001Good evening everyone. I want to thank you for being here tonight. Um sorry for the delayed start. We had a few matters of business to attend to in executive session. With that being said, we did already open so we will be starting with um we do not have a student rep but I think Dr. Forto you have a few comments from Miss Andy. Yeah, I'm just going to incorporate that into mind because some of them were applications. >> Okay. Um, so with that being said, we will be starting tonight with agenda item F. It's public comment for agenda items only. >> We do have one person signed up. So again, this is for agenda items only. Um, please uh speak your or state your name, address, um, and which agenda item you are addressing. Uh,
002Miss Ke, the floor is yours. >> Hello everyone. Um, my name is Tara McKe Bay Drive. Um, I just want to say thank you for your hard work in interviewing a new superintendent and thank you Dr. Forester for being the intern in the meantime and for being here for a great time. I appreciate that. I wanted to just I just had a question about um agenda item. It's the curriculum report L number three. Um it just says motion to approve the living room at Princeton on an as basis. Um I just had a question as to how that was a recommendation or who had recommended it. Um because I had a followup question. >> Yes, I think I can help you. Okay. >> Um this will be an ads databases. this we pay for education
003when we have students who are admitted to an outpatient an extensive outpatient or actually an inpatient program. Um there's still our responsibility to educate. So the the bills that come from any of these facilities this is a state approved facility. So um so because of that if we have a child that goes into that >> we would be responsible for paying the rate for the education of that child. The education they would receive would be you know the arithmetic the English the science. So the education is through board town teachers through >> No, it probably not through because it's I believe that that for instance actually I believe that place is actually um by the carrier clinic by Montgomery. So it's a it's a bit of a hall. So they would have their own teachers
004that would that they bring in. >> So this was recommendation from the state not board. >> Well in case we have any children who attend there we would be responsible for paying for their education. >> Okay. >> And that's what the that's what that fee would be. >> Okay. So, I'm all for helping children who have issu like mental health issues. I'm I was a former teacher myself. Um I just had done a little bit of research. Have you looked into the living room um at Princeton? >> A little bit. Not much. All today. >> Yeah. So, >> I didn't know um if I could come before you and ask maybe if we could table that for now as an agenda item just until you had a little further information. when I had checked it
005looks like it leans toward a particular religion more like one particular religion in particular and I know when you like if you think about alcoholic anonymous or like aa they have like a 12step program it's usually a higher power they refer it to to help the person go through um their process um and I'm all for that um it just when I looked at the website it was leaning toward one particular over another and I was a little concerned that my would be going towards something that I don't really um think would be appropriate for one particular religion. I just wanted to make you aware. I wasn't sure if anyone was aware. >> Yeah, I didn't see that on the website, but you referred to I I saw them speak about the spiritual space uh
006and those that that type of which you know that's kind of the language that's used in AA and those kinds of things. There's certainly >> so the picture of Buddha behind the guy. >> I didn't see that on the website. But uh I mean but if the owner or the president or something subscribes to a they wouldn't that they wouldn't be able to endorse it under a certain literatur state. Let's put it this way. If they did that the state wouldn't be able to approve that. >> I would hope not. I just I would too. Yeah. >> I wanted to just bring >> the problem that we're going to have is that if we have a child in there, >> we got to pay that bill. Well, we it's it's incumbent upon us to pay
007that. So >> Well, I understand, but I didn't know if you had other options. like if you had a list of other places you could choose from as opposed to this one. >> Yeah, we're not placing we don't place the children into there. This is usually selfplacement or through their counselors or therapists or something along those lines. So when a child goes to Carrier Clinic or Princeton House or >> Right. Absolutely. Yeah. That's not a placement that we're making or or even recommending. >> All right. I just would challenge you to do your due diligence of looking this up before you approve it. That's all. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh see no further comment on agenda items. We'll call that section to close. And we
008do not have any recommendations or presentation on G. And on H, we do not have any unfinished business. So we will move on to agenda item I. It is the consent agenda with items 1 through 12. Ask for a motion to open. Thank you, Miss J. Thank you. Um discussion on item I consent agenda 1 through 12. Seeing no discussion, please hold the board. >> Mr. James, >> yes. Miss McCarti, >> yes. Yes, >> I abstain from number one. I asked for the remainder. >> M. >> Yes. Miss >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> We also do not have any committee reports under J, which will place us on item K, the superintendent report with items um and two. I will um make note that on item two um we have affirm, reject
009or modify listed in the agenda, it is going to be a decision to affirm is the motion that we are um we'll be discussing and or voting on. So as for a motion open for K one and two. >> Thank you Miss Latz >> and Mola. Thank you. Discussion on K1 and two. Seeing no discussion. Missport. >> Mr. Jones. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> Miss McCarti. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> M. >> Yes. >> M. >> Yes. >> M. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Uh, we are actually the floor. >> What are you waiting for? This is where we This is where we wreck the timer like four minutes. Um but we since we've last met we've had an election and like five people at this
010table have run. Um so four of you we know are have been successful and you um annihilated your competition. Um you know the landslide election. So uh from the city uh we have Janice who will be finishing her two more train years of the turf. So very successfully uh competed in that. In Btown Township, we have Laura Pap, Carmen River, and Ryan Jensen, who were also endorsed by their uh the populace to come back up here and continue this for a few more years. Um and Fieldsboro is the so Fieldsboro um there wasn't a candidate because unfortunately Melissa wasn't running at the time when the deadline came. Not only was Melissa not running, nobody was running. So um that's what was presented to the the public. 37 people did vote and we know seven of
011the votes and five of them Melissa has received so far official I shouldn't say officially nothing's official yet but um up until about 5 5:30 this evening the writings still have not been counted um they've been doing some counting the numbers are kind of wacky but what I'm seeing is this I think you had 56 the last time I saw it 56 so it seems like you're going to get this seat also um the numbers now but the total changed from 77 to 40. So I don't want to like give out false hope and false information. So the numbers are is they updated again? >> No, they because it used to be 77, but then they added the new votes, the 56, and the votes that they counted amongst that 70 and added them up.
012So until they get it squirted away, I don't want to say anything. But I'm feeling optimistic. If I if I was ballista, I'd feel more optimistic today than I might have felt three hours ago. So it seems like there may be a a clean slate of incumbents coming back into the board um against all of your competitors. Um, so that's where we are. So that's that's the good news, I think. So we'll be having a swearing. You'll be having a swear again because it's a couple days after my last day. Um, and um and the faces should be very familiar for Dr. once we once he starts with you. Um, Veterans Day was yesterday. I just I always like to bring this up when I was superintendent before because we have school on Veterans Day.
013That's something that we traditionally do. But I I just want to make sure that the board and the community knows we do activities in our school to to honor and celebrate. We we recognize the veterans on the all call systems. We have readings that we do. Um we have um we recognize staff members who are veterans, you know, on on the intercom kind of thing. I know McFarland has an assembly program at Peter Mutual. They're writing letters to to the veterans. um you know words of wisdom are read at the high school and I think they had a veteran they recognized at the middle school. So we do things are happening and in a certain way because this was always earlier in my career here we had a a um a I I can't remember
014his name but he would show up once a year to our our he was a public show up to our board meetings and talk about Veterans Day and he was great. He since passed away. It was a great thing and he was always so happy that he almost would rather we didn't have school but he recognized the fact that by the kids being in school and learning about Veterans Day was maybe just as valuable if not more so. So I think it's important that you know that also. Um our athletics had a pretty good fall and our our soccer our boys soccer team um is leaving the state finals a little bit earlier than we were hoping. Uh they they lost to Robinsville in a tough 3-2 match yesterday. Um and we'll be recognizing them.
015Hopefully we'll shoot for December for full athletics. If not, we'll have to do it in January or so. But um I'm trying to get that in for December if if we could. Um because all of our all of our teams need to be recognized. So we'll have our once they start announcing the all teams and all that kind of stuff in the papers, we'll we'll make sure we recognize that. High school principal interviews start next week. We've identified 10 preliminary candidates with Altoello. Um so we're starting that process next week. We're looking at three rounds. Um probably doing the third round after Thanksgiving. So we'll have two rounds hopefully completed by Thanksgiving. Um if anybody in the audience is a candidate for this, we haven't reached everybody. We started making the phone calls today to
016schedule. So if you haven't heard, doesn't mean you didn't get called. Um budget season, believe it or not, is here. It feels like we were just catching our breath from the last one. And we sort our budget meetings with different departments and schools starting next week. So, um, you know, we're going in with an austere idea. So, you know, I like to go in with low expectations and be surprised as opposed to going in with high expectations and being surprised. So, um, you know, we're going in with a tight budget knowing that we can always float up um, you know, if if if the funds are there, but um, you know, we're going to go in relatively tight. We redistributed the money based on um the one boarding town plan also amongst the three elementary
017schools. We did that for this year too u because obviously population numbers have changed and and different needs for different grades but uh that'll continue with the next budget that we have. Um Dr. Dr. Bella is here but he's been here since 4:00 this morning. So he's spent the day here. He's been busy meeting with I think he went to all the schools. >> Yeah, all the schools and a couple of the departments. So, he's been uh starting his meetings and uh like I said, he was here last week, but I think you have a plan at least to be here for next week. >> I'm going try to be in my >> Yeah. Oh, good. >> Oh, good for you. All right. Yes. Um parent teacher conference will start next week. Just so you
018know, we have two plays and now I'm going to jump to >> Tyrants. Tyrants says a couple of things. Uh I do want to reference the theater club. Um they they a lot of canned and dry goods for St. Mary's food pantry. They do this always during October. Um they're doing a trick or treat for the kids kind of a thing. But they collected 3,657 lbs of food. So I'm sure St. Mary's is grateful but not only St. Mary's people who will ultimately get that food. Um their original goal was 1500 lb. So they far surpassed what they were aiming for. Volleyball game tomorrow for student council. Ty was the vice president for student council. So, uh, she mentions that and we have a couple of things happening in November. Sophomores, I guess they had
019their ring presentation, the Justin's ring presentation, which is the thing. And there's a college trip for our juniors and seniors. Um, tomorrow, uh, we are doing two plays over the next two weeks. So, Little Women is this Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 2. And then the following weekend, they're doing a wrinkle in time at the same time, the 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 o'clock afternoon. I I will be unsafe myself, so I won't be available to see these unfortunately. Um, safe driver month. Uh, November safe driver month. I don't know what this means, but whatever it means. Nick Rainer is it. So, he's the safe driver for the month, I guess. Uh, we'll try to read our notes here. Uh, we mentioned that. We mentioned that Thanksgiving basket collection is now underway. Um, and
020we've we've recognized that the need may be a little bit more right now. Um and so we've actually delegated different food it the PTO's have been very involved with this now more so they've always been involved but they're really getting involved as far as each of the schools are choosing a certain food item that they're kind of taking the responsibility for for our baskets. So um that's out underway right now and it provides food for up to 50 families in our in our community. >> Now this is on all the websites. >> Yes. Facebook. >> They are. Oh, good. >> And I think >> I think Rory definitely told >> Thank you. All right. >> Thank you, Dr. For. >> Any questions from the board? Okay. So, we are now on agenda item L curriculum.
021It is items 1 through seven. Ask for motion. Thank you. Glad. Thank you. Discussions on curriculum 1 through seven. >> Question about number one. >> Um I well I've saw the announcements a number of times from Mr. Walder regarding finding housing or families to support the exchange fees. I assume we found them. >> Um I would I I can only answer that by saying I assume so. >> So I just I mean they were looking for at least four families to host a short period of time, three weeks or so. >> Yeah. And I don't know again I don't I don't want to say yes and then finally a roll, you know. So I I would assume so also or or they feel confident they're going to that's why they have to say like they
022probably have people say listen >> so I know they may they may be still vetting the And it might also be like you might have people say listen that I really don't it's not a good time for you to do it but if you get stuff I'll do it. We probably have some people that are willing to do it but they're like if you could find somebody else who wants to do it let them do it instead. We get that often times. >> Is there any way that they don't get that it could go potentially to the community where there's might be a senior person that might be eligible. >> I suppose this is actually done through an organization. So we're we're more almost like facilitating. We're helping them generate this. So I I suppose
023that's if we ran out of I mean we do that for other things. I mean we have coaches who don't necessarily teach here. Um we try to stay in house but if we have to you know we we go reach out to the community or at large to fill positions so it's entirely possible. >> Okay. Um, just quickly, I just want to make sure that I'm pretty sure that I understand it. >> For number three, this is the living room. Oh, yeah. >> Just to clarify, >> if a family chooses to put their child there, we have no saying that, >> but we have a legal responsibility to pay for the education of their child that is there. So, this is not the district endorsing this facility. This is us doing what we are legally
024required to do if a parent in the district chooses that facility to get their child help. >> That would be correct. >> Thank you. >> I was just going to follow and say I researched this before because I had no idea what that was and I >> that it was anything like Obviously, >> so to be fair, >> but to do our due diligence, we should discuss it because >> and to be fair, there are different definitions of Right. >> Right. But this is the parent, >> right? >> But yeah, just just to clarify, I I kind of was discussing this earlier. Um we we've offered in physics, we've offered yoga. Now, yoga is a flexibility thing as far as I'm concerned, but yoga has religious undertones. So, you know, it subscribes to certain kinds
025of religions. So, that's where you start to to mesh the gray areas and it depends on how you define it. And I tell somebody, you know, I'm right, you're wrong, or I'm wrong and you're right based on your beliefs, those kind of thing. That's where I think these kind of, you know, conjectural conversations come up. Um, it's not that that person that the person um is wrong, you know, it's just perspective of how you look at it. But, but total, you know, full disclosure, we're certainly not endorsing this company, you know, this religion, the person who runs it, you know, it's it's if a child's there, we have a responsibility to educate. they negotiate these rates for education because, you know, if that's the case, why don't they charge $2,000 an hour, you know, so
026they still have to get this approved from the state. So, they have to make sure that the rates they put for education are, you know, acceptable in the realm of what it should cost to educate someone. But aside from that, we we really don't have any much say about this. >> I think just the part that probably was a little that Where is the coming from the parents saying hey I want my child to attend here or facilities okay we are working >> yeah know it's it's a state approve list that we would that you know we responsible for also >> we're just paying for just the education. The other stuff is all hand out outpays from the parent. >> Thank you. Any further discussion? One through nine or one, I'm sorry, one through seven.
027>> Seeing none, please call >> Mr. James. >> Yes. Glass. >> Yes. >> Miss McCarti. >> Yes. >> Miss Ni, >> yes. >> Miss Pap, >> yes. >> Mr. Vera, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have item N, personnel 1 through 19. Ask for a motion. Open. >> Thank you, Miss Pat. >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Zola. Discussion on personnel 1 through 19. >> Uh, for number three, I'm just is was uh Miss Lner a co-advisor or so so that they will just now have the one advisor. >> No, we're probably going to advertise it. Uh this is for it's really quite frankly there's nothing I want to say that um you're paid in two two payments over the year and there's a gap
028right now. The big thing was homecoming and all that. Then there's a little bit of big gap. Basically all that's happening right now is collecting money for Florida trip. >> Then you have the big you have the big second half. You have the Florida trip. a lot of senior activity including graduation. So, you know, we'll just break in the payments and handling it that way. And we'll post this before the December meeting and we'll have >> Well, this is the second time they've had >> Oh, yeah. You're right. Absolutely. I forgot about that. Yes, >> the second advisor that Any further questions through 19 board? >> Yes. >> Miss class? >> Yes. >> Miss McCarti? >> Yes. >> Missy? >> Yes. >> Miss Pat? >> Yes. >> Miss Rivera? >> Yes. >> Miss? >> Yes.
029>> M >> yes. >> Thank you. Next is agenda item end business with one motion for motion to open. >> Thank you, Miss Sol and a second. >> Second, >> Miss Gl. Thank you. Any discussion on N1? Seeing none, Miss >> Yes. >> Miss Black. >> Yes. >> Micardi. >> Yes. >> Miss Johnson. >> Yes. >> M. >> Yes. Yes, Mr. River. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh, we have reached the time for our second public comment. >> Is anyone from the public interested in speaking? >> My bets on no signups. Okay, last chance. All right. Um, how about public suggestions for the 2627 budget? Anyone wish to speak? Nope. [laughter] >> They're like, "No way." >> I can drag it out if you really need >> We do tend to add
030This is a new section. We add this. So, now we're starting budget time, so we throw it in because we're doing things with the faculty and the directors, but maybe somebody from the community wants some input also. So, we open it up. You might have an idea of that. >> We love That's true. >> Yeah. So, so this will be on our agenda from now until um our vote every week. So, >> for the public that's here, you will have multiple opportunities, but also for the people watching the recording um who aren't here tonight. Um this is something that we will have on our agenda from now on. Um I believe on our website, the old budget hearing from last year is probably still up somewhere. Okay. So, um, if again speaking to the people
031watching the recording, um, at some point in the future, if you're interested in what our budget process looks like, if you have questions or comments, I know it's it's hard to remember that we're very >> uh well um there will be the opportunity for us to hear from the public um before we wind up having a budget um to vote on. So, um that's it for agenda MP. move on and open the floor to the board for Q. >> I have something to add, but nothing with any of the items on the agenda. Something that a parent brought up to my attention a while back and we've just been so busy so I forgot to bring it up on the last couple meetings. So, her child is in 8th grade and uh she had mentioned
032again my my son he's sophomore. I'm bad. I'm junior. Sorry, he's junior. So, it's been some time now since that time frame has passed. So her son is in eighth grade and she was saying that the high school hadn't presented anything about the programs that they were offering that would align around the same time like that the private schools were showing their open houses and that um she would find it beneficial to her and some of the other parents if that would kind of be done around the same time frame. because she was looking at private schools for her son because she wasn't really clear on what the high school had to offer. So, I don't I don't know. Again, it's been some time since I've been in that predicament. So, just wanted to bring
033that. >> Just clarifying question to make sure I'm understand something. So, um is it particular to the transition from middle school to high school or more of a generalized what are we offering? It's particularly the transition >> the transition and what the high school has to offer the programs. >> We have a program but it's probably not in >> well the timing what I'm hearing is it's about timing and that's why I was asking because of that. So Dr. Fors if you have something >> yeah I'll reach out to the public schools ask them to change. No kidding. [laughter] >> That's what I'd like to see happen. Um so but you kind of said it. Um we do have a course study that we put out. Um it's published it's on it's on the high
034school website. Um there's not radical changes to it to be fair. Um now I say that kind of literally because with the budget situation there were some singleton courses that we had to eliminate that that might be in the program of study but actually didn't get offered as we you know we our our staff became more uh smaller. I just don't think um you know for us to make it earlier well the best way for this this parent to get the information is to look at the the current program of studies. It's it's not going to really change. Maybe we'll add an AP course or something like that. Um but you know, for fundamentally it's going to be the same the same course of study that we have now. Um >> I think one of
035the things I'm sorry um was the ability for the student to achieve college credit. >> Yeah. >> So we we actually have a child this year is going to graduate that's going to have if it he doesn't have it, he almost have an associates degree. >> So, we have a student who's going to have like 30 college credits already. Yeah. >> I I just found this out this week to be honest with you. But yeah, um so we do offer dual enrollment the the technical problem with that is that we have to have signed enrollments with the universities for colleges. Usually it's RCBC. Um but I I know we've also done things with Ryder um Mercer and I think TCH to a certain extent. Um so we'll we'll have these these things but we don't
036have the signed enrollments for next year obviously at this point. Um but you know right now we have a course um a psychology course that we can't offer because we can't find a professor. We're trying to work out something internally uh to have one of our people teach the course and once we find out whether or not she can be certified which she should be she has all the requirements of being a college professor um that she can teach that course for us. So those things like the singleton issues like that we don't necessarily know and but there will be drastic changes year to year. Um you know our program of studies is not going to be drastically different from year to year. Um, but what I would say if she has these kinds of
037questions that she seriously can, you know, these are important in her decision- making, if she reaches out to Jodie Glenn and she'll set her up with one of our guidance counselors who has the knowledge on this, she can come and jo, you know, specific to her and her child. Um, there's no reason we wouldn't do that. So, you know, Jod Glenn's our supervisor of guidance and she would um, we could set it up specifically for her, you know, because she might have some, especially if she's looking depending on the kind of private schools, religious private schools, looks like, you know, you have all these different kinds. Um, you know, depending on what kind she's looking at, she might have specific questions on what we think is going to be offered in the fall next year,
038>> you know. So, yeah, I definitely send that to her or call me. I'll set her up, you know, but that's fine, too. >> Ju just to piggyback off of that, um, we are a district struggling with declining enrollment. So, we're missing an opportunity why we're better than >> Holy Cross, why we're better than Notre Dame, why we're better than any of the schools. I think we owe it to our kids to give that because the declining enrollment is a problem for us. >> Um, and even losing one or two kids a year just for other school, high school, is hard. And it's it's not I don't think it's okay for us to to accept that without fighting for our kids. Um and so I don't know what that looks like. Whether that looks like
039I said we do have an in-person program of studies night. Um I don't know when my kids's been out for a while now, so I can't remember the timeline. But even if it's something as simple as some social media posts, some website posts, if we can't do an inerson one that is competing with what private schools are doing, um I think we're missing an opportunity to retain some of these high school kids. Um that may be have parents that want them to have the best academic and sports experience. And um if we keep losing those kids, we're never going to be able to attract those kids back. Um and we keep losing any kids, we're going to really be in trouble. So, I I don't know what the solution is, but I don't think the
040answer is to to not try to find a way to get out there in advance of losing the kids to advocate for why you want to come to our high school. >> I think that night before that is pretty much in the spring before they selected classes for freshman and from my recollection and it's again it's a you know it's not a I mean she might be interested because But if it's that late, you want to make a decision on put money out for your kid. >> So, >> it sounds like we need like a like a pet rally or something. You like something to like I mean really like have the coaches there, have the department heads, have the theater director, have the high school fair because >> and it needs to have and
041maybe it's too obviously too late now, but it could happen still in early winter >> because she was mentioning something about the private schools were showing their houses sometime last month in October I think it was or late to September some some time frame like that and um and she was saying well the high school is going to present something why can't they do it around this time because now I'm having difficulty to you know comparing because I have all this information from notane is one of them right but in high school are they going to show the presentation anytime soon or like you know next here. So, I think that's where our head was at. And I think a lot of other parents also had the same uh questions because if they knew about
042the college dual enrollment, um I knew about it because my son's counselor had mentioned it, but I mentioned it to her and she said I'd never heard of it. you know, her her son isn't even afraid and that would have been very beneficial for her to make a decision for nth grade to stay in boarding town or go to another school. So, I don't know if something could be done in the future to try to align those or >> I mean, I would bring it up to Jody. I mean, I I can do that, but I don't know what kind of uh it's these programs the the programs that you discussing that we kind of have later in the year are attended Yeah, they're they're intended by the parents. First of all, the vast majority
043of our kids know they're coming. They're in eighth grade even know they're coming here. So, we have a certain percentage that are potentially looking elsewhere. And I imagine of that of that group, some will come here and some won't, you know, some are going to go for different reasons, sports, um academics, if they see they see like a more of like an IV type education, some for religious, you know, reasons also. Um that certainly can happen. Um and I think there those three areas a pep rally is not going to convince them to come back you know to say come to board. These are parents who are looking for a specific reason of going. Now if we have parents out there who are like I don't know if I want my kid to go to
044board maybe I do. I'm not sure but maybe look at some of these other options and I'm sure there's a couple of them that do exist you know that don't have a specific reason that they're looking at. um that would be the kind of parent that we would maybe be more successful at going forward and kind of advertising more what we have. I don't know that a necessarily a open house again I may be wrong too but uh I don't know necessarily an open house is the right way to go. I do like the idea of of promoting more social media and getting more information you know like you know here because maybe somebody doesn't know where a program of studies or even what a program of studies is you know like you know It's
045your first high school. Why >> would you expect your eighth grade? >> It's not coming. >> No, no, no. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Well, this one this might [laughter] >> and this parent your friend might, you know, or your person. >> So, it might also alleviate some stress for the students just and general, you know, getting them used to like the idea of high school and what there is to offer. >> Yeah. And to be fair, I'm I'm looking at it a little bit different. I'm looking at it more as we really have to more educate the parents. >> Yeah. >> You know, I don't know. I don't maybe I'm wrong, but I don't I don't think it's a lot of our kids >> driving a decision to not go here and go to
046a different school. >> You know, it may be more the parents, you know, parents doing what they think is best for their kids, you know, kind of thing. So, I'll bring it to guidance and see what and and Rob and just see what they have thoughts and put that in. And uh one more thing and um yeah, I'll bring I'll bring back I'll write to you you know what their thoughts are and what we can uh what they think we can do and then if you have a directive that might change what you're doing, but uh that's what we'll do for them and see how that works out. >> Okay. But also tell that specific parent because if she feels like she's behind the ball already and she and is this her oldest child? This
047is Yes. Okay. She has three. So, this is old. >> So, this is all newer. So, it makes sense. And And like we don't Yeah, I'm sure we don't do stuff in September, October >> to promote your child coming to our school a year from now. >> So, um So, at least let's get her the answers. Maybe we can I don't want to say convince her, but show her the reasons why this would be a strong situation. >> And then Jan, you had mentioned about that closet idea. Is that happening? Um, so we in the light of all the snacking and stuff, we actually collected independently of this almost $1,500 in groceries for gift cards to hand out like as the kids need it. Um, so the closet got kind of we don't meet again
048until January. >> Um, and it would be and I asked me for more information. We don't really have more information because they have to vote on it before they fund it. So I like even if it's the PTO that applies, I can't apply until these ladies say yes. And since we don't need board approval, I can just go to them and say, "Is this what you want to do? I'll apply whatever." Like >> um but they did really step up and donate a lot of um just grocery. We're gonna um um because the families that are obviously getting Thanksgiving baskets and meals or and um hopefully lots of food, extra baskets, um they're going to see if there's a direct an instant need right now for them to go out. If not, they're going to
049keep them for Christmas time because we don't do a holiday meal at Christmas and so save the grocery so that they have >> meals on. I'm sure they're already thinking about it. >> So, but yeah, so in January then we'll if they want to fund the classes. So, um I'm just going to keep talking then. Um I just want to say that tomorrow is World Kindness Day. Um I know that I personally am recognizing the CBS and MS teachers tomorrow. Um but I just wanted us all to make sure that we spread kindness through our district and to our kids and make sure that that message gets out tomorrow because is not too early. >> I just want to say one thing before we close. >> One stipulation. >> So, you have to turn your
050microphone. >> I feel so uncomfortable microphone on my big mouth. >> Um, [laughter] so because we're starting to talk about budget again, just wanted to throw this out into the universe. Make sure understood how much the middle school is missing their librarian. So, when we're trying to find monies, you guys all help me. Let's talk about getting a library back to the middle school. >> Thanks. That's all. >> What's going on with the fun the school fun that they were trying to reopen? Any word on that? >> They're still working. No, that's different. >> The turkey truck's different. That's the Bontown tradition. >> No, they had a >> They are They are established. They did have one event back in October, November. I >> forget. >> It is only when they >> August. and they
051and they are working on stuff. I think it's a little bit of a of a slow start. I also think some of the funding some of the things that they were targeting to hope to fund I think we were able to fund with some of the additional funding we got. So I think that took some of the immediate pressure off but they are they are still active. They are still engaged and they do still plan on helping us um with future needs as they come up. >> Um I just wanted to say too in these budget meetings if we can somehow find Paris a little bit I don't know get them incented to come work here because we are losing assistance and over that um and we have I mean they are lacking in our
052schools and so we need assistance but every person that was an assistant that has left other districts not because they're necessarily happy they just don't make enough money and so I don't know if we get any money back in the budget to just make it a little more Well, even our ones that we hire directly, I mean, we do >> we don't we haven't hired direct since before 2014. They're they're all holdovers. >> We used to have like 80 of them. Now we're down to like 10 maybe nine >> because it's like miserable like without them. >> Yeah. Well, we're we have seven vacancies at the moment out of 115, >> right? Which also if you consider is like way less than we had. So, we can't even keep the way less number. I I
053I just got back from the convention. Everybody is short on and the main reason is the salary. You got to pay. But I will tell you that >> more than like >> I don't know that that's true anymore because most of them are going through ESS or or the Commissioner One. I'm telling you I mean you're you're you're you're doubting me, but I'm telling you that no >> that that these these companies if if I'm going to leave here to go work for ESS in Florence, I'm going to make the same movement. >> I don't know if other districts are still offering district employment as far as powers. That's where I think you lose people because they can get benefits or you know what they >> well they don't they don't free assess they might
054work for a different company that pays more you know we have an outsourcing company that that staff our aids but yeah you're not you're not wrong the problem is this 2012 2013 our aids were paid horribly you know 17 $18,000 a year but they were getting plan benefits which cost at that time over 30,000. Now they're over 45,000. Um that's what we can't afford. So what happened the year before I got here? All the aids were changed to part-time >> because they wouldn't get the benefits. Well, the aids weren't coming here for the $17,000. They were coming for the benefits as would I. You know, they they had to the benefits were good and they couldn't they could it was maybe they were the second income so the primary income um was enough to live
055on, but the the district couldn't afford it. But I mean, I don't disagree. What I would say to you is this. Uh if we could do something with the age, we don't want to increase our age in the budget. So if if the salary for the somewhat go up, whether it's negotiated with ESS or whatever, it would because we have a lot less aids. So if we're paying less aids, we could pay the ones that we keep more money. >> And what about this company? I think it's new to CVS. Is that the other one? >> PBS. PS when someone came in and they were they were here for PBS. I was like they don't even know what school they're at. >> But um because I know that there's just been >> PBS built a
056little bit more training than ESS. >> Oh, I feel like that aids are not trained. >> You heard wrong. They they are definitely to work there. They have to because although they don't cost us more so PBS doesn't pay them a lot more money but uh But they're not actually >> well the training is done by the company not by us. >> Yeah. I mean now we have other the problem is >> like are we doing our do I'm just worried that like we're we have these contracts we use them all the time and then people aren't staying and I get that they're not staying anywhere but like do we have people going in and like observing the aids from these companies to make sure like that happens and we know that they're >> we
057do >> and and some are better than others. you know, you kind of like teachers and superintendents. You know, it's some are better than others. I will tell you that um the aid the aid poll is quite shallow. So, the the pickings are slim when we're competing with all these districts and everybody's basically going to say where they drive the least amount. Quite frankly, we have lots of aids who get hired and refuse a job because they don't like to assign it. So, it's it's one thing to be a classroom aid and you know, maybe they get assigned to preschool or they get signed to an MD program, which are challenging positions. Um, and that's that's just the truth. That's just the reality of the situation. Um, if they don't like and they'll tell us,
058you put me there, I'm quit. And sometimes, you know, not that we like to be black called, but uh black males. Um, sometimes we move them because we have another vacancy that we can put them in that they would accept. So, It's it's that kind of uh the aids are wielding some power, put it that way. And they know they can go to a neighboring district for the same amount of money. Maybe they'll get the assignment they want because they have maybe a neighboring district has more vacancies than us and they have one-on-one aids or classroom aid for fourth grade or something like that. And um so they can be a little bit more judicious in their decision where they're going to go. So it's it's a problem. I I don't know how it's going
059to be survived. Quite frankly, we have we were taking a strong look. And this will continue I know um is [clears throat] why are our a numbers so high and is there a way to get those numbers down you know so we have to make sure that we have the right number of days a right spot and then you could start looking at some of these companies that offer more train or something like that um but it's it's it's like substitutes substitutes are the same way we we always say we never could find enough substitutes and every district says the same thing it's it's a perpetual problem. And it used to be because we pay $85 a day. Well, we don't pay $85 a day anymore. We pay more and the problem hasn't walked away.
060>> I know it is. That is a dumb one. And some should be one that's excused. >> Did I hear another? >> Okay. Um, we have one more board meeting. um December 10th according to our website. I'm going to make sure the thorough date, but uh December 10th um I don't think it's been officially stated yet, but to um save on your schedules, we will be having an executive session on that meeting as well. >> So, please hold that time >> probably. I think we have two topics for that. Um exact. So, it might be uh 5:30 again. Do you already have two? Because I have one that I'm going to add. So that's the one and then goals we need to get get wrapped up for the end of the year. So >> we
061kind >> So I will be setting. So yes, so we have we have an update from one of our um from one of our um departments that we'll be receiving that night and then um we need to circle back on board goals. I know we heard from NJSBA on our results. It's just so I will refresh everyone's email um with the SBA uh survey results. um as well as I'll dig some stuff up from last year's board goals. Um you know, sort of how we worked through it. Um so hopefully we can be efficient with time and um come out of our session with uh a few motions to adopt um in our December meeting so that we go into 2026 with goals. It'll all be in the email um when it goes out so
062that we [cough] [clears throat] get it done. Should be pretty easy. Any other comments? And we'll ask for a motion to close. >> Thank you, Miss Wats. Second >> and Miss Zol. All All in favor? >> And in your uh in your honor, wear your clothes.