put it in here but we certainly at some point want to get

026an action plan and I think there's general consensus and correct me colleagues if you disagree. We want to see change in this area for the better and um just to have someone come in and give us an update in the 18th. Thank you very much. We have no idea if if that's enough for >> I think unless that update says here are the tools we implemented here's how we shared and promoted earlier preparation for students by developing the following uh website booklet information and then sharing with the students here are the parent meetings we've had here are the student meetings we had or our schedule depending upon the time of year those will be clear-cut items that how we've done in progressing to achieving this goal. And I think it's something we look at every

027year to see was that too early, was that too late. Those are the things I I can't say what they are now because we're just discussing them now. All right. >> Well, to Mark's point though, so then let's say, and forgive me for moving the timeline up here on you, Mark, but let's say if it's the October 14th meeting, then is it fair to say for these goals for that October 14th meeting, the first thing is the presentation that incorporates all of the mapping out of the school year from each for each goal and like what the actual goals are to be hit between September and June. And then in that October presentation also include what I've started on. Right? So here's my goal through June. Here's what I've accomplished thus far. Here's the plan

028for the next quarter. I look forward to seeing you in >> December. Right? Does that make sense? Just from like an organizing, I think things like that help >> help help me just to >> have a plan. Right. So, >> right. And so we're saying the first report back here's our map for the year where we plan to be >> plus work done. So it's not just a map like we're not starting midocctober because like >> plus trains left the station. Yeah, >> absolutely. >> Yeah, >> sounds good. >> Great. >> Okay. Does that everyone's comfortable with how it's written to keep it as written in the draft? We have any tweaks? Okay. Um, moving on. Teach to mastery. >> So, Heather, this goal was originally I think um the one that said also to

029improve our ranking. Is that right? >> Well, personally, I think and I what I was going to suggest that there should be we should keep that goal. I think we made progress on that goal. Joe, you could share some of that with um everybody tonight. But I think it's important to keep that and keep making progress towards that. And I I do like this new goal of teaching to mastery because >> as a separate goal, but not as a replacement goal. I think it's replacing in this it's replacing that other goal. So >> did we intend to drop the other goal? because I always felt that that was >> one of the most important goals. >> I was surprised to see it wasn't on the list. So I have it written here and that it

030would be improve colon harour ranking Long Island in New York State. >> Yeah, >> I think we should keep it the way it is. >> We include that. I I do have some as Heather said, US News and World Report came out today. So very little analysis on here. Uh for New York State, we moved from 39 to 33. national ranking we moved from 283 to 250 and Long Island from seven to six from last year. I do want to note that if you look at the top seven schools, it's 08 of a percent out of a 100 separates seven to 100, seven to number one. It's a very tight margin here. So, we want to look to dive deep into see what we continue to do to improve our ranking. Uh what all the

031criteria and we have to we have to look again the data just came out today. Uh we don't have enough information. Looking at the data, we saw increases in all the areas that are listed that they use for ranking. Percentage of students who took at least one AP exam, percentage of students who passed at least one AP exam, math proficiency, reading proficiency, and sign proficiency. We all increase. I guess we didn't increase on one because we're already at 100%. That was our graduation rate. So, it's definitely in the right direction. But do remember this data is three years old. uh the the uh US News and World Report is dated information. We saw AP scores had a very nice spike this year. Again, we're looking for more data as it comes from the college board.

032So, I see down the road even greater increases coming on this. So, I see we're working in that direction. Even when we reach number one, that doesn't mean we stop. We always look for improvements to how we could help our students become better at what they do. So this is a goal that never falls off to to making sure that we're teaching to mastery and our students are the best they can always be. >> So is that there was a Yeah. So we're adding that goal but we're leaving teaching to mastery. And is that the strategy to increase our ranking is to teach to mastery or there other strategies we're going to employ? Well, teaching to mastery is one of mastery scores is part of the ranking component. Uh making sure our students have the

033best educational experience is teaching to mastery. So, it's only going to help us not only in ranking, but giving the it helps with the first goal, strengthening our process and getting kids going to the to the right fits for school, the best schools they go to. >> First goal, teaching to mastery. >> We we can move it up to be number one. They want to change the order encompasses all of the students, not you know some of the specific >> kindergarteners and first graders which I mean setting the proper foundation for a student's love of learning is so important. Uh and it happens here in Goose Hill. You're correct Lisa. >> So so what does teaching to mastery look like on I know that's used for some of the standard tests like regions and AP.

034>> So if you look at if you look at it just as a number on a region score it's scoring an 85 or higher. >> Okay. uh you know we always look at the students and the number of students who scored an 84 or an 83 like if they got one more multiple choice question correct you know our numbers would have jumped up and it's still I mean if you score an 84 that means 16% of the stuff you did not know it's it's in the classroom looking at our assessments and seeing how students performed and again say an average is 85 well there's still 15% of stuff that we need to educate our students on to make sure they understand that as best as possible. So, it's continually going back and looking to see

035how we make sure students have that knowledge and not just a memorization of knowledge, but how to interpret data, how to take information and make decisions about it, how to use the data, and how to to become a better learning student, not just here in Colossing Harbor, but throughout their career in in college and beyond >> and also more support, right, for the exams themselves. Um, so if we're going to uh target increasing rank district ranking, I think a good idea would be to look at the components that comprise the district ranking and then see if we're targeting those areas. How are we going to increase and I actually don't know what the different components are. I know one of course are scores. So that we're we're addressing through teaching to mastery, but what are

036the other components? Some we may not have control of, some we may. And if we do, we should probably again like we're going to do with the college have metrics of are we targeting them and what are we doing specifically? >> And and I think that's very good here Mark that you say that is are we is US News and World Report the metric we're using for ranking. There's lots of different things out that we could use for ranking. With that said, there are changes coming down the road uh with respect to regions exams. New York State is looking to not require the reaching exams that students take now as a requirement for graduation. Uh they're looking just right now for the three federal exams, one in English, one in math, one in science. That

037will be all that's required. There will be other ways for students across the state to demonstrate their knowledge in a course. So, it's going to become trickier not just for us but also for the US News and World Report to continue with the methodology they use now because there could technically be a school that doesn't offer say the US regions. They just have some other methodology they're going to use and um I don't know how US News is going to do that. It it's just coming out. So, it's it's it's going to be challenging uh when that comes out and if it stays in the state that it's in. The feds may change what's required. The state may change what's required. So right now to say definitively three years from now what it's going to

038look like I can't say because a lot's going to change. Uh but beyond that it's it's more than just a test an AP exam or regions exam. It's when our students leave here they have the knowledge that's necessary for them to do what they need to do uh in whatever field they choose uh as their career. >> Miss Liberty what are the what's the gold standard for looking at school rankings? Do you have an idea for that or >> I mean I think you're always at total number of course offerings, right? And and the quality of the, you know, the course level that the students have access to and their overall performance in those in those upper level courses, right? That's that's like one of the number one things that they look at. I think

039they're limited in some areas, right? Because they're always looking at um the level of diversity in a district and this this district, right, is limited in that area. So we'll never really be right some of what some of our neighboring districts in in that you know when we're competing for that 1% we're not going to make that right because that that's where the constraint is we don't have that. Um I think you're always looking now especially as we're seeing uh changes to the you know the standards and the you know moving towards new testing. I think there's going to be concerns as we compare year-over-year. it'll be very difficult to do that and I think the rankings are going to have difficulty comparing because you have these new assessments you have performance that um is

040all over the place you know if you look across New York state even the most recent you know regions exams um and it's going to be more and more difficult for them to use just state test scores even 3 through eight as an indicator so I think those are some of the think the concerns that we have as we move forward >> but is US News considered like everyone goes to to see where is that the the report. >> It is one of the reports that that that they look at. It's not the only report. And I think that also comes down to what are our values here as we as you, you know, set these these goals. What are we married to here? What do we stand for here? And if we're looking at

041this district as priding itself in having, you know, students with diverse sets of experiences, not necessarily just academics. this district, right, may look very different than a neighboring district where it's strictly academic and there's very little in terms of, you know, clubs and organizations. So, that's that's something that we always want to make sure that we have a firm pulse on where do we stand in terms of our vision for the district and then making sure that we're using the correct our correct metric uh to measure our students level of achievement. >> We want to look at what the portrait of a Colts Harvard graduate looks like. And as Miss Latini said correctly, you need to take into account what other schools have and don't have. There is no doubt a very large school district

042will have some courses that we may not be able to offer simply because they have the student population. Um but we may be able to go into more depth because we have smaller class sizes. Talking about the US News and World Report, the number one on Long Island had a 99.4 out of 100. We were 98.6. >> So that's >> and and and six schools fell in between there. That's how tight we are. And I'm not saying that's not an excuse. saying small increments could really move us up to five or so or even drop us down one. Uh we may go up but move go up in our percentage and go down in ranking because just as Miss Libertini, one of the things is is who the students are. I I'm I believe that

043in the face of these changes that you're talking about with the state and stuff, it becomes really important for us, it's my belief that we really focus on the rigor that we're offering all our students at every level because in the face of this, we really want to maintain that Cool Spring Harbor education that I feel I got when I was a student here years ago. Um, and I think our kids and our teachers are are up to the task to do that. I mean, we've seen a change, an improvement, and it's just these little changes, a tweak to the curriculum, different different textbook, putting things at a different time in the timeline. Whatever those little changes are, we can really affect our ranking, but also the school experience and keep it the way it's

044been. >> Absolutely. >> Make it better. >> So, rigor is so important. And if we're trying to create well-rounded students, we actually shouldn't be as concerned about our ranking because if if demographics is uh is is a factor, we're never going to score there. So to to try to chase a school rank um at the expense of not going after a focus on rigor maybe is the better gold than school rank and and maybe student participation in club sports as well as academics maybe that should be more of the gold than a a number we can't um or the arts as well that that's an aspiration we should have um number of students that are cross-pollinating versus getting uh fixated on a number that we're gonna potentially get lost in. And but we're still doing

045a great job for our students. So that that's important to and rigor is very important >> and it's like what you said for the prior goal, you really need to set, you know, standards. What are we going to measure that with? and academics. I mean, test scores are pretty much the only standard way we have of comparing and measuring that. So, it's like a hard measurement. So, I just be careful if we're going outside of that. And I I think it's worth looking at that we also have hard measurements for that that it's not just a soft. >> Yeah. I don't know that one is exclusive of the other. And I think teach to mastery is that rigor also, right? Sort of across the board. And I I think that improving our ranking when it

046is just sorry those little little knobs. I think the the point is that if we can get up some of the knobs then we may be able to overcome the the one that we can't right. I don't I don't like the idea though of limiting what classes the kids can take. I think we really need to when we look at class size we talk about this too. How can we make it so that the kids are really getting everything and the teachers have enough time to get to each of the kids in the class so they can get that rigor to get to the mastery which then can turn into an improved score >> and the classes that we're offering right that also goes into that ranking consideration right because if we're offering more we

047have more kids taking AP is that so it's a balance of all those factors and take a remarkable number of advanced classes in the high. I mean, it is such an incredible program. Thank you all so much. >> And it's what what our kids can can take and the support that they get already from their teachers is incredible. And I think what we do here is just try to make it so that it's even easier for the teachers to keep doing that good work. Right. It's evident the support by making sure elementary class sizes >> elementary class sizes are under 20. We added resources to reduce class sizes at the secondary level. >> Uh Dan, correct me. Is it five four or five AP courses in physics? Four or five physics courses we offer? >>

048Five. I So when we had the AP collegial circle, I think every school was amazed that a school our size offers five levels of physics. Sioset other schools in the area. I don't want to mention schools, but they said we don't offer that and we're four times the size. So, it's it's just remarkable that we do that. That doesn't mean we're great. That just means that we give a great opportunities. Our staff do a great job in educating our students. It's about opportunities. Mike walked out. I was disappointed when we talked about athletics. I don't think there's a school district that has as much participation in athletics as we do here in Col Spring Harbor. If it is, it's that school that has 20 kids and everybody's on the team. That's it. Uh it's quite

049remarkable. >> And I think in the in the same vein when you're talking about rigor, right, as New York State starts to shift what the graduation requirements are and the pathways, it doesn't necessarily mean that you need to abandon some of those metrics that you want that you want to maintain in terms of measuring growth, right? And that may also distinguish us from being very different, right, than neighboring districts and then actually increasing our ranking overall. We don't know what those, you know, how those are going to shift in terms of evaluation of districts. But I don't think that just because New York State says you don't need to offer this course for a graduation requirement. It doesn't mean that we need to do the bare minimum. And districts like ours are going to be

050able to make choices in terms of what we think is best in terms of level of rigor that we we encourage and create pathways for our students. >> And the portrait of graduate can be the portrait of graduate at >> portrait of a cold spring harbor. Correct. So we talk about increasing rigor a lot. H how is that done? What what do we when I say okay let's increase rigor then what happens? >> Well I mean I think one I mean there's there's a wealth of ways where we're addressing rigor and in terms of you know from a K to2 perspective we're looking at establishing deep critical thinking skills. We're looking at uh data analysis at the younger levels. We're looking at um conversations and dialogue and discourse, right? That happens across all content areas.

051We're asking students to to take uh skills that normally would be discrete skills and apply them now into a larger problem solving environment. And those are rigorous tasks, right? That are higher order thinking that basically provide our students with uh you know career readiness skills. >> So we're changing curriculum. We're asking the teachers to change the way they're teaching. Like >> we're shifting modes of ways that we that we that we teach. We're uh shifting the way that um that that students are facing problems in class. It becomes more student driven and less teacher teacher driven. I think you're asking students to um to embrace the power of struggle in a classroom which h historically we haven't always seen you know over time. So some of those things are going to shift and change. Absolutely.

052So I like everything you said. So where's the action plan then? How do we institute that? >> I just got here. So >> no, not for you. >> I appreciate if anything. >> I was going to ask about benchmark exams. In the past, um we've discussed having benchmark exams um at all grade levels. We've talked about horizontal and vertical alignments among the schools. Could that be applied to assist us in this goal of rigor? Sure. I mean, I think we're we're we're applying benchmarks, believe it or not, and at from early on from, you know, K, we we apply, you know, STAR and in-house benchmarks, uh, districtwide benchmarks, um, to measure growth over time. We can continue to do that. that we can examine what's you know we talked about examining gaps in WASA reports

053um from the 3 through eight assessments identifying where there may be a skill deficit we're embracing you know supporting um learners that may be you know ranked at a level two and a level three we are integrating co-e model uh in the elementary schools to to you know to increase skills to build capacity as they move forward and you know and and increase overall achievement so I think we're doing a lot of those things but we can continue to do that and we can dive deeper and and work with teachers and staff to make sure that that's well communicated. Um and that happens through a group articulation meetings. It happens with vertical alignment meetings. Um it happens with building uh you know two buildings coming together to analyze data to see whether or not there's

054differences across the district on two sides of town of the district. Um and then providing ample professional development to meet whatever it is that our needs are. and Kim, that's those are foundation and fundamental skills that start in kindergarten and and travel up with our students that for some will take years to pay off because they're they're so young, but they're learning those skills uh to how to think and how to solve problems. For instance, our research program has really expanded. that doesn't per se come in part of the USU's news and world report uh rank because it's not an AP exam, but it's giving their students the skills to independently to do research to independently uh to work with each other to come up with plans to to to look at what they love

055to learn and making them better. So, it's it may not be that direct, but it has that uh that that that focus and the multiplier effect to making our kids wanting to learn and do better. So, I mean, and we've done it. We've been doing it for years. We're continuing to improve and move our students up. So, it's it's exciting. >> So, could we step back for a second because I think we went full circle. So, we started by saying teaching to mastery and then we said, wait, what happened at the goal from last year um ranking, but then we said ranking may deteriorate because the standards are changing. Um, certainly in New York State, we don't want that, but New York may push that. So, I don't know where that left us. What I

056heard is I think we're trying to prepare our students to achieve their full potential, right? But I don't know. That's not a great goal because there's nothing to measure, right? So, >> so are you do you want the two goals of to keep the two goals? Maybe. Oh, I I think I'm hearing us creating a new goal out of those two >> cuz I thought we I I thought each of us wanted the two. I thought Lisa said you thought we should have two goals and >> No, I agree. But I don't know how I I think we said that, but then we're saying >> we changed our minds. >> I I didn't change my mind, I don't think, on the ranking one. I think Mark Mark had changed his mind, but I don't think

057I changed my mind on the ranking. Did you change your mind on the ranking one? >> That should remain a goal. >> I agree. >> It should always remain a goal. I agree because we're going to do >> striving to increase and better >> little tweaks. But I do I do really like including this as a additional goal. I'm I'm we can rework it maybe and make it stronger. I mean it's simple or maybe it's good in it simplicity. But >> let me ask a question. Is the ranking our goal or is the ranking the measurement of a goal? To me, the the goal is get everything we can, get our students prepared the best they can, and you measure that by how well we're >> Well, I think that's >> we're being ranked, how

058well >> people except for the ranking doesn't always take into account everything and that's part of it, right? It is a separate looking at the ranking is a separate metric and I think what's important obviously number one for us is the students and the education that they're getting but also as fiduciaries to the community right people's home values are tied into our school rankings there's plenty of people in this community who pay taxes that support the work that happens in these districts who don't send their children to the schools or whose children are out of the schools so I do think regardless of how we feel about the ranking it is somewhat our responsibility to to keep an eye on that too in any way that we can as long as it's also benefiting the

059kids. Right. >> I completely agree. >> Well, I I'm supportive of that. I just don't I'm confused about where we're heading in the future. >> I think one of nothing we do today will impact the next two rankings. That data has been taken and it's done. So that's that's one thing we have that that data underscores it's it'll be three years out. anything we do today to change and educate our students is going to have that impact. >> But they're going to rank us on something. So at that point, I think I think we don't know what that ranking will be. >> At that point, it'll still be a goal. We'll just have different ways of meeting that goal and >> but I think it's a separate issue this teaching to mastery. It's more it's

060a student focused issue. Um and I think it's worth focusing on that point too. I think when you look at what their ranking includes, things like math proficiency, reading proficiency, science proficiency, taking exams, those are all good. So what is used in their ranking are good things to that we want to achieve and push our students to do. So that's not bad. I think the question is it may not be US News and World Report. It may be something else or it's going to have some metrics that we don't even know what they are yet. It could be square footage of we don't know. There's going to be changes. Um, >> I think it's dangerous anytime that you're looking at a rank at a at a metric that that it has a delay, right? So,

061if this is this yearly goal, right? And and the and the metric, right? And the metric is going to be data that that was collected three years ago, how are you evaluating whether or not you've reached this goal this year at this time? You can't >> disappointed and surprised to hear it's threeyear-old data. So, and um I'm glad to hear I'm opposed to ranking. That's news to me. But the thing is um I I said it we we need to break down the components of what constitutes the rank and then target them. But at the same time, let's not get overly fixated on the rank because we will not always um score as well as the job we're doing with our students. And that was the underlying point. Yes, we have to care about our

062ranking for exactly the reasons Alex said. Um the colleges probably look at them, but the home, you know, people move here based on the ranking of the community. But um we also want to make sure that we have an idea of what a Cold Spring Harbor student is. And we of we often talk about the diversity of um of the character of the kids, academic, arts, sports, um the volunteerism. That's the aspiration. Um and and um that won't get picked up in the ranking, but we we can know we left uh we they left here um in in great shape for the next part of their life. >> I think there will be some students who don't take any AP exams. We want to make sure that we're giving them the best education and the

063right education for them to leave Colts McGarby. There'll be some students who may not go to college and that's the right move for them because of the opportunities they have. what they want to do and the like. And we want to make sure that we're we're giving those students the right opportunities which don't come up in that ranking. Uh it may actually hurt us doing the right thing by a student may hurt our ranking technically, but it was the right thing to do by that. And for us being such a small school district, you know, each student is almost 1%. I mean, that's what we're talking about. So, it has large impacts. Uh I it's a challenge. And again, when I when I say the difference, >> I completely agree. Take >> a high school

064student who takes AP classes that they shouldn't take because they're not scoring well is way more damaging to their next step than taking classes they're equipped for in my personal view. Like taking a class you're equipped for and doing well and succeeding in it in it, you're going to you're going to get farther, >> right? But I'm also hearing like no ranking like ranking is outdated because it's old it's lagging but the scores which we do know sort of on a real time not real time but we know them a few months after the assessments right you have the three to eight assessments you have regions you have AP all of those could be used as metrics right and everything the 3 to8 we have to be a little careful on there are plenty of

065districts where 50% of the kids don't take the test 60% don't take the test so It almost mean I I remember I did I did a little uh Excel magic and was able to pull the stuff out of the news day and send it to colleagues and half of them said 75% of my kids don't take the test. I don't care about this. It means nothing to us because so few kids are taking it. So it's tricky and I think it goes back to what is the portrait of a Colts being harbor student. Not that ranking and not that scores aren't important. We want to make sure we're This is tough. Yeah, we're in we're in a good >> That's why I ra this I keep I keep going back to it's not the ranking.

066>> Yeah, >> but I think people think it is. >> What are we going to put down? >> Let's tie let's sum it up. >> I think we think it's both the >> they're separate >> separate different items goals. So that's why they can't be combined necessarily. >> Even if there's interplay, there's still two separate goals, >> right? I think the ranking is just more of a long-term plan to always be improving, you know, doing what we can. You know, I don't know if that can really be measured year by year, you know, especially because the data is, you know, three years old, but we should always be striving to increase. >> But we could look at the components like the AP scores that we received from last year. One thing that we really have

067a lot of metrics for, we absolutely can measure that one year over year. >> That's right. >> We have the regions, right? Regents is just New York State. >> Yeah. >> Uh >> and we can look back, you get the bar, right? >> bars for bars, >> bars, >> and you can look back at it, right? Like, and see, >> yes, >> where improvements should be made. And of course, then tests change and things happen. And we know that. But this is the work that's being done and will continue to be done by our teachers to keep trying to get the kids to get >> top scores on these tests. And it as much as you'd like to say, oh, the regions don't I mean it for some kids if you want to go to

068a Sunni school, the regions really do matter too, right beyond the ranking also. Don't they >> look at that too? Doesn't it also then affect >> right now >> the college goal in some ways too? And if you're not doing well in your region, you're doing well in your classes, schools might think that there's great inflation at your school. Like there's lots of reasons why you want to get those scores up that also directly impact. >> Right. >> We could talk about this all night. >> We can right now the region score is required to be on the transcript. The state is changing transcript requirements. We don't know what that means yet. It may mean they're going to be pink and that's all that changes. I don't think so. But we're not sure where that's

069coming from. Yes. >> Okay. >> So, I guess the question is are we including the ranking as a board goal? That's the decision if you have to. >> And what's the whole sentence? It's like increase ranking >> right now. Improve Cold Spring Harbor ranking on Long Island and New York State. That was the goal from last year. and we'll be using US News and World Report as the uh metric. >> But that that's a three-year lagging. We can't we we we need to use most recent test scores and compare just the the we need the factors of of X diversity, what those factors are and we need to look at them at least for ourselves on a real time basis. Right. And they do yearly give a presentation to us about the AP scores, the

070region scores, the three through eight as soon as they come out. So we do have that. So we could have some if we're looking at the different >> components of that US News World and Report ranking, we could see how our new scores are playing into that >> and if we're seeing an improvement. So we will know even though it's not public to every, you know, on US News and World Report, we can report to our community the improvements made, >> right? And that's how we'll measure ourselves if we're if we're effectively addressing that >> that goal. >> Right. I mean, >> right. Well, but that I'm sort of with that. But what's improvement? If we do 1% better on mastery on regions, did we achieve that goal or do we need a do we

071want a certain percentage of people taking regions to achieve >> mastery? Doesn't that go to our earlier conversation where our goals are then for the departments to work on and give us a presentation in October with what they think? So their plan is for the year. >> Not not really. We it's part of that but we need a our goal should set a standard and then how the different buildings and departments implement that and set their own goals is is also a thing. I mean, maybe we take their advice about it, but >> Yeah. I mean, I think I'd like them to tell me how they think to they could achieve it before I tell them how. >> Yeah. But I'm not talking achieving. I'm not talking the how. I'm talking what is it? What

072does success look like? >> Is 50% whatever. I don't want to use mastery, but is 50% >> and I'm saying make the recommendation to us for what they think that should look. That's that's what I think. You're saying >> I am a voice of one. >> Yeah. No. So, um >> Mark likes to say that. So, I'll start. >> Exactly. Stealing. You're gonna have to pay royalties on that. So, um so when I'm not saying the teacher shouldn't have input, but it's like if you have a sales organization and you let them set their sales goals that it it just never gets done that way. It's always the head of sales says, "Region X, this is your sales goal." and they either meet quota or not. So the department heads or Kim who is who

073is in the person who's responsible for that >> myself Kim building administration >> so building >> can't we turn to you Kim and building administration to say to us what is a reasonable metric to measure the success of this >> or set of metrics >> goal >> I'm okay with that >> and something we'll be able to obtain There are some things I think we're going to strive to work on. It may be challenging to get information from other districts from um I don't know, you know, I I don't want to say here it is as we're thinking out loud. Um >> I think you're right. I think that this is not the place to do that. I mean, that's why you're >> part of the report either October, November. >> It's a good start.

074Well, yeah, we'll come back and we can adjust as we go. It's the first year like once we get the process down of benchmarks next year if you keep that goal you already establish what the benchmarks you're looking at and then it's easy to start to see trend lines too >> right but this is the third year we've had the improve ranking goal so I don't know whether we've succeeded or not over the three years >> because they were always fluffy all right now we're trying to be more precise >> noxious >> well we We we clearly have this year though. I mean, we went from on Long Island from 39 to 33. >> Is that good? >> And not only that, we're seeing in some cases and maybe some areas that we need to

075work on. Whatever the case may be, we're seeing it >> clearly in these scores that we're getting in. I mean, >> test scores also were way upation. So, I I you could see class issue with the goals being called >> fluffy in the past, too. I just like to put that out there. If anything, this is the clearest goal of any >> I know. I know. In your corporate >> in a corporate world your corporate consulting business. >> They would never pass muster. They're fluffy. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Well, there >> it's a fair question. We don't know. I I think it's great. 39 to 33. That's excellent. Right. But also, we've been getting reports >> reports and presentations and hundreds of pages of reading every week that show these numbers going up

076and up and up. >> And not only that, it's broken down specifically so you could see where you've gone up, where you've gone down, where you've stayed the same. And and you can make adjustments year to year look like. >> What does success look like specifically if we get those >> if you do it improves the ranking? >> I don't know. That's that's why No, >> but you're only asking everyone else. So what's your thought? >> Well, but I'm just pointing out there's a weakness in the goal. It's not it's not how what's your So it's a wonderful thing to point out weaknesses and we certainly have experts in that. But how where how do you what is the solution? Where's your solution? >> I'm not proposing this as the final goal. I'm trying to

077point out we need to craft the goal better so that >> Right. Oh, I said so that there's something measurable. >> We went from 39 to 33. Great. We're 33. We all want the same. Can we back up? We all want the same thing, right? >> We've had this goal for this is will be the third year if we adopt it. We all agree. We're celebrating that the scores are getting better. It shows in the US News ranking. I'm just saying going forward if we if we take sort of the idea of these tests continuing, what do we think is success in those results? Well, maybe continuing to improve, >> right? >> Continuing to increase our rank, >> right? But he's saying, is it that we go up 3%, we go up 5%. What is

078it year-over-year? And I think that really it varies subject by subject, which is why we need >> Joe and Kim and the building administration to say in this subject, we really should be targeting a 10% increase because we've looked at the bar report and we can see that we have the capability here. And in this subject, you know what? We're doing a bang-up job. If we get another 1%, that's fantastic. And I don't think that's something that we work out here at 9:00 on a Tuesday night when it's really not our place to be saying what those metrics should be. We should turn it over to them now and say, "Please present us with >> specific metrics." >> Okay, that's uh we can agree to disagree on that. But >> but what then? What is

079your proposal? >> It's There's a disagreement but no proposal for I've got the chair for um >> for what the >> other another solution would be. It's certainly not to sit here and tell everyone how to do their specifically how to do their job. >> Hold on. I have not told anybody how to do their job. >> That's what I'm saying. It's not >> I have a voice on the board about what a proper goal should look like and I'm not going to back down from that. I don't know what the answer >> is to say what that is. Right. It's just I didn't say I know the answer. I I'm just saying I'm uncomfortable with the way the goal was crafted. So, >> but maybe we just need to rework the words, you know?

080I mean, it would be an easy it would be it would be easier if it wasn't a three-year lag, right? >> Yeah, I I agree with that. I think looking at current scores, >> right, but it's a three-year lag, but every year we get reports on the different metrics that make up our ranking. So we get a sense of how we're improving. >> So maybe we want to increase the >> but it's not just the scores. It could be how many kids are enrolled in APs and it's it's the mastery rate, you know, >> right? >> So there's >> and we get all of those every year and we get we get the year overyear data on that. We get really detailed data from these people out here that we sit and listen to every

081year and we ask thoughtful questions. So, you know, so maybe it's the scores we want to be continuing to improve or or >> not not just the scores but all the things that make all >> So I think what I heard the ranking, >> right, Alex suggested we get recommendations on what >> improvement looks like >> across I guess three to eight assessments, region scores, APs, AP participation, right? I I forget what the other categories were >> and then but I would just say we we shouldn't finalize this goal until we have those recommendations. >> No, I think we can because we can continue to do that because we have been getting those numbers like we already have the reporting in place. >> Plan for the measurements if we don't think it's sufficient but I

082think we should accept the goal and then ask to see a plan. But the goal doesn't have a measurable result like a >> we're asking the departments to come up with the measurable side of it. Our goals impact the district goals. So then if we set this goal then Joe and Kim and the building principles can come back to us and perhaps it's before October. Perhaps it's for I don't know you tell me but for the September meeting to say here's how we plan to make the measurable part of this goal from these following in these following areas and then we say whether or not we think that seems reasonable >> and I'm going to throw in something that was probably about a half hour ago is is it more than just test scores in

083what are the ports of a cult Harbor graduate is. It's the opportunities, it's the clubs, it's the team building, it's the athletics, it's all those components. >> Um, which some may be softer to measure or harder to measure. >> U here here's what the average on a regions exam was. Here's how many kids took it. Here's what the high. Here's low. Those are very easy to do. It's like sales. How much did you sell this month? Very easy to come up with. Uh but there's other components that are are more difficult to measure but are very important in determining who our students are and what they get out of culture >> and those components are not ignored at all by the school or by the board. I mean in fact we have presentations at the

084beginning of the year the end of the year where I mean those things are very much celebrated. I mean maybe we can't measure them as goals but we can celebrate them. We celebrate them at every board meeting when we have the students come speak. I think it's just part of what we do here. what you guys do here, >> you know. So, so just like a good example, so one one of the components of uh you know the ranking is how many kids take AP classes, right? So earlier in the in the fall of last year or when we whenever we were we were doing schedules, maybe it was the winter or something, um, Miss Alamia sent out an email saying the benefits of AP classes, you know, and and honors classes and, you know,

085how those would, you know, how they would serve the students better, you know, and maybe, you know, and then that was a good way to reach out to the students, you know, who maybe I'm not sure if I want to take this class. I, you know, maybe I just want an easy or maybe I want to work harder for that A minus or something, you know, and you kind of, you know, put the benefits out there, which I don't think had ever really been done before. So, I think like that's, you know, that could be like a plan, you know, like part of a plan like how are we going to, you know, address each of these. >> I but I think we have to be careful because we don't want to push everyone to

086take AP. No, I agree. But, you know, it it did, you know, I think maybe it pushed some of those kids who weren't sure. Uh, you know, it it it talked about the benefits. You know, we we get so much information about you don't want to overstress your kids. You don't want them to, you know, overt tax themselves, but you don't hear, you know, so it was a nice change to get something that said, oh, you know, if your kid can handle it, your kid should do it, you know, because here's all the benefits. So, well, it's definitely a balancing act that Kim was going to work on and all our teachers work on every year and fine-tune. >> So, maybe the goal or a sub goal, I'm not the right word, is is developing

087the metrics to be used in determining how our students are performing and or something along those lines. >> I don't know. I guess I'm still okay with the goal that we had >> and then I would like to maybe develop more talk more about the teach mastery goal and spend more time on that because I think that could be flushed out that could touch sub areas or >> touch things in a different way. I'd like to spend more time >> like moving through it and looking to that. But that's just me. I mean that's how I feel. How do you feel, Mark? >> I feel great. Um, I think that let's do the goals the way you want. I prefer goals that get tracked. You do the, you know, if you want to put goals

088like we did in the past, I'm okay with that, too. Good with either way. >> I don't know where to go with that. >> Yeah. I'm so I think the idea here is that we have goals and then we're asking the specific departments that the goals relate to to do the tracking and reporting back. So it's not that they're not being tracked, it's that we're not the ones doing or specifying the tracking. We're getting the recommendation for the tracking from the departments and then we'll say this looks great or could we see a little more here? Okay, go. and then we're getting reports quarterly. So, I don't think it's that there's no tracking, it's just that we're not dictating the tracking because we aren't the people doing this work and the experts in each of

089these departments. >> I think we could keep that goal, but I'm going to add an additional goal is revamping and relooking up. So we could keep it as is improve coin carbon ranking on Long Island and New York. But also another goal is really digging deep into other metrics we could use to measure ourselves in addition to we know the US News and World Report is going to change or go something's going to happen but to really look to see what else we could do. I'm just concerned about that because like unlike I am concerned about actually being able to measure this and measure the success. So I'm afraid of getting too much into softer goals like that here. And also I think this mastery goal and the rigor in the face of what's going

090on with New York State and the state of the schools right now is so important to every student. And it doesn't matter about improving our ranking. It's about challenging those kids. And it it's not like a an easy or automatic A. It's like they're getting pushed. They're reading more books. They're >> they're learning more information. Every kid should be we should be supporting every kid in that. I think we're doing that with the ICT classes and we can do that in other ways. There's >> think and I I don't know. I just >> I would like to to leave it >> that way. And just again to like drive this home, you said before that you wouldn't tell the salespeople what their own goals are, but we're >> these people. These people, you're not asking

091them to set their own goals. The head of sales, you're not the head of sales. I'm not the head of sales in this scenario. These people are the head of sales. >> So, let them do it and then come back to the board. The board sets goals and then if they come back to us and say these goals do not make sense for X Y and Z then we have to adjust our goals but we're supposed to set the goals and my understanding is um Mr. M and his team are supposed to implement them, right? So, >> no, our goals are supposed to help them to set their goals. >> That's the way board goals work. >> So, >> yes, >> we should then this shouldn't be board goals. This should be um >> board

092goals help to direct district goals. >> I I don't it whatever. I don't It's fine. Well, that's it's not that's actually what the purpose of them is. >> No, board goals. The purpose is to achieve an outcome. So, we are setting goals to achieve an outcome and >> then the administration goals and the department goals are put in place in more granular ways to achieve but our goals are to help them to set their goals. That's >> well >> and we're asking them to come up with the metrics to show us how they're measuring them. I have to >> but the that's we're not on the same page like >> well we're just going to have to agree to because I don't agree with you. I honestly talking >> what was what is a good

093ranking? Is it the top 1% top 2% that's so we're saying improve when have we achieved it? Is it just go up by one every year? Is there a point where we say we've conquered it because we're now the top 1% in New York State? So, that's what's missing. It's okay because it's it's a long-term project, but it our our goal is not to have them set goals. Our goal is to have an outcome. We want to be an improving school district that ultimately winds up as the top 2% of schools in New York State. That's a goal. >> That's a goal. See, you finally came up with a suggestion. That's great. >> I'm slow. I'm sorry. >> Okay. Right. Lisa, what do you think? >> I think that I think that maybe that's more

094of a like a corporate goal, like maybe how corporate goals work, >> right? >> I you know, I I feel >> I don't know. I think if correct me if I'm wrong, but if you work in a corporation, I don't think the chairman of your board is telling the sales team exactly what one person's outcome should be. I think their head of their department is reporting back to the board and saying, "Here is my proposal for our goals to meet the overall company goals." And I think that it's overstepping to say that we're the head of the sales force. That's what I think. >> I tend to agree. What do you think, Lisa? >> Look, I I think that ultimately we want to be the best. We want to be the best that we can

095be. If that's what gets, you know, I I like the idea of setting, you know, saying, "Okay, you know, we want to increase our ranking. All right, guys, go do it." You know, I >> we hire hiring amazing people who know how to do their job. So, let's let them >> so >> do their jobs and not spend so much time hammering each other about whether or not you like the way >> the metrics are for these goals. Can we go through the go? I mean, we're never going to get through the rest of the board meeting at this point. It's just like a gigantic >> I get it >> pissing contest. >> It's not it it's like so the board will say we want to be top five in five years, then we want

096to be top three in our industry and and then that's what they will set. Do they tell the sales team in the Northeast territory, you need to have 130 million in sales? No, they don't do that. They have a head of sales who reports in CFO reports. So, >> but I don't think as a school district you could say we want. >> I'm just saying there there's there's the top goals and then there there's >> let us know reasonably what you think those increases >> or what are you going to do to make us the best? You know, how are you gonna >> I I I thought Yeah, my suggestion was let him come back with >> that was my suggestion. >> Okay, then that's your suggestion. >> So, you said it wasn't measurable. >>

097I uh you can go back and listen. I >> I always do. >> So, you'll see. >> You know that. >> I know. So, you'll see that um >> hear everything. >> Okay. So you'll see that I'm saying we can go back and measure and and then and and that's it. Like I'm just asking for us to have goals that we can measure and then if we meet them >> I don't think anyone's disagreeing with that. >> Okay. So let's put them down. >> But so so maybe we're not the right people to decide how they get measured, >> you know, like how how they should be me measured. Let them let the >> We should have a benchmark. We should say >> it's the ranking for that one. It's just the ranking. That's >>

098But do we need to determine the benchmark or can the >> administration that you know the people that we hired >> well >> to determine the benchmark >> you know if we say we want to include >> I don't know what the elements are. Yeah. Like there may be five things we can measure right. I don't know what the right things are but >> we should have an idea of what success looks like. you you can't just say we measured something and we have no idea whether that was good or bad. >> So, Mr. Mr. Taylor, Miss Libertina, you've worked in other districts. When they set board goals, um what does that look like? Kind of share with us because you've worked in good districts as well as this one. So, could you can education?

099>> Um, you know, it's the process that you're going through. Um, I tend to agree that the board goals are usually more broad and then the superintendent assistant superintendent narrow the focus and then each building would narrow the focus and each department would narrow the focus. That's that's at least been my um experience in okay >> setting board goals and then implementing. My experience has always been that the district uh settles on a vision of where like a framework for what that year is going to encompass and then the goals themselves stack against whatever that vision might be. Uh there are measurable metrics within right those those goals in order to reach that vision. So that's that's been my experience. >> What's the difference between the vision and >> our goal like >> in general

100like what's the difference between a vision and the goals that we have? I mean, I think ultimately you have to in a vision you would say, you know, we believe that a Cold Spring Harbor graduate should encompass or have the following items when they exit the four walls of Cold Spring Harbor. We want them to be civically ready. We want them to be um you know um have have multiple APs behind their belt. We want them to um participate in um outside organizations or clubs and and activities. We this is what we consider our graduates of success, right? And and in order to do that, we're we're setting certain standards of they should have um x amount of experiences in civics or opportun you know x amount of opportunities to participate in research or present

101you know to in a public forum or you know I mean there there's specific things that you might identify in terms of what it means to be successful based on that vision of what you see key areas that they should >> and that goes back one is the portrait of a Coleman Harvard graduate and and I'll say and we agree to it like not every child will graduate with an AP and it's the right thing for some of those kids. >> So, and I I guess that's the the challenge we have is how do we measure like this year would say we had less kids taking APs but it was >> damn it the right thing for that class >> and we hurt ourselves but it was the right thing uh for we had four

102less kids taking APs but it was the right thing to do. We went down. It hurt us a little bit, but we're looking out for our kids. Um, Joseph, >> I just wanted to >> Joe's had more experience, so let's >> Yeah. No, it's a great point. I I want to remind everybody that when we compare one cohort to another, it's a different group of kids. >> So, the fact that we had four less kids taking AP exams last year does not mean that that was a failure. It means for that group of kids that was a success. And if we wanted to focus on increasing the percentage of children who get fives on AP exams and we get lucky and we get a a brilliant cohort of kids coming through that were not affected

103by COVID, right? That were in school all the time and they have a great year. Does that mean that the following year when we drop we're not successful? >> I I'm concerned >> that we're trying to measure things that are immeasurable in some ways. Um, >> and I think that that's why when you set this broad vision, as Kim very aptly describes, and forgive me for talking about instruction, but when you talk about a broad vision that Kip describes, you should leave it up to us to translate that vision into these are the goals that we're setting. Here's the activities that we're going to do to reach those goals. Here are the things that you could measure as a board >> to see whether or not we've met those goals. Leave it up to us.

104That's why you pay us the big bucks, guys. >> And I think sometimes I can remember sitting here talking about a year we didn't have a couple students go to college. And at first it was, oh my goodness. And then somebody whispered and they said the name go, we understand now. And it ended because it was the right thing. I can remember being in the room calling home a student, you you scored a 67 on your regions. The parents were over the moon. >> That child worked harder than the child who scored a hundred. And it was just they were so ecstatic. You know, we're going to Disney. I mean, you're going they were so happy. So, and again, we're a very small school district and it's not not looking to back away. We want

105the best, but we want the right best for each. And I think we're fortunate we can do it for each child. I think that's important. We can really hone in and look at each child. >> That was very helpful insight. So it sounds like be more um open-ended in in the goals. Track what you can track what you can track. Have some metrics in there. >> Yeah. try not to um I mean you can set if we want to be uh we want to move up our you can set a ranking you but let's not get overly fixated on that because there is a three-year lag so you know there's a balance it sounds like um and yes I don't I don't think any of us think we are going to tell the teachers and

106whatnot we want these numbers reached is we don't know the numbers necessarily, but um we do need to have within these goals something we can track to make sure we're making progress and um I think that was very helpful that um the three of you >> does that make you more comfortable with the way the goal is written when Joe described that to you? how so we could maybe put a pin in that one about the ranking because I think what he said pertained to that particular goal >> a lot of other ones too but >> I mean yeah I I think that um that's one area that it's the big picture we want to increase our ranking I don't think we um >> I don't think we overstep our bounds by saying we want

107to get our ranking into, you know, the top 25 or something like that. I think that's that's a um that's something a board should do. Should we get into the weeds on some of this stuff? No. But the that's pretty top, >> but there's like other stuff, right? Like do we are we going to ask for the top on Long Island? Do we want to be the top in SUFFK, Nassau, all of New York State? Like we're going to list all those in a goal or can we just leave it the way it is? Maybe >> and what how was it the way it was >> improved Cold Spring Harbor's ranking on Long Island >> in New York >> and in New York >> state >> whatever it is >> from the previous year >>

108whatever the group is uh >> doesn't that imply that it's from the previous year but I think the idea is that and I I I literally feel like Groundhog Day saying this again but then that these wonderful people then say to us we reasonably think within three years we can be 25 in New York State. We reasonably think within three years we can be number three on Long Island. Like that's let's ask them to make the recommendation to us. That's >> and then do we adopt that? >> That's what I I agree with that. >> Yeah, >> that's what I keep saying. So >> I agree with it. All the only caveat I had was I think we need to buy into it after it's recommended. That's all. >> So they'll they'll make a recommendation

109to us by September. >> It's a continuing discussion. and they're checking >> and then in October we'll get presentations and then in December we'll get presentations and then in I'm not looking at the calendar anymore >> presentations or reports no not presentation reports reports >> sorry I don't want to scare you we don't want no don't do poweroint presentations every three months you have too much other things to do >> one slide >> 75 is the benchmark >> 75 is 74 Joe >> oh >> so is it I Can we move on from this one? Bill, are you okay with moving on from this one? All right. >> All right. All right. Two down. Number three. >> Teach. >> Is it three down? Really? >> Well, I'll add that one. We'll add in that one.

110So, now we're going to teach to mastery. >> Is there something we want to add to the school? Is it beautiful in its simplicity? >> What are our thoughts on that? >> I like it. I thought that we came up with this goal because we saw it somewhere. It was, you know, >> other schools have done it right. >> And we thought it would look good here. It would fit in well here. >> Was student centered. We thought that was really important. >> That's right. >> Do I? >> Yep. >> Dare ask how are we going to measure if we're teaching to mastery? >> Well, I think that there's we're talking then some about benchmarks for exams, right? So where it goes back to how are we scoring on the APS, how are we scoring

111on the regions, but I don't think that's all of it. I think some of it may be and this could be something we I would like to ask for is check-ins on the curriculum. Like what could we be doing better? Um could we be offering an AP course earlier? Could we be working towards that AP course maybe over a couple years? Maybe that's a bad idea. Maybe that's a good idea. I don't know. I have no idea. I'm just trying to think of different ways, different textbooks, different things. what could we do to enhance our curriculum for our kids to improve that? >> And teaching to mastery is going to be starting in kindergarten. So it won't be a AP score. An AP score is really at the end. It is what are we doing

112every day to make sure we're we're dipstick testing, seeing where each child is performing, where they're succeeding at, where they're not succeeding at, and where they're having struggles with. How do we better teach them? Sometimes it's simply a vocabulary change. It it could be a concept change. It could it understanding why a student doesn't understand a concept. All those part is is really digging deep and doing what teachers do every day is finding where they could better instruct students for students to learn more. It's just continuing to do what they do but doing just more and more of it. >> Yep. >> Sounds soft. I understand it's not a number but that's what you do. You can report on this isn't a number. So then we would change behavior and actions of faculty if that's

113what I that's the >> maybe for some >> that's the metric is what are we doing differently because you might hear back we teach to mastery already and we're having a goal teach to mastery. So um what are we asking to be done differently? >> I think we need to look at what all our staff are doing to see what we do need to change. It's >> so again that that would be great in November if we hear about what changes we're going to see. Um again that brings the goal, you know, to to more of an action versus a phrase. >> Yep, I agree. >> Okay, >> Lisa, you said yes already. So, Bill, you're the last one. >> Yeah, I think that piece is missing, but we can wait and see what what

114comes back. So because I agree with Mark, every teacher is going to say, "I already teach to mastery." >> Well, there there are measure ways to measure mastery with the AP scores in the regions. I mean, we get reports back on them, right? So there is a measurement of those. It's not totally a soft goal, >> right? But what's the what's the level, right? >> Why don't you let Kim weigh in? >> There's more than just the final terminal a AP and and regent exam. And I understand why that tends to be the that we all lean into. But you know there are you know um norm reference data points that we collect throughout throughout the year through STAR. There are um through right where we're we're measuring ourselves against you know the national norms.

115There are criterion reference data points that we're using through unit exams that are happening across content area. There are you know benchmark assessments that we use that were >> you're keeping this data already. It's already being kept. So it's then Kim directing teachers and building principles directing teachers saying here's where we are we want to figure out a way to bump up all the kids right and they figure out reasonably you know Miss Cosme says reasonably in Goose Hill in kindergarten I think reading scores should go up this much or you know reading levels should go up this much by the end of the year for a certain percentage of the class she can give the recommendation for for that. >> Yeah. And we're also following cohorts, right? So, we're identifying where there might be

116a gap in a skill set where as they're moving forward and through through the next year, we're identifying what that gap is and we're we can we can assess whether or not that gap has been attain that has been filled. So, you know, that's definitely measurable. >> Great. >> And that's part of the process is part of that testing throughout the year is to find where gaps are. Students do have gaps. So I don't expect on day one everyone to be if everyone's growing a 100 on a regions the test is too easy or the subject is we're not doing the right thing. You need to have some sort of a curve here. So it's always looking to see and quite honestly the three through eight assessments were originally designed to be just that to

117make sure you find gaps earlier on so when students do take regences in AP you can identify them in third and fourth and fifth grade so they can graduate. >> Right? So teaching to mastery is also do we have level ones that we're trying to move to level three. >> It's different for each kid to levels. That's measurable, right? We can we can identify that student that scored, you know, at the at the end before they, you know, before they left for the summer and they were a level two and now they're returning and midfall in the, you know, in the assessment. We are seeing that they're now a level three. Like that's that's that's measurable. >> I also think this goal encompasses the other aspects of Cold Spring Harbor. As a coach, I'm a

118teacher. As a club adviser, I'm a teacher. >> Um, so it's not just what's happening in the classroom all the time, you know, it's it's encompassing all of the things that we feel are important for our students here in Colford Harbor. >> Very much so. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Great. All right. So, can we put a pin in that one and leave it as teach to mastery and move on to the improve the transparency and predictability of the budget process? Could we look at that ranking goal? >> I think you've already got this one in the bag, Joe. Joe D. >> We're working We're working on it now. >> Everyone's named Joe. Now, >> I got to tell you that um I'm very impressed with the receptiveness of your administrative

119team to the things that we're trying to do. >> Um uh you're going to see a very big difference in the budget process. you're going to see it in terms of the information that you get, in terms of what's posted on your website. Um, you may want to uh survey the community through Parent Square to see what they think about the budget process now and what they think about the budget process at the end of the year. That would be measurable, right? >> And see whether or not their perceptions change. um you might want to survey your administrators to see how predictable they think the budget is now and how predictable they think it is at the end of the year. So those might be things that we would recommend to you as ways to

120measure how we're making progress on these goals. >> That's great. >> So along with providing additional data, we added additional dates dedicated solely to the budget process starting earlier. Uh, so it's not midnight when we're talking budgetary stuff. It's closer to ending at 9:00, starting at 6:00, having dedicated days just for specific budgets. For those of you who have been here in the past, things we've done in the past going back to be much more transparent. >> That's great. Thank you. >> I'll stop talking. >> Anything to add? Anyone else or can we move on from that one? >> Let's keep going. Heather, >> implement year end review of the board of education goal achievement. >> Oh, I skipped. Oh, I got excited. >> You let Brian Taylor off the hook. >> Sorry. >> All

121right, we're coming for you. >> Go back to the >> He didn't stop you. >> He didn't. I noticed that. >> Um, establish and implement a strategic hiring and retention plan for all staff. >> Do you want to say a little something? Yeah, I think it's about um you know making making the hiring process more predictable, more um similar across all types of hiring, instructional, non-instructional. Um what are we doing to recruit new employees? Uh what are we doing to onboard new employees? what are we doing to then train them so that we're keeping them, you know, for their entire career. Um, it's also about hiring people that want to move move up like you want to hire teachers who ad, you know, aspire to be administrators. You want to hire, you know, assistant principles

122who aspire to be principles and principles and directors who aspire to be assistant superintendents and assistant superintendents who aspire to be superintendent. So, how are we how are we looking for those types of of people and identifying them through our hiring process? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anything to add, Alex? >> Nothing, Bill. Good plan. >> Excellent. >> You're good, Lisa. Mark. All right. >> I'm good. Implement year-end review of board of education goal achievement. I think that's pretty simple one. Yeah, I think the idea right is >> but important >> we just had a board retreat right where we talked about our goals last year came up with some framework for this year so I think in looking at the timeline it makes sense to say we'll use that time >> right to see

123to see how the goals went. >> Yeah. So as part of that then should we choose one of these uh timelines that Joe is suggesting? >> I think so. I think that's a great idea. >> So in the packet there are two it's a double-sided >> calendar. One >> in the upper right hand is option one. The other is option two. >> In oh sorry no >> I was going to say in in my opinion I mean I think it should be based upon the end date. Um one is June 16th and the other is July 14th. I mean, do you think you would have I mean, would we have all of the year end data by June 16th? >> Well, we're not >> on ranking. We we definitely we just received the um the

124scores the college uh the US News and World Report today, >> right? >> So, no. >> Uh so, there may be some other days, some data we may not have. We only received the 3 through8 a couple of days ago, so we may not have all the data. But it it's not just it's also reporting on how we're doing it and how we're getting there. So like we won't we will have data for three through eight but we don't know how the rest of the state did. We don't know how the rest of the schools have done. So we may have done phenomenal we may not have done phenomenal. We have the scores. We have to wait. So it may be October may even be November depending when it comes to us to get that

125information. >> Right. >> So >> but wouldn't we have more data in >> on everything in July? That that's kind of >> we'll have more in July. Absolutely. >> If I may, my only concern is and because I I do work in a school also um K12 and it's like the trains leaving the station now, right? Like here we go. I do think the earlier we start the better just because if we're looking for recommendations for metrics that way people know what sort of direction they should be going in on the train and then if they're doing their final report to us June 16th and our board retreat is late July, early August. Then we sit with all that data and any if there's additional like Joe said he the >> books don't even close

126on the fiscal year till June 30th and by our board retreat. >> You may not even have all the f like the the auditors are still here. There's some information that'll still be coming but we'll be able to say >> I I >> this is 80% of what we wanted and let's wait for the final report or something. I don't know >> what if what if we started early. Yeah. >> And then just ended late. What if that final >> We could change the June 16. This wouldn't have to be set in stone. >> No, it doesn't have to be this. >> But I do like the idea of start having the first. >> The only other thing is summer meetings are lightly attended. So if parents are interested as far as transparency is concerned,

127it is nice to do a report out at a June meeting. >> I just don't want to have it too premature and like well totally makes sense. I will tell you that we won't have we won't have regions data because regions are still going on in that week. We won't have AP data because the AP data isn't released until the first week in July. We won't have three through eight data because that's not released until August. So all of those elements that you might be using as metrics will not be available to you at that time. >> Right. But just I I think just for this sake of trying to get us to our board retreat to talk about how we've done with the previous year, those quarterly reports as far as you've come, right?

128You won't have some of this, right? You don't have it now. So, I mean, then we'd have to wait till October to review how we did last year and we'd already be setting goals. So, I >> Yeah. >> Does that make sense? Mhm. >> It doesn't really, you know, I want us to have the most information at the most appropriate time. Yes. Starting early is definitely >> Yeah. >> You know, >> right? And there's many components. And like we said, the US News and World Report, >> there's nothing we're doing today or all this year going to impact what that number is for next year, a year from now. >> So, we just pick when we're some of it, it's reporting on what we're doing to achieve the goals. >> And as I I forgot

129who said before, Joe or someone, it's a cohort. there's a little bit compon put on the students too >> um that that we don't control >> and we discussed how to help that a little bit how to make sure students are taking testing seriously. I I can remember we had this year we had one of our seniors well they're in college come back during our um talking to our parents about what they would have done differently in school and one of the students said take our exams more seriously. take the take them more seriously when we're in that room taking them put a little bit more thought and effort in what we're doing during those three hours that was a quote from one of the students we have a video tape she said said sometimes

130we just my school didn't take five so it didn't matter didn't matter what I scored on the test I didn't take it seriously >> so we'll talk about it those are all things we could help with >> good all right so which option then you think Joe would get us there what do you think >> I understand getting the information back to June. Um, if are we adopting today or adopting on the 9th? That has a little impact upon where the first report out is. >> Um, I'd like to adopt today if we can. Let's try to adopt today. >> Yeah, we can adopt today and then if we go in option two, the first one would be um that would be October. >> But I think if we adopt today, then the understanding is

131for the 9th we would have some sort of metrics proposal. Is that possible or is that crazy? Because school is I mean >> we could have something. It's that's 14 days from now. >> Yeah. >> And this is like the craziest two weeks. I feel like that's not a fair ask of people. >> No. To to put in >> right. So for October. So the first one would be October >> October 14th. >> 14th. Why is nine? So no nine on either >> nine. I thought would have been when we're adopting. That was the adoption. >> Okay. I was confused. Okay. >> That went with when notes it had them all laid out this. >> Gotcha. So adopt today, then the 14th, then the next time is either December. No, December or November. I'd say

132December, right? Because we just did it in October. So wait till December. >> No, it's this is one schedule and this is the other. >> Oh, yeah. No, I'm just not month by month. >> No, I'm just comparing what would happen next. In option two, we would go to October. In option one, we're going next to November, right? So, if we're starting in October, then my suggestion would be maybe we should go to December. >> But it's each one is its own calendar. So, it's like two calendar options. Calendar one, calendar two. >> I think, >> but I like Heather's idea of proposing a third. >> Moving moving some of the dates is what you're saying. >> Yeah. like to to kind of give them every two months to get to every so they're not

133having to report one month later. It doesn't really give enough time. So I'm thinking if I think we could all agree we don't want to rush it to the 9th. So the next chance is the 14th of October >> then I would say >> so this >> go to December. Option two is >> October to December, right? >> March, June, >> then March, >> March, June. We could add a February one in. No, because that would be >> February has a lot of holiday has a lot of time off. >> Okay. So then just do two then >> would option two. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So there we go. >> Done. And then the other thing I wanted to do is to go back to what Lisa was talking at the beginning of the meeting,

134which is to potentially reorder what we're putting as our top goal and kind I would like to go from what we think is most important, what we really need to focus on, and I think that's what we usually do. So, does anybody have any thoughts of where they're happy with how it is? >> I think teach to mastery should be first. >> Okay, I agree with that. I would say teach to mastery then the ranking then the strengthen the college application budget and retention. >> I mean the budget process is important but I know the other ones are kind of more student focused so I was keeping them together. What do you guys think or you don't care? I I would just like to I feel they're all equally important. >> That's fair. >> And

135the order shouldn't matter. I don't want anybody >> That's fair. >> That's working on these goals to think that they're working on something less important. That's my only input. I don't care what order. >> I agree. >> Yeah, that's fair. >> The order shouldn't dictate it. >> Okay. Do you want to leave the order as it is or do you want to I would put I would put the ones that are together like that are about similar like more student focused ones together. I just think it looks better >> to master at the top. They don't have to be numbered. >> No, no, no. >> But I think if somebody was going to look at our goals, you know, the top one >> because it touches more it touches more areas, maybe more students. >>

136It is very much overarching. >> Yeah, I think that it's the main goal of >> in my opinion. So it would say teach to mastery. The one that we didn't have a space because we we kind of edited was improve the ranking. That is it under mastery or strengthening college the rest or administrative really? >> I mean I'm fine either way. I don't I think I agree with Lisa. I like mastery first. Aesthetically I like it too but um and then I would put the other two. I'm not held to anything. >> Okay. >> Yeah. What about >> to improve ranking two and three would be strengthen college. Did you want to give a hat tip to rigor? Increase mastery and rigor. >> I I like a hat I mean I like a hat tip

137to rigger. I think it's important especially when we're talking about some of the things that were mentioned later on especially with our younger students, right? Challenging them at that younger age and forcing them to push themselves to be the best that they can be. I think it's a >> I think changing to mastery includes it. >> Agree. >> It really does include rigor. It definitely >> I think that's fair. >> Requires the right to reach mastery. >> Absolutely does. >> True. >> You okay with that, Mark? >> Yeah. Yeah. I just know that's a word that you're >> I love I appreciate that. Thanks. >> You want to drop it in? >> I know the rigor will come in the reporting. >> All right. So, are we good with this? Can we move on? Dare

138I say we need to adopt. Is there anyone else who wants to say anything before we adopt it? I'm afraid to even ask that, but is there anything else anyone wants to add or say before we move to Well, we'll adopt it later. Nope. All righty. Moving along. So, now I open the floor to any other discussion items from members. No, I don't. I'm not >> We do committee report. >> Oh, I was told to do that after. >> Okay, fine. That's fine. All right. Open the floor to discuss other discussion items from members of the board of education. >> No worries. Anyone have anything else to discuss? >> Nope. Okay. All right. Now I'm we move to committee reports and the work that has occurred since our last board meeting. And I am told

139audit and food and nutrition both have met since our last meeting. So someone like to speak on audit? Nobody's here. >> Nobody's here. All right. >> We'll keep that to the next. We'll keep that for the next meeting for them to report. >> Kate and Bruce will right on. >> So then food and nutrition and ah Alex is here. >> Is that uh food and nutrition? It was um we met with um it was building principles, Jerry Tiger. Wait, did she just get married or is it coming? >> I don't think she she got married. She did get married. >> What's her name? >> I don't know if she changed her name. I still call her Miss Tiger. Okay, Jerry Tiger, congratulations on her wedding. Um, we had a great meeting. We talked about a

140number of different um, initiatives that she is really taking um, moving forward. So, looking at uh, low sugar or no sugar drinks. >> So, 100% juice if juice is offered particularly in the elementary schools. um >> water not in plastic bottles. >> Yes, boxed water. >> Boxed water. >> We were we talked about the um possibility of different grant programs to look into for the upcoming school year to bring healthier foods into >> um the district. Mhm. >> Um certainly there is the lunch program as well which she is going to send out a better thorough communication about to families explaining how that will work and how the ordering online works in the elementary. >> So this year for New York State lunch is free for students. Now there are certain things that qualify certain

141things that do not qualify. Uh but the ordering of food is very important. We expect more students to take us up on buying lunch. We have a healthy amount of students purchasing lunch, but obviously we want to have students use that the free lunch, but at the same time, we want to make sure we're not wasting food and on the same thing have enough cooked food. Uh we stress that with our new staff, a new uh parent orientations today, and that will go out in Jerry's uh email. >> Good. Yet there was talk about one of the complaints that parents have and this was never a problem with my children but was that there was not enough lunch. the children wanted extra lunch two helpings sometimes and how could they order Jerry's >> you have

142a you know a fifth grader who's adult-sized they might want to eat >> an adult portion right >> Jerry explained how you can order to the first one is free the second one isn't uh but you explain how a parent can do that and also what's important if you order lunch and your child does not take it you're not charged it's only once they actually go to the cash register is are to charge for the food. >> But the more po parents who pre-order the lunch, the more time free time that gives the children, more time for them to eat and then more time for them to to go play. >> We're figuring we'll be able to stack like all the pizza kids, all the hamburger kids together. >> So, we spent a lot of

143time talking about and Kate was Kate because of her work on the farm and the registers there had some good suggestions for how to move the lines fast, which was fun to hear. >> Um, >> barcode on the forehead. Yes, we're just going to barcode them. It's going to be great. No, but it was like, put all the pizza kids here, you know, all the >> bagel kids there. Um, and >> oh, and what was interesting to me about the free lunch was that if and this will be communicated as well, I'm sure, that there are different components that you need to have on your tray to make the lunch free. So, for example, like don't quote me on this, but it's like if you don't take the apple, then they charge you all a

144cart for the rest of the meal. So, just making sure that the kids are taking what they'll eat, but also if they're hoping to not pay for the lunch, that they understand you're taking this full plate of things and then >> otherwise it doesn't qualify qualify for as for the state. And we're still looking into some things. There's some things the state considers like a healthy snack. Like they still consider funions fine. And I love funions. I don't mean to rip on them, but they're not a healthy snack. And sorry, I know funion lovers. We'll have fun onions. >> We removed a lot of foods with dyes. >> A lot of the foods with dyes, but the I think what the state qualifies as healthy foods and what we consider healthy foods are different different

145things. So, it's an ongoing process, but certainly lots of great >> improvements. Improvements. Absolutely. >> And choices and Jerry Tiger is amazing and >> very happy. >> Lots of good communication going out. >> Okay, great. All right, so now we continue with our first audience to visitors. The Cole Spring Harbor Board of Education and Administration welcome your attendance at board of education meetings. Audience to the public affords residents an opportunity to address the board of education on both agenda and non-aggenda items. Each resident is allowed to speak for three minutes. This is not the forum to discuss student or staff specific issues. Please contact the district separately on these matters. >> Sure. Just step up to the microphone and your name and address. My name is Anna Louise Lin to Camel Hall Road in Lloyd

146Harbor. That'll be the address. Okay. So, I have a little speech here. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Anna Louise Lincoln and I'm here tonight on behalf of my family and neighbors whose properties fall along the boundary line between Huntington and Cold Spring Harbor School District. I want to be very clear at the outset. We are not asking for permission or authorization. Under New York State Education Law 3203, residents whose properties are intersected by a district boundary have the legal right to designate Cold Spring Harbor as their district of attendance. That right is automatic. It does not require a vote, a board resolution, or special approval. What we are asking for tonight is confirmation. confirmation that this legal right exists and is respected and ideally a confirmation in writing so that when

147residents choose to exercise this right the process is smooth consistent and does not require unnecessary legal escalation. We currently own three properties in my family uh that fall within the Cold Spring Harbor School District boundaries. Even though the t tax designation has historically been Huntington, we have several governmentissued and monitored maps from federal, state, county, and district sources that confirm this. This is not a new or theoretical issue. We've gone down this path before with a prior property at 25 Carnegie Avenue in Cold Spring Harbor. In that case, the district affirmed the resident's right to enroll in Cold Spring Harbor via email. Tonight, I will provide images of that correspondence along with boundary map of 25 Carnegie and the maps of the three properties I'm mentioning. Our family has invested millions of dollars in this

148community. We've paid over a million dollars in school taxes and contributed to raising property values in the Titus Lane and Midland area through new builds and renovations. Families like ours want to continue supporting Cold Spring Harbor, but we need clarity and consistency. Right now, we've been given conflicting instructions relating to multiple attorneys and even told falsely that official boundary maps were transportation maps. That is simply untrue. These are district boundary maps confirmed by multiple government sources and they cut through yards, streets, and neighborhoods. They're not bus route maps. So, the choice before the board is straightforward. Confirmation, a smooth process, corrected tax records, and then Colts Carver receives the full funding it's owed. or there's the resistance which is lengthy appeals, possible litigation, unnecessary costs, and a strained relationship with the very families who have

149invested in and strengthened this community. The law is clear, the maps are clear, the remedies clear. What remains unclear is whether the district chooses to handle the matter with clarity and good governance or allow it to become a drawn out dispute that benefits no one. So tonight, I ask the board to do something very simple and very reasonable. Firstly, we ask that the board provides or facilitates the provision of confirmation in writing that 41 Edris Lane, 43 Edris Lane, and 70 Woodchuck Hollow Road fall under education law 3203 and that the residents have the right to designate Colt Spring Harbor as our district of attendance. Secondly, direct the administration to make that process clear, accessible, and consistent going forward. I mean, I'm pretty sure that everyone does know that there is a lack of houses

150that are available in the Cold Spring Harbor area. It's a very desirable district. It's not a cheap district necessarily to to live in either, but there are new families that really would love to get their children to come and and be in the school. And also, school attendance has not attendance, enrollment has dropped by almost 10% in the last eight years. So, I mean, we have the ability to have these families enroll their children. It would help the school district, truthfully, is what I believe. I went to Cold Spring Harbor. I would love also to have the opportunity to be in a house that I can be in, that my children can be in, and that I can raise them in. So, this is the swiftest, fairest, and most cost-effective resolution for the district, for

151the families, and for the integrity of Cold Spring Harbor itself. Thank you for your time and your service to this community, and I will provide the maps for you, and I can leave them up front if that works. >> Thank you. >> You Joe could reach out to Do you have her information to reach out to her? She could reach out to you if she has any questions. >> You can reach out to us attorney questions. We'll look at the our attorneys and any maps you have. >> Thank you very much, Anna. >> Thank you. >> Sorry. >> Does anybody else have any to speak on? All right. We now will move to approval of the minutes. Um, we're going to start with the July 8th, 2025 organizational minutes. All were present. May I have

152a first? Alex, a second. Lisa, any questions? All in favor? Okay. The July 8th, 2025 minutes. All were present. May have a first. Lisa, a second. Bill. Any questions? All in favor? Okay. The July 15, 2025 minutes, Alex, Mark, and Bill were absent. So, we're going to have to table that. Can I have Right. Yes. So, can I have a motion to table those minutes? No. >> Don't have to table them. >> No, you we don't have the right on that yet. Then you should >> That's right. All right. So, a motion to table the July 15, 2025 minutes because there's not a quorum present. May I have a first? Alex, a second. Mark, any questions? All in favor? Okay, this is another one. I believe we're going to have to table the July 31st,

1532025 minutes. Alex, me, and Bill were absent. So, I'm going to make a motion to table the July 31st 2025 minutes because a quorum is not present. May I have a first? Lisa, may I have a second? Mark, any questions? All in favor? We now move to personnel recommendations of the superintendent? No. Well, we will take all resignations and appointments on page 2 to 21 as the slate. May I have a first? Alex, a second. Lisa, any questions? I'll give you a second to get to page 21. You're good. All right. All in favor? We will now conduct a public hearing. >> Morati, can I just acknowledge that >> um uh Kathy Ball, who is the aid who works in the junior high cafeteria, has submitted her uh retirement, and we just want to thank

154her for her many years of service to the Culting Harbor community. Uh same thing with Christine Riley uh who has worked in uh the writing lab at the high school, also has printed all of the posters for all of our students who participate in science research. Uh she is also uh retiring um on September 5th. Um I would also like to recognize uh Carolyn Hos who will be our uh new reading teacher uh this year. Congratulations. Excited to have you. And congratulations to Miss Ball, Miss Riley on their retirement. >> Thank you. >> They will surely be missed. I remember Miss Ball working in the junior high cafeteria when I was in the building as an assistant principal. She was a mother to everyone there. Um and I don't know, were you there when Miss

155B? Yes. Truly, I don't think you were there when Miss B was there. A mother to everyone. Amazing. She will truly be missed. As will Miss Riley, who's who's amazing. >> Thank you. All right. We will now conduct a public hearing on the district-wide safety plan. Can I have a motion to conduct a public hearing on the district-wide safety plan? First, Mark, a second bill. All in favor? Okay. Upon conclusion of the public hearing, the chair will gavvel the hearing to a close. No motion required. >> So this is something we submit to the state. We had it at our last board meeting. We approved it, put on a website. It is pretty much just data and information, names, phone numbers, email addresses of people who are in charge of certain areas. Uh and the

156building, nothing that would say secure information is out there. It's really a report back to uh the state. Uh Rich put it together. Uh anything you want to share, Rich? I don't think there's It really is just information to the state that we submit. >> Okay, great. >> Thank you, Rich. >> Am I supposed to use this? Gav, >> you know you >> this is like my one chance to use it because you guys all behave so well. So, >> all right. We now move to business recommendations. We will take bid awards, change orders, budget transfers, claims, auditor reports on page 22 to 23 as a slate. We have a first. >> Uh I think we want to talk about the two bid awards possibilities separately. Can we pull that? Okay. >> I'm sorry. No,

157I apologize. >> Okay, let me see where they are. Pages >> page 22. >> Oh, see there's no pages on this. I have to go old school. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, we're going to table >> on the bottom the pages on the >> We're going to table these. >> Listen, we want to talk talk about these. >> Oh, talk about these. We're going to pull these out. >> Uh we're going to pull these out. Yes. >> Okay. So, we will take a motion for the bid awards on page 22, section 13. Can I have a motion first? Alex. A second. bill. Any questions? Table the July 15, 2025 minutes because there is not a quorum present. May I have a first? Alex, a second. Mark, any questions? All in favor? Okay, this is another

158one I believe we're going to have to table at the July 31st 2025 minutes. Alex, me, and Bill were absent. So, I'm going to make a motion to table the July 31st, 2025 minutes because a quorum is not present. May I have a first? Lisa, may I have a second? Mark, any questions? All in favor? We now move to personnel recommendations of the superintendent? No. Well, we will take all resignations and appointments on page 2 to 21 as the slate. May I have a first? Alex, a second. Lisa, any questions? I'll give you a second to get to page 21. You're good. All right. All in favor? We will now conduct a public hearing. >> Morati, can I just acknowledge that >> um uh Kathy Ball, who is the aid who works in the junior

159high cafeteria, has submitted her uh retirement, and we just want to thank her for her many years of service to the Cold Spring Harbor community. Uh, same thing with Christine Riley, uh, who has worked in, uh, the writing lab at the high school, also has printed all of the posters for all of our students who participate in science research. Uh, she is also, uh, retiring um, on September 5th. Um, I would also like to recognize uh, Carolyn Hos who will be our uh, new uh, reading teacher uh, this year. Um, very happy to be here. >> Congratulations. Excited to have you. And congratulations to Miss Ball and Miss Riley on their retirement. >> Thank you. >> They will surely be missed. I remember Miss Ball working in the junior high cafeteria when I was in

160the building as an assistant principal. She was a mother to everyone there. Um and I don't know, were you there when Miss B? Yes. Truly. I don't think you were there when Miss B was there. A mother to everyone. Amazing. She will truly be missed as will Miss Riley who's who's amazing. >> Thank you. All right. We will now conduct a public hearing on the district-wide safety plan. Can I have a motion to conduct a public hearing on the district-wide safety plan? First, mark a second bill. All in favor? Okay. Upon conclusion of the public hearing, the chair will gave the hearing to a close. No motion required. So this is something we submit to the state. We had it at our last board meeting. We approved it, put on a website. It is pretty

161much just data and information, names, phone numbers, email addresses of people who are in charge of certain areas uh and the building. Nothing that would say is secure information is out there. It's really report back to uh the state. Uh Rich put it together. U anything you want to share, Rich? I don't think there's it really is just information to the state that we submit. >> Okay, great. >> Thank you, Rich. >> Am I supposed to use this? Gab, >> you know you're >> This is like my one chance to use it because you guys all behave so well. So, >> all right. We now move to business recommendations. We will take bid awards, change orders, budget transfers, claims, auditor reports on page 22 to 23 as a slate. They have a first. >> Uh

162I think we want to talk about the two bid awards possibilities separately. Can we pull that? >> I'm sorry. No, I apologize. >> Okay, let me see where they are. Pages >> page 22. >> Oh, see there's no pages on this. I have to go old school. >> Okay. So, we're going to table >> the bottom the pages on the >> We're going to table these. >> Listen, we want to talk talk about these. >> Oh, talk about these. We're going to pull these out. >> Uh, we're going to pull these out. Yes. >> Okay. So, we will take a motion for the bid awards on page 22, section 13. Can I have a motion first? Alex, a second. bill. Any questions? >> All in. >> What are we doing? >> We're just moving to

163take them out first. >> I think we want to discuss. >> We want to discuss these two. >> We're recommending to you, >> okay, >> that you not award, but it's up to you to decide whether you're accepting our recommendation. >> So, >> right, the first one is work to be done at Wood Harbor side. Um, the number came in very high. Again, Joe, I I 200 >> $280,000 for work that when it was bid last spring was valued at $160,000. >> So, very high. Obviously, the the concern we do have if they do go down and we can't repair, there will be issues with heat at Lloyd Harbor and Westside in certain sections. So there is somewhat of a gamble, but the prices are astronomical uh compared to what we originally had bidded out.

164>> So what are we risking if we choose to wait? >> The risk is if they do if they do break and they're not repairable, there will be costs associated with providing heat to the building. Again, depending upon what that breakdown is, it could anywhere be from space heaters to heat trucks coming in to hook up to run heat for the building. And it also depends on how long it would take or how long it would be down and when what part of the the the uh winter it happens. Uh we do know that these parts are estimated to be 20 weeks out from purchase if we do award the bid and then installation. Uh if it's done that's roughly in December. Heat would have to be taken down in the building. So it would

165have to be done over a vacation. So, there's lots of whatifs that we don't know. If we would look to we go out to bid, have this work done at the end of the school year, the beginning of the summer where heat isn't required in the building, a longer lead time uh goes out for a bid now where um the contractors don't have work or very little work on the books and we think we will get more advantageous pricing. >> So, the delta is what between the first and the second bid? How much was that? 160 was the original in jail. The second was 280, $120,000 >> um on a small amount. >> And we got we have two bids on this one. The second bid was over $300,000. >> What exactly are they repairing

166or replacing? >> Uh Anthony Clemens is here. So if I say something wrong, Anthony, you'll correct me, right? There are two at Lloyd Harbor. There are two condensate tanks that collect steam and return it to the boiler in the form of water so they could be put back into steam and used to heat the building. Those condensate tanks are very old. They're fragile. They've lasted for a long time. Um but they they should be replaced. At west side there's one condensate tank >> boiler feed tank >> and boiler feed tank right um and uh same situation. So um they and we believe that the reason why the bids came in the way they did was because contractors who are doing this kind of work are now filled up. Their book is filled for the summer.

167their dance cards are filled and they just threw a number out there in the hope that we would say, "Oh, we've got to get this done." Yeah. And, you know, they'll work on overtime, they'll work on weekends, they'll charge us premium rates, etc. Um, we think that if we uh went out to bid in the spring or in the winter uh and did the work in the spring that we'd get much better pricing because people will be hungry. They'll be looking for work again. >> And then we'll also package it with other work we want to do like the air conditioning across the district for all the classrooms, some work at the westside kitchen. So, it's economies of scale to have more work done at the same time. Anthony, have we gotten an indication that

168these are close to failure or imminently gonna imminently going to fail? >> There's no way to predict that, but we started this process a while ago. So, we made this lasting season that sits Do these fail often these kind of tanks? >> Again, we haven't seen obviously but as their life is extended risk and I keep saying that that's why I'm reminded by Mr. Monasterero that when he bought his house, >> the engineer told him that his boiler was about to fail uh within days. I still have it 38 years later. >> Well, Mlan does a good job. It's still going strong. >> You know, my boiler was due to being the Smithsonian. It was sold. I finally put it in. I finally replaced it. But um if they do fail, what fails and are

169they repairable? >> Anthony, would you like to come up to the microphone? I'm sorry. >> I think partly is it depends. I'll let Anthony answer. Sorry. >> I I said I'll let you answer. I was going to say something. Well, I'm just going to say that again, depending on what the failure is, these if if the vessel goes and and it breaks and it's it's it's broken open, you you can't repair that. So, with these components, they're big. They're big systems, and that's why the lead times are long. Um, but it's not just one item. It is all the supporting items. So, we're doing what we can to make sure that our our pumps and our other equipment is up and running to support the system. We we have fired up the system over at

170West recently. So this again it's very hard to predict. I don't want to say anything and uh and misspeak on that. >> Anthony, do you think when replaced there would be efficiencies in the system that we use x amount of 100 gallons now per day for oil? Let's say do you think in replacing it comes down to 80 or 70 or this? It doesn't matter. It's just it's unit for unit. There should be in theory with equipment that is operating um more efficiently. It should it it should lead to to savings in in other areas. >> I have a question if if these are 20 weeks out from being ordered. um like I'm trying to figure out how contractors would be busy like are they busy 20 weeks out and how is that going to

171change if we push it to the spring? I this the only thing I can tell you is that when it went from 160 to 280 it wasn't just inflation it could not >> was also part of a larger project though now too right and this is >> the whole project the whole HVAC contract from April was $42,000 $ 160 of which were these condensate tanks it included air conditioning ing work, duct work to get fresh air into classrooms. There was a whole bunch of stuff. When a contractor comes and he mobilizes and gets his crew in um and does much more work, the mobilization happens once. The insurance certificates happen once and then he does more work. So, it's more cost effective for him. in this case, he literally he literally threw a number out

172there in the hope that we would buy it. >> And we're hoping that work would have been done over the summer when you know, you don't have to be quiet. You could be in and out all you want, you know, so it puts some constraints on. >> And also the feeling in the industry too is we'd get more comp competition. We we'd see more people involved in the bidding or at least that's the hope. Maybe Mr. Ro want to >> We had only two bids on this particular project. The first bidder was 280,000. The second bidder was 320. So, um, we we know that we could get better bids. We got better bids the last time we went out, and we think that that's what we should do. That's that's what our recommendation is, but

173>> um >> No, >> but we'll have another audience to visitors later on. This is >> so I think we're talking about spring, right? >> Yeah, we're talking about Well, >> 20 weeks from now gets us to mid January roughly. >> Yeah, we're talking about maybe a redesign, maybe repackaging the project, maybe going out to bid in December or so with an install date in the spring. um allowing for the lead time to purchase the equipment. Um and if it's part of a larger project, we're hopeful that the bid numbers will be lowered. >> Anybody have any thoughts? >> What is the cost like of the risk if something does go wrong? What are we looking at as far as the cost? It's like if it's an off chance, are we looking at 100,000? We

174have no idea how much how, you know, >> I started to reach out to companies that deal with this and they're trying to put together some numbers for us so we can at least have an idea of what it would be. It would probably be in the form of a restoration company, people who deal with loss and have to come in on short notice and have access to equipment. Um, there's a lot of companies out there that would that provide this service. So I I reached out to somebody who's done work in the school before to try to find out some more information and give administration a little bit more accurate pricing or at least a ballpark so we know what we're dealing with and also have these people available to know that we might

175be in that situation. >> We may have a very mild winter again, >> right? >> Um in which case uh it would be very different than if we have a real cold snap. So, >> it also depends on how fast we can fix it, right? Like, what's the cost of losing a day of instruction or having the kids move to another building and, you know, losing that instruction time, but it's a gamble, >> right? And when it goes down, is it a Friday night, right? >> Or is it a Monday morning? Uh, is it 60° or is it 20°? Uh, >> on that day, >> the these are anything with the build. I mean, as as we reminded the people who came to Westside today, General, excuse me, General Washington slept there. There are some

176older components in some of these buildings. >> But your recommendation, Joe, is to hold off. Is that >> to to not award the bid? Yeah. >> Because I think that the price is outrageous. >> Yeah. I I I mean, you know how I feel about things like this. I think if it all fails, is there a plan B for where kids could could go? So, I mean, I think >> and that's what Anthony, it's it depends upon what the failure is. There will be some breaks we fix and it's down for 10 minutes, we have it running. If he said if the vessel the thing completely cracks, that's a huge undertaking. >> I know. I mean, I live on Lloyd Neck where like the wind blows and my whole neighborhood loses power. So, I guess

177we just forge on. But, um, it seems like a big price to pay for something that might not happen. Right. >> Right. There's lot lots of things that could happen to close school that we're not throwing over hundred,000 extra dollars at, right? >> I mean, we'll be looking at things like >> we're not burying all of our wires just in case a tree comes down. I mean, there's >> Right. This is one of those preventative maintenance. It has to be important, >> right? It has to be preventative because you can't just go fix it. Like your stove breaks, you go, you buy a new one, you put it in, you're down for a day. These are these are bigger things. I think when we took the tour, someone mentioned I one of these was the

178size in my apartment complex growing up. I mean, these are big pieces of equipment. They're not small. It takes a little time. >> Maybe this is a silly question. >> No silly questions, >> but um we're assuming that the labor went up, not the parts. >> Not that much. >> I mean, would it be worth could we order the parts? >> I don't I don't know the answer to that question. Between April and now, there are new tariffs in place. I don't know if that's impacting the supply chain. >> Um, labor certainly cost labor costs have certainly risen. There's no doubt about that. But I I could not break it down for you. I don't know >> where the contractor came up with that number. I just know it's outrageous. So, >> we're gonna let

179the staff go because I know you we have a lot going on. It's after 10. Um, so >> you could stay. No, Joe. Notice I did not look at you. I was looking straight ahead purposefully. You're more than welcome to stay. >> But please, >> thank you all for coming. >> Yes. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everyone. Um, >> Miss Lampensky, do you have something for me? >> You did. Okay, thank you. Okay, good. Thank you. >> Thank you everyone. >> So, do we need to keep discussing it or >> if anyone has anything else to say or we could take >> an exception to let her give her insight. She sounds like she might know about >> think so. I would think not. >> Would it would it change our >> but

180I'm glad she has a chance later. >> Um All right. So >> you could start it maybe years ago. That's what I was looking for. Okay. >> So they're tying out the numbers and now we're getting the allowances. >> Correct. Okay. >> That's correct. >> Very good. >> Okay. >> Any other questions? >> All right. All in favor? Okay, we are now going to take additional business matters on pages 23 to 26 as a slate. May I have a first? Lisa, a second. Alex, any questions? All in favor? We move to special education reports. We will take cse, CPSSE, and contract approvals on page 26 as a slate. May I have a first, Alex? A second. Lisa. Any questions? All in favor? We will now move to other matters on page 27 through 28 A

181through E as a slate. May I have a first? Bill. A second. Alex. Any questions? All in favor? The agenda includes financial reports on page 28 and these reports are forformational purposes. No vote necess is necessary. If needed, Mr. Draone will answer any questions from the board of education and the public. Feel free to call his office. Right. We're moving on to the discussion section of our agenda. I open the floor again to any other discussion items from members of the board of education. Okay. We will now continue with our second audience to visitors. >> I was just gonna say you're right in waiting for busy summer and the time for early Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. L. >> All right. And that will conclude our meeting. Um, can I have a motion to

182adjourn the meeting? >> Thought we had to adopt goals. Oh, yes, it wasn't. >> Thank you. >> We didn't adopt it. >> Good catch. All right, let's move to adopt um our board goals that we discussed this evening for 2025 2026 year. You may have a first bill, a second. Any questions? All in favor? All right. And now we'll conclude the meeting. May I have a motion to adjourn? Jjurnn first Lisa, second Bill. Any questions? All in favor? We're done. Kids, >> that motion was made with