001and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this time, I'd like to introduce the members of the board of education and other representatives of the school board. To my right, we have our board president, Miss Megan Ryan. To my left, we have our board vice president, Miss Tracy Moore. To Miss Ryan's right, we have our legal counsel, Steve Goodstat of To Mr. Steven, Trustee. And to his right, we have Miss Mary King, trustee. To Tracy on his left, we have our district clerk, Miss John. Miss Kathy, Miss Chair, and Mr. Edler are not present this evening. I am now going to turn the role over to the president of the board of education who will act as chair of the meeting. Thank you
002Dr. Cineiac and I'm going to direct uh Joanne Long, our district clerk to read the call of the meeting. Okay. Call of the clerk of the district and in accordance with education law of the state of New York, I cause the following notice to be published. Notice is hereby given that the budget hearing of the of the inhabitants of the North Merrick Union Free School District, Town of Hemstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, qualified to vote at school meetings in said district will be held at the Harold Defad School, 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Mer, New York on the 13th day of May, 2025 at 700 p.m. for the transactions of such business as is authorized by the education law. I certify that the above notice has been published four times in the Long
003Island Business News. April 4th, 18th, May 2nd, May 16th, the Meric Herald, April 3rd, April 17th, May 1st, and May 15th. Um, thank you, Miss Long. Sorry, I lost my SP. That's okay. Miss Long, can we please uh report on the petitions received uh by the nominating candidates? I received petition for Steven Ella, Will Luchiano, and Megan Ryan. I wish them all good luck. Uh, and now, Mr. Long, if you could read the qualifications of a voter. Okay. You need to be a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older. A resident within the district for at least 30 days prior to the voting date, and qualified voters must be registered to vote in the North America School District or with the Nassau County Board of Elections with their North Mer address.
004Thank you. And the proposed 25 20226 budget uh is as follows. The categories of the budget administrative 5,120,295. For program it's $31,783,879. And for capital it's $5,734,675. For a total budget of $42,638,849. Um and I'd like to ask for an adjournment. Call for an adjournment. Motion to adjurnn by Miss Keane. Second. Seconded by Mr. Nella. All in favor. So we are now uh journing our budget hearing. Thank you. Okay. But wait, there's more. Let's go to our next uh I'm going to defer I want to go a lot of uh a lot of you to celebrate tonight. So I'm going to defer my comments. I'll talk to you June. I would like uh Dr. Siac to uh begin her comments. Thank you. I'm also going to defer so we can begin with our tenure celebration
005and recognition. So, first up this evening we have Dr. Christine Talbot. And I have the honor of speaking about her. So, please rise. I am honored to speak this evening in support of Dr. Christine Tabot as it pertains to her tenure in her role as supervisor of instructional technology, library media, and data reporting. Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Talbot, and I can confidently attest to her exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication, and profound impact on our whole school community. In her capacity as supervisor of instructional technology, dot dot dot, Dr. Tabin has been instrumental in advancing our district's technological infrastructure and instructional practices. Her proactive approach during the CO 19 pandemic ensured that our educators and students remained connected and engaged through seamless transitions to remote and
006hybrid learning environments. She spearheaded the integration of cutting edge educational technologies providing professional development opportunities for staff on Saturdays and Sundays. Remember that and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Her efforts have not only kept us ahead of the curve but have also significantly enhanced the educational experience for our students. Her patience and expertise during this very tumultuous time are to be commended as she was learning and then immediately teaching staff what was next. In addition to her primary responsibilities, Dr. Talbert served with distinction as interim principal for two of our schools during her probationary period. Her leadership is a by a compassionate and strategic approach to school management. She maintained a steady focus on student achievement, supported staff development, and ensured that the schools operated smoothly despite the change in leadership. Her ability to
007balance the demands of both roles demonstrated her exceptional organizational skills and commitment to our school community. In summary, Dr. Talbert has proven herself to be an invaluable asset to our district. Her innovative leadership, exceptional service, and unwavering commitment to excellence make her an outstanding candidate for tenure. I wholeheartedly recommend her for this recognition and look forward to her continued contributions to our educational community. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Trying to get [Applause] Up next, Miss Kristen Nate, special education. [Music] Oh, better. Better. Okay. All right. So, that was a slight miscommunication. Um, so Mr. Mars and I Yeah, you got a little trouble. All right. Tonight I have the distinct honor of speaking about someone whose work is both deeply skilled and profoundly human. Miss Kristen Nalatilik. Miss Natillik whose name I mispronounced every step of
008the way inspiring process joined North Merit community in 2021. And from the moment she stepped into the classroom she brought with her a calm confidence, a depth of expertise and an unwavering belief in her students. She began her journey with us in the 813 ABA class, an environment that requires not just patience and precision, but creativity, flexibility, and heart. Kristen brought all of that and more. As a board certified behavior an analyst, she played a key role in growing the program into something we are truly proud of. And when the district launched a new 611 ABA class this year for incoming kindergarten students, there was no hesitation in who should lead it. Kristen was the clear choice and she's made sure that those students got the strongest possible start in their educational careers. Walk into
009Kristen's classroom and you'll see something special. Lessons that are multi-ensory, thoughtfully designed, and tailored to meet each child exactly where they are. A team that functions like a welloiled machine, collaborative, focused, and completely aligned in their purpose. That doesn't happen by accident. Kristen leads with clarity, compassion, and high expectations, not just for her students, but for herself and her team. She even holds monthly training sessions for hour after hours for four hours to ensure her staff are grounded in the principles of ABA and prepared to support their students at the highest level. But her leadership doesn't stop at the classroom door. Kristen is also one of our CPI trainers, equipping staff, not entirely by choice, equipping staff across schools with the tools they need to deescalate students safely with dignity and support. She's also a
010consistent partner to our building and district administrators, support staff, and special area teachers, always ensuring her students have access to the least restrictive environment while having their individual needs fully met. There's a quiet power to the way Kristen works. She doesn't seek the spotlight, but her impact is unmistakable. She's trusted, respected, and she is deeply valued by the Harold D. Fyet team and the entire North America special education department. So tonight, it is my immense pride that I recommend tenure for Miss Kristen Nalatellik. Her presence in our schools has already changed lives, and I know that her influence will only continue to grow in the years ahead. Mr. Marrams [Music] [Laughter] Kristen. Oh, beautiful. Christian, we've been together a few years and in the time that we have been together, I have seen a teacher
011who has taken a situation with children and staff molded and developed, it's you said, ed, a program that everyone in our district and beyond can be proud of. Can be proud of. We've had children from other districts come in because of knowing what we do here. You're a main reason why, perhaps the main reason why you share your love. You share your patience, your deep knowledge, your structure, your care that is vital for the children that you work with. But along with that you are a team leader. It is not easy to have so many adults in the classroom. It really takes someone who is skilled and can manage. You are that person. People love working with you. I know your staff this year is just so happy that you are the leader of that
012team. We in FET and in North America are proud to have you on our staff. Our children are so fortunate and we're so happy that I can call you a superb master teacher. Congratulations Thank you. Next we have Miss Joanne Constantino. Please come forward. [Applause] Not working. We've made it to this special day after four years. Over the past four years, Miss Constantino has worked closely with the library team to build an inclusive, engaging library program for all of our North America students in grades K through six. Miss Constantino, who holds her library media specialist certification, has collaborated with colleagues to develop creative and meaningful lessons for all of our students. She places great emphasis on ensuring that our library collections reflect a diverse culture um diverse cultures, backgrounds, interests. She ensures that all students
013can see themselves on our shelves in our libraries. In addition to her instructional responsibilities, Miss Constantino is an active member of the Nassau Bosei school library service. She serves as a liaison and brings new trends and ideas and best practices to our libraries and our classrooms. In addition, she's been recognized for her work in partnership with our North Merrick Public Library as she's been asked for two years in a row to present all of the great things we do here in North Merik to the schools of Nassau County. Our work with the North America Library provides our community enriching literary opportunities such as family literacy month, virtual library visits, and now our annual community readaloud event. These events continue to strengthen the connection between our schools and the community. Additionally, Miss Constantino has expanded literary
014opportunities for students. She's cultivated a culture of reading by organizing book clubs. across various grade grade levels where students engage in discussions, make connections, and have the opportunity to meet the authors. Miss Constantino's initiative in creating the little library for learners has also been invaluable. This collection of tactile and sensory books in each of our schools caters to our students who need alternative learning materials, ensuring that every child has access to literature that meets their unique needs. Miss Constantino's collaboration with Jen Colonyita resulted in the establishment of our little free library outside of Old Mill Road School, a wonderful resource for our community. Throughout her time with the district, Miss Constantino has built strong relationships with both staff and students in all three buildings, and I am proud to recommend her for tenure in her
015role as district library teacher. Her contributions have made a lasting impact on our school community. Congratulations. [Applause] You left me out the door. Piece of Next we have Miss Jacqueline Sakakota, our school counselor. Please come forward. All right, I am back again and it is my absolute pleasure to stand here tonight in support of granting tenure to a truly exceptional member of our school community, Miss Jackie Sakunda. Mr. Kunda joined North America at the start of the 2021-22 school year as a part-time school counselor. It didn't take long to see the impact she was having on our students, our staff, and our overall school climate. By the following school year, she became our full-time counselor, and our district has been better for it ever since. As the counselor across all three of our schools, Mr.
016Kund wears many hats. She developed and implements our district's comprehensive school counseling plan and leads our three annual school counselor advisory meetings, keeping everyone up to date on the district plan and the amazing lessons that take place throughout the year. These lessons take place in every classroom at every grade level and hit on topics of social emotional learning aligned with both the New York State regulations and the American School Counseling Association National Standards. She also meets individually with each and every sixth grader, helping to ease that big transition to middle school. A milestone moment in our students and parents' lives that she helps make a little less daunting. But Mr. Kunda doesn't stop there. She communicates with families through her regularly published counselor's corner, giving parents a window into the essential work happening in our
017schools. And she's always looking ahead, seeking out new ways to keep our district on the cutting edge of school counseling practice. Beyond the programs and planning, what truly sets Miss Sakunda apart is her commitment to our students, to her colleagues, and to the North America community. She's deeply respected by the teaching staff and works handinand with administration and the rest of the mental health team. Her presence in our schools makes a meaningful difference every single day. So, tonight it was great. It is with great confidence and great pride that I recommend tenure for Miss Jackie Sakunda. We are fortunate to have her and I have no doubt that she will continue to enrich the lives of our North Merit students and strengthen our district for many years to come. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] Yeah, lots
018of clapping. This is like a high school meeting tonight. Next we have Miss Jessica P, school psychologist for every You have tenure already, don't you? I do. Hi [Music] everybody. Tonight I have the distinct privilege of recommending tenure for a colleague whose role and impact I feel a special connection to, Miss Jessica Price. As someone who comes from a psych school psychology background myself, I can tell you that this work is both incredibly rewarding and uniquely challenging. It requires a deep understanding of child development, sharp analytical skills, and perhaps most importantly, a common compassionate presence. School psychology is near and dear to me, and I hold high expectations for those who take on this role. Miss Price has met those expectations. She joined the North Merrick family in the 2021 2022 school year as a
019leave replacement and quickly became an integral part of the Camp Avenue school community. When she transitioned into her probationary role the following year, she stepped up with confidence, professionalism, and heart. Miss Price's day-to-day responsibilities are wide ranging. student evaluations, chairing CSE meetings, providing group and individual counseling, crisis management, teacher and parent consultation, dealing with my phone calls, and that's just before lunch some days. Through it all, she maintains a sense of calm that brings stability and reassurance to those around her. She's not only skilled in psychological assessment, but open open to learning and refining her practice, seeking out new tools and measures to better understand and support our students. That drive to grow reflects a true commitment to the work and to the kids and families she serves. In addition to her core responsibilities, Miss
020Price was an active and valued voice in our district's targeted skills group for disproportionality. Her thoughtful contributions helped us reflect on how we support students across all backgrounds and needs, and her insights made a real difference. And perhaps most telling of all is what people say about her. She is respected and well-liked by her students, parents, teachers, and administrators alike. She is steady in crisis, thoughtful in collaboration, and genuinely warm in her relationships. Her presence makes our district stronger. So tonight, not just as not just as an administrator, but as a fellow school psychologist, I can say with complete confidence that Miss Jessica Price embodies everything we hope for in this vital role. It is my honor to recommend her for tenure and look forward to the continued impact she will have on our students
021and families and North Merit community for many years to come. Everybody likes that. Nice cake. Next we have Miss Deborah Anamoi, classroom teach at Camp Avenue. [Applause] I am very very honored to be able to recommend Miss Ayanachi for tenure in the North American Union Preschool District. Having had the pleasure of working alongside her for several years, I have witnessed firsthand her dedication, creativity, and effectiveness as an educator. Mrs. Zanachi began her journey in our district as a substitute teacher and then became a library teaching assistant where she consistently added creativity into her lessons, making learning engaging and enjoyable for her students. She then took on a leave placement position in both sixth grade and second grade during which she demonstrated her ability to connect with students across various age groups. Her transition to the
022probationary position in first grade has solidified her status as an amazing educator. Mrs. Anashi makes it her priority to attend multiple uh school and district events and the students are so excited when they see her there. What sets Mrs. Zanachi apart is her willingness to embrace new pedigogies and utilize innovative tools within her classroom. She continually researches various ways to approach topics and is eager to implement fresh strategies that enhance student learning. Her commitment to differentiation, whether by challenging students or providing necessary support, ensures that all learners are met at their readiness levels. Mrs. Nashi's passion for teaching and her unwavering commitment to her students makes her a true asset to our district. It is my pleasure to recommend Deborah Ayanachi for tenure in the North Mor School District. I know. I know. Next, if
023Miss Christine Ganella, ENL teacher, would please come forward. Last one, I promise. It is my great pleasure to speak on behalf of Miss Christine Vanella, an exceptional educator and valued member of the North America School District, as we recommend her for tenure. She began her journey with us in the 21-22 school year. There's a pattern there. Um as a uh ENL, English as a new language teacher at Old Mill Road School. From day one, she brought dedication, compassion, and professionalism to her role. Her ability to build strong relationships with students in clear is clear in every interaction. Observations consistently show that her students are engaged and excited to learn thanks to her dynamic multi-ensory lessons. Whether she's supporting a kid kindergart kindergartener just beginning to learn English or a sixth grader fine-tuning their academic language,
024Miss Vanilla adjusts her instruction to meet individual needs with creativity and care. She's not only a skilled educator, but also one who takes risks in the classroom and remains open to new strategies. She welcomes feedback and uses it to grow, always keeping student success from the forefront at the forefront. Miss Vanella is a true collaborator. She works closely with general general education teachers, administrators, and support staff to provide comprehensive support for her students. Her work, as I mentioned, spans grades K through six and serves learners from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, always with respect and high expectations. Outside the classroom, her commitment continues. She has a consistent and supportive presence in school events, including her annual involvement in the sixth grade musical, of which she starred in when she was in sixth
025grade. Her contributions there reflect the same teamwork, positivity, and dedication she brings to all aspects of school life. She is a trusted colleague, a respected member of the ENL department, and a dedicated educator who represents the very best of our district. Her passion, flexibility, and care for her students have made a lasting impact. It is with great confidence and enthusiasm that I recommend Miss Christine Vanella for tenure. I'm certain she will continue to enrich our schools and support our students for many years to come. Next we have Miss Lis Cassa, teacher assistant. Please go forward. [Applause] It truly is a pleasure to be here talking about Louise Cassella. Louise came to us at FET as a special education lunch aid back in 2014. Immediately we saw the skills to work with children, caring, compassionate, structured,
026and when she asked to be a full-time special ed aid in 2016, that was an easy answer. And in that role, she went even further. Her love of children, her care, her nurturing, it speaks for itself. The love she has for her students is just wonderful to see. And you, Louise, have worked in different grades all through the years. And you have been successful bar none in every one. Every teacher that has worked with you, that has worked with Louise, wants her back. Why? Because of who you are inside. You are human. You are real. The children recognize that. And then when we had the opportunity for a TA position, wow, we were very fortunate for you to step right in. Again, you are amazing working in the different settings, the different grades, the relationships
027that you have had. Um, amazing. I know the beginning of this year, sixth grade, I don't know, it's a little bit too tall for me is really what you said. But I have to tell you, it was a great decision. You do spectacularly well with the children and you make a great partner with Miss Castle. So it is my pleasure to recommend Louise Cassella for tenure as a TA. Louise [Applause] This time, And now last but certainly not least, Miss Olivia, teacher [Music] assistant. I get the honor of speaking about Olivia Taylor, who has been a teacher assistant at the Old Mill Road School since September 2021. She has proven herself to be a hard-working and dedicated educator. Miss Taylor has worked in two of our self-contained classrooms at Old Milroad, supporting students with diverse
028learning needs. Over the past few years, she has worked under the direction of different special education teachers, each with their own style, each bringing bringing something unique to the table. And through it all, Olivia has remained steady, flexible, and deeply committed. In her role as the teacher assistant, she has worked collaboratively with the classroom teacher, teacher aids, and other support staff to create a warm and nurturing learning environment. Miss Taylor has worked with students who have a variety of intense needs both academically and social emotionally. She always looks out for the best interests of the students and advocates for them. Miss Taylor is very kind and caring and has created positive working relationships with all of the faculty and staff at Old Mill Road. Miss Taylor is always willing to go above and beyond. She
029even shared her time and talents in our Old Mill Road faculty staff variety show performance. She has been an asset to the Old Mill Road School and I look forward to her continued success. Olivia, thank you for all your years of hard work and thank you for your steady presence through change. Thank you for being a calm, consistent support for our students and being a valuable member of our OMR family. It is without hesitation that I recommend Olivia Taylor for tenure as a teacher assistant. No. How do I follow that? Uh, we won't be offended if you want to leave. Thanks. So, good. If you want to go, please. If not, we're going to We'll take a second. If you want to close your No, Dr. Take your names. She's going to close your eyes.
030Norma, you can take us with you. Quiet now. Thank [Music] you. Everybody 4 A through 4 C 4 A through 4C is listed by L, seconded by Tracy. All in favor? Motion carries. Public comments for agenda items only this evening. Do I have any? Is this agenda items? I don't think so. All right. So, nothing for agenda items only, but we um we're going to before I move on to motion our next motion. I would just like to uh I'm going to board thank in reference to 6P and I'd like to ask for a motion to approve 6A through 6P by Mary. Second by Mr. Miller. All in favor? I motion carries. Uh, a motion to approve our personal actions report 7A by Mary, second by Tracy. All in favor? Motion carries. Um, a motion
031to approve our special services 88C by Mary. I have a look at you, Miss Miller. All in favor? I. Motion carries. Report of the committees. Oh, I don't have one. Um, we're going to defer our high school report to our next meeting. Um, Miss K with the PJ Council school community. Thank you. Definitely has continued to be awesome. I'm going to try to go through this as fast as possible. Camp Avenue, April 28th held our buy one get one free book. Uh, final book fair. It's a favorite of the year. Spring Fling was held on May 2nd. DJ uh Maz performed. Approximately 85 to 90 students attended. The theme was Hawaii and we ordered Lays and decorations. Each child received a pretzel. May 5th, Walkers Club kicked off for two more sessions. May 9th held
032a talent show. Theme was America's Got Talent and ended in a glitter perfection. There were over 50 children to participate, their biggest show yet. Uh May 12th was the final PTA meeting of the year. May 21st, Journeys into the American Indian Territory Assembly is happening for first and fourth grades. Each class will watch a 20-minute video before the assembly. Camp Avenue Day drama club is Camp Avenue Day drama club held its performance on April 10th. The brave buccaneers amazing athletes and chess club are winding down the school year with a few more sessions. Our installation dinner is Monday, June 16th at Garden Social. Spirit wear completed. They sold over 100 grade shirts. Um and the sale ended May 1st and will be provided before Camp Avenue day. say the New York Islanders visit to HDF
033on April 11th for a pep rally. Ready, set, go is April 24th and part two is May 13th. We're very excited to welcome our nurse HDF kids to the school. Staff appreciation week was May 5th through the 9th. The staff had a wickedly awesome week full of raffles, giveaways, breakfast, lunch, desserts donated by season 52 and more. Um, the installation dinner is scheduled for June 11th at 6 PM at Lstrada. Funday plans is in full swing. Very excited to welcome back Uncle Tony's Reptiles as one of our stationers for Funday. Kindergarten and sixth grade graduation celebration planning has begun. We are thrilled to celebrate the graduating HDF kids. Pickle ball, game club, podcast club, and amazing athletes are all running smoothly. PTA meeting was May 12th. Our annual plan sale was a big success. Pre-orders
034were picked up on May 8th and students were able to purchase plants at the spring boutique May 9th. Our school supply sale, holy cow, concluded. Students will receive their school supply boxes in June in preparation for the upcoming school year, but let's not wish it, right? Uh we're getting ready for our annual bake sale during open house on May 19th. The yearbook is complete and incredible. And thank you for the uh to the yearbook committee. Oldville with great fundraisers uh Chipotle in Swirls World. And another fundraiser is June 19th at United States Skates. Spring boutique was held for students to purchase mother and father day mother and father's day gifts. I have to say that was a great boutique. I do hope that continues and highly recommend it. Um last book fair is May 30th.
035Preparations are in the works for the upcoming funday. Pats Farms offered a 10% discount when our school was mentioned during uh purchases last week and the installation dinner is also June 11th at La Piaza. Seta held our citr uh our circus event last week and it was a huge huge success. June 4th is our ice cream social being held at camp Avenue this year from 6:00 to 7:00. The board of education is so appreciative for all the PTAs. Just another incredible year across the board. So, thank you very much, Mr. Carter. Buildings and Grounds report. Thank you. Good to see everyone. Uh, I'm going to keep it short and sweet. The big news right now is the air conditioning that's being installed across the hall in the gym, which when complete in about a week
036and a half, two weeks possibly, uh, we'll be 100% air conditioned throughout the district, which is awesome, especially with legislation coming down the road. So, it's good news and and we're happy to get that done. Yes. Thank you. Good great work. Thank you. Um, Miss L, any communications? Yes, we received one communication. It was responded to. Okay. Uh, any unfinished business? Any new business? And then we have a public comment. If you have any other uh public commenters, we have one U Maria Pazella, Pizzola, if coming forward. And if if anyone else has a comment, if you want to fill out a card, this is on anything. you just come up to the microphone just because we're live stream so everyone can hear you. Thank you. Okay. Good evening. Thank you. I'm I'm Maria Pizzola.
037I'm a North Americ program. I understand the scope um contract was rejected due to monetary reasons. And I just want to say that my daughter's currently in that program. She's had a wonderful experience. I cannot say um any more amazing things about the teacher that she has there, Miss Hers. And I'm hoping I just want to understand but the closure of that program there or the rejection of the contract is that opening up more spaces for students since that one was closed and um I'm just hoping that in the future um maybe we can have that opportunity in the other schools in North IC like FET and Old Mill. I'm going to let uh Dr. Siniac address your concerns. Thank you. Welcome and I'm very happy that your child's having a good experience. That's so
038nice to hear. Uh with UPK funding, um it is provided to school districts and we do what's called an RFP process. Uh we send out a request for proposal with certain criteria. And when we started the program three years ago, we had TLC Brookside, TLC Merrick, We Friends, and Scope respond. and that fulfilled our 114 spots um that we were allotted based on the funding that we provided. It is not funded in the school budget or by the school district. So we had that for the last three years. When we went out for the RFP this time for September, we had another organization JCC also respond. When you um receive an RFP, you score it based on how much the criteria that you put in the RFP is aligned to what the organization or the
039program and how they responded. And it is our mandate or the mandate to uh go with the ones that are higher scored. And because JCC came in, they scored higher than scope and it was because of cost. they came in at the 5,400 for the funding in addition to that. So that was our 114 TLC Brookside uh We Friends and JCC came in at a higher score and they filled the 114 seats. So Scope did not. So that's why we had to reject them. We say reject because they did respond to it. We just didn't accept them. With that being said, space is also an issue across the district. We don't have the space to bring in a program into our schools in all of our schools and actually the one classroom that scope was
040using is now being used for students next year. But because of all of those reasons, we took TLC Brookside, We Friends, and JCC. And we're happy to say that we are filling all 114 seats and we have gotten to everyone on our wait list from the lottery. Thank you. Uh Jenny May Chen, good evening. Thank you. Hi. Good evening. My name is Jenny and I am actually a soontobe resident of North Merrick. I am moving in at the end of June and so I will be registering my 7-year-old to Old Meal Road School when that time comes. I was told that um even though Old Neil Rose School is the closest school to the house, he may be sent to any of the other two schools, which I don't mind because I've heard wonderful things
041about all the three schools as I saw today. Everyone who got tenured um everyone had nice things about to say about the nice the three schools. However, I work full-time. I'm a teacher myself and my husband also works full-time. So before and after care is a necessity and I know registration for all three schools already happened. Um and since I don't know where my son will go, I was I spoke to someone at the Belmore afterare to register him for the before and after care at Old Mill Road. So my question is and he got placed on a waist on a wait list. My question is if he does get into the before and after care at Old Mill, but he gets sent to another school, what happens then? Will he have a spot at
042the before and after care since registration is way past the deadline? Yes, Dr. Cineia Candle. Okay, welcome. We look forward to you your arrival. Um, so it's it's quite a dilemma. I did speak with June Smith uh yesterday and fed before and afterare. There is no wait list at Old Mill. There is a wait list for the morning. There are 16 students on it, but the afternoon there is no wait list. And Camp Avenue did not register yet. They're registering, I believe, next week. Um, but in regards to your situation, did you speak with June Smith, the director of the Yes. And um, what I can I can tell you is that you should remain in conversation with her. And when you do put in your registration forms, I know Miss Long is so helpful.
043She will help you along. Then we can make a determination, but FET at this time is open. And June Smith felt on the phone with me yesterday very hopeful because she feels that 16 is not a large number and it is early and she's hopeful to be able to get more workers. It's not about the space, right? It's about being able to get workers to come in and work in her program. So, I I know I'm not really giving you a solid answer, but until you're registered, there's really nothing we can do, but I would recommend that you stay in communication with Miss June Smith, the director. Okay. And I do talk to her regularly, and I will also bring you up to her. Okay. Okay. Thank you. And if you ever have any questions,
044you can also email me. Maybe you should email Dr. Siac as well. Yeah. Or or Miss Long. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you. Welcome. All right. Um, on that note, if we could have a motion to adjurnn. I would like to mention that we have Oh, we have another com. You have comments. I'm sorry. My name is Christina. And hold on one second, ma'am. Hold on. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't finish filling it out. I was going to give it to Miss Your name's on just so we could put it down. Christina. Okay. Okay. Can you hear me? Yes. All right. Um, my name is Christine Atwell Steinhol. I uh live near uh Camp Avenue and my son Daniel will be attending Camp Avenue kindergarten next year. I'm been living in North America now
045for probably about 3 years. Uh this is my first experience, first board meeting attending and I also am part of the community of residents that's concerned about the before and after care programs taking place at our schools. Um, I'm a pretty tech-savvy person. I am a communications officer in the National Guard. I would consider myself highly technologically savvy in terms of being able to reference information online. I personally from my experience have found it rather confusing into the registration of trying to register for before and after care um and and locating the links and understanding how to do the registration. In fact, I was so concerned after talking with other parents in the district online on socials of registering as soon as possible because I was told the spots do fill up that I had
046contacted the district about before and after care in March. I was then responded to that email promptly and uh I I don't know who responds to the emails. might be a mislodge. Um, but she me whoever it was mentioned that registration hasn't started yet but didn't provide me with a date. Um, and when I went to the website which listed on, there was nothing there to look at. Um, what I was told today when I called and I said, "Hey, I I asked you two months ago." Um, they said, "Oh, well, uh, we didn't post the dates until April." And I was like, well, I wasn't I I had no understanding that I had to periodically check to see when registration was open and if I missed the 6 p.m. deadline, I would be at
047risk for not having child care. And and I know after speaking with other members and other people on other parents on social, I know I'm not alone with saying that child care is a huge issue for the residents of North Merrick and that there needs to be or I I would love if there was more access and very clear deliberate instructions. had I had known when I went to my UPK uh my prek sorry orientation a couple weeks ago when I also received the little envelope that the registration was to begin at this time. I would ensure that I got that in on time and had my kid registered. Um, so I just would ask for more clear communication and maybe a little bit of more accessible user interface when it comes to registration if
048um, you know, the boards could could consider that and understand that the residents are concerned that there is not enough before and after care. And uh, thank you for addressing the fact that there is not a very long waiting list. That makes me hopeful that my child will get selected because I am also a person that will need, you know, before and after care for my son. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. On that note, thank you again for your for bringing your concerns to us. Um I'd like to make a motion to adjourn by Miss Keane, seconded by Mr. Nella. All in favor? Thank you. And I would like to mention we field the flags on Thursday at 3:15. Say it. Say it. We're Fet. What do you want to
049say? Um, we have our one appointment. Um, our school psychologist. Oh, I did. Oh, no. I apologize. Go ahead. You can announce. Okay. My my apologies. You want to take a picture of it? No. No more pictures, please. Um, not before we buy a new camera. Um, our our new school psychologist um has joined us. We're happy to have her on the team. um she'll be joining us for 25 26 year old. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great night everyone. Thank you. Sorry. I didn't know what you were saying. I didn't know what