001This meeting provided by the Board of Education in the March 5th, 2026 notice in the Asbury Park Press and the code are setting forth the date, time, and location of this meeting. Similar notice has been posted in the borough hall, the borough school website, and the borough clerk has been notified. Mrs. Boldina Here. Mr. Becker Present. Dr. D'Ambrosio Here. Mrs. Hutt Here. Mrs. McDevitt >> Here. Mrs. Reed Here. Mr. Vitali Mrs. Walsh >> Here. Mr. Walton Here. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. Can I get an approval a motion for the approval of last week's meeting? I motion. Second. Mrs. Boldina Yes. Mr. Becker Yes. Dr. D'Ambrosio Abstain.
002Mrs. Hutt Yes. Mrs. McDevitt Yes. Mrs. Reed Abstain. Mrs. Walsh Yes to the 22nd but the 18th I have to abstain. Mr. Walton Yes. Motion passed. All right. And then that brings us to presentations. We have two presentations this evening, our HIB report and then our budget. Yes. So just regarding the HIB, this is really just a presentation of our report. We do a HIV self-assessment every year on a variety of components with how we are implementing the HIV law. As part of that, we do a self-assessment. We have to grade ourselves and in grading ourselves and looking at all that we have done around HIV, we scored a 75 out of 78 points, which obviously is a very high score because we are compliant and exceed the expectations in a lot of ways. It
003includes everything from what our programs are to how our staff is trained to our reporting procedures to the meetings of our school safety team. So I'm really proud of the work that everybody does with respect to HIV. This will also be posted on our school district website, so it is public information. When you submit that, do they give you any feedback? What is the note keeping process? We just look at the criteria in each of the areas and score ourselves to say that yes, we you know, do investigations including all of these steps. We meet with our school safety team this many times a year and here's the information that we review. Here is how our staff is trained. Here's examples of programs that we do that allow us to meet that criteria. There's about
004eight or nine different areas that we review as a staff. In what areas did we maybe fall a little short? So the three points that we did not earn was the first was in HIV programs, approaches, and other initiatives. The max is 15. We gave ourselves 13 because if you're going to get the full 15, you are supposed to expand your programming, you know, almost at a community level. So when we do the back to school night presentation for parents, you know, that gets us points for parents education, but they also you're supposed to do things like, okay, every volunteer should be trained and we should be doing more community presentations about HIV. So, that's where we lost two points and then the other was in the area of personnel, we gave ourselves eight out
005of nine. Um our staff is already like has been trained and is certified to be trained with certain things, but you exceed and get the full points if you bring in an outside person to train. So, you know, we're very confident in our counselors and their ability and Mrs. Pinetti's training to train our own staff, so that was the other point. So. Thank you. You're welcome. All right, we're good. Budget sign? Yes. Okay, I think maybe we'll go together. Sure. Okay. Yes, yes. There's Tessie. Yeah, you too. Phillips. And it's just there. You know what, let these mouse out. Okay. Um our budget for this year, for the coming school year as usual the majority of it comes from the local tax levy. Our state aid stayed the same at about 7%. Federal aid is
006point eight. And instead of the excess surplus that we had used in prior year, this year we are taking a maintenance reserve which is of about 145,000 to add to our revenues. And the health care is in Oh, that would be in the C part. Yeah. Now, the increase is a 3.55 tax levy increase. Within this tax levy increase we have the health waiver to offset the cost increase cost of the health care costs. The health care costs are going up 23.5%. And we also received an enrollment waiver to offset additional costs. We had an additional 87 students that were on our report. So, we received a waiver for that as well. And that increased the tax levy to the 539,254. 3.55% over what we had as our tax levy last year. Without the maintenance
007reserve, it would have been about 4.6%. Now, highlighting the revenues, our local tax levy went up to 539,000 and change. Our state aid did go up. There are basically three areas of state aid. We get security aid, we get transportation, we get special ed aid. Two of them went down, one went up for a um balance of 41,000 and change. So, our state aid has increased. A lot of districts it went down, but we were fortunate for the increase. This is where our maintenance reserve withdrawal comes in. Whereas in before we had the excess surplus, now we are using 145,000 of our maintenance reserve. At the end of this school year, we should have a balance back in our fund balance to use. The interest we increased by 20,000. So, our total operating budget is
00817,439,159. Now, our federal grants I had to budget less 25% at the direction of the county hoping that we'd come back even as we did last year. I think last year I budgeted probably less 20%. We came even. We had several funds that came in at the same amount that we had prior year. So, I'm hoping for the same. Now, our appropriations, the biggest is our outgoing tuition that includes Janice tuition to our neighboring Manasquan as well as special ed and out of district tuitions. Next up is regular ed instruction within our building. Then special ed instruction within our building as well as resource, OTPT speech. After that, we have admin costs including our secretaries, guidance. After that is transportation which includes uh students to here, Manasquan, out of district, and any non-publics that we
009are able to get a route for. And if they don't receive a route, then we pay them aid in lieu. It's a law. And these are some of the highlighted appropriations. The tuition for regular and special ed went up 84,000, but the gen ed portion of Matawan for the top line accounts for about 5 million. So, a good portion of our budget. The regular instruction salaries went down. We had several retirements and other surprises. The employee benefits, that's our biggest. That's where you see the biggest increase. That's the 23 and 1/2% for health. Again, that's why we had the waiver. This is the first year that we've encountered the waiver, because otherwise, we've been able to include a 7%, 9% increase in health care within our budget. This is the first year that we took
010the waiver to go above the 2% because of the cost of health care. Special ed instruction, the building maintenance did go down because we have finished the boiler projects, and I did not have to incur any additional monies for any repairs while we were waiting for the new boilers. The administration, tech, guidance, secretaries, increase, and transportation. And then our other expenses. >> So, the special education students out of district and related services increase for any of our out of districts, the health care increase is 23 and 1/2% dental is five. The regular gen ed um excuse me, the gen ed tuition increase for Manasquan went from 21,389 up to 23,6 63. So, that was the actually it's a hair over 10% increase. Their CLI program went up as well. We have a student there. The
011adjustment we were I want to say fortunate to have 24,000 in the tuition adjustment for the students going to Manasquan, but we have to anticipate a $200,000 increase for any out of CR sections that we get billed in July for the completing this school year. Now, after all that, because the value of the town went up 9% versus our 3.55% increase in tax levy, and I went through several different scenarios, there will be a decrease in the school portion of taxes. For a house borough average, it went down 366 and change. For a house valued at 950,800, it went down 258 and change. And I tried several different addresses, and it looks like it will be a decrease in the school portion. Because again, the value of the town went up, so our figuring our
012tax rate went down. So that at least went in our favor. That 9% was in one year? Mhm. It went up 8% the year before. Right. Last year the value was 2. 6 billion. 2.684 and this year it's 2.9 200. So it went up a significant amount. So that's where the tax rate dropped. Thank you. Do you want to add anything? I think so. So, you know, I I commend the board and Diane. You know, they've been very fiscally responsible and that has allowed us to continue in a very in a very effective education for our students here in Brielle. So we're, you know, proud to say that our fiscal responsibility allows us to meet all of our obligations and really, you know, advance our programming for our students. This budget will support all of
013all of our academic, co-curricular and athletic programs along with allowing us to meet all of our state mandates. So I wanted to talk a little bit and and reflect on this year's goals. Before you move on, can I just ask you Of course. How does that pie graph for upcoming year in terms of the expenditures compare to prior years in terms of the percentage of the It's actually been pretty consistent. I think the highest was the health benefits and that cost. Everything else stayed the 12% for um I can't And how about tuition? Does it still stay the same amount in the pie? even with that increase? >> Even with that increase it it's still good. And then that 200 that 200k you said in July, we find out about that, but that's pretty much
014a certainty. Yes. Well, it could be it could it be dramatically higher or dramatically lower than No, I say it's So, what they do is they look at the are the number of our students were placed in in-class resource sections, and they don't tell like they don't bill us for that in July because they're still building high school schedules, kids schedules may change. Um but this year we did ask for that the enrollment in all of those so we would kind of know what's coming in July. Um and so, you know, we the ICR sections are paid for separately on top of the gen ed on top of that 23,000. So, you know, we we know because we asked earlier this year uh what we're expecting that that bill to be for that portion of
015the tuition. We get the tuition bill for the gen ed students per student. We get the enrollment adjustment, whether it's up or down. We must have been pretty close for it to only be 24,000. It's been in the past about 100. And then like Stacy said, this is the first time that we asked. In the past, this has always been a surprise. So, this is the largest increase for the ICR. I've seen. We had like 3 years it's been decreasing, but the capital fund the maintenance fund, what's the balance on that? I don't know like Uh before the 145, it was about 400 something. I'd have to look exactly, but >> So, like and there's no replenishment >> touched it. There's no replenishment going into that? Every year when there's the surplus at the end
016of the year, I say, "Okay, this much goes to capital reserve, this much goes to maintenance." So, it has been replenished each year. And it's called maintenance, but it doesn't have to be used specifically for maintenance or it doesn't? >> It does. It was the capital we used for the boiler or something. Like, the maintenance would be if we could fix that or fix something else, maintain. Sure. All right. So, I'd like to just reflect back on our district goals for this year then kind of give you a sense of how um you know, we progressed with those, but also how the budget continues to support the goals that we set for ourselves. So, this year we implemented a new math program in eight grades K through five. Um we continue to work on our
017students' social emotional development, things like character education, executive functioning, zones of regulation. Um this year we also received the DREAMS the DREAMS grant um that allowed us to do a little bit more about building relationships with students. And another goal that we continue to work on is exploring our opportunities to look at the technology platforms that we are using, look for the most efficient ones um that allow us to operate seamlessly, enhance our organization, but in a cost-effective manner. So, if we're looking at our K1 math, we did implement Into Math this year in grades K through five. Um we spent professional development time um getting our teachers ready for that program. Um you know, we revised um the teachers had examined it. We did a lot of observations in those math classrooms this year,
018so we could get a sense of how the instruction looked it's looking different. Um and then we have post-observation reflection meetings with teachers, so we've gathered a lot of input. We also looked at um Into Math B2 actually came out very quickly after we purchased it. So, our teachers have examined B2, uh which also has some additional tools in it. So, um you know, moving forward with this, this budget will support the purchase of B2 Into Math next year um so that we can continue with this new math program. If we're looking at our social emotional learning goals, um you know, Mrs. Pennetti and and Ms. Pearson, who's here in the audience, they uh secured a grant called a the Dreams grant and it really is about um how to develop a positive rapport with
019students um and so, you know, we give it we got a lot of training through that that really enhanced um you know, our teachers' relationships with students and and managing certain behaviors. Um and we also brought several new programs this year. Um Mrs. Pennetti started monthly school assemblies where students are actually the presenters at those assemblies. There's some workshops ahead of time between upper and lower grade students. So, that was really exciting. Uh we started with Blazer Bucks. We got involved with the Harlem Wizards um game with Man Spawn this year and that was very positive. Um and we tried to bring some parent education programs out. Uh we presented at BPAC. Uh we did an early literacy presentation for kindergarten parents. So, you know, we continue to try to, you know, work on this
020goal. And you know, the way that uh this budget allows us to continue that is we house two full-time guidance counselors here who have been really instrumental in in working with our students and the resources for the programs that we have put in place are prioritized and maintained in this budget. If we're looking at our third goal, which is our technology tools. We've done a lot of work in this area over the past few years. And this year we really took a big step by removing away from systems 3000 for HR, payroll, and budget. And we are also transitioning from Frontline to Genesis for our teacher evaluation platform. So we find Genesis is, you know, in operation in many many New Jersey school districts. And it is cost effective. So we are definitely saving money
021by making this transition to Genesis. I commend Ms. Quickley for going with payroll and budget in a whole new system. And our admin office staff also has been working really hard behind the scenes to make all of those changes. There's a lot that happens in order for this to go smoothly. We replaced Impero with a para, which is our system that we use to monitor student activity. Mr. Greenfield was instrumental in working with us on that. We've expanded the use of Parent Square as a notification system for parents. A lot of our teachers are using that on a regular basis. We are exploring the transition from LinkIt, which we use for benchmark student assessment data, also to Genesis. Genesis is coming out with its own benchmark platform. And you know, they it looks like they're
022going to do a very nice job for a much lower cost. So we're very interested in exploring it. And the interesting thing about this new Genesis platform is it can, you know, work with data such as like attendance data and how many minutes a kid is out of a classroom and pull in a lot of the data points that are already stored in our student information system and then tie them to benchmarks that can also be brought here. So, it can give us really good information especially for students who may need some additional you know, attention and support. And you know, doing all of these things is actually at a cost savings to the district. You know, we have been very focused on trying to find savings. There are certain tools that we have cast
023aside that we don't think for a school of our size is worth the cost. One of those being a component in LinkIt was called intervention manager and we used it for our IRS process. We just didn't feel like the cost was worth it. You know, so we are always looking for ways to continue to be efficient and you know, again Mr. Greenfield's had a big hand in this, Ms. Pearson's had a big hand in this, Ms. Pennetti, Ms. Quigley. We're always looking for ways that we can try to be cost effective with our technology tools. So, I want to talk about some proposed changes for next year. That's That's some of the things that this budget allows us to do. One of the big things that we will be doing is currently here as everybody
024knows band and choir is offered as an outside of school time. We will be building band and choir back in as a specific course for our middle school students who choose to take it. You know, I think that will definitely get more students involved in music. I think we you all really value the arts and would like to see the enrollment in those programs increase and we really feel strongly that one way to do it is to offer it as a class. So, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will have the option to join band and choir. It will replace their 10 specials periods per week. Two of them if they join band and choir will be band and choir. All right, so what that starts to look like is if I'm a sixth
025grade student and I'm not enrolled in band or choir, all right? In the In place of those two periods, I will have one music course and a study skills course. Um we are exploring options for, you know, what that curriculum is actually going to look like. Um and we think it's really important in middle school to start to introduce students to practices that are going to help them academically, but also help them with certain executive functioning skills like how to collaborate with positively in a group, how to do some goal setting. Um so, we're going to do that with sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who are not enrolled in band or choir will have two sections of study skills. So, while we're building that out, you know, what we would also like to see
026is by eighth grade, you know, a a course that kind of prepares them for high school, maybe does some career exploration with them, allows them to become familiar with the platform that's used at Vance One High School, which is different from the platform that is used here. They are They use Microsoft, we use Google. Um so, we're working on building that out. And the other change is that currently we do financial literacy in grades six and seven and eight. The state requirement is that they have it one time in middle school, so we will do financial literacy only in eighth grade um to to meet that mandate. Will the kids who are in band or choir have the opportunity to still do the study skills? No, it will be in place of that. So. Cuz
027we did Yeah. Because the other specials that are in there are ones they have to take, too, like Spanish. They have to have three PEs, so art, so. Is there financial literacy in elementary school or is No, it starts in middle school, the mandate. You had it 3 years of it. Like typically right now they have had 3 years of it, correct? Or how do they how do they compress that into 1 year? So, I feel like our program right now, they have it once a week, it's very redundant. So, what we will and you know, it the we can hit all this most places do it once in the 3 years. So, I'm I feel like our program is a little redundant and I think we are able to hit all the standards that
028are required and even some of the things that typically might be done in financial literacy. Like there's a big career component in some parts of financial literacy, that could be brought into the study skills course as well, you know, and start to be introduced to some of those things. So, um that's how I kind of see that playing out. All right. Okay, I'd like to share the enrollment projections for where we are. Um kindergarten as we know is still an unknown. We're still registering students. I think at this point we're over 40, which is great. Um you know, it's nice to kind of be in that over 50 place so we can continue to maintain three sections and it looks like, you know, last year at this time we were in the 30-ish range. You
029know, I kind of Diane kind of jokes with me that, you know, we see a lot of strollers out at drop-off and pick-up and that's a really good sign for us. Um so, you know, we're waiting for that. Uh we know these are our two small groups. Grades 1 through 4, fourth grade will go back to being three sections with 49 students. Grade 5 will remain at two sections because there's only 42 students in that grade and sixth grade is 45 students. However, we math placement may will probably break that group back into three sections. Three sections is also um much easier to manage with the rotating schedule in the middle school. So, you know, I think between the way that the math placement is going to break out and understanding the way that the
030middle school schedule works, it we're probably going to have grade six in three sections for core academics, but then we will put them back into two sections for specials and allow the kids to mix um in in that. Seven and eight will continue to, you know, be as they have been with numbers over 50. You know, we can even though we're going back to three sections um in grade four, we may go to three sections in grade six because we have such a large number of special education students leaving and that we have our lower numbers in special education at the lower grades, as those needs continue to decrease, even though we're increasing sections, we still have the staff to support three sections at every grade. That makes sense. So, this is the end of
031the second year All right, so the second year that you've had going from three to two sections. So, the fifth graders this year um they were the first group that came from the three section to two two years ago. Right. Yes. Now that they're graded in fifth grade, have you looked like empirically at the outcomes for that change? Like have you looked to see >> I have not. I can't say. Um cuz this is the year we would have to go back Mhm. and compare other fifth grades to this fifth grade's grades. But I would also want to look at that cohort. You know, and they had a standards-based report card and this is the first time they have a grade report card. So, it would require looking at it both ways, not only comparing
032fifth grades, which gets kind of like we do with NJSL A, right? So, but it would also be looking at them as a cohort coming through and if we've noticed any, you know, I will say, you know, I I the other thing we could possibly look at and I don't know the numbers off the top of my head if we see an increased referrals in that grade for I and RS, you know, um I I don't know the answer to that off the top of my head but I don't want to speak to it but certainly something we can we can look into. Probably the benchmark assessments more. >> Yeah, the benchmark level benchmarks over time and if that Genesis portion could do that for us maybe. >> yeah. In the future. Yeah. Well, I
033always am wary of that type of comparison because when you're looking at comparing that that cohort over the years like it's going to change through the assessments. Small sample size. And then even when you compare class to class, the numbers change, the kids change and when since we're such a small group one or two kids can have such an impact. It's hard it's just a really hard I understand what you're saying. My point is the entire attendance is a small sample size. But my hypothesis was moving that section to two with, you know, be okay. Like do we can we prove that at this point is what I'm after. Because we're now saying we're going to continue that into, you know, that group is going to continue to be at two, right? So I'd like
034to know if actually that that it hasn't worked out and we should consider having three sections because they're not having those needs met. Well, look, we're going to run into the same issue next year with this group going into sixth grade, right? And math placements, you know, and a lot of it depends on how many students are going to get into the double accelerated program because then, you know, then you could be really, you know, I don't know how you would then break them into three because if five go into, you know, or six go into, now you got 36 kids in, you know, so you'd have classes of 12, you know, so you're right. I mean, it definitely is worth looking at um and it is always a every year especially in a place
035where, you know, you are a little smaller, like the numbers can can change every year a little bit, but I I appreciate your feedback and you certainly can look at that. Um, okay, so in terms of professional development, you know, um, this budget definitely supports that. Our teachers do we meet weekly in PLC time to collaborate, to plan, um, to do all of the things that we expect them to do together, either as a grade level or in their specialized areas. Uh, we will continue with BDO Consulting. That is a great opportunity for our teachers to meet with teachers in sending districts. Uh, Diane Petoskey does an amazing job of staying current, uh, you know, providing our teachers, um, with with the types of topics that they want to explore that are or that are
036at the forefront. Um, you know, we continue to consult with experts in specific fields where we can. Um, we've got training for our technology tools as we shift over, um, especially to new ones in terms of teacher evaluation and also if we decide to make the switch from Lincoln. Um, and then we do continue to use our web-based program for our cost-effective for all our state mandated trainings. It comes with our insurance. So, that's a very cost-effective way for us to do that annual mandated training from the state. Um, we continue to have our um, cost-sharing agreement to have Detective Tiffany Brown here in our building every day. That's a that's been very successful. Our security cameras, um, and related systems are still here to ensure our safety. And, you know, as Diane pointed out,
037we do get some money from the DOE to continue to keep those systems up and running. Just want to thank everybody for their continued support. Um, you know, I think this is a very sound budget. I want to take thank the community and our board members for everyone's input and feedback as we develop this budget. We're looking forward to 2026-2027. Any questions? Stacy, I know you had mentioned there should be some acknowledgement and appreciation to the effort that you tried to do with Mana Swan. Yeah. There are some sections and and the cost savings that they might incur so that they can also deal with HR issues. Diana and I are going to meet with Dr. Mr. Goodall and their BA Dr. Crowley next week. Um you know, I I shared communication with you that
038I had shared with him. Um and so we're going to have a lot meeting to see if there's any additional points that can be made or information that can be shared so they understand, you know, the the impact that, you know, these increases are are making it difficult, right? As as, you know, Diane said this is the first time we'd have to take a portion of the health care waiver. Um and yes, that is because, you know, health care is going up. But, you know, the a 10% increase in tuition is is significant and, you know, it did pose a challenge for us in making all these pieces work for our budget, too. Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right. That brings us to visitors business. Visitors are permitted to comment
039on agenda items only at this time. Oh, please just state your name and address just for the And that mic's more for people at home. Yeah, we can hear YOU FINE. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING on YouTube. You're on YouTube. You look great. >> Yeah, I was going to say. Uh George Spivak, 636 Susan Lane. I got a question. Can I only ask about budget now, right? Uh just any items on the agenda. Oh, okay. Um in terms of the enrollment just a couple questions. Why did the special ed fix this big drop? You mean cost? No, in other words, I'm looking at the numbers Oh, okay. Um I think a big part of it has to do um with the early intervention that we have put in place at the K-3 grade
040level. Um I've been here 3 years and well, this is the end of my third year. Um and there were many students I think who during COVID, right, had some lapses and and maybe some gaps. I can't say because I wasn't here, but it we do have an eighth grade and um that has a higher percentage of students who have IEPs than what we have coming down the pipe in K123. Okay. And so this number 459 is that the total number of kids that are physically in the school? Yes. Okay. So in light of what was talked about Mine mine is kindergarten, right? Anticipated Yes. Uh that's projected. So okay. Yes. So in light of two things going on in the town, the one is the higher assessment due to smaller houses being torn down
041and bigger ones being built. And all the proposed development uh on Higgins Road and Rapture Woods, uh the affordable housing, etc. You're going to see within 3 to 5 years a heck of a lot more people. I don't know if that translates into students. What Have we looked at that? Number one. So, before I came, there was a 5-year projection enrollment done, study done, and they believed that our enrollment would stay steady even in light of that. Um many years before my time, my understanding is that this school had 750 students. So Okay. Um Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um Kind of. Yeah. Yeah. You know, just in my kids' time frame, there there was that high number. You know, it was coming. Refresh my memory. What what is the Is there maximum or what is
042the capacity? po- possible amount of kids in the school? I don't know the answer to that question. I I can only a reasonable I mean, 20 kids in a class. Yeah. Gosh, I would have to count up the number of classrooms. So, like for example, right now, we have two classrooms. One is being used as a professional development room, and one is being used in a different capacity, a non-classroom. You know, so right there, there's two classrooms that are open, you know. Um our class sizes are reasonable. We also have the the luxury of when um students go to a specials class, that classroom remains vacant. You know, so when you have a higher population, you know, scheduling gets a little bit tricky be- because you can make your schedule work so that every classroom
043is being used during every period. And we don't That's not even a concern for us at all. When our students leave to go to PE, it's not like the Spanish teacher's going into that class- classroom to teach a Spanish class. You know, I said like I said, my only frame of reference for this particular building is my understanding that, you know, class sizes here or grade sizes used to be much bigger and there were 700 to 800 students here. So Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. Thank you. I think in another 2 years. It was done right before I started. And that's a required uh Yes. amount of time that we It's a 5-year, right? I think it's 5 years. I know when my daughter was here and graduated in 2010, there were four sections and there were
044close to 100 kids in her grade. Yeah, that's what we experienced. Yeah. Yeah, but 20 years ago, 25 years ago, we were living in trailers. Yeah. And before before the rebuild. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was I was on the board then. I remember I do. Me, our our kids My kids were babies. I don't hear you. I told you you LOOK GREAT, GEORGE. I APPRECIATE IT. WE APPRECIATE YOU. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Um no correspondence, it looks like. Uh so that will bring us to committee reports. Uh Mr. Rotelli is not here tonight. Did they Did district operation I don't even think No. Okay. Um Representative of administration. Dr. Imperiale. The only thing of note is there's a vacancy on the management board which applications were taken to fill it. Got it. Do
045you have any input on that? One second. I wasn't at the meeting but I I did have a vote. That's unfortunate. Got it. All right. Ms. Street curriculum and program. All right. So the curriculum and programs committee just met at 6:00 p.m. tonight. Um I was in attendance as the committee chair. Ms. McDevitt and Ms. Walsh were present from the board of education and Ms. Pearson and um Ms. Polstra were present as administration. We talked about NJSLA testing which will start um last week for the science No. Science was this week. >> Oh. This week. Science is this week um and the regular third through eighth will start May 11th and we were just kind of discussing what the new test looks like and how that's going to roll out. There is some changes made
046by the state. A new company um is doing the test and it has an adaptive nature. So just trying to kind of understand what that's going to look like and I it sounds like we have a lot of good plans in place and um hopefully everything goes really smoothly. Um we discussed the change to the specials that was presented in the budget um presentation. Um we also talked about some um programs that could possibly be replacing programs that we have currently and just the diligence of kind of really examining everything from an academic standpoint and a financial standpoint and everything else. We discussed some of the end of year events that take place at the school. Um yeah, that's about it. Productive meeting. Great. Uh human resources. Oh, this is hot. Oh, I didn't even
047You came You snuck that in. Sorry. I'm struggling a little bit tonight. The allergies are bad. I know. They're terrible. So the HR committee met yesterday and attendance were Mrs. Polstra, Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Walsh, Mr. Becker, myself, and Mrs. McDevitt joined virtually. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes. Uh we discussed hiring for the 20 2026-2027 school year as well as for temporary leaves. Um a lot a lot of other stuff that we discussed was also already presented in Mrs. Polstra's presentation about the changes in specials for the middle schoolers next year. Um most excitingly being that band and choir will be offered as specials two times per week. Um the end the adding the three sections back for the sixth grade based on their math placements as well as the projected enrollment for next year
048and the importance of registering sooner rather than later so we can plan for the numbers. Okay. Thank you very much. Um Mr. Waltman, we didn't have a No, we had one scheduled for yesterday but there were no updates from Strauss Esme and no other agenda might have so we canceled the meeting yet ready an hour Wonderful. Thank you. Uh um Fuzzy now, community relations? I do not have a report tonight, but we'll have one next month. Sounds good. Uh More administrator reports? Yeah, just just a couple of items. Um you know, I just really want to send a big thank you to the PTO for all the events that they organized during Eco Week. It was every day it was something, you know, just fantastic from the tree tree planting to composting day to ending
049the week with walk to school day. I had like no duties out there on Friday morning. It was like it was um yeah, so I just really appreciate and our staff who all stepped up and and participated in that week. Uh we also uh celebrated Bring Your Child to Work Day here. Um a lot of our staff members brought their own children, um which was great. Um you know, Mrs. Panetti did a great job of organizing certain things during the day for that. Uh we also had the Booster Club fundraiser um over the past couple of weeks. I student faculty basketball came back and we had a great turnout and it was a really fun night. So, um that was a great event for the Booster Club. And our spring field trips are underway. We're
050seeing a lot of buses showing up and and taking kids to the you know, the trips that their teachers have been planning. Um and you know, as as Mrs. Reed said, you know, now until you know, June, there's just seems like there's something every week. We have an author visit at the end of this week. Our third graders are at the library today. So, you know, just a very lively spring and just thank you to everyone. Our teachers, um parents, PTO, um everyone who contributes to making it such a great spring and end to the school year. Thank you. Yeah, I've very excited um students coming home like every day. There's something with the tree, with a report from a trip, so. Um okay. Uh no HIV reports it looks like. Uh so, that brings
051us to action items. Uh curriculum and programs. Uh Mrs. Reed, will you Sure. I'd like to make a motion to that the Board of Ed approve the following um staff members to uh attend workshops at A1 and then going all the way through A6. I'll second that. Mrs. Portanova? Yes. Mr. Becker? Yes. Dr. D'Ambrosio? Yes. Mrs. Hutt? Yes. Mrs. McDevitt? Yes. Mrs. Reed? Yes. Mrs. Wolfe? Yes. Mr. Wolfe? Yes. Motion yes. Great. Uh for district operations, um Dr. D'Ambrosio? I'd like to put forth items B1 through B13. Second. Mrs. Portanova? Yes. Mr. Becker? Yes. Dr. D'Ambrosio? Yes. Mrs. Hutt? Yes. Mrs. McDevitt? Yes. Mrs. Reed? Yes. Mrs. Wolfe? Yes. Mr. Wolfe? Yes. Motion yes. Okay, for human resources, Mrs. Hutt, will you Please read these four. I would like to make a motion that the
052Board approve items D1 through D4. That's 16. Uh D16 for approval. I'll second. Mrs. Reed. Do you want me to add that? And this is Fort Lee, now? Yes. This is Decker? Yes. Okay. And you're Brown, too? >> Yes. This is Stack? Yes. This is Nick Deven? Yes. This is Weeks? Yes. This is Walsh? >> Yes. This is Wolf? Yes. Ocean, yes. Wonderful. All right, that brings us to visitors business. Uh visitors are permitted to comment on agenda and non-agenda items at this time. Again, just please state your name and address. Go go right ahead. Yep. Uh George 636 East Allendale. Uh full disclosure, I'm heading up a citizens committee to help the town council on this whole borough hall issue. Not here to get into that right now, but I'd like a comment or
053an explanation. I'm going to read a sentence from a memo that was posted on the borough council website on March 20th, I think it was. It says, um "Certain alternatives that have been suggested are not viable. Board of Education has indicated that it's not interested in hosting borough's regular meetings, including borough council, planning board, recreation committee, and environment commission meetings. Accordingly, school facilities do not provide a realistic long-term alternative for municipal operations." Yeah, that sounds right. >> Yeah, I was going to say, yes. Yeah, that was the Board of Education I guess I mean, more or less, that's I wouldn't say not interested, but we the Board of Education doesn't think it's feasible or uh a good idea to have all of those meetings in the school facility. Why? Uh resources purposes, um security concerns,
054um financial concerns for sure. Uh so, yeah, those big And the the blending the blending of the of school and municipal, um yeah, meetings and goings-on. Like, our budget is not the municipal budget. We are not one in the same. The Board of Education represents the students and the school as the school does. It is not necessarily representative of things like the Planning Board. Um Understood. Yeah. Uh so, if I'm at least in terms of the financial consideration, if you were just looking at the council and the planning, that's four meetings a month between between them. How would that even bring like this? Plus committee. What? Would they be separate and where would they be held? The committee meetings from I mean they can be held anywhere. They don't have to be held here. I'm
055just talking public meetings. Right. >> Public meetings. Yeah, that was the question. Public meetings, I'm sorry. Public meetings. So, if you're just looking at four public meetings a month, and I understand separate jurisdictions, that's clear. Mhm. If you build that, the council that's only meeting upon a rate, what would be the additional cost there for the district? Uh well, I think it would also be the case that why would we only allow two of these municipal, um organizations to have their meetings here, but exclude the others? So, there's that consideration as well. >> Yeah, but that I mean that's that's not a big deal. Okay. You don't have to answer. And policy for nonprofit We're taking under advisement. What? Yeah. >> have a >> in our policy or are you building usage and profit? >>
056That's true. We have a policy that does not incorporate that. Yeah. Yeah, so I mean that's that's our our stance is simply that we we don't want to move forward with um offering the school as an option uh because of those reasons. Um it permanent certainly not permanently. So, if that's that's our statement. So, is that the final say or is that a as of right now current Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Do you you Do you do recall though that when this building was expanded part of the justification to the taxpayers was it's used as a community center. It is It is used It is used >> remember that and I do and I I I think that's been brought up recently and I think by and large it is. For me, I think security
057plays heavy, finances play heavy, policy. But for me, a lot of it has to do with the optics. The town over the last 30 years has changed dramatically. Uh the financial obligations and uh scenarios that the school runs into, let alone the town runs into, take affordable housing has changed dramatically with it. And And optically speaking let alone the other issues, security. Our our meetings are are woefully under attended. Those meetings can be heavily attended and I can't account for every person, let alone what the individuals, particularly newer people that move into town, interpret as to our responsibility versus the town's responsibility and and them coming into the school. You know, even volleyball, we we know who's coming. In these meetings, particularly from a safety and optic standpoint. Based on the subject and the town
058that who allowed the time, I'm not too secure on that. If that makes sense to you. I can see what you're saying, but I don't necessarily agree with it because I mean we're we're talking Israel. I mean I don't Well, George, how about it? Why not the library? Library could handle 200 people. Why not that? Or Curtis House? Well, I Curtis House was was recommended. >> Yeah. You know. And that's a beautiful spot. I have no reason why not. I'm just exploring this reasoning based upon what the intent and justification of the expansion was. I mean this this room here in particular, I mean 99% of the meetings could be held and you'll have just about the same amount of people at those meetings. Depending on the subject and proof of the pudding. Yes, absolutely.
059But but point is two of those meetings were held there. Yeah. Okay. And I think to to validate that on on a need basis. >> Yes, on an as needed basis. I that's something I that I guess they didn't uh put in that statement. We are more than happy to accommodate under extenuating circumstances, but as a permanent option as the op- the uh posting space permanently moving forward, the school cannot cannot undertake that. Even though part of that plan for a new Borough Hall consists of an auditorium. That consists that the run is about between two and three million dollars for the taxpayers. Yeah, it's a totally separate subject which you're right. It's a totally separate subject than what we're dealing with. I agree. Thank you for that. I dis- I disagree. I I That's
060I don't understand why something can't couldn't be worked out. At least on a uh on a Well, couldn't be worked out for those four meetings a month. I I think that's That's not the the intent of of what this building is expanding. Yes, it's being used for communities uh other, but I mean, come on. Four times a month. I mean, that's I I uh I hear you, and I'm I'm sorry that it doesn't make sense to you, but as a board, that's our position. And uh again, please restate why. Safety? >> I think it We have We I There's been an issue uh or there's been I think several statements issued. I can I can send it to you personally. Yes. >> Okay, that's fine. I I appreciate it. >> Yes, I'll follow up and
061send you I'll I'll get your I'll get I'll get your email. I don't know if you want all of you to get together. So, yes, I will I will send you the statement, for sure. You're welcome. >> for sure, we appreciate your time. >> Yes, thank you. Yeah. Thanks so much. All right. Um that would bring us to the payment of the bills. Uh Mr. Waltman, would you pay the bills? Sure, I'd like to motion that the board authorizes the payments of the following March 26th bills, and the secretary is authorized to draw warrant to the treasurer in the total amount of 1,606,978 and dollars and 93 cents. Second. Mrs. Altina? Yes. Mr. Baker? Yes. Dr. D'Ambrosia? Yes. Mrs. Todd? Yes. Mrs. McDevitt? Yes. Mrs. Sweet? Yes. Mrs. Holt? Yes. Mr. Waltman? Yes. All right,
062we have our board secretary certification. We will not be having an executive session tonight, so that moves us toward adjournment. So, can I make a motion to adjourn? Second. Second. I. I. I. Thank you, everyone. It's all right, it happens sometimes.