October 26, 2021 Board Meeting

001You're doing the vote. Okay. Good evening. Like to call the meeting to order. Mr. Edwards, Miss Hafner here. Mr. Blandina. Miss Gaggleardi here. Miss Parker here. Miss Pala here. Miss Eert here. Miss Walra. Thank you. Mr. Edwards, will you please read the following? The New Jersey, excuse me. The New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to advance notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, the Bricktownship Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be posted on the administration office bulletton board, the official district website, and channel BTV20 and sent to the Asbury Park Press, the Brick Times, the Star Ledger, and Municipal

002Clerk's Office. Thank you. I need a motion and a second. Motion, Missy. Second, Nicole. Mr. Edwards, I'm just going to mark the record that Mr. Blandina is now here. Thank you for that update. Good evening, Mr. Blendina. Um, I'm sorry. Did we get a motion in a second for executive? Oh, was it missing? I motion and Nicole second. Nicole second. Thank you. Sorry. That's okay. Uh, whereas the Bricktown Board of Education has been formed pursuant to applicable New Jersey statutes. Whereas the board is charged with responsibility of planning all acts and doing all things consistent with laws and the rules of the state board of education necessary for the lawful and proper conduct, equipment and maintenance of the public schools and public school property of the Brook Township School District. And whereas section 7 of

003the open public's meeting act permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting of the board in certain circumstances. And whereas the board has determined that circumstances exist for such an executive session. And whereas the board has found the action described below to be necessary and proper, now therefore be resolved by the board on October 26, 2021, that the public shall be excluded from the discussion of an action on the executive session here and set forth. The section session will be approximately 15 minutes and the general nature of the subject matter be discussed is harassment, intimidation, and bullying reports. It is anticipated at this time that the above stated subject matter will be made public if and when it is deemed to be in the public interest to do so and the need for confidentiality

004is no longer required by the board. All right. Thank you. A vote. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hafner. Yes. Mr. Blandina. Yes. Miss Gagiardi. Yes. Um Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Pala? Yes. Miss Sbert? Yes. Miss Walre still not here, right? Okay, we are good. [Music] All right. It's not Check Cool. Mark. [Music] a second. Let him get used to it. March. Oh yeah. I read something. I read I read something all the water was out there behind the dams and everything. I read something that said Lake Taho filled up this weekend. I tried to open any rain. Everything dries out and they got to deal with the fires. Then they get one rainy season that goes dries out. They were talking about, you know, they're going to have to cut back the water, the farmers, Mexico, everything.

005You saw pictures. Guess I was really concerned about nothing on the agenda. All the signs up there. All the little islands over How manyis Saturday I was going to the library and I says, "Oh, I think I can vote." I'm there. You got what? [Music] Thank you. I'm going to log off. [Music] She won't. I'm going to log off as you and lo. Oh, the chassis. I'm not worried. Let's make sure it works, too. Right. Oh, they'll be complaining about the flooding next week. There we go. Just yelled at me for like eight boxes. So like one box at a time. I ordered um ugly Christmas sweaters already and they all got delivered and my son was like you're so lucky because he would be like really Christmas sweaters like they were probably on sale.

006They were on sale at Kohl's. That's it. That's not It sounds weird. I did everyone a favor order them. People want to do something about it in the township. I have Thanksgiving shirts. You get the green beans and houses, but they can't control the pool. But they'll be complaining this week about the flooding. Yeah. James saw those and he was like, "What's that?" I was like, "What do you mean that?" I was like, "It's the shirts we talked about. It's stuff." He's like, "It's not November yet." I was like, "Okay, well, should I not tell you that I ordered a couple Christmas presents?" Oh my god. I said I don't even know what I'm getting our kids this year. They don't need anything. They don't want anything. They make stuff up. [Music] Lego. Nice. Now

007you'll be down there for Christmas. No. Okay. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah, I wanted to I think that would be cool. Like you don't have to worry about anything. You could just you just get there. Right. Right. Right. A book something. Right. So that doesn't count. We always we always say we're not going to do big and then like last year they each got a a skateboard. They each got a new bike. They each got a It's 7 o'clock now. Okay, we're ready to begin. And I'm going to call the meeting to order. I need a motion and a second. I'll make that motion. Michael. Second. Second. Nicole. Mr. Edwards. Yes. Michael. Miss Hatha. You heard me right. Mr. Blandina here. Miss Gagiardi. Yes. Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Pala. Yes. Miss

008Sbert. Yes. Miss Walr. Yes. I'm going to ask everybody to please stand for the ROC presentation of the flag. Guard. [Music] I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Right. Face forward march. Thank you. See there excellent job by the Yes. Often it may it may appear to members of our audience that the brick that the board of education act with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Please understand that before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the superintendent of schools, discussed it in appropriate BOE committees and only then if the superintendent is satisfied that the matter

009is ready to be presented to the full board of education, it is placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting. Board of Education members are given advanced notice to review the agenda and through the chair ask questions or voice concerns. In rare instances, when necessary, matters are presented to the board of education for discussion at the same meeting that the final action may be taken. Dr. Frell, would you like to present the presentations? Mr. Mr. occasion. Would you like to Yes, I have two of our seniors from Township High School, Kayla Johnson and Skyler. What's that? You are sweating out, guys. Okay, good evening everyone. We're glad to be back um and to go over everything at Bricktown Chip High School. Uh October has been an amazingly busy month with a lot of

010excitement and hard work from everyone here at the school and I'm going to hand it over to Scout to start us off. Okay, so we left off at the beginning of our homecoming spirit week. It was an amazing turnout as we received many photos which are on our Twitter bths_sga and there was a great participation from all classes and our teachers. The seniors were able to take home first place dubs um winning four out of five spirit weekdays. By the end of the week on Saturday, October 2nd, students celebrated and intended their home annual homecoming dance at Lake Riviera Middle School. We thank everyone who helped to set up homecoming as well as attended to make it a fun and memorable night. The month of October kicked off with the week of respect. BTHS participated

011in a respect pledge signing which helped to unify our student body to support one another. outside of our guidance office was a was a large strip of paper um on a wall and students basically signed their name um on that wall throughout the week and this pledge was not only to respect everyone around you but to show respect towards yourself. So that was really nice and we just want to give a huge shout out to all the students and teachers who took that time to just, you know, sign it and show amazing representation of what BTHS is all about. On October 17th, many BTH clubs and teams participated in the annual Fall Fest event. If you attended, you saw the numerous stands and games offered by offered to the brick community. It was a great

012turnout as clubs such as our SGA club, Key Club, Drama Club, National Honor Society, and many more attended with a lot of fun games and prizes. Um, last Sunday, our seniors had a booth at Fall Fest. Uh, the booth was a balloon popping game where kids used Nerf guns to pop the balloons. Seniors had people donate stuffed animals and other toys that they were able to give away as prizes. And overall, they had an amazing turnout. The seniors also hosted a celebrity scoops uh at the newly opened ice cream shop Sunday Funday on the corner of Bridge Avenue. Teachers Mrs. Russell, Mr. Kurola, Coach Zanowitz, and even principal Cajun scooped ice cream. And we'd like to thank all the students, staff, and families who came out that night to support and watched their favorite teachers

013scoop delicious ice cream. And um the seniors will be hosting a dime to donate at Chick-fil-A tomorrow, right? And they're looking forward to the annual powderpuff game coming back this year in November. Sophomores and juniors came to school early today and also and took their PSAT. And juniors are also getting prepared for the next month's powderpuff game against the seniors. The SJA Google classroom can classrooms continue to be a wonderful way for students to remain connected to the events happening within our school. The freshman class is proud to announce that 92% of freshmen are a part of the Google classroom. To all our BTHS students, join your Google classroom to stay connected. This week began our second spirit week of the year. Yesterday we started off with breast cancer awareness day. So everyone wore pink

014um to show support. And then today we had jersey day as you can see where everyone represented a team that they loved. And the rest of the days are tomorrow is Disney Vacation Day. So every student's encouraged to wear like Disney apparel such as like Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar. Um Thursday is Red Ribbon Thursday in support of Red Ribbon Week. So, everyone's going to be wearing red that day. And then we're going to end the week off with Halloween costumes, which is in addition to our Halloween costume contest, which is being hosted by SGA. So, speaking of SGA, they're hosting two contests this week, the Halloween costume contest and the Halloween pumpkin painting contest. There are six categories in the costume contest and we can't wait to see everyone's costumes and who will show up

015with the best looks. We are also excited to see pumpkins which are being brought down by the main office and will soon be judged. SGA had a successful turnout with their fall fest booth which was a lollipop tree. Our youth prevention coalition is hosting a scavenger hunt in honor of Red Ribbon Week. So, there's going to be red posters with QR codes linked to certain questions um based around like youth prevention and stuff and it's hung around the school for students to look around for and scan all leading to the next paper and if you answer all the questions you are awarded with a prize. Um, our Interact Club intended attended the Columbus Day parade on October 17th where they held signs for different sponsors throughout Point Pleasant. And they have also planned their annual

016Thanksgiving food drive from October 22nd to November 22nd. And the club asks that students bring all canned foods, all canned goods, and non-p perishable items to their first ball class. Okay. So, National Honor Society had also had a successful turnout at Ball Fest. They did an elephant bowling game. Um, and also they had sand art for kids to make. And they're planning a faculty facult I can't even say the word. Faculty feud. Um, so teachers and staff are going to be able to go headtohead and it's basically family feud but with teachers and staff. Really fun. Yeah. Um, we'd like to congratulate our Brick Township High School band for taking home first place on October 2nd against Brook Memorial High School. um during their band competition with a score of 81, winning best visual music

017and color guard. They also got second place in Tom's River with a score of 82 and took second as well in their region 7 championships with best percussions. So, congratulations to our band. Okay. Many clubs and teams attended the breast cancer walk in Point Pleasant on Sunday, October 17th. They t they participated in making making the wait what participants walk in the making shrines walk their girls soccer made a donations of300 to the American cancer society other clubs like key club also attended the walk and it was a great day of supporting those who have or are currently battling the horrible disease as of last Monday in athletics it's been a good season of teamwork throughout all teams In football, our record stands at 4 and4. After the 28th of this week, we will find

018out if they make it to state finals. Boys soccer has a record of 4 and 11 and 1 and girls soccer with a record of 5 and 8 and three. Congratulations to the team for winning two and one over Howell and two to one over Howell in the 14th annual breast cancer awareness pink game. They also won their first round game in the Shore Coaches tournament three to one over Manchester to advance to the corner quarterfinal round against Central. Both soccer teams are going to be continuing on in the state tournament. Field hockey has three games left in their season and is currently at a record of 1-9. Girls volleyball just finished their season with high aspirations for future success. And finally, our girls tennis team finished their season with a 2 and2 record. Great

019work to all of them. And that's all we have for you guys today. Thank you for having us once again and we hope everyone has an amazing night and we'll see you next or not next in November. [Applause] Mr. Brucey, would you like to introduce the students from Burke Memorial? Sure. We have our SJ President Caitlyn Barry and Vice President Mael. I'm Caitlyn Barry and we would like to thank you guys for having us at this month's meeting. I'm Maya Sephardella and on our October 14th we had our very first outdoor homecoming dance. It was a huge success and many students came out to help and set up and it was a really fun time for all. On October 26th, Brick Memorial Brick Memorial will host the PSATs for all sophomores and juniors. After over

020a year with no fall door decorating, student government was able to hold another successful competition with a fun fall and Halloween theme. The top place winners were Miss Harzer in the art club. Second place was Key Club and third place was Senora Engel and her Spanish classes. We want to remind everyone that the costume contest is coming up on Friday, October 29th. And on November 6th, Brick Memorial will be proctoring the SAT testing with a friendly reminder that all students will be required to wear a mask, bring their student ID, and a calculator. We'd like to honor the Brick Township ROC, which who conducted a flag retirement ceremony where any damaged flags are handled and disposed in a very respectful manner. We would like to take the time to thank the BMHS Key Club for

021working with the ocean, the clean ocean action, and organizing the annual beach sweeps. Offering a huge congratulations to the Brick Memorial staff and students for winning the trunk or treat for the fourth year in a row. We'd like to acknowledge the passing of the principal secretary, Miss Terry, in 2020 as we honored her through this. A big congratulations to all the new inductees of the French and Italian Honor Society on October 21st by Miss Giovenini and Madame Schwester. We would like to congratulate stu both students of Brook Memorial seniors of the class of 22 Kira Griggs and Kylie Kelly Thornley who have been selected for the New Jersey Allstate Chorus under the direction of Mr. Betts. In addition, we would like to thank the Pine Belt Arena of Freehold for donating vehicles for our homecoming

022parade. Another huge congratulations to the AC academic team under the direction of Madam Schwester who had a strong competition. Best of luck to them this year. Lastly, we would like to give a shout out and thank you to our very own guidance department. And next up is our athletic report. We are proud to report that our fall seasons have largely been a success. Our field hockey team has qualified for the state playoffs and will travel tomorrow to Clear View for a 2 p.m. first round game. Our girls tennis, boys soccer, girls soccer, volleyball, and gymnastics have all qualified for both the Shore Conference and the NJSIAA tournaments. Our girls soccer team and volleyball team worked their way to the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference and now await home games in the states as the girls

023soccer team earned a three seed and the volleyball team earned a four seed. Our gymnastics team earned a top six seed in the Shore Conference tournament in which Brick Memorial is proud to be the host school this Saturday, October 30th. Brick Memorial has also been asked by the NJSIAA to be the host school for the state team and individual championships to be held Thursday, November 11th and Saturday, November 13. And finally, it is hard to believe, but with our fall seasons winding down, it only means that our winter sports will soon be starting up. This year, we are excited to be partnering with the Brick Township for the first ever Brick United co-op team in ice hockey. Our hockey season starts up Monday, November 8th, and we are also excited to be back at the

024Ocean Ice Palace. Our other winter sports include boys and girls bowling, boys and girls swimming, which also start practicing November 8th, and boys and girls basketball, and boys and girls indoor track and wrestling, which start up November 22nd. That's all for rehab today, but we thank you for having us, and we'll see you next month. [Applause] Major Davis, would you like to introduce the cadet for this evening, please? Thank you. All right, everyone. This is Cadet Ortiz. She is going to present the office. [Applause] Good evening members of the board. My name is Cadet Airman Basic Ortiz. This is my first year as a JOTC cadet. I am currently assigned the deputy public affairs officer for our unit. Now, I would like to provide you with the brick JRTC minute. We actually have been very

025productive since our last board of education meeting. Here are our major activities. On October 16th, we had 20 cadets visit the USS aircraft carrier in New York City. We learned about the mission and history of the Intrepid. And we also conducted a self-guided tour of the extensive display of military aircraft on the board of the ship. On October 17th, we had 16 cadets participate in the annual Ocean County Columbus Day parade at Seaside Heights. On October 24th, 15 cadetses supported the semiannual VFW flag retirement ceremony. We retired 5,000 tattered and torn flags that were dropped off by the residents from Bricktown. Additionally, we presented the colors at four of our brick home football games. Our major upcoming event convent our major upcoming events consist of hosting a blood drive at Brook Memorial High School on

026October 27th. Our goal is to collect 100 units of blood for our New Jersey blood supply. Lastly, we are very excited to welcome Brigadier General Leslie Mayer on November 15th. General Mayer is the commander of the Air Force Home Center. She is responsible for 15,000 ROC cadetses at 1200 colleges and 101,000 JROTC cadets at 885 high schools around the world. She also oversees basic officer training assessions for over 85% of all the officers who enter the Air Force each year. That's it for now and thank you for support of our program. [Applause] Great job. Thank you students. Just awesome. It's nice to have students back at the board meetings. Okay. I need a motion and a second for approval of minutes. I'll make that motion. Mike second. Victoria. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hefta. Yes. Mr. Blandina.

027Yes. Miss Gaggleari. Yes. Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Pala. Yes. Miss Ebert. Yes. Miss Walre. Yes. Uh reports. Um Dr. Frell, would you start the reports? Well, they're a little out of order if you don't mind. Go ahead. So, October has been filled with many important activities. Uh, brick schools started the month by thanking our custodians for working to keep our schools clean and safe. National Custodian Appreciation Day was October 1st. The week of respect was October 4th through 8th with a focus on kindness, respect, acceptance, friendship, empathy, and compassion. Each school designed a week-long program around these tenants which the students and staff participated in and celebrated. Fire prevention week took place at the same time and brick school district would like to thank our local fire departments for bringing the fire safety message to

028our elementary schools as well as the very cool fire trucks. We had a lot of pictures on that. Next up was the school violence and awareness week October 18th through 22nd with a spotlight on the importance of stopping bullying and being an upstander instead of a bystander. Uh, additionally, it was also National School Bus Safety Week. This year's theme was one bus plus one driver equals a big impact on education. Thank you to all of our bus drivers who make a difference in the lives of our students each day. We're currently in Red Ribbon Ribbon Week, which is the oldest and the largest drug prevention awareness program. Um, in 1988, the National Family Partnership coordinated the first national red ribbon week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons. Uh, since then, the red

029red ribbon campaign has taken on a national significance and national family partnership NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools, and communities across the nation each year. Wearing red ribbons during the month of October continues to represent our pledge to live drug-free and honors the sacrifice of all who have lost their lives in the fight against drugs. October is also breast cancer awareness month in honor of all those who are fighting breast cancer and for those who have lost their battle to breast cancer. Our student athletes wore pink as part of their uniforms all month. Thank you to staff, students, and the community for all your effort efforts recognizing, honoring, and celebrating all these important events. Thank you also to our Bricktownship Public Schools principles for all that you do in service to our

030students, staff, parents, and community. October is National Principles Month, and Brick Schools is very fortunate to have such an amazing team of principles leading our outstanding schools. I've spoken directly to all of our principles on the importance of their role especially in our organizational structure and how they are the hub of our structure uh for us. We have great principles here in brick and we're grateful for all that they do going above and beyond each and every day especially throughout this pandemic. November 17th, 18th and 19th is parent teacher conferences. Um, please look for communication from your principal or uh of your students school or child schools and their teacher regarding scheduling a conference for those days. Um, just a reminder, these are early uh dismissal days for students. Congratulations. Congratulations to Miss Walabra for

031completing the requirements for master board member certification through the New Jersey School Boards Association Board Member Academy and successfully passing the Master Board uh member exam. Right, that was just a week ago. I think the Master Board Member Award recognizes professional development and areas critical to effective schoolboard governance. We commend you on your achievement and thank you for your dedication and commitment to the brick schools community. Thank you. I recently attended a few workshops on um social and emotional learning. One actually this morning with a few of my colleagues. Um, I don't want to bring us down, but I want to speak a little bit about some alarming an alarming trend in the increase of poor mental and emotional health as well as well-being for our students. And here's some data I just got this

032morning. Actually, from n from 2019 until present, we've seen an increase. 29% of parents said that their child's mental or emotional health was harmed and 31% of parents said that their child's mental or emotional health health was worse than before the pandemic. Recent data shows that many children have exhibited signs of increased irritability. I live with a high school senior uh clinginess and fear and have the issues have issues with sleeping and poor appetite. Even before the pandemic, many children in the United States were living with mental health disorders. On average, in 2019, prior to pre- pandemic, among children ages 3 through 17, 8%, that's 5.2 million, had anxiety disorder. 4% 2.3 million had depressive disorder. And 9% 5.3 million, had attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, um, ADD or ADHD. Other mental

033health disorders among children and adolescence include obsessivecompulsive disorder, OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders. We've seen a huge increase in these numbers since 2019 due to the pandemic. Other poor mental outcomes have increased as well in recent years, such as persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and suicidal tendencies. There was a 22.3% spike in ER trips for potential suicides by children's 12 to 17 in the summer of 2020 compared to the prior summer of 2019. According to the findings published uh recently by the CDC, they have a morbidity and mortality report that they published I believe weekly or monthly. This trend continued into 2021 and was recently up 39.1% from 2020. As you know, many mental health conditions developed by adolescence and if unressed can persist into adulthood adulthood and limit a quality of

034life. We all need to talk with our young people never more than than now. We can't wait for them to come to us. We need to go to them. Teaching and learning and teaching the soft skills traditionally associated with conflict resolution, character education has evolved over the last 30 years from wishy-washy to being an integral part of educating the whole child is now what we call social and emotional learning or SEAL. For example, I I use a lot of examples my wife's kindergarten class, but a a good example would be at a morning meeting, a young child could sit in a special chair or receives a round of compliments for his or her classmates or a teacher may ask for bucket fillers. That's a a one we do, I think, in one of our elementary

035schools where other students fill the students bucket uh with compliments. They may show a smiley face or a frown face in the morning uh to see what kind of mood they're in. Mornings often start with such honest sharing, thoughtful words, and concerned listening. In many of our elementary schools here, social and emotional learning is the process through which we learn to recognize and manage emotions, care about others, make good decisions, behave responsibly, develop positive relationships, and avoid negative behaviors. Behaviors since the pandemic, discipline is upped, non-compliance behavior has increased. uh many other factors that you could see through data as probably a factor from the pandemic. SEAL educators and researchers believe that by integrating into schools, we could teach students critical life skills that will not only help their personal development but also their academic

036performance as well. When educators foster a caring school environment and teach core social skills, a cycle develops in which positive interactions beget more positive interactions. All this creates a culture in which students and teachers respect one and enjoy being together. Further strengthening relationships and motivating both students and teachers to do their best. I said at the board meeting here when I first was approved uh basically that I really believe it's not special programs, big budgets, anything like that that makes great school districts, but it's people and relationships. And more specific, I said it was teacher student relationships. Young people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Every young person needs that adult advocate. All we could do is create a learning environment that fosters that relationship and then

037we'll be successful. And I really believe that. I want to continue to foster that environment here in Brick where young people thrive specifically with our teachers. SEAL is a methodology, a methodology to help students of all ages to better comprehend their emotions, to feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make positive, responsible decisions, create frameworks to achieve their goals, and build positive relationships with others and self-efficacy and grit with themselves. When educators make academic lessons more personal and relative to that student or that that person's life or that environment and maybe le they may be less to mentally check out during their subjects by fostering a sense of empathy, self-awareness and feelings of safety and inclusiveness in the classroom can have a positive impact

038that lasts a lifetime. CL is a huge factor in creating a school environment with a sense of belonging and connectedness for our students. Uh this is something that I actually wrote my dissertation on about an advisory program. Uh the sense of belonging and connectedness to school is what keeps attendance, grades, co-curricular involvement and behaviors down. This is something we all feel that sense of belonging or sense of school connectedness that has diminished during the last year year and a half uh through this pandemic and many parents know this uh many staff members board members and parents know I saw it with my own uh youngest child in education we've been addressing for a long long time for years and we've been teaching it in brick schools for some time too um prior to me ever

039being here uh this year we We focused it as a priority the last few years and this year we even made it a a district goal. Um intertwined crosscurricular helps us to capture our students voice engage their health, safety, security and well-being during this time of crisis. This morning I heard a speaker, actually an exbrick alum and teacher and coach, Dan Duddy, um, speak specifically about mentoring and supporting students. I I think he joked, and I know many of us have many, I joke, he said he remembers, you know, falling in love uh, with a girl in his class because of her smile back in 197. He says, just take that picture out. many students are wearing masks in school, that social interaction, relearning that, coming back into the classroom, you know, those things have

040changed. And I think he said now more than ever, we need that connection. Um, and it's something um, like I said, I I studied and researched. It's something that's been talked about in schools. I have done as a leader and this is a bad job communicating all the things we have been doing with and all the things we continue to do atCLC. So I thought it was important that I would communicate that tonight as well. Um brick is a great community and both the board of education and administration encourages parental involvement every day. That's what makes our community and brick schools great. Having said that, we have stayed the course in this time of crisis by not buying into national divisiveness. This community is great because we unite in times of trouble lately and come

041together for the betterment of our children. Uh I want to end with this quote that was given to me um by Maddie JT Steen. Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be furthered achieved each month. I think when I went back and read some of my superintendent's comments since I started, I think the very first month I started, we actually were in the pandemic because I my first meeting was March. might have been a virtual meeting, but I think each month I ended up and and looking back talking about the resiliency and the unity of the community regardless of opinions and and discussions. That's healthy. But I talk about it each month because many outside dynamic environmental factors try to break that. And this pandemic is going on way too

042long. I mean it is testing everybody's resolve from the student to the parent to the teacher to the board member every one of us and all we could do is keep grinding keep plotting and keep focusing on the children at the end of the day and I implore all of us to keep that as our focus because if we don't lose focus on that we'll be fine everything else will really will take care of itself whether it's policy whether it's budgets whether that that will come. But if we keep our focus laserike on the students of this district, uh we'll be even stronger. And I know we are now today. So, thank you, M. [Applause] Thank you, Dr. Frell. Um and I wanted to thank you for your recognition of um my master board member

043certificate. Um it was an interesting journey of learning and collaborating across the state on different schoolboard initiatives. Uh speaking of the schoolboard association, the virtual workshops began today and I may look a little tired because um as well as some of my other board members, I sat through seven sessions um since 9:00 a.m. on uh different workshops uh throughout the day. And this will continue um running through uh November Thursday, November 28th. Um I encourage and remind all board members to attend as many live sessions as possible. So you have the opportunity to ask questions, but I do remind you, I know we're all busy. Um the recorded sessions will remain available for 30 days. Um and if you can take some time out of your day, weekend over those next 30 days to review

044even the recorded sessions. Um there were some really great stuff uh uh presented today and will be presented for the remainder of of the uh workshop. Um I also attended on um two weekends. The second I believe in the 10th um I was part of the New Jersey School Board Association strategic plan planning committee which was helping to develop the New Jersey school board's 22 24 goals and school statements and objectives for their strategic five-year strategic plan. Um the staff is now developing the final plan um taking all of our notes from that committee and it'll be presented to us um at the board of directors meeting on November 19th. From there I'll share out at our next board meeting following that. Um I also had the opportunity of attending the Ocean County Schoolboard Association

045meeting on October 14th virtually. um Melanie Patterson of uh the superintendent of Ocean Gate School District which is a very school district so she's a superintendent as well as a principal. Yeah. Yeah. She um she was wonderful. Um what she presented uh to us was reflections of school reopenings and um she basically presented a slideshow which I will share with Dr. Frell and the rest of the board. Um but it went um it really covered what she and her district and uh the community was going through during the pandemic as well as this school year opening up in person. Um she uh one of the quotes that stuck my head was um she equated being a school administrator in these times um as um being a school administrator is easy. It's like riding a bike

046except the bike's on fire, you're on fire, and everything around you on fire. Um, and and that stuck with me because I I thought that about sums up what this last two years uh going through this pandemic has been. And she shared some of the social emotional uh learning that not only were they doing within their classroom, but also what they were doing within the community and trying to get everybody together. um she moved through the presentation. There was a lot of wonderful things um um and a lot of what Dr. for all said. So, I'm not going to get into all the nitty-gritty, but it all came back to at the end on that, you know, our focus really isn't so much about the programs, especially right now, what we're coming out with, but

047it's about the people and making sure that we're meeting the needs of not only our students, but of our staff as well and our community members. And in if we do that, we'll continue to grow as individuals, as a district, and as a community. And um I really thought that was a great thing to come away from uh from that present presentation. In addition um to recognitions this week, uh Dr. Frell was recognized at the Ocean County Superintendent Roundt meeting uh last week. He was appointed as the Ocean County Superintendence Rep um on to the New Jersey State Interact Intercolastic Athletic Association and SHURE conference as well as a representative on the New Jersey School Administrators Association Technology Committee. Um so congratulations on that. And um I know and another kind of tie into SEAL

048is um when Dr. Fell had called me to tell me about um when he came out of this meeting. One of the things he said was um you know as as though he was excited about it. He said, you know, um I know everybody sometimes looks at me as a sports guy and I'll tell you, I've sat next to him and plays, he dances, he sings along with the music. Um this not very good. Not very good, trust me. But, you know, it it got me thinking of, you know, uh the sports piece is just a fraction of his story. And um there's so much more to Dr. Frell, but um I had to share that cuz I think it's a great honor, not only for him, but for us as um our district as

049he is our leader. Um and as well as it's it is something that he's passionate about. So, we're we're very excited and congratulations on that. Um, and it was funny. I was out the other day and I thought breast cancer awareness and I wanted to present you with breast cancer awareness golf balls because I know you are a breast cancer uh you I know you are a big golfer and I just Edwards doesn't need the big balls cuz he always finds it. Well, I was going to say that you hit I definitely use these because they'll stand out when I'm in the woods. Right. There you go. I'll be picking them up behind you. So, um, thank you. You're welcome. But, um, so, um, that's really all I wanted to kind of touch upon as,

050uh, we go into our additional committee reports. Um, Mr. Kler, can we start with you and HR because I know you had a few things to add this week. That would be great. Thank you, Mr. Walrap. Uh, the human resources uh, board of ed report is as follows. Um, human resources department continues at a busy pace through the month of October. Brick Schools is not immune to the challenges nationwide regarding staffing. We currently have vacancies within several departments such as teachers, secretaries, maintenance, uh, nurses, and transportation workers. Substitutes are always in need and this year uh, none more than in past years. Anyone looking to join a great team with flexible hours and days that can work around your schedule, Brook Township Public Schools is always looking for teachers, teachers aids, secretaries, nurses, bus drivers,

051and custodians work on a substitute basis. Whenever full-time vacancies do occur, we continually post immediately in order to try to fill the vacancy with as little interruption as possible. And we do post our vacancies for full-time employment as well as substitute employment on our homepage. Anyone interested in employment opportunities can find them through the HR department tab on the top of the page or at the bottom at the employment link at the bottom of that homepage. Uh this Thursday here in this room, we're going to be hosting an openhouse hiring event with ESS educational solutions services uh who works with us on our substitutes in the classroom as well as some other departments. That will be October 28th here between 5 and 6:30. If you know somebody that is looking for some employment opportunities, please

052encourage them to go to the website uh pick up the phone, call my HR department, uh or um come here Thursday uh to have participate in the open house. Thank you, Mr. Wal. Just to add to Mr. Clyler. Um we have a there is a workforce force shortage statewide, nationally, and we do have openings. Um and even uh applications have dwindled where they may have been over a hundred at one point, say for an elementary teacher. Uh they're they're nowhere near that. Uh people are leveraging jobs. So uh we can ask the community and we need to ask community for help. So, if you know people that are looking, I mean, custodians, grounds, uh, drivers, par professionals and aids, uh, teachers, uh, special education teachers, anybody with certifications, there's many openings on the site. Uh,

053we are constantly in HR and with all of our departments doing what we're calling like rolling postings and rolling interviews and and hirings. uh throughout that process uh we even asked uh through the board of education and Miss Warab to the department of to uh improve that um bureaucracy I shouldn't use bureaucracy the time for fingerprinting and documentation uh to reduce that down so we could get on to board agendas uh to get hiring so we don't sit with openings a huge sub shortage as well and driver shortage so uh so basically what we're saying we have many job openings like other schools um but We hope that you promote brick and promote it to people you may know that wish to apply for for jobs here at our district. So, thank you, Mr. Closer.

054Dr. Pharaoh, could you just or or Mr. Cer would um I didn't hear did you um explain the change in subs credits from college? Did you could you mention that just so everybody knows because there was a change in legislation to that. Absolutely. And if I get it wrong, please feel free to correct me, Dr. Farrell. Um currently in order to be a substitute you need at least 60 credits or uh college credits in order to be a substitute. They have recently made a change to that in which you only need to have 30 college credits but there are some guidelines. Uh age is restricted to being at least 20 years of age in the classroom but that is a recent change within the past month. We certainly are are hopeful that that may um

055give us a target audience of some of our students that uh graduated recently but would not have been ready to begin uh substituting and hopefully we can get them out a little bit quicker. Thank you, Mr. Clint. Thank you. Uh Miss Hansen, special ed. Good evening everyone. Um the special education board of ed board of ed committee meeting um happened October 25th. I think that was yesterday. All the days are running together. Um in attendance were myself, Dr. Farrell, um Mrs. Woolra, um Mrs. Sbert, and Miss Pala. Um during our special education committee meeting, we spent some time discussing the staffing issues um that the special education department is seeing this year. Um now more than ever, we have openings in our department that we are trying to fill. We are actively working with human

056resources um and um to fill all open positions as quickly as possible. Um our first parent academy session of the year kicked off on October 19th. We had over 80 parents in attendance virtually. We discussed some improvements and additions to the department and the new special education extended day program. The new parent academy brochure will be sent out to parents via email at the end of the week. Mark your calendars for many learning opportunities. Our special education extended day program begins on November 8th. This program has been designed to address learning acceleration and compensatory education services for students with special needs who have been impacted over the CO 19 pandemic. We are pleased to admit students in grades K through 12, 4 days a week in six week cycles. Parents were sent out a survey

057to sign up their child for the um for the weeks that they were available. Students will be assigned to sessions based upon staffing and program availability in their specific buildings. Every student who signs up should receive at least one six-week session. We discussed the district work on disproportionality which is continuing for the second year. Um you will see a new RFP announcement on the agenda this evening for the district to continue our work in this area. Also on the agenda this evening, you will see an adjustment to our behavioral support RFP. You may notice the large dollar amount associated with this adjustment. Um, this is for two reasons. Our district has received additional funding from the American Rescue Plan in IDEIDA funds. These funds have been added to the existing RFP to address an increase

058in behavioral needs that have been evident across the district as students have transitioned back to a full day and full week of academic instruction. These funds will be used to address these needs by providing muchneeded support to students in the classroom. Additionally, through our work with disproportionality, we have identified a need for behavioral consultation through our INRS teams. We will be contracting with three full-time BCBAs to provide consultation and behavioral assessment and support to our INRS team specifically in the area of behavior. The funds to provide the service comes from IDEIDA money that is required to be spent on solving disproportionality in our district. We are utilizing an agency to hire these behavioral supports which benefits the district in a variety of ways. The individuals are only paid for the hours that they work and

059do not receive health insurance benefits from the district. Another item on the agenda this evening are the preschool carryover funds. We are approving a carryover of just over $63,000 in leftover funds from last school year. In a meeting with Mrs. Goodfellow, Mr. Hersenko, and Mrs. Janick, the team has decided to use those funds to buy science centers and materials for the preschool classrooms. In other preschool news, we discussed the addition of two beautiful outdoor classroom spaces that were just recently installed at each preschool location. These spaces allow our students to go outside to learn on beautiful days. Each space is designed with a large sun um sun shade and tables and chairs to accommodate one full class. The students and teachers are already using the space and are so excited. Additionally, we have recently doubled

060the size of the Herbertsville playground space with new and exciting equipment for the students. This gives the students at HS the ability to have three full classrooms outside each day in a different learning space. I reported out in our committee meeting about the CPAC meeting that was held with our CPAC parent representatives. We discussed some of the items that were raised in the meeting and the special education department responses to those items. Over the summer, our special education extended school year and enrichment program was well supported by so many community partners and I wanted to take the opportunity at this board meeting to thank each of them personally for their support of our students as well as the support of our staff. All participants will be receiving a certificate in the mail and our most

061sincere thanks. Um just a list of people who um assisted with our program. Um, the Knights of Columbus, John Crocio, um, they did a whole pizza party for our kids, um, this summer. Um, the Brick Police Department came and presented to our students. Katis Island, um, County Park came and presented. Therapy dog handlers came and brought therapy dogs in for our students. Seeds of service presented. Um, we had a motivational speaker, Dr. Stuart Washansky. Jenkinson's Aquarium came in and did multiple presentations to our students. Um, Brick Burrow of Fire Safety came in. Breton Woods Fire Company came in, Pioneer Hose Fire Company, Laurelton Fire Company, Herbertsville Fire Company. Um, and our staff received um, lunch from Kurabas and Brick. Um, lunch for the staff was provided by the Durstine family. Chick-fil-A also provided lunch for

062our staff and Mike's Crumb Cake provided crumb cake for all of our staff. So, we just had so many community partners that came out and supported our kids and our program and we're just so grateful to that. Um, our next meeting for the special education committee will be will be scheduled in December. Thank you so much. Thank you, Miss Hansen. Uh, Dr. Anderson, curriculum and instruction. Thank you, Mrs. Walab. The CNI committee met on October 14th at 3:30. In attendance were the chairperson, Mr. Gagliardi, Ms. Parker, Miss Pala, and myself. I reviewed the uh CNI items on this month's agenda. There's student teaching placements. We're ratifying two students who are doing MSW internships at Brick Township High School. We have a one student intern for school counselor also at Brick High. Uh there's tra under

063travel and training. There are two workshops for the facilities department and one attendee for a building readers and writers workshop and one attendee for the fall conference of the association of school librarians. Uh there's several field trips scheduled on this month's agenda along with uh grants. There's a donor's choose grant for library furniture and the Mark Sheder Holocaust Education Foundation uh grant for four Holocaust survivors to speak to our eighth grade and high school students. Um, I also reviewed the components of the brick schools mentoring plan and the professional development plan uh for 21-22. Uh, in addition, we um I shared some of our uh resources developed by the CNI department to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month. Uh, in terms of family engagement, brick schools is committed to family engagement. Mrs. Kain the elementary ELA supervisor

064and K to2 ELELLL supervisor hosted a bilingual ELELLL parent night. 60 parents attended this virtual session. Um we also posted our progress reports on October 15th for our K to2 students and the assessment committee had revised uh the elementary progress report to reflect more standardsbased indicators and comments. Um there will be a district assessment presentation next month. um which will include access data and DLM data from the spring of 2021 and start strong data um pending the availability of that start strong data. Our next meeting will be November 11th at 3:30. Thank you Dr. Anderson. Miss McNamera policy and planning. Nothing for today. Okay. Thank you Mr. Edwards. Finance and facilities. Whatever order you'd like. H my choice. Huh? I'm going to go with facilities. Okay. Uh so facilities committee met on October 19th at

0652 p.m. Uh Miss Wra, Mr. Belindina, Dr. Farrell, myself, Mr. Yurfetta Architects, and Mr. Pura and Miss Pawa made a guest appearance from somewhere tropical. uh was really nice of her to stop in but also unnecessary. Thank you, Miss Vala. Um first item that we discussed was the litigation for the HVAC from the 201920 capital project on Brick Township High School and Veterans Memorial Elementary School. Uh informed the committee that the uh arbitrator has rendered a decision on that case uh that would be favorable at this point to the board of education. However, not favorable to the architect and therefore it's unlikely that the arbitrator's decision will be agreed upon by the architect. Uh next was the Bricktownship High School roof area 4A 8 11 12 14 and 20. Mr. PCO informed the committee that

066those roof areas at Bricktownship High School are 100% complete and this item can be removed from the agenda. Osborneville roof areas 235 and six. Mr. Poria informed the committee of the same that they're 100% complete can remove from the agenda and Herbertzville roof areas BH and the annex uh same 100% complete can remove from the agenda in regards to the energy savings improvement plan the lighting replacement with LEDs and the occupancy sensors Mr. Price informed the committee that the LED upgrades are complete at Emma Havens Young Drum Point Veterans Mo Elementary School and the maintenance building. The work is scheduled for completion at Bricktown High School by October 29th and work will begin at the admin building during the week of 11:1. In regards to the district-wide energy management system, uh informed the committee that

067coordination meeting was held on October 19th to discuss the impact of the newly awarded unit ventilator project and boiler upgrades. Uh in regards to the BAS control work being done by Jersey State Controls through the ESEP, Mr. Picaria also informed the committee that Jersey State Controls computer controls are online for Emma Haven's Young and Veterans Memorial Elementary School and that the enterprise terminal has been installed in his office for monitoring of the district-wide control panels of the schools. Uh the solar power purchase agreement under the EIP, Mr. Mr. Pory informed the committee that pursuant to the district meeting on October 6th, work will begin in the district octo on November 1st. Uh there was a u meeting that took place to do a roof walk through with the contractor and the roofing warranty manufacturer TMCO

068uh to discuss the staging areas of the materials and equipment as well as make sure that the roofs that are going on are ones that are under warranty. the boiler replacement and combined heat and power over at Brook Memorial as part of the EIP. Mr. Poria informed the committee that DCO, the ESIP contractor, has uh completed 100% of their contract drawings for this project and have uh included an alternate for standalone domestic hot water heater system that will uh provide more reliability and versatility in the building. Uh I informed the committee that it is expected that those projects will go out to bid at the end of this month, this coming week and uh we'll be looking to award those in November for the work to be scheduled over the summer of 2022. Uh plug

069load controls. I informed the committee that there is still some discussion over the Burke controllers with our district IT department to determine the best applicable devices. Um Mr. Belindina asked a very good question because you know when you're in this as as as much as we are immersed in it we kind of just assume everyone knows what plug load controls are and Mr. Belendina asked the question what is a plug load control um so we explained to Mr. Blendina that a plug load controller enables energy savings by controlling plug loads through an occupancy schedule um based on an on andoff schedule at the receptacle for things such as computer monitors, projectors, local printers, chargers, AV equipment and such. Uh all of them can be switched off at night without without any negative consequences and saves

070energy. In regards to the carport RFP that we did at Brickamora High School, we discussed with the committee that the lowest bidder would support a project that would save approximately 315,000 over the 15-year life of the uh of the uh power purchase agreement. That savings does not generate enough money in itself to do uh we are hoping to do two boiler upgrades. U doesn't even support enough to do one boiler upgrade. Um, as a result, DCO, the EIP contractor, does not recommend putting the solar car ports as part of their overall EIP. We discussed that we could move forward the implementation of the car ports to provide energy savings. However, uh, Brick Memorial is uh, year 10 of our parking lot reconfiguration safety improvement projects, which we are going into year nine. and there's concerns

071over whether we put carports up at Brick Memorial Brick Memorial would that hinder the ability for safety reconfigurations of that parking lot. With that said, the committee concurred that at this point the carport panels at Brick Memorial should not move forward at this time. Next, we discussed the Veterans Memorial Elementary School 2004 edition roof area. Mr. Pori informed the committee that we have received the proposals for the roofs and the solar removal and this work will be done uh beginning in June of 2022. Lanes Mill parking lot improvement. Mr. Pory informed the committee that we are currently waiting on punchless items for completion for the installation of the fencing around the retention basin as well as replacement fencing around the basketball courts. Uh these items are held up on back order due to uh materials.

072It's currently predicted that the completion is mid- November. Veterans Memorial Middle School turf replacement. Mr. Boro confirmed to committee that November 15th is the start date for the uh turf replacement here at Vetsson Memorial Middle School. The Brick Memorial High School penthouse CND replacement of the air handlers and the replacement of the chiller. Mr. No, Mr. Y of Neta architects informed the committee that the survey work and the additional site visits have begun and designs are underway. Coordinating of the potential known overlap with ECO is been done. Planning on advertisement in January with a ward by the board in February. So the work commenced in the summer of 2022. Um that is the same for the Lake River Middle School boiler plant, Emma Havens boiler plant, and Midstream's boiler plant being done by Speasel Architects.

073Uh in regards to the boiler violation at Veteran Memorial Middle School, Mr. Poria informed the committee that the examination board hearing took place on October 6th and we are waiting for a determination letter. However, he felt it would be positive. Uh Veterans Memorial Middle School Boiler replacements uh same Mr. Yor indicated that the work survey work is being done and will be complete by the week of November 1st with advertisements going out in January and the work to be done over the summer of 2022. Same with Lanes Mills Elementary School air conditioning and Emma Havens Lake Rivier Vets Memorial Middle School air conditioning. Um, Midstream's air conditioning, Vets L air conditioning, Drum Point Elementary School air conditioning, and Osborneville Elementary School air conditioning. Um, share with the committee what we have spent so far in

074regards to capital reserve capital projects cares one, two, and three funds. And at this point, the funding level would not support the air conditioning at those four buildings. Uh Mr. Dr. Frell and Mrs. Walrab asked that these projects remain on the facilities agenda in light of the fact that there is federal infrastructure bill that looks to provide additional assistance to the state and local levels and if that bill was to be passed, these projects could move forward in the near future. M1 and comprehensive maintenance plan, the CMP. I informed the committee that the M1CP is due November. It's on this evening's agenda for approval. This is the maintenance expenditures for all of the buildings. It's allocated based upon a square footage of the buildings. It's um it's not if you're looking at it's not the

075actual dollars spent in those buildings. The totals are the actuals. The amount that's indicated in the buildings is an allocation that's required by the New Jersey Department of Education. your guess is as good as mine as to why they require that. Uh November 9th is our next committee meeting. And then we had finance. Uh finance committee was also October 19th at 3 p.m. Miss Gagiardi, Mr. Bendina, Miss Walra, myself, and Dr. Frell. Uh first item of business was New Jersey natural gas. I informed the committee that uh judge has rendered a decision uh administrative law judge, I'm sorry, administrative law judge has rendered a decision that New Jersey Natural Gas does not need to to submit an Iran disclosure form to the board of education. Um there it's a it was a quirky decision in

076regards to that it is a requirement of the Department of Education to collect such, but the BPU governs New Jersey natural gas and therefore that requirement doesn't apply to them. Uh the decision now gets sent to the commissioner for confirmation and uh Mr. Mont Mr. Montenegro is going to file our exceptions with that to see if the commissioner decides differently. Uh discuss with the committee that the 2020 2021 audit has begun. We um because we're now an electronic process, the audit is different than it ever was before and that the auditors actually don't come into district because all of our records are now electronic. so they can view them for their own off from their own offices. Uh 2022 23 budget informed the committee that once we res return from the fall break, we'll be

077getting information out to the program managers to begin the 2022 budget. I reminded the the committee that it is uh another year of large state aid reduction uh the last of the largest state aid reductions and that therefore there will be continued most likely continued budgetary reductions for the 2223 budget year and next meeting is also November 9th. Thank you Mr. Edwards. That concludes our committee reports. Uh this will be our first public comment section. and it will be for agenda items only. The board invites thoughts and reactions on agenda items. Each participant is asked to give his or her name prior to making a statement. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. The board will not during the public portion of this meeting discuss matters involving employment, appointment, termination of employment, negotiations,

078terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of promotion or disciplining of any specific or prospective or current employee and/or students. Do we have any public comment on agenda items only? Mr. Finale, that's it. always willing to go last. Vic Finelli. And now for page two. Who used to say that all the time? Mr. Blandina, usually good with my trivia. Think about it. Okay, I need some explanations. Okay, number 10. uh you're going out to to hire somebody for disproportionality requirements. I'm I'm not sure I understand what that what that is or what that means or what you're looking for. Number 16. Uh looks like you're getting $10.54 million. I'm just curious as to some explanation of where that money is going. I see some terminologies which I'm not familiar with like 9.5 million

079ESSR. So where is that money going? Do we get it? Uh number 11, the same thing. Got another $439,000. Little explanation about that. And number 19, I know Miss Hansen made some comments about that was one of the things I had looked at and she mentioned that we would see an increase in what you were looking for. An increase is a little understatement. Uh let me tell you what I got out of it and then you can tell me what I didn't get out of it. back in July 15th, you approved 6,425 hours for $34,000, which by the way, there's a mathematical error in your numbers. Again, if you take the 4 thou 5,349 hours times 37, it doesn't come out to $197,000. It comes out to $199. That's $2,000 not in our favor, which

080makes all the other numbers wrong, but you can check them. Then it looks like tonight you're approving or looking to approve another 14,630 hours at a cost of $847,000. Total amount being 1.152 million, not the number you have, 1.153. So we got to correct that. And I just ran these numbers to to get a picture of what we're looking at. The first one was 6,000 hours. The second one was 14,000 hours. These are big numbers. Total comes up to 21,000 hours. You're almost tripling the amount that you're asking for. And I heard I thought I heard a number of two or three people. But when you look at this 21,000 hours divided by 180 school days just rounding up that comes out to 117 hours per day based on an 8 hour day. Are we

081are we hiring 14.6 6 people per day because that's what the number comes out to all those hours divided up by 180. Any questions on the numbers I gave? No, I think you got them right. Is are there any other questions before? That's it. Okay. Dr. Ferrell, do you want to Sure. Number 10 first, please. Sure. Disproportionality. Um, this started actually two years ago. state in prior years notice the district is disproportionate in one of their um mechanisms of you know a demographic or student population they go ahead and they give you a report that says that and we have to create an action plan which you're mandated to do that we're also mandated to utilize I want to say 50% of IDA funds to remediate that this is actually year uh for that over

082in order to be in compliance and get state aid. We have to do that everything from data analytics to root cause to training to increasing behaviorist which is part of this also this number the one you just talked about the behaviorist that's part of it also as well and use funds to be allocated for that. So that's disproportionality. I'm I'm I'm not clear on what you what you're saying. The disproportionality means the state department of education says brick schools years prior years prior in looking at their data was disproportionate in say grades or test scores for a demographic or disciplinary actions or special education compliance or any me things. They look at what the state averages certain percent does this you had this. So then they have to say to you have to do an

083whole analytics about why that occurred. You're mandated to do it and mandated to pay and utilize I think state approved vendors like in this case, right? I believe Dr. Ferguson, I'm going to I'm going to pass it over to you in a second. Chris, is this proportionate another way of saying you're below average? No. No. Um, it means that a a a percentage of a student population was maybe I don't should can I say treated was treated differently than the percentage of that same demographic statewide in anything from testing from classroom accommodations uh to discipline to a couple things. And when they recognize that they say okay you have to analyze and find out why that occurred. I think this was back from 2018. Why it occurred and here are the vendors you can look

084at to to get to do that research. Then you're going to put in training and you're going to put in mechanisms to kind of remediate that for the future. We're in year two of this. This happened last year as well. We're in year two of that. Uh basically we don't have a choice uh with that. Uh I'm not questioning what you have to do. I'm questioning why you have to do it. But that's what I just explained why. It's not us. It's not sinking into my head. The state recognized us for being disproportionate in a demographic student population of which we need to remediate. That's really it. That's and I'll let Kristen when we get into the behaviorist to it, she could add to the ESO funds you were asking about all the money. Remember

085months ago in the summer we said we're having 9 some odd million and 80% had to be uh 20% a minimum 20% had to be for learning acceleration. I think we're around 24%. We're utilizing almost all the balance for infrastructure like AC ventilation those kind of things in our capital budget. We actually got more than just the 9.2 million. Um if you look at that chart and we're basically saying to the board we want to accept this money that coming in we got an additional separate from the 9.5 million740,000 in accelerated learning. We got we actually got additional IDA money which is also funding a lot of that behaviorist uh question you also have in 19 additional IDEA money and we got additional evidence-based comprehensive school day activity money of like 50,000. That's where that

086money has come. So, we're asking the board to accept that money to approve accepting our application of which we actually got more uh than we actually applied. What does ESR stand for? ESER funds stand for Miss MSER. ESS educational. It's the federal statute for educational. So, the bulk of this is going into capital federal money. Uh some is going the majority is going into federal money. It doesn't matter. It comes out of one of my pockets. Well, it's federal money. That's all I'm tell that's the way most of it's going into capital improvement. The majority is okay. Yeah. Elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund. Yeah. It used to be something else before that. Uh the um what what was 11? You said number 11 and I couldn't No, I didn't say 11. I had

08710, 16, 17, and 19. Got it. Okay. That was good. Got it. So 19, the behaviorist. Um so as we as I spoke about in my comments too uh we are trying to infuse more intervention services I guess is the way to do it besides our INRS team besides with our case managers and special ed that's part of also requirement and ut utilizing the esser funds it's also part of the idea extra money we got and it's also part of a requirement for us to meet the disproportionality uh remediation. So, we're trying to utilize those funds um to pay for that. I'm going to ask Mrs. Hansen to expand a little more on the disproportionality and specific to the behaviorist because we originally budgeted for those behaviorists and you're right and now it's budgeted here.

088Now, we're using an agency. I know Mr. Santa had rather to hire them directly um of which we're having a hard time hiring anybody right now getting people. So, we are utiliz utilizing an agency. I like to think there's a cost savings because of no benefits um by utilizing the agency. But Mrs. Hansen, you want to expand a little bit? I'll explain a little bit more about it. So um so we started out the school year these a lot of these um needs are IEP mandated. Okay. So we have to provide them. So um we're providing registered behavior technicians in the classroom for some of our students with severe behavioral issues. Um and what is happening is that many of our students that you know we budgeted for a certain amount for this school year

089based on IEP needs from last year. At the end of last year we needed six people. We needed six RBTs um in the classroom. um this school year once it got started we realized that there were some children who either were um home for the last 18 months and now they're coming back to school and when they came back to school they had some severe behaviors that we needed to address immediately. So, we were actually lucky that we received these um these IDEIDA, American Rescue Plan funds because we were able to take that money and provide those services because if we didn't have those funds, I don't know how I would be providing those services right now to these very needy students. So, we have um we're going to be hiring more registered behavior technicians

090and we're going to use these funds because we think it's a short-term need for the district because it's kind of like, you know, um addressing an issue that we feel is primarily because of the pandemic. Um using an agency, right, Mr. We are using an agency to provide those services. Yes. And then um also um due to disproportionality we did last year we did what's called a um a oh my god I lost the word. Thank you. root cause analysis. I just lost the words. Um we did a root cause analysis last school year. Um and from that root cause analysis that was year one. We determined that our INRS teams needed um we we provide what's called a tiered system of support to our students when they come through INRS. Academically, we've got that

091pretty good, but behaviorally, we didn't really have behavioral experts on that team in order to give our teachers um support in developing plans for students with behavioral needs. So that what what we what we're doing is we're taking funds that we we have to spend on disproportionality and we're hiring three BCBAs from an agency that those BCBAs are going to sit as behavioral experts for our general education population. So what that's going to do, Mr. Finelli, it's going to stem the flow of students going to special education because they're going to be able to get those behavioral services as a general education student. They're going to get consultative services. They're going to get um functional behavior assessments done. They're going to get behavioral intervention plans all in general education and it's going to really save

092the district money in the long run because those students are not going to go into costly special education programs. So all of that money um we have to spend the money for disproportionality. We had to carry over a large amount of money from last school year because we didn't get to spend it all because of the pandemic. So we have the leftover carryover funds from last school year. We have new funds that are allocated that we must spend this school year. Plus, we have the IDEIDA, American Rescue Plan funds. That's where all of that money is coming from. It all has to be spent and it has to be spent in this area. Mrs. Hansen, the additional IDA money um because we weren't we didn't funds. Yes. But the IDA, that's what's covering the majority

093of this because we that's covering 300 300,000 and change. But then the CCEIS money which is IDEIDA funds also which is 15% of our um IDEIDA grant um that's some of it um which we have to spend in disproportionality and then the other is carryover funds from last school year. So there's no additional expenses to the district that are that are going into this sole money that we have to spend. Okay. I'm not questioning that. I I still have a problem with I keep hearing you say you're hiring three people, but according to my numbers, you pay them for 14. No, no, I didn't say we were hiring three people. We're hiring three BCBAs, but we're hiring multiple registered behavior technicians, RBTs. So, we started the school year with six. We probably are going to

094go up to probably 10 or 12. So, we don't we don't know how many we're going to go up to, but we need to have that money there because we anticipate it's going to be a large number. Okay. And basically what you're requesting is what you think you're going to need, but you may not reach that number either depending on how the idea is the idea is that that money that money needs to go to the kids who are having the issues with behavior. Right. Okay. I have a couple of comments for the end. Miss Walp, just to talk about the numbers not adding up. So there's a transposition in the first paragraph. I guess Mr. Montenegro, if you feel this needs to be corrected in that resolution from the July 15th resolution. Um, when

095you're looking at the behavior analyst, it was 5,394 hours that were approved. And I guess when it got copied over, it was copied over as 5,349. So, the 94 got transposed into a 49, which is why the the totals all work. It's just the number of hours. I did it in my head. Yeah. Yeah. me. It's It's probably my error cuz you know how good I am at math. It's probably my error. Any blame. I can only go by what's there. The totals are correct. It's just that that number from July is not right. It's not 53 349. It's 5395. Is that a test to see if I'd catch it? That was I put that on there purposely to see if you would notice it. Good job, Mr. Finale. You pass. Okay. Any other I'm

096sorry I did Mr. Campbell on some of his facility um on agenda items. Yeah. Um where no he's at you're talking about the committee report that's not considered that'll be at the end that'll be at the comments at the end. Any other public comment on agenda items only? No. Seeing none, we'll close that section. Curriculum and instruction. Dr. Anderson. Thank you, Mrs. Wrap. The superintendent recommends that the board approve the following items 1 through eight. I need a motion and a second. Motion Missy second. Michael, any board comment? Well, I'm going to make a comment. I'm very glad to see um field trips happening again. It's it's great. So, um Mr. Edwards, vote. Miss Haftton, yes. Mr. Blandino, yes. Miss Gagaliardi, yes. Miss Parker, yes. Miss Pala, yes. Miss Sbert, yes. Miss Walre, yes. Mr.

097Edwards, operations. Thank you. The superintendent recommends the board approves items 1 through 34. I'm I'm sorry, 22. 22. 22. I don't know why I said 34. I got transposition on my mind now. 22. Yeah. 22. Trans. It does, doesn't it? And just when we get the motion in the second, if we could just the motion should reflect the uh number. Can you put your your the the motion in the second should reflect the revision to uh item number 19 that one transpositional uh error on the number. Uh so that item number 19 will reflect 5,394 hours in the first whereas paragraph. Okay. Then I need a motion made to reflect that motion. Daisy second. Nicole. Any board comments? Seeing none. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hfner. Yes. Mr. Blandino. Uh, yes, but abstain on regular check ID

0981262. Yes. On everything else. Uh right now we're only voting on the amendment to that resolution number then. Yes. Yes. Right. Miss Gagardi. Yes. Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Pawa. Yes. Miss Sbert. Yes. Miss Walre. Yes. Now operations. Now I need a motion and a second to approve the items under operations 1 through 34. 1 through 30. 22. 22. Just see if you were paying attention. Motion Victoria through me for a second. I need a motion in a second now to approve. Motion Victoria. Victoria. Thank you. Second. Second. Molita. Thank you. Any board discussion at this point? No. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hafner. Yes. Mr. Blandina. Yes. On everything except under number three, regular checks. Abstain on ID 1262. Miss Gaggliardi. Abstain number four. Yes. to everything else. Miss Parker. Yes, Mr. Pala. I mean, sorry, Miss

099Pala. Mr. God, Miss Pala, I don't know what's wrong with me. I am married. You can call me punchy. I watched eight webinars today, not seven. Just saying. I'm tired. You have no idea. Miss Sbert, yes, Miss Walab. Uh, I'm going to abstain from three because I didn't get through it all. And uh, yes to everything else. Mr. Kler, HR. Thank you. The superintendent recommends that the board approve the following items 1 through 41. I need a motion in a second. I'll make that motion, Mike. Second, Missy. Any board discussion? Seeing none, Miss uh, Mr. Placer. Oh, Mr. Mr. Edwards. I'm sorry. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hackner. Yes. Mr. Blandina. Yes. Miss Gagliardi. Yes. Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Bala. Yes. Miss Sbert. Yes. Miss Suare. Yes. Miss Mcamera. Policy and planning. Thank you, Mrs. Wal. The

100superintendent recommends the board approve the following items under policy and planning 1 through three. I need a motion and a second. Motion Daisy. Second. Nicole. Any board discussion? Seeing none. Mr. Edwards. Miss Hafner. Yes. Mr. Milandino. Yes. Miss Gagliardi. Yes. Miss Parker. Yes. Miss Pala. Yes. Miss Sbert. Yes. Miss Walr. Yes. This is the second opportunity for public comment. Each participant is asked to give his or her name prior to making a statement. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. Comment shall be limited to 5 minutes and each speaker may only speak once. The board will not during the public portion of this meeting discuss matters involving employment, appointment, termination of employment, negotiations, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of, promotion or disciplining of any specific or prospective or current

101employee andor student. Do we have anybody that would like to uh John Sluka 950 Sylvia Court two notes today uh to Dr. Farrell October 10th and the members of the board of ed and administration uh although Dr. F's report uh proved many of the things that was said in this when he said it before about the government shutdowns but once again I would like to mention unfairness of maskearing by young children has been proven that maskearing is ineffective and may actually cause more harm than good in children in order to protect someone or to comply with mandates put upon us by the ruling class our school age children suffer now we comply again with co mandates forwarded by state leadership If some child gets a positive test result, forces the child to miss weeks of

102school. Yes, they may eventually may get on Zoom or other some kind of platform, but that's not the same as being in school. If it were, then why do we go to school at all? Relatives may also be relegated, whether they test positive or negative, to the same absent requirement when they test negative because they're related. Although I will not read this whole study at the meeting, obviously these tests are completely are not completely accurate. As you can see from the excerpts I sent to you, 25 students out of every thousand approximately get incorrect reading rather than miss two weeks of school. Wouldn't it be more fitting if they child was at home and then required to go to a test within 72 hours to see if it's a negative test because it could be

103a false reading? uh hate to have you know and so I attached it to you people so some of you have it um I also did mention the thing about the brick sign which we talked about about student centered teacher le hope the next updated version of it maybe next year says parent or community involved okay now the other part of the letter which you answered to me directly which I presume you might want to talk about a little bit when I'm done I'll get through this fast. Since the newspapers have been addressing the the attorney general's note on parental involvement, he suggests the parents who disagree with the board decision and of feroc ferocious in in their objection are domestic terrorists and need to be examined by the FBI. Although there may be no

104real connection, it seems possible that Attorney General Garland's connection with his son-in-law who co-founded Panorama Education Company may have played a part in his action. This may or may not be true, but perception often becomes a part of reality. With that in mind, we know that the brick board of ed has contracted with that same company. And a few of us and the parents also asked where they want to make sure they have a say with their children, not just something dumped on them by the school boards and executives. It seems that parana education has pamphlets and books associate associated with critical race theory and other school district state have similar agreements with brick like brick does and the server and they have surveys generated by that company some of the questions they sent out

105to other places not here because I don't know what we have here how often do you think about someone of a different race ethnicity or culture experiences to me heaven that's a waste or how often Do you care about other people's feelings? Again, you know, the same way I felt about it. That's why I put a question mark next to it. Not that I want one way or another, but I like an idea. Other areas include how connected do you feel to adults at your school or how confident that you are the student of the school can honest conversation about race? Again, I mean, I think we go over and over with the same thing. So, I know a short answer could be parents could opt out. I hate the opt out. I always think

106it should be opt in. And then the other one is down the bottom. I mean, if for if they're actually forced to do this test, which I don't think they are, but if they would write down under like I did when I did in school and got in trouble, none of your business. And this way when we feel excluded, ostracized, they will write that right in there. Thank you. I did say my name. Yes, you did. Thank you. Matter of fact, I'LL I'll just read uh your response. It is an opt-in. It's voluntary, but let me just read I'll read my response to Mr. Sluca because I I did it kind of fast, but I was able to print it out. Um uh so we have not social emotional learning is a a district goal

107this year. Um obviously I talked about that in my comments. Uh the contract that was uh board approved in May was for a company called Panorama that is an electronic digital survey platform and professional development provider. I think they have like 27,000 school districts now. So a bunch in New Jersey locally too as well. Um but I I said to Mr. Sluka just to be succinct with this is we have not surveyed students this year. Our intent is to focus eventually on grades 6 through 12. We actually took out the three through five. We're going to do 6 through 12 hopefully um around mid year to get a base baseline. Uh parents are going to be able to view all that and do it with them. And if you don't want to do it, it's

108voluntary. You don't have to do it. I hope you do do it. There is nothing about race. Uh let me go back to the thing I put in caps at the end. Critical race theory is not taught or approved curriculum in New Jersey, nor is it taught in brick schools. We have about 900 of our 1500 uh staff are teachers. Many of them live in brick. Ask a teacher. If you don't ask a teacher and if and if a teacher tells you that, you email me directly as if someone was teaching something else that's not curriculum approved. Um if you look at the school boards, this week is school boards n uh state convention for New Jersey and they have a bunch of different seminars. And it was funny because I printed it out when

109I was looking at what things critical race theory is not taught in New Jersey prek to 12 public schools. It's not approved curriculum in New Jersey. I don't know about all the other states. I don't know about the attorney general. I really don't. Um all I could tell you is uh we choose the questions. We look at the CH questions. We own the data. Um and parents will see all of that. We're actually going to survey parents as well. We surveyed staff uh first. It is really about capturing that student's voice of sense of belonging and school connectedness. I I I'm telling you, I see it. I see it with my own child. I see it in every school I go in now. It's diminished over this pandemic. And we have to recognize it, analyze

110it, and find out how systemic it is. We may find out maybe it's specific to all seventh graders as an aggregate. and we need to look at what's going on there in seventh grade. Uh but that is really uh the purpose of it. So the surveys are voluntary. Um we'll we'll be putting it out on the parent port hole for every parent to see. We want to really look at the health, safety, and well-being of students during this time of crisis and really put together programming uh for that. Um I don't know if I missed anything, but I'll say it again because I've said it all the time. I didn't even there is no link. I I I mean I I can't tell I could tell you as much as I know here. Critical race

111theory is not approved in New Jersey as state curriculum. We are not teaching it here in brick schools. That's all I could say that this particular uh contract is for an analytical database uh that we are looking and we will approve questions to really gauge that sense of belonging. Now the bid threshold is uh so I could go into that as well. Someone asked me about that bid threshold by statute I think it's 44,000. Um anything under 6600 or 6,000 you you don't have to get even quotes. Anything between that number you have to get multiple quotes which we did here. Dr. Anderson and their curriculum instruction team gets multiple quotes for something like this that we approved like I said in May uh for this PD. Some of the PD is really pretty good

112because our department of curriculum instruction turnkey keys it as I well know to my own life about how to run that morning meeting, how to ask questions um to those students, how to make the students feel connected so they're not at home, that they're coming to school, that they're learning socialization because we've missed that for a year. We all agree with that, you know, and you know, we all kind of learned socialization at an early age. Um, and most of us learned it, I my wife tells me most of us learned it in kindergarten probably, you know. So, uh, this is, this is very important to us to gauge that. That's all it is. Sometimes um probably going on too much, but sometimes people connect things that are mutually exclusive for no other reason that

113I think from just to rebel routes. Um I could just tell you the facts as I know it and as the superintendent in this district, you're hearing it right from me. Now, I've said that to many people that have emailed me, even reporters that have emailed me. um separate from an Oprah request which is a public document as our board attorney will tell you that they pretty much fill out that document. So if an Oprah request said I would like a copy of the survey diminished students it's going to have an NA not applicable because we haven't you know if an OPRA request was going to ask for other people in a bid process there was no bid process. So, my emails gave a lot more details than any Oprah request could ever. And I'm

114going to say this again to everybody here because there are many people here tonight. Um, my email, I respond within 24 hours. Mr. Sluga, you know that. Anybody know many times I call you in 24 hours. I'll ask for a number because I don't think email provides the right tone for me. Uh, I'd rather call you and try to find out. So, um, anyone here can call me or email me directly on something like this. um because I know it is a a a concern or a national concern or a perception that's not real and I need to alleviate that uh to make you so just to answer again there is no student survey yet parents will see it as well parents will be surveyed you do not have to take it so it technically

115is an opt-in because it's voluntary okay critical race theory is not an approved curriculum in the state of New Jersey nor is it taught in brick schools so so if that helps alleviate some Thanks. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Frell. Sure. Come on up. Good evening, Daniel Knee. I assume the rabble rousing comment was directed toward me, but just to uh clarify, had you taken my call and returned it at all, I'm still waiting. You probably would have been able to explain some of the bid threshold issues, which I do obviously understand myself. And just because something is under the threshold does not mean it can't be bid out. And I will my initial email to you regarding this was September 30th. Your reply was not within 24 hours. It was on October 15th. And

116the extent of it was these one two three four five bullet points. I think the problem to begin with is that this purchase was made. The board voted to do this without telling anyone in the community, without telling anyone here, without telling the press. No one, no one says anything. And then you accuse people of rabble rousing when we tell the community. That's not fair and it's unprofessional. Please take my calls in the future. Mr. Knee, let me let me respond specifically then to you. First of all, you're a reporter, not a parent. And in 12 and in 12 years, I've never had the mic. I gave you the monk. You're a reporter. You've asked me numerous times. I have sent you press releases that I have not response or put out on showing the

117positives of this school district and students. No, actually, sir, I only have two emails from No, no, no. I'm talking about press releases about events that are going received. So, here here's what happened. Mr. N sent me an email with all these questions. Yep. of which none of us knew. Most of them were taken from a New York Post article that I had a look at about That's not correct. They were taken from primary sources from other school districts as well as the contract that this board approved at a public meeting. If if you're not going to let me speak, I I I'm not going to let you I'm not going to tell you question my integrity. Mr. Knee, speak. You're a reporter and I get many and I'm a citizen and a resident of

118this pirate. But but no, you were Okay, hold on, Mr. unique. You emailed me as a reporter for a certain you emailed me a professional capacity. You emailed me like many reporters email me. I do not jump. I have a job to do and just answer reporters emails or give interviews when every day we're up to our butts and alligators with a co pandemic going here. You emailed me it. I obviously passed it on to get you that information over a period of time. For whatever reason, an Oprah request came in that goes through its own OPRA setup with our board of board board secretary, our board attorney documents you asked there. I then purposely because I knew the Oprah request wasn't giving you the details you wanted quickly because I wanted to respond to

119you. I gave you six bullets of which I shared with Mr. Sluca and everybody basically staying exactly what I just said to you. One of our this year's district's goals is social and emotional learning due to the pandemic. Bullet one. Panorama is an electronic analytic digital survey platform that other New Jersey districts utilize as well for researchbacked surveys. That was the number two bullet. Brick Township Public Schools was awarded through a quote process requiring two or more quotes, NOT A bid process under the bid threshold. That was the other question. Yeah, this was not in an Oprah request. So, I voluntarily wanted you to have this information. Panorama does not collect or keep the data which you ask. We do and we own the data. Surveys are voluntary. Surveys are voluntary. At this point in

120the school year, we have not. We've only surveyed staff. We have we are planning on surveying students. I think I told you in this email grades 3 through 12. We're looking at grades 6 through 12 now after discussion. We're looking at that midyear as a baseline. And then we're going to end the school year with surveying staff, students, and parents as well. We're trying to capture our students voice and gauge their health, safety, security, and well-being during this time of crisis. This will help us with understanding if the students have a sense of belonging or school connectedness. The last bullet I put in all capitals for you because I said because you asked me if there was a connection with critical race theory. So I said critical race theory is not an approved curriculum in

121New Jersey, nor do we teach it in Brit schools. Those were my bullets. Now, if if you feel you deserve airtime or an interview with the superintendent of schools on any specific issue, I don't feel that's the case. I tried to really be transparent and honest with all that. I respectfully disagree and I'll just let me I'm not done talking and this is my meeting. Well, you're not done. No, it's not. It's the town's meeting. It is. It's a board of education. The board of education approves an administrative recommendation in May. We through a department of curriculum and instruction recommended of a couple quotes this company. Now whenever this other information came out was after May. I know that because I never heard of it until it came out. I don't know if it's true

122or not true. I don't really get inv I don't know. I think Mr. Slucas said something about an attorney general's son-in-law. I don't know. You really expect us to believe you haven't seen what the entire nation has? And I'll look you right now, Mr. me. I don't know who the attorney general's son-in-law is. I have no idea. Scary. Actually, I'm not aware of it. Is he a public official? His name is Zan Tanner and he is contracting 3,000 school districts. Have no idea. Yes, he is a contractor with public. I have no idea, including this. So, here's what I want you to know. This was approved in May. Information came out post since May. All I could tell you is as an educator, a non-political entity, as an educator, I am looking at this instrument

123to better us gauge and help students. That is it. That is it. If you have a specific question, you're going to see the survey because it's going to be posted on a PAR portal sometime before we send it out for parents to look at. They do not have to take the survey and you will look at every question, I'm sure, as anything. Other than that, I don't understand everything else. I don't understand why me not jumping and getting back to a reporter within a timely period is so important. Well, for one thing, there is a board policy that says you shall engage with reporters. Not will or should, but shall. So, that's a board policy. So, engaging in you not in 24 hours. I I'm totally engaging in No, there isn't. I don't And ultimately,

124you did. So, fine. We'll we'll do that. You sent a number of bullet points that you apparently sent to a bunch of other people. I sent them to after you. I actually I created them for you, Dan. No problem. And other people emailed. Let me let me just say this, Dan. You asked me that. I created that very quickly for you because I wanted to answer you. I wanted to have a real conversation. But but listen, I created that for you. And then when other people emailed me like Mr. Sluka, I was able to use that. That's all. So when you say I apparently sent them to others, it was after I sent them to you because I had that quickly available to share the information I was able to get. I having a conversation

125though about you know us imply implying that we're going to put CRT in the I didn't imply anything. That was the question I asked. But I but I answered that very clearly. Why do I have to I mean that's that's as clear as it is. Yeah. And that quote is in the story. I know. Okay. I I was sent that I and that's what I don't I guess I'm trying to say I almost think I don't want to say but it's much a do about nothing parents are going to see a survey they don't want to take it they don't want to take it I could stand up here and tell each and every one of you the root cause for why we're doing is for social emotional learning that is it and by the

126way if it's this company or another company I could care less honestly if it becomes someone else that does it because once we get the information we need because at the end of the day it's about helping kids it's not about any other perspective but helping kids. It really is. Well, so that that's all I want. And listen, I've spoke to you before and I we we've had a good relationship. All I'm saying to you is I got an email. A week later, I responded to an email. I did not want to get on a phone and interview for that. To be honest, I did not I I think think that was the way to do it. So, I provided you the details that I think you were seeking in your Oprah that really weren't

127part of the Oprah document. I really thought I went above and beyond in that way. Was it timely? No. Did you get a a personal interview with the superintendent? No. And you know what? I'm not pining for personal interviews with people. But what all I'll say is, and I'll I'll end with this, it's that it is a sad commentary on the level of transparency in this district that parents found this out from me rather than the board that approved it. This should have been explained to parents upon approval. Let me ask because what you found out was after we approved it. I didn't even know about it until it was given to me. I didn't know anything about an attorney general and the president perhaps when when students are being surveyed in this whole process.

128We hear about initiatives in this district all the time at these when we didn't. No, you're talking about a specific company, Dan. This is a good conversation. Actually, you're talking about a specific company. We survey and go out to parents and staff and use these PD companies, hundreds of them. Actually, I never heard of Panorama until in this light until recently or until we approved them. Many other districts we that's one of probably 50 to 100 districts over the years that we use for PD because they're used for PD and for survey type tools because they have what's called researchbased questions and they give you an algorithm on response rates as an aggregate in different regions and areas. Dan, that's all this is. It wasn't to explain to parents like, you know, like we're sitting

129here and saying we want to look for this. That was not it. And ESSER funds are encouraging the youth to delve into social and emotional learning for the sense of belonging. We're getting that money. We probably would have spent this money on this if it wasn't for that receiving of monies and we followed even some other district's paths with this. Now, if you're saying there's a connection, whether it's politically or some other rukard, this company, I have to do a better job and find out more about the company. But that's not the reasons why we chose this company. That's not the reasons why we didn't say to parents, we we approve so many companies for PD that we don't explain exactly to them what the PD is for staff. We really don't, Dan. I'm being

130honest with you. Well, this is an age where those things are becoming more relevant for expl Yeah. I I I think parents want to know what how teachers are being trained, what they're being trained with. So when I talk, we had a story last week that teachers in this state were being uh directed to use the reach app, which is a uh which is a political data aggregation app that was created by a congresswoman. I mean, that that was an NJA professional development recommendation. It happened. We had state senators speaking out about it all last week. So I I can only this stuff is starting to move. Oh, it is. And quite honestly, it's gonna it's going to be my professional career undoing. And I've said this to people, the politicalization of education is is

131ruining this educator personally. And I will say that very clearly because I'm not in it for anything else. But I will tell you differentiating instruction methods is another PD. We do not explain that to parents how we train our staff on differentiating instruction in the classroom. nor I don't think many parents would want to know how to transition and do that. That's part of our job as administrators is to do teacher training, teacher pedigogy. We share and celebrate a lot of these trainings in big snapshots to everybody at board meetings, but we don't get into the nitty-gritty of that because we have to we're a public school entity. We have to follow public law public approved curriculum. Now there's other state public curriculum that could be approved, cannot be approved that we still have to

132follow, right? Whether someone likes or parents, I'm sure in the public entity, there's some they like, there's some they dislike, right? But at the end of the day, that's what we're doing. It's nothing more than that. And that's I guess that's my big issue. I am trying so bad to connect with parents and engage parental involvement, but not in an opinion perspective on what's great teaching pedigogy. That's my job. Nor do I want a political perspective in in the classroom ever. We are going to follow curriculum. We're going to answer our children's needs and we're going to educate them to the best. That's what I'm paid to do, right? I was never paid to be a a PR person or a press person and give interviews. So that's new to me, too. No, but I

133I mean, so and I have no filter and whatever's on my lungs on my tongue and I'll probably step on my and I probably was nervous of calling you because I probably would have just said way too much and I didn't know how it would be twisted. But I'm here to tell parents because I have an obligation to them before I have an obligation to any reporter. Well, in in fairness, more people interact with our reporting than interact with with the school district on a weekly basis. We have 300,000 users on our platform. So, but the motive for interaction is very different. The motive for interaction in a school district is about your children. The motive for an interaction in any kind of newspaper is about sensationalization and PR. No, that's that's garbage. I'm I'm

134sitting that's that's just the fact. Okay. Thank you for your be before I take you. You can go next. Dr. Anderson, can you just um I I know we made a presentation at a board meeting. Could you just explain when we did the um the social emotional learning presentation as well as when the when the panorama went up? Can you go through that this way the parents that may not have seen it can go back because it is on our website. Um would you mind? Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure. So, um, back in October, approximately October, our, I'm sorry, February, our middle schools did a whole seal feature. It's been a feature in our, uh, brick bridge and our school leaders have done s'mores newsletters to highlight all the SEAL activities. So, this has been a

135a real important focus for us. Of course, because of the pandemic, we're all very worried about our kids. We were worried about getting them re-engaged uh academically, socially, emotionally. And really, this idea of surveying the students wasn't new because we had surveyed the parents after we were shut down from that remote period. And we took all of your data, my CNI department, and we looked at it. We said, "How can we build a model to bring kids back when we come back that's going to offer more structure to the day?" Some of the questions we asked have had have to do with structure. Um uh and we made sure that we had a 1:1 device ratio because we knew that if we were going to be um creating a platform, we called it the brick-and-click

136model. If we were going to create a platform, it would have to be fluid because we didn't know whether we were going to be in school or out of school. And so we we really need the data just to just check on our the kids because that's some other communities. They might have other goals to survey, but our goals have to do with are you going to are you all right? Do you have a a growth mindset? Are you worried about um are you able to set goals for yourself? Because what happens is and and from an educational standpoint, John Hattie did a meta analysis on all the educational studies and he looks at impact and what he said was the way to accelerate learning is to have kids that have high self-efficacy and that

137self-efficacy comes from tracking your own learning, setting goals for your learning and tracking that progress. And so our goal was to see, you know, how can we tap into our students to see if they have lost that? Are they engaged? Will they re-engage easily? Will they transition back to school well? And how can we accelerate and support learning moving forward? Because really SEAL as a building administrator back in gosh 2010, uh, Lake Riviera was a national school of character and we thought it was really important to the culture of our school to create a strong culture and that culture we felt that really supported students and we had a really um, uh, successful program for our students just with our and we do it in our elementary schools with the TRR FCC like if you

138remember that um because and those are the values of the month. So we do that at the elementary level. So it's always been a focus it was just during the pandemic and then the monies became available can we provide additional resources to capture how our students are feeling in order to support them. It's something we thought was so important that we embedded it right into our summer spark program and we had a thousand students participate in some way in that program because we embed and we we we know it's important for our kids and and any teacher will tell you and I know our parents feel that way too that you know they worry about what our kids have lost over the last two years and so that at the time when when I reported

139out in May and June about panorama in a you know how I read my minutes today never would I dream there would be any connection to to anything and it's not there's no curriculum and lessons to do it's strategies so if you want to foster a sense of belonging you would uh call home within the first couple of days of school they recommend strategies like that to to build that sense of connection if kids engage in in um how do you foster grit how do you get kids to not give up because really their attention spans are really limited because they were online for a year and they they don't have the ability to stay focused and pay attention because they they were whole. They took a break when they wanted to take a break

140and so now they're required to sit in chairs and and pay attention. That's really hard for kids. So we were so worried that we wanted to provide our teachers with the tools so that kids didn't end up getting in trouble and having consequences because really treating the culture in a positive way, in a supportive way um creates that cycle of success and creates really successful kids and really emotionally healthy kids. And that's really only our goal. And then and that's what really there there wasn't there wasn't a lack of transparency because moving forward just like on our brick bridge we explain the things and the programs I don't know if you've seen those but my CNI department puts them out quarterly and so we highlighted also in our in our s'mores newsletters that our principal

141send out. So there wasn't an attempt not to be transparent. It was um I guess the the news article about this broke before we were really prepared to even understand it and the connection that people would make the conclusion that that people would draw. In addition, I just want to clarify also it was on the May agenda for approval and then it went again up on the June agenda and if I remember correctly, the only change in that contract was a start date. Was the start date. there were additional service. So, there were also two times that it was on because it was in attorney review and so okay, I just want to make sure there were no other I I didn't remember any other changes but a start date, but it's been so um

142excuse me, Miss Wald, I want to add it. It did. It's Mita. It did come through committee that it was, you know, those months. Yes. So, as a committee, we did talk about it and the district leaders presented it to us. So, and as Dr. Anderson does every month, presented it out to the community at our monthly meetings. Okay. Thank you, Molita, for that addition. Miss, you can come up. Hi, Jennifer Cumins. Yep. Um, so I think parents are very upset because it is tied to the critical race theory, the panorama group, and I do think more research should have been done into the company before you guys did hire them. But having said that, going forward, you're saying it's not currently part of a state curriculum, but what happens when it is part of

143the state curriculum and you are forced to teach it? Because as a parent, that's where I see things going and that's terrifying. And I know a lot of other parents agree with me. And like you said before, you have to do such and such to get state funds. They're going to do that. I mean, what's the plan for when that happens? The only thing I would say is it's I have not heard usually we hear things a few years before from the state board of ed and the department of education usually that something's coming down the pike nothing it's been mummed not even talking about it saying it will never happen but never say never. So I understand exactly what you're saying uh cuz you know education sometimes um is like a clock wheel. Sometimes

144we get initiatives, they say, "We're going to give you guidance a year from now." And then by the time the guidance ready to come out, they change the initiative and something else happens and they pull it back or put something in place of it. Um, so I understand that unfortunately as a public educator, that's part of our own dilemma when things get changed midcourse or state approves curriculum that is pushed down to local control where even boards of education don't have much say with it. Um, but I have not heard one iota about that. Okay. We want to retain our parental rights. That's all. Absolutely. Yes. [Applause] You'll you'll be fine. Take a deep breath. Just bear with me. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, I'm here to fight for the kids. Okay. I know

145you saw me with my last one. I was a bit raging, you know. All right. So, my name is Rachel Pasano. Um, so I'm going to begin with a quote from Ronald Reagan. If we look to our answers as to why for so many years we achieve so much, prosper as no other people on earth, it is because here in the land we unleash the energy and individual genius of man to a greater extent than has ever been done before. Freedom and the dignity of the individual have been more assured here than in any other place on earth. freedom and the dignity of the individual, the dignity of the individual more assured here than in any other place on earth. The dignity of the individual is on the decline. Now we live in a society

146where if we act as an individual, we are ridiculed, spoken down to, and told to just comply. Nothing can be further away from the American way. We the people here tonight are to start as start of us taking back the American way. Superintendent Dr. Frell, at the last board meeting, you spoke of having an appreciation of the community's differences. Having an appre an appreciation of differences. When your outward actions only support one side, it begs the question, how is it that one really does have an appreciation of differences? Blindly, many of us think that doing what's best for our kids by strapping a mask to their faces. Worse, these people are imposing their will on others. But how many actually know that there is much greater risk on kids leaving or kids getting onto the

147school? I'm sorry, hold on one second. Um, but how many actually know that there is a much greater risk on kids' lives getting to school than dying from the Chinese Corona virus? How many know according to the CT CDC's mortality rate that kids between the ages of 5 and 14 per 100,000 have a 1.5 chance of dying from suicide which you spoke of.7 chance dying from homicide.5 chance dying from drowning and only2 chance dying from the Chinese corona virus that's the same chance as suffocation at the last school school board meeting superintendent Dr. Frell, you had stated you sworn an oath to the Constitution to protect and to uphold and you had stated you will not break the laws as superintendent. Executive order power is granted through the Constitution and the Constitution limits the government's

148powers to infringe on any individual's rights. I did a lot of research. So New Jersey state's constitution article 1 section two all political power is inherited in the people government is instituted for the protection security and the benefit of the people and they have the right at all times to alter reform the same whenever the public good may require it. It is the duty of the government to protect and maintain individual rights of the people. In no part of the constitution does it state that the government has the ability to withdraw any individual's rights through executive orders nor otherwise. We the people hold the power of individuals to protect and security or for the protection and the security. Further into the constitution the school is not allowed any special privileges to impose their own regulations.

149Also under state constitution section 7-9 nine the legislations shall not pass part 8 granting any corporation association or individual any ex exclusion or sorry ex exclusive priv privileges immunity or franchise whatsoever. The school board has hold the school board the school school board holds no special power to infringe upon any individual's rights adult adults or children. We the people here are here to remind you that we employ you to educate our children. Nothing more and nothing less. We have we the people are educated enough many through this educational system to make our own health and safety precautions. our risk whether they be driving our own child to school or having them go maskless are our responsibility and we accept those consequences no matter how consequences consequential they may be to okay so this is going

150to be directed to you guys tomorrow I will send my daughter to school without a mask Dr. Frell, tomorrow, show us through your actions your appreciation of differences. Show us how you will uphold the Constitution. Show us how a strong leader stands up for the dignity of the individual. Show us how a strong leader stands up for our freedom. In close, I will leave you with a quote from Henry Ford had adopted from Confucious. The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't will always be right. So, thank you. Thank you. And you did great. For someone who was nervous for speaking. Um, listen, I'm going to comment on a couple. The legal stuff. I We have a board of attorney with the constitution. In my comments, I I wanted to

151make it clear. I said the board of education does take an oath. I don't take an individual oath. They take an oath when they get inducted into the board as a a voted official to uphold the state constitution of New Jersey and all things related. Okay. So, having said that, I'm going to tell you I'm going to tell you. So, having said that, I'll tell you why I'm not one side or one side. And I think because I've upset I used to say I really upset 50% of the population with every decision I've made in the last two years I've been here. Well, in September, I think I upset a 100% of the population because the first three weeks, you know, I I was saying, "Hey, we're going to we're going to push the envelope

152as much as we can with that one little caveat we had with ex excessive heat." And my I was one of two superintendents with this board that wrote a letter to the governor and the commissioner I know about all of this about local control that our community has been handling this better. Let us deal with this. uh in my county roundt meeting the first three weeks of September, you know, you would have thought I was this renegade uh because I kept saying, you know, well, and they're like, well, what are you talking about? It's, you know, 70°. And by the way, I have another set of parents that were emailing me every day, why isn't everybody obviously wearing masks as well? So, so then towards the end of September, I think it was the end

153of September when I said, "Okay, we're going to just make instead of having mass optional," which we did at 2:00 on a a Tuesday last June after the governor's executive order said excessive eat, we jumped on that and put that right out. Mass optional. Told principles, told teachers, went out, did that. I discussed it with some board members. I said, "I'm going to assert my leadership skills. It's hot. This doesn't make sense. We're going to do that." We pushed that all summer all through September. Meanwhile, now I am changing course in October when it got cooler. Um that we were told and I I still have because there's been court cases and whether it's about private companies being vaccinated or it's public companies suing the department that work for public workers um that have been

154losing. And I'd been told right from the Department of Education and our local county uh uh superintendent, everything up to losing a license right as a superintendent. Now, as as much as I love advocating and pushing the envelope and being a leader, I love what I do, which at the end of the day helps me feel I make a difference in kids' lives. And at the end of the day, I'm not willing to put one side over another, but I am willing to look at every case individually because you talked about individual rights. And we do this very well here in education because it is not a one-sizefits-all with this pandemic. And we said that in this district, every case is different. Every student is different. Your child may be very different. Someone else's child

155may not. you know, my child may be fine with some things and they're okay with wearing that mask. So, we can recognize that and respect the dignity of the individual and I will always fight for that. But to give a blanket and say I want to fight for no mass when I do have an executive order as a public employer has executive order that states that this is an executive order that is is a requirement in public schools during that. I don't know if I I would do that quite honestly. Um and I want to lay that out to you. But I do know I would always fight for an individual's right because every case is different. And we've talked with a parent last month. We had a parent um someone who was deaf and

156they talked about maybe clear shields. That was fantastic. And that triggered me and you may trigger something with me more. Maybe we're going to do more outdoor classroom, more non-mask times to try. Yeah, that's what I mean. So, I'm always looking for that. But again, I I I don't and this is just me. Again, I'm one person, but I do make recommendations to the board. I would never recommend recommend a one-sizefitit all either everybody mask or everybody not mask. I wouldn't do that. Yeah. I'm not opposing for you know childare mask like there is a lot of children. Yeah, we do. And we hear them and we hear them. And actually we really really again even at the teacher level now I know there are a few teachers because I do get that to me

157but for the majority at the teacher level we have really been asking them are you talking to the child about mass break about what's good for them about their own condition or experience in that environment. That's all it's about. And as and remember and I'll always say this and I say this to parents when I was a vice principal and a principal when we'd argue over discipline for their child. Perception is reality for a 10-year-old. So perception is nomfortable. I hope not. That you're spot on. I hope not. I feel like we should stop the brainwashing and I no listen I I agree with you. I agree with you. I we we can do another one. I'm sure well they they don't count religion exemptions and the board attorney could get into but here's what

158I will tell you. Honestly, this board and you've seen other districts, right? This board has advocated like the Dickens. I actually thought we had two different letters last spring. I actually thought Miss Bra's letter I mean there are people that's complained that her letter was way more tur than my press release which was advocating for that. Um we need to continue advocating for that. Um but we need to continue advocating for all students too, not just once. That's all. [Applause] [Music] I heard that this morning. Why can't we just say like but but but let me just let me just give you some other things and I I don't want to rain ON YOUR PARADE BECAUSE I LOVE WHERE YOU'RE going but the truth is right now and we're waiting for one update this Thursday

159which would make me feel a little better about the window about the case load the cases with not only student cases um but positive cases because we're still in high risk in our area. We're hoping I think Miss Mack we said for this Thursday we're hoping once I see that downgrade I really will push them but there are many parents too that I've gotten emails I told you in that end of September I mean I mean a few went to the papers as well um and uh that just said you know how dare I um do this because their child's immune uh compromising regardless whether their child's wearing a mask if all these other child children are not wearing a mask and it spreads so fast in a classroom then the whole classroom could be

160out. So I I understand and everybody hears you and we've heard this before and you eloquently uh stated it. Um and I think many parents like yourself in the state feel that way and many other parents feel the other way. I've gone to the governor both both of them. Um all I want us to keep focus on is brick and and the individual student. So that individual student because I could tell you I do have parents and students that feel a little differently. They don't even feel comfortable coming in because they don't have remote instruction because they didn't get that offering and we have to also make them feel comfortable and that and that some of them are not feeling comfortable right with all the mask breaks or the optional maskearing. So it is a

161fine line but I think if we focus on the brick individual students and look at every case by case every building by building like we have been doing you know I pressed the non-air condition in our buildings for almost a month uh for that um I think that's important uh to know but I want to assure everybody um whatever you think of my opinions I think I know now I am kind of staying centered because I'm not on one side and I I think some people try to peg me and that's not my style. It's not my personality my entire life. I I really I'll tell you where I'm one-sided. I am I really believe in the student centered part. I'll take a student side over parent sides, over board sides, over attorneys. I I've

162always been that way. Uh because that's what drives me. So, um but otherwise, that's what makes me feel a little better. I think I'm doing an okay job kind of trying to tow the middle, but thank you for your comments. They were eloquently said, SO any other public? Yes, sir. I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll catch you. I'll get you next. I didn't see you over there. So, my name is Robert Ferman. Um, I guess first I'll address the uh survey that we have going around and the rumors. I don't really hold it against anybody that we didn't research where this stuff come from before doing anything, but the optin instead of an opt out form has to happen. That just kills all the conversation. Uh other than that, as far as the masks go and as

163far as what you just commented on making people comfortable, uh here's what we're doing when we're making people comfortable. We are putting the burden of public health on the kids. If there is a concern for a parent that has somebody who is compromised, and I speak from a point of experience there, then that child should be the one that has the option to be home and to be kept within the bubble. We cannot put the public health burden on the shoulders of the kids because that adds to all the social and emotional learning that you're talking about promoting. We're not allowing them to be kids. We're giving them an incredible amount of responsibility way ahead of schedule. And my youngest is in high school. That's before we even get into the elementary school kids that

164are going through this. Uh uh one thing that I really don't like is anytime CRT seems to get mentioned at this point in time uh we're dismissive of it because it's not approved curriculum right now. She made an excellent point that this is how we get to the point that we do have it as an approved curriculum is to not acknowledge that it's a problem right now. When it comes up in conversation I don't think we should be dismissing it. Um I do think we should be denouncing it and there's a big difference there. [Applause] Um, other than that, I think that we all know where this next step is going to take us from masking, and that's going to be the vaccine. I think we just announced today, right, that it's approved. The FDA

165approved it. I thought, yeah, and we have got a leak from the campaign that it's already on there. But let's face it, well, I said that two or three meetings ago. I I said it's coming. So, New Jersey, New Jersey. Uh, but we do got to stop pretending that there's nothing that we can do. Uh, personally, I'm really disappointed that all this news came out and that this is the turnout. Obviously, appreciate everybody that is here. But the fact that this room isn't filled to standing room only really disappoints me. I know a bunch of people watched at home because they're not here for whatever reason. uh to those people, stop making excuses because we cannot demand that it's important to the board of education until we prove it to them and then they can

166take that information to the people that need to hear about it. [Applause] And as far as um putting the children first and making sure that we protect them, I'm really really curious to know when we get this mandate, there is no fine line to walk anymore like there was with a mask where we can kind of justify what might happen. Uh the fact is mandating that every student 5 years and up gets the vaccine is going to put them further at risk than the corona virus ever has. There's no data showing long-term risk either. And that's not just not available. That's not on anybody's that's not anybody's error. That's just never going to be available to us for another 10 or 15 years. Uh but the fact is anybody who is going to sit down

167and actually allow that mandate to hit the table without either sacrificing their career or speaking up really, really, really loudly and stopping it from happening means that you chose the side. So, I appreciate what you say where you do walk that middling line, but we are coming to a point where there is no middle line anymore. It's going to have to be one or the other. And as soon as you do that and anything happens to any one of the kids in the district, god forbid it's mine, but any of the kids, that responsibility lands on your guys' lap, too. I think that's really important to state because we probably have about five weeks before we're going to need to show our cards and let everybody know where we stand and we're going to have

168to go all in. And at the end of the day, you know, this is not a fairy tale. The good and evil isn't decided ahead of time. This is real life. And in real life, the victor is the one who gets to tell their side of the story and tell you who was good and bad. So that's all. Thank you. You know, I I said this in the summer. I would encourage you and many of you obviously I I mean as much as this is a venue for the local community some of these mandates that are happening on the state I would encourage you because they do happen at a different level than here. As much as I like to think I'm important or wheel a little juice or power um this isn't uh you

169know kind of where um it happens. But I will tell you, you know, one of the things this board has, you you see this here, you know, our board attorney worked hard to take that executive order that said, um, you know, you have to have masks on when you're in school buildings. Other boards of eds have went off site, right? Because they didn't want to turn people away or make them wear masks. We were able here, you know, if you saw, I wore my masking when the ROC students were here, you know, out of respect to do that. when they were there and they left, I took my mask off and I'm CDC and double. So, I just want to let you know you guys here, we this board has really gone out of their

170way uh for that to kind of push the envelope and say, "Okay, we still have to have a meeting area. Um it's not a school building. We did that and we want to be transparent and open about that." So, I I just want I don't mean it. I do appreciate because we are far out of what a lot of other counties are dealing with but I think we als what you voiced has been my concern personally for some time now is this polarization this either or right quite honestly as a very apolitical animal as an educator this polarization is really getting to me and forcing sleepless nights on myself you know, as a superintendent because I hear it and I hear the passion in parents and I see that and that schism is just, you

171know, that's that's that national divisiveness that and I I purposely try not to watch those news channels for that on the national level. But I feel it and I know everybody here feels it. Um, you know, I I have a large family. I feel it at every family gathering and it's unfortunate because at the end of the day I really feel the country was built on communities and local control and local control and this board was always been advocating for local control. These are the people you elect that is the oversight for me. Um, so it's it's important that even though I see that that we try to to stay together as a community because it really is because what happens is I mean I see it pulling families apart again my own included. So,

172and I hear that. So, and that's very disconcerning to me. Right. And you know, and at the end of the day, there's no better message that can be sent from this community than what you do, whether you go to that polls or you mail it in. Ultimately, that's the message and that's where you're going to let government know, elected officials know. get out of my house, get away from my kids. I can pair it just fine without you. So, you know, you need to vote. The other big point you brought up and I heard that that if you really want to focus what I'm hearing a lot, which I like, is about parental rights, parental involvement. I'm a parent of three. Yep. That's something that should resonate with everybody. Whether you're an educator, whether you're

173a parent, whether you're a staff member or you're a politician, that's the focus. You know, sometimes we lose focus on things because we communicate them in such vague ways or polarizing ways, but it's really at the end of the day, everything we're all talking about is parental rights and parental involvement in the public sector. Every school district needs that. I need parental involvement, and I won't get that unless parents have those rights and can voice those rights. So that's bigger than anything whether it's a vaccine or any small mandate. That message alone is the big picture. There's no reason why you should have planned for Halloween. Okay. Um thank you for your thank you for your comment. Is there any other I'm way down. Can you hear me? Yes. Well, I'm so happy to hear

174that. Um there's no critical race theory being taught. Okay. Um but you know, it goes so much deeper what's happening. The whole climate of the nation has changed. Okay. And I'm going to give each of the board members a a copy of this. It's I've had this since the 1970s. All right. And uh and I'm going to read something else from that. But it's the Communist Manifesto. There's 37 points in it. And I just want to read three of them. It says, "Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current co communism propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of the teachers assistance and uh put the party line in in textbooks. Then it says gain control of all student newspapers. use students riots or format p or format public process

175against programs of or organizations which are under communist attack. So they're going to, you know, you know, uphold them. And it's unfortunately unfortunate that even some of our teachers, okay, throughout this nation here are in agreement with a lot of these communist manifestos, okay? And I know critical race theory has been taught to our nurses and doctors into businesses. It's all over. And some of them are our parents of our children in these schools. And even if you uh stand up and say, "Okay, I'm not going to mask my child." There's going to be several in there that are going to go complain to their mothers and say, "You're infecting my child or whatever." You know, it's horrible. And nobody's really telling the truth. It's like there's there's they're not telling you all the people

176who died from the shot. I don't I don't mean to go off here, but uh and that when they get the shot for the first two weeks, you are uh shedding and you can give that bacteria to another person and no one in my family got the shots and I never had COVID and I've been tested five or six times already. But my son-in-law went on a mission trip to Sweden and they wouldn't let him in unless he had the shot. So his wife moved out for two weeks not to be near him to protect her and her child. Okay. It's it's really sad. Thank God he's okay. But he's connected with a special doctor that knows different um ingredients that you can take to protect you and build up your system and get rid

177of some of the poisons that are in the shot. They're not approved. They're experiments. and no one if you die um you can't go against anyone. It's in their bylaws. They don't want to know nothing. You die and you can't sue anyone or anything. Okay? So, but but they're just not telling us the truth. And only 6% of the people that they said died for CO of all the you know what they estimated only 6% was true. The rest you know they just wrote it in. I know people personally where they had problems with their liver and they died and other situations and they wrote CO on the the uh you know death certificate why did you do that we had to and of course they made money with it but anyway that's not why

178I'm here I just want to read uh it says 60 years ago people said it will never happen well it is happening okay what we have personally witnessed since 1959 9. I graduated the year after I know a lot of people may not have been here then. So, uh anyway, uh Cruchef message 61 years ago was this was his entire re sobering reminder almost exactly 60 years ago. Precious Cruchef delivered this message. Do you remember September 29,9? This was the entire quote. Your children's children will live under communism. Your Americans would are so gullible no one would accept communism outright. But we will keep feeding you. You small doses of socialism. And to you will finally wake up and find you already have communism. We will not have to fight you. We will so weaken

179your economy until you will fall like fruit into our hands. That democracy will cease to exist when you take away those from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. We're seeing this that there's seven points and one of them I'm only going to read because I have a few things here was education. take control of what people read and listen to and take control of what children learn in school. Our libraries are full of horror things that you know are poisoning their minds. And my girlfriend picked up stuff from the LBG in the library. I took them in the door said any child could pick up and she gave me a copy. I just opened it up and there were a bunch of nude men. It was like incredible.

180And then she went to uh a speech one of them were doing in the library to five-year-olds with their parents and they said, "Is anyone to make a comment here?" And she stood up. And as soon as they knew she was a Christian, one of them from the back started saying, "We don't want you here. Get out of here. We're going to call the police." And the kids started crying because there was, you know, people started speaking up. And they actually escorted her out of a public library. the LBG and they're in the schools, too. Okay. And I could I have a lot of information what's going on with them, but I'm not going to go into that. Um, let me see. There's um well, critical race theory is a is a radical, profound, and

181hateful affront to our core values of America. phases like diversity, equity, not not equality, inclusive and cultural response of teaching has wormed its way into federal government agencies, corporate union resources departments, teacher training programs, and public school systems across America. Um, so they're teaching that um you're either an an oppressor or a victim. Okay? And you are uh predetermined to be of one group or the other by unchangeable characteristics, especially race and gender. We see that and it's not just the CRT. It's other thing other groups bringing that into our schools and infiltrating. Um, this is so much here and I I know it's late. We teach our children how to think and we will not allow our children to be taught that some races deserve uh preferential treatment and others should be punished. And

182there are uh things that are horrible things that are happening in schools over this nation. I mean they're even getting children to say the um my goodness is pledge of allegiance but in the end they got we pledge to Allah and it's happening in our schools they're doing this okay um prayer prayer courts and and all kinds of stuff they're allowing in um there so much here uh there okay there's an organ there's two organizations. I'm I get over a 100 pieces of mail a week and it's and I'm connected with about 84 different agencies that I support. One is the Foundation of Liberty and American Greatness. And they have literature to help people and teachers to fight against some of this. And there's another organization uh that I call today I'm gonna they have

183a a they call it a toolkit. It's a it's a booklet that people can use and letters that they can use as well to fight some of this you know that's coming down the pike. Um and I I hope you know I hope to get it and to get it in bulk if anyone wants them. And there are lawyers that have won cases with the mask and the vaccine and uh so we we need to know you know who to contact and where to get help. And and the thing is if we I know truck drivers and police departments and everything are just like not showing up just to show you know to show that you know if everyone agrees we can do it. You know we're the m we're the majority. They're not. And

184and we're just you know it's it's the fear that they put in people and and closed their mouths and took them out of the churches. we need to get back in the churches and pray because that's the real solution. God has the answers, you know, and uh he's he's still working, let me tell you. Uh there are people that have been prosecuted that people don't even know about. So truth is coming down the line. It really is. Uh I can say so much more. I'm just if you want to share any of that with us, you can give it to our board secretary and we will distribute it. And I hear uh I said these are some of this uh the communist agenda. If you looked at this agenda, you will see they're 95% ready.

185They they've accomplished so much of it. Thank you for your comments. Yeah. Yeah. You put it in. Thank you. Um we're you did great. Thank you. Someone told me there was board me this afternoon. Oh, that's okay. Um, if you have any other information, you could drop it off here or email it to Mr. Edwards, who's our board secretary, and they'll make sure that they get it out to us. It's not it's not a problem, but thank you for for sharing with us. Any other public comment? Yes, sir. Trying to do a little going back and forth. I'll get to you next. Okay. Arena wasn't uh prepared to come up here tonight. just uh showed up, but I was listening a lot. Your name, please. Oh, I'm sorry. It's Rich Thomas. I live up here

186on Vans Aisle. Um I've had three kids uh go through the uh brick public school system. I have to say that the educators in the brick public school system are are great. I mean, my my sons did uh did very well. Um all three of them. I I I couldn't be more proud and and I'm I'm I'm very, you know, I'm overall very happy with how the school system uh worked out for them and the teachers, Dr. Anderson, I don't know if you remember me, but both my sons, Henry and and Ian and and actually Matt Thomas uh a longer time ago, but uh there was a couple things here tonight that uh that um that I wanted to uh voice my opinion on. And one of them is the SEAL and uh and this

187survey. And I'm I'm just going to echo this uh this lady what she said about losing control and CRT and all of these things and and and I like to know if all of you believe in CRT. Do you believe in CRT? But I I could comment. Does does has anybody looked CRT was taught not taught came out as a theory and still as a theory in the 80s. But I saw it during the aparthide portion when I was in college at Syracuse. All right. So, um, CRT as a theory is not a strand in any curriculum. I would bet you if you surveyed the majority, not over 90% of our teachers, I'll bet you 90% couldn't tell you exactly what the tenant was. I heard a couple of different things to what CRT is

188that maybe we read or we don't know. I know there's a professor at Mammoth University that goes around now nationally talks about where it came from the history of CRT and how it helps in uh systemic and he goes away as a scholar on that. So there's a lot of different versions but to to answer your question is I'm going to say it this way. Okay, critical race theory again as a theory cannot be put in curriculum because it's a theory. So if you're telling me that the state is going to come down the pike in a few years and say this is part of your curriculum as a standard, well then the up until that point somewhere along their line this theory needs to be shown that it's proven not proven it's been effective

189and I don't think that has happened to be honest. I think there's too much out there but that's just my me opining on CRT. I I think that it's being modified to mean something different than what it originally started out to be and and I think it's going in a negative direction, not not in a in a positive light. So, to answer your question, I I get that, but I don't agree with with what we're talking about, especially this survey. Um Dr. Anderson maybe can answer. Are are there any questions on the survey that have to do with race? No. No. The only the only things we're interested in No, the only thing we haven't done the survey yet. Oh, I know. But she knows what's the only thing we're interested in The only thing

190that we're interested in is growth mindset. And that was a big piece of what we did at Lake Riviera. Um, uh, efficacy, grit, sense of belonging. Those are really the the core, um, the foundation for helping a student feel secure and confident. When we did strategic planning a couple of weeks ago, when we asked the committee what we would hope to see as graduates for our, you know, our students graduate with um the the group thought talked about kids being confident, like we really want our kids to be confident and well, I think a lot of a lot of this could have been avoided if those things were stated right out front that that there are zero questions that have to do with ethnicity, race, gender, transgender, 183 million other genders in the in the

191survey. Uh can I just we haven't developed the survey. So when we say state upfront the survey that's what I'm interested I I I was going to say I know that she knows I know you we have I I'm still trying to connect I have not yet connect CRT with SEAL unless it's because of the company and I'm looking at Mr. N. It is. And that and that's where I'm coming from, too. That's that that's a real thing. Connection with SEAL and CRT. Not once. Well, that's there's a you can go out there and watch another news network and and see it. You can read it on the internet. I mean, a lot of us do a lot of reading in this room. Um, but uh to touch on that uh the SEAL and and

192some of these SE uh surveys, I you know, when I when I first uh saw it, I I kind of was wondering what the heck was all about. But one of the things that I have to wonder is with all of this stuff is how it's making our kids smarter. Now we are are our kids in brick are only uh at the 40 42% of our kids in brick are at the um um at the threshold of of of of their uh what am I trying to say their um the standard standard tested thank you and only 58% in reading. Now, I know this touchyfey and these surveys and all this stuff are good and I know you guys are doctors. I know you you've you've been doing this a long time. But at the

193same token, numbers aren't lying. And I'd like to know what we are doing other than giving these kids a hug to get them to learn math and science and everything else because that's what really matters. I mean, even with my kids out of school, I deal with a lot of people in the public. I'm a director of maintenance for a corporate flight department, and I I bring kids in all the time to give them a shot and and to help them grow. I mean, it's I I it's it's a real thing. And some of these kids, I have to say, are damn near I I just I hate to say that but there and I know that's a a tough uh tough word around here but uh let me but I'm just I'm just I'm

194sorry but uh let me address that question because that's important and that's something I I did a lot of study on that was my whole thesis and my dissertation was on the advisory program. Let me talk about how it does make them smarter and how it's connected. So many studies are out there and I just did a small study of a two-year period where we took 10 to 12 at risk students whether they were classified, non-classified, right? I don't know what that means, but I'll at risk either socioeconomically or at risk substance abuse or at risk in grades. But anyway, we took 12 over a two-year period. We had an advisory mentor. We promoted mentoring and seal a form of seal is mentoring a coach. You know, let me go back a second. I tell

195this story because when I was first a principal, I had 550 students and this is where it all came from. This whole study of where I think connections mean a lot to grades and students and performance and connectedness and uh it's really near and dear to my heart and I I actually think I shared this when I first interviewed here. I was at a school with 550 uh people in New Egypt High School. I was principal. I became principal right before one of the breaks. I want to say it was spring break, Easter break. I put 550 of the students name the guidance their name on a little magnetic whiteboard and I asked all the teachers to put a dot next to the students name they knew something individual about personal about right loved football

196loved to play uh worked on the set you know was into music anything and if you saw a dot next to a student's name you didn't have to put another dot right what I want to see I wanted to see the students that didn't have any dots there was about 40 students out of my 550 and it just breaks my heart that were going home to empty houses, suicidal tendencies, substance abuse. All right, they were failing. Now, it wasn't our classified students. It wasn't our honor students. It wasn't our connected students. And I'm going to tie this into you. So, there's many other studies, Turning Points, um what's the other breaking ranks that started these advisory programs. These are federal studies all through actually the the Reagan years uh in the 80s uh that talked

197about a connection to self, a connection to others and a connection to school. This sense of belonging and school connectedness once that's achieved in any way or any light by a student's perceptions grades went up dramatically. Attendance went up dramatically. Co-curricular involvement, which I'm big in because that is a connectedness. I went to school and wanted to stay during the day because I wanted to go to practice and compete. It could be the theater. It could be music. It could be that teacher that really gets you like a coach. All and discipline went down tremendously. Tons of studies of this. So when you ask how can we perform better? I say to you, it all starts with the affective domain which is about caring for students on an individual level before any of that report

198card and student performance means anything. And there's so much data on this and again I heard someone today uh you know Dan Duddy I heard speak use some of the data and um it's something that's near and dear to my heart because you can't get to the next level without that and that's something I spoke about not only when I was hired here right away with my cabinet. You cannot get to be a high-performing school district without that connectedness. We feel we're going to get to that connectedness through SEAL.CAL is a big umbrella, right? Everybody looks at it like the hugs and the wishy-washy. It's really much more than that. It's embedding relative material. I know little Tommy likes to play the guitar. I'm going to do a math problem that talks about Tommy went

199down to music store and had a choice between two guitars. All of a sudden, his eyes lights up, right? He was falling asleep in class. you mentioned the word guitar or something that's relative to Tommy because you knew something relative to Tommy because you knew he liked playing the guitar. These are the little um really the little things that makes teaching the art that it is. And this is what makes the difference in a great district. not just teaching to a test and spitting out curriculum standards and a teacher that leaves, you know, totally at the end of the class, not in the hallways, doesn't get to know their students. That's not what we want. That's what is really about. I I I get that and I appreciate that. And I I think that, you

200know, maybe I would have done better. Oh, let me just say something real quick. I apologize for offending anybody in the room. It's just that I grew up in a in a place and time in a world, northern Minnesota, where uh we're just that way. So, um, it's, uh, it's just a little different, but, uh, so I I apologize. Um, but, uh, with that being said, I think, uh, I'm going to go back to the CRT and the SEL and tie this all together and this this lady's feelings over here and this lady here, um, that we feel that we're losing control of our schools, um, based off of a lot of what you're talking about. When I just said 42% in math, that's 58% of our kids can't perform, that's a big number. And

201and and although I agree that that there has to be something there that that perhaps that we need to start shifting back to to real education, reading, writing, arithmetic, and and getting these things in order. I mean, you can't compete on a national stage by um by kids that just only feel good leaving high school. They got to read, they got to write, and they have to do math. And and I see I see one of my sons is uh going to be a chemical engineer, and the other one is going to be in finance. They do quite well, but I I have to say that that uh that one of them struggles a little bit in math. And and uh I don't think it's necessary. You guys have the potential. I mean, you the

202school has the potential of doing it. Just go do it and quit worrying about all this soft stuff. I I I really mean it. I mean, it's just it I think I I know you disagree with me, but but there has to be a combination of both of those things. I compare it to coaching. I've said this all the time. You could get the best players. You can have the best coach and that coach is not winning games. You can have a Warren Wolf, let's say, for 30 years that every kid that he spoke to felt they were just talking to him. He made them play above their capabilities and performed to a different level. That is the connectedness we need to get to the level you want. It just doesn't happen like a factory.

203I I'm not I'm not saying that you should stop it. I'm just saying that I think that we're at the we're at the fill point. we're at the full point now and that we need to start shifting a little bit of that attention to the mass of students that that have the potential. I know that we're focusing on the on the 40 over here, but we're we have 550 more that that can do a lot better in reading, writing, and and arithmetic. And I I I think that we're just starting to focus a little bit too much on on this CRT. And I think that's what everybody's afraid of. I mean, you see it nationally. Why are we worried about that? Why are we worried about telling a a black mother and a and a

204a black mother and father, a black a mother and a white father, that their kid, one of them is bad. That's bad. That's and we shouldn't be focusing on that. We should be talking about, hey, let's do a math problem that has something to do with guitars, but not that. So we agree and let me just be clear. We're not sacrificing our academic performance. It's not an equal%. No, we're not sacrificing. We're not sacrificing for the seal. SEAL is an intertwined pedigogy. It's a way of teaching. It's a way of coaching. It's a way of mentoring. It's a way of connecting. And we give them skill sets, teachers like a toolkit. Someone said before, in order to do that, that's all it is. I don't want to think we got blocks of the day and

205we're going to take SEAL 101 and you're going to be in SEAL 2 honors next year. That's not it. So, it's not an either or proposition. It's hitting the affect. And again, I'm not saying it is. I'm saying it's a delivery of instruction. We feel and I really feel this way and I feel that's why I was hired that this is going to help us with the delivery of instruction to increase performance. Period. As long as it goes to 43% next year, you know, that's seriously first time in three years. The test hasn't been taken. I'm just saying it's got to go up, you know, it's got to go up. Anyway, thank you very much. I appreciate it. Thank you for your Thank you for your comments. Um, I'm gonna I'm going to try to

206bring this back because we're starting to run late. So, I'm going to, you know, I we got a little out and I thought the conversation back and forth was important because a lot of you were have the same questions and concerns, which is why I let the governor pull everybody back in now and we're going to stick to our five minutes speaking once. Um, and that includes you. Yes. It was like I said it was it was important and yeah and Dr. Farah will stay after the meeting to continue any other conversations as will I but um sir so you you had some comments don't worry I don't think it's going to go five minutes no because I don't think there's anything I could say that already hasn't been said. So, I just want to

207say parents that are here, I think we all need to get together and organize instead of standing alone. I think we all need to stand together. So, us like-minded parents, start trading numbers, whatever we got to do and organize. Thank you for your comments. Any other public? Uh, yes, ma'am. Thank you for the answer. My name is Stephanie Morano. This will be really quick. Um with the FDA's approval of the vaccine for 5 through 11 year olds, which still needs CDC approval, but we all know that's coming. With um the way that this state feels about wanting to mandate vaccines and stuff like that, um according to the New Jersey Department of Health, schools are able to be vaccination sites. I do not believe brick will ever be one. I would just like reassurance that

208it won't. I check with the board, but I have not been asked nor have I volunteered to be a vaccination. And there are that have an in I know it's mostly in inner cities and stuff like that, but with the way that things are and the push for this vaccine, I just want to I only have one kid left in schools right now. So, I just want to make sure that she's not going to show up to high school one day and say, "Hey, if you want to get this, you know, like it's happening in Planefield, New Jersey and Newark. Hey, if you want to get this without the parents consent, they can go in and get that." I mean, I'm speaking for me as a board member and a mother and a grandmother. And

209I don't believe that it will happen. I wanted, you know, I can't This isn't something that's been put in front of us where we as a board are. we all said if we don't talk about it then it's right in front of I understand what you're saying and I can only you know I can only speak for me because again it hasn't put in front of us for emotion correct and you know um but as a parent no it's appalling you know right no but it is happening and it is happening in New Jersey but again I don't think saying we can't control what happens outside of just a blanket no it's not happening here is it's not it's not happening here. Nor should any child be getting any sort of information, health counseling or

210anything without parental consent even from a nurse. Agreed. You know, so and that's what we do here in BRE. What happens someplace else, another district, another state, which is why I said I don't think it's going to happen here. I just wanted that reassurance. Um, and then my next thing is when we have to fight for religious exemption again, can I see all you there? Will you come with me? I'll pick you up. I got enough room in the car. That's it. To fight to keep our religious exemption because that'll be the next step that they're going to take. Thank you. Yes, that will be the next step. Um, public. Yes, sir. Stephanie, I'm sorry. How you doing? Frank. I live off Princeton Avenue. Uh like to say for the record, my kids attend here.

211My son is a senior. They're heavily involved in sports. Uh they got a great education here, great experience. We're very happy with the school system. My question was about the amount of money that you spent on that survey. Uh when the light bulbs hardly light up on that school board out, I mean that scoreboard out there. Um is there any way that that could have been done in-house? You have I know you have a lot of talented educators here. Um I've been in the fire service my whole life, retired captain from FDMY and when we wanted to save money on training, we would have this thing called train the trainer. Is there any way going forward to save the taxpayers money? You know, I don't know anything about the survey. So I, you know, I'm

212not an educa, you know, I'm not in the education realm. Is there any way in the future that we could save money by actually having some of your staff or your educators, you know, come up with these surveys on your own instead of paying someone out, you know, out? So, that that's exactly what we do. The majority of the money of the 40,000 whatever it is for is PD training for train the trainers. Okay. Uh Dr. Anderson and her group, they kind of go out and do the training on SEAL. Um that's not all for obviously a survey. we could do a lot of that and after this one time now I will tell you that we don't usually do this at that amount for companies like this with PD and surveys but because we

213got the er money to fund it which unfortunately would not be able to use to fund a scoreboard um so this wasn't budgeted money from you know operations that where I would say it is an either or from the scoreboard or that uh this was er money from federal money that actually had stipulations in there to improve seal and this is where we went with it. But um we do do the train the trainer. All right. Thank you for your time. You're welcome. Thank you. Any other public comment? Uh Mr. By the way, I think the scoreboard is getting done with the field. It's not next summer. Is that scoreboard here? Mr. Campbell, did you want to make a comment before I get Mr. Finelli because he usually closes? Are you okay? Excuse me. Oh,

214okay. Um, Mr. Philly then he finally is not red anymore and this is not the place where Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Mr. Finelli, I don't really pretend to be an expert on what you're going through with the kids. All right? So, keep that in mind when I make my comments. I I I I very rarely get involved with a curriculum. However, just uh general observations about this panorama thing. A while back when uh you and the superintendent were against the standardized testing and even before that, one of the things that was communicated to me that you people didn't like about the standardized testing is it took away from teaching time. Remember those comments? Yeah. Okay. Now, you just signed up for a program the way I read it that you're going to

215test the kids twice a year and and test is not my word. That's what's in the documentation. So, you didn't like the standardized testing which was talked about tonight. Hurrah. Because we did it once a year, but you signed up for a program that you're going to test them twice a year. It's Dr. It's surveying and it's outside of school time. All right. We're going to let him finish his five minutes. Okay. or we're never getting out of here. Uh I don't know how you're going to handle the information you get if it's not in school. Secondly, uh the the the way I read the contract, it says you're also going to survey the community, but you didn't mention that. Are you going to survey community? No, he can answer. That's a quick one. He

216can tell you who said that. Yes. I can't wait. All right. just some of your comments when you said you think you say too much. You do. But I listen right. You mentioned this is going to improve absence. Whatever you're going to do. Absence has been a problem in this district for as long as I've been coming here. And it's not bad. It's terrible. So, I hope you think I hope you're going to fix it. Uh secondly, we're we're going to do all of this with the kids and then the budgets and the test results are going to take care of themselves. Boy, I don't believe that one. Why? You said it, but I don't believe it right now. You You think that all this other stuff is going to make everything get better? I'll

217tell you what my observation has been for the 10 years that I've been coming here, right? And the thing that's going to make things better is accountability. And I said that before, right? If things are going to get better, somebody has to make them get better. And if they don't make them get better, then there's got to be accountability there because you're not doing your job. Uh the pandemic will end, but your budgeting, your test scores, that won't end. I know you want to get home, but get used to longer meetings because people are showing up. Hurrah. Mr. Blandin is over there waiting for me to say something positive. And I got to tell you the truth. When I came here tonight, I didn't have anything positive to say. However, one of the things you've

218done tonight very well that you've not done before is had dialogue with people. All right? And that's what these meetings have to be about. Not you listening. Oh, we listen to you. That's nice. You listen, but nothing happened. I'm glad to see people showing up for a change. I'm glad they come here. They talk. And I'm glad you had a dialogue with them because if you want people behind you, that's what you need. Now, the last thing is, which I brought up before, I'm not a student here and I'm not a parent of kids in the school. However, I am one of the people that pays the bills. So, I'm always here for that. But I want to thank everybody who showed up who normally doesn't show up and I hope they come back. Thank

219you. The meetings are going to get the meetings are going to get a little longer. So, get used to it. It It's not about We'll stay here however long we need to. I just want to make sure everybody has the opportunity to speak. I'll stay after the meeting. You know, I gladly will. That's all that's about. I want to answer two things. Somewhere along somewhere along the line. I'm just Maybe it'll be on I want to answer two things. You said the accountability is on me, right, as a new superintendent and on the people that all report to me. But I there's tons of research, including my own, that show that test scores and student academic performance will improve based on some of this student connectedness. That's a lot of data. So when you say

220I don't think that'll help towards that end, I know for a fact it will if done right. Accountability is a whole another issue. But um I also for dialogue I am going to throw this out to many people because many people do email me parents and call me and email. I will be glad maybe I should do some kind of open form because I don't mind the dialogue at all obviously um and speaking and talking directly and taking it. I don't know if this is the venue all the time for a back and forth because we also have business to take care of and approve things to keep the operations on. But I think you triggered something that maybe I could do some kind of um open thing or something and invite. Yeah. Okay. Maybe

221I'd be glad to do some I may uh volunteer you to help me connect it and we could do something right here where we could just do that. So I'd be glad. All right. So and I will stay afterwards for anybody if I can go home and tell my son I won one. Absolutely. Suggestion. Okay. And and I believe last meeting you're saying this meeting that the town that the uh town had a committee meeting tonight too and I feel loved because you're here. Remember I said we'll know how you feel about I I mean thank you for coming. Oh, of course. So, okay. Um page two. Who was that? Paul. That's No, you're fine. it. We needed to do it, but I needed to pull it back, you know. So, um, we're gonna go

222right now to board comment. We'll start down. Nicole, I'll keep it quick. You guys all want to go home. Seriously, thank you for coming out. You You've heard from Mr. Finelli and everybody, our regulars are always here. But it's it's really nice to see you involved. It is nice seeing you advocate for yourselves. And like Dr. Barrel said, "We need to stick together as a family, but the family includes you parents as well. It It's not just us. It has to be you, too. It there has to be voices coming from everywhere. And you all have said things. You I'm sorry, I don't remember your name, but you said you parents do need to get together. It is important. Majority of us on the board here do have kids in the district. We're fighting the

223same battles that you guys are fighting and what's right for us might be wrong for you and so on. So, I think we still need to keep things respectful and we need to band together however that's going to be. Everybody needs to band together. And honestly, the change isn't going to happen without voting. We all know voting's next week. Everybody, please remember to go out and vote. And seriously, you have to thank the administration. They are doing a standup job. I honestly don't know how they do what they do every day. You know, we deal with it in different capacities, but I I think we have done watching other districts an amazing job at what we're doing, but we need you guys involved. So, it is so nice to see all of your faces here.

224Please keep coming. Please keep challenging us. Please bring your comments, your concerns, your ideas. We welcome all of it and we promise you that we do discuss all of them. So, thank you guys for coming out tonight. We do appreciate it and it's I know it's late. I'll stop talking. Thank you, Nicole. Mr. You s um I just want to remind everybody please vote. Michael, I just want to again thank those who came out tonight. The gentleman spoke about people together. Uh I I agree with you. It's always uh in another language mean uh united we stand, divided we fall. I think it's important when you show the strength of numbers, it it helps. It helps in many capacities. So, it's a good idea. Uh, and I hope you can do that and any way

225I can help, I'll be glad to do that also. Thank you. And everybody get out and vote Tuesday. Thank you again for coming tonight. And Mr. Finale, thank you for having another positive comment tonight and thank you for showing up here. Victoria, hi. I um I am just so proud. I have to say what I'm proud about every time I come to a board meeting. And I'm proud that our BO pres BOE president is recognized for extensive training that she's gone through to be the great leader that she is for us and that our superintendent has been recognized uh uh to rep to represent um us in in the state for different um accomplishments and expertise that he has to share with the state. But I especially want to say how great it was to

226see on the board agenda these authentic experiences in the field for our students. And I think I don't know if you all heard her say it, but I want to repeat. The young woman from the ROC representative talked about their field trip to the Intrepid and she said what a great experience it was for for the students in her group and how they did some self-guided and some guided and the kids really appreciate these things. It makes real to them what's going on in the classroom. it makes real to them what's going on in the community. And um I just think that's such a special thing that that we do as a district for our students. And I know it's been way way cut back over financial issues and of course during the pandemic, but

227it would be wonderful if we didn't have to hold a um a bake sale so our kids could go to see the Intrepid. And I really think that the designation of money that that we do put into it is well well worth it and comes back to us and our kids a hundfold. Um, thank you for coming out tonight. Thank you, Victoria Daisy. Hi everybody. Um, my speeches are usually my comments are a little different than everybody else's, but um, I just want to say um, thank you and best wishes to all of our retirees and welcome to our new hires. And um, I attended a marching band competition at Brook Memorial a few weeks ago and I was so impressed with all the local marching band presentations. I'm glad I really wasn't a judge

228as I wouldn't be able to choose a winner when all the bands were all so different and creative. It was also amazing to see how many band parents were running all the booths and concessions. It seems as if they are just one big happy band family. Um, and the audience was respectful and supportive and very excited to be there. The band crews with their directors and Mr. Penrod and everybody. The team that goes into this is just incredible. I could not believe how quickly the props were set up and then broken down at the end of each performance. And finally, the marching mustangs were spectacular to watch. I look forward to seeing what theme they choose every year. This year's performance was wonderful and their precision and passion are phenomenal. And then both of my

229kids attended the Brick Memorial um homecoming dance um almost two weeks ago. I believe that approximately 800 students were in attendance for their first ever outdoor dance. Um, I just can't even begin to imagine how much work, time, energy, and passion went into making this event even possible this year. I know that all the expectations were high and that they exceeded all of them. Once the dance was announced, seeing our kids start planning, prepping, coordinating with their friends and then actually getting together that night was just marvelous. This dance did more for our students than any other dance has before. And I'm I'm extremely grateful as a mom and a community member that these students made memories to last a lifetime all while improving their mental and physical health. So I would like to thank

230Miss Stansbury, Mr. Besi, the assistant principles, teachers, staff, and students who plan that dance. You are superheroes. And both of my kids have requested that I chaperone all dances and events from now on. But I was just kidding with that because they don't want me to go to anything that they're because I'm not cool. But that's fine. Whatever. Um, and again, I just love all the social media at this time of the year when it was just so full of so many fun events in our district. I was able to see pictures of the other homecoming bands from Brick Township, the fall festivals, the trunk or treats, the scavenger hunts, the door decorations, the socials, the week of respect, um, photos, and all the sports updates. So, I just think it does so much for

231mental health as well as a parent and a community member. So, log on to all of the social media accounts for the brick schools and you can see all the wonderful things that do go on every single day here. So, I just wanted to thank everybody for coming out tonight and don't forget to go out and vote on Tuesday. Thank you. Thank you, Daisy. And I think you're cool. Okay. So, too, Molita, uh hello. Good evening. I want to thank our community for coming out being a parent and an educator. As parents, we are our children are our most prized possessions and advocating and speaking on their behalf is what we do as parents. We might not necessarily agree, but you have we have the right to speak and express ourselves and advocate for our

232children. So, thank you for coming out and advocating for your children. Um to my board of ed members, I just want to say that we all come from different life experiences. We have different skill sets, but at the same time, um we have differences, but at the end of the day, we have a task to do and that is to serve our children and to serve our community. And I can say that this board of ed loves our students, loves our community, and we are diversely made from our backgrounds and our life experiences, but we come together to work for our children. So, board of ed, I give a shout out to you. I'm so grateful to be on this team with you and serving with you because it's not easy, but serving with you

233all is strength. They say iron sharpens iron. and I feel that I am better because of all of you. So, thank you. I want to give a shout out to our teachers. It is a stressful time for all of our teachers and our support staff. Thank you for everything that you do for our children. You've had to pivot. You've had to change. You've had to do different rules and you've done it. And you know, there have been some maybe some hesitations, but you do it and you do it well. you do it with love in your heart and you do it with a nurturing uh mindset. Um so thank you teachers, support staff and the entire uh brick um staff and I just would like for us to leave with the the fact that we

234are a community and I know we say you know let's you know we're the adults. We are the leaders for our children and our children should see us having disagreements because in life we are going to have disagreements but they should also see us coming together and coming up with a common goal. Are we going to get to that you know tonight? Probably not. But I am hopeful that we can work together for our children because they are our most prized possessions. They are our our love and they are the reason that we do this. So, thank you everyone for coming out. Please come back uh next month and voice your concerns. Continue to advocate for your child. I will continue to advocate for mine just how everyone in here is going to advocate for

235their children and the children of Brick. So, thank you for that. Have a good evening. Thank you, Molita. Um before I uh read the calendar and ask for a motion to adjurnn, um I just want to say to the point of um the amount of respect even that I've gotten in emails, phone calls, Facebook, reaching out, messaging me, um even through all your concerns, um I know that a couple of uh comments that I got were I know I know um I I'm I look I'm looked at as the bad guy when I come up and stand up because I may not agree with every We don't look at you as the bad guy. We look at you as concerned parents that have a right to voice your opinion and share your concerns with us

236because we need to know that. Um we also look at you as um an integral most important part in educating and their jobs and our jobs as board members in educating our children. So please don't ever feel like you did a great job. I I hope you come and speak up more. You were nervous. I know last time you didn't do it, but you did great. You You know, um that's important. Um you gave the administration a lot to think about. You gave the board a lot to think about. Um we'll be talking about a lot of these things um over the next week. Um but it a lot of new faces. Let's make you guys regulars. So I know your names like I know Mr. Finelli and Mr. look at, you know, um would

237be wonderful because that's what that's really what we need in order to protect our kids and do what works for brick because everywhere else we don't have issues that other districts have. Our curriculum, our seal, anything we should do should be based on our community and what our kids need. And quite honestly, and I'm sorry, Dr. Dr. No, I I totally admire you and your leadership, but Dr. Anderson is born, raised, bred in bricks. She bleeds green, has for a long time, and she's in charge of the curriculum. She is so familiar with what this community is about, and that our community, we like tradition. We like, you know, how many of our parents want their kids to graduate in the same colors that they were and, you know, people move to the other side

238of town to just to make sure that their children go to the same schools and it it's she we understand it, but she lived it and she's in a a in charge of curriculum. So, the comfort that you guys should all have in she knows brick. She understands brick. She is and just so experienced and so talented. Um should make you feel better. Does not mean you don't come and question. Does not mean you don't ask for examples. Does not mean you don't check. But I just wanted to put that out. I hope you don't mind that I put that out there. Um, but I think that's an important piece of what makes Brick B, you know, brick because she does understand that and she does understand the needs of our community versus what's going

239on everywhere else. So, having said that, um, November 1st through 3rd, we have a fall break. School would close. November 4th and 5th teachers convention, schools closed. November 11th is Veterans Day. School will be open. Thank you to all our veterans. Uh November 17th through 19th, our parent uh teacher conferences, early dismissal. November 18th um is our regular board member meeting here at 7 p.m. I need a motion and a second. Motion, Missy. Second, Victoria. Mr. Edwards. Yes. Miss Hfner. Mr. Mr. Blandina, yes. Miss Kaggleari, yes. Miss Parker, yes. Miss Pala, yes. Miss Sbert, yes. Miss Walrap, yes. Thank you everyone for coming.