001I'm telling everybody because we don't want to be so bad and I have a ski-up museum. I do all of them. I remember. I remember when I was in grade. I'm good. I was good at it. I was good at it. I was good at it. I was good at it. I was good at it. Wow. He was amazing. I Yeah, they're super good. Yeah, I know. She was like strong. She was so cool. She was really good. She helped me to go to school. She danced at opera. She helped me to get my papers. She was like my dance, my name, my name and stuff. So she really helped me. Good evening. This is a regular scheduled Board of Education meeting. The Board of Education was an executive session with Open Meeting Laws 105F,
002Specific Personnel Matters, Board Development. Agenda review, negotiation, MCTA, and workers' comp, file transition and reconciliation. In a moment, I'm going to ask you to stand for the pledge, and if the students who will be reciting could join us at the podium. I'm going to then ask you to remain standing. I'm sorry, it's a video this evening. I'm going to ask you to remain standing after the video for Newfield High School Jazz Ensemble performing the Star Spangled Banner. And then after that, I'm also going to ask you to remain standing for a moment of silence to acknowledge the passing of a kindergarten student, Giovanni Ayala-Haas. Thank you. And now if I could please have Mr. Bell to the podium for Sal's and Val's. Good evening. I'm so proud to have the opportunity tonight to present two
003tremendously talented, gifted, and impressive students that have excelled in so many ways. Typically, I save the quotes for the individual speeches. However, Ms. Stoll seemed to sum up this class and these two incredible students when she emailed me. Quote, I do not think we have ever had a Val and Sal who are kinder, more honest, more humble, or more grounded. Both young men are mature, insightful, hardworking, respectful to peers and adults, and I couldn't agree more. So it's with great pride that I present Ben Tachak as the salutatorian from Center Reach High School for the class of 2025. Academically, Ben truly excels. As salutatorian, that kind of makes sense, ranking second in this outstanding class. His combined SAT score was 1520. Most impressive when reviewing his transcript is the diversity amongst the courses that he's
004taken. Naturally, he challenges himself with demanding courses, but Ben has also taken the opportunity to explore all of the different types of courses that we offer. Ben will graduate this year having taken 16 advanced placement classes and one additional college-level course. That's well over 40 college credits before even graduating high school. In fact, Ben has only taken college-level courses the past two years of high school, which is amazing to say the least. Ben's been honored twice this year, and again he's coming up here now and for the robotics. In October, he was recognized by the board for his work in his capstone research class. In November, he was honored as a Center Beach High School Student of the Month for his accomplishments in and out of the classroom. This year, Ben served as our geo-president.
005This means that he and his fellow officers are in constant communication with Ms. Melfi, the advisor, the teachers, and our building administration. Ben was instrumental in the planning and the great success that we had throughout this year. Through his efforts, our evening pep rally, Cougar Carnival at Homecoming, Trick or Treat Street, volleyball marathon, and class competition were major successes. Ms. Melfi offered two quotes that apply to Ben. To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart. And leadership is not a position or a title, it's action and example. Ms. Melvie went on to state that Ben is one of the most compassionate students she has had the privilege to work with. His kindness and willingness to help others shines through every day. He excels academically and has proven to be a phenomenal
006leader as president of our student activities. Ben has definitely become a leader while in high school. In reviewing his accomplishments, it became apparent that he set out in ninth grade to become involved in a wide range of activities. Since entering high school, he's been involved in class and school activities such as the math team, the Science Olympiad, and unified basketball. Additionally, Ben was also our president of our National Honor Society. When seeking comments from Ben's teachers, my inbox was overwhelmed. Mr. Funi, his guidance counselor, stated, Ben is such a rare student. He's not only bright and motivated by... I'm sorry. He's not only bright and motivated, but he is so kind and respectful. His smile and energy are contagious. Mr. Seif, Ben's AP biology teacher, concurs, stating, Ben's a fantastic student who always leads, lends
007a helping hand. He's helpful to his fellow students, explaining material in labs, and routinely adds to the inquisitive dynamic of the room by asking thought-provoking questions. Ms. Visconti, Ben's AP Physics teacher, stated that Ben is willing to take risks and challenge himself. In AP Physics, he not only excelled with difficult content, but showcased his creative thinking when his team designed and constructed an actual wind tunnel to explore aerodynamics. Both Mr. Steigle and Ms. Sapula wrote that Ben's positive energy, respect for others, and willingness to work hard had such a positive impact on his peers. They noted that he was crucial to the success of all in their class. In keeping with challenging himself, Ben has been accepted to SUNY Binghamton in the fall. There he plans to study finance in hopes of becoming an investment
008banker. Ben, I along with the rest of the staff thank you not only for what you've done for our school, but also for how you've chosen to lead. Your work ethic and positive attitude will take you far. Congratulations. Now please join me in recognizing another exceptional student and young man, Sean Edbert, as our Center Reach High School Valedictorian for the Class of 2025. As you would expect, Sean is an incredible student. He had a weighted high school GPA of a 102.39. He excelled on his AP exams as well as posting a score of 1530 on his SAT exam. Sean will graduate in June having completed 12 AP level courses. He will basically be starting college as a sophomore. He's quite talented and gifted outside of the classroom too. He's played the French horn since elementary
009school and plays in our wind ensemble as well as our pit orchestra for plays. He was recognized for his outstanding musicianship by being named to the Allstate band. He played varsity golf throughout high school and this year was both captain and MVP for our middle country varsity golf team. He is still the one student that I know strikes fear in Mr. Mercado on the golf course. When not making birdies on the golf course or practicing the French horn, Sean also led our robotics team to the World Championships this year in Texas. We've got a shout out right here for you. Without going into much detail, there the team competed against various states and countries and represented our district well. Quite an accomplishment. As Sean and Ben have many of the same classes and teachers, I
010was overwhelmed with input from staff regarding Sean as well. Ms. Shumway, his guidance counselor stated, Sean has always been kind, friendly, and mature beyond his years. While he strives for greatness and has high standards, he remains incredibly humble. Ms. Melfi, who is always good for a quote, stated, Sean exemplifies excellence in and out of the classroom. He's a quiet leader, one who leads with humility, integrity, and kindness. His character and dedication make him a great role model. Mr. Sevian, Sean's band teacher, noted, Sean was an accomplished French horn player when he entered high school. What has been so noteworthy is his musical maturity and his ability to lead. Mr. Steigel stated, Sean's accomplishments are amazing. However, I don't think that Sean is impressed with what he's done. Knowing him, he will be that much more
011motivated as he moves on to challenge himself in college. And lastly, Ms. Zepula asserted, Sean's brilliance is matched by his humility, eloquence, exemplary teamwork, and leadership. Sean is grounded and approachable, always willing to mentor peers or share his knowledge. Sean will be leaving Center Reach and pursuing his studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. There he plans to major in mechanical engineering with a concentration in fluid dynamics. Shawn, I wish you nothing but the best in your future. Continue to be the highly respected person that you are and continue to make us all proud. Congratulations. Congratulations to you both. And now for Athletes of the Month, if I could please have Mr. Mercado to the podium. Good evening. Shawn, I think I stole you $50 from last year's round. I'll get that to
012you. Good evening, everybody. Our athletes are popular. I'm here to introduce our athletes of the month for the month of May. We have a couple left over from April as well because they couldn't be here during the April month meeting due to contests that they were having. Our first one is our middle country athlete of the month for boys, and that's Dylan Alberto. He'll be introduced by his head coach, Mr. Danny Walsh. Okay. Good evening, everybody. So first let me say that Dylan for the baseball team this year, his stats, he batted 310 with one home run, 15 RBIs and 15 runs scored. But everything that he accomplished on the baseball field, in my opinion, is not the reason why he won this award. Dylan played first base and pitched for us, never came off
013the field, held a young team together by conducting himself like a man and always leading by example. He's planning on going to Farmingdale State to play baseball in college and is going to be successful in any avenue he pursues because of his commitment to hard work. He also has an amazing family and support system in place to achieve whatever he wants to achieve. I'm proud to present this young man with the Middle Country Athlete of the Month Award and I'm proud to have been a part of his journey on and off the baseball field. Thank you, Dylan Albert. Next up is our female Middle Country Athlete of the Month for the month of May, and that is Center Reach softball player Jaden Ness. She'll be introduced by her head coach, Mr. Steve Carell. Good evening,
014everyone. It is with great pleasure that I'm able to present the May Athlete of the Month to Jaden Ness. Jaden is a tremendous athlete that has left an irreplaceable legacy on the Center Reach softball program. Jayden just completed her sixth varsity season in softball and 10th, yes that is correct, 10th varsity season overall. To be a three-sport athlete takes an incredible amount of sacrifice, dedication. Jayden is an athlete in every sense of the word. She's a competitor, a great teammate, and an even better individual. During her softball career, she's earned most improved player, all division honors, the role of team captain, and now athlete of the month. First time I met Jayden was actually in the classroom while I was student teaching. I had the privilege to call her my student before my player. She
015was a pleasure to have in class, but as a player, I don't think I could ask for anyone better. Jayden is the type of person you can always count on. She's always cheering up her teammates, giving them a pregame pep talk, or helping them get out of their heads. Whenever any of us need a good laugh, Jayden always delivers. If I had a rough day teaching, I always knew that within the first few minutes of practice or warm-ups, Ness would have me smiling. She truly is an unbelievable teammate and friend to have. Jane has stepped up time and time again when we have needed her to. She has set an example as a captain and has delivered in the clutch for us over many occasions throughout the years. One story that best sums up who
016Jane Ness is as a player and teammate is this. We had a game move because of rain to a Saturday. Two of our pitchers couldn't make it. I messaged Jade and I said, well, on a scale of one to seven, how confident are you in pitching? She said, scale's broken. I said, all right, Godspeed, good luck, soldier. I'm warming up your arm today. We spent 40 minutes in the gym working on her pitching. My knee still hurt, but it's okay. And our next game, sixth inning, last inning of the game, I looked at her, I said, all right, your time to shine, kiddo. She stepped on that mound with a smile on her face and pitched a shutout inning. Honestly, one of the best moments of my coaching career to witness that, a memory that
017we will all truly cherish. Next game gets moved again because of rain. None of our pitchers can make it. I look at Jayden, I say, well, it's a Landry bump day today. She goes out against a playoff team, holds her own, and in the process pitches two shutout innings and has a strikeout. That's impressive for someone who hasn't pitched in eight years. That is who Jayden Ness is. She is always willing to do whatever the team needs. I can honestly say that Jayden is a student athlete who leaves an impact on anyone she encounters. She is so kind, funny, and compassionate. She loves her teammates and is so passionate about the sport she competes in. I am beyond grateful for having been able to call myself her coach these past three seasons. This team will
018certainly not be the same after she graduates later this month. Congratulations, kiddo Yorda. Okay, we're going to go back to April. And an April athlete of the month, female athlete of the month from Newfield is Jalissa Torres. And she'll be introduced by her head coaches, Ms. Kristen Hauschneider and Ms. Paige Kovacs. Good evening, everyone. I can't lie, I've done like almost 30 of these. This is the biggest audience we've had, so here we go. It is my pleasure to introduce Newfield's Female Athlete of the Month, Jalissa Torres. Jalissa is a junior hurdler and sprinter for Middle Country Girls track and field. She is an outstanding athlete and is someone who works hard, pushes themselves every day, and supports her teammates. Her energy is contagious, whether she's racing down the track or cheering others on, or
019telling us to don't fret, coach. When she runs, she gives it her all no matter how tough the race is or how tired she gets. Jalissa always gives 110% on the track. Jalissa is one of the top 100 meter and 400 meter hurdlers on the team and is also a contender for all three relays we run. All three. Jalissa sets a great example by always focusing on the team's success over personal achievements. Jalissa competed in the county championship and state qualifier meet where she had a great success. But it's not just her speed that makes her special. She's also a natural leader. She encourages her teammates, keeps the team positive, and helps bring everyone together. Jalissa is also extremely coachable. She will do anything, and I mean anything, to improve and is always willing to
020help the coaches with whatever we need. We are looking forward to another great year with Jalissa in her senior year. Congratulations to Newfield's Female Athlete of the Month. Coach Hauschneider and Coach Kovas are going to stay right here because our May Center-Each Female Athlete of the Month is Sarah Williams. Thank you for being here. Sarah has proven herself to be an excellent leader and a top performer for Middle Country's track and field team. As a senior, she's committed to compete at the Division I level for Stony Brook. Sarah exemplifies elite athleticism, dedication, and hard work. She competes and excels in some of the sport's most difficult events, including the 800, the 1500, the 3000, and the 2000 meter steeplechase, showcasing her range as an athlete. Her ability to dominate across distance is rare, and it
021speaks to her intense training, strategic yet smart racing, and her mental toughness. Beyond her individual success, Sarah plays a critical role on the team by anchoring the 4x8 relay. Sarah is a true leader and a role model within the distance running group. She's setting the standard both on and off the track. Her dedication to training, positive attitude, and willingness to support her teammates make her someone others naturally look up to. Whether she's leading workouts, offering advice to younger runners, or pushing through tough races with determination, Sarah consistently demonstrates what it means to lead by example. Sarah this past weekend showed us just how strong she is at the state qualifier. Sarah competed in the 2K steeple race and went in seated at third. The last 100 meters of the race, Sarah finished as hard as
022she possibly could, and she won by four seconds, sending her to the state championship this weekend. Going into states this weekend, Sarah is seated 19th, hoping to move her way up those rankings. We're so proud of you, and we can't wait to see how well you do this weekend. Next up, and I apologize to Coach Corral because I should have paired you guys together as well, our April Athlete of the Month for Female out of Center Reach High School is Brooke Gullo. She'll be introduced once again by Coach Corral. No worries, Joe. I need the steps. Good evening again. Long time no see. It is a terrific honor to be up here recognizing a tremendous student-athlete in Brooke Gullo. Brooke, or as I refer to her, Captain, has more than earned the honor of April's
023Athlete of the Month. The captain completed her fourth varsity season here in the softball program and this was her second season serving as team captain, which highlights her incredible leadership abilities. At the plate, she was a force all season long. By the end of April, she was batting over 500 and finished the season either leading or tied for the lead in each offensive category. Defensively, she has been an anchor and center field for her entire career here. Whenever the ball goes her way, me and my staff can breathe a sigh of relief knowing captain's got it. Two days ago on this stage, I had the honor of presenting Brooke with her second Team MVP award. She also will be receiving her All-Division honors at the Section 11 dinner next week. Brooke's achievements are not just
024limited to on the field. She is ranked in the top 25 in this year's graduating class. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, and Student Council. CAP is the definition of a successful student-athlete. Throughout her time playing for Santa, each captain has been a role model to fellow teammates. She is always leading by example, doing things the right way, and making good decisions. She will always make sure the new players feel welcome and involved. She always looks to lift up those around her and is always putting others before herself. She'll always have words of encouragement ready for her teammates or her coaches when they need it most. Despite being the fastest player on the team, the only player to beat me in a race, I'm
025not upset at all. She will always stay back with those in the back of the line when we run or do laps. That's just the person Brooke Golo is. A quote I read that fits well with Brooke comes from the greatest non-Argentinian soccer player in Pele. Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing. That encapsulates Brooke Golo. She is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. She never lets anything keep her down. She's always willing to sacrifice for herself and others. And she plays this game with such a love and passion that is so refreshing as a coach to see. I could talk for hours about how amazing of an athlete captain is, for all of her accomplishments and
026the honor she has earned. There's many of them. To me, what is most impressive is who Brooke is as a person. She is so incredibly kind, caring, and humble. In all my years in the classroom and out on the field, I don't know if I've ever encountered a better individual. Cap, you represented your school and community so well, and you have left such an impression on your teammates and your coaches. Brooke will be continuing her softball career up at Oswego, where she will be studying childhood education. Takes a lot of patience and a kind heart to work in this profession and I am certain that you will make a terrific teacher and will continue to leave an impact on those around you. Congratulations captain. Next I'd like to invite up our May Center-Reach Male Athlete
027of the Month, Michael Bonagero from Center-Reach Baseball. Coach Camerota couldn't be here this evening, but he did send along these words. Today we gather here to extend our warmest congratulations to a truly remarkable student athlete, Mike Bonagero. Michael's contribution both on and off the field have earned him this well-deserved recognition. Michael embodies the qualities of a true leader, one who leads not with words but with actions. Despite his quiet demeanor, Michael's presence commands attention wherever he goes, be it in the classroom or on the playing field. His peers and teammates admire and respect him, looking to him as a role model. Michael may be a quiet leader, but he is a fierce competitor with an unwavering desire to succeed. He possesses an exceptional drive to win and consistently pushes himself to his limits. Michael's determination
028and dedication have been instrumental in his accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom. Mike, we congratulate you on this well-earned award and commend you for your outstanding achievements as a student athlete. Your quiet leadership, fierce competitiveness, and dedication to excellence have not gone unnoticed. You have set a high standard for others to aspire to. Once again, congratulations, Michael. As your coach, I cannot wait to see what you bring. Next, we have our Newfield Athlete of the Month, female from our Newfield softball team, and that's Ashley Hernandez. Coach Catapano couldn't be here this evening, but she sent along these words. Ashley is a junior who's starting for her second year in varsity. After losing seven starters, including our ace pitcher, Ashley knew she had to step it up for her teammates. She started back
029up with pitching lessons to be able to take on the starting pitcher position, knowing that we had nobody else, even though she's a true shortstop and wants to really play shortstop. Ashley never gives up on her teammates and continues to work harder than anybody else in the program. She's able to stay calm and collected on the mound without lashing out at teammates after multiple consecutive errors. This is a child that shows great captain-like abilities and deserves to be recognized for her hard work and nonstop support of her teammates. Ashley finished with a very impressive batting average of .361 with 22 runs scored, 12 RBIs, and 15 walks. We look forward to watching Ashley continue to grow and can't wait to see what her senior year brings. Thank you and congratulations. Oh, I'm sorry. This is
030what happens when the guy in May we always have a lot because April that unfortunately our athletes are always playing So our last one last but not least Newfield male athlete of the month from our boys lacrosse team AJ Sullivan in the month of May AJ I'm sorry coach Mac it's Mac. It's he couldn't be here this evening. He did send these words for him In the month of May, A.J. covered the best midfielders on every team. He had 11 caused turnovers, 21 ground balls, one goal, two assists, and won over 50% of his face-offs. He helped our team win games over conference opponents, Bayshore, Kopech, and Pat Med. His motor ability to compete 100% on every play, his effort and never-take-a-playoff attitude is what sparked our team to the Section 11 Conference 1 playoffs.
031In closing, AJ was a silent leader on and off the field for our varsity boys team. He led by example every time he put the uniform on in practice and in games. He is a great representative of the Middle Country School District, our boys lacrosse team, and family. Congratulations on being honored tonight with the Athlete of the Month for 2025. Thank you. Thank you, and congratulations to all of our athletes honored this evening. And now for certificates of pride, if I could please have New Lane fifth grade student Reagan Ataniz join me at the podium. This is something that is truly impressive and really cool and you deserve this honor. You have qualified for the National Junior Olympic luge team. This certificate we are giving to you tonight for bringing pride to middle country and
032we wish you all the best and much success and hope to continue to hear all of the great things you accomplished so thank you and congratulations. And now if I could please have Dr. Endenbacher, Director of Science and Research, PK through 12, to present certificates of pride. Can I have Matthew Biedas and Julia Carter come up with me please with their teacher Jim Nelson. It is with enthusiasm that on behalf of the Middle Country Central School District and our Board of Ed, I recognize a team of students who have advanced in the Long Island Science Congress and will be honored with an award on June 13th. We actually don't know what the award will be because it's a big secret, but since we won't be meeting as a Board of Ed following June 13th, we
033wanted to make sure we recognize you this year. Sorry, I went off script and this is I'm gonna be like super unawkward Okay, so join me in congratulating Matthew Vitas and Julia Carter who are Newfield High School students They conducted their research using the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the title of their research was Dendrological investigation and an elemental analysis using root cross sections and adjacent soil To Mr. Nelson and Mr. Graviano, the cabinet and the board of ed, we thank you for supporting this work. To our students, we're so proud of you. We encourage you to continue asking questions. These students have presented their findings as far as the Long Island's Cradle of Aviation's Aerospace Museum. They presented their findings at Brookhaven Lab. They presented their findings at STEM Celebration, and they'll be presenting their
034findings again tomorrow at our local research symposium. congratulations thank you and congratulations and now mr. Cangerino please good evening everybody tonight we celebrate the special achievements of our career and technical education students in the areas of Deca SkillsUSA cosmetology career exploration challenge and of course the robotics team DECA is a globally recognized organization that provides high school students with the opportunity to prepare for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. It plays an essential role in fostering emerging leaders and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need for future success in the business world. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but this bears repeating. These two students were number one at the regionals in their categories for all of Suffolk County School Districts. So with that said, to introduce you to the students,
035Michelle Bradley, a business ed teacher, entrepreneur, Tracy Bernardino. hi i'm michelle bradley i'm center reach high school deck advisor tracy bernardino was unable to make it make it tonight but she co-advises with me and this i wanted to introduce jamel tastin he along with uh med balik unfortunately couldn't get a ride here tonight they um They're two outstanding, standout students. They first earned, like Nick said, first place in the financial services team decision marketing event for Suffolk County Regional, which then allowed them to go to state competition in January. This impressive accomplishment secured them the spot. And while in state competition, they both won two separate medals for their accomplishments there at state. So we're both incredibly proud of Ahmed and Shamil's hard work and dedication. This recognition reflects the commitment of Center East High
036School DECA's program to preparing students for success in a variety of fields. Congratulations to you and to Ahmed. Congratulations. Next we honor our SkillsUSA cosmetology students. Students demonstrated their skills in hair color, hair cutting, hair styling, and long hair design. Long hair, what's that? This was in separate assessments. All work was performed on mannequins, so each competitor begins with the same model and the same type of hair. Students performed one woman's cut, one men's cut from a finished photo. They also created one uniform layered haircut. A display of creativity was seen in the long hair segment of the competition where these future salon professionals demonstrated their own design skills. A parade finale closed the competition with each competitor walking down the stage with their completed mannequins to present to the audience. So Toni Ingarra couldn't
037be here tonight. She's out with friends and family celebrating her upcoming retirement. So we welcome Candice Rodriguez and you may have seen Candice around. I will introduce her first. Candice did her student teaching with Laura Michaels and Marissa Akeler and she helped bring the SkillsUSA competitors to the top. This year under Joni and Garris Tutelage, she's been the Cosmetology TA. and congratulations to her. Next year she'll be the cosmetology teacher. On March 19th, Newfield High School's cosmetology students proudly presented our program at SkillsUSA competition held at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood. Competing against top cosmetology programs across Long Island, both junior and senior students showcased their talent, dedication, and professionalism. Junior Alexa Corona earned first place, while fellow junior Priscilla Ragusa placed fifth out of 29 students. Senior Madison McCormick took fourth place, and
038Jillian Alestra eighth out of 28 senior competitors. These outstanding results are a reflection of the students' weeks of preparation, hard work, and perseverance. We are incredibly proud of how composed, confident, and professional each student remains under pressure while being judged. Congratulations to you all. Juliana Alestra, and then tonight we are missing Priscilla Ragusa, Alexa Corona, and Madison McCormick. Priscilla is here. And from Center Reach Cosmetology, please welcome Laura Michaels and Marissa Ackler. Hi, everybody. So hours of practice and preparation goes into these competitions. And the workmanship these competitors presented at the regional competition really reflected their hard work. I would like to thank the following students for committing to competition and representing middle country in a positive way. We have Ayanna Sosa, Olivia Ludwig, and Layla Argueta, they're not able to be here tonight, but
039luckily we were able to have our sixth place junior competition winner, and that would be Callie Sauter. I have to raise this a little. Next up, we have our Career Exploration Challenge students. This year, we had a record number of participants, thanks to the work of the teachers, the community, the Middle Country Business Advisory Board, Ms. Mann Rodriguez, Mrs. Feldman, We were able to place all of our students. Tonight we have, what, 11 students receiving certificates and scholarships. Liz is not one of few words, so I'll call her up. Liz Scott. Always full throttle ahead. All right, good evening, everybody. It's great to see you all. Thank you to the Board of Education, Dr. Gerald, district leaders, dedicated teachers, for all being here, families, and valued members of the community. Tonight, I stand before you
040filled with pride and gratitude on behalf of the Middle Country Business Advisory Board. It is a distinct honor to commend the dedication, resilience, and impressive accomplishments of students from Center Reach and Newfield High School. Individuals who fully engaged in this year's career exploration challenge and distinguished themselves through effort, commitment, enthusiasm, and hard work. This program represents the very best of what happens when schools, businesses, and community partners unite behind a shared purpose. Preparing our students not just for graduation, but for meaningful lives and careers beyond the classroom. We sincerely thank the Board of Education and Dr. Gerald for supporting this mission and giving us the opportunity to recognize student excellence tonight. A special note of appreciation go to Board Members Doreen Feldman and Debbie Mann-Rodriguez, true champions of the Business Advisory Board, whose dedication keeps
041this initiative alive and thriving. We also extend heartfelt thanks to Kathy Walsh, who graciously stepped in as a judge at the last moment. Her time and thoughtful insights made a real difference. We are incredibly grateful to our community partners, the Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, especially Lenore Pebracchi and Jerm Verde, and Diane Cudulo of the Center H Civic Association. Your unwavering belief in our career and technical education programs provides both vital resources and heartfelt encouragement. A very special thank you also goes to the Middle Country Education Foundation for your generous support in helping to fund this program. Your commitment to enriching educational opportunities ensures that our students not only explore their career interests, but also feel valued and supported along the way. Thanks to the generosity and the support of our partners, each student this
042year participating in the challenge will receive a monetary award, a tangible acknowledgement of their time, effort, and dedication. We'd also like to recognize Troy Schmidt of Middle Country Auto and Selden. He is a dedicated business owner, chamber member, community partner, and he was a presentation judge this year. Troy, thank you for continuing to invest in the success and future of our students. Of course, none of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of the educators and administrators who make it all happen. A heartfelt thank you goes to Tracy Bernardino, Michelle Bradley, Peggy Durasmo, Lauren Filomena, Nick Parinello, Karen Stratton, Nick Congero, and Vinnie Rokove. Your passion and dedication fuel the success of this program and you are the core of this initiative motivating our students to aim higher, grow stronger, and realize their full
043potential. This year saw a significant rise in the student interest and participation, as Nick mentioned. Many eagerly joined our job shadowing day event that we had in February, and 11 students took it further, completing over 10 hours of an internship experience, and some even returned for a second year, demonstrating real commitment to their growth. Each student created a visual presentation to reflect this experience, connecting the classroom learning to real-world applications. A panel of judges evaluated them on their confidence, their creativity, their professionalism, subject matter, subject knowledge, and more as part of an eight-point rigorous category in total. And let me tell you, this year they really delivered. It was amazing. Every student who participated should be extremely proud of what they accomplished. They challenged us as judges the best possible way with thoughtful, inspired, high
044quality work and a lot of conversation after because they were all so excellent this year. It is my honor to introduce the 2024-25 Career Exploration Challenge Scholarship participants. As I call your name, please step forward. And if you could all kindly hold your applause until all the names have been read, that would be greatly appreciated. Alphabetically, we have Payman Ali from Center Reach High School. Jocelyn Aguirre from Center Reach High School. Megan Clark from Newfield High School. Denise Fleet from Center Reach High School. Kyla Frank from Newfield High School, Emma Havistrow from Newfield High School, Brandza Lucas from Newfield High School, Juliana Nelson from Center Reach High School, Monica Richardson from Newfield High School, Juliana Russo from Center Reach High School, and Leah Wharton from Center Reach High School. Congratulations for participating. So, community is
045everything and tonight we have a very special community member, Troy Schmidt, he owns Middle Country Automotive in Selden, not to be confused with that other guy in Center Reach, I forget his name. Two years in a row, Troy has been one of the highest sponsors for the Career Exploration Challenge. He's here to present a scholarship, certificates on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Ed. Good evening everyone. It's an honor to be here with you today as we celebrate the incredible achievements of some of our community, most promising young individuals. My name is Troy. I'm the proud owner of Middle Country Automotive, a local business right here in Selden. I was born and raised in this very community and I graduated from Newfield High School, just as some of you will one
046day. all right when i was your age i was wasn't entirely sure where life would take me but through hands-on experience and some great mentors i found my path in the automotive repair industry is the trade i'm passionate about and one that gives me the chance to build a business support my family and give back to the community in hand That's why programs like the 2005 Career Exploration Challenge are so important. They give students the opportunity to explore real-world careers, step into local business, and learn what it takes to succeed, not just from books, but from doing. This year, we are proud to offer intern opportunities to our shop and others in the community. What made this challenge even more special was that it didn't stop at just learning. It pushed each student to reflect,
047present, and share what they discovered. Tonight we're here to recognize a few of the students. These students stood out and for that we're awarding monetary scholarships to support their future education and career goals. To all the students who participated, whether you're receiving a scholarship or not, please know how proud we are of your effort. You've taken your first steps toward a successful future and I encourage you to keep going. Stay curious, keep learning, and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Sometimes that's where the best lessons are. To the families, teachers, and businesses who support these programs, thank you. This kind of community investment is what makes all the difference. Finally, to the winners, congratulations. Can't wait to see what your future brings. Thank you. And now the moment that we've all been waiting
048for, especially them, because they did their presentations in early May, and they don't know who the winners are yet. It is time to recognize the outstanding students who rose to the top in this year's Career Exploration Challenge. These remarkable young individuals impressed our judges with their insight, professionalism, and creativity, and we are thrilled to award them with scholarships in recognition of their hard work. Drum roll, please. In third place, receiving a $150 scholarship, we have Juliana Nelson. It's in there. We double, triple checked, put them in order, and reordered. Oh goodness. Well we're going to call the next one up while they're figuring it out. Are we good? Second place, each receiving a $250 scholarship, we have Emma Havistrow and Jocelyn Aguwire. Okay, I'm moving on. And in first place, earning $400 scholarships, we have
049Juliana Russo and Megan Clark. Please join me in giving a resounding round of applause not only for our scholarship recipients, but for every student who took on this challenge with courage, curiosity, and commitment. You truly are the pioneers of our futures. We look forward to welcoming many of you back next year, ready to dig deeper, dream bigger, and continue leading the way with confidence and purpose. and to those who haven't yet participated, we warmly invite you to join us and experience the incredible opportunity this challenge offers. Thank you to everyone here tonight, and a special thanks to our entire school community, local partners, and families for your continued belief in the power of real-world learning and the bright futures it helps to create. Thank you again. All right, this team came with props. We might
050as well use them. Working hard, coming in early in the morning, working on their free periods after school and on weekends. They came up with the VEX robotics builds. I can hear them from my office grinding, cutting, building, programming, reprogramming, and testing. This year they won at the regional level, state level, national, and made it all the way to Dallas at the World's Competition where they're... where there are 53 countries that compete with the VEX Robotics World Competition in many, many languages. Since they brought props, this was from this year's World Competition, and it's considered like the Oscar of the VEX Competition, and it was for Sportsmanship Award. So these trophies get polished once a week and put back into their case. To tell you more about this, please welcome Mr. P, Coach P, otherwise
051known as Nicholas Paranello, Center H High School graduate, class of 19... Good evening, everyone. Well, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Nick Paranello, technology teacher here at Center H High School and robotics advisor. It's been a great evening so far recognizing all these outstanding students. Tonight I stand before you recognize this group of Senator Robotic students and all they've accomplished over the last four years. I believe I speak for many educators and staff in this room that one of the most fulfilling things when you're an educator is watching kids grow and grow up into be young adults and respectable people. And this group is one of them. It stands true for the Cougars Robotics Team 38211B. That number will be retired this year. These students have worked for the last four years,
052since 2021. Until the present, these students have worked diligently on tackling all the robotics engineering challenges they were faced with from the VEX Robotics competitions. Hours of planning, designing. fabricating and programming competition robots that could compete against some of the most difficult competitors in New York and the world. One of the best attributes of this group is their friendship and loyalty to one another. I can say that I've watched these kids grow together as friends and I hope they continue after they graduate to support each other and be there for each other through life's journeys. They will be greatly missed. Although their boisterous behavior and laughter sometimes is a little overwhelming, it will be very missed. It will be very quiet in the technology classroom. This season the students have competed in several robotics competitions.
053The first one was at JFK High School in January where they were awarded the design award which recognizes the team's outstanding engineering documentation and strong explanation of their design process. They then moved on to a competition at Delphi University where they received the Excellence Award, which is the highest award that you could receive at a BEX Robotics competition. The next was the Roslyn High School where they received the Innovate Award. The Innovate Award recognizes an effective and well-maintained documented design process. It shows how the robot is designed and a gameplay strategy. At the Southern New York State Championships, they received the Create Award. The Create Award gave them a direct invitation to the VEX World Championships, and as Nick said, they received the Sportsmanship Award at the VEX World Championships. This is a great group
054of kids. They've worked tirelessly on these machines, performing engineering tasks, and I couldn't be more proud of this group of students. I think every one of them are seniors except one, so they will all be missed. They've worked, like I said, tirelessly over the last four years. So let's just call them up one by one. Yes, okay, so on behalf of my team, so why don't you guys just come up here and line up. On behalf of my team, I would like to thank the Middle Country Educational Foundation, the Board of Education, Middle Country School District, Center H High School for all of your support over the last many years. We couldn't have done it without all of you. We have Ibrahim Ali, Adrian Borowski, Aaron Bosch, Yohani Chen, Naila Daly, Lorenzo DeMarco, Joseph Dovey,
055Max Lasek, Alex Prevelis, and Ryan Rosello. Thank you very much. And let's hear it one more time for this team. Great kids. Okay, so finally next. in appreciation to our career technical education teachers that made the career exploration challenge so successful this year in getting placements, working with the students, following up, helping them with their presentations, and generally really keeping up with the challenge itself and making sure that they complete the hours. to present awards to those teachers are Mrs. Feldman and Mrs. Mann Rodriguez. I just have to say, Liz Scott and I have been on this committee over 17 years, and every year it just gets better and better. But we have to recognize these teachers who went above and beyond because... The kids did such a fantastic presentation from the way they dressed
056to the way they presented. We had two girls that went to follow lawyers. One girl on her lunch break would run over to the courts to see what was going on. I mean, but this was the teachers who encouraged them. So we want to acknowledge them. Can you ladies come up and we'll give you, it's Michelle Bradley. Tracy Bernardino is not here. Philomena I don't see Lauren here either and this committee would not be where it is if it wasn't for Liz Scott she is the heart and soul congratulations I think it's truly remarkable the What this in particular showed just the wide array of opportunities and experiences we provide for our students here. So thank you, congratulations and thank you to everyone that's involved because it takes a lot of people to make these
057things happen. So thank you. And now for certificates of pride for teachers, if I could please have Dr. Siegel, Director of ELA and Grant Funded Opportunities Pre-K through 12 to the podium. I'm like seven feet tall in these heels. Would Mr. Ray Sabini please join me at the podium? We are thrilled to present Mr. Sabini with the Middle Country School District Certificate of Pride. As a dedicated teacher and the accomplished author Raymond Bean, he has made a profound impact on so many people. For years he has selflessly volunteered his time to deliver inspiring presentations at our Literacy and Humanities Expo events. And recently he captivated his audience of students, parents, teachers, and administrators from across Long Island as the keynote speaker for the Long Island Language Arts Council's May Literacy event in Bayshore, New York.
058Mr. Sabini's passion for literacy and his forward-thinking insights, especially regarding AI's influence on publishing and education, have been incredibly informative and motivating for our students, colleagues, and the broader community. With sincere gratitude and immense pride, we extend our deepest thanks to Ray Sabini, also known as Raymond Beand, for his ongoing service and for proudly representing the Middle Country Central School District. Congratulations. And now if I could please have Dr. Endembarra, Director of Science and Research, PK through 12, to the podium. It's nice to go after Dr. Siegel, who is also vertically enhanced. The microphone is at a good height for me. Can I have Sean Placard and Elisa Hughes come up with me, please? Okay, so while the students that I presented awards to earlier are kind of living in a Schrodinger's limbo, we do
059know what awards these teachers have won. So I'll start with Sean Placard. Sean Placard teaches seventh grade and biology at Dawnwood Middle School. He's earned the STEM Star Teaching Award from the Long Island Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Education Leadership Association. Sean is the kind of teacher whose classroom you want to visit on the first day of school. It's controlled. lab safety, students on top of tables measuring things, sometimes there's spaghetti involved. He's the kind of teacher who always talks about what students can do and what they need to do next instead of worrying about what they can't do. He is always thinking about our students with a growth mindset. He was honored with this award for being a beacon of light for his students. Congratulations to Ms. Alisa Hughes, who teaches first grade at
060New Lane Elementary. Alisa has received the Elementary Level Science Teacher of the Year Award from the Suffolk Science Teachers Association of New York State for her exemplary performance as a science teacher, outstanding leader of students, and dedication to professional learning. She doesn't hesitate to reach out when she has a great new idea, and she's been an active member of the STEM committee, and she represents middle country in the New York State Master Teacher Program. I know there are other master teachers out in the audience right now, so if you're sitting next to them, you're very lucky. Elisa and Sean, we thank you for all that you do to foster curiosity in our students. Thank you, and congratulations. And now for our PTA-PTSA report, if I could please have Ms. Algieri, President of Middle Country Central
061School District PTA-PTSA Council, as well as MCCSD-PTSA Pride, and Newfield High School PTSA to the podium. good evening on behalf of the newfield high school ptsa pride ptsa and middle country pta ptsa council it's my pleasure to present the 2024-25 pta highlights for newfield we had another wonderful year the ptsa was happy to come to the ninth grade orientation for parents and to have a membership table at back to school night and homecoming. We participated in trick or treat street and staff appreciation. We showed a school spirit with sales of commemorative flowers, senior lawn signs and stadium cushions and ponchos. Plus we were able to give some scholarships to some of our wonderful seniors. We held our annual fashion show and basket auction. We had a great turnout. Staff and students did a fantastic job
062walking the fashion runway. We had kindergarten students participate again this year, and they, of course, were as cute as ever. We held our special persons evening, and as always, it was a wonderful evening. We were proud of the students who took the time and the words to recognize staff that have impacted them throughout their time in our district and proud of the staff who were recognized. We would like to thank everyone for your continued support and for a great year. For Middle Country Pride PTSA, wow, we are almost two years old. We're moving slowly, but our focus continues to remain the same. We want every child, not only those who are part of the LGBTQ community, to feel accepted and safe. We want them to be proud of who they are. We are excited to
063hear how the buildings and the students decided to celebrate Pride Month. This year, we sponsored three workshops, which were open to everyone. We've been happy to have a membership table at back to school nights, homecoming at the high schools and a few of the secondary school plays. We are fortunate to have such a great support from the schools, parents, students, administration and the Board of Ed. And we want to give everyone a very heartfelt thank you for it. We as a PTSA and community still have a lot of work to do to ensure that every child feels safe, seen, and accepted, and we are thankful for everyone who plays a part. We look forward to growing more in the coming year. For middle country, the PTA units were very busy this year, as they are
064every year. Our children, family, and school staff enjoyed activities such as welcome back barbecues, trunk or treat, Book fairs, picture days, Valentine day dances, PARP events, Founders Day auctions, just to name a few. The high schools both held their annual fashion shows, plus the activities they squeeze into an already packed schedules. On top of the great many events, the units were able to bring many amazing arts and education programs into their buildings. Our units work very hard in increasing membership. which is a challenge every year and a number of our middle country PTA units received recognition from New York State PTA for achieving or exceeding membership goals throughout the year. Suffolk Region PTA, New York State PTA, and National PTA offered several opportunities for training and leadership growth throughout the year which many middle country
065PTA members attended. The units each held an annual awards night at which they were able to honor members of our district who have gone above and beyond for our students and family. In addition, Middle Country PTA PTSA Council is grateful that our units were able to award scholarships to deserving Center Reach and Newfield High School graduating seniors this year. Congratulations to our scholarship winners and thank you to the PTA units for continuing to support our graduating seniors. I want to thank each of our units for all the wonderful activities and events they hold during this year. Your dedication and commitment to our students, family, and community is noticed. I want to thank the Board of Education, the superintendent, and all the administrators, directors, principals, assistant principals, teachers, and staff for all of your support and
066assistance to the PTA units and council. Furthermore, I want to thank the Middle Country PTA PTSA Council Executive Board and all the Middle Country PTA unit presidents and officers who have served this year. Your determination, hard work, dedication, and service to your members and to all of our children is noted and appreciated. We are a wonderful district in part because of all of you. You all should be proud of yourselves and each other. Thank you for an amazing school year and have a great summer. on behalf of the board of education we obviously thank you for all of your dedicated time to the several pta boards that you are on but we thank all of the volunteers for the pta it's a lot of work and you help to ensure the students experiences while they're
067here so we thank you all board commentary mr halleck mr d benedetto Yes, I would like to take a moment and wish all our 15th graders the best of luck as they move up. Special thank you to the Wilkins Path faculty and staff for everything you've done for my children. To our seniors, we wish you the best of luck and congratulations. We hope the world is more rewarding, fulfilling, and beyond your wildest dreams. And hope everybody has a great and wonderful summer. Thank you. Ms. Mann-Rodriguez? I ditto to all of that and again I just want to thank all of the educators it's so nice to see everybody's faces today thank you to all the educators thank you to the admin thank you to the staff thank you to the parents thank you to the
068students for making this another successful year thank you miss Haggerty Ditto and more. So many exceptional people here tonight. Certainly Sean and Ben, Center Reach's best and brightest, to our athletes, our robotics teams, our teachers who have nurtured them. But I just wanted to mention one more exceptional person who I'd like to recognize. A graduate, a PTA president, a council president. a board of trustee member, a Brookhaven Town Councilwoman, somebody who has dedicated herself for decades to this community and did so with tremendous pride and love. And Kathy Walsh, thank you for everything you've done. Thank you. Ms. Parisi, Ms. Feldman, and I too just want to thank everyone for another amazing school year. I hope everyone enjoys the summer. We have minutes from May 21st regular meeting and May 29th special meeting. If there
069are no edits or changes, we'll accept the minutes as they are. Thank you. Consent agenda. I need a motion to accept the consent agenda. I will ask if you guys could use your microphone this way. Annette is able to just hear ours. So first was Denise and second was Debbie. I've been asked by Mrs. Walsh to read this letter. She is in Florida with her family at the moment. Dear Dawn, it is with great gratitude and reflection that I submit my resignation from the Middle Country Central District Board of Education. Serving alongside each of you has been a true honor. I want to extend my deepest thanks to you, the entire board, and the cabinet for your steadfast leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the education and well-being of the children in our community. Your
070dedication has made a meaningful impact and I am confident that Middle Country Central School District will continue to thrive under your guidance. At this time, I need to step away from my role in order to tend to pressing family matters related to illness. This decision was not made lightly, but I know it is the right one for my family and for the board so that you may continue your important work without interruption. Thank you to the Middle Country families and staff for the opportunity to serve. With sincere appreciation, Kathleen Walsh. obviously miss walsh is uh revine resigning from the school board um it is with sadness on all of us we will on our parts we will miss her tremendously but we understand and fully support her decision she is where she needs to be
071in the moment so um i'll speak on behalf of the board just to um also from what miss hagerty said we truly appreciate all the time and dedication that Ms. Walsh gave here to Middle Country, and we will miss her and we wish her all the best, and we will keep her and her entire family in our thoughts and prayers. Instruction, questions, comments? Pupil personnel services, questions, comments? Personnel instructional? Personnel classified? Finance? I need a motion to accept the consent agenda. Move it. All those in favor? Second. Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. And now for roll call. Motion to accept that? The roll call? You need a motion to accept the roll call? Move it. Second. I will call your names in alphabetical order, with the president being last. Please respond by saying yes, no,
072or abstain after your name is called. Ms. Barisi? Mr. DiBenedetto? Yes. Ms. Feldman? Yes. Ms. Haggerty? Yes. Mr. Halleck? Yes. Ms. Man Rodriguez? Yes. Ms. Schirach? Yes. At this time, would anyone like to change their vote? Being no trustee has changed his or her vote, the motion is unanimous, carried 7-0. and that was for 25-06-f-28 tax anticipation note resolution of middle country central school district at center h new york adopted june 11 2025 authorizing these issuance of not to exceed 60 million tax anticipation notes in it and in anticipation of the receipt of taxes to be levied for the fiscal year ending june 30th 2026. superintendents report 25-06-SR-1 long island little dragon chinese school waiver of fees policy number 1500 of use of facilities for the 2025-26 school year and this is at no cost
073to the school district all those in favor opposed motion carries 25-06-SR-2, transportation to child care locations for the 25-26 school year. Move it. Second. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. 25-06-SR-3, memorandum of agreement, Juneteenth Maintenance Unit. Move it. Second. All those in favor? Opposed? motion carries 25-06-sr-4 memorandum of agreement juneteenth heads and chiefs units move it second all those in favor opposed motion carries policy 25-06-po-1 first reading of policy 9580 unaffiliated staff benefit package motion to waive the reading i need a second second All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Correspondents, obviously we are getting a lot of emails and invites. I want to thank you for all that you have attended and that you're going to attend. We have some fun stuff coming up, moving up ceremonies, obviously high school graduation. So thank
074you all for signing up to represent. Unfinished business? New business? Board committee reports or liaison committee reports? Ms. Feldman? I just want to remind everybody the golf outing is July 29th. We could still use people to golf. We could still have people donate and sponsor. Okay? Thank you. All the money that we use goes to all the kids in the district, so we'd like to see more people commit to helping. Thank you. public input there was none from our last meeting is there public input this evening yes there is this evening we have four speakers please be reminded that you have three minutes to address the board i will keep the clock and let you know when your time is up please also be reminded that since the board of that meeting is a meeting
075in public not a public hearing the board does not respond to public input If your comment requires a response, you will either be contacted directly or a response will be made at the next board meeting. Please remember that the board does not permit public input involving specific personnel or students. If you wish to discuss such matters, kindly contact the superintendent during regular business hours. Thank you. Our first speaker, Sylvia Zhao. Please come up to the podium. Good evening everybody. My name is Sylvia Zhao, a member of the upcoming sophomore class of Newfields, and I along with a few others are here tonight to express our position regarding AP chemistry class for next year. The prospect of AP classes has always been a far away thing in our lives until we were offered the opportunity this
076year to choose which ones we wanted to take in 10th grade. Finally, we had access to more rigorous courses that challenged our minds, our attitudes, and our hearts. This was a wonderful thing because we've already been taking honors or AP prep classes in our freshman year. And an example of this is AP chemistry. Recently, we learned that freshmen were barred from taking it. and we're encouraged to invest in alternative sciences. However, this puts us at a significant disadvantage. The freshmen willing to rise to the challenge care deeply about their grades, possess ambitions to do well, and have a promising future in class ranks ahead of them. It is way more beneficial to take AP Chem right after taking chemistry honours so that no material or information is forgotten. Otherwise, all knowledge about compounds, chemical reactions,
077and the periodic table may just collect dust in the backs of our brains. This can become an extreme obstacle for us in the future, especially if our chemistry skills become increasingly rustier over a couple of years. Consistent review and application of topics is essential for success, but without AP Chem, we will not have the chance to review and apply said topics. This can hinder our progress in the chemistry field, whether we want to pursue related jobs or are just extremely passionate about all there is to offer. However, the reasons may vary, I know for sure that a common trait we all share is an inextinguishable flame inside us. A desire to investigate, learn, test our limits, and open our worlds to higher level education. To these brilliant students, AP Chem paves their path to a
078brilliant future. This path shouldn't be blocked by their age as their potential knows no bounds. We implore you to search for different approaches to hopefully place freshmen back into AP Chem. That way we can all shine and grow. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Safina Afroz. Please come up to the podium. Hello, everyone. My name is Safina Afroz, and I'm a freshman going into my sophomore year at Newfield High School. Today, I'm here to discuss the recent decision made where freshmen are barred from taking AP Chemistry their sophomore year. I along with my peers who were looking forward to and anticipating taking AP Chemistry were disheartened upon being made aware of this sudden change. We all agree that it's very inconvenient to take AP Chemistry a couple years after taking chemistry honors when
079we could just take it back to back. I personally feel that it's unfair to cut us and it will hinder our learning progress in chemistry. It's extremely easy to forget many key components over a couple of years, especially if not practiced. Learning a subject is just like learning to play a sport or instrument. If you don't practice a year or two, you're bound to forget. or become rusty on skills and materials that you've already learned, which puts you at a significant disadvantage. Moreover, AP Chemistry provides a foundation for other classes like biology and environmental science. Delaying it can make these other classes more challenging to learn. Offering AP chemistry at this stage can greatly benefit students who are eager to challenge themselves and pursue a deeper understanding of the subject. For me, chemistry is intriguing
080because it provides an understanding for everything, from the food we eat to the air we breathe, and can open doors to fascinating careers such as forensics, biotechnology, and chemical engineering. It symbolizes opportunity, the chance to delve into complex topics, explore scientific inquiry, and cultivate passion for learning. By excluding freshmen from this opportunity, we are unintentionally snuffing out bright minds and sending a message that their abilities and their ambitions are not valued. I kindly urge all of you to reconsider this decision and explore alternatives. to bring back freshmen to take AP Chemistry again. I believe there are better ways to handle this situation than to cut a whole group of bright, promising, and intelligent students from taking AP Chemistry. Together we can create an environment where every student, no matter their grade, can chase their academic
081passions without barriers. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Megan Clark. Hello, I'm Megan Clark, and sorry to say I'm doing AP Chemistry as well. I am one of the freshmen who were cut from the program. You heard from my fellow classmates, so I decided to take a different approach and wrote a poem about AP Chemistry. From atoms to acids, countless classes of learning masses, freshman 10 surpasses the common knowledge of chemistry classes. The energy and mass conserve this and that when all we want is AP Chemistry back. We came into chemistry thinking it would be our catalyst, but now we're left to become activists, being told to wait and take it later. AP chemistry doesn't cater to waiters. That's why we're taking a stand. We don't want the ejection. We want a second
082section. I hope you see our constant fight isn't for the GPA boost. It's because of our passion for the subject and our teacher, Ms. Mafia, who we want for our AP chemistry teacher in the following year. And that is why we're making such a big deal, because you're jeopardizing our ability to learn by putting it off another year and not having the same teacher. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, Liam Russert. My name is Liam Russert. I'm with CSCA. That's the Civil Service Employees Association. We're a union here that represents custodians, operations, heads and chiefs, transportation. We have a lot of people right over here with us tonight, so I just want them to let the board see who they are. I'm the region director. I'm pretty new to the region. I just started in
083this role several months ago. But what I understand is that the school district and three of the units were out of contract for three years. Three years right after COVID when they played an important role. to get everyone through COVID. They were out for three years and we were so close to completing a contract, but we're being told that the board doesn't want to give them anything for the last three years, that it's a board direction to give them zeros. That's really astonishing. I mean, I know in the past, maybe they were facing some financial or fiscal distress in this school, but middle country is no longer middle of the road. They've done a great job turning around. They're no longer in fiscal distress And they're trying to divide the unit Because one of our
084units just a month and a half ago they decided to give retro pay They would give them 2% each year, but they want to divide us by offering 0% for the next three year now I have to take a moment because Kathy Walsh and our husband Bill Walsh, they were great advocates of CSEA and we wish them all the best because they know what the most important thing is family. And Bill Walsh served as a statewide treasurer for quite a while. And I don't think that they would appreciate how the board is treating the CSEA members that they put their lives into and treated like family and how they know family is first. But the board is seeing zeros in our CSEA members' future. There is an abundance of money that is unassigned in the
085general fund. Over $8 million from year to year. And this year... they actually got a hell of a lot more in state aid than they had budgeted for. I mean, just in foundation aid alone, what you could basically assign to anything is over $11 million. So they budgeted for money, right? But they got over $6 million more than what they budgeted for. I mean, all this stuff is, you go to the school website, go into the board docs to look up all the financial information. So it's really, really sad. because administration didn't get zeros. In fact, if I go to the New York State Education website, you can actually see what they've got. I'm not going to call them out because I think we left the last session with good progress. In fact, their lawyers
086said we made good progress, and I invite the board to go to the next session and talk about it. Sorry, I'm not looking at the board members. Come see. the progress we've made, and come reconsider your position and give them what they deserve. Thank you very much. If you'd like to submit what you wrote, you can give it to Stephanie Larkin. I need a motion to adjourn. Second. John moved it. Debbie second. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Good evening.