Mount Vernon Board of Education Regular Meeting 050625

001[Music] Today is Tuesday, May 6th. Please stand for the pledge. 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. Thank you. Trusty Mcdana, present. Trusty Marabel, present. Sorry. Please note trustee Mitchell will be joining us via um video conference this evening. Trusty. Great. Trusty Injinga. Trusty White. Trusty Cerwin here. VP Kelly. President Saunders. We have our quorum. Stu. Oh, sorry. Yeah. And Trusty Middleton. I have you checked. Trusty Middleton, you're here. Okay. Student Trusty Deg Grand Prix here. Okay. Great. We have our quorum. There is no legal requirement to recognize public comment at meetings of the board of education. However, the board recognizes critical importance of community discourse and involvement in the education

002of Mount Vernon's children and accordingly members of the public are invited to speak at each regularly scheduled board meeting subject to the terms of the board policy. Please state your name, address, and organization if any you represent. A speaker must register in advance by no later than 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by contacting the district clerk in person at 165 North Columbus Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York, by phone at 9146655235 or by email. The board welcomes all respectful comments, whether praise or criticism. However, identifying and criticizing a specific student, parent, teacher, administrator, other Mount Vernon education official or employee is strictly prohibited. Any such complaint must be presented and addressed through the proper administrative channels. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to speak. Up to one additional minute may be used for the

003speaker to summarize and conclude their remarks. If appropriate, board trustees and or the superintendent or other staff members at the direction of the superintendent may immediately respond to a speaker's remark. Our first speaker this evening is Linda Castro. Thank you. Can you please put the timer on? Um, my name is Linda Castro. One one moment, Miss Castro. Sure. Thank you. Okay, you could start. Um, my name is Linda Castro. I live at One Park Lane here in Mount Vernon, and I represent no one but myself and the children. Before I'm anything else, I'm a mother. I feel about the children I've known at Honor Academy the way I feel about my own. I want to protect them and nurture them to help them in whatever way I can to achieve their potential. And believe me

004when I tell you they have great potential. I want them to know that they have within themselves the ability to succeed, to know that they are good and that they are loved just the way they are. And they're loved even when they make a mistake. I would be there now if it weren't so difficult to watch the way they're treated and be unable to do anything to change it. As an educator, I would never say or do anything to another child that I wouldn't say or do to my own. Educating children is more than teaching three Rs. True education involves helping the whole child intellectually, socially, and emotionally to recognize their worth and to master their ability to successfully navigate life. Successfully navigating life involves respectful interactions with others. Children only learn respect when respect

005is shown to them and modeled for them by the adults around them. I want to thank this board for taking the time to listen to my concerns about the lack of respect shown to our children and for taking my concerns seriously. I understand that efforts will be made to provide training for lunchroom staff regarding their interactions with our children. Although the district is in financial distress at this time, I would urge you, please allocate funds for inperson as opposed to online training lunchroom personnel. Monitors and servers in training need to be able to ask specific questions about specific situations and learn how to appropriately handle those situations. They need at least a cursory understanding of child development in order to appreciate why we don't scream and constantly punish that harsh punishment leads to a lack

006of self-esteem and that a lack of self-esteem prevents children from achieving their potential. Please, I beg you, please demand that our children be treated as Dr. Karen Dunley encourages with respect, compassion, and a firm belief in their ability to succeed. As I've said before and I will say again, our children deserve nothing less than the very best that we have. Thank you. I'm sorry. May I May I respond to Miss Castro very quickly? Um, Miss Castro, I know you I don't know if you can see me on the TV screen because they got the timer up, but this is Trusty Mitch. Um, I did go to the building uh that you are referring to. I have spoken to the sue uh the principal there and thank you for what you brought to the conversation. Uh,

007it's been taken very seriously and I know that there's been a conversation already about just what you just said, training and things like that and the importance thereof. Thank you again for your efforts and for playing a part in our school district. As I know you were also one of the lunch monitors. You did your part and um I thank you very much. Thank you for bringing this to our attention as well. Thank you, Trusty Mitchell. Erica Peterson. Good evening everyone. My name is Erica Peterson and I'm a resident here in Mount Vernon, New York. I would like to speak tonight on allegations of child sexual abuse that the husband of board president Adrien Saunders named Gregory Bonapart announced that they had knowledge of on April 28th, 2025. They have proclaimed to have alleged knowledge

008of ongoing child sexual abuse happening here in this district to an eighth grade female student. But instead of reporting it to law enforcement or to the acting superintendent, they have decided to go on social media and also send out blast emails to members of this community bragging about allegedly having knowledge of this. Instead of reporting these claims of alleged sexual abuse happening to our children in this district to law enforcement, it was stated by the board president's husband that he would place a bet of contributing $100,000 to an organization if these allegations were proven. As a mother of children in this school district and for other mothers and fathers of our children, I am absolutely sickened to learn of adults who claim to know of sexual abuse to children, but yet not reported to the

009proper authorities. Behavior like that by Trusty Saunders and her husband is what in criminal law is called being complicit. And if having knowledge of alleged child sexual abuse and not reporting it to the proper authorities, but instead blasting it across social media is a campaign election strategy that Trusty Saunders and Trusty Cerwin are running, then they have absolutely no business being near or around any of our children in this school district. Our children will not be a part of their vile and desperate campaign. Thank you, Miss Peterson. Melville Melville Campbell, board trustees, uh members of the community, my colleagues, uh good evening. Um tonight, um just have a one statement, one question. I'm going to start with the question. Um, is there any good news? It seems the last four to six months we've been

010stuck in a negative news cycle of closing schools, of couple hundred people losing their jobs or being laid off, of major things like just community outrage. um and what that does to the psychology of the staff members like myself that still work here and or anybody looking to work here. I don't know. Is there any good news? We we we looking very dark. Um, and on that topic of bad news, um, one of the units that I'm close with and work with, the TA unit, teachers assistant, teaching assistant unit, got some other news that some of the people that are being laid off are going to be replaced by teachers aids. So, the question is, why would that happen? And I know I'm looking when I look at the board and the makeup of the

011board, I know I see people who are well entrenched in special education as far as being directors, administrators, andor principles or might just be involved in the community. We have a very large community of uh unique learners. Um, and if you do your comparison or your budget analysis with the salary of a TA or an aid, you're probably going to find that the figures for starting somewhat similar. So, I don't know why our district would turn the clock back on the teaching assistants who are partners in educating who fight the battles along with the special education teachers who when the kids get upset and need a moment, we're right there for them. When they kick, scream, and bite and fight, we're right there for them. When the teacher is absent, we fill in as a

012substitute. We're right there for them. And I know just about everybody will probably agree in silence, but it has to be push back. Um, silence becomes betrayal. That's a quote by Martin Luther King. We cannot turn the clock back and even if we save a few pennies because that's all you would save and put our unique learning community at risk. I don't know if the parents know about this possibility, but they should be informed and let's let's not act like this is not happening because it's already showing up in the paperwork. So, it's not like it's we're going to wait and see. It's already happening. I'm sure several people might know, but I would ask if my word or my desire to uh make you guys make a U-turn on that, I would just ask

013you to consider it to have a conscious of it because what you might save in a few pennies, you're going to lose in quality. Thank you very much. Thank you Pat. Pat Pat Rosamanda. Good evening board trustees. My name is Pat Rosamanda. I live at 215 Hillrest Road in Mount Vernon. I'm also the civil service administrator for the city of Mount Vernon. I'm joined here this evening with Commission President Joan Battle. I'm here to address the issue of the layoffs. Um, there are lots of rumors swirling around and we felt it was extremely important to address you personally this evening to provide clarification regarding the status of the school layoffs. In January 2025, the district announced the closing of three schools. I'm not sure of the time frame that the discussion or the decisions for

014layoffs started to take place. Civil service was never included in any of these discussions. We found out quite by accident through phone calls from employees and outside individuals that were aware of what was going on. Um, at the same time, the CSEA union representatives were included in this discussion and became extremely belligerent to myself and another school employee. So much so that the head of CSEA up in Albany, New York, called me and said that if that that if we didn't back off that we were interfering and causing a lot of confusion within the district regarding the layoffs. So I went home and I said to myself, how am I going to prove this information to be correct? We put our heads together in the office. I did my research. I went to New York

015State Civil Service and I also addressed my civil service law book. Civil service should have been the first and foremost entity to be included in school layoffs. And I do have a handout for all of the board trustees to read and to see that it is written law. Okay. So upon that we decided to call a meeting together. Um I became aware of the layoff sometime the middle of April on the 17th. I was sent a list from uh the HR department that contained what they had determined to be the proper layoff the names the positions and things of that nature. So again, the belligerent calls from the CSEA union continued. On April 24th, civil service called a joint meeting with the reps from the HR department, the CSEA union reps, Dr. Smith, and your

016council, Mr. Royce. I just need another minute. At this meeting, we provided all the attendees in writing the civil service law regarding layoffs. The CSEA unit you uh cse union union reps were silenced and proven incorrect as to their input and their advice to the school district. Now the list of your employees that are being effective is affected by the layoff is in the civil service office for review of accuracy. We receive this information late and we are not going to be pressured into providing a list of individuals to be laid off prior to us doing our due diligence. And most of all, we are asking for your patience to allow us to do our job. We have experienced a lot of disdain the past few weeks and we will not take the blame for

017this fauxpaw. Thank you. Thank you, [Applause] Ariana. Good evening everyone. Um, my name is Ariana Agalar and I am a parent of two scholars at Mount Vernon Honor Academy. I want to speak to you about concerns that parents from schools that are closing have regarding not knowing what schools our children will be assigned to for next year. It is the first week of May and prior to the news story that came out last week from News12, we had not received an update about when families will know. In that news story, it was mentioned that families would know by the second week of June. I wish this update would have been given by the district rather than a story on News12 because I am sure that many families, including families that don't subscribe to cable or

018are not English-speaking, have not received this update, which also includes information that non-English speakers are not receiving about the uh the budget presentations that are currently um happening and have not received in town halls and other meetings um this school year. even though it had been mentioned that you know outreach to the um non-English-speaking community would happen and it has not. I am also concerned that this time frame will not give families enough time to address issues that they may have with the placement which can include location or if families can't have siblings split up. From the last time I inquired, staff retained by the district also did not know pl their placements um in teaching for next year. The timeline of when families might be notified highlights concerns regarding this reorganization being rushed and

019not having followed a phased approach of gradually closing schools rather than all at once. Families would also like an update and to be kept in the loop regarding the search and hiring of the new superintendent. Families would also like an opportunity to have an open house or to visit the school prior to the first day of school in order to help with the emotional impact that these closures will have for our children and to minimize a chaotic start to the new school year and to familiarize our children with their new schools. I want to thank Principal Maro, all staff and all teachers for keeping their ef for their efforts and for keeping things business as usual um despite the circumstances that they've been dealing with. Uh the families and staff at Mount Vernon Honor Academy

020are heartbroken about the school closing, especially given that it is a building in good condition and good academic standing. It is a loss and a disservice to the students of our district for the space to not be used in the future for them. We really need as much support as possible during this transition and timely updates and communication from the school district is going to be crucial. Thank you and have a good evening. Thank you, Latoya Anderson. Good evening everyone. Uh my name is Latoya Anderson and tonight I'm here on behalf of the Mount Vernon PTA Council. We have also our PTA Council President Michelle Ray with us. Um, I know a gentleman just asked about good news and I just want to break it to you guys. Um, thank you teachers and staff of

021Mount Vernon City School District for supporting the Eat It Kaplan scholarship dinner dance on April 25th. Um, we had over 450 attendees and we were able to raise $30,000 which will go so there is one good news sorry which will indeed go towards our scholarship fund of assisting high school uh seniors and also eighth grade um seniors. Um, so thank you for uh mentioning it several times in your superintendent report uh acting superintendent and um I I just wish that I had seen more board trustees uh supporting us but next year for sure. Um I also furthermore I just want to take this opportunity um to clarify the PTA's position regarding the upcoming school board election. Um PTA is a nonforprofit organization. We are nonpartisan and we are nonbiased. We do not endorse any candidate

022publicly at all. Um our position stand we would like to educate get more parents involved get more community members involved in the voting process. That is our position. Um, on May 13th, we are hoping, I said hoping, um, to have a schoolboard forum at Graham School. And, um, it is on the agenda tonight to be voted on. And our only our I'm I'm going to just, uh, say that it is we're only doing this for the best interest of our students. That is what we stand for. That is what we are about. And I also want to make it clear that whoever there's no one that's running for schoolboard election is a part of this planning process. There's no one at all. And the same time they find out about everything is the same time

023everyone else finds about finds out about what's happening. So I just wanted to make this clear. Um Michelle, did you want to say anything? Okay. Well, thank you everyone and have a good evening. Thank you. Jani Janine Fatiel. Good evening everyone. My name is Janine Fertil. I'm the vice president of the PTA Council. I'm sorry. One moment. Just one moment. Let Let him Is the clock running? Perfect. Go ahead. Set it back to three. You know what? Yeah, set it back. I didn't see it running. Good evening, everyone. My name is Janine Fertil. No, again. Okay, I guess know my name by the time this is all over. So, everyone knows me already. My name is Janine Fertil. I'm the president of the Mount Vernon PTA, the vice president of the Mount Vernon PTA council.

024The PTA represents parents, educators, community leaders, and anyone concerned with the welfare of children and youth. PTA has been advocating for their health, safety, education, protection, and general welfare for over 100 years. Mount Vernon PTA Council is not a standalone organization. We are supported by Westchester East Putnham Region PTA. We're also supported by New York State PTA and National PTA. I was shocked when Mount Vernon PTA council was told that we would not be able to hold a school school board forum. Many of the surrounding communities PTA have already start have already host started hosting school board candidate forums and many of them have forums scheduled for the future. PTA council. Reasons PTA council should host forums is to help inform voters, encourage community engagement, help with transparency, promote dialogue, encourage voter turnout, and help

025empower parents. In essence, hosting a schoolboard forum will help build a stronger and more informed, more engaged school community, which allow all of us to be key partners in our educational outcome. PTA has guidelines that we are here to to ensure that PTA can successfully host a candidate forum ed and educate voters while maintaining the organization's nonpartisan integrity. Our goal is to successfully host a candidate forum that educate voters while maintaining our organization's non-partisan integrity. Thank you. Thank you, Cynthia Krenshaw. Thank you, baby. Good evening, Cynthia Krenshaw, a lifelong resident of Mount Vernon. It's a real shame the word is circulating through the comm community and the churches again that the union principle of principles has asked the principles to write a letter to the commission of education to try and remove trustee militin from

026her seat. Trustee Militin has had over 800 votes and this is going to be hard to do. Okay, that's what's circling in the community. Okay. Um, after the principal of Rebecca Turner was relieved from his duties as principal, an administrative staff went back into the building and asked a female security guard was there any fair between the two. She was embarrassed, hurt and disrespected. That question was not fair to her and it was very low. The admin person that went back and asked these question was accused of several unpleasant situation and was moved from various buildings. This is unethical and it's not fair. They are trying to remove this principal because they have three friends under him that is a principal and by removing him they move up. This practice must stop. Seniority is important

027and you should not have to deal with these type of situations. This person had no business going back in that building and asking a security guard, did she have an affair with this principal? It's not fair. Another issue that is taking place is that a principal and a custodian had an affair. Had an affair. The custodian was fired and the principal kept her job and had a two-year investigation. It's not fair again. And FYI, while I was paying my taxes at city hall, a lady approached me and said, "I've seen you at city hall, but I want you to know that we are putting together a class lawsuit against this board." just f this is just a FYI for the board. Another thing is the teach the students at um Rebecca Turner the science region

028they have not had a teacher for one year. So are these kids going to be exempt because they can't take the test? They don't have a teacher. And I heard this is going on at Mount Vernon High School as far as the math goes. They don't have a teacher. So how can they take this exam? Are they going to be exempt? When are we going to be introduced to the new superintendent? Is there a letter from Orbony, an official letter from Orbony stating when our schools is closed and why are we entitled to that? Again, these practices must stop. They must stop to try to get rid of this principle from Rebecca Turner and to put this action in to go back and try to put this on this principle that there was an affair

029and it was not it's not fair. Let's do the right thing. Karma is a Bit T. Okay? And it will bite you. And sugar honey iced tea starts at the top. So let's do the right thing. Let's bring this principal back. He did not do anything. He's a black male principal that the boys looks up to that he teaches these boys how to tie their ties, how they should walk with ladies. When l when girls come to the door, open the doors for them and they look up to this principal. What you did to that man is not right to have that man to go back in school and try to put that lie on that man that said it was an affair. She was very disrespectful. And the person that did it, I understand,

030has had issues in this district. And you looked over it like you looked over your friend, the principal that had an affair with the custodian, fired him. She's still here. Thank you. Brenda L. Crump. [Applause] Hello. Good evening, everyone. I'm going to start out this way. Mount Vernon. On May 17th, there will be a taxpayer revolt and a campaign to properly educate students. The school district just received $21 million in federal money and millions more from the state. Yet, they want to raise your taxes. The state comprollers cited the school district for misappropriating millions of our tax dollars. Yes, millions. They are robbing the students of an education and their safety. Before we give them another dime, we must force the school district to open their books and perform audits. Vote no for the school

031budget and no to more taxes. If we fail to stop this travesty, students and taxpayers will suffer. On May 17th, vote for the school board candidates Laura Kerwin on 2A, Adrienne Saunders 3A, and Mark Lency 6A. They are running to protect students as well as taxpayers. Wow. So now I will go into a 3.3% tax increase on this community after we've had the board president trustee Adrien Saunders in 2022. The majority board ruled for a modest three uh 0.5% tax levy increase and we had the board president vote uh in the opposition of that and then started a revolt tax campaign against the school district and her colleagues. As someone asked the question, we want the information as to had we started in 2022 with the modest 0.5%, where would we be right now? Because

032is 3.3% modest? So, if the president brings a tax revolt against a modest 0.5, how is it acceptable for a 3.3%. And this question go to every trustee that voted in favor of a 3.3%. What was your rationale? What were you looking at with the physical strengths that the district is in the distress people can't afford to pay their taxes now? Cuz it's not the city that owes, it's the taxpayers or the property owners that owe the money. So if the people can't pay their taxes now, what do you think about a 3.3% tax increase? So, especially for those incumbents who ran on consecutive zero uh% tax levy, we want to hear from you, the community, if you thought a modest 0.5% was too much and you launched a tax revolt campaign against the majority

033rule of the board and had the community vote down that budget, then blame the community because the budget was vote down when you went out and told them to vote it down. Lastly, I'm going to stop with that because I got 45 seconds and I need to cover something else. And we talk about transparency and integrity in this community. The community is fed up. We've had enough. People go out and vote on Tuesday, May 20th. If you're not happy, then vote for your happiness. Vote out people that are closing your schools. Vote out people who disrespect you. vote out people who was not thinking about our children for those consecutive years that they were doing 0% tax levy increases. Please update the community in regards to the superintendent. And again, we talk about not trusting

034this administration and the board members because when you have something on your website that you keep referencing for us to go to and you go to change it, that's a problem. It was April 15th on the website. It said on the supervent superintendent tax um the superintendent outline it said April 15th. Now to go back when I mention it now all of a sudden it disappears from the website. That's not good. That doesn't that does not build trust. So now it's not there. You don't replace it with anything. You give no updates. The timeline for to report to the community was Tuesday, April 15th. There was no board meeting because school was closed. Then you have the following week, the following board meeting, which is the 22nd, and there's still nothing to the community. Now

035we're in this board meeting, and there's still nothing to the community. Unacceptable and and disingenuous to take it down off the website to treat us like we're ignorant, we're stupid, we're side see now, like we don't know that it was up there. But what you didn't know or what you didn't do or couldn't do. And I got the receipts and I'm gonna put them up because the community needs to be informed, enlightened, educated, and empowered with factual knowledge. I'm going to put it up because it was on the timeline. The gentleman who ran the search spoke about it here. So, it's recorded. So, I'm not making anything up because I come with facts. You're not going to argue with me because here's the video. You're not going to argue with me because here's the PowerPoint

036presentation. Get it together. The community has had enough. We're fed up and we're calling all of you out. Community, vote on Tuesday, May 20th. Don't call me people. If you don't come out and vote, don't call me with your issues and your problems. I don't want to hear it. Come out and vote. Vote them out. Thank you, Pope Marbel. I can't ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Good good evening. I'm esteemed panel and thank you for allowing me to speak before you this evening. I am here again to speak about the acquisition of 101 Summit Avenue, which I think you all know that our hearts um at the library board are totally in the right place in regard to the support of this acquisition. Um Eie White is a literary icon. Um his

037story began in Mount Vernon, New York. His life ended in Brooklyn, Massachusetts, but in reality, his story has never ended. And this is an opportunity for our community to invest in itself for generations to come. So, what I would like to um bring to your attention is that we have changed the date of our presentation to the public to Monday, June the 2nd, 2025. I also want to alert your attention to a couple of other events that are upcoming. We're going to have a trustee a library trustees forum at the library on May 15, 2025. June 25th, we w we will be um honoring J. Gary Prello, um Assemblyman Jay Gary Prello. We are we have renamed the Grace Baker Community Room in honor of Jay Gary Prello. And that reception will take place on

038June 25th, 2025. I realize there's a small cluster, you know, of um community members that are giving us push back, but I'm out in the community, too, as you know, on an ongoing basis. We actually have a lot of support for the acquisition. We are covering all bases, not just the bond proposal. You know, we're working because we know that this is a great thing for the community. Also, I would like to acknowledge the fact that one of my mentors from high school, Dr. Larry Spruel, was in the room this evening, our city's historian. He had to leave a little bit early, but it was really great to see him that he graced us with his presence this evening. Um, we are doing great things at the library. It was it's been a rough rocky

039road, but we are we're in good standing. Um, we're in full complement with our finance department. Our books are fully reconciled. We've completed our audit. Our annual report was submitted timely. We've cured all of the other annual reports that have been pending. We are fully registered. There's a lot of rumors out there, but we are doing great. And I want to also acknowledge the presence of Councilwoman Caitlyn Gleason. If it hadn't been for Councilman um Caitlyn Gleason and um and Oscar Davis Jr. and Vivian Salman, the library would have never unearthed the $269,000 that had been unaccounted for for a few years. Um they did a payroll edit. Um they had DSJCPA find the money and the state and and we've been and we've been on a roll ever since. And so I must acknowledge

040Councilman um Caitlyn Gleason and thank you so much for helping us save the Mount Vernon Public Library and we are going to be serving this community for another 130 years. Thank you. Thank you. Uh as a point of privilege, I would just like to acknowledge that Hope Marble is my sister and today is her birthday. So I just want to thank her for being here tonight. Thank you, Maria Valdenos. Good afternoon. My name is Maria Baldovinos. I've been a long resident here. I actually attended a school here. Long story short, um you were the acting superintendent was going to meet us from Mount Vernon Leadership Academy and up to this date, nobody has actually reached out to us. There's a lot of rumors going on where the kids are going. What's going on? Also, what's

041going to happen with the middle schoolers? There's a lot of rumors going on. Are they going to go to this school or that school? They saying Steam Mara High School. Now, they mentioned they might go to a different school. We don't know as parents. We need to know. This is our kids coming out here to the school. Okay. So, as y'all made the decision to close the schools, now it's time to speak up and let us know what's going to happen with our kids. Thank you. I have a question. I have a question. I'm sorry. Ma'am, can you I I'm pegg I'm piggybacking off of you because I want to ask if on the district site regard on the reorg uh tab um there is uh the image of what was presented at the town

042hall which is kind of like this map with these pictures and these arrows going all over the place. It looks like um uh a video game. But what I'm trying to understand is there a way that we can put something simplified on the district that says exactly what this parent is asking. If your child is here and in this grade, where are they going? If we can have something that simple right on the district page right there as soon as we sometimes you open up the district page and something pops up on the screen before you can go anywhere and it's like no one even cared about that. But I think that's something that we should have go up and it should just capture the three buildings that are that are closing, the ones being

043impacted. Just have something simple. Hey, if your kid goes here now September, I'm sorry, your child kids are goats. If your child goes to this school that's being closed, they're going here September 7th. I'm sorry, September this coming year. Um, which middle school? All of that. Can we have something like that on the site? So that I know the frustration cuz I didn't even get to ask you about the teachers yet and whether they heard what they where they supposed to be going yet either. The response is yes, that can happen. Okay. So, we can we that's the timeline. Can we get a we can get a timeline for that? We do have a timeline on the website. No, no, no. I mean for how soon we can have that up. Well, I'm sorry. What?

044I'm sorry. Ma'am, can I ask your name again? Maria. Miss Maria can So, Miss Maria can check the website. When should Miss Maria check the website again? The parents should be getting noticed. He said actually the last town meeting we had, they said the superintendent was going to go to each school that was closing and she was going to say if you're this is how we're going to reroute them, but up until today, we haven't heard anything. We and I know it's what we have less than a month probably with all this going on. and I know you're going to be leaving and the new superintendent is going to be like, "Well, I didn't do this." And that's how they're going to wash off their hands. So, in regards to um will it will you

045be provided with that information? Yes, you will be provided with the information. We plan on sharing with each parent where their children would would go. you heard the end um the second week in June. We're trying to do that by the end of May and tours is is also being coordinated so that you'll be able to visit the the new school that your child will be attending. Are you going to come to the schools and let other parents, not just myself, I just you have to come out the same way you did other presentation saying that you're going to close down the school. The same way we expect to see you and a lot of parents have questions. Are you inviting me to come? Um, you sure them welcome. I bet you all the schools

046that are closing, they welcome to talk to come and talk to them. So, I did I did have a Zoom meeting with your building. I will come out to your school. Um, I will let your principal give me the best time to do that. Okay. Um, can it be in person? Yes, it can. Thank you. Thank you. Antinet King. Hey, greetings board members and parents. My name is Antonet King. I have been a citizen of Mount Vernon my entire life. I got my start at Cage Park Elementary School where Miss Lynn Middleton was the first person to greet me as a secretary where my principal was Miss Mary D. Spells and Mr. Adne was also in the building from when I was in kindergarten. So, it's a pleasure to see them. Um um I'm a

047former student, as I said, of the Mount Vernon City School District and a former employee. I have come before you this evening to express my disgust, disappointment, and outrage of the treatment of the Rebecca Turner Academy. The alternative program has been shuffled around too many times. They deserve stability and a permanent home, which I thought they had. As a community member, I thought they were given this when they were given the original Columbus Elementary building that had their name changed to Mandela Zakoffer, which we known as Dr. Z, who was the principal of the original academy, who his famous quote was, "No Buddha, no ripple." He spoke our kids' language. I was sadly mistaken. they would be stripped of their building and rightful name to be shuffled around again. Dr. Z didn't service elementary children.

048He service the children who were discarded and unwanted. They got their name changed two more times such as Sundown and now Rebecca Turner and moved two more times between Steam and Mount Vernon High School. At Rebecca Turner, they had a wonderful principal. Excellent. When my daughter was now going there for the first time this school year, she didn't know what she was going to encounter. She had a lot of apprehension. But this man welcomed her in the building. And he helped her get acclimated to the building. And he had supported her all the way all the way through. My daughter's a senior in the building. as a senior and they prepare for prom and graduation. They look for familiar faces to celebrate their accomplishments. To God be the glory, my child is graduating and won't

049have to suffer this injustice any longer. But what about the children that are not graduating? Sending them back into schools that didn't want them is setting them up for failure. Something different has to be done. If you want children to change, then you guys are going to have to change how you guys are treating them. You shuffle what you call the alternative children from building to building. How do you expect them to be able to make a change? And let me just be honest, as a former employee, they're really not alternative. It's how you approach them. It's not what you do, it's how you do it. A lot of them come from so many different backgrounds and all they just want is somebody to hear them out. A lot of them are hungry. A lot

050of them go through so many things in their home. You have no idea what they're going through. Yes. And if you just take a minute to stop thinking about all these different number crunches and just actually meet these kids where they are and do them a proper service, a proper service. It's more than just the dollars. It's like what are you here for if you don't want to do your job properly? Right. And that's all I have to say. I hope you have a wonderful evening. Thank you. And that ends public comments this evening. Superintendent report. Good evening, M Vernon. I wanted to begin by thanking um Mr. For Moso for his budget presentation. and he's our assistant superintendent for business and he provided a comprehensive budget um report. Please review the website. Additional budget

051presentations are being planned and scheduled over the next two weeks. Um please note that there will be a a budget presentation this Thursday, May 8th, at Pennit School. Um and others will follow as well. I also want to thank the PTA council for their wonderful, wonderful day a scholarship dance that took place on Friday, April 25th. As Latoya Anderson indicated, they raised significant amount of money and this goes to our our children. it. Um, people came out um and they really had a wonderful time. I want to say to the PTA council in particular this year, they wanted people to enjoy theirelves and it wasn't as much talking and everyone had a really really great time. So, we like the planning that went into it. Um, so I just wanted to thank them from the

052bottom of my heart for a a night that was and I've been to several of those dances and I believe that this one was the absolute best. So, thank you. Anyway, that ends my superintendent report. Thank you. Can everybody hear me? All right. All right. So, I don't really have any committee reports this week, but I would like to thank the board for letting me sit and ask questions during the um presentation last year from Automark last week. two weeks ago, sorry. And I would like to thank Trusty Mitchell for all his support and help this year with the research and backing me. So, thank you. Let me just say I was in high school last Thursday. I was looking I didn't see you. I tore the I to the whole lunchroom. I looked to

053see what they were serving for lunch. It was different than what we saw in the pictures, but we won't talk about that. But I was looking for you. But I thank you for all your effort that you put into it. You are. So, just in case you didn't know, um, Student Trustee Grand Prix put together the original student survey that went out to all the different schools that about 85 different students replied to. So, a big round for and thank you for your lift on that and thank you for being involved. Audit committee trustee car. We have no updates. We have not met on the audit committee. budget finance committee. Well, we heard the budget um presentation tonight from um Jose. So, that will fulfill our committee report. Claims committee. There's nothing to report on.

054Can you speak into the mic, please? There's nothing to report on the claims committee. education committee. Would you like to say something on that, Dr. Dogit? Because I don't have good evening. The education committee meeting met on um April 28th. We had four agenda items. We briefly discussed the CBT testing updates. Um students in grades 3 through 8 took the CBT testing in ELA on April 23rd and April 24th and the math assessment on May, excuse me, April 30th and May 1st. We've also discussed the individual arts assessment pathway for the 2025 2026 school year. In this pathway student, this new arts pathway um students will take four regions instead of five and they need to complete Gre three credits in units of study. Right now this program is offered in all three high schools.

05575 students are in the program and we held a parent meeting um ran by the creative director Angela Hall on Monday, May 5th to inform parents of this actual pathway. We've also discussed the um ENL welcome packet which will be launched for new families in July and I have to give credit to um our typist Naomi Bergus and ENL. She spearheaded this project. It is in draft form. It should be finalized. Information on there will go out to new ENL families regarding Infinite Campus testing information and just pertinent pertinent opening information that parents should know. And we also discussed the greenhouse update which the greenhouse order has been placed. When's our next meeting? I forgot. It'll probably be the 19th. I'm not sure. And it'll have your Yes. It'll And it'll have your favorite topic.

056I know. 12th. I want to mention this teacher appreciation week. Hello. I just wanted to uh mention that to this week is teacher appreciation week and I just wanted to applaud our teacher teachers for all the work that they do with our children. Thank [Applause] you. Move on to facilities. Um, first of all, I would like to say that our facility committee, they are really working hard and they're doing a lot of work inhouse, which is not costing us as much as we used to pay when we had to hire people to come in to do our work. During the week of April 14th and April 21st, the facility team completed a wide range of inhouse maintenance and repair projects across multiple schools. The oil tank removal at Williams continued throughout both both weeks. Key

057work included replacing heating supplies and hot water circulation valves at Mandela and Hamilton, remounting a gym light at homes, and repairing plumbing issues at Graham and Denzel. Additional tasks include installing stage pulley system at Denzel, repairing bathroom fixtures at T um Trap Hagen, adjusting parking lights at Benjamin Turner, and servicing the Mount Vernon High School flag pole and locker room valves. You can't hear me. In the following weeks, 13 door alarms were installed at Graham. Emergency lights were fixed at Grimes. A ceiling leak was repaired at Pennington. And electrical and heating line issues were resolved at Mandela and Mount Vernon High School. That's Do you have anything? Yes. Yes. I'm Um, I attended Saturday night the oldies but goodies which was great. Took my mom had a good time, right? It was nice and long

058but it was good. And um what I did notice while I was there with a few other people who were there with me, we looked up at the ceiling and the ceiling had at least three big gaps in it that I prayed to God that nothing like happened in Dr. happened there because it looked like the plaster as big as a gape it was in the ceiling in different parts of the ceiling. I looked back there was one here, one there and one that was formulating and whatever else was going on. So my question is, who's responsible? Are you aware of it, Mr. Raundi or the facility um team? Are you aware of it? And it didn't look good. And this was not something little, but they were big. All right. You could see it.

059You could look up if you just looking. And it just didn't look good. It was scary. And it was ugly. So I didn't hear anything mentioned in terms of maintenance. Read the ceiling at the high school. So, I just want to know what we're doing with that. Well, thank you for the information. I don't know if I I know we didn't know about it, but hopefully I'm sure now uh Mr. Mundday will be on on that. No one must have reported it. I'm sure it has been. But, you know, sometimes I I I will add this that and I've been hearing I hear a lot um also about broken things. I know we just had an issue with something. One of the I think the oven at Pennington is down or something like that. And

060I hear about things faster than anybody else. Um I really think that we have to truly visit um the way we're logging the issues that come from our head custodians. We just have to overhaul it. If school dude is not working, then we just need to overhaul. There has to be another way because um Aramar came last week and said that they gave back $1.8 million in revenue and I can't understand how we have one piece of broken equipment for and some over two and three years. I can't understand it. So I have a question and I know I'm going to ask Mr. Foroso cuz he's going to be able to help me weed through that a little bit. I'm sure $1.8 million they gave us back since they've been here and they came in

061in 2022. We shouldn't have a piece of broken equipment in the district or a broken ceiling for that matter because I've been in some of the buildings and the ceilings look terrible. They do. And I mean long term. I'm scared that it's going to fall apart too. I don't I don't I have to I don't even want to talk about Williams anymore. I don't because it's not fair to them that I keep mentioning it and nothing happens there. And that's just one of the buildings in the district that is in horrifying condition. And it had we we can't sit on this any longer. This is it's ridiculous now. Is that it? That's it. Yes. Family and community engagement. Uh uh yeah. Uh we met uh last week and there's some good things happening in the

062district and family and community engagement. Let's start with that. Um there's a bunch of events and all the events for the through the uh parent the community center happen at the steam academy. Um you've got Zumba coming up. AI's influence on uh K through2 educaation patency part T for moms uh and hiding in plain sight which is about uh the teen vaping epidemic. So those are all good things and the notification for that is also on the on the website. It's one of those scrolling things on the main page but those are all at the steam academy. Um as Dr. Dog mentioned testing is underway right now. Um he was very preient in in delaying the computer administrator tests a little bit because stated was rolling them out and there were some glitches there. So

063right on for doing that uh give our kids a fighting chance on that. Third and sixth grade students are achieving high scores, relatively high scores which is good. Um one interesting point that Dr. Dog brought up was the need to try and infuse keyboarding skills into the curriculum in the early grades as the state moves more towards testing online. Um you don't want that sort of technical piece to uh interfere with uh the content which is really what they're there to take the test for. So we're going to have to get creative in how we do that without taking away somewhere else because it's a tight curriculum at the early grades. But I thought that was interesting. the uh the diagnostic tool for school and district effectiveness survey is out for parents right now. Uh

064the survey link went out on the 25th, is that right? Of of April. And it's constant reminders and constant reminders as well. So please uh take that survey. That's important. That that really guides the district going forward. And that feedback is very very helpful. That's it. It was a pretty much a light agenda. I think that covers everything. Okay. Thanks. Thank you. Food and wellness, food services. Yeah, I'm sorry. So, the the committee didn't meet, but I do have something to share. Um, I was Can I see just a couple? What I have in my hand? No, it's okay. What I have in my hand is 63 letters from just the children at Grime School. So I went to grime school because I wanted to see we had this amazing presentation from the food service

065company Aramark and they showed us these amazing pictures with these these all these things and I said I want to see them in the school. I went in the school and they were feeding the kids French toast sticks, potato tots, tater tots and multiple different types of fruit but nothing consistent between the buildings. And that was lunch after they just had that for breakfast. So there's a a whole contrast between what they're serving and what we were shown and told on on the uh meeting last week. I sent all the pictures to everyone on the board. Um the the the letters that came from the students are from all different grades. You know, I have something from one student um uh her name is we'll just call her AM. Uh she said, "Our school lunch

066is not my cup of tea at all. The lunch is super nasty and we the student call it trash food." That's uh that's one student. And another one, another word, another one named Miss A. Uh, school breakfast is good. We get to enjoy sweet, tasty pop-tarts, cereal, and chocolate muffins. I love when they serve bagels and cream cheese. I dislike their yogurts. They taste bland. It's dry because the breakfast is never consistent. I eat breakfast at home. These are coming from students in elementary school. You know, I'm always talking to parent to the principles. I want to hear from the students all the time because some some of them are going to be watching to see if they hear their their letter read. And I can't read all of these, but when I tell you

067that the majority of these letters are the reason why I've been sitting here talking about going uh getting a better food service company, whoever it takes or holding this food service company accountable. This is what I'm talking about. So, I went to Grimes, I went to the high school, um I went to um Denzel Washington. I just visited those buildings just to see what they were serving for lunch. And it it really was I wouldn't eat it myself. I wouldn't I have a cat at home. I wouldn't feed my cat. I would wouldn't do it. I just wouldn't. I'm sorry. I'm being honest with you because that's me. I'm just being honest. But more importantly, I'm going to read this one letter and this food serve food company food committee related. This was given to

068me uh some time back. Our food service workers were confused when our CSEA rep called an emergency meeting with the district food service workers last week. Their confusion became hurt, frustration, and betrayal when they found out the union had was contacted by the HR department with the idea of abolishing their positions, which means they would be terminated come June 30. Aramark would be totally in charge of food service with only their employees. The next day, we found out the trustees had no clue that the union had been contacted by HR. How do you make this decision without the input of trustees is beyond us. Does anyone find it acceptable that we have had at least three Aramark managers? Currently, there's at least five people in the Aramark office at the high school and they still

069can't get it right. Does anyone find it concerning that our surrounding school districts has fired Aramark? But no matter how incompetent Aramar proved themselves to be, Mount Vernon City School District still insist on keeping them and possibly renewing their contract. Their ordering is horrible. Some weeks you don't get what you need. Some weeks you get double of what you need. and some weeks you do not get enough of what you need. They are calling other schools for food because they haven't ordered enough for themselves to serve the students at Malverin High School. Other schools are calling each other because they're not getting what they ordered so they can have enough food for their students. Also, why do we have a chef that can only cook that only cooks for Mount Vernon High School? Past chefs

070have cooked uh looks like past chefs have cooked certain dishes for all schools like pasta and raw meats. Workers have been reported how verbally disrespectful some of the Aramark managers are to them. We are doing an injustice to our students, our staff and our community by keeping Aramark in our district. So many days these ladies figure things out on their own and make it happen so the students at their schools can eat. We ask that you, the trustees, go around to these schools and speak to the students, parents, and staff. When you meet privately with Aramark, you can only hear and see one side. We also ask that the food service workers are included in these meetings with Aramark along with the trustees so you can hear our concerns. And it just signed MVCSD food

071district workers. Now, I say all of that just to explain why you've been hearing me all of these months and probably more than a year, all right, about what's going on with the food service workers and why I'm fighting so much to make sure, you know, we had someone speak today. I heard I missed it. Um I heard we had civil service here that spoke today and I've been sending email after email until the point that I'm sure um Mr. Campbell and Mr. Monday are just just ecstatic when they see my emails come through when I'm asking, hey, did we finally get approval from civil service so that the layoffs we're talking about for these workers are being done correctly? Is seniority involved? There's all types of different pieces involved to when you're doing layoffs

072for civil service workers. And all I'm asking repeatedly is, do we have documentation that says we're doing it right? I'm tired of litigation. I sit on this board as a fiduciary responsibility fixure as well. And if I'm going to sit here and just allow us to do things so that we can just look at litigation later because it's like, well, we'll do it right next time. That's not it. But I'm just saying this because this is a prime example of what I've been talking about. I'm just going to run my mouth up here about food and all of that. My kid comes home, tells me there's no food. It's facts. This is it. It's right here in writing. I didn't write this. It would have been a lot different. It would have been something different.

073It would have said something different. Mr. Trusty the grandpy has something to add. I recently heard that with the um letting go of the food staff that they're not going to serve hot lunch anymore. That will that it's going to be bagged field trip lunches now. I hope not. That's the first time I'm hearing of it. And I will say this, Mr. Raundi has worked diligently. I'm going to I can't I'm not going to drag him. He's worked diligently to get the RFP out for the new food service company. We're moving forward. We're in timely fashion because I've been asking and I've been badgering that we're in timely fashion so that we can get better for the kids, for our students. Um, if you have anything that you can add at this time, I really

074would appreciate that. Sure. Good even good evening. So, we went through in our food service committee meetings, we took into account all the surveys, all of our own observations. Uh there is a survey on the district site that we published a few weeks ago to gather more feedback. Uh myself and um with the attorneys and with our food service consultants, we went through and we rewrote 137 pages of this RFP making material changes. And it it was it was a very very tedious process getting down super granular from portion sizes to meal quality to oversight to operations to guaranteed returns to protect the district's financial interests. I we submitted that to the state last Friday uh even afternoon and the state emailed me back Monday afternoon with full approval of all the material changes to

075the contract which is fantastic. And so now we've been also directly soliciting other food service companies. I had a phone call this morning from one one of the big players who showed interest and we're publishing our RFP on May 12th in the journal news. It's on Bidnet and we're also directly soliciting uh food service vendors across the tri-state area and the country to participate. So I ask anybody who's interested in food service and being a part of Mount Vernon City School District to be on the lookout for that. And if you're interested, please contact my office and we can send that RFP to you directly uh as of May 12th. And then we'll start the bidding process. And then there's questioning and tours on May 16th and then the bid opening on May 28th. And

076our goal is to award uh a new vendor with all these material changes at the June 3rd board meeting. Thank you. Thanks very much. I'm going to end with this. We um we're working into walking into the next school year. I think that we should really structure a true wellness committee. Um, I did some research and I'd love to have it where that we have some coaches, some teachers, uh, you know, myself as a trustee, of course, uh, whoever the school service company is, maybe some of their employees can sit in on the meetings. Um, we should really build a true, um, food service committee, a wellness committee like that. Um, that would be cool. And then, of course, hopefully we can have those resolutions for our committees. I've asked that we have resolutions put

077in the board docs so that we can all vote so that people have a paper trail to see who's been on what committee. We heard a lot about committees, this committee, that committee, but who's been on the committees and who should have who's knowing what's going on. So hopefully we'll see that happen, too. That's it. Uh, so, uh, Trust Mitchell, I, um, I went to home school last week and observed the lunch with, um, the, uh, I think it was kindergarten through third grade. And then the next period they had, it was Friday, so they had pizza. Everybody ate pizza, but it was corn on it was corn and they had milk, but there's no no other alternate other than milk. So, they should have water because a lot of kids can't drink milk. That's

078right. So, there's no other alternate. Not even water, not juice. That's a great question and some some right so my understanding what I asked was it anything else to drink and they said no student trustee speaking the mic please we didn't hear what she said sorry I said that some of the schools I was reading through some of these letters they don't have juice either some of them only get white milk it wasn't on the list I gave that paper out juice wasn't on the list because I specifically looked right so on the paper that they gave out that night and this is one of the things that we've been chasing for so long to them to do. We should the kids want the children want options. If I go someplace, I want options. So,

079they should get juice. You seeing that? There's a prime example of you seeing boots on the ground. Exactly what the the children are dealing with. I am not eating pizza with corn. I'm not eating pizza with corn and I'm not washing it down with a glass of milk either. If that's not something wrong, if you don't find nothing wrong with that, then you just know what not to give me for lunch. Okay. So, um, thank you, Trusty Mitchell. So, moving right along to, um, HR. Oh, we haven't had our meeting this month. It's May 15, I believe. So, okay. Next is IDA. Trusty Mcdana. Sorry, the meeting was scheduled for this Thursday, but I was notified it's going to be cancelled because there's not going to be a quorum. So, it'll be rescheduled some point

080down the road. They didn't put a date. Do they have to have a meeting every month? Yeah, I don't know if they have to necessarily every month. If they don't have a quorum, we can't have the meeting. They're going to look to reschedule as soon as we can. I just got notified that Q the Q West project closed. Um, I got the closing packet, so I have to look through those documents. The good news with that is uh remember we agreed on a million- dollar upfront payment to the school district. So I would expect that we'll get that forth with you know if they closed and that's when it should be done. So I'll be following up with them on that. Closed so we didn't get it. Yeah. Well I mean look I just got

081the email literally while we were sitting here so I think we could give them a second to get a million dollars over. I think I think it I think it will be happening soon. If not, I certainly will be on them about it tomorrow. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. We'll we'll Jose will be looking for that. We'll look into it. Okay. Insurance committee have one question for Trusty Mcdana on IDA. Yeah, that's fine. I'm going to ask my question. So, Trusty Mcdana, do you have any idea how important it is what you've been sharing with us on this IDA regarding these pilots? Do you have any idea? I'm going to tell you, I'll answer it for you. Extremely important and very and very helpful. All right. And and I want you to also understand that I've learned

082so much about pilots because of what you've been sharing. And I'm not the only person in the community. Somebody's trying to stop me. That's trusty kernel with told me it's almost 9:00, so she's jamming radio waves. Anyway, um I learned so much about pilots that I truly can say no one in the circle that I've ever been around that I'm in knows more about these pilots as they do now based on what you've been sharing. So that we all know just how damaging and destructive that they are. and no one no one would want to be behind them. So I I appreciate what you do. Thank you. You're welcome. Um the insurance committee has not met. Uh policy committee is um we have something to discuss with the trustees and exec. We finished the um

083we finished out policy review that we had at the retreat. Yes, we did. So um so we are going to discuss some of those policies in exact. Are aren't you happy Chris? I know you were uh we we were on the phone how long? Three hours. Okay. So uh so next is safety and security. I don't believe that we had a have we had a committee meeting since the last one? No. Um it's one for next week coming up. All right. So nothing for uh security until we have our meeting next week. Thank you. Special education. I think we're going to be meeting this Thursday. I have to I have to confirm that. This Thursday, I think so, but if not, I we will meet before the next board meeting, but I have no no

084report tonight. Thank you. And uh technology. Yes. Thank you. The technology committee met on yesterday. Um I would like to commend our director of technology, Mr. Ramirez for his due diligence and ensuring that we are reviewing our installment purchase agreements as well as ensuring that we have adequate equipment for our students to for instruction and for testing. We uh purchased about 1,500 laptops during COVID which was around in 2020. And as you know the life the life cycle of a computer over 5 years is is pretty much useless. And so at this time our computers that we currently have and that are installed and we're using for instruction are inadequate for our instructional activities. Therefore we are looking for an acquisition of instructional laptop devices um replacement plan through Boseies through the installment purchase agreement.

085As you know there is a 56% reimatable reimbursement um for those laptops. Um we have um Mr. Ramirez has actually secured or has been working with Apple in order to uh work out um some really great installment plans. So that would save us on actually how we acquire them and how we we actually use our cash flow in terms of paying for those devices. Uh so we are looking to acquire 1,500 uh laptop devices. is we are currently holding off on the installment purchase agreement with Bosey's pending uh review with legal. Um there is one item I believe that they have come to a resolution. We're just waiting for it to be in writing and it will hopefully be on the agenda for the May 20th meeting. Uh our next technology meeting will be on

086May 19th. And if Dr. Dogget or Mr. Ramirez has anything they'd like to add, then I would give them an opportunity. Thank you. I guess they have nothing to add. All right, that that concludes the committee reports. Um, I'm following up on old business. You want to address the resolution? Yeah. Yes. I do want to say that there should be a correction as to the um board meeting April 1st for the classified or was it certified? Sorry, I moved it to two, but for the certified tabs where I did abstain to it and there was a bit of confusion in terms of the tab numbers, but I do want that correction to be made. All right. Thank you. Uh I'm sorry where I abstained. I just want to make sure you had it. Um I

087do have a question. We did hear from the public regarding our um the status of our superintendent search and we did promise that the um that there was an anticipated date or announcement of April the 15th. And I do think that our community is entitled to at least an update uh status in terms of maybe even a date or anticipated date on when we anticipate um sharing any information with the public. So, um, I would like for that information to be shared if possible. So, I spoke to legal regarding that because I thought that we needed to give the community an update and I was advised that we should not at this moment. Thank you. Um, also in addition, uh, when the superintendent provides reports to the board, I just like to know if we

088could have the information or at least the topics that were read into the record if they could be listed um, on the resolutions so that we'll know exactly what's going to be reported on by the superintendent if that's possible. Are you talking about when individuals present because that's usually indicated? No. When it's listed on the resolution reports of the superintendent just um topics that are going to be shared with the the board if that could be shared. Oh, okay. On the resolution and writing. Thank you. C can I old business one one thing? Um, I know there there were questions from the community regarding the school closures looking for some letter from Albany approving it. Um, I I'm not aware that Albany is in that position to give a letter to approve it. I mean,

089school districts, LEAs are are locally controlled. Certainly, they're involved. They've been involved, but I don't think they they issue a certificate of approval to close the buildings. at least not that I can find because I looked into that when questions arose. So I think maybe we should just let the community know that there will not be there's no formal letter from Albany. Is that correct or not? That is correct. Um when we were in Albany that was um President Saunders, Vice President Kelly, um Jose um you Mark and myself. We spoke to him about that very topic and we wanted to have a clear understanding. The when when the board made the decision or approves the resolution, it was approved. They are the ones that approve it, the what what Albany does is they just

090make sure we have all our ducks in a row. So, people are seeking something that's not going to happen. It's already been approved. They want to make sure that we don't violate the laws. We've been back and forth. We've been given it everything that that they need. So that means that when you're voted on or the ones of you that did vote, it's been approved and that is the final decision unless we do something that's erroneous. Thank you. I have a I have a follow-up question to that because remember we've been telling um the understanding was around that we had to have our documentation into the state by a certain deadline. That's why the board had to vote on it by a certain exact date. What was that? What was that deadline for? Just to

091have it to the statewide. I just want to know. They they require it by March 1st that we have the documentation, the request. It's an application so that they can get that so they can review that. But the board, they wanted you guys to vote on it and they gave us the specifics and what that should look like. So, we submitted that at their request. I don't know if you remember, it was voted on and then we had to have it a certain way. That's their involvement and that's what they did. Yeah, that's why I just wanted it to be it needed to be talked about on the public forum because that's the question that's been out there is that is the state having to approve anything? And I remember the conversation you had. You

092told us that I think Trusty Saunders and VP Kelly went and basically the state said as long as the board approved it then that's it. Basically they're leaving us to our own devices. That's what they're doing. That's correct. So um I just wanted to get I just wanted it to be verbalized so that we could understand the process. No worries. So when you say the the board approved it and you had to submit whatever it was that you submitted, what did you submit that we did not see? What was submitted basically based on your approval? Everything that was approved, we had to send that individually like you how many students in each building, how many um what schools we have six schools for example that the or four schools that's going to be prek or

093K to 8. We had to list those schools individually. the configuration for the schools that's going to be K to six, we had to list each one of those schools. Any school that was changed or had a reconfiguration, we had to list them. Um and and so in addition to that was the numbers that we anticipate in each of the schools. That's there has been back and forth in in that regard. Um, you might recall that originally we said, for example, that at Mount Vernon High School we was going to send the ACE program. They they questioned that. So that's how that change was made because they wanted to make sure that though that population would have students similar grades that they would be integrated um with them. So basically what was placed in the

094res resolution we had to submit that to them and so they had to make sure that um we have the right composition for our special ed population. They wanted to know the numbers because when they when they give new bed codes they indicate the grades and the levels in each of the schools. So Mount Vernon High School will didn't have to be submitted because it wasn't it wasn't changed. Um Lincoln didn't necessarily have to be submitted because it it's staying as it was. So some of the schools definitely didn't have to be submitted because there's going to be no change for them. In regards to um Rebecca Turner Academy, that is considered a new school because it's different than what it was. that is the only school that has to be approved. Okay. So, is

095it possible that we could get as a board because sometimes we say things and what we're going to do, what we should do, and they do change like water running sometimes. So, is there's a pos is there a possibility that we can get a copy or see what you submitted that you're telling me right now? So the submissions have changed when they make the request they have changed. Um Mr. Vundi submitted submitted most of those. He could share that with the board. And I'm only asking because what you heard tonight with the question in reference to a letter or something being sent from the state as Chris uh Trusty McDonald was saying too. Um is there was there actually something in writing? So I'm asking because I know as a board what you submitted by

096March 1st and I think it was even after March 1st if I'm correct. No, it wasn't. It wasn't. It was March 1st before. Okay. Okay. The original was submitted before March 1st, but the follow-up questions from the state came thereafter. Okay. So, if we could, you know, as a board, if we could see it, I think it would be great for us to see what you submitted. Yeah. Okay. I'll I'll reach out to the state and see because the how the forms work once they're submitted, the state pulls them out of my portal, so they'd have to re-release them. So again on those forms are enrollment numbers current uh projected enrollment numbers transitions on where students are going making sure we're we can provide academic continuity of services for regular instruction support services how we're

097going to support our teaching staff so every form is slightly different. Um, again, I can reach out to the state and say, "Can you release some the the forms so I can share them with the board?" Because once they're submitted, they're out of our portal, the state reviews it. And if everything checks out there, I mean, the state's very supportive. They want to make sure that we don't violate anya educational laws and they help with oversight. But once they accept it, they usually don't send it back. So, I can reach out to them and get a response for you guys. Can I can I ask one thing? That would say that the entire I that would say the entire on form and everything about it was done online only. There was no guideline. There was

098no documentation. You have no paper trail from Dr. Kim Smith. How you how we were supposed to answer those questions or present that material is nothing. There's no paper trail. Just that either you got a good memory or somebody ran a lot of internet time doing that. All the forms are online. And so what I what I did I pulled from a bed's reports and I mean we can discuss it a little more exact if you like but yeah it's an online submission platform for them. I'm guessing there a lot of it is sort of bureaucratic stuff ticking boxes. Um yeah the the meat of the information was what we discussed a lot. I mean before that March 1st deadline, which schools will be closed, why, when, who will go where, things like that? Yes.

099So, the schools that was closing was submitted to them and they see that it's closed, but it is a portal on the website that you indicate those things. Um, Is that it for old business? Oh, no. I have um I have a couple. So, last week was very busy. I'm going to be lightning fast because um I know it's it's 9:00, but I got to share some stuff. So, Autism Acceptance event was at BT uh Benjamin Turner. Last week I went. It was incredible turnout. They had bouncy houses and uh different sororities were there. Um uh very uh a very good turnout. Lots of children, lots of parents. It was a beautiful day. I was glad to be there, glad to be invited. Uh thanks to Principal Depa and uh assistant principal Turner for uh

100and and their uh PTA and the folks who uh at SEPTA who helped who were there, the receptive folks there, Dr. Lopez was there. There were other people there. Um it was good to just see everybody um to just to come out for something so good. Um the um there was a Tamron Hall event. She's an author. She at the library this past uh Saturday. Myself and Trusty Saunders, Trusty Kerwin, Trusty Middleton, Trusty Marabel, Trusty Ninga. We were all there for it. Incredible turnout. A bunch of children came in. She sat, she read to the kids, and I'm sorry, the children, the babies, and then she had a book signing. So, you got to take a picture with Tamron Hall and get your book signed. And it was very cool, very nice. Um, uh, the

101Delta Sigma Theta Sarity Incorporated. I said that right. Trusty Marbella, I hope they had got that right right now. Uh they had a scholarship event this past Saturday at Greenberg Library where there were at least two Mount Vernon City School District students who received uh scholarships. Um uh it's something to look into for sure. Um and again like uh the school the school lunch visits were something that happened that was just because I'm going to keep doing that. Um but again this is really just uh the best version of followup that I could give on old business right now. Um I All right, that's all I got. Thank you, Trusty Mitchell. I also went to the autism awareness um thing. It was it was really nice. Yeah, I think I might have left before you

102got there. So, today they had I just wanted to say um Dr. Dog and I was also Dr. Dog and I was also present there. Was a lot of people. Um and I wanted to say that we did receive a thank you from the scepter. They was very happy in terms of our involvement and support. Um, you know, just getting the information out there. Oh, the gala was amazing. Sorry, I'm piggybacking. The gala dinner was amazing. I showed up. I didn't have a sweatuit on. All right. It was amazing. So, today at Mel Vernon High School, there was a student entrepreneur seminar festival. Uh so we had a lot of our students uh demonstrating what they wanted to do with themselves once they businesses. So we had some jewelry making. We had some students that

103um would do dog walking, babysitting, you know, feed your cat. We had some students that are going to one student in particular is going to work at Scarsdale Ford. He's one of our students at the automotive. Uh we had some students that do lockers. They could transform your locker. I don't know if that was something we need but whatever. Uh but they had a lot of students and uh also um College of Westchester sponsored it and they would um they're looking to do some business with Mel Vernon. Um but that is that's something we could discuss later and that's all I have. So I have one other thing. um All Island Association had their um lunchon um um this past Sunday and four students um from the Moner School District were presented with um awards,

104scholarships, scholarship. So that was very good. I think it was just Yeah, it was four. Four. It was really really nice event. Very nice event. And our and our Mike was there taking photos. He's everywhere. Shout out to Mike. Mike said he didn't get anything to eat either. So, just let you know. Okay. So, we ready? Yes. Okay. We're going to move on to our resolutions. Can I have a motion, please, for 5.1, Human Resources 125A. So moved. Certified. She's ready to get out of here. Oh, wait. Wait, guys. Stop one moment. Gosh. Yeah. Okay, it's fine. So, um, who that motion was? Okay. Can I have a second? Second. Questions, concerns, discussions? Um my question is um superintendent or Mr. Campbell. Okay. So my question is if I'm correct um in the last meeting

105I heard about the layoffs. Um back at March maybe 17th um I did ask um listening to the different groups or departments in the district where the layoffs are concerned. My question was then and is now because I haven't heard it. Um have you considered um at the top I've not seen anybody mention from the top from administration exemptions consultants prediums and provisionals. So has that been taken into consideration? That question was raised and I sent a email. I don't know if I just sent it to you, Trusty Mitchell, but the layoffs from the top started before this year. If you might recall, we abolished several positions from the top, including um in the cabinet, including directors. So, there have been layoffs. I will reissue that. Um yeah, do you remember the Yeah, I do

106remember it. those abolishments that happened last year. Uh especially cuz I remember we all got up and had to walk out on an executive session cuz the abolishments were tucked into um I think what uh I think I've been in conversations like like Trusty Middleton. I've heard the same type of conversations and the question has always been we got directors for directors and assistant superintendents for assistance and assistants for the assistants and it seems and it feels like you got one job but three people doing it but everybody's making a lot of money and that's what the stigma that's not even a stigma that's what the optics are. So, in the emails that I've sent and I've said to you, even when it comes down and I still haven't seen anything about evaluations and uh

107and observations regarding tenure that's coming up next month. Um, but that question is why are we why we're still topheavy? Even when Mr. Famoso gave the uh budget explanation, he said we're still up in the upper 9% if I'm not mistaken uh on administration budget, which is still higher than than for the average. And I don't want to look at other districts. I don't care. All I care about is Mount Vernon district. I keep hearing this nonsense. Oh, this is going on the state. I don't care. I want to talk about where I'm at, where I'm a board trustee at. That's all I care about. I don't care about new Relle White Plains. But right here, what are we doing at the top level? We could have this letter that I got from the school

108service workers. You're not legally saving more than 300,000. These ladies just waiting to retire for the most part. We could have took two or three people that are sitting in positions. We should have looked better. We have to do this right. You know, it has to come from we have to do it and set the example. We had superintendents that sat here took pay pay increase freezes. I remember if I'm not mistaken, we have to put the we have to do this right. So I I I agree with Trusty Middleton in the same question. And to talk about abolishing positions last year which were part of an old regime for the LA for the actual superintendent, that doesn't necessarily say we were making those cuts to be budget effective. that just says, you know what,

109you part of this team, so I ain't going I don't want you here no more. That's really what it comes down to. And that's exactly how it looks. Unfortunately, if you had have said, maybe if it had have been now and you had have brought those abolishments to the table now in the face of this now, not cuz fiscal stress has been on the table since 2019, but we're not going to talk about that. But when we if you would have put abolishments for those type of uh positions now, it would have made more. it would have said, "Okay, yeah, no, you actually my point." Yeah. But now it's like to to sit here and mention and you did mention I appreciate you emailing me back, but those abolishments was because they were just part

110of a different regime cuz we got rid of people that we still needed to do certain things. You was just talking about grant writing recently. We don't I don't know what the number was. Budget committee knows how much uh grant money we got in the last school year. Have we reported on that by chance? Have we had what was the last conversation? I think we only pulled in about 40,000 in uh grants this year since we abolished the grant writing. The per the person who was doing that. Well, well, you do remember that we do have um a organization that writes or grants, right? I remember today, right? So, there is a grant writer right now that's on the payroll, right? So, um I don't remember the exact amount that came in for grants. I

111know um couple months ago though it was um I think a total of um 30 or 40,000 which was nothing. Yeah, that's true. School size, but I don't I I can't speak um on clarity on that because I don't know the number. So, we have to ask um Jose. Okay, I appreciate that. I'm I'll send I'll send something just so we see a comparison of what we used to get in grants. But that's what that question I think comes from trusty middle. Sorry to steal your line. [ __ ] You're like talking about so much between then and now and then you're talking I'm sorry. And then you have APs too when you have low enrollment. So you're going to have a school with 250 kids and an AP and a principal. I mean how are we,

112you know, juggling with that? So that's really to my point. Uh, I would just like to also comment that during the budget presentation last um board meeting um I did ask uh Mr. Formosa whether or not there had been any identification of a reorganization so to speak in order to identify what positions may may need to be abolished or reorganized. And the comment or the response was that we are waiting for um new administration in order to take a review of the um budget that's been presented at this point and perhaps there can be some other um maybe other items that can be reviewed. So I would say let's just wait. Can I also just make a comment on that? Um I think it is an ongoing process. I know for when I'm learning this

113I mean um so I think as we go on this year it's it's sad that we're losing Mr. Formosa, but uh um I'm optimistic that we will we will be able to recruit and retain somebody who's who's highly skilled and then we will continue to work on these um what I would call I think in a recent email I called it shared sacrifice. Uh the importance of shared sacrificing in in positions that are not student facing um preserving as much as we can of the staff who work directly with the students is is essential. Um, even small things I you guys know I mentioned about the I I was upset to see that the board of ed budget line went up and I've I've asked a lot of questions about that. Um I and again

114I will put it out there. I called for eliminating the food budget. There's a $7,000 budget for food. After this meeting, we'll go in the back room and there's a hot dishes out there. I understand that it's a volunteer position and we often leave from work, but I said brown bag it. That's a show of support with the community. Eliminate that $7,000. Just just get rid of it. Um that is shared sacrifice and I don't know that it went through, but um I think going forward we should look closely at that. I will continue to do that. Okay. All in favor? Oppose. We had a resolution on the floor. I forgot all about it. That was a resolution. Oh my god. Like 20 minutes ago. Okay, let's take focus. Focus. Okay. We're on We're Okay.

115All in favor? We're on the certified resolution. So, all in favor? Any opposed? Abstain. Okay. Motion carries. Have a motion for 5.2 human resources 125B classified. Second. questions, concerns, discussions. All in favor? I have a sorry comment. Um, we did hear a presentation from our civil service department. Um, uh, Miss Rosamunda and I just want to make sure that we are, um, adhering to that and and just if we can be kept a pressed as to what the status is. Okay. All in favor? Oppose. Abstain. Motion carries. I have a motion. Okay. Can I have a motion for 5.3 requests for leave of absent motion? Can we have the information the screen? Yeah. The everything just Yeah. And this just went down again. So, can I have a motion, please? Motion. Okay. Can I have

116a second? Second. Questions, concerns, discussions? All in favor? Any oppose? Abstain. Motion carries. Can I have a motion for 6.1 approval of pupil personnel services memorandum number 19 dated May 6, 2025? So moved. Thank questions, concerns, discussions. All in favor? Any oppose? Abstain. Motion carries. Have a motion for 6.2 authorization to hire the 2025 extended school year ESY administrators. Motion. Second. Questions, concerns, discussions? All in favor? I. Any oppose? Abstain. Motion carries. Let me just see some. May I have a motion for 7.1 authorization to accept educational data services, Inc. bids? motion. Questions, concerns, discussions, questions. These are all the bids that were received. Yes. Okay. All in favor? Oppose. Abstain. Motion carries. Okay. I have a motion for 7.2 authorization to amend resolution 10.2 from the April 1st, 2024 meeting to include education center

117oil tank abandonment. Questions, concerns, discussions, question. So yeah, why are we amending this resolution? I mean, I'm reading this. The original resolution didn't include the board of ed. This one will include the board of ed on the abandonment of the tank so that we can fire with the state and get reimbursed and utilize our capital funds so it stays out of our general fund. Is there any reason why it wasn't on the original? Cuz we knew the oil tank was there, right? It didn't like pop up. Because it wasn't an issue the other the Department of Health didn't cite it as an issue, but since we've moved away from oil, uh we felt it was in the best interest of health and safety to address the tank before it starts to leak and becomes an

118environmental hazard. So that's why it wasn't part of the initial scope from I think three years ago when or 202122 when the initial assessment was done. Okay. Thank you. All in favor? Oppose. Abstain. Motion carries. Okay. I have a motion for 8.1 authorization to approve the Mount Vernon PTA to use the Graham School for a school board forum. So moved. Second. questions, questions, concerns, any dis do we have to do this for any other buildings and are we planning on doing uh these type of forums at any other school buildings before the election? I was by advised by legal that we had to do this because it it was political and election and it came under um section one second. Here it is. It came under 30,000 under community relations. And if you go to

119number E, it states political meetings or rallies unless specifically authorized by the board of education. I think his question was whether or not we were planning on any additional um I don't know any additional forum. Would that be from the something that would be suggested by the PTA council? If they were to make that request, would that come from them? If they make the request, you you would have for political reasons, you would have to approve it, right? But there's no more meetings between now and the election, right? Not as far as I know. Okay. Okay. All right. All in favor? Any oppose? Oppos? I abain. Oppose or abstain? Okay. All in favor? Oppose? Abstain. Okay. Motion carries. Can we have a roll call, please? Okay. So, we have Trustee Saunders and Trustee Cerwyn has

120to abstain because it is a conflict of interest. And then we have five. Yes. Trusty White, Trustee Middleton, Trustee Mitchell, Trusty Marabel, and Trusty McDonald with five. Yes. Thank you. Motion carries. Okay, I have a motion for 9.1 to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation, the financial history of a particular person or corporation or matters leading to the appointment, employment, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person or corporation and to receive legal advice on a pending matter. I have a motion, please. So moved. Okay. All in favor? All right. Any opposed? Will we be returning? Motion carries. We will not be returning tonight. No, we're not coming back out.