001Alright, so moving on to the policy agenda. Which has many policies. Please, read it again. Under policy, we are recommending to the board the first three policies that are listed under Section A. Under Section B, we are recommending to the board to abolish the following policies as listed on the agenda. If you want to put out to the board, you can strike through, first of all, P152, which is for leadership councils. and just right through the last bullet, PE6 and PE6-1, relations with vendors for addict districts. We don't have those policies. We've never adopted them. They don't apply well in every way. They're not on this list. From Strauss, they recommend abolishing policies that might be very valuable. So, that's your progress. Back to the policy. Mr. Lincoln, I had asked earlier if you know...
002is not able to be here um are we able to sit on these for a little bit longer um maybe one more meeting So the first meeting of the month is considered a committee in the whole, so that's why you see a discussion. And then the second meeting of the month is... that are regular action meeting and then back to where we will take a motion to move all the items on the agenda. There will be a time frame to like the state that we might have to take a bit of action at a meeting at the town but they will be reflected and it will say action. So that's why we're going back to. having the discussions and this agenda has a lot of discussion and a whole lot of action. and that's not
003being said that we need those so um so before covid um this is how we used to do the meetings for anybody who's still around used to know this way and then once covid happened everything was on zoom and then everything was like booby-butt so we need to get back to this um and it's uh normally we would receive this and as a board we would send questions and get answers prior to sitting here tonight. So it was a little, you know, we used to say who sometimes I'm comfortable with the public things for not asking any questions, but we just say yes to everything, but we've already done the work. And so a lot of the board members would maybe repeat a question and say, I know you guys already answered me, but can
004we discuss it to the public just so that people can hear it if it has to do with something they might be interested in. So going back to this, Same idea, we do answer our questions, we send them in, but we're also having open discussion on the floor, which I always liked better, so thank you for getting back to that. And it's funny, I don't know if you remember doing it, it seems like that was so long ago, but now that we're in it, it makes a difference as far as... helps the board and the new board members because we're able to talk now and then the public. So I appreciate you coming back because it's a long history of how this was. Thank you. Thank you. We should have discussion. I know this almost
005went to get 10 minute break, right? But we don't have time for that. I mean, there are definitely some questions. I bought a computer with all the policies on it, yet you need to get into actual language. There were a number of questions sent in for discussion, so I don't know if we can go one by one. But the first policy that's up is... 2270 religion might quit myself I'm not a lawyer but it looks like it is more inclusive than old language when it comes to protecting students and teachers rights to express themselves in different ways. I just have a quick update on the reason why we're seeing a policy for the first reading. The U.S. Department of Health and Welfare sees a lot of regulations on the federal level that are not going
006to be setting down in the United States. So the U.S. DOE made some changes in terms of religion and prayer as we look at the language of the word. So when you look through the real-life policy of the first reading for the first time, you will remember... Anything where you see striped groups means that language was there and you can recommend it when you come out. If you see bold-faced type, it means that that's new language you're already in. In a second group, if you happen to see a policy that has red font, that means that the board member has made a suggestion on the first year of the second group, including that, so you can change. Straitlands, Bulls, and Grand Farms. So in the original schools, it really was just some language changes coming
007from the U.S. Anybody have any questions or discussion about that one specifically? I did ask some questions, but it didn't come back with an answer as far as I just wanted to know, Straitlands, what is this? And I don't know how it inspires your parents to go to school. I don't know if that happens. So that, for guidance on what's on the website that the US DOE has on their website, I don't know if it's what you specifically, but that's the place you want to go. And if you check that out, they definitely bring you an app. So it's not there, but you can do that. That's it. She's about two seasons. Okay, moving on then. Oh, I just want to say not yet. I mean... Oh, there's more. Yeah, we have more. Sorry. I
008really don't agree with these, but yeah. It's been pretty much. Oh, okay. So the next one is policy 3161. That's the examinations, the examinations for physical or psychiatric examination. The change... This is a current policy, so the changes on this, they're recommending just to clarify the processes and procedures that the superintendent can follow towards any sugar clause. So that is a good term. 31627. So there is, according to the language that's in there, it says that's a judgment of the board about physical or psychological abominations. Wouldn't that come from guidance from the administration? And so I don't know that, I mean, I'm assuming that this is Travis's... I just feel that it would be very difficult for a board, as a board to call to specifically say, because I don't have any context. I would
009need that. I don't know. Maybe that's just how it works and I believe it's fine. I just felt that it should be requested or do it based on recommendation from personnel. Language. It says the board may require. Yeah. It actually says the board may require a psychiatric or physical examination. I don't see any circumstance where we would just walk in and see a teacher and say, oh, you need a physical. Oh, I just want to make sure that that's, you know, it's clarified because this is the policy that we were adhering to. Well, yeah. Right. I mean, or could we ask, I know when Strauss presented last year, they said if we had something that we needed, we could contact them. They may have a boilerplate already at, would this be? Yeah, that's okay. If
010you want that, you can go on. Well, I mean, wouldn't that be this? And then they would also be . Oh, OK, great. OK. That's all. All right. Yeah. We can also . Yeah, yeah. Right. Yeah. OK, so we have some options. Does anybody else have? But that was what I saw as a question on that one. But did anybody have any other questions on that one? Okay. And 3212 is attendance. If I could, if you'll leave me with the correction, I think this is to suggest to the executive committee. That's exactly right. So on the agenda it has 3212 and 4212. So they're the same policy regulation. One is for certificate of extended future and the other one is for non-certificate of the staff and structural assistance. So you're going to have to agree
011one and you're going to have to agree the other. And that's exactly what it is. So their expectation is that district attendance plan which we do that we're looking at attendance data that we're monitoring it so something that we talked about previously under personnel agenda is supported by this policy And to that, if a policy is inconsistent with the contract, the contract will be devolved. Correct. Does anybody have any questions? Other questions on attendance? Maybe we're considering two to one, or two to one, two at the same time. Okay. Then there's 3-3-2-4, right for IOC. So this policy, the politicians' policy, are... teaching staff can not be recorded by any one of the students or anyone else in the classroom without the permission of a supervisor or a person. However, if a certificate-based staff member
012or teacher is at an event like a basketball game, the coach, they can be recorded. So it eliminates the difference between whether you can be done, if you're recording, or cannot. say it's okay to record in the room or it has to go to the principal to say it's okay? So based on the policy, the teacher can say it's okay, but still have to show it to the principal? And verify. Are you recommending the optional section? I mean, there was an optional section with a lot more language to it. It seems like it's similar to what we have. and some of the changes that we made last year as it came to electronic devices. Very so worried because I recommend the word . As somebody who went to college just at the time that people
013started recording the professors and putting it somewhere, it was absolutely awful. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like, you know, seeing them do bad things. I meant like they would record the course and then put it up so that the kids didn't want to go and just watch the video. So are there any discussion about 3-3-2-4? So then 4-1-6-1 is like 3-1-6-1. 4-2-1-2 is like 3-2-1-2. 4-3-2-4 is like 3-3-2-4. So then, oh, this one is mandated, it's 5-1-1-1. There it is. It says eligibility of residents versus non-residents. Okay, there were people that definitely had some questions about this. This is the one where the, there's the strike-through language about the National Guard and emergencies. I think people had some questions about that. Yeah, I was just really upset to read that, that the parents called
014up the National Guard, that the student had been taken out of the district, and went away, and had been found. There's natural garden and there's homelessness. And the student had a different guardian. But the guardian moved here and they were with that guardian. They would have to leave our district. It really upset me for the students who find a home here and these are things out of their control. And they're with a guardian. If you're here with a guardian, why do you have to leave the home? Yeah, those were my questions. They'd have to go with the parent, as well, even if they were guardian parents. So it just seemed against the policy that I knew was being placed in them previously. And just really as someone who stands for the children, and they're not
015disruption in a certain sense, I don't know if that's reasonable to change policy for us, or do we just go along with what is being presented? Well, if I may say, as we've had situations where we've, without a doubt, been in justice for a long time, that's our main priority. So, I don't know if you can speak to that, but without a doubt, we're trying to release. We believe, we believe, if there was an extenuating circumstance, When the family, in those situations, the family will write a letter, address to the superintendent, ask for permission to remain in school. Since I've been here, it has always been granted for the remainder of that school year, and then we will be coming out of the school year. My concern is when we have a policy written that
016says we don't, will they even ask if it actually says we don't? Honestly, I was wondering to what extent this isn't changing because there's the references and I didn't get a chance to look myself. I don't know if anyone else did the reference regulation 5111 section B. I didn't look up that regulation or 5111 section C. I mean, what is covering that so substantively? How much of a change is this? so that the regulation is shared with the board that's oh yeah no i'm sorry that's right so that's a great place to go to get some additional back up this is important to share with you so we haven't read this the policy and definitely the fact that one of the biggest changes to this particular policy is saying that if there's a non-resident student
017that the board would be able to exactly tell us who the peddler in charge of tuition so Students live out of districts, they get approval, they come to Mellon Abbey, the carers have to pay and establish a mill, figure out what business brochures or exactly how to serve the public, what that would be. There's no guidance on that. There's no guidance on how to collect the money. All that is left to the local control and the policy gives no answer, the condition gives no answer. Okay, figure that out. That's what the policy is saying. With an important stipulation, this does not apply to teachings that who live out of district, of their district. Not them. They don't get charged with tuition. That's a tuition-related contract within the policy that doesn't apply to them, but it
018would apply to other members of the district. Actually, how it was down to the kid, I didn't realize that wasn't the case. Anybody else have any discussion? I don't know if this applies to that specific policy, but I know in other parts of the state, some parents will choose a different high school, usually a high school for a specific program, whether it's a grade. science program there or a arts program and they have to be related to that, right? So they can send their child to that school as long as it's being approved and that they would teach because they're not in that district. Is that part of this or would that be something completely separate and we have that or I mean I don't know, but would somebody say from, I don't know, our
019keyboard, yeah, want to send their student to have an averaging that pay a ton? Would you get those from them? We do have some students here that we are receiving tuition in, but it is based on our own enrollment. So we would never jeopardize, you know, overpowering the classroom just to take everyone through tuition in. So we look at that very, very carefully. Most, I'd say, and I don't want to correct anyone wrong, but 90% of the time, they appreciate it as that tuition is because we have a program, a special program. So that we look at people working at the elementary school and say, if someone takes a class, we will do that. We work very, very closely with the second district to make sure not only is the kid successful, but it's not
020impacting our staff at all. Particularly, I guess, a specialized student is a major concern. But we make sure that we don't jeopardize. receiving that tuition for jeopardizing our lives. So we've also sent kids back. I can share with you my previous district, which was a small, monotonic district. Our neighboring towns had cut programs like music and art to balance their budget, and so families decided to come to my district, pay tuition to all those programs. because money that would be brought in through their tuition would be taxed on the space. We were in the blue hands. Our music, our program, so it was a balance. Excuse me, one of them doubled their money because they could not get something in the money that should have been in a better program. So I think we're in
021the blue. Last one is 5116, education for most children. the changes I saw just add new things. So the biggest change for this policy is that it's not pretty so loud. If a student is concerned formal is due to a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, they should consider formal . So that's . Now I open up. So it's supported by . Okay, so is there any discussion about that one? Now we know about the two policies that are being abolished that didn't have to be abolished because we don't have them. And there was some question about the policies that are being abolished to make sure that they're all being covered by new policies. The second enrollment which is 34-32 Sydney, that policy is written and that will due to the change back in July
022as well as the one in Sydney. And the next bullet, 5460.02, grade three pilot program. That's a COVID policy. So the bath lab, seniors, and additional year of preschool, class of 2022. So that's the class of 2022. So 5750, educational opportunity. policy, I believe, was incorporated into another policy. I believe it was incorporated into another policy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's just too many things. So, okay. Moving on to the finance agenda. So for us, the finance agenda has four items up before action this evening. And so the first and the second are the memorandum agreement between the school and Aberdeen Township and the school and the town of Burr Police Department. The third is what you heard tonight, the accepting the audit for the 2022-2023 school year. And the last one is the approval of
023the corrective action plan that you heard was worth finding. At the RAMP we'll be looking to take action on the following items. Payroll and bills list for the month of February, transfer of funds for January, as well as the Board of Secretaries report and guide all future fund sizes for the year. Good. The Chargers report and then for Ferries, we're very happy to accept the grant funds for Project Lead the Way again. It's about $10,000. This will be for the 24-25 school year, so we plan ahead. The acceptance of the donation of this part of the group, and we talked about that this evening, about the 10-pound investments. and then we also have some routine travel this particular teacher travels out of the district so we need to have a little more reimbursement and then
024the driver evacuation trials for january is there any discussion oh i'm sorry i have a motion and a second for the highest agenda is there any discussion of the finance agenda I just wanted to, I know this question came out of the audience as well, we've seen it every year. So the MOA from the police department is a state document type of agreement. It's not critique. This has nothing to do with the movement. safety and security and upgrades or anything, it's just over the wall, correct? Yes. It's the member of the grant that's provided for us. It has nothing to do with a resource officer or anything similar to our schools and such. When you get a lot more about the rest of the answer. I'm sorry about that. I'll just wait a second. Okay.
025Is there any discussion about finance? Any more discussion about finance agenda? Seeing none, the Board of Education recognizes the value of public comment on matters of interest to the school community. Individuals wishing to speak must state their name and their municipality residence. Comments are limited to three minutes duration, but an individual may speak a second time after all others who wish to speak on the topic have been heard. All statements should be directed to the board president and no participant may address or question board members individually. All speakers are requested to express themselves in a civil manner due respect to the dignity and privacy of others whose legal rights may be affected. Please note while it is not the board's intention to cite the comments on matters of legitimate concern, The public should be aware
026that if their statement is violating the rights of others under the law of defamation or invasion of privacy, they may face personal liability to the injured party. Speakers are uncertain of the legal ramifications of their comments. The board urges them to seek guidance from the board and from their own legal advisor. And I ask that when people speak that they start out with their name and town presence. My name is Abby. I live in Matalon. I hate to talk in front, but I got to pick up my daughter from Color Guard. I just want to let everyone know also March 12th is Color Guard. We have a home show at the high school, so we really want everyone to go. It's a really cool program because I let the middle school also participate, so my
027daughter is the only sixth grader on the team. And we really want you guys to come and see it and also tell your kids to join because we're losing eight seniors this year. And I'm not sure about the times. The meeting was tonight, but I'm here. So I will definitely update you guys and let you know. It's really going to be awesome because we're losing these seniors. And this is a team that won the state championships in the fall. So that was just a little, not what I had to say. Okay. The first thing I wanted to say was an observation that I think I've been coming to these meetings for a really long time, for a lot of years, and I just found it really interesting that when discussing the vote on the policy
028last time, that I think it was the first time I've ever really noticed that there was an amendment that not everybody agreed on at a vote. So I just found that to be really interesting because I'm thinking, if you have an amendment, right, that means there was discussion. So if it was brought to the table, I just found it interesting that it wasn't like an overall like everyone agrees So I just found that to be interesting the other thing I want to talk about was Some awesome I Wanted to just spotlight one of your guidance counselors His name is Jamie's about and he is like amazing and I just think that the board needs to Hear that and the rest of the town needs to hear that with all the discussion about Five seven five
029six and about the policies and staff I will say that on more than one occasion I met this was about when my oldest is now a sophomore and this is what I meant this for us also we're having a very good issue with bullying and IEPs and I'm telling you I wanted to like punch everybody in the face that day seriously it's like kind of like a ongoing joke I don't remember why I mentioned it when I was just trying to leave because I was so angry Through these last years this man has come to my house and we should talk about shocking behavior here shocking behavior I had some family issues this year with my mom passing away and I completely forgot to sign my son's IEP and one morning I hear a knock
030on my door before school starts at like 8 30 in the morning and it's Jamie Zafel at my door making sure that my son's IEP was signed so that he didn't lose accommodations that's what these guys these people do he constantly is calling me um FYI this is what's going on this is what's happening so I just well I know there's a lot of Discussion I mean I can think of on three different occasions that he showed up at my house to make sure that We got what we needed to get and to make sure that he went out of his way I mean so out of his way to make sure that my kids are getting what they need and I could be difficult and so I just just think that with these discussions
031and the word secret like thrown around I would say that he is part of my parenting plan. When my kids have a problem, and it's with the kids in school, or they're having problems navigating relationships with other kids, or even with teachers, how to approach things, my first thing is, okay, go to Jamie. Ask Mr. Zabella. Ask him, what do you think he thinks? Because he has his hands in the school, right? He's there. So I just think that... while looking at a policy and an umbrella, it might seem scary, but if you actually know our staff members and the people that are working with our kids, I feel like it's... the people are great. And then I just have one more question that has to do with transportation. Am I allowed to ask? When
032they raise the bridge on High Street, are we planning on doing anything for the kids on the other side of Aberdeen Road? Because we can't go over High Street to get to the high school. So I guess the only way is to either go on 35 or come around up, what is that, Matawan Ave down Ravine through Main Street. Because I've been doing that now every morning to drop the high school kids off. So I know it's just temporary now, but I know in July it's starting. For good, it's closed now from like 7 to 4. Like 7.05. I know because I can drop off at the high school by 7.10. By the time I come back to pick up my daughter to go to middle school, it's already closed. So I just wanted to
033know, even though it's in theory possibly within the two and a half miles, it's a really big inconvenience. And I was just curious if there was any plans to help out all of us on the other side of the bridge. I don't know if it was even discussed. It's under discussion. So as news about transportation. Thank you. From one side to the other? Who's that? The county? Wow. Alright, thank you. Sorry I have to run, but I'll go now. That'll go on the Facebook page. I'm from Aberdeen. I just have a question. What's the age that you just come to this school? Okay, I was just wondering, because I just used the bathroom, and it's sort of exciting. Unisex students only, I guess that's a term I'm going to have to research. I'm not quite
034sure what unisex student is, okay. I'm coming to talk to you guys about your policy 5950 that you guys passed last week. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come because I had parent-teacher conferences over at BAMS. I would like to just quickly discuss some of the consequences that you guys did not consider. I know everyone is concerned about the student themselves, but has anyone ever thought about the strain that you're putting on the other students in the class? Knowing that this is something that maybe the parent doesn't know, they may not want, they may be like, this is a secret and I don't want to hang out with that child because I may call for the wrong name or I may use the wrong pronouns. And what we wind up doing is we wind up
035taking this child who's already struggling and making them struggle more. I know that my child does not keep secrets from me and I know that my child probably would not want to be with this child because the fact that what am I calling them, what program am I calling them, what are their names, what happens if they're at soccer with their mom, what do I say to them? So I know that you guys are thinking you're doing the right thing with this policy, but... You have to think about the other students also. And you have to think that possibly there may be some isolation happening with the student because I know my child will never keep a secret from me. And they may be worried about something like that. So just something I wanted to
036quickly mention to you. The next thing I really want to quickly go over is Chris and Danielle, congratulations. I know I wasn't here when you guys were having your little board session. And obviously, Diana Powell, congratulations on being president. I am very excited for all three of you. Thank you. Dan Finney, Aberdeen. So I really want to applaud the board for their hard work and working through the policy. Revision for 5950 and I personally Think it didn't even be replaced and we should not discriminate against any case for any reason and that all those protections and policies that describe appropriate treatment are in other policies. That said I just wanted to tell you your work's not done. And that is because there really is a concerted attack on this next generation of children from radical
037ideology. There was a meeting at North Hudson, Voorhees, on the 30th of January where librarians and very liberal educators were basically brought in and encouraged to come speak up for freedom of freedom to read and there was some coordination with state senate folks that are promoting legislation to exempt teachers and educators from the current law against proliferating obscene and pornographic materials to children. And if you are interested, and I hope you are, I would encourage you to go watch that meeting on YouTube. Okay, what you will see is that the ones I framed this as freedom of expression in literature, And they want unfettered and they did not, and they do not, in its words, they want unfettered access to all these materials for young children. The other side says that there should be age
038appropriate materials in our educational system libraries. Okay? And I hope you folks can see the difference. and what is important for our kids. But I think that is instructive because these are the same people that are pushing other ideologies and trying to create special accommodations and encourage kids. I also wanted to just... The last lady got quite a bit more than three minutes. No, no, the first, the lady before that. I just want to quickly state that this rationale for this district leadership forum, that's quite a mouthful. It would take a couple hours anyway to unpack that. But I really would encourage the board members to look a little deeper at what that paragraph is really saying. and what you're paying me for. Thank you very much. Okay, yeah, all right, a new business. So
039I know that we got, as board members, an email from the vice president, I believe the last name is, no, no, no, no, from the Mattawan-Hammondy Educational Foundation with some really great recommendations for looking at how our... children register their ideas on social media at what age, age of social media platforms, ways to get kids involved in producing their content on social media, a lot of other information. And I'm going to make a recommendation that it's either put on a future agenda or reviewed at some point to see which of those ideas I would be willing to talk quickly. I would be willing to have some sort of timeline behind it so that we can put ourselves accountable as a board to some of the promises, to be honest, that we made to the parents
040of the district when we decided as a board to take on social media and joining a law school last year. I'm not sure who's reporting that right now. but yeah we'll definitely know that is there any other news? I just wanted to note that I was at Mr. Burbank's first law firm legal seminar yesterday I was surprised by the time I was there it was really a personal accident so I just wanted to make this very interesting I would like to just mention one thing. So the Huskies are recently joined into the AYF American Youth Football Association for cheer and football, which is a big deal for our Husky program here, which is really exciting for the district. So maybe we can put that up on Facebook page also. I know that on Saturday, I
041believe, we're having... an information session and also tryouts I think, Saturday morning. So that's really exciting for the chair and for all the people in here. Okay, be it resolved that a closed session be convened for the purpose of discussing privacy, personal and legal matters. The subject matter of these discussions will be disclosed to the public when the reasons for confidentiality decide. Although the board cannot guarantee it, the length of the executive session is estimated to be 90 minutes. Sorry, everybody. Possibly less. okay after which the public meeting of the four-shot we have to reconvene and proceed with business action will not take place that was the motion of the second so we're in agreement